The

Complete Works of Origen

This material is available in the public domain.

Published from Toronto, Ontario
Canada
March, 2016
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

De Principiis

PREFACE
BOOK I
BOOK II
BOOK III
BOOK IV

Africanus to Origen

Origen to Africanus

Origen to Gregory

Against Celsus

BOOK I
BOOK II
BOOK III
BOOK IV
BOOK V
BOOK VI
BOOK VII
BOOK VIII
Letter of Origen to Gregory

Commentary on the Gospel of John

Book I
Book II
Book IV
Book V
Book VI
Book X

Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew

Book I
Book II
Book X
Book XI
Book XII
Book XIII
Book XIV

The King James Bible

 Introduction - Origen
Origen, most modest of writers, hardly ever alludes to himself in his own
works; but Eusebius has devoted to him almost the entire sixth book of
"Ecclesiastical History". Eusebius was thoroughly acquainted with the life of his
hero; he had collected a hundred of his letters; in collaboration with the martyr
Pamphilus he had composed the "Apology for Origen"; he dwelt at Caesarea
where Origen's library was preserved, and where his memory still lingered; if at
times he may be thought somewhat partial, he is undoubtedly well informed. We
find some details also in the "Farewell Address" of St. Gregory Thaumaturgus to
his master, in the controversies of St. Jerome and Rufinus, in St. Epiphanius
(Haeres., LXIV), and in Photius (Biblioth. Cod. 118). Origen at Alexandria
(185-232)
Born in 185, Origen was barely seventeen when a bloody persecution of the
Church of Alexandrian broke out. His father Leonides, who admired his
precocious genius was charmed with his virtuous life, had given him an
excellent literary education. When Leonides was cast into prison, Origen would
fain have shared his lot, but being unable to carry out his resolution, as his
mother had hidden his clothes, he wrote an ardent, enthusiastic letter to his father
exhorting him to persevere courageously. When Leonides had won the martyr's
crown and his fortune had been confiscated by the imperial authorities, the
heroic child laboured to support himself, his mother, and his six younger
brothers. This he successfully accomplished by becoming a teacher, selling his
manuscripts, and by the generous aid of a certain rich lady, who admired his
talents. He assumed, of his own accord, the direction of the catechetical school,
on the withdrawal of Clement, and in the following year was confirmed in his
office by the patriarch Demetrius (Eusebius, Church History VI.2; St. Jerome,
"De viris illust.", liv). Origen's school, which was frequented by pagans, soon
became a nursery of neophytes, confessors, and martyrs. Among the latter were
Plutarch, Serenus, Heraclides, Heron, another Serenus, and a female
Plutarch, Serenus, Heraclides, Heron, another Serenus, and a female
catechumen, Herais (Eusebius, Church History VI.4). He accompanied them to
the scene of their victories encouraging them by his exhortations. There is
nothing more touching than this picture Eusebius has drawn of Origen's youth,
so studious, disinterested, austere and pure, ardent and zealous even to
indiscretion (VI, iii and vi). Thrust thus at so early an age into the teacher's chair,
he recognized the necessity of completing his education. Frequenting the
philosophic schools, especially that of Ammonius Saccas, he devoted himself to
a study of the philosophers, particularly Plato and the Stoics. In this he was but
following the example of his predecessors Pantenus and Clement, and of
Heracles, who was to succeed him. Afterwards, when the latter shared his
labours in the catechetical school, he learned Hebrew, and communicated
frequently with certain Jews who helped him to solve his difficulties.
The course of his work at Alexandria was interrupted by five journeys.
About 213, under Pope Zephyrinus and the emperor Caracalla, he desired "to see
the very ancient Church of Rome", but he did not remain there long (Eusebius,
Church History VI.14). Shortly afterwards he was invited to Arabia by the
governor who was desirous of meeting him (VI, xix). It was probably in 215 or
216 when the persecution of Caracalla was raging in Egypt that he visited
Palestine, where Theoctistus of Caesarea and Alexander of Jerusalem, invited
him to preach though he was still a layman. Towards 218, it would appear, the
empress Mammaea, mother of Alexander Severus, brought him to Antioch (VI,
xxi). Finally, at a much later period, under Pontian of Rome and Zebinus of
Antioch (Eusebius, VI, xxiii), he journeyed into Greece, passing through
Caesarea where Theoctistus, Bishop of that city, assisted by Alexander, Bishop
of Jerusalem, raised him to the priesthood. Demetrius, although he had given
letters of recommendation to Origen, was very much offended by this ordination,
which had taken place without his knowledge and, as he thought, in derogation
of his rights. If Eusebius (VI, viii) is to be believed, he was envious of the
increasing influence of his catechist. So, on his return to Alexandria, Origen
soon perceived that his bishop was rather unfriendly towards him. He yielded to
soon perceived that his bishop was rather unfriendly towards him. He yielded to
the storm and quitted Egypt (231). The details of this affair were recorded by
Eusebius in the lost second book of the "Apology for Origen"; according to
Photius, who had read the work, two councils were held at Alexandria, one of
which pronounced a decree of banishment against Origen while the other
deposed him from the priesthood (Biblioth. cod. 118). St. Jerome declares
expressly that he was not condemned on a point of doctrine.

Origen at Caesarea (232)

Expelled from Alexandria, Origen fixed his abode at Caesarea in Palestine

(232), with his protector and friend Theoctistus, founded a new school there, and
resumed his "Commentary on St. John" at the point where it had been
interrupted. He was soon surrounded by pupils. The most distinguished of these,
without doubt, was St. Gregory Thaumaturgus who, with his brother
Apollodorus, attended Origen's lectures for five years and delivered on leaving
him a celebrated "Farewell Address". During the persecution of Maximinus
(235-37) Origen visited his friend, St. Firmilian, Bishop of Caesarea in
Cappadocia, who made him remain for a long period. On this occasion he was
hospitably entertained by a Christian lady of Caesarea, named Juliana, who had
inherited the writing of Symmachus, the translator of the Old Testament
(Palladius, "Hist. Laus.", 147). The years following were devoted almost
uninterruptedly to the composition of the "Commentaries". Mention is made
only of a few excursions to Holy Places, a journey to Athens (Eusebius, VI,
xxxii), and two voyages to Arabia, one of which was undertaken for the
conversion of Beryllus, a Patripassian (Eusebius, VI, xxxiii; St. Jerome,
Illustrious Men 60), the other to refute certain heretics who denied the
Resurrection (Eusebius, Church History VI.37). Age did not diminish his
activities. He was over sixty when he wrote his "Contra Celsum" and his
"Commentary on St. Matthew". The persecution of Decius (250) prevented him
from continuing these works. Origen was imprisoned and barbarously tortured,
but his courage was unshaken and from his prison he wrote letters breathing the
spirit of the martyrs (Eusebius, Church History VI.39). He was still alive on the
death of Decius (251), but only lingering on, and he died, probably, from the
results of the sufferings endured during the persecution (253 or 254), at the age
of sixty-nine (Eusebius, Church History VII.1). His last days were spent at Tyr,
though his reason for retiring thither is unknown. He was buried with honour as
a confessor of the Faith. For a long time his sepulchre, behind the high-altar of
the cathedral of Tyr, was visited by pilgrims. Today, as nothing remains of this
cathedral except a mass of ruins, the exact location of his tomb is unknown.

Works

Very few authors were as fertile as Origen. St. Epiphanius estimates at six
thousand the number of his writings, counting separately, without doubt, the
different books of a single work, his homilies, letters, and his smallest treatises
(Haeres., LXIV, lxiii). This figure, repeated by many ecclesiastical writers,
seems greatly exaggerated. St. Jerome assures us that the list of Origen's writings
drawn up by St. Pamphilus did not contain even two thousand titles (Contra
Rufin., II, xxii; III, xxiii); but this list was evidently incomplete. Eusebius
(Church History VI.32) had inserted it in his biography of St. Pamphilus and St.
Jerome inserted it in a letter to Paula.

Exegetical writings

Origen had devoted three kinds of works to the explanation of the Holy
Scripture: commentaries, homilies, and scholia (St. Jerome, "Prologus interpret.
homiliar. Orig. in Ezechiel"). The commentaries (tomoi libri, volumina) were a
continuous and well-developed interpretation of the inspired text. An idea of
their magnitude may be formed from the fact that the words of St. John: "In the
beginning was the Word", furnished material for a whole roll. There remain in
Greek only eight books of the "Commentary on St. Matthew", and nine books of
the "Commentary on St. John"; in Latin an anonymous translation of the
"Commentary on St. Matthew" beginning with chapter xvi, three books and a
half of the "Commentary on the Canticle of Canticles" translated by Rufinus, and
an abridgment of the "Commentary on the Epistles to the Romans" by the same
translator. The homilies (homiliai, homiliae, tractatus) were familiar discourses
on texts of Scripture, often extemporary and recorded as well as possible by
stenographers. The list is long and undoubtedly must have been longer if it be
true that Origen, as St. Pamphilus declares in his "Apology" preached almost
every day. There remain in Greek twenty-one (twenty on Jeremias and the
celebrated homily on the witch of Endor); in Latin, one hundred and eighteen
translated by Rufinus, seventy-eight translated by St. Jerome and some others of
more of less doubtful authenticity, preserved in a collection of homilies. The
twenty "Tractatus Origenis" recently discovered are not the work of Origen,
though use has been made of his writings. Origen has been called the father of
the homily; it was he who contributed most to popularize this species of
literature in which are to be found so many instructive details on the customs of
the primitive Church, its institutions, discipline, liturgy, and sacraments. The
scholia (scholia, excerpta, commaticum interpretandi genus) were exegetical,
philological, or historical notes, on words or passages of the Bible, like the
annotations of the Alexandria grammarians on the profane writers. Except some
few short fragments all of these have perished.

Other writings

We now possess only two of Origen's letters: one addressed to St. Gregory
Thaumaturgus on the reading of Holy Scripture, the other to Julius Africanus on
the Greek additions to the Book of Daniel. Two opuscula have been preserved
entire in the original form; an excellent treatise "On Prayer" and an "Exhortation
to Martyrdom", sent by Origen to his friend Ambrose, then a prisoner for the
Faith. Finally two large works have escaped the ravages of time: the "Contra
Celsum" in the original text, and the "De principiis" in a Latin translation by
Celsum" in the original text, and the "De principiis" in a Latin translation by
Rufinus and in the citations of the "Philocalia" which might equal in contents
one-sixth of the whole work. In the eight books of the "Contra Celsum" Origen
follows his adversary point by point, refuting in detail each of his false
imputations. It is a model of reasoning, erudition, and honest polemic. The "De
principiis", composed at Alexandria, and which, it seems, got into the hands of
the public before its completion, treated successively in its four books, allowing
for numerous digressions, of: (a) God and the Trinity, (b) the world and its
relation to God, (c) man and his free will, (d) Scripture, its inspiration and
interpretation. Many other works of Origen have been entirely lost: for instance,
the treatise in two books "On the Resurrection", a treatise "On Free Will", and
ten books of "Miscellaneous Writings" (Stromateis). For Origen's critical work
see HEXAPLA.

Posthumous influence of Origen

During his lifetime Origen by his writings, teaching, and intercourse

exercised very great influence. St. Firmilian of Caesarea in Cappadocia, who
regarded himself as his disciple, made him remain with him for a long period to
profit by his learning (Eusebius, Church History VI.26; Palladius, "Hist. Laus.",
147). St. Alexander of Jerusalem his fellow pupil at the catechetical school was
his intimate faithful friend (Eusebius, VI, xiv), as was Theoctistus of Caesarea in
Palestine, who ordained him (Photius, cod. 118). Beryllus of Bostra, whom he
had won back from heresy, was deeply attached to him (Eusebius, VI, xxxiii; St.
Jerome, Illustrious Men 60). St. Anatolus of Laodicea sang his praises in his
"Carmen Paschale" (P.G., X, 210). The learned Julius Africanus consulted him,
Origen's reply being extant (P.G., XI, 41-85). St. Hippolytus highly appreciated
his talents (St. Jerome, Illustrious Men 61). St. Dionysius, his pupil and
successor in the catechetical school, when Patriarch of Alexandria, dedicated to
him his treatise "On the Persecution" (Eusebius, VI, xlvi), and on learning of his
death wrote a letter filled with his praises (Photius, cod. 232). St. Gregory
Thaumaturgus, who had been his pupil for five years at Caesarea, before leaving
addressed to him his celebrated "Farewell Address" (P.G., X, 1049-1104), an
enthusiastic panegyric. There is no proof that Heracles, his disciple, colleague,
and successor in the catechetical school, before being raised to the Patriarchate
of Alexandria, wavered in his sworn friendship. Origen's name was so highly
esteemed that when there was a question of putting an end to a schism or rooting
out a heresy, appeal was made to it.
After his death his reputation continued to spread. St. Pamphilus, martyred
in 307, composes with Eusebius an "Apology for Origen" in six books the first
alone of which has been preserved in a Latin translation by Rufinus (P.G., XVII,
541-616). Origen had at that time many other apologists whose names are
unknown to us (Photius, cod. 117 and 118). The directors of the catechetical
school continued to walk in his footsteps. Theognostus, in his "Hypotyposes",
followed him even too closely, according to Photius (cod. 106), though his
action was approved by St. Athanasius. Pierius was called by St. Jerome
"Origenes junior" (Illustrious Men 76). Didymus the Blind composed a work to
explain and justify the teaching of the "De principiis" (St. Jerome, "Adv. Rufin.",
I, vi). St. Athanasius does not hesitate to cite him with praise (Epist. IV ad
Serapion., 9 and 10) and points out that he must be interpreted generously (De
decretis Nic., 27).
Nor was the admiration for the great Alexandrian less outside of Egypt. St.
Gregory of Nazianzus gave significant expression to his opinion (Suidas,
"Lexicon", ed. Bernhardy, II, 1274: Origenes he panton hemon achone). In
collaboration with St. Basil, he had published, under the title "Philocalia", a
volume of selections from the master. In his "Panegyric on St. Gregory
Thaumaturgus", St. Gregory of Nyssa called Origen the prince of Christian
learning in the third century (P.G., XLVI, 905). At Caesarea in Palestine the
admiration of the learned for Origen became a passion. St. Pamphilus wrote his
"Apology", Euzoius had his writings transcribed on parchment (St. Jerome,
Illustrious Men 93). Eusebius catalogued them carefully and drew upon them
largely. Nor were the Latins less enthusiastic than the Greeks. According to St.
Jerome, the principal Latin imitators of Origen are St. Eusebius of Verceil, St.
Hilary of Poitiers, and St. Ambrose of Milan; St. Victorinus of Pettau had set
them the example (St. Jerome, "Adv. Rufin.", I, ii; "Ad Augustin. Epist.", cxii,
20). Origen's writings were so much drawn upon that the solitary of Bethlehem
called it plagiarism, furta Latinarum. However, excepting Rufinus, who is
practically only a translator, St. Jerome is perhaps the Latin writer who is most
indebted to Origen. Before the Origenist controversies he willingly admitted this,
and even afterwards, he did not entirely repudiate it; cf. the prologues to his
translations of Origen (Homilies on St. Luke, Jeremias, and Ezechiel, the
Canticle of Canticles), and also the prefaces to his own "Commentaries" (on
Micheas, the Epistles to the Galatians, and to the Ephesians etc.).
Amidst these expressions of admiration and praise, a few discordant voices
were heard. St. Methodius, bishop and martyr (311), had written several works
against Origen, amongst others a treatise "On the Resurrection", of which St.
Epiphanius cites a long extract (Haeres., LXVI, xii-lxii). St. Eustathius of
Antioch, who died in exile about 337, criticized his allegorism (P.G., XVIII,
613-673). St. Alexander of Alexandria, martyred in 311, also attacked him, if we
are to credit Leontius of Byzantium and the emperor Justinian. But his chief
adversaries were the heretics, Sabellians, Arians, Pelagians, Nestorians,
Apollinarists.
 De Principiis (Preface)
Preface.

1. All who believe and are assured that grace and truth were obtained
through Jesus Christ, and who know Christ to be the truth, agreeably to His own
declaration, "I am the truth," derive the knowledge which incites men to a good
and happy life from no other source than from the very words and teaching of
Christ. And by the words of Christ we do not mean those only which He spoke
when He became man and tabernacled in the flesh; for before that time, Christ,
the Word of God, was in Moses and the prophets. For without the Word of God,
how could they have been able to prophesy of Christ? And were it not our
purpose to confine the present treatise within the limits of all attainable brevity,
it would not be difficult to show, in proof of this statement, out of the Holy
Scriptures, how Moses or the prophets both spoke and performed all they did
through being filled with the Spirit of Christ. And therefore I think it sufficient
to quote this one testimony of Paul from the Epistle to the Hebrews, in which he
says: "By faith Moses, when he had come to years, refused to be called the son of
Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God,
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ
greater riches than the treasures of the Egyptians." Moreover, that after His
ascension into heaven He spoke in His apostles, is shown by Paul in these
words: "Or do you seek a proof of Christ who speaks in me?"
2. Since many, however, of those who profess to believe in Christ differ
from each other, not only in small and trifling matters, but also on subjects of the
highest importance, as, e.g., regarding God, or the Lord Jesus Christ, or the Holy
Spirit; and not only regarding these, but also regarding others which are created
existences, viz., the powers and the holy virtues; it seems on that account
necessary first of all to fix a definite limit and to lay down an unmistakable rule
regarding each one of these, and then to pass to the investigation of other points.
For as we ceased to seek for truth (notwithstanding the professions of many
among Greeks and Barbarians to make it known) among all who claimed it for
erroneous opinions, after we had come to believe that Christ was the Son of God,
and were persuaded that we must learn it from Himself; so, seeing there are
many who think they hold the opinions of Christ, and yet some of these think
differently from their predecessors, yet as the teaching of the Church,
transmitted in orderly succession from the apostles, and remaining in the
Churches to the present day, is still preserved, that alone is to be accepted as
truth which differs in no respect from ecclesiastical and tradition.
3. Now it ought to be known that the holy apostles, in preaching the faith of
Christ, delivered themselves with the utmost clearness on certain points which
they believed to be necessary to every one, even to those who seemed somewhat
dull in the investigation of divine knowledge; leaving, however, the grounds of
their statements to be examined into by those who should deserve the excellent
gifts of the Spirit, and who, especially by means of the Holy Spirit Himself,
should obtain the gift of language, of wisdom, and of knowledge: while on other
subjects they merely stated the fact that things were so, keeping silence as to the
manner or origin of their existence; clearly in order that the more zealous of their
successors, who should be lovers of wisdom, might have a subject of exercise on
which to display the fruit of their talents—those persons, I mean, who should
prepare themselves to be fit and worthy receivers of wisdom.
4. The particular points clearly delivered in the teaching of the apostles are
as follow:—
First , That there is one God, who created and arranged all things, and who,
when nothing existed, called all things into being— God from the first creation
and foundation of the world— the God of all just men, of Adam, Abel, Seth,
Enos, Enoch, Noe, Sere, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the twelve patriarchs, Moses,
and the prophets; and that this God in the last days, as He had announced
beforehand by His prophets, sent our Lord Jesus Christ to call in the first place
Israel to Himself, and in the second place the Gentiles, after the unfaithfulness of
the people of Israel. This just and good God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Himself gave the law and the prophets, and the Gospels, being also the God of
the apostles and of the Old and New Testaments.
Secondly , That Jesus Christ Himself, who came (into the world), was born
of the Father before all creatures; that, after He had been the servant of the
Father in the creation of all things— "For by Him were all things made" — He
in the last times, divesting Himself (of His glory), became a man, and was
incarnate although God, and while made a man remained the God which He was;
that He assumed a body like to our own, differing in this respect only, that it was
born of a virgin and of the Holy Spirit: that this Jesus Christ was truly born, and
did truly suffer, and did not endure this death common (to man) in appearance
only, but did truly die; that He did truly rise from the dead; and that after His
resurrection He conversed with His disciples, and was taken up (into heaven).
Then, Thirdly , the apostles related that the Holy Spirit was associated in
honour and dignity with the Father and the Son. But in His case it is not clearly
distinguished whether He is to be regarded as born or innate, or also as a Son of
God or not: for these are points which have to be inquired into out of sacred
Scripture according to the best of our ability, and which demand careful
investigation. And that this Spirit inspired each one of the saints, whether
prophets or apostles; and that there was not one Spirit in the men of the old
dispensation, and another in those who were inspired at the advent of Christ, is
most clearly taught throughout the Churches.
5. After these points, also, the apostolic teaching is that the soul, having a
substance and life of its own, shall, after its departure from the world, be
rewarded according to its deserts, being destined to obtain either an inheritance
of eternal life and blessedness, if its actions shall have procured this for it, or to
be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments, if the guilt of its crimes shall
have brought it down to this: and also, that there is to be a time of resurrection
from the dead, when this body, which now "is sown in corruption, shall rise in
incorruption," and that which "is sown in dishonour will rise in glory." This also
is clearly defined in the teaching of the Church, that every rational soul is
possessed of free-will and volition; that it has a struggle to maintain with the
devil and his angels, and opposing influences, because they strive to burden it
with sins; but if we live rightly and wisely, we should endeavour to shake
ourselves free of a burden of that kind. From which it follows, also, that we
understand ourselves not to be subject to necessity, so as to be compelled by all
means, even against our will, to do either good or evil. For if we are our own
masters, some influences perhaps may impel us to sin, and others help us to
salvation; we are not forced, however, by any necessity either to act rightly or
wrongly, which those persons think is the case who say that the courses and
movements of the stars are the cause of human actions, not only of those which
take place beyond the influence of the freedom of the will, but also of those
which are placed within our own power. But with respect to the soul, whether it
is derived from the seed by a process of traducianism, so that the reason or
substance of it may be considered as placed in the seminal particles of the body
themselves, or whether it has any other beginning; and this beginning, itself,
whether it be by birth or not, or whether bestowed upon the body from without
or no, is not distinguished with sufficient clearness in the teaching of the Church.
6. Regarding the devil and his angels, and the opposing influences, the
teaching of the Church has laid down that these beings exist indeed; but what
they are, or how they exist, it has not explained with sufficient clearness. This
opinion, however, is held by most, that the devil was an angel, and that, having
become an apostate, he induced as many of the angels as possible to fall away
with himself, and these up to the present time are called his angels.
7. This also is a part of the Church's teaching, that the world was made and
took its beginning at a certain time, and is to be destroyed on account of its
wickedness. But what existed before this world, or what will exist after it, has
not become certainly known to the many, for there is no clear statement
regarding it in the teaching of the Church.
8. Then, finally, that the Scriptures were written by the Spirit of God, and
have a meaning, not such only as is apparent at first sight, but also another,
which escapes the notice of most. For those (words) which are written are the
forms of certain mysteries, and the images of divine things. Respecting which
there is one opinion throughout the whole Church, that the whole law is indeed
spiritual; but that the spiritual meaning which the law conveys is not known to
all, but to those only on whom the grace of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in the
word of wisdom and knowledge.
The term [ἀσώματον], i.e., incorporeal, is disused and unknown, not only
in many other writings, but also in our own Scriptures. And if any one should
quote it to us out of the little treatise entitled The Doctrine of Peter , in which the
Saviour seems to say to His disciples, "I am not an incorporeal demon," I have
to reply, in the first place, that that work is not included among ecclesiastical
books; for we can show that it was not composed either by Peter or by any other
person inspired by the Spirit of God. But even if the point were to be conceded,
the word [ἀσώματον] there does not convey the same meaning as is intended by
Greek and Gentile authors when incorporeal nature is discussed by philosophers.
For in the little treatise referred to he used the phrase "incorporeal demon" to
denote that that form or outline of demoniacal body, whatever it is, does not
resemble this gross and visible body of ours; but, agreeably to the intention of
the author of the treatise, it must be understood to mean that He had not such a
body as demons have, which is naturally fine, and thin as if formed of air (and
for this reason is either considered or called by many incorporeal), but that He
had a solid and palpable body. Now, according to human custom, everything
which is not of that nature is called by the simple or ignorant incorporeal; as if
one were to say that the air which we breathe was incorporeal, because it is not a
body of such a nature as can be grasped and held, or can offer resistance to
pressure.
9. We shall inquire, however, whether the thing which Greek philosophers
call [ἀσώματον], or "incorporeal," is found in holy Scripture under another
name. For it is also to be a subject of investigation how God himself is to be
understood—whether as corporeal, and formed according to some shape, or of a
different nature from bodies—a point which is not clearly indicated in our
teaching. And the same inquiries have to be made regarding Christ and the Holy
Spirit, as well as respecting every soul, and everything possessed of a rational
nature.
10. This also is a part of the teaching of the Church, that there are certain
angels of God, and certain good influences, which are His servants in
accomplishing the salvation of men. When these, however, were created, or of
what nature they are, or how they exist, is not clearly stated. Regarding the sun,
moon, and stars, whether they are living beings or without life, there is no
distinct deliverance.
Every one, therefore, must make use of elements and foundations of this
sort, according to the precept, "Enlighten yourselves with the light of
knowledge," if he would desire to form a connected series and body of truths
agreeably to the reason of all these things, that by clear and necessary statements
he may ascertain the truth regarding each individual topic, and form, as we have
said, one body of doctrine, by means of illustrations and arguments—either
those which he has discovered in holy Scripture, or which he has deduced by
closely tracing out the consequences and following a correct method.
 De Principiis (Book I)
Chapter 1. On God.

1. [I know] that some will attempt to say that, even according to the
declarations of our own Scriptures, God is a body, because in the writings of
Moses they find it said, that "our God is a consuming fire;" and in the Gospel
according to John, that "God is a Spirit, and they who worship Him must
worship Him in spirit and in truth." Fire and spirit, according to them, are to be
regarded as nothing else than a body. Now, I should like to ask these persons
what they have to say respecting that passage where it is declared that God is
light; as John writes in his Epistle, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness
at all." Truly He is that light which illuminates the whole understanding of those
who are capable of receiving truth, as is said in the thirty-sixth Psalm, "In Your
light we shall see light." For what other light of God can be named, "in which
any one sees light," save an influence of God, by which a man, being
enlightened, either thoroughly sees the truth of all things, or comes to know God
Himself, who is called the truth? Such is the meaning of the expression, "In Your
light we shall see light;" i.e., in Your word and wisdom which is Your Son, in
Himself we shall see You the Father. Because He is called light, shall He be
supposed to have any resemblance to the light of the sun? Or how should there
be the slightest ground for imagining, that from that corporeal light any one
could derive the cause of knowledge, and come to the understanding of the
truth?
2. If, then, they acquiesce in our assertion, which reason itself has
demonstrated, regarding the nature of light, and acknowledge that God cannot be
understood to be a body in the sense that light is, similar reasoning will hold true
of the expression "a consuming fire." For what will God consume in respect of
His being fire? Shall He be thought to consume material substance, as wood, or
hay, or stubble? And what in this view can be called worthy of the glory of God,
if He be a fire, consuming materials of that kind? But let us reflect that God does
indeed consume and utterly destroy; that He consumes evil thoughts, wicked
actions, and sinful desires, when they find their way into the minds of believers;
and that, inhabiting along with His Son those souls which are rendered capable
of receiving His word and wisdom, according to His own declaration, "I and the
Father shall come, and We shall make our abode with him?" He makes them,
after all their vices and passions have been consumed, a holy temple, worthy of
Himself. Those, moreover, who, on account of the expression "God is a Spirit,"
think that He is a body, are to be answered, I think, in the following manner. It is
the custom of sacred Scripture, when it wishes to designate anything opposed to
this gross and solid body, to call it spirit, as in the expression, "The letter kills,
but the spirit gives life," where there can be no doubt that by "letter" are meant
bodily things, and by "spirit" intellectual things, which we also term "spiritual."
The apostle, moreover, says, "Even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is
upon their heart: nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be
taken away: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." For so long as
any one is not converted to a spiritual understanding, a veil is placed over his
heart, with which veil, i.e., a gross understanding, Scripture itself is said or
thought to be covered: and this is the meaning of the statement that a veil was
placed over the countenance of Moses when he spoke to the people, i.e., when
the law was publicly read aloud. But if we turn to the Lord, where also is the
word of God, and where the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual knowledge, then the
veil is taken away, and with unveiled face we shall behold the glory of the Lord
in the holy Scriptures.
3. And since many saints participate in the Holy Spirit, He cannot therefore
be understood to be a body, which being divided into corporeal parts, is partaken
of by each one of the saints; but He is manifestly a sanctifying power, in which
all are said to have a share who have deserved to be sanctified by His grace. And
in order that what we say may be more easily understood, let us take an
illustration from things very dissimilar. There are many persons who take a part
in the science or art of medicine: are we therefore to suppose that those who do
so take to themselves the particles of some body called medicine, which is
placed before them, and in this way participate in the same? Or must we not
rather understand that all who with quick and trained minds come to understand
the art and discipline itself, may be said to be partakers of the art of healing? But
these are not to be deemed altogether parallel instances in a comparison of
medicine to the Holy Spirit, as they have been adduced only to establish that that
is not necessarily to be considered a body, a share in which is possessed by many
individuals. For the Holy Spirit differs widely from the method or science of
medicine, in respect that the Holy Spirit is an intellectual existence and subsists
and exists in a peculiar manner, whereas medicine is not at all of that nature.
4. But we must pass on to the language of the Gospel itself, in which it is
declared that "God is a Spirit," and where we have to show how that is to be
understood agreeably to what we have stated. For let us inquire on what occasion
these words were spoken by the Saviour, before whom He uttered them, and
what was the subject of investigation. We find, without any doubt, that He spoke
these words to the Samaritan woman, saying to her, who thought, agreeably to
the Samaritan view, that God ought to be worshipped on Mount Gerizim, that
"God is a Spirit." For the Samaritan woman, believing Him to be a Jew, was
inquiring of Him whether God ought to be worshipped in Jerusalem or on this
mountain; and her words were, "All our fathers worshipped on this mountain,
and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where we ought to worship." To this
opinion of the Samaritan woman, therefore, who imagined that God was less
rightly or duly worshipped, according to the privileges of the different localities,
either by the Jews in Jerusalem or by the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim, the
Saviour answered that he who would follow the Lord must lay aside all
preference for particular places, and thus expressed Himself: "The hour is
coming when neither in Jerusalem nor on this mountain shall the true
worshippers worship the Father. God is a Spirit, and they who worship Him
must worship Him in spirit and in truth." And observe how logically He has
joined together the spirit and the truth: He called God a Spirit, that He might
distinguish Him from bodies; and He named Him the truth, to distinguish Him
from a shadow or an image. For they who worshipped in Jerusalem worshipped
God neither in truth nor in spirit, being in subjection to the shadow or image of
heavenly things; and such also was the case with those who worshipped on
Mount Gerizim.
5. Having refuted, then, as well as we could, every notion which might
suggest that we were to think of God as in any degree corporeal, we go on to say
that, according to strict truth, God is incomprehensible, and incapable of being
measured. For whatever be the knowledge which we are able to obtain of God,
either by perception or reflection, we must of necessity believe that He is by
many degrees far better than what we perceive Him to be. For, as if we were to
see any one unable to bear a spark of light, or the flame of a very small lamp,
and were desirous to acquaint such a one, whose vision could not admit a greater
degree of light than what we have stated, with the brightness and splendour of
the sun, would it not be necessary to tell him that the splendour of the sun was
unspeakably and incalculably better and more glorious than all this light which
he saw? So our understanding, when shut in by the fetters of flesh and blood,
and rendered, on account of its participation in such material substances, duller
and more obtuse, although, in comparison with our bodily nature, it is esteemed
to be far superior, yet, in its efforts to examine and behold incorporeal things,
scarcely holds the place of a spark or lamp. But among all intelligent, that is,
incorporeal beings, what is so superior to all others— so unspeakably and
incalculably superior— as God, whose nature cannot be grasped or seen by the
power of any human understanding, even the purest and brightest?
6. But it will not appear absurd if we employ another similitude to make the
matter clearer. Our eyes frequently cannot look upon the nature of the light itself
— that is, upon the substance of the sun; but when we behold his splendour or
his rays pouring in, perhaps, through windows or some small openings to admit
the light, we can reflect how great is the supply and source of the light of the
body. So, in like manner. the works of Divine Providence and the plan of this
whole world are a sort of rays, as it were, of the nature of God, in comparison
with His real substance and being. As, therefore, our understanding is unable of
itself to behold God Himself as He is, it knows the Father of the world from the
beauty of His works and the comeliness of His creatures. God, therefore, is not
to be thought of as being either a body or as existing in a body, but as an
uncompounded intellectual nature, admitting within Himself no addition of any
kind; so that He cannot be believed to have within him a greater and a less, but is
such that He is in all parts [Μονάς], and, so to speak, mind and source from
which all intellectual nature or mind takes its beginning. But mind, for its
movements or operations, needs no physical space, nor sensible magnitude, nor
bodily shape, nor colour, nor any other of those adjuncts which are the properties
of body or matter. Wherefore that simple and wholly intellectual nature can
admit of no delay or hesitation in its movements or operations, lest the simplicity
of the divine nature should appear to be circumscribed or in some degree
hampered by such adjuncts, and lest that which is the beginning of all things
should be found composite and differing, and that which ought to be free from
all bodily intermixture, in virtue of being the one sole species of Deity, so to
speak, should prove, instead of being one, to consist of many things. That mind,
moreover, does not require space in order to carry on its movements agreeably to
its nature, is certain from observation of our own mind. For if the mind abide
within its own limits, and sustain no injury from any cause, it will never, from
diversity of situation, be retarded in the discharge of its functions; nor, on the
other hand, does it gain any addition or increase of mobility from the nature of
particular places. And here, if any one were to object, for example, that among
those who are at sea, and tossed by its waves the mind is considerably less
vigorous than it is wont to be on land, we are to believe that it is in this state, not
from diversity of situation, but from the commotion or disturbance of the body to
which the mind is joined or attached. For it seems to be contrary to nature, as it
were, for a human body to live at sea; and for that reason it appears, by a sort of
inequality of its own, to enter upon its mental operations in a slovenly and
irregular manner, and to perform the acts of the intellect with a duller sense, in
as great degree as those who on land are prostrated with fever; with respect to
whom it is certain, that if the mind do not discharge its functions as well as
before, in consequence of the attack of disease, the blame is to be laid not upon
the place, but upon the bodily malady, by which the body, being disturbed and
disordered, renders to the mind its customary services under by no means the
well-known and natural conditions: for we human beings are animals composed
of a union of body and soul, and in this way (only) was it possible for us to live
upon the earth. But God, who is the beginning of all things, is not to be regarded
as a composite being, lest perchance there should be found to exist elements
prior to the beginning itself, out of which everything is composed, whatever that
be which is called composite. Neither does the mind require bodily magnitude in
order to perform any act or movement; as when the eye by gazing upon bodies
of larger size is dilated, but is compressed and contracted in order to see smaller
objects. The mind, indeed, requires magnitude of an intellectual kind, because it
grows, not after the fashion of a body, but after that of intelligence. For the mind
is not enlarged, together with the body, by means of corporal additions, up to the
twentieth or thirtieth year of life; but the intellect is sharpened by exercises of
learning, and the powers implanted within it for intelligent purposes are called
forth; and it is rendered capable of greater intellectual efforts, not being
increased by bodily additions, but carefully polished by learned exercises. But
these it cannot receive immediately from boyhood, or from birth, because the
framework of limbs which the mind employs as organs for exercising itself is
weak and feeble; and it is unable to bear the weight of its own operations, or to
exhibit a capacity for receiving training.
7. If there are any now who think that the mind itself and the soul is a body,
I wish they would tell me by way of answer how it receives reasons and
assertions on subjects of such importance— of such difficulty and such subtlety?
Whence does it derive the power of memory? And whence comes the
contemplation of invisible things? How does the body possess the faculty of
understanding incorporeal existences? How does a bodily nature investigate the
processes of the various arts, and contemplate the reasons of things? How, also,
is it able to perceive and understand divine truths, which are manifestly
incorporeal? Unless, indeed, some should happen to be of opinion, that as the
very bodily shape and form of the ears or eyes contributes something to hearing
and to sight, and as the individual members, formed by God, have some
adaptation, even from the very quality of their form, to the end for which they
were naturally appointed; so also he may think that the shape of the soul or mind
is to be understood as if created purposely and designedly for perceiving and
understanding individual things, and for being set in motion by vital movements.
I do not perceive, however, who shall be able to describe or state what is the
colour of the mind, in respect of its being mind, and acting as an intelligent
existence. Moreover, in confirmation and explanation of what we have already
advanced regarding the mind or soul— to the effect that it is better than the
whole bodily nature— the following remarks may be added. There underlies
every bodily sense a certain peculiar sensible substance, on which the bodily
sense exerts itself. For example, colours, form, size, underlie vision; voices and
sound, the sense of hearing; odours, good or bad, that of smell; savours, that of
taste; heat or cold, hardness or softness, roughness or smoothness, that of touch.
Now, of those senses enumerated above, it is manifest to all that the sense of
mind is much the best. How, then, should it not appear absurd, that under those
senses which are inferior, substances should have been placed on which to exert
their powers, but that under this power, which is far better than any other, i.e.,
the sense of mind, nothing at all of the nature of a substance should be placed,
but that a power of an intellectual nature should be an accident, or consequent
upon bodies? Those who assert this, doubtless do so to the disparagement of that
better substance which is within them; nay, by so doing, they even do wrong to
God Himself, when they imagine He may be understood by means of a bodily
nature, so that according to their view He is a body, and that which may be
understood or perceived by means of a body; and they are unwilling to have it
understood that the mind bears a certain relationship to God, of whom the mind
itself is an intellectual image, and that by means of this it may come to some
knowledge of the nature of divinity, especially if it be purified and separated
from bodily matter.
8. But perhaps these declarations may seem to have less weight with those
who wish to be instructed in divine things out of the holy Scriptures, and who
seek to have it proved to them from that source how the nature of God surpasses
the nature of bodies. See, therefore, if the apostle does not say the same thing,
when, speaking of Christ, he declares, that "He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of every creature." Not, as some suppose, that the nature of God is
visible to some and invisible to others: for the apostle does not say "the image of
God invisible" to men or "invisible" to sinners, but with unvarying constancy
pronounces on the nature of God in these words: "the image of the invisible
God." Moreover, John, in his Gospel, when asserting that "no one has seen God
at any time," manifestly declares to all who are capable of understanding, that
there is no nature to which God is visible: not as if, He were a being who was
visible by nature, and merely escaped or baffled the view of a frailer creature,
but because by the nature of His being it is impossible for Him to be seen. And
if you should ask of me what is my opinion regarding the Only-begotten
Himself, whether the nature of God, which is naturally invisible, be not visible
even to Him, let not such a question appear to you at once to be either absurd or
impious, because we shall give you a logical reason. It is one thing to see, and
another to know: to see and to be seen is a property of bodies; to know and to be
known, an attribute of intellectual being. Whatever, therefore, is a property of
bodies, cannot be predicated either of the Father or of the Son; but what belongs
to the nature of deity is common to the Father and the Son. Finally, even He
Himself, in the Gospel, did not say that no one has seen the Father, save the Son,
nor any one the Son, save the Father; but His words are: "No one knows the Son,
save the Father; nor any one the Father, save the Son." By which it is clearly
shown, that whatever among bodily natures is called seeing and being seen, is
termed, between the Father and the Son, a knowing and being known, by means
of the power of knowledge, not by the frailness of the sense of sight. Because,
then, neither seeing nor being seen can be properly applied to an incorporeal and
invisible nature, neither is the Father, in the Gospel, said to be seen by the Son,
nor the Son by the Father, but the one is said to be known by the other.
9. Here, if any one lay before us the passage where it is said, "Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they shall see God," from that very passage, in my opinion,
will our position derive additional strength; for what else is seeing God in heart,
but, according to our exposition as above, understanding and knowing Him with
the mind? For the names of the organs of sense are frequently applied to the
soul, so that it may be said to see with the eyes of the heart, i.e., to perform an
intellectual act by means of the power of intelligence. So also it is said to hear
with the ears when it perceives the deeper meaning of a statement. So also we
say that it makes use of teeth, when it chews and eats the bread of life which
comes down from heaven. In like manner, also, it is said to employ the services
of other members, which are transferred from their bodily appellations, and
applied to the powers of the soul, according to the words of Solomon, "You will
find a divine sense." For he knew that there were within us two kinds of senses:
the one mortal, corruptible, human; the other immortal and intellectual, which he
now termed divine. By this divine sense, therefore, not of the eyes, but of a pure
heart, which is the mind, God may be seen by those who are worthy. For you
will certainly find in all the Scriptures, both old and new, the term "heart"
repeatedly used instead of "mind," i.e., intellectual power. In this manner,
therefore, although far below the dignity of the subject, have we spoken of the
nature of God, as those who understand it under the limitation of the human
understanding. In the next place, let us see what is meant by the name of Christ.
 Chapter 2. On Christ.
1. In the first place, we must note that the nature of that deity which is in
Christ in respect of His being the only-begotten Son of God is one thing, and that
human nature which He assumed in these last times for the purposes of the
dispensation (of grace) is another. And therefore we have first to ascertain what
the only-begotten Son of God is, seeing He is called by many different names,
according to the circumstances and views of individuals. For He is termed
Wisdom, according to the expression of Solomon: "The Lord created me— the
beginning of His ways, and among His works, before He made any other thing;
He founded me before the ages. In the beginning, before He formed the earth,
before He brought forth the fountains of waters, before the mountains were
made strong, before all the hills, He brought me forth." He is also styled First-
born, as the apostle has declared: "who is the first-born of every creature." The
first-born, however, is not by nature a different person from the Wisdom, but one
and the same. Finally, the Apostle Paul says that "Christ (is) the power of God
and the wisdom of God."
2. Let no one, however, imagine that we mean anything impersonal when
we call Him the wisdom of God; or suppose, for example, that we understand
Him to be, not a living being endowed with wisdom, but something which
makes men wise, giving itself to, and implanting itself in, the minds of those
who are made capable of receiving His virtues and intelligence. If, then, it is
once rightly understood that the only-begotten Son of God is His wisdom
hypostatically existing, I know not whether our curiosity ought to advance
beyond this, or entertain any suspicion that that [ὑπόστασις] or substantia
contains anything of a bodily nature, since everything that is corporeal is
distinguished either by form, or colour, or magnitude. And who in his sound
senses ever sought for form, or colour, or size, in wisdom, in respect of its being
wisdom? And who that is capable of entertaining reverential thoughts or feelings
regarding God, can suppose or believe that God the Father ever existed, even for
a moment of time, without having generated this Wisdom? For in that case he
must say either that God was unable to generate Wisdom before He produced
her, so that He afterwards called into being her who formerly did not exist, or
that He possessed the power indeed, but— what cannot be said of God without
impiety— was unwilling to use it; both of which suppositions, it is patent to all,
are alike absurd and impious: for they amount to this, either that God advanced
from a condition of inability to one of ability, or that, although possessed of the
power, He concealed it, and delayed the generation of Wisdom. Wherefore we
have always held that God is the Father of His only-begotten Son, who was born
indeed of Him, and derives from Him what He is, but without any beginning, not
only such as may be measured by any divisions of time, but even that which the
mind alone can contemplate within itself, or behold, so to speak, with the naked
powers of the understanding. And therefore we must believe that Wisdom was
generated before any beginning that can be either comprehended or expressed.
And since all the creative power of the coming creation was included in this very
existence of Wisdom (whether of those things which have an original or of those
which have a derived existence), having been formed beforehand and arranged
by the power of foreknowledge; on account of these very creatures which had
been described, as it were, and prefigured in Wisdom herself, does Wisdom say,
in the words of Solomon, that she was created the beginning of the ways of God,
inasmuch as she contained within herself either the beginnings, or forms, or
species of all creation.
3. Now, in the same way in which we have understood that Wisdom was
the beginning of the ways of God, and is said to be created, forming beforehand
and containing within herself the species and beginnings of all creatures, must
we understand her to be the Word of God, because of her disclosing to all other
beings, i.e., to universal creation, the nature of the mysteries and secrets which
are contained within the divine wisdom; and on this account she is called the
Word, because she is, as it were, the interpreter of the secrets of the mind. And
therefore that language which is found in the Acts of Paul , where it is said that
"here is the Word a living being," appears to me to be rightly used. John,
however, with more sublimity and propriety, says in the beginning of his Gospel,
when defining God by a special definition to be the Word, "And God was the
Word, and this was in the beginning with God." Let him, then, who assigns a
beginning to the Word or Wisdom of God, take care that he be not guilty of
impiety against the unbegotten Father Himself, seeing he denies that He had
always been a Father, and had generated the Word, and had possessed wisdom in
all preceding periods, whether they be called times or ages, or anything else that
can be so entitled.
4. This Son, accordingly, is also the truth and life of all things which exist.
And with reason. For how could those things which were created live, unless
they derived their being from life? Or how could those things which are, truly
exist, unless they came down from the truth? Or how could rational beings exist,
unless the Word or reason had previously existed? Or how could they be wise,
unless there were wisdom? But since it was to come to pass that some also
should fall away from life, and bring death upon themselves by their declension
— for death is nothing else than a departure from life— and as it was not to
follow that those beings which had once been created by God for the enjoyment
of life should utterly perish, it was necessary that, before death, there should be
in existence such a power as would destroy the coming death, and that there
should be a resurrection, the type of which was in our Lord and Saviour, and that
this resurrection should have its ground in the wisdom and word and life of God.
And then, in the next place, since some of those who were created were not to be
always willing to remain unchangeable and unalterable in the calm and moderate
enjoyment of the blessings which they possessed, but, in consequence of the
good which was in them being theirs not by nature or essence, but by accident,
were to be perverted and changed, and to fall away from their position, therefore
was the Word and Wisdom of God made the Way. And it was so termed because
it leads to the Father those who walk along it.
 Whatever, therefore, we have predicated of the wisdom of God, will be
appropriately applied and understood of the Son of God, in virtue of His being
the Life, and the Word, and the Truth and the Resurrection: for all these titles are
derived from His power and operations, and in none of them is there the slightest
ground for understanding anything of a corporeal nature which might seem to
denote either size, or form, or colour; for those children of men which appear
among us, or those descendants of other living beings, correspond to the seed of
those by whom they were begotten, or derive from those mothers, in whose
wombs they are formed and nourished, whatever that is, which they bring into
this life, and carry with them when they are born. But it is monstrous and
unlawful to compare God the Father, in the generation of His only-begotten Son,
and in the substance of the same, to any man or other living thing engaged in
such an act; for we must of necessity hold that there is something exceptional
and worthy of God which does not admit of any comparison at all, not merely in
things, but which cannot even be conceived by thought or discovered by
perception, so that a human mind should be able to apprehend how the
unbegotten God is made the Father of the only-begotten Son. Because His
generation is as eternal and everlasting as the brilliancy which is produced from
the sun. For it is not by receiving the breath of life that He is made a Son, by any
outward act , but by His own nature.
5. Let us now ascertain how those statements which we have advanced are
supported by the authority of holy Scripture. The Apostle Paul says, that the
only-begotten Son is the "image of the invisible God," and "the first-born of
every creature." And when writing to the Hebrews, he says of Him that He is
"the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person." Now, we
find in the treatise called the Wisdom of Solomon the following description of
the wisdom of God: "For she is the breath of the power of God, and the purest
efflux of the glory of the Almighty." Nothing that is polluted can therefore come
upon her. For she is the splendour of the eternal light, and the stainless mirror of
God's working, and the image of His goodness. Now we say, as before, that
Wisdom has her existence nowhere else save in Him who is the beginning of all
things: from whom also is derived everything that is wise, because He Himself is
the only one who is by nature a Son, and is therefore termed the Only-begotten.
6. Let us now see how we are to understand the expression "invisible
image," that we may in this way perceive how God is rightly called the Father of
His Son; and let us, in the first place, draw our conclusions from what are
customarily called images among men. That is sometimes called an image which
is painted or sculptured on some material substance, such as wood or stone; and
sometimes a child is called the image of his parent, when the features of the
child in no respect belie their resemblance to the father. I think, therefore, that
that man who was formed after the image and likeness of God may be fittingly
compared to the first illustration. Respecting him, however, we shall see more
precisely, God willing, when we come to expound the passage in Genesis. But
the image of the Son of God, of whom we are now speaking, may be compared
to the second of the above examples, even in respect of this, that He is the
invisible image of the invisible God, in the same manner as we say, according to
the sacred history, that the image of Adam is his son Seth. The words are, "And
Adam begot Seth in his own likeness, and after his own image." Now this image
contains the unity of nature and substance belonging to Father and Son. For if
the Son do, in like manner, all those things which the Father does, then, in virtue
of the Son doing all things like the Father, is the image of the Father formed in
the Son, who is born of Him, like an act of His will proceeding from the mind.
And I am therefore of opinion that the will of the Father ought alone to be
sufficient for the existence of that which He wishes to exist. For in the exercise
of His will He employs no other way than that which is made known by the
counsel of His will. And thus also the existence of the Son is generated by Him.
For this point must above all others be maintained by those who allow nothing to
be unbegotten, i.e., unborn, save God the Father only. And we must be careful
not to fall into the absurdities of those who picture to themselves certain
emanations, so as to divide the divine nature into parts, and who divide God the
Father as far as they can, since even to entertain the remotest suspicion of such a
thing regarding an incorporeal being is not only the height of impiety, but a mark
of the greatest folly, it being most remote from any intelligent conception that
there should be any physical division of any incorporeal nature. Rather,
therefore, as an act of the will proceeds from the understanding, and neither cuts
off any part nor is separated or divided from it, so after some such fashion is the
Father to be supposed as having begotten the Son, His own image; namely, so
that, as He is Himself invisible by nature, He also begot an image that was
invisible. For the Son is the Word, and therefore we are not to understand that
anything in Him is cognisable by the senses. He is wisdom, and in wisdom there
can be no suspicion of anything corporeal. He is the true light, which enlightens
every man that comes into this world; but He has nothing in common with the
light of this sun. Our Saviour, therefore, is the image of the invisible God,
inasmuch as compared with the Father Himself He is the truth: and as compared
with us, to whom He reveals the Father, He is the image by which we come to
the knowledge of the Father, whom no one knows save the Son, and he to whom
the Son is pleased to reveal Him. And the method of revealing Him is through
the understanding. For He by whom the Son Himself is understood, understands,
as a consequence, the Father also, according to His own words: "He that has
seen Me, has seen the Father also."
7. But since we quoted the language of Paul regarding Christ, where He
says of Him that He is "the brightness of the glory of God, and the express figure
of His person," let us see what idea we are to form of this. According to John,
"God is light." The only-begotten Son, therefore, is the glory of this light,
proceeding inseparably from (God) Himself, as brightness does from light, and
illuminating the whole of creation. For, agreeably to what we have already
explained as to the manner in which He is the Way, and conducts to the Father;
and in which He is the Word, interpreting the secrets of wisdom, and the
mysteries of knowledge, making them known to the rational creation; and is also
the Truth, and the Life, and the Resurrection,— in the same way ought we to
understand also the meaning of His being the brightness: for it is by its splendour
that we understand and feel what light itself is. And this splendour, presenting
itself gently and softly to the frail and weak eyes of mortals, and gradually
training, as it were, and accustoming them to bear the brightness of the light,
when it has put away from them every hindrance and obstruction to vision,
according to the Lord's own precept, "Cast forth the beam out of your eye,"
renders them capable of enduring the splendour of the light, being made in this
respect also a sort of mediator between men and the light.
8. But since He is called by the apostle not only the brightness of His glory,
but also the express figure of His person or subsistence , it does not seem idle to
inquire how there can be said to be another figure of that person besides the
person of God Himself, whatever be the meaning of person and subsistence.
Consider, then, whether the Son of God, seeing He is His Word and Wisdom,
and alone knows the Father, and reveals Him to whom He will (i.e., to those who
are capable of receiving His word and wisdom), may not, in regard of this very
point of making God to be understood and acknowledged, be called the figure of
His person and subsistence; that is, when that Wisdom, which desires to make
known to others the means by which God is acknowledged and understood by
them, describes Himself first of all, it may by so doing be called the express
figure of the person of God. In order, however, to arrive at a fuller understanding
of the manner in which the Saviour is the figure of the person or subsistence of
God, let us take an instance, which, although it does not describe the subject of
which we are treating either fully or appropriately, may nevertheless be seen to
be employed for this purpose only, to show that the Son of God, who was in the
form of God, divesting Himself (of His glory), makes it His object, by this very
divesting of Himself, to demonstrate to us the fullness of His deity. For instance,
suppose that there were a statue of so enormous a size as to fill the whole world,
and which on that account could be seen by no one; and that another statue were
formed altogether resembling it in the shape of the limbs, and in the features of
the countenance, and in form and material, but without the same immensity of
size, so that those who were unable to behold the one of enormous proportions,
should, on seeing the latter, acknowledge that they had seen the former, because
it preserved all the features of its limbs and countenance, and even the very form
and material, so closely, as to be altogether undistinguishable from it; by some
such similitude, the Son of God, divesting Himself of His equality with the
Father, and showing to us the way to the knowledge of Him, is made the express
image of His person: so that we, who were unable to look upon the glory of that
marvellous light when placed in the greatness of His Godhead, may, by His
being made to us brightness, obtain the means of beholding the divine light by
looking upon the brightness. This comparison, of course, of statues, as belonging
to material things, is employed for no other purpose than to show that the Son of
God, though placed in the very insignificant form of a human body, in
consequence of the resemblance of His works and power to the Father, showed
that there was in Him an immense and invisible greatness, inasmuch as He said
to His disciples, "He who sees Me, sees the Father also;" and, "I and the Father
are one." And to these belong also the similar expression, "The Father is in Me,
and I in the Father."
9. Let us see now what is the meaning of the expression which is found in
the Wisdom of Solomon, where it is said of Wisdom that "it is a kind of breath
of the power of God, and the purest efflux of the glory of the Omnipotent, and the
splendour of eternal light, and the spotless mirror of the working or power of
God, and the image of His goodness." These, then, are the definitions which he
gives of God, pointing out by each one of them certain attributes which belong
to the Wisdom of God, calling wisdom the power, and the glory, and the
everlasting light, and the working, and the goodness of God. He does not say,
however, that wisdom is the breath of the glory of the Almighty, nor of the
everlasting light, nor of the working of the Father, nor of His goodness, for it
was not appropriate that breath should be ascribed to any one of these; but, with
all propriety, he says that wisdom is the breath of the power of God. Now, by the
power of God is to be understood that by which He is strong; by which He
appoints, restrains, and governs all things visible and invisible; which is
sufficient for all those things which He rules over in His providence; among all
which He is present, as if one individual. And although the breath of all this
mighty and immeasurable power, and the vigour itself produced, so to speak, by
its own existence, proceed from the power itself, as the will does from the mind,
yet even this will of God is nevertheless made to become the power of God.
Another power accordingly is produced, which exists with properties of its
own—a kind of breath, as Scripture says, of the primal and unbegotten power of
God, deriving from Him its being, and never at any time non-existent. For if any
one were to assert that it did not formerly exist, but came afterwards into
existence, let him explain the reason why the Father, who gave it being, did not
do so before. And if he shall grant that there was once a beginning, when that
breath proceeded from the power of God, we shall ask him again, why not even
before the beginning, which he has allowed; and in this way, ever demanding an
earlier date, and going upwards with our interrogations, we shall arrive at this
conclusion, that as God was always possessed of power and will, there never
was any reason of propriety or otherwise, why He may not have always
possessed that blessing which He desired. By which it is shown that that breath
of God's power always existed, having no beginning save God Himself. Nor was
it fitting that there should be any other beginning save God Himself, from whom
it derives its birth. And according to the expression of the apostle, that Christ "is
the power of God," it ought to be termed not only the breath of the power of
God, but power out of power.
10. Let us now examine the expression, "Wisdom is the purest efflux of the
glory of the Almighty;" and let us first consider what the glory of the omnipotent
God is, and then we shall also understand what is its efflux. As no one can be a
father without having a son, nor a master without possessing a servant, so even
God cannot be called omnipotent unless there exist those over whom He may
exercise His power; and therefore, that God may be shown to be almighty, it is
necessary that all things should exist. For if any one would have some ages or
portions of time, or whatever else he likes to call them, to have passed away,
while those things which were afterwards made did not yet exist, he would
undoubtedly show that during those ages or periods God was not omnipotent,
but became so afterwards, viz., from the time that He began to have persons over
whom to exercise power; and in this way He will appear to have received a
certain increase, and to have risen from a lower to a higher condition; since there
can be no doubt that it is better for Him to be omnipotent than not to be so. And
now how can it appear otherwise than absurd, that when God possessed none of
those things which it was befitting for Him to possess, He should afterwards, by
a kind of progress, come into the possession of them? But if there never was a
time when He was not omnipotent, of necessity those things by which He
receives that title must also exist; and He must always have had those over
whom He exercised power, and which were governed by Him either as king or
prince, of which we shall speak more fully in the proper place, when we come to
discuss the subject of the creatures. But even now I think it necessary to drop a
word, although cursorily, of warning, since the question before us is, how
wisdom is the purest efflux of the glory of the Almighty, lest any one should
think that the title of Omnipotent was anterior in God to the birth of Wisdom,
through whom He is called Father, seeing that Wisdom, which is the Son of
God, is the purest efflux of the glory of the Almighty. Let him who is inclined to
entertain this suspicion hear the undoubted declaration of Scripture pronouncing,
"In wisdom have You made them all," and the teaching of the Gospel, that "by
Him were all things made, and without Him nothing was made;" and let him
understand from this that the title of Omnipotent in God cannot be older than
that of Father; for it is through the Son that the Father is almighty. But from the
expression "glory of the Almighty," of which glory Wisdom is the efflux, this is
to be understood, that Wisdom, through which God is called omnipotent, has a
share in the glory of the Almighty. For through Wisdom, which is Christ, God
has power over all things, not only by the authority of a ruler, but also by the
voluntary obedience of subjects. And that you may understand that the
omnipotence of Father and Son is one and the same, as God and the Lord are one
and the same with the Father, listen to the manner in which John speaks in the
Apocalypse: "Thus says the Lord God, which is, and which was, and which is to
come, the Almighty." For who else was "He which is to come" than Christ? And
as no one ought to be offended, seeing God is the Father, that the Saviour is also
God; so also, since the Father is called omnipotent, no one ought to be offended
that the Son of God is also called omnipotent. For in this way will that saying be
true which He utters to the Father, "All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and
I am glorified in them." Now, if all things which are the Father's are also Christ's,
certainly among those things which exist is the omnipotence of the Father; and
doubtless the only-begotten Son ought to be omnipotent, that the Son also may
have all things which the Father possesses. "And I am glorified in them," He
declares. For "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess
that the Lord Jesus is in the glory of God the Father." Therefore He is the efflux
of the glory of God in this respect, that He is omnipotent— the pure and limpid
Wisdom herself— glorified as the efflux of omnipotence or of glory. And that it
may be more clearly understood what the glory of omnipotence is, we shall add
the following. God the Father is omnipotent, because He has power over all
things, i.e., over heaven and earth, sun, moon, and stars, and all things in them.
And He exercises His power over them by means of His Word, because at the
name of Jesus every knee shall bow, both of things in heaven, and things on
earth, and things under the earth. And if every knee is bent to Jesus, then,
without doubt, it is Jesus to whom all things are subject, and He it is who
exercises power over all things, and through whom all things are subject to the
Father; for through wisdom, i.e., by word and reason, not by force and necessity,
are all things subject. And therefore His glory consists in this very thing, that He
possesses all things, and this is the purest and most limpid glory of omnipotence,
that by reason and wisdom, not by force and necessity, all things are subject.
Now the purest and most limpid glory of wisdom is a convenient expression to
distinguish it from that glory which cannot be called pure and sincere. But every
nature which is convertible and changeable, although glorified in the works of
righteousness or wisdom, yet by the fact that righteousness or wisdom are
accidental qualities, and because that which is accidental may also fall away, its
glory cannot be called sincere and pure. But the Wisdom of God, which is His
only-begotten Son, being in all respects incapable of change or alteration, and
every good quality in Him being essential, and such as cannot be changed and
converted, His glory is therefore declared to be pure and sincere.
11. In the third place, wisdom is called the splendour of eternal light. The
force of this expression we have explained in the preceding pages, when we
introduced the similitude of the sun and the splendour of its rays, and showed to
the best of our power how this should be understood. To what we then said we
shall add only the following remark. That is properly termed everlasting or
eternal which neither had a beginning of existence, nor can ever cease to be what
it is. And this is the idea conveyed by John when he says that "God is light."
Now His wisdom is the splendour of that light, not only in respect of its being
light, but also of being everlasting light, so that His wisdom is eternal and
everlasting splendour. If this be fully understood, it clearly shows that the
existence of the Son is derived from the Father but not in time, nor from any
other beginning, except, as we have said, from God Himself.
12. But wisdom is also called the stainless mirror of the [ἐνέργεια] or
working of God. We must first understand, then, what the working of the power
of God is. It is a sort of vigour, so to speak, by which God operates either in
creation, or in providence, or in judgment, or in the disposal and arrangement of
individual things, each in its season. For as the image formed in a mirror
unerringly reflects all the acts and movements of him who gazes on it, so would
Wisdom have herself to be understood when she is called the stainless mirror of
the power and working of the Father: as the Lord Jesus Christ also, who is the
Wisdom of God, declares of Himself when He says, "The works which the
Father does, these also does the Son likewise." And again He says, that the Son
cannot do anything of Himself, save what He sees the Father do. As therefore the
Son in no respect differs from the Father in the power of His works, and the
work of the Son is not a different thing from that of the Father, but one and the
same movement, so to speak, is in all things, He therefore named Him a stainless
mirror, that by such an expression it might be understood that them is no
dissimilarity whatever between the Son and the Father. How, indeed, can those
things which are said by some to be done after the manner in which a disciple
resembles or imitates his master, or according to the view that those things are
made by the Son in bodily material which were first formed by the Father in
their spiritual essence, agree with the declarations of Scripture, seeing in the
Gospel the Son is said to do not similar things, but the same things in a similar
manner?
13. It remains that we inquire what is the "image of His goodness;" and
here, I think, we must understand the same thing which we expressed a little ago,
in speaking of the image formed by the mirror. For He is the primal goodness,
doubtless, out of which the Son is born, who, being in all respects the image of
the Father, may certainly also be called with propriety the image of His
goodness. For there is no other second goodness existing in the Son, save that
which is in the Father. And therefore also the Saviour Himself rightly says in the
Gospel, "There is none good save one only, God the Father," that by such an
expression it may be understood that the Son is not of a different goodness, but
of that only which exists in the Father, of whom He is rightly termed the image,
because He proceeds from no other source but from that primal goodness, lest
there might appear to be in the Son a different goodness from that which is in the
Father. Nor is there any dissimilarity or difference of goodness in the Son. And
therefore it is not to be imagined that there is a kind of blasphemy, as it were, in
the words, "There is none good save one only, God the Father," as if thereby it
may be supposed to be denied that either Christ or the Holy Spirit was good.
But, as we have already said, the primal goodness is to be understood as residing
in God the Father, from whom both the Son is born and the Holy Spirit proceeds,
retaining within them, without any doubt, the nature of that goodness which is in
the source whence they are derived. And if there be any other things which in
Scripture are called good, whether angel, or man, or servant, or treasure, or a
good heart, or a good tree, all these are so termed catachrestically, having in
them an accidental, not an essential goodness. But it would require both much
time and labour to collect together all the titles of the Son of God, such, e.g., as
the true light, or the door, or the righteousness, or the sanctification, or the
redemption, and countless others; and to show for what reasons each one of them
is so given. Satisfied, therefore, with what we have already advanced, we go on
with our inquiries into those other matters which follow.
 Chapter 3. On the Holy Spirit.
1. The next point is to investigate as briefly as possible the subject of the
Holy Spirit. All who perceive, in whatever manner, the existence of Providence,
confess that God, who created and disposed all things, is unbegotten, and
recognise Him as the parent of the universe. Now, that to Him belongs a Son, is
a statement not made by us only; although it may seem a sufficiently marvellous
and incredible assertion to those who have a reputation as philosophers among
Greeks and Barbarians, by some of whom, however, an idea of His existence
seems to have been entertained, in their acknowledging that all things were
created by the word or reason of God. We, however, in conformity with our
belief in that doctrine, which we assuredly hold to be divinely inspired, believe
that it is possible in no other way to explain and bring within the reach of human
knowledge this higher and diviner reason as the Son of God, than by means of
those Scriptures alone which were inspired by the Holy Spirit, i.e., the Gospels
and Epistles, and the law and the prophets, according to the declaration of Christ
Himself. Of the existence of the Holy Spirit no one indeed could entertain any
suspicion, save those who were familiar with the law and the prophets, or those
who profess a belief in Christ. For although no one is able to speak with
certainty of God the Father, it is nevertheless possible for some knowledge of
Him to be gained by means of the visible creation and the natural feelings of the
human mind; and it is possible, moreover, for such knowledge to be confined
from the sacred Scriptures. But with respect to the Son of God, although no one
knows the Son save the Father, yet it is from sacred Scripture also that the
human mind is taught how to think of the Son; and that not only from the New,
but also from the Old Testament, by means of those things which, although done
by the saints, are figuratively referred to Christ, and from which both His divine
nature, and that human nature which was assumed by Him, may be discovered.
2. Now, what the Holy Spirit is, we are taught in many passages of
Scripture, as by David in the fifty-first Psalm, when he says, "And take not Your
Holy Spirit from me;" and by Daniel, where it is said, "The Holy Spirit which is
in you." And in the New Testament we have abundant testimonies, as when the
Holy Spirit is described as having descended upon Christ, and when the Lord
breathed upon His apostles after His resurrection, saying, "Receive the Holy
Spirit;" and the saying of the angel to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon
you;" the declaration by Paul, that no one can call Jesus Lord, save by the Holy
Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit was given by the imposition of
the apostles' hands in baptism. From all which we learn that the person of the
Holy Spirit was of such authority and dignity, that saving baptism was not
complete except by the authority of the most excellent Trinity of them all, i.e.,
by the naming of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and by joining to the unbegotten
God the Father, and to His only-begotten Son, the name also of the Holy Spirit.
Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit, when he
hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for
forgiveness; but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has
not forgiveness, either in the present world or in that which is to come!
3. That all things were created by God, and that there is no creature which
exists but has derived from Him its being, is established from many declarations
of Scripture; those assertions being refuted and rejected which are falsely alleged
by some respecting the existence either of a matter co-eternal with God, or of
unbegotten souls, in which they would have it that God implanted not so much
the power of existence, as equality and order. For even in that little treatise
called The Pastor or Angel of Repentance , composed by Hermas, we have the
following: "First of all, believe that there is one God who created and arranged
all things; who, when nothing formerly existed, caused all things to be; who
Himself contains all things, but Himself is contained by none." And in the boo of
Enoch also we have similar descriptions. But up to the present time we have
been able to find no statement in holy Scripture in which the Holy Spirit could
be said to be made or created, not even in the way in which we have shown
above that the divine wisdom is spoken of by Solomon, or in which those
expressions which we have discussed are to be understood of the life, or the
word, or the other appellations of the Son of God. The Spirit of God, therefore,
which was borne upon the waters, as is written in the beginning of the creation
of the world, is, I am of opinion, no other than the Holy Spirit, so far as I can
understand; as indeed we have shown in our exposition of the passages
themselves, not according to the historical, but according to the spiritual method
of interpretation.
4. Some indeed of our predecessors have observed, that in the New
Testament, whenever the Spirit is named without that adjunct which denotes
quality, the Holy Spirit is to be understood; as e.g., in the expression, "Now the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace;" and, "Seeing you began in the Spirit,
are you now made perfect in the flesh?" We are of opinion that this distinction
may be observed in the Old Testament also, as when it is said, "He that gives His
Spirit to the people who are upon the earth, and Spirit to them who walk
thereon." For, without doubt, every one who walks upon the earth (i.e., earthly
and corporeal beings) is a partaker also of the Holy Spirit, receiving it from God.
My Hebrew master also used to say that those two seraphim in Isaiah, which are
described as having each six wings, and calling to one another, and saying,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God of hosts," were to be understood of the only-
begotten Son of God and of the Holy Spirit. And we think that that expression
also which occurs in the hymn of Habakkuk, "In the midst either of the two
living things, or of the two lives, You will be known," ought to be understood of
Christ and of the Holy Spirit. For all knowledge of the Father is obtained by
revelation of the Son through the Holy Spirit, so that both of these beings which,
according to the prophet, are called either "living things" or "lives," exist as the
ground of the knowledge of God the Father. For as it is said of the Son, that "no
one knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him," the
same also is said by the apostle of the Holy Spirit, when He declares, "God has
revealed them to us by His Holy Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even
the deep things of God;" and again in the Gospel, when the Saviour, speaking of
the divine and profounder parts of His teaching, which His disciples were not yet
able to receive, thus addresses them: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but
you cannot bear them now; but when the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, has come,
He will teach you all things, and will bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you." We must understand, therefore, that as the
Son, who alone knows the Father, reveals Him to whom He will, so the Holy
Spirit, who alone searches the deep things of God, reveals God to whom He will:
"For the Spirit blows where He lists." We are not, however, to suppose that the
Spirit derives His knowledge through revelation from the Son. For if the Holy
Spirit knows the Father through the Son's revelation, He passes from a state of
ignorance into one of knowledge; but it is alike impious and foolish to confess
the Holy Spirit, and yet to ascribe to Him ignorance. For even although
something else existed before the Holy Spirit, it was not by progressive
advancement that He came to be the Holy Spirit; as if any one should venture to
say, that at the time when He was not yet the Holy Spirit He was ignorant of the
Father, but that after He had received knowledge He was made the Holy Spirit.
For if this were the case, the Holy Spirit would never be reckoned in the Unity of
the Trinity, i.e., along with the unchangeable Father and His Son, unless He had
always been the Holy Spirit. When we use, indeed, such terms as "always" or
"was," or any other designation of time, they are not to be taken absolutely, but
with due allowance; for while the significations of these words relate to time,
and those subjects of which we speak are spoken of by a stretch of language as
existing in time, they nevertheless surpass in their real nature all conception of
the finite understanding.
5. Nevertheless it seems proper to inquire what is the reason why he who is
regenerated by God unto salvation has to do both with Father and Son and Holy
Spirit, and does not obtain salvation unless with the co-operation of the entire
Trinity; and why it is impossible to become partaker of the Father or the Son
without the Holy Spirit. And in discussing these subjects, it will undoubtedly be
necessary to describe the special working of the Holy Spirit, and of the Father
and the Son. I am of opinion, then, that the working of the Father and of the Son
takes place as well in saints as in sinners, in rational beings and in dumb
animals; nay, even in those things which are without life, and in all things
universally which exist; but that the operation of the Holy Spirit does not take
place at all in those things which are without life, or in those which, although
living, are yet dumb; nay, is not found even in those who are endued indeed with
reason, but are engaged in evil courses, and not at all converted to a better life.
In those persons alone do I think that the operation of the Holy Spirit takes place,
who are already turning to a better life, and walking along the way which leads
to Jesus Christ, i.e., who are engaged in the performance of good actions, and
who abide in God.
6. That the working of the Father and the Son operates both in saints and in
sinners, is manifest from this, that all who are rational beings are partakers of the
word, i.e., of reason, and by this means bear certain seeds, implanted within
them, of wisdom and justice, which is Christ. Now, in Him who truly exists, and
who said by Moses, "[I Am Who I Am]," all things, whatever they are,
participate; which participation in God the Father is shared both by just men and
sinners, by rational and irrational beings, and by all things universally which
exist. The Apostle Paul also shows truly that all have a share in Christ, when he
says, "Say not in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (i.e., to bring Christ
down from above;) or who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up
Christ again from the dead.) But what says the Scripture? The word is near you,
even in your mouth, and in your heart." By which he means that Christ is in the
heart of all, in respect of His being the word or reason, by participating in which
they are rational beings. That declaration also in the Gospel, "If I had not come
and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no excuse for
their sin," renders it manifest and patent to all who have a rational knowledge of
how long a time man is without sin, and from what period he is liable to it, how,
by participating in the word or reason, men are said to have sinned, viz., from
the time they are made capable of understanding and knowledge, when the
reason implanted within has suggested to them the difference between good and
evil; and after they have already begun to know what evil is, they are made liable
to sin, if they commit it. And this is the meaning of the expression, that "men
have no excuse for their sin," viz., that, from the time the divine word or reason
has begun to show them internally the difference between good and evil, they
ought to avoid and guard against that which is wicked: "For to him who knows to
do good, and does it not, to him it is sin." Moreover, that all men are not without
communion with God, is taught in the Gospel thus, by the Saviour's words: "The
kingdom of God comes not with observation; neither shall they say, Lo here! Or,
lo there! But the kingdom of God is within you." But here we must see whether
this does not bear the same meaning with the expression in Genesis: "And He
breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul." For if
this be understood as applying generally to all men, then all men have a share in
God.
7. But if this is to be understood as spoken of the Spirit of God, since Adam
also is found to have prophesied of some things, it may be taken not as of
general application, but as confined to those who are saints. Finally, also, at the
time of the flood, when all flesh had corrupted their way before God, it is
recorded that God spoke thus, as of undeserving men and sinners: "My Spirit
shall not abide with those men for ever, because they are flesh." By which, it is
clearly shown that the Spirit of God is taken away from all who are unworthy. In
the Psalms also it is written: "You will take away their spirit, and they will die,
and return to their earth. You will send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be
created, and You will renew the face of the earth;" which is manifestly intended
of the Holy Spirit, who, after sinners and unworthy persons have been taken
away and destroyed, creates for Himself a new people, and renews the face of
the earth, when, laying aside, through the grace of the Spirit, the old man with
his deeds, they begin to walk in newness of life. And therefore the expression is
competently applied to the Holy Spirit, because He will take up His dwelling,
not in all men, nor in those who are flesh, but in those whose land has been
renewed. Lastly, for this reason was the grace and revelation of the Holy Spirit
bestowed by the imposition of the apostles' hands after baptism. Our Saviour
also, after the resurrection, when old things had already passed away, and all
things had become new, Himself a new man, and the first-born from the dead,
His apostles also being renewed by faith in His resurrection, says, "Receive the
Holy Spirit." This is doubtless what the Lord the Saviour meant to convey in the
Gospel, when He said that new wine cannot be put into old bottles, but
commanded that the bottles should be made new, i.e., that men should walk in
newness of life, that they might receive the new wine, i.e., the newness of grace
of the Holy Spirit. In this manner, then, is the working of the power of God the
Father and of the Son extended without distinction to every creature; but a share
in the Holy Spirit we find possessed only by the saints. And therefore it is said,
"No man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." And on one
occasion, scarcely even the apostles themselves are deemed worthy to hear the
words, "You shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you." For
this reason, also, I think it follows that he who has committed a sin against the
Son of man is deserving of forgiveness; because if he who is a participator of the
word or reason of God cease to live agreeably to reason, he seems to have fallen
into a state of ignorance or folly, and therefore to deserve forgiveness; whereas
he who has been deemed worthy to have a portion of the Holy Spirit, and who
has relapsed, is, by this very act and work, said to be guilty of blasphemy against
the Holy Spirit. Let no one indeed suppose that we, from having said that the
Holy Spirit is conferred upon the saints alone, but that the benefits or operations
of the Father and of the Son extend to good and bad, to just and unjust, by so
doing give a preference to the Holy Spirit over the Father and the Son, or assert
that His dignity is greater, which certainly would be a very illogical conclusion.
For it is the peculiarity of His grace and operations that we have been describing.
Moreover, nothing in the Trinity can be called greater or less, since the fountain
of divinity alone contains all things by His word and reason, and by the Spirit of
His mouth sanctifies all things which are worthy of sanctification, as it is written
in the Psalm: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens strengthened, and all
their power by the Spirit of His mouth." There is also a special working of God
the Father, besides that by which He bestowed upon all things the gift of natural
life. There is also a special ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ to those upon whom
he confers by nature the gift of reason, by means of which they are enabled to be
rightly what they are. There is also another grace of the Holy Spirit, which is
bestowed upon the deserving, through the ministry of Christ and the working of
the Father, in proportion to the merits of those who are rendered capable of
receiving it. This is most clearly pointed out by the Apostle Paul, when
demonstrating that the power of the Trinity is one and the same, in the words,
"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; there are diversities of
administrations, but the same Lord; and there are diversities of operations, but it
is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given
to every man to profit withal." From which it most clearly follows that there is
no difference in the Trinity, but that which is called the gift of the Spirit is made
known through the Son, and operated by God the Father. "But all these works
that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every one severally as He will."
8. Having made these declarations regarding the Unity of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us return to the order in which we began the
discussion. God the Father bestows upon all, existence; and participation in
Christ, in respect of His being the word of reason, renders them rational beings.
From which it follows that they are deserving either of praise or blame, because
capable of virtue and vice. On this account, therefore, is the grace of the Holy
Ghost present, that those beings which are not holy in their essence may be
rendered holy by participating in it. Seeing, then, that firstly, they derive their
existence from God the Father; secondly, their rational nature from the Word;
thirdly, their holiness from the Holy Spirit—those who have been previously
sanctified by the Holy Spirit are again made capable of receiving Christ, in
respect that He is the righteousness of God; and those who have earned
advancement to this grade by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, will
nevertheless obtain the gift of wisdom according to the power and working of
the Spirit of God. And this I consider is Paul's meaning, when he says that to
"some is given the word of wisdom, to others the word of knowledge, according
to the same Spirit." And while pointing out the individual distinction of gifts, he
refers the whole of them to the source of all things, in the words, "There are
diversities of operations, but one God who works all in all." Whence also the
working of the Father, which confers existence upon all things, is found to be
more glorious and magnificent, while each one, by participation in Christ, as
being wisdom, and knowledge, and sanctification, makes progress, and advances
to higher degrees of perfection; and seeing it is by partaking of the Holy Spirit
that any one is made purer and holier, he obtains, when he is made worthy, the
grace of wisdom and knowledge, in order that, after all stains of pollution and
ignorance are cleansed and taken away, he may make so great an advance in
holiness and purity, that the nature which he received from God may become
such as is worthy of Him who gave it to be pure and perfect, so that the being
which exists may be as worthy as He who called it into existence. For, in this
way, he who is such as his Creator wished him to be, will receive from God
power always to exist, and to abide for ever. That this may be the case, and that
those whom He has created may be unceasingly and inseparably present with
[Him, Who IS], it is the business of wisdom to instruct and train them, and to
bring them to perfection by confirmation of His Holy Spirit and unceasing
sanctification, by which alone are they capable of receiving God. In this way,
then, by the renewal of the ceaseless working of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in
us, in its various stages of progress, shall we be able at some future time perhaps,
although with difficulty, to behold the holy and the blessed life, in which (as it is
only after many struggles that we are able to reach it) we ought so to continue,
that no satiety of that blessedness should ever seize us; but the more we perceive
its blessedness, the more should be increased and intensified within us the
longing for the same, while we ever more eagerly and freely receive and hold
fast the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But if satiety should ever take
hold of any one of those who stand on the highest and perfect summit of
attainment, I do not think that such an one would suddenly be deposed from his
position and fall away, but that he must decline gradually and little by little, so
that it may sometimes happen that if a brief lapsus take place, and the individual
quickly repent and return to himself, he may not utterly fall away, but may
retrace his steps, and return to his former place, and again make good that which
had been lost by his negligence.
 Chapter 4. On Defection, or Falling Away.
1. To exhibit the nature of defection or falling away, on the part of those
who conduct themselves carelessly, it will not appear out of place to employ a
similitude by way of illustration. Suppose, then, the case of one who had become
gradually acquainted with the art or science, say of geometry or medicine, until
he had reached perfection, having trained himself for a lengthened time in its
principles and practice, so as to attain a complete mastery over the art: to such an
one it could never happen, that, when he lay down to sleep in the possession of
his skill, he should awake in a state of ignorance. It is not our purpose to adduce
or to notice here those accidents which are occasioned by any injury or
weakness, for they do not apply to our present illustration. According to our
point of view, then, so long as that geometer or physician continues to exercise
himself in the study of his art and in the practice of its principles, the knowledge
of his profession abides with him; but if he withdraw from its practice, and lay
aside his habits of industry, then, by his neglect, at first a few things will
gradually escape him, then by and by more and more, until in course of time
everything will be forgotten, and be completely effaced from the memory. It is
possible, indeed, that when he has first begun to fall away, and to yield to the
corrupting influence of a negligence which is small as yet, he may, if he be
aroused and return speedily to his senses, repair those losses which up to that
time are only recent, and recover that knowledge which hitherto had been only
slightly obliterated from his mind. Let us apply this now to the case of those who
have devoted themselves to the knowledge and wisdom of God, whose learning
and diligence incomparably surpass all other training; and let us contemplate,
according to the form of the similitude employed, what is the acquisition of
knowledge, or what is its disappearance, especially when we hear from the
apostle what is said of those who are perfect, that they shall behold face to face
the glory of the Lord in the revelation of His mysteries.
2. But in our desire to show the divine benefits bestowed upon us by Father,
 2. But in our desire to show the divine benefits bestowed upon us by Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, which Trinity is the fountain of all holiness, we have
fallen, in what we have said, into a digression, having considered that the subject
of the soul, which accidentally came before us, should be touched on, although
cursorily, seeing we were discussing a cognate topic relating to our rational
nature. We shall, however, with the permission of God through Jesus Christ and
the Holy Spirit, more conveniently consider in the proper place the subject of all
rational beings, which are distinguished into three genera and species.
 Chapter 5. On Rational Natures.
1. After the dissertation, which we have briefly conducted to the best of our
ability, regarding the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, it follows that we offer a few
remarks upon the subject of rational natures, and on their species and orders, or
on the offices as well of holy as of malignant powers, and also on those which
occupy an intermediate position between these good and evil powers, and as yet
are placed in a state of struggle and trial. For we find in holy Scripture numerous
names of certain orders and offices, not only of holy beings, but also of those of
an opposite description, which we shall bring before us, in the first place; and the
meaning of which we shall endeavour, in the second place, to the best of our
ability, to ascertain. There are certain holy angels of God whom Paul terms
"ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation." In the writings also of St. Paul himself we find him designating them,
from some unknown source, as thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and
powers; and after this enumeration, as if knowing that there were still other
rational offices and orders besides those which he had named, he says of the
Saviour: "Who is above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come." From which he shows that there were certain beings besides those which
he had mentioned, which may be named indeed in this world, but were not now
enumerated by him, and perhaps were not known by any other individual; and
that there were others which may not be named in this world, but will be named
in the world to come.
2. Then, in the next place, we must know that every being which is
endowed with reason, and transgresses its statutes and limitations, is
undoubtedly involved in sin by swerving from rectitude and justice. Every
rational creature, therefore, is capable of earning praise and censure: of praise, if,
in conformity to that reason which he possesses, he advance to better things; of
censure, if he fall away from the plan and course of rectitude, for which reason
he is justly liable to pains and penalties. And this also is to be held as applying to
the devil himself, and those who are with him, and are called his angels. Now the
titles of these beings have to be explained, that we may know what they are of
whom we have to speak. The name, then, of Devil, and Satan, and Wicked One,
who is also described as Enemy of God, is mentioned in many passages of
Scripture. Moreover, certain angels of the devil are mentioned, and also a prince
of this world, who, whether the devil himself or some one else, is not yet clearly
manifest. There are also certain princes of this world spoken of as possessing a
kind of wisdom which will come to nought; but whether these are those princes
who are also the principalities with whom we have to wrestle, or other beings,
seems to me a point on which it is not easy for any one to pronounce. After the
principalities, certain powers also are named with whom we have to wrestle, and
carry on a struggle even against the princes of this world and the rulers of this
darkness. Certain spiritual powers of wickedness also, in heavenly places, are
spoken of by Paul himself. What, moreover, are we to say of those wicked and
unclean spirits mentioned in the Gospel? Then we have certain heavenly beings
called by a similar name, but which are said to bend the knee, or to be about to
bend the knee, at the name of Jesus; nay, even things on earth and things under
the earth, which Paul enumerates in order. And certainly, in a place where we
have been discussing the subject of rational natures, it is not proper to be silent
regarding ourselves, who are human beings, and are called rational animals; nay,
even this point is not to be idly passed over, that even of us human beings certain
different orders are mentioned in the words, "The portion of the Lord is His
people Jacob; Israel is the cord of His inheritance." Other nations, moreover,
are called a part of the angels; since "when the Most High divided the nations,
and dispersed the sons of Adam, He fixed the boundaries of the nations
according to the number of the angels of God." And therefore, with other
rational natures, we must also thoroughly examine the reason of the human soul.
3. After the enumeration, then, of so many and so important names of
orders and offices, underlying which it is certain that there are personal
existences, let us inquire whether God, the creator and founder of all things,
created certain of them holy and happy, so that they could admit no element at
all of an opposite kind, and certain others so that they were made capable both of
virtue and vice; or whether we are to suppose that He created some so as to be
altogether incapable of virtue, and others again altogether incapable of
wickedness, but with the power of abiding only in a state of happiness, and
others again such as to be capable of either condition. In order, now, that our
first inquiry may begin with the names themselves, let us consider whether the
holy angels, from the period of their first existence, have always been holy, and
are holy still, and will be holy, and have never either admitted or had the power
to admit any occasion of sin. Then in the next place, let us consider whether
those who are called holy principalities began from the moment of their creation
by God to exercise power over some who were made subject to them, and
whether these latter were created of such a nature, and formed for the very
purpose of being subject and subordinate. In like manner, also, whether those
which are called powers were created of such a nature and for the express
purpose of exercising power, or whether their arriving at that power and dignity
is a reward and desert of their virtue. Moreover, also, whether those which are
called thrones or seats gained that stability of happiness at the same time with
their coming forth into being, so as to have that possession from the will of the
Creator alone; or whether those which are called dominions had their dominion
conferred on them, not as a reward for their proficiency, but as the peculiar
privilege of their creation, so that it is something which is in a certain degree
inseparable from them, and natural. Now, if we adopt the view that the holy
angels, and the holy powers, and the blessed seats, and the glorious virtues, and
the magnificent dominions, are to be regarded as possessing those powers and
dignities and glories in virtue of their nature, it will doubtless appear to follow
that those beings which have been mentioned as holding offices of an opposite
kind must be regarded in the same manner; so that those principalities with
whom we have to struggle are to be viewed, not as having received that spirit of
opposition and resistance to all good at a later period, or as falling away from
good through the freedom of the will, but as having had it in themselves as the
essence of their being from the beginning of their existence. In like manner also
will it be the case with the powers and virtues, in none of which was wickedness
subsequent or posterior to their first existence. Those also whom the apostle
termed rulers and princes of the darkness of this world, are said, with respect to
their rule and occupation of darkness, to fall not from perversity of intention, but
from the necessity of their creation. Logical reasoning will compel us to take the
same view with regard to wicked and malignant spirits and unclean demons. But
if to entertain this view regarding malignant and opposing powers seem to be
absurd, as it is certainly absurd that the cause of their wickedness should be
removed from the purpose of their own will, and ascribed of necessity to their
Creator, why should we not also be obliged to make a similar confession
regarding the good and holy powers, that, viz., the good which is in them is not
theirs by essential being, which we have manifestly shown to be the case with
Christ and the Holy Spirit alone, as undoubtedly with the Father also? For it was
proved that there was nothing compound in the nature of the Trinity, so that
these qualities might seem to belong to it as accidental consequences. From
which it follows, that in the case of every creature it is a result of his own works
and movements, that those powers which appear either to hold sway over others
or to exercise power or dominion, have been preferred to and placed over those
whom they are said to govern or exercise power over, and not in consequence of
a peculiar privilege inherent in their constitutions, but on account of merit.
4. But that we may not appear to build our assertions on subjects of such
importance and difficulty on the ground of inference alone, or to require the
assent of our hearers to what is only conjectural, let us see whether we can
obtain any declarations from holy Scripture, by the authority of which these
positions may be more credibly maintained. And, firstly, we shall adduce what
holy Scripture contains regarding wicked powers; we shall next continue our
investigation with regard to the others, as the Lord shall be pleased to enlighten
us, that in matters of such difficulty we may ascertain what is nearest to the
truth, or what ought to be our opinions agreeably to the standard of religion.
Now we find in the prophet Ezekiel two prophecies written to the prince of Tyre,
the former of which might appear to any one, before he heard the second also, to
be spoken of some man who was prince of the Tyrians. In the meantime,
therefore, we shall take nothing from that first prophecy; but as the second is
manifestly of such a kind as cannot be at all understood of a man, but of some
superior power which had fallen away from a higher position, and had been
reduced to a lower and worse condition, we shall from it take an illustration, by
which it may be demonstrated with the utmost clearness, that those opposing and
malignant powers were not formed or created so by nature, but fell from a better
to a worse position, and were converted into wicked beings; that those blessed
powers also were not of such a nature as to be unable to admit what was opposed
to them if they were so inclined and became negligent, and did not guard most
carefully the blessedness of their condition. For if it is related that he who is
called the prince of Tyre was among the saints, and was without stain, and was
placed in the paradise of God, and adorned also with a crown of comeliness and
beauty, is it to be supposed that such an one could be in any degree inferior to
any of the saints? For he is described as having been adorned with a crown of
comeliness and beauty, and as having walked stainless in the paradise of God:
and how can any one suppose that such a being was not one of those holy and
blessed powers which, as being placed in a state of happiness, we must believe
to be endowed with no other honour than this? But let us see what we are taught
by the words of the prophecy themselves. "The word of the Lord," says the
prophet, "came to me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation over the prince
of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God, You have been the seal of a
similitude, and a crown of comeliness among the delights of paradise; you were
adorned with every good stone or gem, and were clothed with sardonyx, and
topaz, and emerald, and carbuncle, and sapphire, and jasper, set in gold and
silver, and with agate, amethyst, and chrysolite, and beryl, and onyx: with gold
also did you fill your treasures, and your storehouses within you. From the day
when you were created along with the cherubim, I placed you in the holy mount
of God. You were in the midst of the fiery stones: you were stainless in your
days, from the day when you were created, until iniquities were found in you:
from the greatness of your trade, you filled your storehouses with iniquity, and
sinned, and were wounded from the mount of God. And a cherub drove you forth
from the midst of the burning stones; and your heart was elated because of your
comeliness, your discipline was corrupted along with your beauty: on account of
the multitude of your sins, I cast you forth to the earth before kings; I gave you
for a show and a mockery on account of the multitude of your sins, and of your
iniquities: because of your trade you have polluted your holy places. And I shall
bring forth fire from the midst of you, and it shall devour you, and I shall give
you for ashes and cinders on the earth in the sight of all who see you: and all
who know you among the nations shall mourn over you. You have been made
destruction, and you shall exist no longer for ever." Seeing, then, that such are
the words of the prophet, who is there that on hearing, "You were a seal of a
similitude, and a crown of comeliness among the delights of paradise," or that
"From the day when you were created with the cherubim, I placed you in the
holy mount of God," can so enfeeble the meaning as to suppose that this
language is used of some man or saint, not to say the prince of Tyre? Or what
fiery stones can he imagine in the midst of which any man could live? Or who
could be supposed to be stainless from the very day of his creation, and
wickedness being afterwards discovered in him, it be said of him then that he
was cast forth upon the earth? For the meaning of this is, that He who was not
yet on the earth is said to be cast forth upon it: whose holy places also are said to
be polluted. We have shown, then, that what we have quoted regarding the
prince of Tyre from the prophet Ezekiel refers to an adverse power, and by it it is
most clearly proved that that power was formerly holy and happy; from which
state of happiness it fell from the time that iniquity was found in it, and was
hurled to the earth, and was not such by nature and creation. We are of opinion,
therefore, that these words are spoken of a certain angel who had received the
office of governing the nation of the Tyrians, and to whom also their souls had
been entrusted to be taken care of. But what Tyre, or what souls of Tyrians, we
ought to understand, whether that Tyre which is situated within the boundaries
of the province of Phœnicia, or some other of which, this one which we know on
earth is the model; and the souls of the Tyrians, whether they are those of the
former or those which belong to that Tyre which is spiritually understood, does
not seem to be a matter requiting examination in this place; lest perhaps we
should appear to investigate subjects of so much mystery and importance in a
cursory manner, whereas they demand a labour and work of their own.
5. Again, we are taught as follows by the prophet Isaiah regarding another
opposing power. The prophet says, "How is Lucifer, who used to arise in the
morning, fallen from heaven! He who assailed all nations is broken and beaten
to the ground. You indeed said in your heart, I shall ascend into heaven; above
the stars of heaven shall I place my throne; I shall sit upon a lofty mountain,
above the lofty mountains which are towards the north; I shall ascend above the
clouds; I shall be like the Most High. Now shall you be brought down to the
lower world, and to the foundations of the earth. They who see you shall be
amazed at you, and shall say, This is the man who harassed the whole earth,
who moved kings, who made the whole world a desert, who destroyed cities, and
did not unloose those who were in chains. All the kings of the nations have slept
in honour, every one in his own house; but you shall be cast forth on the
mountains, accursed with the many dead who have been pierced through with
swords, and have descended to the lower world. As a garment cloned with blood,
and stained, will not be clean; neither shall you be clean, because you have
destroyed my land and slain my people: you shall not remain for ever, most
wicked seed. Prepare your sons for death on account of the sins of your father,
lest they rise again and inherit the earth, and fill the earth with wars. And I shall
rise against them, says the Lord of hosts, and I shall cause their name to perish,
and their remains, and their seed." Most evidently by these words is he shown to
have fallen from heaven, who formerly was Lucifer, and who used to arise in the
morning. For if, as some think, he was a nature of darkness, how is Lucifer said
to have existed before? Or how could he arise in the morning, who had in
himself nothing of the light? Nay, even the Saviour Himself teaches us, saying
of the devil, "Behold, I see Satan fallen from heaven like lightning." For at one
time he was light. Moreover our Lord, who is the truth, compared the power of
His own glorious advent to lightning, in the words, "For as the lightning shines
from the height of heaven even to its height again, so will the coming of the Son
of man be." And notwithstanding He compares him to lightning, and says that he
fell from heaven, that He might show by this that he had been at one time in
heaven, and had had a place among the saints, and had enjoyed a share in that
light in which all the saints participate, by which they are made angels of light,
and by which the apostles are termed by the Lord the light of the world. In this
manner, then, did that being once exist as light before he went astray, and fell to
this place, and had his glory turned into dust, which is peculiarly the mark of the
wicked, as the prophet also says; whence, too, he was called the prince of this
world, i.e., of an earthly habitation: for he exercised power over those who were
obedient to his wickedness, since "the whole of this world" — for I term this
place of earth, world— "lies in the wicked one," and in this apostate. That he is
an apostate, i.e., a fugitive, even the Lord in the book of Job says, "You will take
with a hook the apostate dragon," i.e., a fugitive. Now it is certain that by the
dragon is understood the devil himself. If then they are called opposing powers,
and are said to have been once without stain, while spotless purity exists in the
essential being of none save the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but is an accidental
quality in every created thing; and since that which is accidental may also fall
away, and since those opposite powers once were spotless, and were once among
those which still remain unstained, it is evident from all this that no one is pure
either by essence or nature, and that no one was by nature polluted. And the
consequence of this is, that it lies within ourselves and in our own actions to
possess either happiness or holiness; or by sloth and negligence to fall from
happiness into wickedness and ruin, to such a degree that, through too great
proficiency, so to speak, in wickedness (if a man be guilty of so great neglect),
he may descend even to that state in which he will be changed into what is called
an "opposing power."
 Chapter 6. On the End or Consummation.
1. An end or consummation would seem to be an indication of the
perfection and completion of things. And this reminds us here, that if there be
any one imbued with a desire of reading and understanding subjects of such
difficulty and importance, he ought to bring to the effort a perfect and instructed
understanding, lest perhaps, if he has had no experience in questions of this kind,
they may appear to him as vain and superfluous; or if his mind be full of
preconceptions and prejudices on other points, he may judge these to be heretical
and opposed to the faith of the Church, yielding in so doing not so much to the
convictions of reason as to the dogmatism of prejudice. These subjects, indeed,
are treated by us with great solicitude and caution, in the manner rather of an
investigation and discussion, than in that of fixed and certain decision. For we
have pointed out in the preceding pages those questions which must be set forth
in clear dogmatic propositions, as I think has been done to the best of my ability
when speaking of the Trinity. But on the present occasion our exercise is to be
conducted, as we best may, in the style of a disputation rather than of strict
definition.
The end of the world, then, and the final consummation, will take place
when every one shall be subjected to punishment for his sins; a time which God
alone knows, when He will bestow on each one what he deserves. We think,
indeed, that the goodness of God, through His Christ, may recall all His
creatures to one end, even His enemies being conquered and subdued. For thus
says holy Scripture, "The Lord said to My Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I
make Your enemies Your footstool." And if the meaning of the prophet's
language here be less clear, we may ascertain it from the Apostle Paul, who
speaks more openly, thus: "For Christ must reign until He has put all enemies
under His feet." But if even that unreserved declaration of the apostle do not
sufficiently inform us what is meant by "enemies being placed under His feet,"
listen to what he says in the following words, "For all things must be put under
Him." What, then, is this "putting under" by which all things must be made
subject to Christ? I am of opinion that it is this very subjection by which we also
wish to be subject to Him, by which the apostles also were subject, and all the
saints who have been followers of Christ. For the name "subjection," by which
we are subject to Christ, indicates that the salvation which proceeds from Him
belongs to His subjects, agreeably to the declaration of David, "Shall not my soul
be subject unto God? From Him comes my salvation."
2. Seeing, then, that such is the end, when all enemies will be subdued to
Christ, when death— the last enemy— shall be destroyed, and when the
kingdom shall be delivered up by Christ (to whom all things are subject) to God
the Father; let us, I say, from such an end as this, contemplate the beginnings of
things. For the end is always like the beginning: and, therefore, as there is one
end to all things, so ought we to understand that there was one beginning; and as
there is one end to many things, so there spring from one beginning many
differences and varieties, which again, through the goodness of God, and by
subjection to Christ, and through the unity of the Holy Spirit, are recalled to one
end, which is like the beginning: all those, viz., who, bending the knee at the
name of Jesus, make known by so doing their subjection to Him: and these are
they who are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: by which three classes the
whole universe of things is pointed out, those, viz., who from that one beginning
were arranged, each according to the diversity of his conduct, among the
different orders, in accordance with their desert; for there was no goodness in
them by essential being, as in God and His Christ, and in the Holy Spirit. For in
the Trinity alone, which is the author of all things, does goodness exist in virtue
of essential being; while others possess it as an accidental and perishable quality,
and only then enjoy blessedness, when they participate in holiness and wisdom,
and in divinity itself. But if they neglect and despise such participation, then is
each one, by fault of his own slothfulness, made, one more rapidly, another more
slowly, one in a greater, another in a less degree, the cause of his own downfall.
And since, as we have remarked, the lapse by which an individual falls away
from his position is characterized by great diversity, according to the movements
of the mind and will, one man falling with greater ease, another with more
difficulty, into a lower condition; in this is to be seen the just judgment of the
providence of God, that it should happen to every one according to the diversity
of his conduct, in proportion to the desert of his declension and defection.
Certain of those, indeed, who remained in that beginning which we have
described as resembling the end which is to come, obtained, in the ordering and
arrangement of the world, the rank of angels; others that of influences, others of
principalities, others of powers, that they may exercise power over those who
need to have power upon their head. Others, again, received the rank of thrones,
having the office of judging or ruling those who require this; others dominion,
doubtless, over slaves; all of which are conferred by Divine Providence in just
and impartial judgment according to their merits, and to the progress which they
had made in the participation and imitation of God. But those who have been
removed from their primal state of blessedness have not been removed
irrecoverably, but have been placed under the rule of those holy and blessed
orders which we have described; and by availing themselves of the aid of these,
and being remoulded by salutary principles and discipline, they may recover
themselves, and be restored to their condition of happiness. From all which I am
of opinion, so far as I can see, that this order of the human race has been
appointed in order that in the future world, or in ages to come, when there shall
be the new heavens and new earth, spoken of by Isaiah, it may be restored to that
unity promised by the Lord Jesus in His prayer to God the Father on behalf of
His disciples: "I do not pray for these alone, but for all who shall believe in Me
through their word: that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in
You, that they also may be one in Us;" and again, when He says: "That they may
be one, even as We are one; I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made
perfect in one." And this is further confirmed by the language of the Apostle
Paul: "Until we all come in the unity of the faith to a perfect man, to the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ." And in keeping with this is the
declaration of the same apostle, when he exhorts us, who even in the present life
are placed in the Church, in which is the form of that kingdom which is to come,
to this same similitude of unity: "That you all speak the same thing, and that
there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment."
3. It is to be borne in mind, however, that certain beings who fell away from
that one beginning of which we have spoken, have sunk to such a depth of
unworthiness and wickedness as to be deemed altogether undeserving of that
training and instruction by which the human race, while in the flesh, are trained
and instructed with the assistance of the heavenly powers; and continue, on the
contrary, in a state of enmity and opposition to those who are receiving this
instruction and teaching. And hence it is that the whole of this mortal life is full
of struggles and trials, caused by the opposition and enmity of those who fell
from a better condition without at all looking back, and who are called the devil
and his angels, and the other orders of evil, which the apostle classed among the
opposing powers. But whether any of these orders who act under the government
of the devil, and obey his wicked commands, will in a future world be converted
to righteousness because of their possessing the faculty of freedom of will, or
whether persistent and inveterate wickedness may be changed by the power of
habit into nature, is a result which you yourself, reader, may approve of, if
neither in these present worlds which are seen and temporal, nor in those which
are unseen and are eternal, that portion is to differ wholly from the final unity
and fitness of things. But in the meantime, both in those temporal worlds which
are seen, as well as in those eternal worlds which are invisible, all those beings
are arranged, according to a regular plan, in the order and degree of their merits;
so that some of them in the first, others in the second, some even in the last
times, after having undergone heavier and severer punishments, endured for a
lengthened period, and for many ages, so to speak, improved by this stern
method of training, and restored at first by the instruction of the angels, and
subsequently by the powers of a higher grade, and thus advancing through each
stage to a better condition, reach even to that which is invisible and eternal,
having travelled through, by a kind of training, every single office of the
heavenly powers. From which, I think, this will appear to follow as an inference,
that every rational nature may, in passing from one order to another, go through
each to all, and advance from all to each, while made the subject of various
degrees of proficiency and failure according to its own actions and endeavours,
put forth in the enjoyment of its power of freedom of will.
4. But since Paul says that certain things are visible and temporal, and
others besides these invisible and eternal, we proceed to inquire how those
things which are seen are temporal— whether because there will be nothing at
all after them in all those periods of the coming world, in which that dispersion
and separation from the one beginning is undergoing a process of restoration to
one and the same end and likeness; or because, while the form of those things
which are seen passes away, their essential nature is subject to no corruption.
And Paul seems to confirm the latter view, when he says, "For the fashion of this
world passes away." David also appears to assert the same in the words, "The
heavens shall perish, but You shall endure; and they all shall wax old as a
garment, and You shall change them like a vesture, and like a vestment they
shall be changed." For if the heavens are to be changed, assuredly that which is
changed does not perish, and if the fashion of the world passes away, it is by no
means an annihilation or destruction of their material substance that is shown to
take place, but a kind of change of quality and transformation of appearance.
Isaiah also, in declaring prophetically that there will be a new heaven and a new
earth, undoubtedly suggests a similar view. For this renewal of heaven and earth,
and this transmutation of the form of the present world, and this changing of the
heavens will undoubtedly be prepared for those who are walking along that way
which we have pointed out above, and are tending to that goal of happiness to
which, it is said, even enemies themselves are to be subjected, and in which God
is said to be "all and in all." And if any one imagine that at the end material, i.e.,
bodily, nature will be entirely destroyed, he cannot in any respect meet my view,
how beings so numerous and powerful are able to live and to exist without
bodies, since it is an attribute of the divine nature alone— i.e., of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit— to exist without any material substance, and without
partaking in any degree of a bodily adjunct. Another, perhaps, may say that in
the end every bodily substance will be so pure and refined as to be like the
æther, and of a celestial purity and clearness. How things will be, however, is
known with certainty to God alone, and to those who are His friends through
Christ and the Holy Spirit.
 Chapter 7. On Incorporeal and Corporeal Beings.
1. The subjects considered in the previous chapter have been spoken of in
general language, the nature of rational beings being discussed more by way of
intelligent inference than strict dogmatic definition, with the exception of the
place where we treated, to the best of our ability, of the persons of Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit. We have now to ascertain what those matters are which it is
proper to treat in the following pages according to our dogmatic belief, i.e., in
agreement with the creed of the Church. All souls and all rational natures,
whether holy or wicked, were formed or created, and all these, according to their
proper nature, are incorporeal; but although incorporeal, they were nevertheless
created, because all things were made by God through Christ, as John teaches in
a general way in his Gospel, saying, "In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was nothing made."
The Apostle Paul, moreover, describing created things by species and numbers
and orders, speaks as follows, when showing that all things were made through
Christ: "And in Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and in Him: and He is
before all, and He is the head." He therefore manifestly declares that in Christ
and through Christ were all things made and created, whether things visible,
which are corporeal, or things invisible, which I regard as none other than
incorporeal and spiritual powers. But of those things which he had termed
generally corporeal or incorporeal, he seems to me, in the words that follow, to
enumerate the various kinds, viz., thrones, dominions, principalities, powers,
influences.
These matters now have been previously mentioned by us, as we are
desirous to come in an orderly manner to the investigation of the sun, and moon,
and stars by way of logical inference, and to ascertain whether they also ought
properly to be reckoned among the principalities on account of their being said
to be created in [᾿Αρχάς], i.e., for the government of day and night; or whether
they are to be regarded as having only that government of day and night which
they discharge by performing the office of illuminating them, and are not in
reality chief of that order of principalities.
2. Now, when it is said that all things were made by Him, and that in Him
were all things created, both things in heaven and things on earth, there can be
no doubt that also those things which are in the firmament, which is called
heaven, and in which those luminaries are said to be placed, are included among
the number of heavenly things. And secondly, seeing that the course of the
discussion has manifestly discovered that all things were made or created, and
that among created things there is nothing which may not admit of good and
evil, and be capable of either, what are we to think of the following opinion
which certain of our friends entertain regarding sun, moon, and stars, viz., that
they are unchangeable, and incapable of becoming the opposite of what they
are? Not a few have held that view even regarding the holy angels, and certain
heretics also regarding souls, which they call spiritual natures.
In the first place, then, let us see what reason itself can discover respecting
sun, moon, and stars—whether the opinion, entertained by some, of their
unchangeableness be correct—and let the declarations of holy Scripture, as far as
possible, be first adduced. For Job appears to assert that not only may the stars
be subject to sin, but even that they are actually not clean from the contagion of
it. The following are his words: "The stars also are not clean in Your sight." Nor
is this to be understood of the splendour of their physical substance, as if one
were to say, for example, of a garment, that it is not clean; for if such were the
meaning, then the accusation of a want of cleanness in the splendour of their
bodily substance would imply an injurious reflection upon their Creator. For if
they are unable, through their own diligent efforts, either to acquire for
themselves a body of greater brightness, or through their sloth to make the one
they have less pure, how should they incur censure for being stars that are not
clean, if they receive no praise because they are so?
3. But to arrive at a clearer understanding on these matters, we ought first to
inquire after this point, whether it is allowable to suppose that they are living and
rational beings; then, in the next place, whether their souls came into existence at
the same time with their bodies, or seem to be anterior to them; and also
whether, after the end of the world, we are to understand that they are to be
released from their bodies; and whether, as we cease to live, so they also will
cease from illuminating the world. Although this inquiry may seem to be
somewhat bold, yet, as we are incited by the desire of ascertaining the truth as
far as possible, there seems no absurdity in attempting an investigation of the
subject agreeably to the grace of the Holy Spirit.
We think, then, that they may be designated as living beings, for this
reason, that they are said to receive commandments from God, which is
ordinarily the case only with rational beings. "I have given a commandment to
all the stars," says the Lord. What, now, are these commandments? Those,
namely, that each star, in its order and course, should bestow upon the world the
amount of splendour which has been entrusted to it. For those which are called
"planets" move in orbits of one kind, and those which are termed [ἀπλανεῖς] are
different. Now it manifestly follows from this, that neither can the movement of
that body take place without a soul, nor can living things be at any time without
motion. And seeing that the stars move with such order and regularity, that their
movements never appear to be at any time subject to derangement, would it not
be the height of folly to say that so orderly an observance of method and plan
could be carried out or accomplished by irrational beings? In the writings of
Jeremiah, indeed, the moon is called the queen of heaven. Yet if the stars are
living and rational beings, there will undoubtedly appear among them both an
advance and a falling back. For the language of Job, "the stars are not clean in
His sight," seems to me to convey some such idea.
4. And now we have to ascertain whether those beings which in the course
of the discussion we have discovered to possess life and reason, were endowed
with a soul along with their bodies at the time mentioned in Scripture, when
"God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light
to rule the night, and the stars also," or whether their spirit was implanted in
them, not at the creation of their bodies, but from without, after they had been
already made. I, for my part, suspect that the spirit was implanted in them from
without; but it will be worth while to prove this from Scripture: for it will seem
an easy matter to make the assertion on conjectural grounds, while it is more
difficult to establish it by the testimony of Scripture. Now it may be established
conjecturally as follows. If the soul of a man, which is certainly inferior while it
remains the soul of a man, was not formed along with his body, but is proved to
have been implanted strictly from without, much more must this be the case with
those living beings which are called heavenly. For, as regards man, how could
the soul of him, viz., Jacob, who supplanted his brother in the womb, appear to
be formed along with his body? Or how could his soul, or its images, be formed
along with his body, who, while lying in his mother's womb, was filled with the
Holy Ghost? I refer to John leaping in his mother's womb, and exulting because
the voice of the salutation of Mary had come to the ears of his mother Elisabeth.
How could his soul and its images be formed along with his body, who, before
he was created in the womb, is said to be known to God, and was sanctified by
Him before his birth? Some, perhaps, may think that God fills individuals with
His Holy Spirit, and bestows upon them sanctification, not on grounds of justice
and according to their deserts; but undeservedly. And how shall we escape that
declaration: "Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid!" or this: "Is there
respect of persons with God?" For such is the defence of those who maintain
that souls come into existence with bodies. So far, then, as we can form an
opinion from a comparison with the condition of man, I think it follows that we
must hold the same to hold good with heavenly beings, which reason itself and
scriptural authority show us to be the case with men.
5. But let us see whether we can find in holy Scripture any indications
properly applicable to these heavenly existences. The following is the statement
of the Apostle Paul: "The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but
by reason of Him who subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself
also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty
of the children of God." To what vanity, pray, was the creature made subject, or
what creature is referred to, or how is it said "not willingly," or "in hope of
what?" And in what way is the creature itself to be delivered from the bondage
of corruption? Elsewhere, also, the same apostle says: "For the expectation of
the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God." And again in
another passage, "And not only we, but the creation itself groans together, and is
in pain until now." And hence we have to inquire what are the groanings, and
what are the pains. Let us see then, in the first place, what is the vanity to which
the creature is subject. I apprehend that it is nothing else than the body; for
although the body of the stars is ethereal, it is nevertheless material. Whence
also Solomon appears to characterize the whole of corporeal nature as a kind of
burden which enfeebles the vigour of the soul in the following language: "Vanity
of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity. I have looked, and seen all the works
that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity." To this vanity, then, is
the creature subject, that creature especially which, being assuredly the greatest
in this world, holds also a distinguished principality of labour, i.e., the sun, and
moon, and stars, are said to be subject to vanity, because they are clothed with
bodies, and set apart to the office of giving light to the human race. "And this
creature," he remarks, "was subjected to vanity not willingly." For it did not
undertake a voluntary service to vanity, but because it was the will of Him who
made it subject, and because of the promise of the Subjector to those who were
reduced to this unwilling obedience, that when the ministry of their great work
was performed, they were to be freed from this bondage of corruption and vanity
when the time of the glorious redemption of God's children should have arrived.
And the whole of creation, receiving this hope, and looking for the fulfilment of
this promise now, in the meantime, as having an affection for those whom it
serves, groans along with them, and patiently suffers with them, hoping for the
fulfilment of the promises. See also whether the following words of Paul can
apply to those who, although not willingly, yet in accordance with the will of
Him who subjected them, and in hope of the promises, were made subject to
vanity, when he says, "For I could wish to be dissolved," or "to return and be
with Christ, which is far better." For I think that the sun might say in like
manner, "I would desire to be dissolved," or "to return and be with Christ, which
is far better." Paul indeed adds, "Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more
needful for you;" while the sun may say, "To abide in this bright and heavenly
body is more necessary, on account of the manifestation of the sons of God." The
same views are to be believed and expressed regarding the moon and stars.
Let us see now what is the freedom of the creature, or the termination of its
bondage. When Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the
Father, then also those living things, when they shall have first been made the
kingdom of Christ, shall be delivered, along with the whole of that kingdom, to
the rule of the Father, that when God shall be all in all, they also, since they are a
part of all things, may have God in themselves, as He is in all things.
 Chapter 8. On the Angels.
1. A similar method must be followed in treating of the angels; nor are we
to suppose that it is the result of accident that a particular office is assigned to a
particular angel: as to Raphael, e.g., the work of curing and healing; to Gabriel,
the conduct of wars; to Michael, the duty of attending to the prayers and
supplications of mortals. For we are not to imagine that they obtained these
offices otherwise than by their own merits, and by the zeal and excellent
qualities which they severally displayed before this world was formed; so that
afterwards in the order of archangels, this or that office was assigned to each
one, while others deserved to be enrolled in the order of angels, and to act under
this or that archangel, or that leader or head of an order. All of which things were
disposed, as I have said, not indiscriminately and fortuitously, but by a most
appropriate and just decision of God, who arranged them according to deserts, in
accordance with His own approval and judgment: so that to one angel the
Church of the Ephesians was to be entrusted; to another, that of the Smyrnæans;
one angel was to be Peter's, another Paul's; and so on through every one of the
little ones that are in the Church, for such and such angels as even daily behold
the face of God must be assigned to each one of them; and there must also be
some angel that encamps round about them that fear God. All of which things,
assuredly, it is to be believed, are not performed by accident or chance, or
because they (the angels) were so created, lest on that view the Creator should be
accused of partiality; but it is to be believed that they were conferred by God, the
just and impartial Ruler of all things, agreeably to the merits and good qualities
and mental vigour of each individual spirit.
2. And now let us say something regarding those who maintain the
existence of a diversity of spiritual natures, that we may avoid falling into the
silly and impious fables of such as pretend that there is a diversity of spiritual
natures both among heavenly existences and human souls, and for that reason
allege that they were called into being by different creators; for while it seems,
allege that they were called into being by different creators; for while it seems,
and is really, absurd that to one and the same Creator should be ascribed the
creation of different natures of rational beings, they are nevertheless ignorant of
the cause of that diversity. For they say that it seems inconsistent for one and the
same Creator, without any existing ground of merit, to confer upon some beings
the power of dominion, and to subject others again to authority; to bestow a
principality upon some, and to render others subordinate to rulers. Which
opinions indeed, in my judgment, are completely rejected by following out the
reasoning explained above, and by which it was shown that the cause of the
diversity and variety among these beings is due to their conduct, which has been
marked either with greater earnestness or indifference, according to the goodness
or badness of their nature, and not to any partiality on the part of the Disposer.
But that this may more easily be shown to be the case with heavenly beings, let
us borrow an illustration from what either has been done or is done among men,
in order that from visible things we may, by way of consequence, behold also
things invisible.
Paul and Peter are undoubtedly proved to have been men of a spiritual
nature. When, therefore, Paul is found to have acted contrary to religion, in
having persecuted the Church of God, and Peter to have committed so grave a
sin as, when questioned by the maid-servant, to have asserted with an oath that
he did not know who Christ was, how is it possible that these— who, according
to those persons of whom we speak, were spiritual beings— should fall into sins
of such a nature, especially as they are frequently in the habit of saying that a
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits? And if a good tree cannot produce evil
fruit, and as, according to them, Peter and Paul were sprung from the root of a
good tree, how should they be deemed to have brought forth fruits so wicked?
And if they should return the answer which is generally invented, that it was not
Paul who persecuted, but some other person, I know not whom, who was in
Paul; and that it was not Peter who uttered the denial, but some other individual
in him; how should Paul say, if he had not sinned, that "I am not worthy to be
called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God?" Or why did Peter
weep most bitterly, if it were another than he who sinned? From which all their
silly assertions will be proved to be baseless.
3. According to our view, there is no rational creature which is not capable
both of good and evil. But it does not follow, that because we say there is no
nature which may not admit evil, we therefore maintain that every nature has
admitted evil, i.e., has become wicked. As we may say that the nature of every
man admits of his being a sailor, but it does not follow from that, that every man
will become so; or, again, it is possible for every one to learn grammar or
medicine, but it is not therefore proved that every man is either a physician or a
grammarian; so, if we say that there is no nature which may not admit evil, it is
not necessarily indicated that it has done so. For, in our view, not even the devil
himself was incapable of good; but although capable of admitting good, he did
not therefore also desire it, or make any effort after virtue. For, as we are taught
by those quotations which we adduced from the prophets, there was once a time
when he was good, when he walked in the paradise of God between the
cherubim. As he, then, possessed the power either of receiving good or evil, but
fell away from a virtuous course, and turned to evil with all the powers of his
mind, so also other creatures, as having a capacity for either condition, in the
exercise of the freedom of their will, flee from evil, and cleave to good. There is
no nature, then, which may not admit of good or evil, except the nature of God—
the fountain of all good things— and of Christ; for it is wisdom, and wisdom
assuredly cannot admit folly; and it is righteousness, and righteousness will
never certainly admit of unrighteousness; and it is the Word, or Reason, which
certainly cannot be made irrational; nay, it is also the light, and it is certain that
the darkness does not receive the light. In like manner, also, the nature of the
Holy Spirit, being holy, does not admit of pollution; for it is holy by nature, or
essential being. If there is any other nature which is holy, it possesses this
property of being made holy by the reception or inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
not having it by nature, but as an accidental quality, for which reason it may be
lost, in consequence of being accidental. So also a man may possess an
accidental righteousness, from which it is possible for him to fall away. Even the
wisdom which a man has is still accidental, although it be within our own power
to become wise, if we devote ourselves to wisdom with the zeal and effort of our
life; and if we always pursue the study of it, we may always be participators of
wisdom: and that result will follow either in a greater or less degree, according
to the desert of our life or the amount of our zeal. For the goodness of God, as is
worthy of Him, incites and attracts all to that blissful end, where all pain, and
sadness, and sorrow fall away and disappear.
4. I am of opinion, then, so far as appears to me, that the preceding
discussion has sufficiently proved that it is neither from want of discrimination,
nor from any accidental cause, either that the "principalities" hold their
dominion, or the other orders of spirits have obtained their respective offices; but
that they have received the steps of their rank on account of their merits,
although it is not our privilege to know or inquire what those acts of theirs were,
by which they earned a place in any particular order. It is sufficient only to know
this much, in order to demonstrate the impartiality and righteousness of God,
that, conformably with the declaration of the Apostle Paul, "there is no
acceptance of persons with Him," who rather disposes everything according to
the deserts and moral progress of each individual. So, then, the angelic office
does not exist except as a consequence of their desert; nor do "powers" exercise
power except in virtue of their moral progress; nor do those which are called
"seats," i.e., the powers of judging and ruling, administer their powers unless by
merit; nor do "dominions" rule undeservedly, for that great and distinguished
order of rational creatures among celestial existences is arranged in a glorious
variety of offices. And the same view is to be entertained of those opposing
influences which have given themselves up to such places and offices, that they
derive the property by which they are made "principalities," or "powers," or
rulers of the darkness of the world, or spirits of wickedness, or malignant spirits,
or unclean demons, not from their essential nature, nor from their being so
created, but have obtained these degrees in evil in proportion to their conduct,
and the progress which they made in wickedness. And that is a second order of
rational creatures, who have devoted themselves to wickedness in so headlong a
course, that they are unwilling rather than unable to recall themselves; the thirst
for evil being already a passion, and imparting to them pleasure. But the third
order of rational creatures is that of those who are judged fit by God to replenish
the human race, i.e., the souls of men, assumed in consequence of their moral
progress into the order of angels; of whom we see some assumed into the
number: those, viz., who have been made the sons of God, or the children of the
resurrection, or who have abandoned the darkness, and have loved the light, and
have been made children of the light; or those who, proving victorious in every
struggle, and being made men of peace, have been the sons of peace, and the
sons of God; or those who, mortifying their members on the earth, and, rising
above not only their corporeal nature, but even the uncertain and fragile
movements of the soul itself, have united themselves to the Lord, being made
altogether spiritual, that they may be for ever one spirit with Him, discerning
along with Him each individual thing, until they arrive at a condition of perfect
spirituality, and discern all things by their perfect illumination in all holiness
through the word and wisdom of God, and are themselves altogether
undistinguishable by any one.
We think that those views are by no means to be admitted, which some are
wont unnecessarily to advance and maintain, viz., that souls descend to such a
pitch of abasement that they forget their rational nature and dignity, and sink into
the condition of irrational animals, either large or small; and in support of these
assertions they generally quote some pretended statements of Scripture, such as,
that a beast, to which a woman has unnaturally prostituted herself, shall be
deemed equally guilty with the woman, and shall be ordered to be stoned; or that
a bull which strikes with its horn, shall be put to death in the same way; or even
the speaking of Balaam's ass, when God opened its mouth, and the dumb beast
of burden, answering with human voice, reproved the madness of the prophet.
All of which assertions we not only do not receive, but, as being contrary to our
belief, we refute and reject. After the refutation and rejection of such perverse
opinions, we shall show, at the proper time and place, how those passages which
they quote from the sacred Scriptures ought to be understood.
 De Principiis (Book II)
Chapter 1. On the World.

1. Although all the discussions in the preceding book have had reference to
the world and its arrangements, it now seems to follow that we should specially
re-discuss a few points respecting the world itself, i.e., its beginning and end, or
those dispensations of Divine Providence which have taken place between the
beginning and the end, or those events which are supposed to have occurred
before the creation of the world, or are to take place after the end.
In this investigation, the first point which clearly appears is, that the world
in all its diversified and varying conditions is composed not only of rational and
diviner natures, and of a diversity of bodies, but of dumb animals, wild and tame
beasts, of birds, and of all things which live in the waters; then, secondly, of
places, i.e., of the heaven or heavens, and of the earth or water, as well as of the
air, which is intermediate, and which they term æther, and of everything which
proceeds from the earth or is born in it. Seeing, then, there is so great a variety in
the world, and so great a diversity among rational beings themselves, on account
of which every other variety and diversity also is supposed to have come into
existence, what other cause than this ought to be assigned for the existence of the
world, especially if we have regard to that end by means of which it was shown
in the preceding book that all things are to be restored to their original condition?
And if this should seem to be logically stated, what other cause, as we have
already said, are we to imagine for so great a diversity in the world, save the
diversity and variety in the movements and declensions of those who fell from
that primeval unity and harmony in which they were at first created by God, and
who, being driven from that state of goodness, and drawn in various directions
by the harassing influence of different motives and desires, have changed,
according to their different tendencies, the single and undivided goodness of
their nature into minds of various sorts?
2. But God, by the ineffable skill of His wisdom, transforming and restoring
all things, in whatever manner they are made, to some useful aim, and to the
common advantage of all, recalls those very creatures which differed so much
from each other in mental conformation to one agreement of labour and purpose;
so that, although they are under the influence of different motives, they
nevertheless complete the fullness and perfection of one world, and the very
variety of minds tends to one end of perfection. For it is one power which grasps
and holds together all the diversity of the world, and leads the different
movements towards one work, lest so immense an undertaking as that of the
world should be dissolved by the dissensions of souls. And for this reason we
think that God, the Father of all things, in order to ensure the salvation of all His
creatures through the ineffable plan of His word and wisdom, so arranged each
of these, that every spirit, whether soul or rational existence, however called,
should not be compelled by force, against the liberty of his own will, to any
other course than that to which the motives of his own mind led him (lest by so
doing the power of exercising free-will should seem to be taken away, which
certainly would produce a change in the nature of the being itself); and that the
varying purposes of these would be suitably and usefully adapted to the harmony
of one world, by some of them requiring help, and others being able to give it,
and others again being the cause of struggle and contest to those who are making
progress, among whom their diligence would be deemed more worthy of
approval, and the place of rank obtained after victory be held with greater
certainty, which should be established by the difficulties of the contest.
3. Although the whole world is arranged into offices of different kinds, its
condition, nevertheless, is not to be supposed as one of internal discrepancies
and discordances; but as our one body is provided with many members, and is
held together by one soul, so I am of opinion that the whole world also ought to
be regarded as some huge and immense animal, which is kept together by the
power and reason of God as by one soul. This also, I think, is indicated in sacred
Scripture by the declaration of the prophet, "Do not I fill heaven and earth? Says
the Lord;" and again, "The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool;"
and by the Saviour's words, when He says that we are to swear "neither by
heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool." To the
same effect also are the words of Paul, in his address to the Athenians, when he
says, "In Him we live, and move, and have our being." For how do we live, and
move, and have our being in God, except by His comprehending and holding
together the whole world by His power? And how is heaven the throne of God,
and the earth His footstool, as the Saviour Himself declares, save by His power
filling all things both in heaven and earth, according to the Lord's own words?
And that God, the Father of all things, fills and holds together the world with the
fullness of His power, according to those passages which we have quoted, no
one, I think, will have any difficulty in admitting. And now, since the course of
the preceding discussion has shown that the different movements of rational
beings, and their varying opinions, have brought about the diversity that is in the
world, we must see whether it may not be appropriate that this world should
have a termination like its beginning. For there is no doubt that its end must be
sought amid much diversity and variety; which variety, being found to exist in
the termination of the world, will again furnish ground and occasion for the
diversities of the other world which is to succeed the present.
4. If now, in the course of our discussion, it has been ascertained that these
things are so, it seems to follow that we next consider the nature of corporeal
being, seeing the diversity in the world cannot exist without bodies. It is evident
from the nature of things themselves, that bodily nature admits of diversity and
variety of change, so that it is capable of undergoing all possible
transformations, as, e.g., the conversion of wood into fire, of fire into smoke, of
smoke into air, of oil into fire. Does not food itself, whether of man or of
animals, exhibit the same ground of change? For whatever we take as food, is
converted into the substance of our body. But how water is changed into earth or
into air, and air again into fire, or fire into air, or air into water, although not
difficult to explain, yet on the present occasion it is enough merely to mention
them, as our object is to discuss the nature of bodily matter. By matter, therefore,
we understand that which is placed under bodies, viz., that by which, through the
bestowing and implanting of qualities, bodies exist; and we mention four
qualities— heat, cold, dryness, humidity. These four qualities being implanted in
the [ὕλη], or matter (for matter is found to exist in its own nature without those
qualities before mentioned), produce the different kinds of bodies. Although this
matter is, as we have said above, according to its own proper nature without
qualities, it is never found to exist without a quality. And I cannot understand
how so many distinguished men have been of opinion that this matter, which is
so great, and possesses such properties as to enable it to be sufficient for all the
bodies in the world which God willed to exist, and to be the attendant and slave
of the Creator for whatever forms and species He wished in all things, receiving
into itself whatever qualities He desired to bestow upon it, was uncreated, i.e.,
not formed by God Himself, who is the Creator of all things, but that its nature
and power were the result of chance. And I am astonished that they should find
fault with those who deny either God's creative power or His providential
administration of the world, and accuse them of impiety for thinking that so
great a work as the world could exist without an architect or overseer; while they
themselves incur a similar charge of impiety in saying that matter is uncreated,
and co-eternal with the uncreated God. According to this view, then, if we
suppose for the sake of argument that matter did not exist, as these maintain,
saying that God could not create anything when nothing existed, without doubt
He would have been idle, not having matter on which to operate, which matter
they say was furnished Him not by His own arrangement, but by accident; and
they think that this, which was discovered by chance, was able to suffice Him for
an undertaking of so vast an extent, and for the manifestation of the power of His
might, and by admitting the plan of all His wisdom, might be distinguished and
formed into a world. Now this appears to me to be very absurd, and to be the
opinion of those men who are altogether ignorant of the power and intelligence
of uncreated nature. But that we may see the nature of things a little more
clearly, let it be granted that for a little time matter did not exist, and that God,
when nothing formerly existed, caused those things to come into existence which
He desired, why are we to suppose that God would create matter either better or
greater, or of another kind, than that which He did produce from His own power
and wisdom, in order that that might exist which formerly did not? Would He
create a worse and inferior matter, or one the same as that which they call
uncreated? Now I think it will very easily appear to any one, that neither a better
nor inferior matter could have assumed the forms and species of the world, if it
had not been such as that which actually did assume them. And does it not then
seem impious to call that uncreated, which, if believed to be formed by God,
would doubtless be found to be such as that which they call uncreated?
5. But that we may believe in the authority of holy Scripture that such is the
case, hear how in the book of Maccabees, where the mother of seven martyrs
exhorts her son to endure torture, this truth is confirmed; for she says, "I ask of
you, my son, to look at the heaven and the earth, and at all things which are in
them, and beholding these, to know that God made all these things when they did
not exist." In the book of the Shepherd also, in the first commandment, he speaks
as follows: "First of all believe that there is one God who created and arranged
all things, and made all things to come into existence, and out of a state of
nothingness." Perhaps also the expression in the Psalms has reference to this:
"He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created." For
the words, "He spoke, and they were made," appear to show that the substance of
those things which exist is meant; while the others, "He commanded, and they
were created," seem spoken of the qualities by which the substance itself has
been moulded.
 Chapter 2. On the Perpetuity of Bodily Nature.
1. On this topic some are wont to inquire whether, as the Father generates
an uncreated Son, and brings forth a Holy Spirit, not as if He had no previous
existence, but because the Father is the origin and source of the Son or Holy
Spirit, and no anteriority or posteriority can be understood as existing in them; so
also a similar kind of union or relationship can be understood as subsisting
between rational natures and bodily matter. And that this point may be more
fully and thoroughly examined, the commencement of the discussion is
generally directed to the inquiry whether this very bodily nature, which bears the
lives and contains the movements of spiritual and rational minds, will be equally
eternal with them, or will altogether perish and be destroyed. And that the
question may be determined with greater precision, we have, in the first place, to
inquire if it is possible for rational natures to remain altogether incorporeal after
they have reached the summit of holiness and happiness (which seems to me a
most difficult and almost impossible attainment), or whether they must always of
necessity be united to bodies. If, then, any one could show a reason why it was
possible for them to dispense wholly with bodies, it will appear to follow, that as
a bodily nature, created out of nothing after intervals of time, was produced
when it did not exist, so also it must cease to be when the purposes which it
served had no longer an existence.
2. If, however, it is impossible for this point to be at all maintained, viz.,
that any other nature than the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can live without a
body, the necessity of logical reasoning compels us to understand that rational
natures were indeed created at the beginning, but that material substance was
separated from them only in thought and understanding, and appears to have
been formed for them, or after them, and that they never have lived nor do live
without it; for an incorporeal life will rightly be considered a prerogative of the
Trinity alone. As we have remarked above, therefore, that material substance of
this world, possessing a nature admitting of all possible transformations, is,
this world, possessing a nature admitting of all possible transformations, is,
when dragged down to beings of a lower order, moulded into the crasser and
more solid condition of a body, so as to distinguish those visible and varying
forms of the world; but when it becomes the servant of more perfect and more
blessed beings, it shines in the splendour of celestial bodies, and adorns either
the angels of God or the sons of the resurrection with the clothing of a spiritual
body, out of all which will be filled up the diverse and varying state of the one
world. But if any one should desire to discuss these matters more fully, it will be
necessary, with all reverence and fear of God, to examine the sacred Scriptures
with greater attention and diligence, to ascertain whether the secret and hidden
sense within them may perhaps reveal anything regarding these matters; and
something may be discovered in their abstruse and mysterious language, through
the demonstration of the Holy Spirit to those who are worthy, after many
testimonies have been collected on this very point.
 Chapter 3. On the Beginning of the World, and Its
Causes.
1. The next subject of inquiry is, whether there was any other world before
the one which now exists; and if so, whether it was such as the present, or
somewhat different, or inferior; or whether there was no world at all, but
something like that which we understand will be after the end of all things, when
the kingdom shall be delivered up to God, even the Father; which nevertheless
may have been the end of another world—of that, namely, after which this world
took its beginning; and whether the various lapses of intellectual natures
provoked God to produce this diverse and varying condition of the world. This
point also, I think, must be investigated in a similar way, viz., whether after this
world there will be any (system of) preservation and amendment, severe indeed,
and attended with much pain to those who were unwilling to obey the word of
God, but a process through which, by means of instruction and rational training,
those may arrive at a fuller understanding of the truth who have devoted
themselves in the present life to these pursuits, and who, after having had their
minds purified, have advanced onwards so as to become capable of attaining
divine wisdom; and after this the end of all things will immediately follow, and
there will be again, for the correction and improvement of those who stand in
need of it, another world, either resembling that which now exists, or better than
it, or greatly inferior; and how long that world, whatever it be that is to come
after this, shall continue; and if there will be a time when no world shall
anywhere exist, or if there has been a time when there was no world at all; or if
there have been, or will be several; or if it shall ever come to pass that there will
be one resembling another, like it in every respect, and indistinguishable from it.
2. That it may appear more clearly, then, whether bodily matter can exist
during intervals of time, and whether, as it did not exist before it was made, so it
may again be resolved into nonexistence, let us see, first of all, whether it is
possible for any one to live without a body. For if one person can live without a
body, all things also may dispense with them; seeing our former treatise has
shown that all things tend towards one end. Now, if all things may exist without
bodies, there will undoubtedly be no bodily substance, seeing there will be no
use for it. But how shall we understand the words of the apostle in those
passages, in which, discussing the resurrection of the dead, he says, "This
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have
put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying which is written,
Death is swallowed up in victory! Where, O death, is your victory? O death,
your sting has been swallowed up: the sting of death is sin, and the strength of
sin is the law." Some such meaning, then, as this, seems to be suggested by the
apostle. For can the expression which he employs, "this corruptible," and "this
mortal," with the gesture, as it were, of one who touches or points out, apply to
anything else than to bodily matter? This matter of the body, then, which is now
corruptible shall put on incorruption when a perfect soul, and one furnished with
the marks of incorruption, shall have begun to inhabit it. And do not be surprised
if we speak of a perfect soul as the clothing of the body (which, on account of
the Word of God and His wisdom, is now named incorruption), when Jesus
Christ Himself, who is the Lord and Creator of the soul, is said to be the clothing
of the saints, according to the language of the apostle, "Put on the Lord Jesus
Christ." As Christ, then, is the clothing of the soul, so for a kind of reason
sufficiently intelligible is the soul said to be the clothing of the body, seeing it is
an ornament to it, covering and concealing its mortal nature. The expression,
then, "This corruptible must put on incorruption," is as if the apostle had said,
"This corruptible nature of the body must receive the clothing of incorruption—
a soul possessing in itself incorruptibility," because it has been clothed with
Christ, who is the Wisdom and Word of God. But when this body, which at
some future period we shall possess in a more glorious state, shall have become
a partaker of life, it will then, in addition to being immortal, become also
incorruptible. For whatever is mortal is necessarily also corruptible; but
whatever is corruptible cannot also be said to be mortal. We say of a stone or a
piece of wood that it is corruptible, but we do not say that it follows that it is also
mortal. But as the body partakes of life, then because life may be, and is,
separated from it, we consequently name it mortal, and according to another
sense also we speak of it as corruptible. The holy apostle therefore, with
remarkable insight, referring to the general first cause of bodily matter, of which
(matter), whatever be the qualities with which it is endowed (now indeed carnal,
but by and by more refined and pure, which are termed spiritual), the soul makes
constant use, says, "This corruptible must put on incorruption." And in the
second place, looking to the special cause of the body, he says, "This mortal
must put on immortality." Now, what else will incorruption and immortality be,
save the wisdom, and the word, and the righteousness of God, which mould, and
clothe, and adorn the soul? And hence it happens that it is said, "The corruptible
will put on incorruption, and the mortal immortality." For although we may now
make great proficiency, yet as we only know in part, and prophesy in part, and
see through a glass, darkly, those very things which we seem to understand, this
corruptible does not yet put on incorruption, nor is this mortal yet clothed with
immorality; and as this training of ours in the body is protracted doubtless to a
longer period, up to the time, viz., when those very bodies of ours with which we
are enveloped may, on account of the word of God, and His wisdom and perfect
righteousness, earn incorruptibility and immortality, therefore is it said, "This
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."
3. But, nevertheless, those who think that rational creatures can at any time
lead an existence out of the body, may here raise such questions as the
following. If it is true that this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this
mortal put on immortality, and that death is swallowed up at the end; this shows
that nothing else than a material nature is to be destroyed, on which death could
operate, while the mental acumen of those who are in the body seems to be
blunted by the nature of corporeal matter. If, however, they are out of the body,
then they will altogether escape the annoyance arising from a disturbance of that
kind. But as they will not be able immediately to escape all bodily clothing, they
are just to be considered as inhabiting more refined and purer bodies, which
possess the property of being no longer overcome by death, or of being wounded
by its sting; so that at last, by the gradual disappearance of the material nature,
death is both swallowed up, and even at the end exterminated, and all its sting
completely blunted by the divine grace which the soul has been rendered capable
of receiving, and has thus deserved to obtain incorruptibility and immortality.
And then it will be deservedly said by all, "O death, where is your victory? O
death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin." If these conclusions, then,
seem to hold good, it follows that we must believe our condition at some future
time to be incorporeal; and if this is admitted, and all are said to be subjected to
Christ, this (incorporeity) also must necessarily be bestowed on all to whom the
subjection to Christ extends; since all who are subject to Christ will be in the end
subject to God the Father, to whom Christ is said to deliver up the kingdom; and
thus it appears that then also the need of bodies will cease. And if it ceases,
bodily matter returns to nothing, as formerly also it did not exist.
Now let us see what can be said in answer to those who make these
assertions. For it will appear to be a necessary consequence that, if bodily nature
be annihilated, it must be again restored and created; since it seems a possible
thing that rational natures, from whom the faculty of free-will is never taken
away, may be again subjected to movements of some kind, through the special
act of the Lord Himself, lest perhaps, if they were always to occupy a condition
that was unchangeable, they should be ignorant that it is by the grace of God and
not by their own merit that they have been placed in that final state of happiness;
and these movements will undoubtedly again be attended by variety and
diversity of bodies, by which the world is always adorned; nor will it ever be
composed (of anything) save of variety and diversity—an effect which cannot be
produced without a bodily matter.
4. And now I do not understand by what proofs they can maintain their
position, who assert that worlds sometimes come into existence which are not
dissimilar to each other, but in all respects equal. For if there is said to be a
world similar in all respects (to the present), then it will come to pass that Adam
and Eve will do the same things which they did before: there will be a second
time the same deluge, and the same Moses will again lead a nation numbering
nearly six hundred thousand out of Egypt; Judas will also a second time betray
the Lord; Paul will a second time keep the garments of those who stoned
Stephen; and everything which has been done in this life will be said to be
repeated—a state of things which I think cannot be established by any reasoning,
if souls are actuated by freedom of will, and maintain either their advance or
retrogression according to the power of their will. For souls are not driven on in
a cycle which returns after many ages to the same round, so as either to do or
desire this or that; but at whatever point the freedom of their own will aims,
there do they direct the course of their actions. For what these persons say is
much the same as if one were to assert that if a medimnus of grain were to be
poured out on the ground, the fall of the grain would be on the second occasion
identically the same as on the first, so that every individual grain would lie for
the second time close beside that grain where it had been thrown before, and so
the medimnus would be scattered in the same order, and with the same marks as
formerly; which certainly is an impossible result with the countless grains of a
medimnus, even if they were to be poured out without ceasing for many ages. So
therefore it seems to me impossible for a world to be restored for the second
time, with the same order and with the same amount of births, and deaths, and
actions; but that a diversity of worlds may exist with changes of no unimportant
kind, so that the state of another world may be for some unmistakeable reasons
better (than this), and for others worse, and for others again intermediate. But
what may be the number or measure of this I confess myself ignorant, although,
if any one can tell it, I would gladly learn.
5. But this world, which is itself called an age, is said to be the conclusion
of many ages. Now the holy apostle teaches that in that age which preceded this,
Christ did not suffer, nor even in the age which preceded that again; and I know
not that I am able to enumerate the number of anterior ages in which He did not
suffer. I will show, however, from what statements of Paul I have arrived at this
understanding. He says, "But now once in the consummation of ages, He was
manifested to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." For He says that He was
once made a victim, and in the consummation of ages was manifested to take
away sin. Now that after this age, which is said to be formed for the
consummation of other ages, there will be other ages again to follow, we have
clearly learned from Paul himself, who says, "That in the ages to come He might
show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us." He has not
said, "in the age to come," nor "in the two ages to come," whence I infer that by
his language many ages are indicated. Now if there is something greater than
ages, so that among created beings certain ages may be understood, but among
other beings which exceed and surpass visible creatures, (ages still greater)
(which perhaps will be the case at the restitution of all things, when the whole
universe will come to a perfect termination), perhaps that period in which the
consummation of all things will take place is to be understood as something
more than an age. But here the authority of holy Scripture moves me, which
says, "For an age and more." Now this word "more" undoubtedly means
something greater than an age; and see if that expression of the Saviour, "I will
that where I am, these also may be with Me; and as I and You are one, these also
may be one in Us," may not seem to convey something more than an age and
ages, perhaps even more than ages of ages—that period, viz., when all things are
now no longer in an age, but when God is in all.
6. Having discussed these points regarding the nature of the world to the
best of our ability, it does not seem out of place to inquire what is the meaning of
the term world, which in holy Scripture is shown frequently to have different
significations. For what we call in Latin mundus , is termed in Greek [κόσμος],
and [κόσμος] signifies not only a world, but also an ornament. Finally, in Isaiah,
where the language of reproof is directed to the chief daughters of Sion, and
where he says, "Instead of an ornament of a golden head, you will have baldness
on account of your works," he employs the same term to denote ornament as to
denote the world, viz., [κόσμος] . For the plan of the world is said to be
contained in the clothing of the high priest, as we find in the Wisdom of
Solomon, where he says, "For in the long garment was the whole world." That
earth of ours, with its inhabitants, is also termed the world, as when Scripture
says, "The whole world lies in wickedness." Clement indeed, a disciple of the
apostles, makes mention of those whom the Greeks called [᾿Αντίχθονες], and
other parts of the earth, to which no one of our people can approach, nor can any
one of those who are there cross over to us, which he also termed worlds, saying,
"The ocean is impassable to men; and those are worlds which are on the other
side of it, which are governed by these same arrangements of the ruling God."
That universe which is bounded by heaven and earth is also called a world, as
Paul declares: "For the fashion of this world will pass away." Our Lord and
Saviour also points out a certain other world besides this visible one, which it
would indeed be difficult to describe and make known. He says, "I am not of this
world." For, as if He were of a certain other world, He says, "I am not of this
world." Now, of this world we have said beforehand, that the explanation was
difficult; and for this reason, that there might not be afforded to any an occasion
of entertaining the supposition that we maintain the existence of certain images
which the Greeks call "ideas:" for it is certainly alien to our (writers) to speak of
an incorporeal world existing in the imagination alone, or in the fleeting world of
thoughts; and how they can assert either that the Saviour comes from thence, or
that the saints will go there, I do not see. There is no doubt, however, that
something more illustrious and excellent than this present world is pointed out
by the Saviour, at which He incites and encourages believers to aim. But
whether that world to which He desires to allude be far separated and divided
from this either by situation, or nature, or glory; or whether it be superior in
glory and quality, but confined within the limits of this world (which seems to
me more probable), is nevertheless uncertain, and in my opinion an unsuitable
subject for human thought. But from what Clement seems to indicate when he
says, "The ocean is impassable to men, and those worlds which are behind it,"
speaking in the plural number of the worlds which are behind it, which he
intimates are administered and governed by the same providence of the Most
High God, he appears to throw out to us some germs of that view by which the
whole universe of existing things, celestial and super-celestial, earthly and
infernal, is generally called one perfect world, within which, or by which, other
worlds, if any there are, must be supposed to be contained. For which reason he
wished the globe of the sun or moon, and of the other bodies called planets, to be
each termed worlds. Nay, even that pre-eminent globe itself which they call the
non-wandering ([ἀπλανῆ]), they nevertheless desire to have properly called
world. Finally, they summon the book of Baruch the prophet to bear witness to
this assertion, because in it the seven worlds or heavens are more clearly pointed
out. Nevertheless, above that sphere which they call non-wandering ([ἀπλανῆ]),
they will have another sphere to exist, which they say, exactly as our heaven
contains all things which are under it, comprehends by its immense size and
indescribable extent the spaces of all the spheres together within its more
magnificent circumference; so that all things are within it, as this earth of ours is
under heaven. And this also is believed to be called in the holy Scriptures the
good land, and the land of the living, having its own heaven, which is higher,
and in which the names of the saints are said to be written, or to have been
written, by the Saviour; by which heaven that earth is confined and shut in,
which the Saviour in the Gospel promises to the meek and merciful. For they
would have this earth of ours, which formerly was named "Dry," to have derived
its appellation from the name of that earth, as this heaven also was named
firmament from the title of that heaven. But we have treated at greater length of
such opinions in the place where we had to inquire into the meaning of the
declaration, that in the beginning "God made the heavens and the earth." For
another heaven and another earth are shown to exist besides that "firmament"
which is said to have been made after the second day, or that "dry land" which
was afterwards called "earth." Certainly, what some say of this world, that it is
corruptible because it was made, and yet is not corrupted, because the will of
God, who made it and holds it together lest corruption should rule over it, is
stronger and more powerful than corruption, may more correctly be supposed of
that world which we have called above a "non-wandering" sphere, since by the
will of God it is not at all subject to corruption, for the reason that it has not
admitted any causes of corruption, seeing it is the world of the saints and of the
thoroughly purified, and not of the wicked, like that world of ours. We must see,
moreover, lest perhaps it is with reference to this that the apostle says, "While we
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for
the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are unseen are
eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens." And when he says elsewhere, "Because I shall see the heavens, the
works of Your fingers," and when God said, regarding all things visible, by the
mouth of His prophet, "My hand has formed all these things," He declares that
that eternal house in the heavens which He promises to His saints was not made
with hands, pointing out, doubtless, the difference of creation in things which are
seen and in those which are not seen. For the same thing is not to be understood
by the expressions, "those things which are not seen," and "those things which
are invisible." For those things which are invisible are not only not seen, but do
not even possess the property of visibility, being what the Greeks call
[ἀσώματα], i.e., incorporeal; whereas those of which Paul says, "They are not
seen," possess indeed the property of being seen, but, as he explains, are not yet
beheld by those to whom they are promised.
7. Having sketched, then, so far as we could understand, these three
opinions regarding the end of all things, and the supreme blessedness, let each
one of our readers determine for himself, with care and diligence, whether any
one of them can be approved and adopted. For it has been said that we must
suppose either that an incorporeal existence is possible, after all things have
become subject to Christ, and through Christ to God the Father, when God will
be all and in all; or that when, notwithstanding all things have been made subject
to Christ, and through Christ to God (with whom they formed also one spirit, in
respect of spirits being rational natures), then the bodily substance itself also
being united to most pure and excellent spirits, and being changed into an
ethereal condition in proportion to the quality or merits of those who assume it
(according to the apostle's words, "We also shall be changed" ), will shine forth
in splendour; or at least that when the fashion of those things which are seen
passes away, and all corruption has been shaken off and cleansed away, and
when the whole of the space occupied by this world, in which the spheres of the
planets are said to be, has been left behind and beneath, then is reached the fixed
abode of the pious and the good situated above that sphere, which is called non-
wandering ([ἀπλανής]), as in a good land, in a land of the living, which will be
inherited by the meek and gentle; to which land belongs that heaven (which,
with its more magnificent extent, surrounds and contains that land itself) which
is called truly and chiefly heaven, in which heaven and earth, the end and
perfection of all things, may be safely and most confidently placed—where, viz.,
these, after their apprehension and their chastisement for the offenses which they
have undergone by way of purgation, may, after having fulfilled and discharged
every obligation, deserve a habitation in that land; while those who have been
obedient to the word of God, and have henceforth by their obedience shown
themselves capable of wisdom, are said to deserve the kingdom of that heaven or
heavens; and thus the prediction is more worthily fulfilled, "Blessed are the
meek, for they shall inherit the earth;" and, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven;" and the declaration in the Psalm, "He
shall exalt you, and you shall inherit the land." For it is called a descent to this
earth, but an exaltation to that which is on high. In this way, therefore, does a
sort of road seem to be opened up by the departure of the saints from that earth
to those heavens; so that they do not so much appear to abide in that land, as to
inhabit it with an intention, viz., to pass on to the inheritance of the kingdom of
heaven, when they have reached that degree of perfection also.
Chapter 4. The God of the Law and the Prophets, and
the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Same God.
1. Having now briefly arranged these points in order as we best could, it
follows that, agreeably to our intention from the first, we refute those who think
that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is a different God from Him who gave
the answers of the law to Moses, or commissioned the prophets, who is the God
of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For in this article of faith, first of all,
we must be firmly grounded. We have to consider, then, the expression of
frequent recurrence in the Gospels, and subjoined to all the acts of our Lord and
Saviour, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by this or that prophet," it
being manifest that the prophets are the prophets of that God who made the
world. From this therefore we draw the conclusion, that He who sent the
prophets, Himself predicted what was to be foretold of Christ. And there is no
doubt that the Father Himself, and not another different from Him, uttered these
predictions. The practice, moreover, of the Saviour or His apostles, frequently
quoting illustrations from the Old Testament, shows that they attribute authority
to the ancients. The injunction also of the Saviour, when exhorting His disciples
to the exercise of kindness, "Be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is
perfect; for He commands His sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sends
rain on the just and on the unjust," most evidently suggests even to a person of
feeble understanding, that He is proposing to the imitation of His disciples no
other God than the maker of heaven and the bestower of the rain. Again, what
else does the expression, which ought to be used by those who pray, "Our
Father who art in heaven," appear to indicate, save that God is to be sought in
the better parts of the world, i.e., of His creation? Further, do not those
admirable principles which He lays down respecting oaths, saying that we ought
not to "swear either by heaven, because it is the throne of God; nor by the earth,
because it is His footstool," harmonize most clearly with the words of the
prophet, "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool?" And also when
casting out of the temple those who sold sheep, and oxen, and doves, and
pouring out the tables of the money-changers, and saying, "Take these things,
hence, and do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise," He
undoubtedly called Him His Father, to whose name Solomon had raised a
magnificent temple. The words, moreover, "Have you not read what was spoken
by God to Moses: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob; He is not a God of the dead, but of the living," most clearly teach us,
that He called the God of the patriarchs (because they were holy, and were alive)
the God of the living, the same, viz., who had said in the prophets, "I am God,
and besides Me there is no God." For if the Saviour, knowing that He who is
written in the law is the God of Abraham, and that it is the same who says, I am
God, and besides Me there is no God, acknowledges that very one to be His
Father who is ignorant of the existence of any other God above Himself, as the
heretics suppose, He absurdly declares Him to be His Father who does not know
of a greater God. But if it is not from ignorance, but from deceit, that He says
there is no other God than Himself, then it is a much greater absurdity to confess
that His Father is guilty of falsehood. From all which this conclusion is arrived
at, that He knows of no other Father than God, the Founder and Creator of all
things.
2. It would be tedious to collect out of all the passages in the Gospels the
proofs by which the God of the law and of the Gospels is shown to be one and
the same. Let us touch briefly upon the Acts of the Apostles, where Stephen and
the other apostles address their prayers to that God who made heaven and earth,
and who spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, calling Him the "God of
Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob;" the God who "brought forth His people out of
the land of Egypt." Which expressions undoubtedly clearly direct our
understandings to faith in the Creator, and implant an affection for Him in those
who have learned piously and faithfully thus to think of Him; according to the
words of the Saviour Himself, who, when He was asked which was the greatest
commandment in the law, replied, "You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is like
it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself." And to these He added: "On these
two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." How is it, then, that He
commends to him whom He was instructing, and was leading to enter on the
office of a disciple, this commandment above all others, by which undoubtedly
love was to be kindled in him towards the God of that law, inasmuch as such had
been declared by the law in these very words? But let it be granted,
notwithstanding all these most evident proofs, that it is of some other unknown
God that the Saviour says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart," etc., etc. How, in that case, if the law and the prophets are, as they say,
from the Creator, i.e., from another God than He whom He calls good, shall that
appear to be logically said which He subjoins, viz., that "on these two
commandments hang the law and the prophets?" For how shall that which is
strange and foreign to God depend upon Him? And when Paul says, "I thank my
God, whom I serve in my spirit from my forefathers with pure conscience," he
clearly shows that he came not to some new God, but to Christ. For what other
forefathers of Paul can be intended, except those of whom he says, "Are they
Hebrews? So am I: are they Israelites? So am I." Nay, will not the very preface
of his Epistle to the Romans clearly show the same thing to those who know
how to understand the letters of Paul, viz., what God he preaches? For his words
are: "Paul, the servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart to the
Gospel of God, which He had promised afore by His prophets in the holy
Scriptures concerning His Son, who was made of the seed of David according to
the flesh, and who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to
the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead of Christ Jesus our
Lord," etc. Moreover, also the following, "You shall not muzzle the mouth of the
ox that treads out the grain. Does God take care for oxen? Or says he it
altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he that
ploughs should plough in hope, and he that threshes in hope of partaking of the
fruits." By which he manifestly shows that God, who gave the law on our
account, i.e., on account of the apostles, says, "You shall not muzzle the mouth of
the ox that treads out the grain;" whose care was not for oxen, but for the
apostles, who were preaching the Gospel of Christ. In other passages also, Paul,
embracing the promises of the law, says, "Honour your father and your mother,
which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with you, and
that your days may be long upon the land, the good land, which the Lord your
God will give you." By which he undoubtedly makes known that the law, and the
God of the law, and His promises, are pleasing to him.
3. But as those who uphold this heresy are sometimes accustomed to
mislead the hearts of the simple by certain deceptive sophisms, I do not consider
it improper to bring forward the assertions which they are in the habit of making,
and to refute their deceit and falsehood. The following, then, are their
declarations. It is written, that "no man has seen God at any time." But that God
whom Moses preaches was both seen by Moses himself, and by his fathers
before him; whereas He who is announced by the Saviour has never been seen at
all by any one. Let us therefore ask them and ourselves whether they maintain
that He whom they acknowledge to be God, and allege to be a different God
from the Creator, is visible or invisible. And if they shall say that He is visible,
besides being proved to go against the declaration of Scripture, which says of the
Saviour, "He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature,"
they will fall also into the absurdity of asserting that God is corporeal. For
nothing can be seen except by help of form, and size, and colour, which are
special properties of bodies. And if God is declared to be a body, then He will
also be found to be material, since every body is composed of matter. But if He
be composed of matter, and matter is undoubtedly corruptible, then, according to
them, God is liable to corruption! We shall put to them a second question. Is
matter made, or is it uncreated, i.e., not made? And if they shall answer that it is
not made, i.e., uncreated, we shall ask them if one portion of matter is God, and
the other part the world? But if they shall say of matter that it is made, it will
undoubtedly follow that they confess Him whom they declare to be God to have
been made!— a result which certainly neither their reason nor ours can admit.
But they will say, God is invisible. And what will you do? If you say that He is
invisible by nature, then neither ought He to be visible to the Saviour. Whereas,
on the contrary, God, the Father of Christ, is said to be seen, because "he who
sees the Son," he says, "sees also the Father." This certainly would press us very
hard, were the expression not understood by us more correctly of understanding,
and not of seeing. For he who has understood the Son will understand the Father
also. In this way, then, Moses too must be supposed to have seen God, not
beholding Him with the bodily eye, but understanding Him with the vision of the
heart and the perception of the mind, and that only in some degree. For it is
manifest that He, viz., who gave answers to Moses, said, "You shall not see My
face, but My hinder parts." These words are, of course, to be understood in that
mystical sense which is befitting divine words, those old wives' fables being
rejected and despised which are invented by ignorant persons respecting the
anterior and posterior parts of God. Let no one indeed suppose that we have
indulged any feeling of impiety in saying that even to the Saviour the Father is
not visible. Let him consider the distinction which we employ in dealing with
heretics. For we have explained that it is one thing to see and to be seen, and
another to know and to be known, or to understand and to be understood. To see,
then, and to be seen, is a property of bodies, which certainly will not be
appropriately applied either to the Father, or to the Son, or to the Holy Spirit, in
their mutual relations with one another. For the nature of the Trinity surpasses
the measure of vision, granting to those who are in the body, i.e., to all other
creatures, the property of vision in reference to one another. But to a nature that
is incorporeal and for the most part intellectual, no other attribute is appropriate
save that of knowing or being known, as the Saviour Himself declares when He
says, "No man knows the Son, save the Father; nor does any one know the
Father, save the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal Him." It is clear, then,
that He has not said, "No one has seen the Father, save the Son;" but, "No one
knows the Father, save the Son."
4. And now, if, on account of those expressions which occur in the Old
Testament, as when God is said to be angry or to repent, or when any other
human affection or passion is described, (our opponents) think that they are
furnished with grounds for refuting us, who maintain that God is altogether
impassible, and is to be regarded as wholly free from all affections of that kind,
we have to show them that similar statements are found even in the parables of
the Gospel; as when it is said, that he who planted a vineyard, and let it out to
husbandmen, who slew the servants that were sent to them, and at last put to
death even the son, is said in anger to have taken away the vineyard from them,
and to have delivered over the wicked husbandmen to destruction, and to have
handed over the vineyard to others, who would yield him the fruit in its season.
And so also with regard to those citizens who, when the head of the household
had set out to receive for himself a kingdom, sent messengers after him, saying,
"We will not have this man to reign over us;" for the head of the household
having obtained the kingdom, returned, and in anger commanded them to be put
to death before him, and burned their city with fire. But when we read either in
the Old Testament or in the New of the anger of God, we do not take such
expressions literally, but seek in them a spiritual meaning, that we may think of
God as He deserves to be thought of. And on these points, when expounding the
verse in the second Psalm, "Then shall He speak to them in His anger, and
trouble them in His fury," we showed, to the best of our poor ability, how such
an expression ought to be understood.
 Chapter 5. On Justice and Goodness.
1. Now, since this consideration has weight with some, that the leaders of
that heresy (of which we have been speaking) think they have established a kind
of division, according to which they have declared that justice is one thing and
goodness another, and have applied this division even to divine things,
maintaining that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed a good God, but
not a just one, whereas the God of the law and the prophets is just, but not good;
I think it necessary to return, with as much brevity as possible, an answer to
these statements. These persons, then, consider goodness to be some such
affection as would have benefits conferred on all, although the recipient of them
be unworthy and undeserving of any kindness; but here, in my opinion, they
have not rightly applied their definition, inasmuch as they think that no benefit is
conferred on him who is visited with any suffering or calamity. Justice, on the
other hand, they view as that quality which rewards every one according to his
deserts. But here, again, they do not rightly interpret the meaning of their own
definition. For they think that it is just to send evils upon the wicked and benefits
upon the good; i.e., so that, according to their view, the just God does not appear
to wish well to the bad, but to be animated by a kind of hatred against them. And
they gather together instances of this, wherever they find a history in the
Scriptures of the Old Testament, relating, e.g., the punishment of the deluge, or
the fate of those who are described as perishing in it, or the, destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrha by a shower of fire and brimstone, or the falling of all the
people in the wilderness on account of their sins, so that none of those who had
left Egypt were found to have entered the promised land, with the exception of
Joshua and Caleb. Whereas from the New Testament they gather together words
of compassion and piety, through which the disciples are trained by the Saviour,
and by which it seems to be declared that no one is good save God the Father
only; and by this means they have ventured to style the Father of the Saviour
Jesus Christ a good God, but to say that the God of the world is a different one,
Jesus Christ a good God, but to say that the God of the world is a different one,
whom they are pleased to term just, but not also good.
2. Now I think they must, in the first place, be required to show, if they can,
agreeably to their own definition, that the Creator is just in punishing according
to their deserts, either those who perished at the time of the deluge, or the
inhabitants of Sodom, or those who had quitted Egypt, seeing we sometimes
behold committed crimes more wicked and detestable than those for which the
above-mentioned persons were destroyed, while we do not yet see every sinner
paying the penalty of his misdeeds. Will they say that He who at one time was
just has been made good? Or will they rather be of opinion that He is even now
just, but is patiently enduring human offenses, while that then He was not even
just, inasmuch as He exterminated innocent and sucking children along with
cruel and ungodly giants? Now, such are their opinions, because they know not
how to understand anything beyond the letter; otherwise they would show how it
is literal justice for sins to be visited upon the heads of children to the third and
fourth generation, and on children's children after them. By us, however, such
things are not understood literally; but, as Ezekiel taught when relating the
parable, we inquire what is the inner meaning contained in the parable itself.
Moreover, they ought to explain this also, how He is just, and rewards every one
according to his merits, who punishes earthly-minded persons and the devil,
seeing they have done nothing worthy of punishment. For they could not do any
good if, according to them, they were of a wicked and ruined nature. For as they
style Him a judge, He appears to be a judge not so much of actions as of natures;
and if a bad nature cannot do good, neither can a good nature do evil. Then, in
the next place, if He whom they call good is good to all, He is undoubtedly good
also to those who are destined to perish. And why does He not save them? If He
does not desire to do so, He will be no longer good; if He does desire it, and
cannot effect it, He will not be omnipotent. Why do they not rather hear the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels, preparing fire for the devil and
his angels? And how shall that proceeding, as penal as it is sad, appear to be,
according to their view, the work of the good God? Even the Saviour Himself,
the Son of the good God, protests in the Gospels, and declares that "if signs and
wonders had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes." And when He had come near to those very cities,
and had entered their territory, why, pray, does He avoid entering those cities,
and exhibiting to them abundance of signs and wonders, if it were certain that
they would have repented, after they had been performed, in sackcloth and
ashes? But as He does not do this, He undoubtedly abandons to destruction those
whom the language of the Gospel shows not to have been of a wicked or ruined
nature, inasmuch as it declares they were capable of repentance. Again, in a
certain parable of the Gospel, where the king enters in to see the guests reclining
at the banquet, he beheld a certain individual not clothed with wedding raiment,
and said to him, "Friend, how did you come in hither, not having a wedding
garment?" and then ordered his servants, "Bind him hand and foot, and cast him
into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Let them tell
us who is that king who entered in to see the guests, and finding one among
them with unclean garments, commanded him to be bound by his servants, and
thrust out into outer darkness. Is he the same whom they call just? How then had
he commanded good and bad alike to be invited, without directing their merits to
be inquired into by his servants? By such procedure would be indicated, not the
character of a just God who rewards according to men's deserts, as they assert,
but of one who displays undiscriminating goodness towards all. Now, if this
must necessarily be understood of the good God, i.e., either of Christ or of the
Father of Christ, what other objection can they bring against the justice of God's
judgment? Nay, what else is there so unjust charged by them against the God of
the law as to order him who had been invited by His servants, whom He had sent
to call good and bad alike, to be bound hand and foot, and to be thrown into
outer darkness, because he had on unclean garments?
3. And now, what we have drawn from the authority of Scripture ought to
be sufficient to refute the arguments of the heretics. It will not, however, appear
improper if we discuss the matter with them shortly, on the grounds of reason
itself. We ask them, then, if they know what is regarded among men as the
ground of virtue and wickedness, and if it appears to follow that we can speak of
virtues in God, or, as they think, in these two Gods. Let them give an answer
also to the question, whether they consider goodness to be a virtue; and as they
will undoubtedly admit it to be so, what will they say of injustice? They will
never certainly, in my opinion, be so foolish as to deny that justice is a virtue.
Accordingly, if virtue is a blessing, and justice is a virtue, then without doubt
justice is goodness. But if they say that justice is not a blessing, it must either be
an evil or an indifferent thing. Now I think it folly to return any answer to those
who say that justice is an evil, for I shall have the appearance of replying either
to senseless words, or to men out of their minds. How can that appear an evil
which is able to reward the good with blessings, as they themselves also admit?
But if they say that it is a thing of indifference, it follows that since justice is so,
sobriety also, and prudence, and all the other virtues, are things of indifference.
And what answer shall we make to Paul, when he says, "If there be any virtue,
and, if there be any praise, think on these things, which you have learned, and
received, and heard, and seen in me?" Let them learn, therefore, by searching
the holy Scriptures, what are the individual virtues, and not deceive themselves
by saying that that God who rewards every one according to his merits, does,
through hatred of evil, recompense the wicked with evil, and not because those
who have sinned need to be treated with severer remedies, and because He
applies to them those measures which, with the prospect of improvement, seem
nevertheless, for the present, to produce a feeling of pain. They do not read what
is written respecting the hope of those who were destroyed in the deluge; of
which hope Peter himself thus speaks in his first Epistle: "That Christ, indeed,
was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, by which He went and
preached to the spirits who were kept in prison, who once were unbelievers,
when they awaited the long-suffering of God in the days of Noah, when the ark
was preparing, in which a few, i.e., eight souls, were saved by water. Whereunto
also baptism by a like figure now saves you." And with regard to Sodom and
Gomorrha, let them tell us whether they believe the prophetic words to be those
of the Creator God— of Him, viz., who is related to have rained upon them a
shower of fire and brimstone. What does Ezekiel the prophet say of them?
"Sodom," he says, "shall be restored to her former condition." But why, in
afflicting those who are deserving of punishment, does He not afflict them for
their good?— who also says to Chaldea, "You have coals of fire, sit upon them;
they will be a help to you." And of those also who fell in the desert, let them hear
what is related in the seventy-eighth Psalm, which bears the superscription of
Asaph; for he says, "When He slew them, then they sought Him." He does not
say that some sought Him after others had been slain, but he says that the
destruction of those who were killed was of such a nature that, when put to
death, they sought God. By all which it is established, that the God of the law
and the Gospels is one and the same, a just and good God, and that He confers
benefits justly, and punishes with kindness; since neither goodness without
justice, nor justice without goodness, can display the (real) dignity of the divine
nature.
We shall add the following remarks, to which we are driven by their
subtleties. If justice is a different thing from goodness, then, since evil is the
opposite of good, and injustice of justice, injustice will doubtless be something
else than an evil; and as, in your opinion, the just man is not good, so neither will
the unjust man be wicked; and again, as the good man is not just, so the wicked
man also will not be unjust. But who does not see the absurdity, that to a good
God one should be opposed that is evil; while to a just God, whom they allege to
be inferior to the good, no one should be opposed! For there is none who can be
called unjust, as there is a Satan who is called wicked. What, then, are we to do?
Let us give up the position which we defend, for they will not be able to
maintain that a bad man is not also unjust, and an unjust man wicked. And if
these qualities be indissolubly inherent in these opposites, viz., injustice in
wickedness, or wickedness in injustice, then unquestionably the good man will
be inseparable from the just man, and the just from the good; so that, as we
speak of one and the same wickedness in malice and injustice, we may also hold
the virtue of goodness and justice to be one and the same.
4. They again recall us, however, to the words of Scripture, by bringing
forward that celebrated question of theirs, affirming that it is written, "A bad tree
cannot produce good fruits; for a tree is known by its fruit." What, then, is their
position? What sort of tree the law is, is shown by its fruits, i.e., by the language
of its precepts. For if the law be found to be good, then undoubtedly He who
gave it is believed to be a good God. But if it be just rather than good, then God
also will be considered a just legislator. The Apostle Paul makes use of no
circumlocution, when he says, "The law is good; and the commandment is holy,
and just, and good." From which it is clear that Paul had not learned the
language of those who separate justice from goodness, but had been instructed
by that God, and illuminated by His Spirit, who is at the same time both holy,
and good, and just; and speaking by whose Spirit he declared that the
commandment of the law was holy, and just, and good. And that he might show
more clearly that goodness was in the commandment to a greater degree than
justice and holiness, repeating his words, he used, instead of these three epithets,
that of goodness alone, saying, "Was then that which is good made death unto
me? God forbid." As he knew that goodness was the genus of the virtues, and
that justice and holiness were species belonging to the genus , and having in the
former verses named genus and species together, he fell back, when repeating
his words, on the genus alone. But in those which follow he says, "Sin wrought
death in me by that which is good," where he sums up generically what he had
beforehand explained specifically. And in this way also is to be understood the
declaration, "A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, brings forth
good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, brings forth evil things."
For here also he assumed that there was a genus in good or evil, pointing out
unquestionably that in a good man there were both justice, and temperance, and
prudence, and piety, and everything that can be either called or understood to be
good. In like manner also he said that a man was wicked who should without any
doubt be unjust, and impure, and unholy, and everything which singly makes a
bad man. For as no one considers a man to be wicked without these marks of
wickedness (nor indeed can he be so), so also it is certain that without these
virtues no one will be deemed to be good. There still remains to them, however,
that saying of the Lord in the Gospel, which they think is given them in a special
manner as a shield, viz., "There is none good but one, God the Father." This
word they declare is peculiar to the Father of Christ, who, however, is different
from the God who is Creator of all things, to which Creator he gave no
appellation of goodness. Let us see now if, in the Old Testament, the God of the
prophets and the Creator and Legislator of the word is not called good. What are
the expressions which occur in the Psalms? "How good is God to Israel, to the
upright in heart!" and, "Let Israel now say that He is good, that His mercy
endures for ever;" the language in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, "The Lord is
good to them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeks Him." As therefore God is
frequently called good in the Old Testament, so also the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ is styled just in the Gospels. Finally, in the Gospel according to John, our
Lord Himself, when praying to the Father, says, "O just Father, the world has
not known You." And lest perhaps they should say that it was owing to His
having assumed human flesh that He called the Creator of the world "Father,"
and styled Him "Just," they are excluded from such a refuge by the words that
immediately follow, "The world has not known You." But, according to them, the
world is ignorant of the good God alone. For the world unquestionably
recognises its Creator, the Lord Himself saying that the world loves what is its
own. Clearly, then, He whom they consider to be the good God, is called just in
the Gospels. Any one may at leisure gather together a greater number of proofs,
consisting of those passages, where in the New Testament the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ is called just, and in the Old also, where the Creator of heaven and
earth is called good; so that the heretics, being convicted by numerous
testimonies, may perhaps some time be put to the blush.
 Chapter 6. On the Incarnation of Christ.
1. It is now time, after this cursory notice of these points, to resume our
investigation of the incarnation of our Lord and Saviour, viz., how or why He
became man. Having therefore, to the best of our feeble ability, considered His
divine nature from the contemplation of His own works rather than from our
own feelings, and having nevertheless beheld (with the eye) His visible creation
while the invisible creation is seen by faith, because human frailty can neither
see all things with the bodily eye nor comprehend them by reason, seeing we
men are weaker and frailer than any other rational beings (for those which are in
heaven, or are supposed to exist above the heaven, are superior), it remains that
we seek a being intermediate between all created things and God, i.e., a
Mediator, whom the Apostle Paul styles the "first-born of every creature."
Seeing, moreover, those declarations regarding His majesty which are contained
in holy Scripture, that He is called the "image of the invisible God, and the first-
born of every creature," and that "in Him were all things created, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all
things were created by Him, and in Him: and He is before all things, and by Him
all things consist," who is the head of all things, alone having as head God the
Father; for it is written, "The head of Christ is God;" seeing clearly also that it is
written, "No one knows the Father, save the Son, nor does any one know the Son,
save the Father" (for who can know what wisdom is, save He who called it into
being? Or, who can understand clearly what truth is, save the Father of truth?
Who can investigate with certainty the universal nature of His Word, and of God
Himself, which nature proceeds from God, except God alone, with whom the
Word was), we ought to regard it as certain that this Word, or Reason (if it is to
be so termed), this Wisdom, this Truth, is known to no other than the Father
only; and of Him it is written, that "I do not think that the world itself could
contain the books which might be written," regarding, viz., the glory and majesty
of the Son of God. For it is impossible to commit to writing (all) those
particulars which belong to the glory of the Saviour. After the consideration of
questions of such importance concerning the being of the Son of God, we are
lost in the deepest amazement that such a nature, pre-eminent above all others,
should have divested itself of its condition of majesty and become man, and
tabernacled among men, as the grace that was poured upon His lips testifies, and
as His heavenly Father bore Him witness, and as is confessed by the various
signs and wonders and miracles that were performed by Him; who also, before
that appearance of His which He manifested in the body, sent the prophets as His
forerunners, and the messengers of His advent; and after His ascension into
heaven, made His holy apostles, men ignorant and unlearned, taken from the
ranks of tax-gatherers or fishermen, but who were filled with the power of His
divinity, to itinerate throughout the world, that they might gather together out of
every race and every nation a multitude of devout believers in Himself.
2. But of all the marvellous and mighty acts related of Him, this altogether
surpasses human admiration, and is beyond the power of mortal frailness to
understand or feel, how that mighty power of divine majesty, that very Word of
the Father, and that very wisdom of God, in which were created all things,
visible and invisible, can be believed to have existed within the limits of that
man who appeared in Judea; nay, that the Wisdom of God can have entered the
womb of a woman, and have been born an infant, and have uttered wailings like
the cries of little children! And that afterwards it should be related that He was
greatly troubled in death, saying, as He Himself declared, "My soul is sorrowful
even unto death;" and that at the last He was brought to that death which is
accounted the most shameful among men, although He rose again on the third
day. Since, then, we see in Him some things so human that they appear to differ
in no respect from the common frailty of mortals, and some things so divine that
they can appropriately belong to nothing else than to the primal and ineffable
nature of Deity, the narrowness of human understanding can find no outlet; but,
overcome with the amazement of a mighty admiration, knows not whither to
withdraw, or what to take hold of, or whither to turn. If it think of a God, it sees
a mortal; if it think of a man, it beholds Him returning from the grave, after
overthrowing the empire of death, laden with its spoils. And therefore the
spectacle is to be contemplated with all fear and reverence, that the truth of both
natures may be clearly shown to exist in one and the same Being; so that nothing
unworthy or unbecoming may be perceived in that divine and ineffable
substance, nor yet those things which were done be supposed to be the illusions
of imaginary appearances. To utter these things in human ears, and to explain
them in words, far surpasses the powers either of our rank, or of our intellect and
language. I think that it surpasses the power even of the holy apostles; nay, the
explanation of that mystery may perhaps be beyond the grasp of the entire
creation of celestial powers. Regarding Him, then, we shall state, in the fewest
possible words, the contents of our creed rather than the assertions which human
reason is wont to advance; and this from no spirit of rashness, but as called for
by the nature of our arrangement, laying before you rather (what may be termed)
our suspicions than any clear affirmations.
3. The Only-begotten of God, therefore, through whom, as the previous
course of the discussion has shown, all things were made, visible and invisible,
according to the view of Scripture, both made all things, and loves what He
made. For since He is Himself the invisible image of the invisible God, He
conveyed invisibly a share in Himself to all His rational creatures, so that each
one obtained a part of Him exactly proportioned to the amount of affection with
which he regarded Him. But since, agreeably to the faculty of free-will, variety
and diversity characterized the individual souls, so that one was attached with a
warmer love to the Author of its being, and another with a feebler and weaker
regard, that soul ( anima ) regarding which Jesus said, "No one shall take my life
( animam ) from me," inhering, from the beginning of the creation, and
afterwards, inseparably and indissolubly in Him, as being the Wisdom and Word
of God, and the Truth and the true Light, and receiving Him wholly, and passing
into His light and splendour, was made with Him in a pre-eminent degree one
spirit, according to the promise of the apostle to those who ought to imitate it,
that "he who is joined in the Lord is one spirit." This substance of a soul, then,
being intermediate between God and the flesh— it being impossible for the
nature of God to intermingle with a body without an intermediate instrument—
the God-man is born, as we have said, that substance being the intermediary to
whose nature it was not contrary to assume a body. But neither, on the other
hand, was it opposed to the nature of that soul, as a rational existence, to receive
God, into whom, as stated above, as into the Word, and the Wisdom, and the
Truth, it had already wholly entered. And therefore deservedly is it also called,
along with the flesh which it had assumed, the Son of God, and the Power of
God, the Christ, and the Wisdom of God, either because it was wholly in the Son
of God, or because it received the Son of God wholly into itself. And again, the
Son of God, through whom all things were created, is named Jesus Christ and
the Son of man. For the Son of God also is said to have died— in reference, viz.,
to that nature which could admit of death; and He is called the Son of man, who
is announced as about to come in the glory of God the Father, with the holy
angels. And for this reason, throughout the whole of Scripture, not only is the
divine nature spoken of in human words, but the human nature is adorned by
appellations of divine dignity. More truly indeed of this than of any other can the
statement be affirmed, "They shall both be in one flesh, and are no longer two,
but one flesh." For the Word of God is to be considered as being more in one
flesh with the soul than a man with his wife. But to whom is it more becoming to
be also one spirit with God, than to this soul which has so joined itself to God by
love as that it may justly be said to be one spirit with Him?
4. That the perfection of his love and the sincerity of his deserved affection
formed for it this inseparable union with God, so that the assumption of that soul
was not accidental, or the result of a personal preference, but was conferred as
the reward of its virtues, listen to the prophet addressing it thus: "You have loved
righteousness, and hated wickedness: therefore God, your God, has anointed
you with the oil of gladness above your fellows." As a reward for its love, then, it
is anointed with the oil of gladness; i.e., the soul of Christ along with the Word
of God is made Christ. Because to be anointed with the oil of gladness means
nothing else than to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And when it is said "above
your fellows," it is meant that the grace of the Spirit was not given to it as to the
prophets, but that the essential fullness of the Word of God Himself was in it,
according to the saying of the apostle, "In whom dwelt all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily." Finally, on this account he has not only said, "You have loved
righteousness;" but he adds, "and You have hated wickedness." For to have
hated wickedness is what the Scripture says of Him, that "He did no sin, neither
was any guile found in His mouth," and that "He was tempted in all things like as
we are, without sin." Nay, the Lord Himself also said, "Which of you will
convince Me of sin?" And again He says with reference to Himself, "Behold, the
prince of this world comes, and finds nothing in Me." All which (passages) show
that in Him there was no sense of sin; and that the prophet might show more
clearly that no sense of sin had ever entered into Him, he says, "Before the boy
could have knowledge to call upon father or mother, He turned away from
wickedness."
5. Now, if our having shown above that Christ possessed a rational soul
should cause a difficulty to any one, seeing we have frequently proved
throughout all our discussions that the nature of souls is capable both of good
and evil, the difficulty will be explained in the following way. That the nature,
indeed, of His soul was the same as that of all others cannot be doubted,
otherwise it could not be called a soul were it not truly one. But since the power
of choosing good and evil is within the reach of all, this soul which belonged to
Christ elected to love righteousness, so that in proportion to the immensity of its
love it clung to it unchangeably and inseparably, so that firmness of purpose, and
immensity of affection, and an inextinguishable warmth of love, destroyed all
susceptibility ( sensum ) for alteration and change; and that which formerly
depended upon the will was changed by the power of long custom into nature;
and so we must believe that there existed in Christ a human and rational soul,
without supposing that it had any feeling or possibility of sin.
6. To explain the matter more fully, it will not appear absurd to make use of
an illustration, although on a subject of so much difficulty it is not easy to obtain
suitable illustrations. However, if we may speak without offense, the metal iron
is capable of cold and heat. If, then, a mass of iron be kept constantly in the fire,
receiving the heat through all its pores and veins, and the fire being continuous
and the iron never removed from it, it become wholly converted into the latter;
could we at all say of this, which is by nature a mass of iron, that when placed in
the fire, and incessantly burning, it was at any time capable of admitting cold?
On the contrary, because it is more consistent with truth, do we not rather say,
what we often see happening in furnaces, that it has become wholly fire, seeing
nothing but fire is visible in it? And if any one were to attempt to touch or
handle it, he would experience the action not of iron, but of fire. In this way,
then, that soul which, like an iron in the fire, has been perpetually placed in the
Word, and perpetually in the Wisdom, and perpetually in God, is God in all that
it does, feels, and understands, and therefore can be called neither convertible
nor mutable, inasmuch as, being incessantly heated, it possessed immutability
from its union with the Word of God. To all the saints, finally, some warmth
from the Word of God must be supposed to have passed; and in this soul the
divine fire itself must be believed to have rested, from which some warmth may
have passed to others. Lastly, the expression, "God, your God, anointed you with
the oil of gladness above your fellows," shows that that soul is anointed in one
way with the oil of gladness, i.e., with the word of God and wisdom; and his
fellows, i.e., the holy prophets and apostles, in another. For they are said to have
"run in the odour of his ointments;" and that soul was the vessel which contained
that very ointment of whose fragrance all the worthy prophets and apostles were
made partakers. As, then, the substance of an ointment is one thing and its odour
another, so also Christ is one thing and His fellows another. And as the vessel
itself, which contains the substance of the ointment, can by no means admit any
foul smell; whereas it is possible that those who enjoy its odour may, if they
remove a little way from its fragrance, receive any foul odour which comes upon
them: so, in the same way, was it impossible that Christ, being as it were the
vessel itself, in which was the substance of the ointment, should receive an
odour of an opposite kind, while they who are His "fellows" will be partakers
and receivers of His odour, in proportion to their nearness to the vessel.
7. I think, indeed, that Jeremiah the prophet, also, understanding what was
the nature of the wisdom of God in him, which was the same also which he had
assumed for the salvation of the world, said, "The breath of our countenance is
Christ the Lord, to whom we said, that under His shadow we shall live among
the nations." And inasmuch as the shadow of our body is inseparable from the
body, and unavoidably performs and repeats its movements and gestures, I think
that he, wishing to point out the work of Christ's soul, and the movements
inseparably belonging to it, and which accomplished everything according to His
movements and will, called this the shadow of Christ the Lord, under which
shadow we were to live among the nations. For in the mystery of this assumption
the nations live, who, imitating it through faith, come to salvation. David also,
when saying, "Be mindful of my reproach, O Lord, with which they reproached
me in exchange for Your Christ," seems to me to indicate the same. And what
else does Paul mean when he says, "Your life is hid with Christ in God;" and
again in another passage, "Do you seek a proof of Christ, who speaks in me?"
And now he says that Christ was hid in God. The meaning of which expression,
unless it be shown to be something such as we have pointed out above as
intended by the prophet in the words "shadow of Christ," exceeds, perhaps, the
apprehension of the human mind. But we see also very many other statements in
holy Scripture respecting the meaning of the word "shadow," as that well-known
one in the Gospel according to Luke, where Gabriel says to Mary, "The Spirit of
the Lord shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow
you." And the apostle says with reference to the law, that they who have
circumcision in the flesh, "serve for the similitude and shadow of heavenly
things." And elsewhere, "Is not our life upon the earth a shadow?" If, then, not
only the law which is upon the earth is a shadow, but also all our life which is
upon the earth is the same, and we live among the nations under the shadow of
Christ, we must see whether the truth of all these shadows may not come to be
known in that revelation, when no longer through a glass, and darkly, but face to
face, all the saints shall deserve to behold the glory of God, and the causes and
truth of things. And the pledge of this truth being already received through the
Holy Spirit, the apostle said, "Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh,
yet now henceforth know we Him no more."
The above, meanwhile, are the thoughts which have occurred to us, when
treating of subjects of such difficulty as the incarnation and deity of Christ. If
there be any one, indeed, who can discover something better, and who can
establish his assertions by clearer proofs from holy Scriptures, let his opinion be
received in preference to mine.
 Chapter 7. On the Holy Spirit.
1. As, then, after those first discussions which, according to the
requirements of the case, we held at the beginning regarding the Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, it seemed right that we should retrace our steps, and show that the
same God was the creator and founder of the world, and the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, i.e., that the God of the law and of the prophets and of the Gospel
was one and the same; and that, in the next place, it ought to be shown, with
respect to Christ, in what manner He who had formerly been demonstrated to be
the Word and Wisdom of God became man; it remains that we now return with
all possible brevity to the subject of the Holy Spirit.
It is time, then, that we say a few words to the best of our ability regarding
the Holy Spirit, whom our Lord and Saviour in the Gospel according to John has
named the Paraclete. For as it is the same God Himself, and the same Christ, so
also is it the same Holy Spirit who was in the prophets and apostles, i.e., either in
those who believed in God before the advent of Christ, or in those who by means
of Christ have sought refuge in God. We have heard, indeed, that certain heretics
have dared to say that there are two Gods and two Christs, but we have never
known of the doctrine of two Holy Spirits being preached by any one. For how
could they maintain this out of Scripture, or what distinction could they lay
down between Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit, if indeed any definition or
description of Holy Spirit can be discovered? For although we should concede to
Marcion or to Valentinus that it is possible to draw distinctions in the question of
Deity, and to describe the nature of the good God as one, and that of the just God
as another, what will he devise, or what will he discover, to enable him to
introduce a distinction in the Holy Spirit? I consider, then, that they are able to
discover nothing which may indicate a distinction of any kind whatever.
2. Now we are of opinion that every rational creature, without any
distinction, receives a share of Him in the same way as of the Wisdom and of the
Word of God. I observe, however, that the chief advent of the Holy Spirit is
declared to men, after the ascension of Christ to heaven, rather than before His
coming into the world. For, before that, it was upon the prophets alone, and upon
a few individuals— if there happened to be any among the people deserving of it
— that the gift of the Holy Spirit was conferred; but after the advent of the
Saviour, it is written that the prediction of the prophet Joel was fulfilled, "In the
last days it shall come to pass, and I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and
they shall prophesy," which is similar to the well-known statement, "All nations
shall serve Him." By the grace, then, of the Holy Spirit, along with numerous
other results, this most glorious consequence is clearly demonstrated, that with
regard to those things which were written in the prophets or in the law of Moses,
it was only a few persons at that time, viz., the prophets themselves, and scarcely
another individual out of the whole nation, who were able to look beyond the
mere corporeal meaning and discover something greater, i.e., something
spiritual, in the law or in the prophets; but now there are countless multitudes of
believers who, although unable to unfold methodically and clearly the results of
their spiritual understanding, are nevertheless most firmly persuaded that neither
ought circumcision to be understood literally, nor the rest of the Sabbath, nor the
pouring out of the blood of an animal, nor that answers were given by God to
Moses on these points. And this method of apprehension is undoubtedly
suggested to the minds of all by the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. And as there are many ways of apprehending Christ, who, although He is
wisdom, does not act the part or possess the power of wisdom in all men, but
only in those who give themselves to the study of wisdom in Him; and who,
although called a physician, does not act as one towards all, but only towards
those who understand their feeble and sickly condition, and flee to His
compassion that they may obtain health; so also I think is it with the Holy Spirit,
in whom is contained every kind of gifts. For on some is bestowed by the Spirit
the word of wisdom, on others the word of knowledge, on others faith; and so to
each individual of those who are capable of receiving Him, is the Spirit Himself
made to be that quality, or understood to be that which is needed by the
individual who has deserved to participate. These divisions and differences not
being perceived by those who hear Him called Paraclete in the Gospel, and not
duly considering in consequence of what work or act He is named the Paraclete,
they have compared Him to some common spirits or other, and by this means
have tried to disturb the Churches of Christ, and so excite dissensions of no
small extent among brethren; whereas the Gospel shows Him to be of such
power and majesty, that it says the apostles could not yet receive those things
which the Saviour wished to teach them until the advent of the Holy Spirit, who,
pouring Himself into their souls, might enlighten them regarding the nature and
faith of the Trinity. But these persons, because of the ignorance of their
understandings, are not only unable themselves logically to state the truth, but
cannot even give their attention to what is advanced by us; and entertaining
unworthy ideas of His divinity, have delivered themselves over to errors and
deceits, being depraved by a spirit of error, rather than instructed by the teaching
of the Holy Spirit, according to the declaration of the apostle, "Following the
doctrine of devils, forbidding to marry, to the destruction and ruin of many, and
to abstain from meats, that by an ostentatious exhibition of stricter observance
they may seduce the souls of the innocent."
4. We must therefore know that the Paraclete is the Holy Spirit, who
teaches truths which cannot be uttered in words, and which are, so to speak,
unutterable, and "which it is not lawful for a man to utter," i.e., which cannot be
indicated by human language. The phrase "it is not lawful" is, we think, used by
the apostle instead of "it is not possible;" as also is the case in the passage where
he says, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things
are lawful for me; but all things edify not." For those things which are in our
power because we may have them, he says are lawful for us. But the Paraclete,
who is called the Holy Spirit, is so called from His work of consolation, para
clesis being termed in Latin consolatio . For if any one has deserved to
participate in the Holy Spirit by the knowledge of His ineffable mysteries, he
undoubtedly obtains comfort and joy of heart. For since he comes by the
teaching of the Spirit to the knowledge of the reasons of all things which happen
— how or why they occur— his soul can in no respect be troubled, or admit any
feeling of sorrow; nor is he alarmed by anything, since, clinging to the Word of
God and His wisdom, he through the Holy Spirit calls Jesus Lord. And since we
have made mention of the Paraclete, and have explained as we were able what
sentiments ought to be entertained regarding Him; and since our Saviour also is
called the Paraclete in the Epistle of John, when he says, "If any of us sin, we
have a Paraclete with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the
propitiation for our sins;" let us consider whether this term Paraclete should
happen to have one meaning when applied to the Saviour, and another when
applied to the Holy Spirit. Now Paraclete, when spoken of the Saviour, seems to
mean intercessor. For in Greek, Paraclete has both significations— that of
intercessor and comforter. On account, then, of the phrase which follows, when
he says, "And He is the propitiation for our sins," the name Paraclete seems to
be understood in the case of our Saviour as meaning intercessor; for He is said to
intercede with the Father because of our sins. In the case of the Holy Spirit, the
Paraclete must be understood in the sense of comforter, inasmuch as He bestows
consolation upon the souls to whom He openly reveals the apprehension of
spiritual knowledge.
 Chapter 8. On the Soul (Anima).
1. The order of our arrangement now requires us, after the discussion of the
preceding subjects, to institute a general inquiry regarding the soul; and,
beginning with points of inferior importance, to ascend to those that are of
greater. Now, that there are souls in all living things, even in those which live in
the waters, is, I suppose, doubted by no one. For the general opinion of all men
maintains this; and confirmation from the authority of holy Scripture is added,
when it is said that "God made great whales, and every living creature that
moves which the waters brought forth after their kind." It is confirmed also from
the common intelligence of reason, by those who lay down in certain words a
definition of soul. For soul is defined as follows: a substance [φανταστική] and
[ὁρμητική], which may be rendered into Latin, although not so appropriately,
sensibilis et mobilis . This certainly may be said appropriately of all living
beings, even of those which abide in the waters; and of winged creatures too, this
same definition of anima may be shown to hold good. Scripture also has added
its authority to a second opinion, when it says, "You shall not eat the blood,
because the life of all flesh is its blood; and you shall not eat the life with the
flesh;" in which it intimates most clearly that the blood of every animal is its life.
And if any one now were to ask how it can be said with respect to bees, wasps,
and ants, and those other things which are in the waters, oysters and cockles, and
all others which are without blood, and are most clearly shown to be living
things, that the "life of all flesh is the blood," we must answer, that in living
things of that sort the force which is exerted in other animals by the power of red
blood is exerted in them by that liquid which is within them, although it be of a
different colour; for colour is a thing of no importance, provided the substance
be endowed with life. That beasts of burden or cattle of smaller size are endowed
with souls, there is, by general assent, no doubt whatever. The opinion of holy
Scripture, however, is manifest, when God says, "Let the earth bring forth the
living creature after its kind, four-footed beasts, and creeping things, and beasts
of the earth after their kind." And now with respect to man, although no one
entertains any doubt, or needs to inquire, yet holy Scripture declares that "God
breathed into his countenance the breath of life, and man became a living soul."
It remains that we inquire respecting the angelic order whether they also have
souls, or are souls; and also respecting the other divine and celestial powers, as
well as those of an opposite kind. We nowhere, indeed, find any authority in
holy Scripture for asserting that either the angels, or any other divine spirits that
are ministers of God, either possess souls or are called souls, and yet they are felt
by very many persons to be endowed with life. But with regard to God, we find
it written as follows: "And I will put My soul upon that soul which has eaten
blood, and I will root him out from among his people;" and also in another
passage, "Your new moons, and sabbaths, and great days, I will not accept; your
fasts, and holidays, and festal days, My soul hates." And in the twenty-second
Psalm, regarding Christ— for it is certain, as the Gospel bears witness, that this
Psalm is spoken of Him— the following words occur: "O Lord, be not far from
helping me; look to my defence: O God, deliver my soul from the sword, and my
beloved one from the hand of the dog;" although there are also many other
testimonies respecting the soul of Christ when He tabernacled in the flesh.
2. But the nature of the incarnation will render unnecessary any inquiry into
the soul of Christ. For as He truly possessed flesh, so also He truly possessed a
soul. It is difficult indeed both to feel and to state how that which is called in
Scripture the soul of God is to be understood; for we acknowledge that nature to
be simple, and without any intermixture or addition. In whatever way, however,
it is to be understood, it seems, meanwhile, to be named the soul of God;
whereas regarding Christ there is no doubt. And therefore there seems to me no
absurdity in either understanding or asserting some such thing regarding the holy
angels and the other heavenly powers, since that definition of soul appears
applicable also to them. For who can rationally deny that they are "sensible and
moveable?" But if that definition appear to be correct, according to which a soul
is said to be a substance rationally "sensible and moveable," the same definition
would seem also to apply to angels. For what else is in them than rational feeling
and motion? Now those beings who are comprehended under the same definition
have undoubtedly the same substance. Paul indeed intimates that there is a kind
of animal-man who, he says, cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, but
declares that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit seems to him foolish, and that he
cannot understand what is to be spiritually discerned. In another passage he says
it is sown an animal body, and arises a spiritual body, pointing out that in the
resurrection of the just there will be nothing of an animal nature. And therefore
we inquire whether there happen to be any substance which, in respect of its
being anima , is imperfect. But whether it be imperfect because it falls away
from perfection, or because it was so created by God, will form the subject of
inquiry when each individual topic shall begin to be discussed in order. For if the
animal man receive not the things of the Spirit of God, and because he is animal,
is unable to admit the understanding of a better, i.e., of a divine nature, it is for
this reason perhaps that Paul, wishing to teach us more plainly what that is by
means of which we are able to comprehend those things which are of the Spirit,
i.e., spiritual things, conjoins and associates with the Holy Spirit an
understanding rather than a soul. For this, I think, he indicates when he says, "I
will pray with the spirit, I will pray with the understanding also; I will sing with
the spirit, I will sing with the understanding also." And he does not say that "I
will pray with the soul," but with the spirit and the understanding. Nor does he
say, "I will sing with the soul," but with the spirit and the understanding.
3. But perhaps this question is asked, If it be the understanding which prays
and sings with the spirit, and if it be the same which receives both perfection and
salvation, how is it that Peter says, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the
salvation of your souls?" If the soul neither prays nor sings with the spirit, how
shall it hope for salvation? Or when it attains to blessedness, shall it be no longer
called a soul? Let us see if perhaps an answer may be given in this way, that as
the Saviour came to save what was lost, that which formerly was said to be lost
is not lost when it is saved; so also, perhaps, this which is saved is called a soul,
and when it has been placed in a state of salvation will receive a name from the
Word that denotes its more perfect condition. But it appears to some that this
also may be added, that as the thing which was lost undoubtedly existed before it
was lost, at which time it was something else than destroyed, so also will be the
case when it is no longer in a ruined condition. In like manner also, the soul
which is said to have perished will appear to have been something at one time,
when as yet it had not perished, and on that account would be termed soul, and
being again freed from destruction, it may become a second time what it was
before it perished, and be called a soul. But from the very signification of the
name soul which the Greek word conveys, it has appeared to a few curious
inquirers that a meaning of no small importance may be suggested. For in sacred
language God is called a fire, as when Scripture says, Our God is a consuming
fire. Respecting the substance of the angels also it speaks as follows: "Who
makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a burning fire;" and in another place,
"The angel of the Lord appeared in a flame of fire in the bush." We have,
moreover, received a commandment to be "fervent in spirit;" by which
expression undoubtedly the Word of God is shown to be hot and fiery. The
prophet Jeremiah also hears from Him, who gave him his answers, "Behold, I
have given My words into your mouth a fire." As God, then, is a fire, and the
angels a flame of fire, and all the saints are fervent in spirit, so, on the contrary,
those who have fallen away from the love of God are undoubtedly said to have
cooled in their affection for Him, and to have become cold. For the Lord also
says, that, "because iniquity has abounded, the love of many will grow cold."
Nay, all things, whatever they are, which in holy Scripture are compared with
the hostile power, the devil is said to be perpetually finding cold; and what is
found to be colder than he? In the sea also the dragon is said to reign. For the
prophet intimates that the serpent and dragon, which certainly is referred to one
of the wicked spirits, is also in the sea. And elsewhere the prophet says, "I will
draw out my holy sword upon the dragon the flying serpent, upon the dragon the
crooked serpent, and will slay him." And again he says: "Even though they hide
from my eyes, and descend into the depths of the sea, there will I command the
serpent, and it shall bite them." In the book of Job also, he is said to be the king
of all things in the waters. The prophet threatens that evils will be kindled by the
north wind upon all who inhabit the earth. Now the north wind is described in
holy Scripture as cold, according to the statement in the book of Wisdom, "That
cold north wind;" [ Sirach 43:20 ] which same thing also must undoubtedly be
understood of the devil. If, then, those things which are holy are named fire, and
light, and fervent, while those which are of an opposite nature are said to be
cold; and if the love of many is said to wax cold; we have to inquire whether
perhaps the name soul, which in Greek is termed [ψυχή], be so termed from
growing cold out of a better and more divine condition, and be thence derived,
because it seems to have cooled from that natural and divine warmth, and
therefore has been placed in its present position, and called by its present name.
Finally, see if you can easily find a place in holy Scripture where the soul is
properly mentioned in terms of praise: it frequently occurs, on the contrary,
accompanied with expressions of censure, as in the passage, "An evil soul ruins
him who possesses it;" [ Sirach 6:4 ] and, "The soul which sins, it shall die." For
after it has been said, "All souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the
soul of the son is Mine," it seemed to follow that He would say, "The soul that
does righteousness, it shall be saved," and "The soul which sins, it shall die."
But now we see that He has associated with the soul what is censurable, and has
been silent as to that which was deserving of praise. We have therefore to see if,
perchance, as we have said is declared by the name itself, it was called [ψυχή],
i.e., anima , because it has grown cold from the fervour of just things, and from
participation in the divine fire, and yet has not lost the power of restoring itself
to that condition of fervour in which it was at the beginning. Whence the prophet
also appears to point out some such state of things by the words, "Return, O my
soul, unto your rest." From all which this appears to be made out, that the
understanding, falling away from its status and dignity, was made or named soul;
and that, if repaired and corrected, it returns to the condition of the
understanding.
4. Now, if this be the case, it seems to me that this very decay and falling
away of the understanding is not the same in all, but that this conversion into a
soul is carried to a greater or less degree in different instances, and that certain
understandings retain something even of their former vigour, and others again
either nothing or a very small amount. Whence some are found from the very
commencement of their lives to be of more active intellect, others again of a
slower habit of mind, and some are born wholly obtuse, and altogether incapable
of instruction. Our statement, however, that the understanding is converted into a
soul, or whatever else seems to have such a meaning, the reader must carefully
consider and settle for himself, as these views are not be regarded as advanced
by us in a dogmatic manner, but simply as opinions, treated in the style of
investigation and discussion. Let the reader take this also into consideration, that
it is observed with regard to the soul of the Saviour, that of those things which
are written in the Gospel, some are ascribed to it under the name of soul, and
others under that of spirit. For when it wishes to indicate any suffering or
perturbation affecting Him, it indicates it under the name of soul; as when it
says, "Now is My soul troubled;" and, "My soul is sorrowful, even unto death;"
and, "No man takes My soul from Me, but I lay it down of Myself." Into the hands
of His Father He commends not His soul, but His spirit; and when He says that
the flesh is weak, He does not say that the soul is willing, but the spirit: whence
it appears that the soul is something intermediate between the weak flesh and the
willing spirit.
5. But perhaps some one may meet us with one of those objections which
we have ourselves warned you of in our statements, and say, "How then is there
said to be also a soul of God?" To which we answer as follows: That as with
respect to everything corporeal which is spoken of God, such as fingers, or
hands, or arms, or eyes, or feet, or mouth, we say that these are not to be
understood as human members, but that certain of His powers are indicated by
these names of members of the body; so also we are to suppose that it is
something else which is pointed out by this title— soul of God. And if it is
allowable for us to venture to say anything more on such a subject, the soul of
God may perhaps be understood to mean the only-begotten Son of God. For as
the soul, when implanted in the body, moves all things in it, and exerts its force
over everything on which it operates; so also the only-begotten Son of God, who
is His Word and Wisdom, stretches and extends to every power of God, being
implanted in it; and perhaps to indicate this mystery is God either called or
described in Scripture as a body. We must, indeed, take into consideration
whether it is not perhaps on this account that the soul of God may be understood
to mean His only-begotten Son, because He Himself came into this world of
affliction, and descended into this valley of tears, and into this place of our
humiliation; as He says in the Psalm, "Because You have humiliated us in the
place of affliction." Finally, I am aware that certain critics, in explaining the
words used in the Gospel by the Saviour, "My soul is sorrowful, even unto
death," have interpreted them of the apostles, whom He termed His soul, as
being better than the rest of His body. For as the multitude of believers is called
His body, they say that the apostles, as being better than the rest of the body,
ought to be understood to mean His soul.
We have brought forward as we best could these points regarding the
rational soul, as topics of discussion for our readers, rather than as dogmatic and
well-defined propositions. And with respect to the souls of animals and other
dumb creatures, let that suffice which we have stated above in general terms.
 Chapter 9. On the World and the Movements of
Rational Creatures, Whether Good or Bad; And on
the Causes of Them.
1. But let us now return to the order of our proposed discussion, and behold
the commencement of creation, so far as the understanding can behold the
beginning of the creation of God. In that commencement, then, we are to
suppose that God created so great a number of rational or intellectual creatures
(or by whatever name they are to be called), which we have formerly termed
understandings, as He foresaw would be sufficient. It is certain that He made
them according to some definite number, predetermined by Himself: for it is not
to be imagined, as some would have it, that creatures have not a limit, because
where there is no limit there can neither be any comprehension nor any
limitation. Now if this were the case, then certainly created things could neither
be restrained nor administered by God. For, naturally, whatever is infinite will
also be incomprehensible. Moreover, as Scripture says, "God has arranged all
things in number and measure;" and therefore number will be correctly applied
to rational creatures or understandings, that they may be so numerous as to admit
of being arranged, governed, and controlled by God. But measure will be
appropriately applied to a material body; and this measure, we are to believe,
was created by God such as He knew would be sufficient for the adorning of the
world. These, then, are the things which we are to believe were created by God
in the beginning, i.e., before all things. And this, we think, is indicated even in
that beginning which Moses has introduced in terms somewhat ambiguous,
when he says, "In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth." For it is
certain that the firmament is not spoken of, nor the dry land, but that heaven and
earth from which this present heaven and earth which we now see afterwards
borrowed their names.
2. But since those rational natures, which we have said above were made in
the beginning, were created when they did not previously exist, in consequence
the beginning, were created when they did not previously exist, in consequence
of this very fact of their nonexistence and commencement of being, are they
necessarily changeable and mutable; since whatever power was in their
substance was not in it by nature, but was the result of the goodness of their
Maker. What they are, therefore, is neither their own nor endures for ever, but is
bestowed by God. For it did not always exist; and everything which is a gift may
also be taken away, and disappear. And a reason for removal will consist in the
movements of souls not being conducted according to right and propriety. For
the Creator gave, as an indulgence to the understandings created by Him, the
power of free and voluntary action, by which the good that was in them might
become their own, being preserved by the exertion of their own will; but
slothfulness, and a dislike of labour in preserving what is good, and an aversion
to and a neglect of better things, furnished the beginning of a departure from
goodness. But to depart from good is nothing else than to be made bad. For it is
certain that to want goodness is to be wicked. Whence it happens that, in
proportion as one falls away from goodness, in the same proportion does he
become involved in wickedness. In which condition, according to its actions,
each understanding, neglecting goodness either to a greater or more limited
extent, was dragged into the opposite of good, which undoubtedly is evil. From
which it appears that the Creator of all things admitted certain seeds and causes
of variety and diversity, that He might create variety and diversity in proportion
to the diversity of understandings, i.e., of rational creatures, which diversity they
must be supposed to have conceived from that cause which we have mentioned
above. And what we mean by variety and diversity is what we now wish to
explain.
3. Now we term world everything which is above the heavens, or in the
heavens, or upon the earth, or in those places which are called the lower regions,
or all places whatever that anywhere exist, together with their inhabitants. This
whole, then, is called world. In which world certain beings are said to be super-
celestial, i.e., placed in happier abodes, and clothed with heavenly and
resplendent bodies; and among these many distinctions are shown to exist, the
apostle, e.g., saying, "That one is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the
moon, another the glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in
glory." Certain beings are called earthly, and among them, i.e., among men,
there is no small difference; for some of them are Barbarians, others Greeks; and
of the Barbarians some are savage and fierce, and others of a milder disposition.
And certain of them live under laws that have been thoroughly approved; others,
again, under laws of a more common or severe kind; while some, again, possess
customs of an inhuman and savage character, rather than laws. And certain of
them, from the hour of their birth, are reduced to humiliation and subjection, and
brought up as slaves, being placed under the dominion either of masters, or
princes, or tyrants. Others, again, are brought up in a manner more consonant
with freedom and reason: some with sound bodies, some with bodies diseased
from their early years; some defective in vision, others in hearing and speech;
some born in that condition, others deprived of the use of their senses
immediately after birth, or at least undergoing such misfortune on reaching
manhood. And why should I repeat and enumerate all the horrors of human
misery, from which some have been free, and in which others have been
involved, when each one can weigh and consider them for himself? There are
also certain invisible powers to which earthly things have been entrusted for
administration; and among them no small difference must be believed to exist, as
is also found to be the case among men. The Apostle Paul indeed intimates that
there are certain lower powers, and that among them, in like manner, must
undoubtedly be sought a ground of diversity. Regarding dumb animals, and
birds, and those creatures which live in the waters, it seems superfluous to
require; since it is certain that these ought to be regarded not as of primary, but
of subordinate rank.
4. Seeing, then, that all things which have been created are said to have
been made through Christ, and in Christ, as the Apostle Paul most clearly
indicates, when he says, "For in Him and by Him were all things created,
whether things in heaven or things on earth, visible and invisible, whether they
be thrones, or powers, or principalities, or dominions; all things were created by
Him, and in Him;" and as in his Gospel John indicates the same thing, saying,
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God: the same was in the beginning with God: all things were made by Him;
and without Him was not anything made;" and as in the Psalm also it is written,
"In wisdom have You made them all;" — seeing, then, Christ is, as it were, the
Word and Wisdom, and so also the Righteousness, it will undoubtedly follow
that those things which were created in the Word and Wisdom are said to be
created also in that righteousness which is Christ; that in created things there
may appear to be nothing unrighteous or accidental, but that all things may be
shown to be in conformity with the law of equity and righteousness. How, then,
so great a variety of things, and so great a diversity, can be understood to be
altogether just and righteous, I am sure no human power or language can
explain, unless as prostrate suppliants we pray to the Word, and Wisdom, and
Righteousness Himself, who is the only-begotten Son of God, and who, pouring
Himself by His graces into our senses, may deign to illuminate what is dark, to
lay open what is concealed, and to reveal what is secret; if, indeed, we should be
found either to seek, or ask, or knock so worthily as to deserve to receive when
we ask, or to find when we seek, or to have it opened to us when we knock. Not
relying, then, on our own powers, but on the help of that Wisdom which made
all things, and of that Righteousness which we believe to be in all His creatures,
although we are in the meantime unable to declare it, yet, trusting in His mercy,
we shall endeavour to examine and inquire how that great variety and diversity
in the world may appear to be consistent with all righteousness and reason. I
mean, of course, merely reason in general; for it would be a mark of ignorance
either to seek, or of folly to give, a special reason for each individual case.
5. Now, when we say that this world was established in the variety in which
we have above explained that it was created by God, and when we say that this
God is good, and righteous, and most just, there are numerous individuals,
especially those who, coming from the school of Marcion, and Valentinus, and
Basilides, have heard that there are souls of different natures, who object to us,
that it cannot consist with the justice of God in creating the world to assign to
some of His creatures an abode in the heavens, and not only to give such a better
habitation, but also to grant them a higher and more honourable position; to
favour others with the grant of principalities; to bestow powers upon some,
dominions on others; to confer upon some the most honourable seats in the
celestial tribunals; to enable some to shine with more resplendent glory, and to
glitter with a starry splendour; to give to some the glory of the sun, to others the
glory of the moon, to others the glory of the stars; to cause one star to differ from
another star in glory. And, to speak once for all, and briefly, if the Creator God
wants neither the will to undertake nor the power to complete a good and perfect
work, what reason can there be that, in the creation of rational natures, i.e., of
beings of whose existence He Himself is the cause, He should make some of
higher rank, and others of second, or third, or of many lower and inferior
degrees? In the next place, they object to us, with regard to terrestrial beings,
that a happier lot by birth is the case with some rather than with others; as one
man, e.g., is begotten of Abraham, and born of the promise; another, too, of
Isaac and Rebekah, and who, while still in the womb, supplants his brother, and
is said to be loved by God before he is born. Nay, this very circumstance—
especially that one man is born among the Hebrews, with whom he finds
instruction in the divine law; another among the Greeks, themselves also wise,
and men of no small learning; and then another among the Ethiopians, who are
accustomed to feed on human flesh; or among the Scythians, with whom
parricide is an act sanctioned by law; or among the people of Taurus, where
strangers are offered in sacrifice—is a ground of strong objection. Their
argument accordingly is this: If there be this great diversity of circumstances,
and this diverse and varying condition by birth, in which the faculty of free-will
has no scope (for no one chooses for himself either where, or with whom, or in
what condition he is born); if, then, this is not caused by the difference in the
nature of souls, i.e., that a soul of an evil nature is destined for a wicked nation,
and a good soul for a righteous nation, what other conclusion remains than that
these things must be supposed to be regulated by accident and chance? And if
that be admitted, then it will be no longer believed that the world was made by
God, or administered by His providence; and as a consequence, a judgment of
God upon the deeds of each individual will appear a thing not to be looked for.
In which matter, indeed, what is clearly the truth of things is the privilege of
Him alone to know who searches all things, even the deep things of God.
6. We, however, although but men, not to nourish the insolence of the
heretics by our silence, will return to their objections such answers as occur to
us, so far as our abilities enable us. We have frequently shown, by those
declarations which we were able to produce from the holy Scriptures, that God,
the Creator of all things, is good, and just, and all-powerful. When He in the
beginning created those beings which He desired to create, i.e., rational natures,
He had no other reason for creating them than on account of Himself, i.e., His
own goodness. As He Himself, then, was the cause of the existence of those
things which were to be created, in whom there was neither any variation nor
change, nor want of power, He created all whom He made equal and alike,
because there was in Himself no reason for producing variety and diversity. But
since those rational creatures themselves, as we have frequently shown, and will
yet show in the proper place, were endowed with the power of free-will, this
freedom of will incited each one either to progress by imitation of God, or
reduced him to failure through negligence. And this, as we have already stated,
is the cause of the diversity among rational creatures, deriving its origin not from
the will or judgment of the Creator, but from the freedom of the individual will.
Now God, who deemed it just to arrange His creatures according to their merit,
brought down these different understandings into the harmony of one world, that
He might adorn, as it were, one dwelling, in which there ought to be not only
vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay (and some indeed to
honour, and others to dishonour), with those different vessels, or souls, or
understandings. And these are the causes, in my opinion, why that world
presents the aspect of diversity, while Divine Providence continues to regulate
each individual according to the variety of his movements, or of his feelings and
purpose. On which account the Creator will neither appear to be unjust in
distributing (for the causes already mentioned) to every one according to his
merits; nor will the happiness or unhappiness of each one's birth, or whatever be
the condition that falls to his lot, be deemed accidental; nor will different
creators, or souls of different natures, be believed to exist.
7. But even holy Scripture does not appear to me to be altogether silent on
the nature of this secret, as when the Apostle Paul, in discussing the case of
Jacob and Esau, says: "For the children being not yet born, neither having done
any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not
of works, but of Him who calls, it was said, The elder shall serve the younger, as
it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." And after that, he
answers himself, and says, "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness
with God?" And that he might furnish us with an opportunity of inquiring into
these matters, and of ascertaining how these things do not happen without a
reason, he answers himself, and says, "God forbid." For the same question, as it
seems to me, which is raised concerning Jacob and Esau, may be raised
regarding all celestial and terrestrial creatures, and even those of the lower world
as well. And in like manner it seems to me, that as he there says, "The children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil," so it might also be
said of all other things, "When they were not yet" created, "neither had yet done
any good or evil, that the decree of God according to election may stand," that
(as certain think) some things on the one hand were created heavenly, some on
the other earthly, and others, again, beneath the earth, "not of works" (as they
think), "but of Him who calls," what shall we say then, if these things are so? "Is
there unrighteousness with God? God forbid." As, therefore, when the Scriptures
are carefully examined regarding Jacob and Esau, it is not found to be
unrighteousness with God that it should be said, before they were born, or had
done anything in this life, "the elder shall serve the younger;" and as it is found
not to be unrighteousness that even in the womb Jacob supplanted his brother, if
we feel that he was worthily beloved by God, according to the deserts of his
previous life, so as to deserve to be preferred before his brother; so also is it with
regard to heavenly creatures, if we notice that diversity was not the original
condition of the creature, but that, owing to causes that have previously existed,
a different office is prepared by the Creator for each one in proportion to the
degree of his merit, on this ground, indeed, that each one, in respect of having
been created by God an understanding, or a rational spirit, has, according to the
movements of his mind and the feelings of his soul, gained for himself a greater
or less amount of merit, and has become either an object of love to God, or else
one of dislike to Him; while, nevertheless, some of those who are possessed of
greater merit are ordained to suffer with others for the adorning of the state of
the world, and for the discharge of duty to creatures of a lower grade, in order
that by this means they themselves may be participators in the endurance of the
Creator, according to the words of the apostle: "For the creature was made
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same
in hope." Keeping in view, then, the sentiment expressed by the apostle, when,
speaking of the birth of Esau and Jacob, he says, "Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid," I think it right that this same sentiment should be carefully
applied to the case of all other creatures, because, as we formerly remarked, the
righteousness of the Creator ought to appear in everything. And this, it appears
to me, will be seen more clearly at last, if each one, whether of celestial or
terrestrial or infernal beings, be said to have the causes of his diversity in
himself, and antecedent to his bodily birth. For all things were created by the
Word of God, and by His Wisdom, and were set in order by His Justice. And by
the grace of His compassion He provides for all men, and encourages all to the
use of whatever remedies may lead to their cure, and incites them to salvation.
8. As, then, there is no doubt that at the day of judgment the good will be
separated from the bad, and the just from the unjust, and all by the sentence of
God will be distributed according to their deserts throughout those places of
which they are worthy, so I am of opinion some such state of things was
formerly the case, as, God willing, we shall show in what follows. For God must
be believed to do and order all things and at all times according to His judgment.
For the words which the apostle uses when he says, "In a great house there are
not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to
honour and some to dishonour;" and those which he adds, saying, "If a man
purge himself, he will be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the
Master's use, unto every good work," undoubtedly point out this, that he who
shall purge himself when he is in this life, will be prepared for every good work
in that which is to come; while he who does not purge himself will be, according
to the amount of his impurity, a vessel unto dishonour, i.e., unworthy. It is
therefore possible to understand that there have been also formerly rational
vessels, whether purged or not, i.e., which either purged themselves or did not do
so, and that consequently every vessel, according to the measure of its purity or
impurity, received a place, or region, or condition by birth, or an office to
discharge, in this world. All of which, down to the humblest, God providing for
and distinguishing by the power of His wisdom, arranges all things by His
controlling judgment, according to a most impartial retribution, so far as each
one ought to be assisted or cared for in conformity with his deserts. In which
certainly every principle of equity is shown, while the inequality of
circumstances preserves the justice of a retribution according to merit. But the
grounds of the merits in each individual case are only recognised truly and
clearly by God Himself, along with His only-begotten Word, and His Wisdom,
and the Holy Spirit.
 Chapter 10. On the Resurrection, and the Judgment,
the Fire of Hell, and Punishments.
1. But since the discourse has reminded us of the subjects of a future
judgment and of retribution, and of the punishments of sinners, according to the
threatenings of holy Scripture and the contents of the Church's teaching— viz.,
that when the time of judgment comes, everlasting fire, and outer darkness, and a
prison, and a furnace, and other punishments of like nature, have been prepared
for sinners— let us see what our opinions on these points ought to be. But that
these subjects may be arrived at in proper order, it seems to me that we ought
first to consider the nature of the resurrection, that we may know what that
(body) is which shall come either to punishment, or to rest, or to happiness;
which question in other treatises which we have composed regarding the
resurrection we have discussed at greater length, and have shown what our
opinions were regarding it. But now, also, for the sake of logical order in our
treatise, there will be no absurdity in restating a few points from such works,
especially since some take offense at the creed of the Church, as if our belief in
the resurrection were foolish, and altogether devoid of sense; and these are
principally heretics, who, I think, are to be answered in the following manner. If
they also admit that there is a resurrection of the dead, let them answer us this,
What is that which died? Was it not a body? It is of the body, then, that there
will be a resurrection. Let them next tell us if they think that we are to make use
of bodies or not. I think that when the Apostle Paul says, that "it is sown a
natural body, it will arise a spiritual body," they cannot deny that it is a body
which arises, or that in the resurrection we are to make use of bodies. What
then? If it is certain that we are to make use of bodies, and if the bodies which
have fallen are declared to rise again (for only that which before has fallen can
be properly said to rise again), it can be a matter of doubt to no one that they rise
again, in order that we may be clothed with them a second time at the
resurrection. The one thing is closely connected with the other. For if bodies rise
again, they undoubtedly rise to be coverings for us; and if it is necessary for us
to be invested with bodies, as it is certainly necessary, we ought to be invested
with no other than our own. But if it is true that these rise again, and that they
arise "spiritual" bodies, there can be no doubt that they are said to rise from the
dead, after casting away corruption and laying aside mortality; otherwise it will
appear vain and superfluous for any one to arise from the dead in order to die a
second time. And this, finally, may be more distinctly comprehended thus, if one
carefully consider what are the qualities of an animal body, which, when sown
into the earth, recovers the qualities of a spiritual body. For it is out of the animal
body that the very power and grace of the resurrection educe the spiritual body,
when it transmutes it from a condition of indignity to one of glory.
2. Since the heretics, however, think themselves persons of great learning
and wisdom, we shall ask them if every body has a form of some kind, i.e., is
fashioned according to some shape. And if they shall say that a body is that
which is fashioned according to no shape, they will show themselves to be the
most ignorant and foolish of mankind. For no one will deny this, save him who
is altogether without any learning. But if, as a matter of course, they say that
every body is certainly fashioned according to some definite shape, we shall ask
them if they can point out and describe to us the shape of a spiritual body; a
thing which they can by no means do. We shall ask them, moreover, about the
differences of those who rise again. How will they show that statement to be
true, that there is "one flesh of birds, another of fishes; bodies celestial, and
bodies terrestrial; that the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the
terrestrial another; that one is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the
moon, another the glory of the stars; that one star differs from another star in
glory; and that so is the resurrection of the dead?" According to that gradation,
then, which exists among heavenly bodies, let them show to us the differences in
the glory of those who rise again; and if they have endeavoured by any means to
devise a principle that may be in accordance with the differences in heavenly
bodies, we shall ask them to assign the differences in the resurrection by a
comparison of earthly bodies. Our understanding of the passage indeed is, that
the apostle, wishing to describe the great difference among those who rise again
in glory, i.e., of the saints, borrowed a comparison from the heavenly bodies,
saying, "One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the
glory of the stars." And wishing again to teach us the differences among those
who shall come to the resurrection, without having purged themselves in this
life, i.e., sinners, he borrowed an illustration from earthly things, saying, "There
is one flesh of birds, another of fishes." For heavenly things are worthily
compared to the saints, and earthly things to sinners. These statements are made
in reply to those who deny the resurrection of the dead, i.e., the resurrection of
bodies.
3. We now turn our attention to some of our own (believers), who, either
from feebleness of intellect or want of proper instruction, adopt a very low and
abject view of the resurrection of the body. We ask these persons in what
manner they understand that an animal body is to be changed by the grace of the
resurrection, and to become a spiritual one; and how that which is sown in
weakness will arise in power; how that which is planted in dishonour will arise
in glory; and that which was sown in corruption, will be changed to a state of
incorruption. Because if they believe the apostle, that a body which arises in
glory, and power, and incorruptibility, has already become spiritual, it appears
absurd and contrary to his meaning to say that it can again be entangled with the
passions of flesh and blood, seeing the apostle manifestly declares that "flesh
and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God, nor shall corruption inherit
incorruption." But how do they understand the declaration of the apostle, "We
shall all be changed?" This transformation certainly is to be looked for,
according to the order which we have taught above; and in it, undoubtedly, it
becomes us to hope for something worthy of divine grace; and this we believe
will take place in the order in which the apostle describes the sowing in the
ground of a "bare grain of grain, or of any other fruit," to which "God gives a
body as it pleases Him," as soon as the grain of grain is dead. For in the same
way also our bodies are to be supposed to fall into the earth like a grain; and
(that germ being implanted in them which contains the bodily substance)
although the bodies die, and become corrupted, and are scattered abroad, yet by
the word of God, that very germ which is always safe in the substance of the
body, raises them from the earth, and restores and repairs them, as the power
which is in the grain of wheat, after its corruption and death, repairs and restores
the grain into a body having stalk and ear. And so also to those who shall
deserve to obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, that germ of the
body's restoration, which we have before mentioned, by God's command restores
out of the earthly and animal body a spiritual one, capable of inhabiting the
heavens; while to each one of those who may be of inferior merit, or of more
abject condition, or even the lowest in the scale, and altogether thrust aside, there
is yet given, in proportion to the dignity of his life and soul, a glory and dignity
of body—nevertheless in such a way, that even the body which rises again of
those who are to be destined to everlasting fire or to severe punishments, is by
the very change of the resurrection so incorruptible, that it cannot be corrupted
and dissolved even by severe punishments. If, then, such be the qualities of that
body which will arise from the dead, let us now see what is the meaning of the
threatening of eternal fire.
4. We find in the prophet Isaiah, that the fire with which each one is
punished is described as his own; for he says, "Walk in the light of your own fire,
and in the flame which you have kindled." By these words it seems to be
indicated that every sinner kindles for himself the flame of his own fire, and is
not plunged into some fire which has been already kindled by another, or was in
existence before himself. Of this fire the fuel and food are our sins, which are
called by the Apostle Paul "wood, and hay, and stubble." And I think that, as
abundance of food, and provisions of a contrary kind and amount, breed fevers
in the body, and fevers, too, of different sorts and duration, according to the
proportion in which the collected poison supplies material and fuel for disease
(the quality of this material, gathered together from different poisons, proving
the causes either of a more acute or more lingering disease); so, when the soul
has gathered together a multitude of evil works, and an abundance of sins against
itself, at a suitable time all that assembly of evils boils up to punishment, and is
set on fire to chastisements; when the mind itself, or conscience, receiving by
divine power into the memory all those things of which it had stamped on itself
certain signs and forms at the moment of sinning, will see a kind of history, as it
were, of all the foul, and shameful, and unholy deeds which it has done, exposed
before its eyes: then is the conscience itself harassed, and, pierced by its own
goads, becomes an accuser and a witness against itself. And this, I think, was the
opinion of the Apostle Paul himself, when he said, "Their thoughts mutually
accusing or excusing them in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel." From which it is understood that around
the substance of the soul certain tortures are produced by the hurtful affections
of sins themselves.
5. And that the understanding of this matter may not appear very difficult,
we may draw some considerations from the evil effects of those passions which
are wont to befall some souls, as when a soul is consumed by the fire of love, or
wasted away by zeal or envy, or when the passion of anger is kindled, or one is
consumed by the greatness of his madness or his sorrow; on which occasions
some, finding the excess of these evils unbearable, have deemed it more
tolerable to submit to death than to endure perpetually torture of such a kind.
You will ask indeed whether, in the case of those who have been entangled in
the evils arising from those vices above enumerated, and who, while existing in
this life, have been unable to procure any amelioration for themselves, and have
in this condition departed from the world, it be sufficient in the way of
punishment that they be tortured by the remaining in them of these hurtful
affections, i.e., of the anger, or of the fury, or of the madness, or of the sorrow,
whose fatal poison was in this life lessened by no healing medicine; or whether,
these affections being changed, they will be subjected to the pains of a general
punishment. Now I am of opinion that another species of punishment may be
understood to exist; because, as we feel that when the limbs of the body are
loosened and torn away from their mutual supports, there is produced pain of a
most excruciating kind, so, when the soul shall be found to be beyond the order,
and connection, and harmony in which it was created by God for the purposes of
good and useful action and observation, and not to harmonize with itself in the
connection of its rational movements, it must be deemed to bear the
chastisement and torture of its own dissension, and to feel the punishments of its
own disordered condition. And when this dissolution and rending asunder of
soul shall have been tested by the application of fire, a solidification
undoubtedly into a firmer structure will take place, and a restoration be effected.
6. There are also many other things which escape our notice, and are known
to Him alone who is the physician of our souls. For if, on account of those bad
effects which we bring upon ourselves by eating and drinking, we deem it
necessary for the health of the body to make use of some unpleasant and painful
drug, sometimes even, if the nature of the disease demand, requiring the severe
process of the amputating knife; and if the virulence of the disease shall
transcend even these remedies, the evil has at last to be burned out by fire; how
much more is it to be understood that God our Physician, desiring to remove the
defects of our souls, which they had contracted from their different sins and
crimes, should employ penal measures of this sort, and should apply even, in
addition, the punishment of fire to those who have lost their soundness of mind!
Pictures of this method of procedure are found also in the holy Scriptures. In the
book of Deuteronomy, the divine word threatens sinners with the punishments of
fevers, and colds, and jaundice, and with the pains of feebleness of vision, and
alienation of mind and paralysis, and blindness, and weakness of the reins. If any
one, then, at his leisure gather together out of the whole of Scripture all the
enumerations of diseases which in the threatenings addressed to sinners are
called by the names of bodily maladies, he will find that either the vices of souls,
or their punishments, are figuratively indicated by them. To understand now, that
in the same way in which physicians apply remedies to the sick, in order that by
careful treatment they may recover their health, God so deals towards those who
have lapsed and fallen into sin, is proved by this, that the cup of God's fury is
ordered, through the agency of the prophet Jeremiah, to be offered to all nations,
that they may drink it, and be in a state of madness, and vomit it forth. In doing
which, He threatens them, saying, That if any one refuse to drink, he shall not be
cleansed. By which certainly it is understood that the fury of God's vengeance is
profitable for the purgation of souls. That the punishment, also, which is said to
be applied by fire, is understood to be applied with the object of healing, is
taught by Isaiah, who speaks thus of Israel: "The Lord will wash away the filth of
the sons or daughters of Zion, and shall purge away the blood from the midst of
them by the spirit of judgment, and the spirit of burning." Of the Chaldeans he
thus speaks: "You have the coals of fire; sit upon them: they will be to you a
help." And in other passages he says, "The Lord will sanctify in a burning fire"
and in the prophecies of Malachi he says, "The Lord sitting will blow, and purify,
and will pour forth the cleansed sons of Judah."
7. But that fate also which is mentioned in the Gospels as overtaking
unfaithful stewards who, it is said, are to be divided, and a portion of them
placed along with unbelievers, as if that portion which is not their own were to
be sent elsewhere, undoubtedly indicates some kind of punishment on those
whose spirit, as it seems to me, is shown to be separated from the soul. For if this
Spirit is of divine nature, i.e., is understood to be a Holy Spirit, we shall
understand this to be said of the gift of the Holy Spirit: that when, whether by
baptism, or by the grace of the Spirit, the word of wisdom, or the word of
knowledge, or of any other gift, has been bestowed upon a man, and not rightly
administered, i.e., either buried in the earth or tied up in a napkin, the gift of the
Spirit will certainly be withdrawn from his soul, and the other portion which
remains, that is, the substance of the soul, will be assigned its place with
unbelievers, being divided and separated from that Spirit with whom, by joining
itself to the Lord, it ought to have been one spirit. Now, if this is not to be
understood of the Spirit of God, but of the nature of the soul itself, that will be
called its better part which was made in the image and likeness of God; whereas
the other part, that which afterwards, through its fall by the exercise of free-will,
was assumed contrary to the nature of its original condition of purity—this part,
as being the friend and beloved of matter, is punished with the fate of
unbelievers. There is also a third sense in which that separation may be
understood, this viz., that as each believer, although the humblest in the Church,
is said to be attended by an angel, who is declared by the Saviour always to
behold the face of God the Father, and as this angel was certainly one with the
object of his guardianship; so, if the latter is rendered unworthy by his want of
obedience, the angel of God is said to be taken from him, and then that part of
him— the part, viz., which belongs to his human nature— being rent away from
the divine part, is assigned a place along with unbelievers, because it has not
faithfully observed the admonitions of the angel allotted it by God.
8. But the outer darkness, in my judgment, is to be understood not so much
of some dark atmosphere without any light, as of those persons who, being
plunged in the darkness of profound ignorance, have been placed beyond the
reach of any light of the understanding. We must see, also, lest this perhaps
should be the meaning of the expression, that as the saints will receive those
bodies in which they have lived in holiness and purity in the habitations of this
life, bright and glorious after the resurrection, so the wicked also, who in this life
have loved the darkness of error and the night of ignorance, may be clothed with
dark and black bodies after the resurrection, that the very mist of ignorance
which had in this life taken possession of their minds within them, may appear in
the future as the external covering of the body. Similar is the view to be
entertained regarding the prison. Let these remarks, which have been made as
brief as possible, that the order of our discourse in the meantime might be
preserved, suffice for the present occasion.
 Chapter 11. On Counter Promises.
1. Let us now briefly see what views we are to form regarding promises. It
is certain that there is no living thing which can be altogether inactive and
immoveable, but delights in motion of every kind, and in perpetual activity and
volition; and this nature, I think it evident, is in all living things. Much more,
then, must a rational animal, i.e., the nature of man, be in perpetual movement
and activity. If, indeed, he is forgetful of himself, and ignorant of what becomes
him, all his efforts are directed to serve the uses of the body, and in all his
movements he is occupied with his own pleasures and bodily lusts; but if he be
one who studies to care or provide for the general good, then, either by
consulting for the benefit of the state or by obeying the magistrates, he exerts
himself for that, whatever it is, which may seem certainly to promote the public
advantage. And if now any one be of such a nature as to understand that there is
something better than those things which seem to be corporeal, and so bestow
his labour upon wisdom and science, then he will undoubtedly direct all his
attention towards pursuits of that kind, that he may, by inquiring into the truth,
ascertain the causes and reason of things. As therefore, in this life, one man
deems it the highest good to enjoy bodily pleasures, another to consult for the
benefit of the community, a third to devote attention to study and learning; so let
us inquire whether in that life which is the true one (which is said to be hidden
with Christ in God, i.e., in that eternal life), there will be for us some such order
and condition of existence.
2. Certain persons, then, refusing the labour of thinking, and adopting a
superficial view of the letter of the law, and yielding rather in some measure to
the indulgence of their own desires and lusts, being disciples of the letter alone,
are of opinion that the fulfilment of the promises of the future are to be looked
for in bodily pleasure and luxury; and therefore they especially desire to have
again, after the resurrection, such bodily structures as may never be without the
power of eating, and drinking, and performing all the functions of flesh and
blood, not following the opinion of the Apostle Paul regarding the resurrection
of a spiritual body. And consequently they say, that after the resurrection there
will be marriages, and the begetting of children, imagining to themselves that the
earthly city of Jerusalem is to be rebuilt, its foundations laid in precious stones,
and its walls constructed of jasper, and its battlements of crystal; that it is to have
a wall composed of many precious stones, as jasper, and sapphire, and
chalcedony, and emerald, and sardonyx, and onyx, and chrysolite, and
chrysoprase, and jacinth, and amethyst. Moreover, they think that the natives of
other countries are to be given them as the ministers of their pleasures, whom
they are to employ either as tillers of the field or builders of walls, and by whom
their ruined and fallen city is again to be raised up; and they think that they are
to receive the wealth of the nations to live on, and that they will have control
over their riches; that even the camels of Midian and Kedar will come, and bring
to them gold, and incense, and precious stones. And these views they think to
establish on the authority of the prophets by those promises which are written
regarding Jerusalem; and by those passages also where it is said, that they who
serve the Lord shall eat and drink, but that sinners shall hunger and thirst; that
the righteous shall be joyful, but that sorrow shall possess the wicked. And from
the New Testament also they quote the saying of the Saviour, in which He
makes a promise to His disciples concerning the joy of wine, saying,
"Henceforth I shall not drink of this cup, until I drink it with you new in My
Father's kingdom." They add, moreover, that declaration, in which the Saviour
calls those blessed who now hunger and thirst, promising them that they shall be
satisfied; and many other scriptural illustrations are adduced by them, the
meaning of which they do not perceive is to be taken figuratively. Then, again,
agreeably to the form of things in this life, and according to the gradations of the
dignities or ranks in this world, or the greatness of their powers, they think they
are to be kings and princes, like those earthly monarchs who now exist; chiefly,
as it appears, on account of that expression in the Gospel: "Have power over five
cities." And to speak shortly, according to the manner of things in this life in all
similar matters, do they desire the fulfilment of all things looked for in the
promises, viz., that what now is should exist again. Such are the views of those
who, while believing in Christ, understand the divine Scriptures in a sort of
Jewish sense, drawing from them nothing worthy of the divine promises.
3. Those, however, who receive the representations of Scripture according
to the understanding of the apostles, entertain the hope that the saints will eat
indeed, but that it will be the bread of life, which may nourish the soul with the
food of truth and wisdom, and enlighten the mind, and cause it to drink from the
cup of divine wisdom, according to the declaration of holy Scripture: "Wisdom
has prepared her table, she has killed her beasts, she has mingled her wine in
her cup, and she cries with a loud voice, Come to me, eat the bread which I have
prepared for you, and drink the wine which I have mingled." By this food of
wisdom, the understanding, being nourished to an entire and perfect condition
like that in which man was made at the beginning, is restored to the image and
likeness of God; so that, although an individual may depart from this life less
perfectly instructed, but who has done works that are approved of, he will be
capable of receiving instruction in that Jerusalem, the city of the saints, i.e., he
will be educated and moulded, and made a living stone, a stone elect and
precious, because he has undergone with firmness and constancy the struggles of
life and the trials of piety; and will there come to a truer and clearer knowledge
of that which here has been already predicted, viz., that "man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God." And
they also are to be understood to be the princes and rulers who both govern those
of lower rank, and instruct them, and teach them, and train them to divine things.
4. But if these views should not appear to fill the minds of those who hope
for such results with a becoming desire, let us go back a little, and, irrespective
of the natural and innate longing of the mind for the thing itself, let us make
inquiry so that we may be able at last to describe, as it were, the very forms of
the bread of life, and the quality of that wine, and the peculiar nature of the
principalities, all in conformity with the spiritual view of things. Now, as in
those arts which are usually performed by means of manual labour, the reason
why a thing is done, or why it is of a special quality, or for a special purpose, is
an object of investigation to the mind, while the actual work itself is unfolded to
view by the agency of the hands; so, in those works of God which were created
by Him, it is to be observed that the reason and understanding of those things
which we see done by Him remains undisclosed. And as, when our eye beholds
the products of an artist's labour, the mind, immediately on perceiving anything
of unusual artistic excellence, burns to know of what nature it is, or how it was
formed, or to what purposes it was fashioned; so, in a much greater degree, and
in one that is beyond all comparison, does the mind burn with an inexpressible
desire to know the reason of those things which we see done by God. This
desire, this longing, we believe to be unquestionably implanted within us by
God; and as the eye naturally seeks the light and vision, and our body naturally
desires food and drink, so our mind is possessed with a becoming and natural
desire to become acquainted with the truth of God and the causes of things. Now
we have received this desire from God, not in order that it should never be
gratified or be capable of gratification; otherwise the love of truth would appear
to have been implanted by God into our minds to no purpose, if it were never to
have an opportunity of satisfaction. Whence also, even in this life, those who
devote themselves with great labour to the pursuits of piety and religion,
although obtaining only some small fragments from the numerous and immense
treasures of divine knowledge, yet, by the very circumstance that their mind and
soul is engaged in these pursuits, and that in the eagerness of their desire they
outstrip themselves, do they derive much advantage; and, because their minds
are directed to the study and love of the investigation of truth, are they made
fitter for receiving the instruction that is to come; as if, when one would paint an
image, he were first with a light pencil to trace out the outlines of the coming
picture, and prepare marks for the reception of the features that are to be
afterwards added, this preliminary sketch in outline is found to prepare the way
for the laying on of the true colours of the painting; so, in a measure, an outline
and sketch may be traced on the tablets of our heart by the pencil of our Lord
Jesus Christ. And therefore perhaps is it said, "Unto every one that has shall be
given, and be added." By which it is established, that to those who possess in
this life a kind of outline of truth and knowledge, shall be added the beauty of a
perfect image in the future.
5. Some such desire, I apprehend, was indicated by him who said, "I am in
a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is
far better;" knowing that when he should have returned to Christ he would then
know more clearly the reasons of all things which are done on earth, either
respecting man, or the soul of man, or the mind; or regarding any other subject,
such as, for instance, what is the Spirit that operates, what also is the vital spirit,
or what is the grace of the Holy Spirit that is given to believers. Then also will
he understand what Israel appears to be, or what is meant by the diversity of
nations; what the twelve tribes of Israel mean, and what the individual people of
each tribe. Then, too, will he understand the reason of the priests and Levites,
and of the different priestly orders, the type of which was in Moses, and also
what is the true meaning of the jubilees, and of the weeks of years with God. He
will see also the reasons for the festival days, and holy days, and for all the
sacrifices and purifications. He will perceive also the reason of the purgation
from leprosy, and what the different kinds of leprosy are, and the reason of the
purgation of those who lose their seed. He will come to know, moreover, what
are the good influences, and their greatness, and their qualities; and those too
which are of a contrary kind, and what the affection of the former, and what the
strife-causing emulation of the latter is towards men. He will behold also the
nature of the soul, and the diversity of animals (whether of those which live in
the water, or of birds, or of wild beasts), and why each of the genera is
subdivided into so many species; and what intention of the Creator, or what
purpose of His wisdom, is concealed in each individual thing. He will become
acquainted, too, with the reason why certain properties are found associated with
certain roots or herbs, and why, on the other hand, evil effects are averted by
other herbs and roots. He will know, moreover, the nature of the apostate angels,
and the reason why they have power to flatter in some things those who do not
despise them with the whole power of faith, and why they exist for the purpose
of deceiving and leading men astray. He will learn, too, the judgment of Divine
Providence on each individual thing; and that, of those events which happen to
men, none occur by accident or chance, but in accordance with a plan so
carefully considered, and so stupendous, that it does not overlook even the
number of the hairs of the heads, not merely of the saints, but perhaps of all
human beings, and the plan of which providential government extends even to
caring for the sale of two sparrows for a denarius, whether sparrows there be
understood figuratively or literally. Now indeed this providential government is
still a subject of investigation, but then it will be fully manifested. From all
which we are to suppose, that meanwhile not a little time may pass by until the
reason of those things only which are upon the earth be pointed out to the worthy
and deserving after their departure from life, that by the knowledge of all these
things, and by the grace of full knowledge, they may enjoy an unspeakable joy.
Then, if that atmosphere which is between heaven and earth is not devoid of
inhabitants, and those of a rational kind, as the apostle says, "Wherein in times
past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience."
And again he says, "We shall be caught up in the clouds to meet Christ in the
air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
6. We are therefore to suppose that the saints will remain there until they
recognise the twofold mode of government in those things which are performed
in the air. And when I say "twofold mode," I mean this: When we were upon
earth, we saw either animals or trees, and beheld the differences among them,
and also the very great diversity among men; but although we saw these things,
we did not understand the reason of them; and this only was suggested to us
from the visible diversity, that we should examine and inquire upon what
principle these things were either created or diversely arranged. And a zeal or
desire for knowledge of this kind being conceived by us on earth, the full
understanding and comprehension of it will be granted after death, if indeed the
result should follow according to our expectations. When, therefore, we shall
have fully comprehended its nature, we shall understand in a twofold manner
what we saw on earth. Some such view, then, must we hold regarding this abode
in the air. I think, therefore, that all the saints who depart from this life will
remain in some place situated on the earth, which holy Scripture calls paradise,
as in some place of instruction, and, so to speak, class-room or school of souls,
in which they are to be instructed regarding all the things which they had seen on
earth, and are to receive also some information respecting things that are to
follow in the future, as even when in this life they had obtained in some degree
indications of future events, although "through a glass darkly," all of which are
revealed more clearly and distinctly to the saints in their proper time and place.
If any one indeed be pure in heart, and holy in mind, and more practised in
perception, he will, by making more rapid progress, quickly ascend to a place in
the air, and reach the kingdom of heaven, through those mansions, so to speak,
in the various places which the Greeks have termed spheres, i.e., globes, but
which holy Scripture has called heavens; in each of which he will first see
clearly what is done there, and in the second place, will discover the reason why
things are so done: and thus he will in order pass through all gradations,
following Him who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, who said,
"I will that where I am, these may be also." And of this diversity of places He
speaks, when He says, "In My Father's house are many mansions." He Himself
is everywhere, and passes swiftly through all things; nor are we any longer to
understand Him as existing in those narrow limits in which He was once
confined for our sakes, i.e., not in that circumscribed body which He occupied
on earth, when dwelling among men, according to which He might be
considered as enclosed in some one place.
7. When, then, the saints shall have reached the celestial abodes, they will
clearly see the nature of the stars one by one, and will understand whether they
are endued with life, or their condition, whatever it is. And they will comprehend
also the other reasons for the works of God, which He Himself will reveal to
them. For He will show to them, as to children, the causes of things and the
power of His creation, and will explain why that star was placed in that
particular quarter of the sky, and why it was separated from another by so great
an intervening space; what, e.g., would have been the consequence if it had been
nearer or more remote; or if that star had been larger than this, how the totality
of things would not have remained the same, but all would have been
transformed into a different condition of being. And so, when they have finished
all those matters which are connected with the stars, and with the heavenly
revolutions, they will come to those which are not seen, or to those whose names
only we have heard, and to things which are invisible, which the Apostle Paul
has informed us are numerous, although what they are, or what difference may
exist among them, we cannot even conjecture by our feeble intellect. And thus
the rational nature, growing by each individual step, not as it grew in this life in
flesh, and body, and soul, but enlarged in understanding and in power of
perception, is raised as a mind already perfect to perfect knowledge, no longer at
all impeded by those carnal senses, but increased in intellectual growth; and ever
gazing purely, and, so to speak, face to face, on the causes of things, it attains
perfection, firstly, viz., that by which it ascends to (the truth), and secondly, that
by which it abides in it, having problems and the understanding of things, and
the causes of events, as the food on which it may feast. For as in this life our
bodies grow physically to what they are, through a sufficiency of food in early
life supplying the means of increase, but after the due height has been attained
we use food no longer to grow, but to live, and to be preserved in life by it; so
also I think that the mind, when it has attained perfection, eats and avails itself of
suitable and appropriate food in such a degree, that nothing ought to be either
deficient or superfluous. And in all things this food is to be understood as the
contemplation and understanding of God, which is of a measure appropriate and
suitable to this nature, which was made and created; and this measure it is proper
should be observed by every one of those who are beginning to see God, i.e., to
understand Him through purity of heart.
 De Principiis (Book III)
Preface of Rufinus.

Reader, remember me in your prayers, that we too may deserve to be made

emulators of the spirit. The two former books on The Principles I translated not
only at your instance, but even under pressure from you during the days of Lent;
but as you, my devout brother Macarius, were not only living near me during
that time, but had more leisure at your command than now, so I also worked the
harder; whereas I have been longer in explaining these two latter books, seeing
you came less frequently from a distant extremity of the city to urge on my
labour. Now if you remember what I warned you of in my former preface—that
certain persons would be indignant, if they did not hear that we spoke some evil
of Origen—that, I imagine, you have immediately experienced, has come to
pass. But if those demons who excite the tongues of men to slander were so
infuriated by that work, in which he had not as yet fully unveiled their secret
proceedings, what, think you, will be the case in this, in which he will expose all
those dark and hidden ways, by which they creep into the hearts of men, and
deceive weak and unstable souls? You will immediately see all things thrown
into confusion, seditions stirred up, clamours raised throughout the whole city,
and that individual summoned to receive sentence of condemnation who
endeavoured to dispel the diabolical darkness of ignorance by means of the light
of the Gospel lamp. Let such things, however, be lightly esteemed by him who is
desirous of being trained in divine learning, while retaining in its integrity the
rule of the Catholic faith. I think it necessary, however, to remind you that the
principle observed in the former books has been observed also in these, viz., not
to translate what appeared contrary to Origen's other opinions, and to our own
belief, but to pass by such passages as being interpolated and forged by others.
But if he has appeared to give expression to any novelties regarding rational
creatures (on which subject the essence of our faith does not depend), for the
sake of discussion and of adding to our knowledge, when perhaps it was
necessary for us to answer in such an order some heretical opinions, I have not
omitted to mention these either in the present or preceding books, unless when
he wished to repeat in the following books what he had already stated in the
previous ones, when I have thought it convenient, for the sake of brevity, to
curtail some of these repetitions. Should any one, however, peruse these
passages from a desire to enlarge his knowledge, and not to raise captious
objections, he will do better to have them expounded by persons of skill. For it is
an absurdity to have the fictions of poetry and the ridiculous plays of comedy
interpreted by grammarians, and to suppose that without a master and an
interpreter any one is able to learn those things which are spoken either of God
or of the heavenly virtues, and of the whole universe of things, in which some
deplorable error either of pagan philosophers or of heretics is confuted; and the
result of which is, that men would rather rashly and ignorantly condemn things
that are difficult and obscure, than ascertain their meaning by diligence and
study.

Translated from Latin of Rufinus

Chapter 1. On the Freedom of the Will.

1. Some such opinions, we believe, ought to be entertained regarding the

divine promises, when we direct our understanding to the contemplation of that
eternal and infinite world, and gaze on its ineffable joy and blessedness. But as
the preaching of the Church includes a belief in a future and just judgment of
God, which belief incites and persuades men to a good and virtuous life, and to
an avoidance of sin by all possible means; and as by this it is undoubtedly
indicated that it is within our own power to devote ourselves either to a life that
is worthy of praise, or to one that is worthy of censure, I therefore deem it
is worthy of praise, or to one that is worthy of censure, I therefore deem it
necessary to say a few words regarding the freedom of the will, seeing that this
topic has been treated by very many writers in no mean style. And that we may
ascertain more easily what is the freedom of the will, let us inquire into the
nature of will and of desire.
2. Of all things which move, some have the cause of their motion within
themselves, others receive it from without: and all those things only are moved
from without which are without life, as stones, and pieces of wood, and whatever
things are of such a nature as to be held together by the constitution of their
matter alone, or of their bodily substance. That view must indeed be dismissed
which would regard the dissolution of bodies by corruption as motion, for it has
no bearing upon our present purpose. Others, again, have the cause of motion in
themselves, as animals, or trees, and all things which are held together by natural
life or soul; among which some think ought to be classed the veins of metals.
Fire, also, is supposed to be the cause of its own motion, and perhaps also
springs of water. And of those things which have the causes of their motion in
themselves, some are said to be moved out of themselves, others by themselves.
And they so distinguish them, because those things are moved out of themselves
which are alive indeed, but have no soul; whereas those things which have a soul
are moved by themselves, when a phantasy, i.e., a desire or incitement, is
presented to them, which excites them to move towards something. Finally, in
certain things endowed with a soul, there is such a phantasy, i.e., a will or
feeling, as by a kind of natural instinct calls them forth, and arouses them to
orderly and regular motion; as we see to be the case with spiders, which are
stirred up in a most orderly manner by a phantasy, i.e., a sort of wish and desire
for weaving, to undertake the production of a web, some natural movement
undoubtedly calling forth the effort to work of this kind. Nor is this very insect
found to possess any other feeling than the natural desire of weaving; as in like
manner bees also exhibit a desire to form honeycombs, and to collect, as they
say, aerial honey.
3. But since a rational animal not only has within itself these natural
 3. But since a rational animal not only has within itself these natural
movements, but has moreover, to a greater extent than other animals, the power
of reason, by which it can judge and determine regarding natural movements,
and disapprove and reject some, while approving and adopting others, so by the
judgment of this reason may the movements of men be governed and directed
towards a commendable life. And from this it follows that, since the nature of
this reason which is in man has within itself the power of distinguishing between
good and evil, and while distinguishing possesses the faculty of selecting what it
has approved, it may justly be deemed worthy of praise in choosing what is
good, and deserving of censure in following that which is base or wicked. This
indeed must by no means escape our notice, that in some dumb animals there is
found a more regular movement than in others, as in hunting-dogs or war-horses,
so that they may appear to some to be moved by a kind of rational sense. But we
must believe this to be the result not so much of reason as of some natural
instinct, largely bestowed for purposes of that kind. Now, as we had begun to
remark, seeing that such is the nature of a rational animal, some things may
happen to us human beings from without; and these, coming in contact with our
sense of sight, or hearing, or any other of our senses, may incite and arouse us to
good movements, or the contrary; and seeing they come to us from an external
source, it is not within our own power to prevent their coming. But to determine
and approve what use we ought to make of those things which thus happen, is
the duty of no other than of that reason within us, i.e., of our own judgment; by
the decision of which reason we use the incitement, which comes to us from
without for that purpose, which reason approves, our natural movements being
determined by its authority either to good actions or the reverse.
4. If any one now were to say that those things which happen to us from an
external cause, and call forth our movements, are of such a nature that it is
impossible to resist them, whether they incite us to good or evil, let the holder of
this opinion turn his attention for a little upon himself, and carefully inspect the
movements of his own mind, unless he has discovered already, that when an
enticement to any desire arises, nothing is accomplished until the assent of the
enticement to any desire arises, nothing is accomplished until the assent of the
soul is gained, and the authority of the mind has granted indulgence to the
wicked suggestion; so that a claim might seem to be made by two parties on
certain probable grounds as to a judge residing within the tribunals of our heart,
in order that, after the statement of reasons, the decree of execution may proceed
from the judgment of reason. For, to take an illustration: if, to a man who has
determined to live continently and chastely, and to keep himself free from all
pollution with women, a woman should happen to present herself, inciting and
alluring him to act contrary to his purpose, that woman is not a complete and
absolute cause or necessity of his transgressing, since it is in his power, by
remembering his resolution, to bridle the incitements to lust, and by the stern
admonitions of virtue to restrain the pleasure of the allurement that solicits him;
so that, all feeling of indulgence being driven away, his determination may
remain firm and enduring. Finally, if to any men of learning, strengthened by
divine training, allurements of that kind present themselves, remembering
immediately what they are, and calling to mind what has long been the subject of
their meditation and instruction, and fortifying themselves by the support of a
holier doctrine, they reject and repel all incitement to pleasure, and drive away
opposing lusts by the interposition of the reason implanted within them.
5. Seeing, then, that these positions are thus established by a sort of natural
evidence, is it not superfluous to throw back the causes of our actions on those
things which happen to us from without, and thus transfer the blame from
ourselves, on whom it wholly lies? For this is to say that we are like pieces of
wood, or stones, which have no motion in themselves, but receive the causes of
their motion from without. Now such an assertion is neither true nor becoming,
and is invented only that the freedom of the will may be denied; unless, indeed,
we are to suppose that the freedom of the will consists in this, that nothing which
happens to us from without can incite us to good or evil. And if any one were to
refer the causes of our faults to the natural disorder of the body, such a theory is
proved to be contrary to the reason of all teaching. For, as we see in very many
individuals, that after living unchastely and intemperately, and after being the
captives of luxury and lust, if they should happen to be aroused by the word of
teaching and instruction to enter upon a better course of life, there takes place so
great a change, that from being luxurious and wicked men, they are converted
into those who are sober, and most chaste and gentle; so, again, we see in the
case of those who are quiet and honest, that after associating with restless and
shameless individuals, their good morals are corrupted by evil conversation, and
they become like those whose wickedness is complete. And this is the case
sometimes with men of mature age, so that such have lived more chastely in
youth than when more advanced years have enabled them to indulge in a freer
mode of life. The result of our reasoning, therefore, is to show that those things
which happen to us from without are not in our own power; but that to make a
good or bad use of those things which do so happen, by help of that reason
which is within us, and which distinguishes and determines how these things
ought to be used, is within our power.
6. And now, to confirm the deductions of reason by the authority of
Scripture— viz., that it is our own doing whether we live rightly or not, and that
we are not compelled, either by those causes which come to us from without, or,
as some think, by the presence of fate— we adduce the testimony of the prophet
Micah, in these words: "If it has been announced to you, O man, what is good,
or what the Lord requires of you, except that you should do justice, and love
mercy, and be ready to walk with the Lord your God." Moses also speaks as
follows: "I have placed before your face the way of life and the way of death:
choose what is good, and walk in it." Isaiah, moreover, makes this declaration:
"If you are willing, and hear me, you shall eat the good of the land. But if you be
unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword shall consume you; for the mouth of
the Lord has spoken this." In the Psalm, too, it is written: "If My people had
heard Me, if Israel had walked in My ways, I would have humbled her enemies
to nothing;" by which he shows that it was in the power of the people to hear,
and to walk in the ways of God. The Saviour also saying, "I say unto you, Resist
not evil;" and, "Whoever shall be angry with his brother, shall be in danger of
the judgment;" and, "Whosoever shall look upon a woman to lust after her, has
already committed adultery with her in his heart;" and in issuing certain other
commands—conveys no other meaning than this, that it is in our own power to
observe what is commanded. And therefore we are rightly rendered liable to
condemnation if we transgress those commandments which we are able to keep.
And hence He Himself also declares: "Every one who hears my words, and does
them, I will show to whom he is like: he is like a wise man who built his house
upon a rock," etc. So also the declaration: "Whoever hears these things, and does
them not, is like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand," etc. Even the
words addressed to those who are on His right hand, "Come unto Me, all you
blessed of My Father," etc.; "for I was an hungered, and you gave Me to eat; I
was thirsty, and you gave Me drink," manifestly show that it depended upon
themselves, that either these should be deserving of praise for doing what was
commanded and receiving what was promised, or those deserving of censure
who either heard or received the contrary, and to whom it was said, "Depart, you
cursed, into everlasting fire." Let us observe also, that the Apostle Paul
addresses us as having power over our own will, and as possessing in ourselves
the causes either of our salvation or of our ruin: "Do you despise the riches of
His goodness, and of His patience, and of His long-suffering, not knowing that
the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But, according to your hardness
and impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath on the day of
judgment and of the revelation of the just judgment of God, who will render to
every one according to his work: to those who by patient continuance in well-
doing seek for glory and immortality, eternal life; while to those who are
contentious, and believe not the truth, but who believe iniquity, anger,
indignation, tribulation, and distress, on every soul of man that works evil, on
the Jew first, and (afterwards) on the Greek; but glory, and honour, and peace
to every one that does good, to the Jew first, and (afterwards) to the Greek."
You will find also innumerable other passages in holy Scripture, which
manifestly show that we possess freedom of will. Otherwise there would be a
contrariety in commandments being given us, by observing which we may be
saved, or by transgressing which we may be condemned, if the power of keeping
them were not implanted in us.
7. But, seeing there are found in the sacred Scriptures themselves certain
expressions occurring in such a connection, that the opposite of this may appear
capable of being understood from them, let us bring them forth before us, and,
discussing them according to the rule of piety, let us furnish an explanation of
them, in order that from those few passages which we now expound, the solution
of those others which resemble them, and by which any power over the will
seems to be excluded, may become clear. Those expressions, accordingly, make
an impression on very many, which are used by God in speaking of Pharaoh, as
when He frequently says, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart." For if he is hardened
by God, and commits sin in consequence of being so hardened, the cause of his
sin is not himself. And if so, it will appear that Pharaoh does not possess
freedom of will; and it will be maintained, as a consequence, that, agreeably to
this illustration, neither do others who perish owe the cause of their destruction
to the freedom of their own will. That expression, also, in Ezekiel, when he says,
"I will take away their stony hearts, and will give them hearts of flesh, that they
may walk in My precepts, and keep My ways," may impress some, inasmuch as it
seems to be a gift of God, either to walk in His ways or to keep His precepts, if
He take away that stony heart which is an obstacle to the keeping of His
commandments, and bestow and implant a better and more impressible heart,
which is called now a heart of flesh. Consider also the nature of the answer given
in the Gospel by our Lord and Saviour to those who inquired of Him why He
spoke to the multitude in parables. His words are: "That seeing they may not see;
and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest they should be converted,
and their sins be forgiven them." The words, moreover, used by the Apostle
Paul, that "it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows
mercy;" in another passage also, "that to will and to do are of God:" and again,
elsewhere, "Therefore has He mercy upon whom He will, and whom He will He
hardens. You will say then unto me, Why does He yet find fault? For who shall
resist His will? O man, who are you that repliest against God? Shall the thing
formed say to him who has formed it, Why have you made me thus? Hath not the
potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour,
and another to dishonour?" — these and similar declarations seem to have no
small influence in preventing very many from believing that every one is to be
considered as having freedom over his own will, and in making it appear to be a
consequence of the will of God whether a man is either saved or lost.
8. Let us begin, then, with those words which were spoken to Pharaoh, who
is said to have been hardened by God, in order that he might not let the people
go; and, along with his case, the language of the apostle also will be considered,
where he says, "Therefore He has mercy on whom He will, and whom He will He
hardens." For it is on these passages chiefly that the heretics rely, asserting that
salvation is not in our own power, but that souls are of such a nature as must by
all means be either lost or saved; and that in no way can a soul which is of an
evil nature become good, or one which is of a virtuous nature be made bad. And
hence they maintain that Pharaoh, too, being of a ruined nature, was on that
account hardened by God, who hardens those that are of an earthly nature, but
has compassion on those who are of a spiritual nature. Let us see, then, what is
the meaning of their assertion; and let us, in the first place, request them to tell
us whether they maintain that the soul of Pharaoh was of an earthly nature, such
as they term lost. They will undoubtedly answer that it was of an earthly nature.
If so, then to believe God, or to obey Him, when his nature opposed his so doing,
was an impossibility. And if this were his condition by nature, what further need
was there for his heart to be hardened, and this not once, but several times,
unless indeed because it was possible for him to yield to persuasion? Nor could
any one be said to be hardened by another, save him who of himself was not
obdurate. And if he were not obdurate of himself, it follows that neither was he
of an earthly nature, but such an one as might give way when overpowered by
signs and wonders. But he was necessary for God's purpose, in order that, for the
saving of the multitude, He might manifest in him His power by his offering
resistance to numerous miracles, and struggling against the will of God, and his
heart being by this means said to be hardened. Such are our answers, in the first
place, to these persons; and by these their assertion may be overturned,
according to which they think that Pharaoh was destroyed in consequence of his
evil nature. And with regard to the language of the Apostle Paul, we must
answer them in a similar way. For who are they whom God hardens, according
to your view? Those, namely, whom you term of a ruined nature, and who, I am
to suppose, would have done something else had they not been hardened. If,
indeed, they come to destruction in consequence of being hardened, they no
longer perish naturally, but in virtue of what befalls them. Then, in the next
place, upon whom does God show mercy? On those, namely, who are to be
saved. And in what respect do those persons stand in need of a second
compassion, who are to be saved once by their nature, and so come naturally to
blessedness, except that it is shown even from their case, that, because it was
possible for them to perish, they therefore obtain mercy, that so they may not
perish, but come to salvation, and possess the kingdom of the good. And let this
be our answer to those who devise and invent the fable of good or bad natures,
i.e., of earthly or spiritual souls, in consequence of which, as they say, each one
is either saved or lost.
9. And now we must return an answer also to those who would have the
God of the law to be just only, and not also good; and let us ask such in what
manner they consider the heart of Pharaoh to have been hardened by God— by
what acts or by what prospective arrangements. For we must observe the
conception of a God who in our opinion is both just and good, but according to
them only just. And let them show us how a God whom they also acknowledge
to be just, can with justice cause the heart of a man to be hardened, that, in
consequence of that very hardening, he may sin and be ruined. And how shall
the justice of God be defended, if He Himself is the cause of the destruction of
those whom, owing to their unbelief (through their being hardened), He has
afterwards condemned by the authority of a judge? For why does He blame him,
saying, "But since you will not let My people go, lo, I will smite all the first-born
in Egypt, even your first-born," and whatever else was spoken through Moses by
God to Pharaoh? For it behooves every one who maintains the truth of what is
recorded in Scripture, and who desires to show that the God of the law and the
prophets is just, to render a reason for all these things, and to show how there is
in them nothing at all derogatory to the justice of God, since, although they deny
His goodness, they admit that He is a just judge, and creator of the world.
Different, however, is the method of our reply to those who assert that the
creator of this world is a malignant being, i.e., a devil.
10. But since we acknowledge the God who spoke by Moses to be not only
just, but also good, let us carefully inquire how it is in keeping with the character
of a just and good Deity to have hardened the heart of Pharaoh. And let us see
whether, following the example of the Apostle Paul, we are able to solve the
difficulty by help of some parallel instances: if we can show, e.g., that by one
and the same act God has pity upon one individual, but hardens another; not
purposing or desiring that he who is hardened should be so, but because, in the
manifestation of His goodness and patience, the heart of those who treat His
kindness and forbearance with contempt and insolence is hardened by the
punishment of their crimes being delayed; while those, on the other hand, who
make His goodness and patience the occasion of their repentance and
reformation, obtain compassion. To show more clearly, however, what we mean,
let us take the illustration employed by the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the
Hebrews, where he says, "For the earth, which drinks in the rain that comes oft
upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, will receive
blessing from God; but that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is
near unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." Now from those words of Paul
which we have quoted, it is clearly shown that by one and the same act on the
part of God— that, viz., by which He sends rain upon the earth— one portion of
the ground, when carefully cultivated, brings forth good fruits; while another,
neglected and uncared for, produces thorns and thistles. And if one, speaking as
it were in the person of the rain, were to say, "It is I, the rain, that have made the
good fruits, and it is I that have caused the thorns and thistles to grow," however
hard the statement might appear, it would nevertheless be true; for unless the
rain had fallen, neither fruits, nor thorns, nor thistles would have sprung up,
whereas by the coming of the rain the earth gave birth to both. Now, although it
is due to the beneficial action of the rain that the earth has produced herbs of
both kinds, it is not to the rain that the diversity of the herbs is properly to be
ascribed; but on those will justly rest the blame for the bad seed, who, although
they might have turned up the ground by frequent ploughing, and have broken
the clods by repeated harrowing, and have extirpated all useless and noxious
weeds, and have cleared and prepared the fields for the coming showers by all
the labour and toil which cultivation demands, have nevertheless neglected to do
this, and who will accordingly reap briers and thorns, the most appropriate fruit
of their sloth. And the consequence therefore is, that while the rain falls in
kindness and impartiality equally upon the whole earth, yet, by one and the same
operation of the rain, that soil which is cultivated yields with a blessing useful
fruits to the diligent and careful cultivators, while that which has become
hardened through the neglect of the husbandman brings forth only thorns and
thistles. Let us therefore view those signs and miracles which were done by God,
as the showers furnished by Him from above; and the purpose and desires of
men, as the cultivated and uncultivated soil, which is of one and the same nature
indeed, as is every soil compared with another, but not in one and the same state
of cultivation. From which it follows that every one's will, if untrained, and
fierce, and barbarous, is either hardened by the miracles and wonders of God,
growing more savage and thorny than ever, or it becomes more pliant, and yields
itself up with the whole mind to obedience, if it be cleared from vice and
subjected to training.
11. But, to establish the point more clearly, it will not be superfluous to
employ another illustration, as if, e.g., one were to say that it is the sun which
hardens and liquefies, although liquefying and hardening are things of an
opposite nature. Now it is not incorrect to say that the sun, by one and the same
power of its heat, melts wax indeed, but dries up and hardens mud: not that its
power operates one way upon mud, and in another way upon wax; but that the
qualities of mud and wax are different, although according to nature they are one
thing, both being from the earth. In this way, then, one and the same working
upon the part of God, which was administered by Moses in signs and wonders,
made manifest the hardness of Pharaoh, which he had conceived in the intensity
of his wickedness but exhibited the obedience of those other Egyptians who
were intermingled with the Israelites, and who are recorded to have quitted
Egypt at the same time with the Hebrews. With respect to the statement that the
heart of Pharaoh was subdued by degrees, so that on one occasion he said, "Go
not far away; you shall go a three days' journey, but leave your wives, and your
children, and your cattle," and as regards any other statements, according to
which he appears to yield gradually to the signs and wonders, what else is
shown, save that the power of the signs and miracles was making some
impression on him, but not so much as it ought to have done? For if the
hardening were of such a nature as many take it to be, he would not indeed have
given way even in a few instances. But I think there is no absurdity in explaining
the tropical or figurative nature of that language employed in speaking of
"hardening," according to common usage. For those masters who are remarkable
for kindness to their slaves, are frequently accustomed to say to the latter, when,
through much patience and indulgence on their part, they have become insolent
and worthless: "It is I that have made you what you are; I have spoiled you; it is
my endurance that has made you good for nothing: I am to blame for your
perverse and wicked habits, because I do not have you immediately punished for
every delinquency according to your deserts." For we must first attend to the
tropical or figurative meaning of the language, and so come to see the force of
the expression, and not find fault with the word, whose inner meaning we do not
ascertain. Finally, the Apostle Paul, evidently treating of such, says to him who
remained in his sins: "Despise the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and
long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
But, after your hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto yourself wrath
on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Such are
the words of the apostle to him who is in his sins. Let us apply these very
expressions to Pharaoh, and see if they also are not spoken of him with
propriety, since, according to his hardness and impenitent heart, he treasured and
stored up for himself wrath on the day of wrath, inasmuch as his hardness could
never have been declared and manifested, unless signs and wonders of such
number and magnificence had been performed.
12. But if the proofs which we have adduced do not appear full enough, and
the similitude of the apostle seem wanting in applicability, let us add the voice of
prophetic authority, and see what the prophets declare regarding those who at
first, indeed, leading a righteous life, have deserved to receive numerous proofs
of the goodness of God, but afterwards, as being human beings, have fallen
astray, with whom the prophet, making himself also one, says: "Why, O Lord,
have You made us to err from Your way? And hardened our heart, that we
should not fear Your name? Return, for Your servants' sake, for the tribes of
Your inheritance, that we also for a little may obtain some inheritance from Your
holy hill." Jeremiah also employs similar language: "O Lord, You have deceived
us, and we were deceived; You have held (us), and You have prevailed." The
expression, then, "Why, O Lord, have You hardened our heart, that we should
not fear Your name?" used by those who prayed for mercy, is to be taken in a
figurative, moral acceptation, as if one were to say, "Why have You spared us so
long, and did not requite us when we sinned, but abandoned us, that so our
wickedness might increase, and our liberty of sinning be extended when
punishment ceased?" In like manner, unless a horse continually feel the spur of
his rider, and have his mouth abraded by a bit, he becomes hardened. And a boy
also, unless constantly disciplined by chastisement, will grow up to be an
insolent youth, and one ready to fall headlong into vice. God accordingly
abandons and neglects those whom He has judged undeserving of chastisement:
"For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He
receives." From which we are to suppose that those are to be received into the
rank and affection of sons, who have deserved to be scourged and chastened by
the Lord, in order that they also, through endurance of trials and tribulations,
may be able to say, "Who shall separate us from the love of God which is in
Christ Jesus? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?" For by all these is each one's resolution manifested and displayed, and
the firmness of his perseverance made known, not so much to God, who knows
all things before they happen, as to the rational and heavenly virtues, who have
obtained a part in the work of procuring human salvation, as being a sort of
assistants and ministers to God. Those, on the other hand, who do not yet offer
themselves to God with such constancy and affection, and are not ready to come
into His service, and to prepare their souls for trial, are said to be abandoned by
God, i.e., not to be instructed, inasmuch as they are not prepared for instruction,
their training or care being undoubtedly postponed to a later time. These
certainly do not know what they will obtain from God, unless they first entertain
the desire of being benefited; and this finally will be the case, if a man come first
to a knowledge of himself, and feel what are his defects, and understand from
whom he either ought or can seek the supply of his deficiencies. For he who
does not know beforehand of his weakness or his sickness, cannot seek a
physician; or at least, after recovering his health, that man will not be grateful to
his physician who did not first recognise the dangerous nature of his ailment.
And so, unless a man has first ascertained the defects of his life, and the evil
nature of his sins, and made this known by confession from his own lips, he
cannot be cleansed or acquitted, lest he should be ignorant that what he
possesses has been bestowed on him by favour, but should consider as his own
property what flows from the divine liberality, which idea undoubtedly generates
arrogance of mind and pride, and finally becomes the cause of the individual's
ruin. And this, we must believe, was the case with the devil, who viewed as his
own, and not as given him by God, the primacy which he held at the time when
he was unstained; and thus was fulfilled in him the declaration, that "every one
who exalts himself shall be abased." From which it appears to me that the divine
mysteries were concealed from the wise and prudent, according to the statement
of Scripture, that "no flesh should glory before God," and revealed to children—
to those, namely, who, after they have become infants and little children, i.e.,
have returned to the humility and simplicity of children, then make progress; and
on arriving at perfection, remember that they have obtained their state of
happiness, not by their own merits, but by the grace and compassion of God.
13. It is therefore by the sentence of God that he is abandoned who deserves
to be so, while over some sinners God exercises forbearance; not, however,
without a definite principle of action. Nay, the very fact that He is long-suffering
conduces to the advantage of those very persons, since the soul over which He
exercises this providential care is immortal; and, as being immortal and
everlasting, it is not, although not immediately cared for, excluded from
salvation, which is postponed to a more convenient time. For perhaps it is
expedient for those who have been more deeply imbued with the poison of
wickedness to obtain this salvation at a later period. For as medical men
sometimes, although they could quickly cover over the scars of wounds, keep
back and delay the cure for the present, in the expectation of a better and more
perfect recovery, knowing that it is more salutary to retard the treatment in the
cases of swellings caused by wounds, and to allow the malignant humours to
flow off for a while, rather than to hasten a superficial cure, by shutting up in the
veins the poison of a morbid humour, which, excluded from its customary
outlets, will undoubtedly creep into the inner parts of the limbs, and penetrate to
the very vitals of the viscera, producing no longer mere disease in the body, but
causing destruction to life; so, in like manner, God also, who knows the secret
things of the heart, and foreknows the future, in much forbearance allows certain
events to happen, which, coming from without upon men, cause to come forth
into the light the passions and vices which are concealed within, that by their
means those may be cleansed and cured who, through great negligence and
carelessness, have admitted within themselves the roots and seeds of sins, so
that, when driven outwards and brought to the surface, they may in a certain
degree be cast forth and dispersed. And thus, although a man may appear to be
afflicted with evils of a serious kind, suffering convulsions in all his limbs, he
may nevertheless, at some future time, obtain relief and a cessation from his
trouble; and, after enduring his afflictions to satiety, may, after many sufferings,
be restored again to his (proper) condition. For God deals with souls not merely
with a view to the short space of our present life, included within sixty years or
more, but with reference to a perpetual and never-ending period, exercising His
providential care over souls that are immortal, even as He Himself is eternal and
immortal. For He made the rational nature, which He formed in His own image
and likeness, incorruptible; and therefore the soul, which is immortal, is not
excluded by the shortness of the present life from the divine remedies and cures.
14. But let us take from the Gospels also the similitudes of those things
which we have mentioned, in which is described a certain rock, having on it a
little superficial earth, on which, when a seed falls, it is said quickly to spring up;
but when sprung up, it withers as the sun ascends in the heavens, and dies away,
because it did not cast its root deeply into the ground. Now this rock
undoubtedly represents the human soul, hardened on account of its own
negligence, and converted into stone because of its wickedness. For God gave no
one a stony heart by a creative act; but each individual's heart is said to become
stony through his own wickedness and disobedience. As, therefore, if one were
to blame a husbandman for not casting his seed more quickly upon rocky
ground, because seed cast upon other rocky soil was seen to spring up speedily,
the husbandman would certainly say in reply: "I sow this soil more slowly, for
this reason, that it may retain the seed which it has received; for it suits this
ground to be sown somewhat slowly, lest perhaps the crop, having sprouted too
rapidly, and coming forth from the mere surface of a shallow soil, should be
unable to withstand the rays of the sun." Would not he who formerly found fault
acquiesce in the reasons and superior knowledge of the husbandman, and
approve as done on rational grounds what formerly appeared to him as founded
on no reason? And in the same way, God, the thoroughly skilled husbandman of
all His creation, undoubtedly conceals and delays to another time those things
which we think ought to have obtained health sooner, in order that not the
outside of things, rather than the inside, may be cured. But if any one now were
to object to us that certain seeds do even fall upon rocky ground, i.e., on a hard
and stony heart, we should answer that even this does not happen without the
arrangement of Divine Providence; inasmuch as, but for this, it would not be
known what condemnation was incurred by rashness in hearing and indifference
in investigation, nor, certainly, what benefit was derived from being trained in an
orderly manner. And hence it happens that the soul comes to know its defects,
and to cast the blame upon itself, and, consistently with this, to reserve and
submit itself to training, i.e., in order that it may see that its faults must first be
removed, and that then it must come to receive the instruction of wisdom. As,
therefore, souls are innumerable, so also are their manners, and purposes, and
movements, and appetencies, and incitements different, the variety of which can
by no means be grasped by the human mind; and therefore to God alone must be
left the art, and the knowledge, and the power of an arrangement of this kind, as
He alone can know both the remedies for each individual soul, and measure out
the time of its cure. It is He alone then who, as we said, recognises the ways of
individual men, and determines by what way He ought to lead Pharaoh, that
through him His name might be named in all the earth, having previously
chastised him by many blows, and finally drowning him in the sea. By this
drowning, however, it is not to be supposed that God's providence as regards
Pharaoh was terminated; for we must not imagine, because he was drowned, that
therefore he had immediately completely perished: "for in the hand of God are
both we and our words; all wisdom, also, and knowledge of workmanship," as
Scripture declares. But these points we have discussed according to our ability,
treating of that chapter of Scripture in which it is said that God hardened the
heart of Pharaoh, and agreeably to the statement, "He has mercy on whom He
will have mercy, and whom He will He hardens."
15. Let us now look at those passages of Ezekiel where he says, I will take
away from them their stony heart, and I will put in them a heart of flesh, that
they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances. For if God, when He
pleases, takes away a heart of stone and bestows a heart of flesh, that His
ordinances may be observed and His commandments may be obeyed, it will then
appear that it is not in our power to put away wickedness. For the taking away of
a stony heart seems to be nothing else than the removal of the wickedness by
which one is hardened, from whomsoever God pleases to remove it. Nor is the
bestowal of a heart of flesh, that the precepts of God may be observed and His
commandments obeyed, any other thing than a man becoming obedient, and no
longer resisting the truth, but performing works of virtue. If, then, God promises
to do this, and if, before He takes away the stony heart, we are unable to remove
it from ourselves, it follows that it is not in our power, but in God's only, to cast
away wickedness. And again, if it is not our doing to form within us a heart of
flesh, but the work of God alone, it will not be in our power to live virtuously,
but it will in everything appear to be a work of divine grace. Such are the
assertions of those who wish to prove from the authority of Holy Scripture that
nothing lies in our own power. Now to these we answer, that these passages are
not to be so understood, but in the following manner. Take the case of one who
was ignorant and untaught, and who, feeling the disgrace of his ignorance,
should, driven either by an exhortation from some person, or incited by a desire
to emulate other wise men, hand himself over to one by whom he is assured that
he will be carefully trained and competently instructed. If he, then, who had
formerly hardened himself in ignorance, yield himself, as we have said, with full
purpose of mind to a master, and promise to obey him in all things, the master,
on seeing clearly the resolute nature of his determination, will appropriately
promise to take away all ignorance, and to implant knowledge within his mind;
not that he undertakes to do this if the disciple refuse or resist his efforts, but
only on his offering and binding himself to obedience in all things. So also the
Word of God promises to those who draw near to Him, that He will take away
their stony heart, not indeed from those who do not listen to His word, but from
those who receive the precepts of His teaching; as in the Gospels we find the
sick approaching the Saviour, asking to receive health, and thus at last be cured.
And in order that the blind might be healed and regain their sight, their part
consisted in making supplication to the Saviour, and in believing that their cure
could be effected by Him; while His part, on the other hand, lay in restoring to
them the power of vision. And in this way also does the Word of God promise to
bestow instruction by taking away the stony heart, i.e., by the removal of
wickedness, that so men may be able to walk in the divine precepts, and observe
the commandments of the law.
16. There is next brought before us that declaration uttered by the Saviour
in the Gospel: "That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they
may hear, and not understand; lest they should happen to be converted, and
their sins be forgiven them." On which our opponent will remark: "If those who
shall hear more distinctly are by all means to be corrected and converted, and
converted in such a manner as to be worthy of receiving the remission of sins,
and if it be not in their own power to hear the word distinctly, but if it depend on
the Instructor to teach more openly and distinctly, while he declares that he does
not proclaim to them the word with clearness, lest they should perhaps hear and
understand, and be converted, and be saved, it will follow, certainly, that their
salvation is not dependent upon themselves. And if this be so, then we have no
free-will either as regards salvation or destruction." Now were it not for the
words that are added, "Lest perhaps they should be converted, and their sins be
forgiven them," we might be more inclined to return the answer, that the Saviour
was unwilling that those individuals whom He foresaw would not become good,
should understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, and that therefore He
spoke to them in parables; but as that addition follows, "Lest perhaps they
should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them," the explanation is
rendered more difficult. And, in the first place, we have to notice what defence
this passage furnishes against those heretics who are accustomed to hunt out of
the Old Testament any expressions which seem, according to their view, to
predicate severity and cruelty of God the Creator, as when He is described as
being affected with the feeling of vengeance or punishment, or by any of those
emotions, however named, from which they deny the existence of goodness in
the Creator; for they do not judge of the Gospels with the same mind and
feelings, and do not observe whether any such statements are found in them as
they condemn and censure in the Old Testament. For manifestly, in the passage
referred to, the Saviour is shown, as they themselves admit, not to speak
distinctly, for this very reason, that men may not be converted, and when
converted, receive the remission of sins. Now, if the words be understood
according to the letter merely, nothing less, certainly, will be contained in them
than in those passages which they find fault with in the Old Testament. And if
they are of opinion that any expressions occurring in such a connection in the
New Testament stand in need of explanation, it will necessarily follow that those
also occurring in the Old Testament, which are the subject of censure, may be
freed from aspersion by an explanation of a similar kind, so that by such means
the passages found in both Testaments may be shown to proceed from one and
the same God. But let us return, as we best may, to the question proposed.
17. We said formerly, when discussing the case of Pharaoh, that sometimes
it does not lead to good results for a man to be cured too quickly, especially if
the disease, being shut up within the inner parts of the body, rage with greater
fierceness. Whence God, who is acquainted with secret things, and knows all
things before they happen, in His great goodness delays the cure of such, and
postpones their recovery to a remoter period, and, so to speak, cures them by not
curing them, lest a too favourable state of health should render them incurable. It
is therefore possible that, in the case of those to whom, as being "without," the
words of our Lord and Saviour were addressed, He, seeing from His scrutiny of
the hearts and reins that they were not yet able to receive teaching of a clearer
type, veiled by the covering of language the meaning of the profounder
mysteries, lest perhaps, being rapidly converted and healed, i.e., having quickly
obtained the remission of their sins, they should again easily slide back into the
same disease which they had found could be healed without any difficulty. For if
this be the case, no one can doubt that the punishment is doubled, and the
amount of wickedness increased; since not only are the sins which had appeared
to be forgiven repeated, but the court of virtue also is desecrated when trodden
by deceitful and polluted beings, filled within with hidden wickedness. And
what remedy can there ever be for those who, after eating the impure and filthy
food of wickedness, have tasted the pleasantness of virtue, and received its
sweetness into their mouths, and yet have again betaken themselves to the
deadly and poisonous provision of sin? And who doubts that it is better for delay
and a temporary abandonment to occur, in order that if, at some future time, they
should happen to be satiated with wickedness, and the filth with which they are
now delighted should become loathsome, the word of God may at last be
appropriately made clear to them, and that which is holy be not given to the
dogs, nor pearls be cast before swine, which will trample them under foot, and
turn, moreover, and rend and assault those who have proclaimed to them the
word of God? These, then, are they who are said to be "without," undoubtedly by
way of contrast with those who are said to be "within," and to hear the word of
God with greater clearness. And yet those who are "without" do hear the word,
although it is covered by parables, and overshadowed by proverbs. There are
others, also, besides those who are without, who are called Tyrians, and who do
not hear at all, respecting whom the Saviour knew that they would have repented
long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes, if the miracles performed among others
had been done among them, and yet these do not hear those things which are
heard even by those who are "without:" and I believe, for this reason, that the
rank of such in wickedness was far lower and worse than that of those who are
said to be "without," i.e., who are not far from those who are within, and who
have deserved to hear the word, although in parables; and because, perhaps, their
cure was delayed to that time when it will be more tolerable for them on the day
of judgment, than for those before whom those miracles which are recorded
were performed, that so at last, being then relieved from the weight of their sins,
they may enter with more ease and power of endurance upon the way of safety.
And this is a point which I wish impressed upon those who peruse these pages,
that with respect to topics of such difficulty and obscurity we use our utmost
endeavour, not so much to ascertain clearly the solutions of the questions (for
every one will do this as the Spirit gives him utterance), as to maintain the rule
of faith in the most unmistakeable manner, by striving to show that the
providence of God, which equitably administers all things, governs also
immortal souls on the justest principles, (conferring rewards) according to the
merits and motives of each individual; the present economy of things not being
confined within the life of this world, but the pre-existing state of merit always
furnishing the ground for the state that is to follow, and thus by an eternal and
immutable law of equity, and by the controlling influence of Divine Providence,
the immortal soul is brought to the summit of perfection. If one, however, were
to object to our statement, that the word of preaching was purposely put aside by
certain men of wicked and worthless character, and (were to inquire) why the
word was preached to those over whom the Tyrians, who were certainly
despised, are preferred in comparison (by which proceeding, certainly, their
wickedness was increased, and their condemnation rendered more severe, that
they should hear the word who were not to believe it), they must be answered in
the following manner: God, who is the Creator of the minds of all men,
foreseeing complaints against His providence, especially on the part of those
who say, "How could we believe when we neither beheld those things which
others saw, nor heard those words which were preached to others? In so far is
the blame removed from us, since they to whom the word was announced, and
the signs manifested, made no delay whatever, but became believers,
overpowered by the very force of the miracles;" wishing to destroy the grounds
for complaints of this kind, and to show that it was no concealment of Divine
Providence, but the determination of the human mind which was the cause of
their ruin, bestowed the grace of His benefits even upon the unworthy and the
unbelieving, that every mouth might indeed be shut, and that the mind of man
might know that all the deficiency was on its own part, and none on that of God;
and that it may, at the same time, be understood and recognised that he receives
a heavier sentence of condemnation who has despised the divine benefits
conferred upon him than he who has not deserved to obtain or hear them, and
that it is a peculiarity of divine compassion, and a mark of the extreme justice of
its administration, that it sometimes conceals from certain individuals the
opportunity of either seeing or hearing the mysteries of divine power, lest, after
beholding the power of the miracles, and recognising and hearing the mysteries
of its wisdom, they should, on treating them with contempt and indifference, be
punished with greater severity for their impiety.
18. Let us now look to the expression, "It is not of him that wills, nor of him
that runs, but of God that shows mercy." For our opponents assert, that if it does
not depend upon him that wills, nor on him that runs, but on God that shows
mercy, that a man be saved, our salvation is not in our own power. For our
nature is such as to admit of our either being saved or not, or else our salvation
rests solely on the will of Him who, if He wills it, shows mercy, and confers
salvation. Now let us inquire, in the first place, of such persons, whether to
desire blessings be a good or evil act; and whether to hasten after good as a final
aim be worthy of praise. If they were to answer that such a procedure was
deserving of censure, they would evidently be mad; for all holy men both desire
blessings and run after them, and certainly are not blameworthy. How, then, is it
that he who is not saved, if he be of an evil nature, desires blessing, and runs
after them, but does not find them? For they say that a bad tree does not bring
forth good fruits, whereas it is a good fruit to desire blessings. And how is the
fruit of a bad tree good? And if they assert that to desire blessings, and to run
after them, is an act of indifference, i.e., neither good nor bad, we shall reply,
that if it be an indifferent act to desire blessings, and to run after them, then the
opposite of that will also be an indifferent act, viz., to desire evils, and to run
after them; whereas it is certain that it is not an indifferent act to desire evils, and
to run after them, but one that is manifestly wicked. It is established, then, that to
desire and follow after blessings is not an indifferent, but a virtuous proceeding.
Having now repelled these objections by the answer which we have given,
let us hasten on to the discussion of the subject itself, in which it is said, "It is
not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy." In the
book of Psalms— in the Songs of Degrees, which are ascribed to Solomon— the
following statement occurs: "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in
vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes but in
vain." By which words he does not indeed indicate that we should cease from
building or watching over the safe keeping of that city which is within us; but
what he points out is this, that whatever is built without God, and whatever is
guarded without him, is built in vain, and guarded to no purpose. For in all
things that are well built and well protected, the Lord is held to be the cause
either of the building or of its protection. As if, e.g., we were to behold some
magnificent structure and mass of splendid building reared with beauteous
architectural skill, would we not justly and deservedly say that such was built not
by human power, but by divine help and might? And yet from such a statement it
will not be meant that the labour and industry of human effort were inactive, and
effected nothing at all. Or again, if we were to see some city surrounded by a
severe blockade of the enemy, in which threatening engines were brought
against the walls, and the place hard pressed by a vallum, and weapons, and fire,
and all the instruments of war, by which destruction is prepared, would we not
rightly and deservedly say, if the enemy were repelled and put to flight, that the
deliverance had been wrought for the liberated city by God? And yet we would
not mean, by so speaking, that either the vigilance of the sentinels, or the
alertness of the young men, or the protection of the guards, had been wanting.
And the apostle also must be understood in a similar manner, because the human
will alone is not sufficient to obtain salvation; nor is any mortal running able to
win the heavenly (rewards), and to obtain the prize of our high calling of God in
Christ Jesus, unless this very good will of ours, and ready purpose, and whatever
that diligence within us may be, be aided or furnished with divine help. And
therefore most logically did the apostle say, that "it is not of him that wills, nor
of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy;" in the same manner as if we
were to say of agriculture what is actually written: "I planted, Apollos watered;
but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything, neither he
that waters; but God that gives the increase." As, therefore, when a field has
brought good and rich crops to perfect maturity, no one would piously and
logically assert that the husbandman had made those fruits, but would
acknowledge that they had been produced by God; so also is our own perfection
brought about, not indeed by our remaining inactive and idle, (but by some
activity on our part): and yet the consummation of it will not be ascribed to us,
but to God, who is the first and chief cause of the work. So, when a ship has
overcome the dangers of the sea, although the result be accomplished by great
labour on the part of the sailors, and by the aid of all the art of navigation, and by
the zeal and carefulness of the pilot, and by the favouring influence of the
breezes, and the careful observation of the signs of the stars, no one in his sound
senses would ascribe the safety of the vessel, when, after being tossed by the
waves, and wearied by the billows, it has at last reached the harbour in safety, to
anything else than to the mercy of God. Not even the sailors or pilot venture to
say, "I have saved the ship," but they refer all to the mercy of God; not that they
feel that they have contributed no skill or labour to save the ship, but because
they know that while they contributed the labour, the safety of the vessel was
ensured by God. So also in the race of our life we ourselves must expend labour,
and bring diligence and zeal to bear; but it is from God that salvation is to be
hoped for as the fruit of our labour. Otherwise, if God demand none of our
labour, His commandments will appear to be superfluous. In vain, also, does
Paul blame some for having fallen from the truth, and praise others for abiding
in the faith; and to no purpose does he deliver certain precepts and institutions to
the Churches: in vain, also, do we ourselves either desire or run after what is
good. But it is certain that these things are not done in vain; and it is certain that
neither do the apostles give instructions in vain, nor the Lord enact laws without
a reason. It follows, therefore, that we declare it to be in vain, rather, for the
heretics to speak evil of these good declarations.
19. After this there followed this point, that "to will and to do are of God."
Our opponents maintain that if to will be of God, and if to do be of Him, or if,
whether we act or desire well or ill, it be of God, then in that case we are not
possessed of free-will. Now to this we have to answer, that the words of the
apostle do not say that to will evil is of God, or that to will good is of Him; nor
that to do good or evil is of God; but his statement is a general one, that to will
and to do are of God. For as we have from God this very quality, that we are
men, that we breathe, that we move; so also we have from God (the faculty) by
which we will, as if we were to say that our power of motion is from God, or that
the performing of these duties by the individual members, and their movements,
are from God. From which, certainly, I do not understand this, that because the
hand moves, e.g., to punish unjustly, or to commit an act of theft, the act is of
God, but only that the power of motion is from God; while it is our duty to turn
those movements, the power of executing which we have from God, either to
purposes of good or evil. And so what the apostle says is, that we receive indeed
the power of volition, but that we misuse the will either to good or evil desires.
In a similar way, also, we must judge of results.
20. But with respect to the declaration of the apostle, "Therefore has He
mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardens. You will say
then unto me, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will? Nay
but, O man, who are you that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to
him that formed it, Why have you made me thus? Hath not the potter power over
the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto
dishonour?" Some one will perhaps say, that as the potter out of the same lump
makes some vessels to honour, and others to dishonour, so God creates some
men for perdition, and others for salvation; and that it is not therefore in our own
power either to be saved or to perish; by which reasoning we appear not to be
possessed of free-will. We must answer those who are of this opinion with the
question, Whether it is possible for the apostle to contradict himself? And if this
cannot be imagined of an apostle, how shall he appear, according to them, to be
just in blaming those who committed fornication in Corinth, or those who
sinned, and did not repent of their unchastity, and fornication, and uncleanness,
which they had committed? How, also, does he greatly praise those who acted
rightly, like the house of Onesiphorus, saying, "The Lord give mercy to the
house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my
chain: but, when he had come to Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and
found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that
day." Now it is not consistent with apostolic gravity to blame him who is worthy
of blame, i.e., who has sinned, and greatly to praise him who is deserving of
praise for his good works; and again, as if it were in no one's power to do any
good or evil, to say that it was the Creator's doing that every one should act
virtuously or wickedly, seeing He makes one vessel to honour, and another to
dishonour. And how can he add that statement, "We must all stand before the
judgment-seat of Christ, that every one of us may receive in his body, according
to what he has done, whether it be good or bad?" For what reward of good will
be conferred on him who could not commit evil, being formed by the Creator to
that very end? Or what punishment will deservedly be inflicted on him who was
unable to do good in consequence of the creative act of his Maker? Then, again,
how is not this opposed to that other declaration elsewhere, that "in a great
house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of
earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge
himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the
Master's use, prepared unto every good work." He, accordingly, who purges
himself, is made a vessel unto honour, while he who has disdained to cleanse
himself from his impurity is made a vessel unto dishonour. From such
declarations, in my opinion, the cause of our actions can in no degree be referred
to the Creator. For God the Creator makes a certain vessel unto honour, and
other vessels to dishonour; but that vessel which has cleansed itself from all
impurity He makes a vessel unto honour, while that which has stained itself with
the filth of vice He makes a vessel unto dishonour. The conclusion from which,
accordingly, is this, that the cause of each one's actions is a pre-existing one; and
then every one, according to his deserts, is made by God either a vessel unto
honour or dishonour. Therefore every individual vessel has furnished to its
Creator out of itself the causes and occasions of its being formed by Him to be
either a vessel unto honour or one unto dishonour. And if the assertion appear
correct, as it certainly is, and in harmony with all piety, that it is due to previous
causes that every vessel be prepared by God either to honour or to dishonour, it
does not appear absurd that, in discussing remoter causes in the same order, and
in the same method, we should come to the same conclusion respecting the
nature of souls, and (believe) that this was the reason why Jacob was beloved
before he was born into this world, and Esau hated, while he still was contained
in the womb of his mother.
21. Nay, that very declaration, that from the same lump a vessel is formed
both to honour and to dishonour, will not push us hard; for we assert that the
nature of all rational souls is the same, as one lump of clay is described as being
under the treatment of the potter. Seeing, then, the nature of rational creatures is
one, God, according to the previous grounds of merit, created and formed out of
it, as the potter out of the one lump, some persons to honour and others to
dishonour. Now, as regards the language of the apostle, which he utters as if in a
tone of censure, "Nay but, O man, who are you that repliest against God?" he
means, I think, to point out that such a censure does not refer to any believer
who lives rightly and justly, and who has confidence in God, i.e., to such an one
as Moses was, of whom Scripture says that "Moses spoke, and God answered
him by a voice;" and as God answered Moses, so also does every saint answer
God. But he who is an unbeliever, and loses confidence in answering before God
owing to the unworthiness of his life and conversation, and who, in relation to
these matters, does not seek to learn and make progress, but to oppose and resist,
and who, to speak more plainly, is such an one as to be able to say those words
which the apostle indicates, when he says, "Why, then, does He yet find fault?
For who will resist His will?" — to such an one may the censure of the apostle
rightly be directed, "Nay but, O man, who are you that repliest against God?"
This censure accordingly applies not to believers and saints, but to unbelievers
and wicked men.
Now, to those who introduce souls of different natures, and who turn this
declaration of the apostle to the support of their own opinion, we have to reply as
follows: If even they are agreed as to what the apostle says, that out of the one
lump are formed both those who are made to honour and those who are made to
dishonour, whom they term of a nature that is to be saved and destroyed, there
will then be no longer souls of different natures, but one nature for all. And if
they admit that one and the same potter may undoubtedly denote one Creator,
there will not be different creators either of those who are saved, or of those who
perish. Now, truly, let them choose whether they will have a good Creator to be
intended who creates bad and ruined men, or one who is not good, who creates
good men and those who are prepared to honour. For the necessity of returning
an answer will extort from them one of these two alternatives. But according to
our declaration, whereby we say that it is owing to preceding causes that God
makes vessels either to honour or to dishonour, the approval of God's justice is
in no respect limited. For it is possible that this vessel, which owing to previous
causes was made in this world to honour, may, if it behave negligently, be
converted in another world, according to the deserts of its conduct, into a vessel
unto dishonour: as again, if any one, owing to preceding causes, was formed by
his Creator in this life a vessel unto dishonour, and shall mend his ways and
cleanse himself from all filth and vice, he may, in the new world, be made a
vessel to honour, sanctified and useful, and prepared unto every good work.
Finally, those who were formed by God in this world to be Israelites, and who
have lived a life unworthy of the nobility of their race, and have fallen away
from the grandeur of their descent, will, in the world to come, in a certain degree
be converted, on account of their unbelief, from vessels of honour into vessels of
dishonour; while, on the other hand, many who in this life were reckoned among
Egyptian or Idumean vessels, having adopted the faith and practice of Israelites,
when they shall have done the works of Israelites, and shall have entered the
Church of the Lord, will exist as vessels of honour in the revelation of the sons
of God. From which it is more agreeable to the rule of piety to believe that every
rational being, according to his purpose and manner of life, is converted,
sometimes from bad to good, and falls away sometimes from good to bad: that
some abide in good, and others advance to a better condition, and always ascend
to higher things, until they reach the highest grade of all; while others, again,
remain in evil, or, if the wickedness within them begin to spread itself further,
they descend to a worse condition, and sink into the lowest depth of wickedness.
Whence also we must suppose that it is possible there may be some who began
at first indeed with small offenses, but who have poured out wickedness to such
a degree, and attained such proficiency in evil, that in the measure of their
wickedness they are equal even to the opposing powers: and again, if, by means
of many severe administrations of punishment, they are able at some future time
to recover their senses, and gradually attempt to find healing for their wounds,
they may, on ceasing from their wickedness, be restored to a state of goodness.
Whence we are of opinion that, seeing the soul, as we have frequently said, is
immortal and eternal, it is possible that, in the many and endless periods of
duration in the immeasurable and different worlds, it may descend from the
highest good to the lowest evil, or be restored from the lowest evil to the highest
good.
22. But since the words of the apostle, in what he says regarding vessels of
honour or dishonour, that "if a man therefore purge himself, he will be a vessel
unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's service, and prepared unto
every good work," appear to place nothing in the power of God, but all in
ourselves; while in those in which he declares that "the potter has power over
the clay, to make of the same lump one vessel to honour, another to dishonour,"
he seems to refer the whole to God—it is not to be understood that those
statements are contradictory, but the two meanings are to be reduced to
agreement, and one signification must be drawn from both, viz., that we are not
to suppose either that those things which are in our own power can be done
without the help of God, or that those which are in God's hand can be brought to
completion without the intervention of our acts, and desires, and intention;
because we have it not in our own power so to will or do anything, as not to
know that this very faculty, by which we are able to will or to do, was bestowed
on us by God, according to the distinction which we indicated above. Or again,
when God forms vessels, some to honour and others to dishonour, we are to
suppose that He does not regard either our wills, or our purposes, or our deserts,
to be the causes of the honour or dishonour, as if they were a sort of matter from
which He may form the vessel of each one of us either to honour or to
dishonour; whereas the very movement of the soul itself, or the purpose of the
understanding, may of itself suggest to him, who is not unaware of his heart and
the thoughts of his mind, whether his vessel ought to be formed to honour or to
dishonour. But let these points suffice, which we have discussed as we best
could, regarding the questions connected with the freedom of the will.

Translation from the Greek

Chapter 1. On the Freedom of the Will, With an Explanation and
Interpretation of Those Statements of Scripture Which Appear to
Nullify It.

1. Since in the preaching of the Church there is included the doctrine

respecting a just judgment of God, which, when believed to be true, incites those
who hear it to live virtuously, and to shun sin by all means, inasmuch as they
manifestly acknowledge that things worthy of praise and blame are within our
own power, come and let us discuss by themselves a few points regarding the
freedom of the will— a question of all others most necessary. And that we may
understand what the freedom of the will is, it is necessary to unfold the
conception of it, that this being declared with precision, the subject may be
placed before us.
2. Of things that move, some have the cause of their motion within
themselves; others, again, are moved only from without. Now only portable
things are moved from without, such as pieces of wood, and stones, and all
matter that is held together by their constitution alone. And let that view be
removed from consideration which calls the flux of bodies motion, since it is not
needed for our present purpose. But animals and plants have the cause of their
motion within themselves, and in general whatever is held together by nature
and a soul, to which class of things they say that metals also belong. And besides
these, fire too is self-moved, and perhaps also fountains of water. Now, of those
things which have the cause of their movement within themselves, some, they
say, are moved out of themselves, others from themselves: things without life,
out of themselves; animate things, from themselves. For animate things are
moved from themselves, a phantasy springing up in them which incites to effort.
And again, in certain animals phantasies are formed which call forth an effort,
the nature of the phantasy stirring up the effort in an orderly manner, as in the
spider is formed the phantasy of weaving; and the attempt to weave follows, the
nature of its phantasy inciting the insect in an orderly manner to this alone. And
besides its phantasial nature, nothing else is believed to belong to the insect. And
in the bee there is formed the phantasy to produce wax.
3. The rational animal, however, has, in addition to its phantasial nature,
also reason, which judges the phantasies, and disapproves of some and accepts
others, in order that the animal may be led according to them. Therefore, since
there are in the nature of reason aids towards the contemplation of virtue and
vice, by following which, after beholding good and evil, we select the one and
avoid the other, we are deserving of praise when we give ourselves to the
practice of virtue, and censurable when we do the reverse. We must not,
however, be ignorant that the greater part of the nature assigned to all things is a
varying quantity among animals, both in a greater and a less degree; so that the
instinct in hunting-dogs and in war-horses approaches somehow, so to speak, to
the faculty of reason. Now, to fall under some one of those external causes
which stir up within us this phantasy or that, is confessedly not one of those
things that are dependent upon ourselves; but to determine that we shall use the
occurrence in this way or differently, is the prerogative of nothing else than of
the reason within us, which, as occasion offers, arouses us towards efforts
inciting to what is virtuous and becoming, or turns us aside to what is the
reverse.
4. But if any one maintain that this very external cause is of such a nature
that it is impossible to resist it when it comes in such a way, let him turn his
attention to his own feelings and movements, (and see) whether there is not an
approval, and assent, and inclination of the controlling principle towards some
object on account of some specious arguments. For, to take an instance, a
woman who has appeared before a man that has determined to be chaste, and to
refrain from carnal intercourse, and who has incited him to act contrary to his
purpose, is not a perfect cause of annulling his determination. For, being
altogether pleased with the luxury and allurement of the pleasure, and not
wishing to resist it, or to keep his purpose, he commits an act of licentiousness.
Another man, again (when the same things have happened to him who has
received more instruction, and has disciplined himself ), encounters, indeed,
allurements and enticements; but his reason, as being strengthened to a higher
point, and carefully trained, and confirmed in its views towards a virtuous
course, or being near to confirmation, repels the incitement, and extinguishes the
desire.
5. Such being the case, to say that we are moved from without, and to put
away the blame from ourselves, by declaring that we are like to pieces of wood
and stones, which are dragged about by those causes that act upon them from
without, is neither true nor in conformity with reason, but is the statement of him
who wishes to destroy the conception of free-will. For if we were to ask such an
one what was free-will, he would say that it consisted in this, that when
purposing to do some thing, no external cause came inciting to the reverse. But
to blame, on the other hand, the mere constitution of the body, is absurd; for the
disciplinary reason, taking hold of those who are most intemperate and savage
(if they will follow her exhortation), effects a transformation, so that the
alteration and change for the better is most extensive,— the most licentious men
frequently becoming better than those who formerly did not seem to be such by
nature; and the most savage men passing into such a state of mildness, that those
persons who never at any time were so savage as they were, appear savage in
comparison, so great a degree of gentleness having been produced within them.
And we see other men, most steady and respectable, driven from their state of
respectability and steadiness by intercourse with evil customs, so as to fall into
habits of licentiousness, often beginning their wickedness in middle age, and
plunging into disorder after the period of youth has passed, which, so far as its
nature is concerned, is unstable. Reason, therefore, demonstrates that external
events do not depend on us, but that it is our own business to use them in this
way or the opposite, having received reason as a judge and an investigator of the
manner in which we ought to meet those events that come from without.
6. Now, that it is our business to live virtuously, and that God asks this of
us, as not being dependent on Him nor on any other, nor, as some think, upon
fate, but as being our own doing, the prophet Micah will prove when he says: "If
it has been announced to you, O man, what is good, or what does the Lord
require of you, except to do justice and to love mercy?" Moses also: "I have
placed before your face the way of life, and the way of death: choose what is
good, and walk in it." Isaiah too: "If you are willing, and hear me, you shall eat
the good of the land; but if you be unwilling, and will not hear me, the sword
will consume you: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it." And in the Psalms:
"If My people had heard Me, and Israel had walked in My ways, I would have
humbled their enemies to nothing, and laid My hand upon those that afflicted
them;" showing that it was in the power of His people to hear and to walk in the
ways of God. And the Saviour also, when He commands, "But I say unto you,
Resist not evil;" and, "Whosoever shall be angry with his brother, shall be in
danger of the judgment;" and, "Whosoever shall look upon a woman to lust after
her, has already committed adultery with her in his heart;" and by any other
commandment which He gives, declares that it lies with ourselves to keep what
is enjoined, and that we shall reasonably be liable to condemnation if we
transgress. And therefore He says in addition: "He that hears My words, and
does them, shall be likened to a prudent man, who built his house upon a rock,"
etc., etc.; "while he that hears them, but does them not, is like a foolish man, who
built his house upon the sand," etc. And when He says to those on His right
hand, "Come, you blessed of My Father," etc.; "for I was an hungered, and you
gave Me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me to drink," it is exceedingly
manifest that He gives the promises to these as being deserving of praise. But, on
the contrary, to the others, as being censurable in comparison with them, He
says, "Depart, you cursed, into everlasting fire!" And let us observe how Paul
also converses with us as having freedom of will, and as being ourselves the
cause of ruin or salvation, when he says, "Do you despise the riches of His
goodness, and of His patience, and of His long-suffering; not knowing that the
goodness of God leads you to repentance? But, according to your hardness and
impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath
and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every one
according to his works: to those who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek
for glory and immortality, eternal life; while to those who are contentious, and
believe not the truth, but who believe iniquity, anger, wrath, tribulation, and
distress, on every soul of man that works evil; on the Jew first, and on the Greek:
but glory, and honour, and peace to every one that works good; to the Jew first,
and to the Greek." There are, indeed, innumerable passages in the Scriptures
which establish with exceeding clearness the existence of freedom of will.
7. But, since certain declarations of the Old Testament and of the New lead
to the opposite conclusion— namely, that it does not depend on ourselves to
keep the commandments and to be saved, or to transgress them and to be lost—
let us adduce them one by one, and see the explanations of them, in order that
from those which we adduce, any one selecting in a similar way all the passages
that seem to nullify free-will, may consider what is said about them by way of
explanation. And now, the statements regarding Pharaoh have troubled many,
respecting whom God declared several times, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart."
For if he is hardened by God, and commits sin in consequence of being
hardened, he is not the cause of sin to himself; and if so, then neither does
Pharaoh possess free-will. And some one will say that, in a similar way, they
who perish have not free-will, and will not perish of themselves. The declaration
also in Ezekiel, "I will take away their stony hearts, and will put in them hearts
of flesh, that they may walk in My precepts, and keep My commandments," might
lead one to think that it was God who gave the power to walk in His
commandments, and to keep His precepts, by His withdrawing the hindrance—
the stony heart, and implanting a better— a heart of flesh. And let us look also at
the passage in the Gospel— the answer which the Saviour returns to those who
inquired why He spoke to the multitude in parables. His words are: "That seeing
they might not see; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest they
should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them." The passage also in Paul:
"It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy."
The declarations, too, in other places, that "both to will and to do are of God;"
"that God has mercy upon whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He
hardens. You will say then, Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His
will?" "The persuasion is of Him that calls, and not of us." "Nay, O man, who
are you that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that has
formed it, Why have you made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay,
of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?"
Now these passages are sufficient of themselves to trouble the multitude, as if
man were not possessed of free-will, but as if it were God who saves and
destroys whom He will.
8. Let us begin, then, with what is said about Pharaoh— that he was
hardened by God, that he might not send away the people; along with which will
be examined also the statement of the apostle, "Therefore has He mercy on
whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardens." And certain of those
who hold different opinions misuse these passages, themselves also almost
destroying free-will by introducing ruined natures incapable of salvation, and
others saved which it is impossible can be lost; and Pharaoh, they say, as being
of a ruined nature, is therefore hardened by God, who has mercy upon the
spiritual, but hardens the earthly. Let us see now what they mean. For we shall
ask them if Pharaoh was of an earthy nature; and when they answer, we shall say
that he who is of an earthy nature is altogether disobedient to God: but if
disobedient, what need is there of his heart being hardened, and that not once,
but frequently? Unless perhaps, since it was possible for him to obey (in which
case he would certainly have obeyed, as not being earthy, when hard pressed by
the signs and wonders), God needs him to be disobedient to a greater degree, in
order that He may manifest His mighty deeds for the salvation of the multitude,
and therefore hardens his heart. This will be our answer to them in the first
place, in order to overturn their supposition that Pharaoh was of a ruined nature.
And the same reply must be given to them with respect to the statement of the
apostle. For whom does God harden? Those who perish, as if they would obey
unless they were hardened, or manifestly those who would be saved because
they are not of a ruined nature. And on whom has He mercy? Is it on those who
are to be saved? And how is there need of a second mercy for those who have
been prepared once for salvation, and who will by all means become blessed on
account of their nature? Unless perhaps, since they are capable of incurring
destruction, if they did not receive mercy, they will obtain mercy, in order that
they may not incur that destruction of which they are capable, but may be in the
condition of those who are saved. And this is our answer to such persons.
9. But to those who think they understand the term "hardened," we must
address the inquiry, What do they mean by saying that God, by His working,
hardens the heart, and with what purpose does He do this? For let them observe
the conception of a God who is in reality just and good; but if they will not allow
this, let it be conceded to them for the present that He is just; and let them show
how the good and just God, or the just God only, appears to be just, in hardening
the heart of him who perishes because of his being hardened: and how the just
God becomes the cause of destruction and disobedience, when men are
chastened by Him on account of their hardness and disobedience. And why does
He find fault with him, saying, "You will not let My people go;" "Lo, I will smite
all the first-born in Egypt, even your first-born;" and whatever else is recorded
as spoken from God to Pharaoh through the intervention of Moses? For he who
believes that the Scriptures are true, and that God is just, must necessarily
endeavour, if he be honest, to show how God, in using such expressions, may be
distinctly understood to be just. But if any one should stand, declaring with
uncovered head that the Creator of the world was inclined to wickedness, we
should need other words to answer them.
10. But since they say that they regard Him as a just God, and we as one
who is at the same time good and just, let us consider how the good and just God
could harden the heart of Pharaoh. See, then, whether, by an illustration used by
the apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we are able to prove that by one
operation God has mercy upon one man while He hardens another, although not
intending to harden; but, (although) having a good purpose, hardening follows as
a result of the inherent principle of wickedness in such persons, and so He is said
to harden him who is hardened. "The earth," he says, "which drinks in the rain
that comes oft upon it, and brings forth herbs meet for them for whom it is
dressed, receives blessing from God; but that which bears thorns and briers is
rejected, and is near to cursing, whose end is to be burned." As respects the rain,
then, there is one operation; and there being one operation as regards the rain,
the ground which is cultivated produces fruit, while that which is neglected and
is barren produces thorns. Now, it might seem profane for Him who rains to say,
"I produced the fruits, and the thorns that are in the earth;" and yet, although
profane, it is true. For, had rain not fallen, there would have been neither fruits
nor thorns; but, having fallen at the proper time and in moderation, both were
produced. The ground, now, which drank in the rain which often fell upon it, and
yet produced thorns and briers, is rejected and near to cursing. The blessing,
then, of the rain descended even upon the inferior land; but it, being neglected
and uncultivated, yielded thorns and thistles. In the same way, therefore, the
wonderful works also done by God are, as it were, the rain; while the differing
purposes are, as it were, the cultivated and neglected land, being (yet), like earth,
of one nature.
11. And as if the sun, uttering a voice, were to say, "I liquefy and dry up,"
liquefaction and drying up being opposite things, he would not speak falsely as
regards the point in question; wax being melted and mud being dried by the
same heat; so the same operation, which was performed through the
instrumentality of Moses, proved the hardness of Pharaoh on the one hand, the
result of his wickedness, and the yielding of the mixed Egyptian multitude who
took their departure with the Hebrews. And the brief statement that the heart of
Pharaoh was softened, as it were, when he said, "But you shall not go far: you
will go a three days' journey, and leave your wives," and anything else which he
said, yielding little by little before the signs, proves that the wonders made some
impression even upon him, but did not accomplish all (that they might). Yet
even this would not have happened, if that which is supposed by the many— the
hardening of Pharaoh's heart— had been produced by God Himself. And it is not
absurd to soften down such expressions agreeably to common usage: for good
masters often say to their slaves, when spoiled by their kindness and
forbearance, "I have made you bad, and I am to blame for offenses of such
enormity." For we must attend to the character and force of the phrase, and not
argue sophistically, disregarding the meaning of the expression. Paul
accordingly, having examined these points clearly, says to the sinner: "Or do you
despise the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not
knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? but, after your
hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto yourself wrath against the day
of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." Now, let what the
apostle says to the sinner be addressed to Pharaoh, and then the announcements
made to him will be understood to have been made with peculiar fitness, as to
one who, according to his hardness and unrepentant heart, was treasuring up to
himself wrath; seeing that his hardness would not have been proved nor made
manifest unless miracles had been performed, and miracles, too, of such
magnitude and importance.
12. But since such narratives are slow to secure assent, and are considered
to be forced, let us see from the prophetical declarations also, what those persons
say, who, although they have experienced the great kindness of God, have not
lived virtuously, but have afterwards sinned. "Why, O Lord, have You made us to
err from Your ways? Why have You hardened our heart, so as not to fear Your
name? Return for Your servants' sake, for the tribes of Your inheritance, that we
may inherit a small portion of Your holy mountain." And in Jeremiah: "You have
deceived me, O Lord, and I was deceived; You were strong, and You prevailed."
For the expression, "Why have You hardened our heart, so as not to fear Your
name?" uttered by those who are begging to receive mercy, is in its nature as
follows: "Why have You spared us so long, not visiting us because of our sins,
but deserting us, until our transgressions come to a height?" Now He leaves the
greater part of men unpunished, both in order that the habits of each one may be
examined, so far as it depends upon ourselves, and that the virtuous may be
made manifest in consequence of the test applied; while the others, not escaping
notice from God— for He knows all things before they exist— but from the
rational creation and themselves, may afterwards obtain the means of cure,
seeing they would not have known the benefit had they not condemned
themselves. It is of advantage to each one, that he perceive his own peculiar
nature and the grace of God. For he who does not perceive his own weakness
and the divine favour, although he receive a benefit, yet, not having made trial of
himself, nor having condemned himself, will imagine that the benefit conferred
upon him by the grace of Heaven is his own doing. And this imagination,
producing also vanity, will be the cause of a downfall: which, we conceive, was
the case with the devil, who attributed to himself the priority which he possessed
when in a state of sinlessness. "For every one that exalts himself shall be
abased," and "every one that humbles himself shall be exalted." And observe,
that for this reason divine things have been concealed from the wise and prudent,
in order, as says the apostle, that "no flesh should glory in the presence of God;"
and they have been revealed to babes, to those who after childhood have come to
better things, and who remember that it is not so much from their own effort, as
by the unspeakable goodness (of God), that they have reached the greatest
possible extent of blessedness.
13. It is not without reason, then, that he who is abandoned, is abandoned to
the divine judgment, and that God is long-suffering with certain sinners; but
because it will be for their advantage, with respect to the immortality of the soul
and the unending world, that they be not quickly brought into a state of
salvation, but be conducted to it more slowly, after having experienced many
evils. For as physicians, who are able to cure a man quickly, when they suspect
that a hidden poison exists in the body, do the reverse of healing, making this
more certain through their very desire to heal, deeming it better for a
considerable time to retain the patient under inflammation and sickness, in order
that he may recover his health more surely, than to appear to produce a rapid
recovery, and afterwards to cause a relapse, and (thus) that hasty cure last only
for a time; in the same way, God also, who knows the secret things of the heart,
and foresees future events, in His long-suffering, permits (certain events to
occur), and by means of those things which happen from without extracts the
secret evil, in order to cleanse him who through carelessness has received the
seeds of sin, that having vomited them forth when they came to the surface,
although he may have been deeply involved in evils, he may afterwards obtain
healing after his wickedness, and be renewed. For God governs souls not with
reference, let me say, to the fifty years of the present life, but with reference to
an illimitable age: for He made the thinking principle immortal in its nature, and
kindred to Himself; and the rational soul is not, as in this life, excluded from
cure.
14. Come now, and let us use the following image from the Gospel. There
is a certain rock, with a little surface-soil, on which, if seeds fall, they quickly
spring up; but when sprung up, as not having root, they are burned and withered
when the sun has arisen. Now this rock is a human soul, hardened on account of
its negligence, and converted to stone because of its wickedness; for no one
receives from God a heart created of stone, but it becomes such in consequence
of wickedness. If one, then, were to find fault with the husbandman for not
sowing his seed sooner upon the rocky soil, when he saw other rocky ground
which had received seed flourishing, the husbandman would reply, "I shall sow
this ground more slowly, casting in seeds that will be able to retain their hold,
this slower method being better for the ground, and more secure than that which
receives the seed in a more rapid manner, and more upon the surface." (The
person finding fault) would yield his assent to the husbandman, as one who
spoke with sound reason, and who acted with skill: so also the great
Husbandman of all nature postpones that benefit which might be deemed
premature, that it may not prove superficial. But it is probable that here some
one may object to us with reference to this: "Why do some of the seeds fall upon
the earth that has superficial soil, the soul being, as it were, a rock?" Now we
must say, in answer to this, that it was better for this soul, which desired better
things precipitately, and not by a way which led to them, to obtain its desire, in
order that, condemning itself on this account, it may, after a long time, endure to
receive the husbandry which is according to nature. For souls are, as one may
say, innumerable; and their habits are innumerable, and their movements, and
their purposes, and their assaults, and their efforts, of which there is only one
admirable administrator, who knows both the season, and the fitting helps, and
the avenues, and the ways, viz., the God and Father of all things, who knows
how He conducts even Pharaoh by so great events, and by drowning in the sea,
with which latter occurrence His superintendence of Pharaoh does not cease. For
he was not annihilated when drowned: "For in the hand of God are both we and
our words; all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship." And such is a
moderate defence with regard to the statement that "Pharaoh's heart was
hardened," and that "God has mercy upon whom He will have mercy, and whom
He will He hardens."
15. Let us look also at the declaration in Ezekiel, which says, "I shall take
away their stony hearts, and will put in them hearts of flesh, that they may walk
in My statutes and keep My precepts." For if God, when He wills, takes away the
stony hearts, and implants hearts of flesh, so that His precepts are obeyed and
His commandments are observed, it is not in our power to put away wickedness.
For the taking away of the stony hearts is nothing else than the taking away of
the wickedness, according to which one is hardened, from him from whom God
wills to take it; and the implanting of a heart of flesh, so that a man may walk in
the precepts of God and keep His commandments, what else is it than to become
somewhat yielding and unresistent to the truth, and to be capable of practising
virtues? And if God promises to do this, and if, before He takes away the stony
hearts, we do not lay them aside, it is manifest that it does not depend upon
ourselves to put away wickedness; and if it is not we who do anything towards
the production within us of the heart of flesh, but if it is God's doing, it will not
be our own act to live agreeably to virtue, but altogether (the result of) divine
grace. Such will be the statements of him who, from the mere words (of
Scripture), annihilates free-will. But we shall answer, saying, that we ought to
understand these passages thus: That as a man, e.g., who happened to be
ignorant and uneducated, on perceiving his own defects, either in consequence
of an exhortation from his teacher, or in some other way, should spontaneously
give himself up to him whom he considers able to introduce him to education
and virtue; and, on his yielding himself up, his instructor promises that he will
take away his ignorance, and implant instruction, not as if it contributed nothing
to his training, and to the avoiding of ignorance, that he brought himself to be
healed, but because the instructor promised to improve him who desired
improvement; so, in the same way, the Word of God promises to take away
wickedness, which it calls a stony heart, from those who come to it, not if they
are unwilling, but (only) if they submit themselves to the Physician of the sick,
as in the Gospels the sick are found coming to the Saviour, and asking to obtain
healing, and so are cured. And, let me say, the recovery of sight by the blind is,
so far as their request goes, the act of those who believe that they are capable of
being healed; but as respects the restoration of sight, it is the work of our
Saviour. Thus, then, does the Word of God promise to implant knowledge in
those who come to it, by taking away the stony and hard heart, which is
wickedness, in order that one may walk in the divine commandments, and keep
the divine injunctions.
16. There was after this the passage from the Gospel, where the Saviour
said, that for this reason did He speak to those without in parables, that "seeing
they may not see, and hearing they may not understand; lest they should be
converted, and their sins be forgiven them." Now, our opponent will say, "If
some persons are assuredly converted on hearing words of greater clearness, so
that they become worthy of the remission of sins, and if it does not depend upon
themselves to hear these words of greater clearness, but upon him who teaches,
and he for this reason does not announce them to them more distinctly, lest they
should see and understand, it is not within the power of such to be saved; and if
so, we are not possessed of free-will as regards salvation and destruction."
Effectual, indeed, would be the reply to such arguments, were it not for the
addition, "Lest they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them," —
namely, that the Saviour did not wish those who were not to become good and
virtuous to understand the more mystical (parts of His teaching), and for this
reason spoke to them in parables; but now, on account of the words, "Lest they
should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them," the defence is more
difficult. In the first place, then, we must notice the passage in its bearing on the
heretics, who hunt out those portions from the Old Testament where is exhibited,
as they themselves daringly assert, the cruelty of the Creator of the world in His
purpose of avenging and punishing the wicked, or by whatever other name they
wish to designate such a quality, so speaking only that they may say that
goodness does not exist in the Creator; and who do not deal with the New
Testament in a similar manner, nor in a spirit of candour, but pass by places
similar to those which they consider censurable in the Old Testament. For
manifestly, and according to the Gospel, is the Saviour shown, as they assert, by
His former words, not to speak distinctly for this reason, that men might not be
converted, and, being converted, might become deserving of the remission of
sins: which statement of itself is nothing inferior to those passages from the Old
Testament which are objected to. And if they seek to defend the Gospel, we must
ask them whether they are not acting in a blameworthy manner in dealing
differently with the same questions; and, while not stumbling against the New
Testament, but seeking to defend it, they nevertheless bring a charge against the
Old regarding similar points, whereas they ought to offer a defence in the same
way of the passages from the New. And therefore we shall force them, on
account of the resemblances, to regard all as the writings of one God. Come,
then, and let us, to the best of our ability, furnish an answer to the question
submitted to us.
17. We asserted also, when investigating the subject of Pharaoh, that
sometimes a rapid cure is not for the advantage of those who are healed, if, after
being seized by troublesome diseases, they should easily get rid of those by
which they had been entangled. For, despising the evil as one that is easy of
cure, and not being on their guard a second time against falling into it, they will
be involved in it (again). Wherefore, in the case of such persons, the everlasting
God, the Knower of secrets, who knows all things before they exist, in
conformity with His goodness, delays sending them more rapid assistance, and,
so to speak, in helping them does not help, the latter course being to their
advantage. It is probable, then, that those "without," of whom we are speaking,
having been foreseen by the Saviour, according to our supposition, as not
(likely) to prove steady in their conversion, if they should hear more clearly the
words that were spoken, were (so) treated by the Saviour as not to hear distinctly
the deeper (things of His teaching), lest, after a rapid conversion, and after being
healed by obtaining remission of sins, they should despise the wounds of their
wickedness, as being slight and easy of healing, and should again speedily
relapse into them. And perhaps also, suffering punishment for their former
transgressions against virtue, which they had committed when they had forsaken
her, they had not yet filled up the (full) time; in order that, being abandoned by
the divine superintendence, and being filled to a greater degree by their own
evils which they had sown, they may afterwards be called to a more stable
repentance; so as not to be quickly entangled again in those evils in which they
had formerly been involved when they treated with insolence the requirements
of virtue, and devoted themselves to worse things. Those, then, who are said to
be "without" (manifestly by comparison with those "within" ), not being very far
from those "within," while those "within" hear clearly, do themselves hear
indistinctly, because they are addressed in parables; but nevertheless they do
hear. Others, again, of those "without," who are called Tyrians, although it was
foreknown that they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and
ashes, had the Saviour come near their borders, do not hear even those words
which are heard by those "without" (being, as is probable, very far inferior in
merit to those "without" ), in order that at another season, after it has been more
tolerable for them than for those who did not receive the word (among whom he
mentioned also the Tyrians), they may, on hearing the word at a more
appropriate time, obtain a more lasting repentance. But observe whether, besides
our desire to investigate (the truth), we do not rather strive to maintain an
attitude of piety in everything regarding God and His Christ, seeing we
endeavour by every means to prove that, in matters so great and so peculiar
regarding the varied providence of God, He takes an oversight of the immortal
soul. If, indeed, one were to inquire regarding those things that are objected to,
why those who saw wonders and who heard divine words are not benefited,
while the Tyrians would have repented if such had been performed and spoken
among them; and should ask, and say, Why did the Saviour proclaim such to
these persons, to their own hurt, that their sin might be reckoned to them as
heavier? We must say, in answer to such an one, that He who understands the
dispositions of all those who find fault with His providence— (alleging) that it is
owing to it that they have not believed, because it did not permit them to see
what it enabled others to behold, and did not arrange for them to hear those
words by which others, on hearing them, were benefited— wishing to prove that
their defence is not founded on reason, He grants those advantages which those
who blame His administration asked; in order that, after obtaining them, they
may notwithstanding be convicted of the greatest impiety in not having even
then yielded themselves to be benefited, and may cease from such audacity; and
having been made free in respect to this very point, may learn that God
occasionally, in conferring benefits upon certain persons, delays and
procrastinates, not conferring the favour of seeing and hearing those things
which, when seen and heard, would render the sin of those who did not believe,
after acts so great and peculiar, heavier and more serious.
18. Let us look next at the passage: "So, then, it is not of him that wills, nor
of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy." For they who find fault say: If
"it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy,"
salvation does not depend upon ourselves, but upon the arrangement made by
Him who has formed us such as we are, or on the purpose of Him who shows
mercy when he pleases. Now we must ask these persons the following questions:
Whether to desire what is good is virtuous or vicious; and whether the desire to
run in order to reach the goal in the pursuit of what is good be worthy of praise
or censure? And if they shall say that it is worthy of censure, they will return an
absurd answer; since the saints desire and run, and manifestly in so acting do
nothing that is blameworthy. But if they shall say that it is virtuous to desire
what is good, and to run after what is good, we shall ask them how a perishing
nature desires better things; for it is like an evil tree producing good fruit, since it
is a virtuous act to desire better things. They will give (perhaps) a third answer,
that to desire and run after what is good is one of those things that are
indifferent, and neither beautiful nor wicked. Now to this we must say, that if to
desire and to run after what is good be a thing of indifference, then the opposite
also is a thing of indifference, viz., to desire what is evil, and to run after it. But
it is not a thing of indifference to desire what is evil, and to run after it. And
therefore also, to desire what is good, and to run after it, is not a thing of
indifference. Such, then, is the defence which I think we can offer to the
statement, that "it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that
shows mercy." Solomon says in the book of Psalms (for the Song of Degrees is
his, from which we shall quote the words): "Unless the Lord build the house,
they labour in vain that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman
wakes in vain:" not dissuading us from building, nor teaching us not to keep
watch in order to guard the city in our soul, but showing that what is built
without God, and does not receive a guard from Him, is built in vain and
watched to no purpose, because God might reasonably be entitled the Lord of the
building; and the Governor of all things, the Ruler of the guard of the city. As,
then, if we were to say that such a building is not the work of the builder, but of
God, and that it was not owing to the successful effort of the watcher, but of the
God who is over all, that such a city suffered no injury from its enemies, we
should not be wrong, it being understood that something also had been done by
human means, but the benefit being gratefully referred to God who brought it to
pass; so, seeing that the (mere) human desire is not sufficient to attain the end,
and that the running of those who are, as it were, athletes, does not enable them
to gain the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus— for these things are
accomplished with the assistance of God— it is well said that "it is not of him
that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy." As if also it were
said with regard to husbandry what also is actually recorded: "I planted, Apollos
watered; and God gave the increase. So then neither is he that plants anything,
neither he that waters; but God that gives the increase." Now we could not
piously assert that the production of full crops was the work of the husbandman,
or of him that watered, but the work of God. So also our own perfection is
brought about, not as if we ourselves did nothing; for it is not completed by us,
but God produces the greater part of it. And that this assertion may be more
clearly believed, we shall take an illustration from the art of navigation. For in
comparison with the effect of the winds, and the mildness of the air, and the light
of the stars, all co-operating in the preservation of the crew, what proportion
could the art of navigation be said to bear in the bringing of the ship into
harbour?— since even the sailors themselves, from piety, do not venture to
assert often that they had saved the ship, but refer all to God; not as if they had
done nothing, but because what had been done by Providence was infinitely
greater than what had been effected by their art. And in the matter of our
salvation, what is done by God is infinitely greater than what is done by
ourselves; and therefore, I think, is it said that "it is not of him that wills, nor of
him that runs, but of God that shows mercy." For if in the manner which they
imagine we must explain the statement, that "it is not of him that wills, nor of
him that runs, but of God that shows mercy," the commandments are
superfluous; and it is in vain that Paul himself blames some for having fallen
away, and approves of others as having remained upright, and enacts laws for
the Churches: it is in vain also that we give ourselves up to desire better things,
and in vain also (to attempt) to run. But it is not in vain that Paul gives such
advice, censuring some and approving of others; nor in vain that we give
ourselves up to the desire of better things, and to the chase after things that are
pre-eminent. They have accordingly not well explained the meaning of the
passage.
19. Besides these, there is the passage, "Both to will and to do are of God."
And some assert that, if to will be of God, and to do be of God, and if, whether
we will evil or do evil, these (movements) come to us from God, then, if so, we
are not possessed of free-will. But again, on the other hand, when we will better
things, and do things that are more excellent, seeing that willing and doing are
from God, it is not we who have done the more excellent things, but we only
appeared (to perform them), while it was God that bestowed them; so that even
in this respect we do not possess free-will. Now to this we have to answer, that
the language of the apostle does not assert that to will evil is of God, or to will
good is of Him (and similarly with respect to doing better and worse); but that to
will in a general way, and to run in a general way, (are from Him). For as we
have from God (the property) of being living things and human beings, so also
have we that of willing generally, and, so to speak, of motion in general. And as,
possessing (the property) of life and of motion, and of moving, e.g., these
members, the hands or the feet, we could not rightly say that we had from God
this species of motion, whereby we moved to strike, or destroy, or take away
another's goods, but that we had received from Him simply the generic power of
motion, which we employed to better or worse purposes; so we have obtained
from God (the power) of acting, in respect of our being living things, and (the
power) to will from the Creator while we employ the power of will, as well as
that of action, for the noblest objects, or the opposite.
20. Still the declaration of the apostle will appear to drag us to the
conclusion that we are not possessed of freedom of will, in which, objecting
against himself, he says, "Therefore has He mercy on whom He will have mercy,
and whom He will He hardens. You will say then unto me, Why does He yet find
fault? For who has resisted His will? Nay but, O man, who are you that repliest
against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why have you
made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to
make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" For it will be said:
If the potter of the same lump make some vessels to honour and others to
dishonour, and God thus form some men for salvation and others for ruin, then
salvation or ruin does not depend upon ourselves, nor are we possessed of free-
will. Now we must ask him who deals so with these passages, whether it is
possible to conceive of the apostle as contradicting himself. I presume, however,
that no one will venture to say so. If, then, the apostle does not utter
contradictions, how can he, according to him who so understands him,
reasonably find fault, censuring the individual at Corinth who had committed
fornication, or those who had fallen away, and had not repented of the
licentiousness and impurity of which they had been guilty? And how can he
bless those whom he praises as having done well, as he does the house of
Onesiphorus in these words: "The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus;
for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was in
Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant to him
that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day." It is not consistent for the same
apostle to blame the sinner as worthy of censure, and to praise him who had
done well as deserving of approval; and again, on the other hand, to say, as if
nothing depended on ourselves, that the cause was in the Creator why the one
vessel was formed to honour, and the other to dishonour. And how is this
statement correct: "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has
done, whether it be good or bad," since they who have done evil have advanced
to this pitch of wickedness because they were created vessels unto dishonour,
while they that have lived virtuously have done good because they were created
from the beginning for this purpose, and became vessels unto honour? And
again, how does not the statement made elsewhere conflict with the view which
these persons draw from the words which we have quoted (that it is the fault of
the Creator that one vessel is in honour and another in dishonour), viz., "that in a
great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of
earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge
himself, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's
use, and prepared unto every good work;" for if he who purges himself becomes
a vessel unto honour, and he who allows himself to remain unpurged becomes a
vessel unto dishonour, then, so far as these words are concerned, the Creator is
not at all to blame. For the Creator makes vessels of honour and vessels of
dishonour, not from the beginning according to His foreknowledge, since He
does not condemn or justify beforehand according to it; but (He makes) those
into vessels of honour who purged themselves, and those into vessels of
dishonour who allowed themselves to remain unpurged: so that it results from
older causes (which operated) in the formation of the vessels unto honour and
dishonour, that one was created for the former condition, and another for the
latter. But if we once admit that there were certain older causes (at work) in the
forming of a vessel unto honour, and of one unto dishonour, what absurdity is
there in going back to the subject of the soul, and (in supposing) that a more
ancient cause for Jacob being loved and for Esau being hated existed with
respect to Jacob before his assumption of a body, and with regard to Esau before
he was conceived in the womb of Rebecca?
21. And at the same time, it is clearly shown that, as far as regards the
underlying nature, as there is one (piece of) clay which is under the hands of the
potter, from which piece vessels are formed unto honour and dishonour; so the
one nature of every soul being in the hands of God, and, so to speak, there being
(only) one lump of reasonable beings, certain causes of more ancient date led to
some being created vessels unto honour, and others vessels unto dishonour. But
if the language of the apostle convey a censure when he says, "Nay but, O man,
who are you that repliest against God?" it teaches us that he who has confidence
before God, and is faithful, and has lived virtuously, would not hear the words,
"Who are you that repliest against God?" Such an one, e.g., as Moses was, "For
Moses spoke, and God answered him with a voice;" and as God answers Moses,
so does a saint also answer God. But he who does not possess this confidence,
manifestly, either because he has lost it, or because he investigates these matters
not from a love of knowledge, but from a desire to find fault, and who therefore
says, "Why does He yet find fault? For who has resisted His will?" would merit
the language of censure, which says, "Nay but, O man, who are you that repliest
against God?"
Now to those who introduce different natures, and who make use of the
declaration of the apostle (to support their view), the following must be our
answer. If they maintain that those who perish and those who are saved are
formed of one lump, and that the Creator of those who are saved is the Creator
also of them who are lost, and if He is good who creates not only spiritual but
also earthy (natures) (for this follows from their view), it is nevertheless possible
that he who, in consequence of certain former acts of righteousness, had now
been made a vessel of honour, but who had not (afterwards) acted in a similar
manner, nor done things befitting a vessel of honour, was converted in another
world into a vessel of dishonour; as, on the other hand, it is possible that he who,
owing to causes more ancient than the present life, was here a vessel of
dishonour, may after reformation become in the new creation "a vessel of
honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, prepared unto every good
work." And perhaps those who are now Israelites, not having lived worthily of
their descent, will be deprived of their rank, being changed, as it were, from
vessels of honour into those of dishonour; and many of the present Egyptians
and Idumeans who came near to Israel, when they shall have borne fruit to a
larger extent, shall enter into the Church of the Lord, being no longer accounted
Egyptians and Idumeans, but becoming Israelites: so that, according to this view,
it is owing to their (varying) purposes that some advance from a worse to a
better condition, and others fall from better to worse; while others, again, are
preserved in a virtuous course, or ascend from good to better; and others, on the
contrary, remain in a course of evil, or from bad become worse, as their
wickedness flows on.
22. But since the apostle in one place does not pretend that the becoming of
a vessel unto honour or dishonour depends upon God, but refers back the whole
to ourselves, saying, "If, then, a man purge himself, he will be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good
work;" and elsewhere does not even pretend that it is dependent upon ourselves,
but appears to attribute the whole to God, saying, "The potter has power over the
clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another to
dishonour;" and as his statements are not contradictory, we must reconcile them,
and extract one complete statement from both. Neither does our own power,
apart from the knowledge of God, compel us to make progress; nor does the
knowledge of God (do so), unless we ourselves also contribute something to the
good result; nor does our own power, apart from the knowledge of God, and the
use of the power that worthily belongs to us, make a man become (a vessel) unto
honour or dishonour; nor does the will of God alone form a man to honour or to
dishonour, unless He hold our will to be a kind of matter that admits of variation,
and that inclines to a better or worse course of conduct. And these observations
are sufficient to have been made by us on the subject of free-will.

Chapter 2. On the Opposing Powers.

1. We have now to notice, agreeably to the statements of Scripture, how the

opposing powers, or the devil himself, contends with the human race, inciting
and instigating men to sin. And in the first place, in the book of Genesis, the
serpent is described as having seduced Eve; regarding whom, in the work
entitled The Ascension of Moses (a little treatise, of which the Apostle Jude
makes mention in his Epistle), the archangel Michael, when disputing with the
devil regarding the body of Moses, says that the serpent, being inspired by the
devil, was the cause of Adam and Eve's transgression. This also is made a
subject of inquiry by some, viz., who the angel was that, speaking from heaven
to Abraham, said, "Now I know that you fear God, and on my account hast not
spared your beloved son, whom you loved." For he is manifestly described as an
angel who said that he knew then that Abraham feared God, and had not spared
his beloved son, as the Scripture declares, although he did not say that it was on
account of God that Abraham had done this, but on his, that is, the speaker's
account. We must also ascertain who that is of whom it is stated in the book of
Exodus that he wished to slay Moses, because he was taking his departure for
Egypt; and afterwards, also, who he is that is called the destroying angel, as well
as he who in the book of Leviticus is called Apopompæus, i.e., Averter,
regarding whom Scripture says, "One lot for the Lord, and one lot for
Apopompæus, i.e., the Averter." In the first book of Kings, also, an evil spirit is
said to strangle Saul; and in the third book, Micaiah the prophet says, "I saw the
Lord of Israel sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him,
on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achab
king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this
manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and
stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him,
Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth
of all his prophets. And He said, You shall deceive him, and prevail also: go
forth, and do so quickly. And now therefore the Lord has put a lying spirit in the
mouth of all your prophets: the Lord has spoken evil concerning you." Now by
this last quotation it is clearly shown that a certain spirit, from his own (free) will
and choice, elected to deceive (Achab), and to work a lie, in order that the Lord
might mislead the king to his death, for he deserved to suffer. In the first book of
Chronicles also it is said, "The devil, Satan, stood up against Israel, and
provoked David to number the people." In the Psalms, moreover, an evil angel is
said to harass certain persons. In the book of Ecclesiastes, too, Solomon says, "If
the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soundness
will restrain many transgressions." In Zechariah we read that the devil stood on
the right hand of Joshua, and resisted him. Isaiah says that the sword of the Lord
arises against the dragon, the crooked serpent. And what shall I say of Ezekiel,
who in his second vision prophesies most unmistakeably to the prince of Tyre
regarding an opposing power, and who says also that the dragon dwells in the
rivers of Egypt? Nay, with what else are the contents of the whole work which is
written regarding Job occupied, save with the (doings) of the devil, who asks
that power may be given him over all that Job possesses, and over his sons, and
even over his person? And yet the devil is defeated through the patience of Job.
In that book the Lord has by His answers imparted much information regarding
the power of that dragon which opposes us. Such, meanwhile, are the statements
made in the Old Testament, so far as we can at present recall them, on the
subject of hostile powers being either named in Scripture, or being said to
oppose the human race, and to be afterwards subjected to punishment.
Let us now look also to the New Testament, where Satan approaches the
Saviour, and tempts Him: wherein also it is stated that evil spirits and unclean
demons, which had taken possession of very many, were expelled by the Saviour
from the bodies of the sufferers, who are said also to be made free by Him. Even
Judas, too, when the devil had already put it in his heart to betray Christ,
afterwards received Satan wholly into him; for it is written, that after the sop
"Satan entered into him." And the Apostle Paul teaches us that we ought not to
give place to the devil; but "put on," he says, "the armour of God, that you may
be able to resist the wiles of the devil:" pointing out that the saints have to "
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places." Nay, he says that the Saviour even was crucified by the princes of
this world, who shall come to nought, whose wisdom also, he says, he does not
speak. By all this, therefore, holy Scripture teaches us that there are certain
invisible enemies that fight against us, and against whom it commands us to arm
ourselves. Whence, also, the more simple among the believers in the Lord Christ
are of opinion, that all the sins which men have committed are caused by the
persistent efforts of these opposing powers exerted upon the minds of sinners,
because in that invisible struggle these powers are found to be superior (to man).
For if, for example, there were no devil, no single human being would go astray.
2. We, however, who see the reason (of the thing) more clearly, do not hold
this opinion, taking into account those (sins) which manifestly originate as a
necessary consequence of our bodily constitution. Must we indeed suppose that
the devil is the cause of our feeling hunger or thirst? Nobody, I think, will
venture to maintain that. If, then, he is not the cause of our feeling hunger and
thirst, wherein lies the difference when each individual has attained the age of
puberty, and that period has called forth the incentives of the natural heat? It will
undoubtedly follow, that as the devil is not the cause of our feeling hunger and
thirst, so neither is he the cause of that appetency which naturally arises at the
time of maturity, viz., the desire of sexual intercourse. Now it is certain that this
cause is not always so set in motion by the devil that we should be obliged to
suppose that bodies would nor possess a desire for intercourse of that kind if the
devil did not exist. Let us consider, in the next place, if, as we have already
shown, food is desired by human beings, not from a suggestion of the devil, but
by a kind of natural instinct, whether, if there were no devil, it were possible for
human experience to exhibit such restraint in partaking of food as never to
exceed the proper limits; i.e., that no one would either take otherwise than the
case required, or more than reason would allow; and so it would result that men,
observing due measure and moderation in the matter of eating, would never go
wrong. I do not think, indeed, that so great moderation could be observed by
men (even if there were no instigation by the devil inciting thereto), as that no
individual, in partaking of food, would go beyond due limits and restraint, until
he had learned to do so from long usage and experience. What, then, is the state
of the case? In the matter of eating and drinking it was possible for us to go
wrong, even without any incitement from the devil, if we should happen to be
either less temperate or less careful (than we ought); and are we to suppose, then,
in our appetite for sexual intercourse, or in the restraint of our natural desires,
our condition is not something similar? I am of opinion, indeed, that the same
course of reasoning must be understood to apply to other natural movements as
those of covetousness, or of anger, or of sorrow, or of all those generally which
through the vice of intemperance exceed the natural bounds of moderation.
There are therefore manifest reasons for holding the opinion, that as in good
things the human will is of itself weak to accomplish any good (for it is by
divine help that it is brought to perfection in everything); so also, in things of an
opposite nature we receive certain initial elements, and, as it were, seeds of sins,
from those things which we use agreeably to nature; but when we have indulged
them beyond what is proper, and have not resisted the first movements to
intemperance, then the hostile power, seizing the occasion of this first
transgression, incites and presses us hard in every way, seeking to extend our
sins over a wider field, and furnishing us human beings with occasions and
beginnings of sins, which these hostile powers spread far and wide, and, if
possible, beyond all limits. Thus, when men at first for a little desire money,
covetousness begins to grow as the passion increases, and finally the fall into
avarice takes place. And after this, when blindness of mind has succeeded
passion, and the hostile powers, by their suggestions, hurry on the mind, money
is now no longer desired, but stolen, and acquired by force, or even by shedding
human blood. Finally, a confirmatory evidence of the fact that vices of such
enormity proceed from demons, may be easily seen in this, that those individuals
who are oppressed either by immoderate love, or incontrollable anger, or
excessive sorrow, do not suffer less than those who are bodily vexed by devils.
For it is recorded in certain histories, that some have fallen into madness from a
state of love, others from a state of anger, not a few from a state of sorrow, and
even from one of excessive joy; which results, I think, from this, that those
opposing powers, i.e., those demons, having gained a lodgment in their minds
which has been already laid open to them by intemperance, have taken complete
possession of their sensitive nature, especially when no feeling of the glory of
virtue has aroused them to resistance.
3. That there are certain sins, however, which do not proceed from the
opposing powers, but take their beginnings from the natural movements of the
body, is manifestly declared by the Apostle Paul in the passage: "The flesh lusts
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one
to the other; so that you cannot do the things that you would." If, then, the flesh
lust against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, we have occasionally to
wrestle against flesh and blood, i.e., as being men, and walking according to the
flesh, and not capable of being tempted by greater than human temptations; since
it is said of us, "There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to
man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you
are able." For as the presidents of the public games do not allow the competitors
to enter the lists indiscriminately or fortuitously, but after a careful examination,
pairing in a most impartial consideration either of size or age, this individual
with that— boys, e.g., with boys, men with men, who are nearly related to each
other either in age or strength; so also must we understand the procedure of
divine providence, which arranges on most impartial principles all who descend
into the struggles of this human life, according to the nature of each individual's
power, which is known only to Him who alone beholds the hearts of men: so that
one individual fights against one temptation of the flesh, another against a
second; one is exposed to its influence for so long a period of time, another only
for so long; one is tempted by the flesh to this or that indulgence, another to one
of a different kind; one has to resist this or that hostile power, another has to
combat two or three at the same time; or at one time this hostile influence, at
another that; at some particular date having to resist one enemy, and at another a
different one; being, after the performance of certain acts, exposed to one set of
enemies, after others to a second. And observe whether some such state of things
be not indicated by the language of the apostle: "God is faithful, who will not
suffer you to be tempted above what you are able," i.e., each one is tempted in
proportion to the amount of his strength or power of resistance. Now, although
we have said that it is by the just judgment of God that every one is tempted
according to the amount of his strength, we are not therefore to suppose that he
who is tempted ought by all means to prove victorious in the struggle; in like
manner as he who contends in the lists, although paired with his adversary on a
just principle of arrangement, will nevertheless not necessarily prove conqueror.
But unless the powers of the combatants are equal, the prize of the victor will not
be justly won; nor will blame justly attach to the vanquished, because He allows
us indeed to be tempted, but not "beyond what we are able:" for it is in
proportion to our strength that we are tempted; and it is not written that, in
temptation, He will make also a way to escape so as that we should bear it, but a
way to escape so as that we should be able to bear it. But it depends upon
ourselves to use either with energy or feebleness this power which He has given
us. For there is no doubt that under every temptation we have a power of
endurance, if we employ properly the strength that is granted us. But it is not the
same thing to possess the power of conquering and to be victorious, as the
apostle himself has shown in very cautious language, saying, "God will make a
way to escape, that you may be able to bear it," not that you will bear it. For
many do not sustain temptation, but are overcome by it. Now God enables us not
to sustain (temptation), (otherwise there would appear to be no struggle), but to
have the power of sustaining it. But this power which is given us to enable us to
conquer may be used, according to our faculty of free-will, either in a diligent
manner, and then we prove victorious, or in a slothful manner, and then we are
defeated. For if such a power were wholly given us as that we must by all means
prove victorious, and never be defeated, what further reason for a struggle could
remain to him who cannot be overcome? Or what merit is there in a victory,
where the power of successful resistance is taken away? But if the possibility of
conquering be equally conferred on us all, and if it be in our own power how to
use this possibility, i.e., either diligently or slothfully, then will the vanquished
be justly censured, and the victor be deservedly lauded. Now from these points
which we have discussed to the best of our power, it is, I think, clearly evident
that there are certain transgressions which we by no means commit under the
pressure of malignant powers; while there are others, again, to which we are
incited by instigation on their part to excessive and immoderate indulgence.
Whence it follows that we have to inquire how those opposing powers produce
these incitements within us.
4. With respect to the thoughts which proceed from our heart, or the
recollection of things which we have done, or the contemplation of any things or
causes whatever, we find that they sometimes proceed from ourselves, and
sometimes are originated by the opposing powers; not seldom also are they
suggested by God, or by the holy angels. Now such a statement will perhaps
appear incredible, unless it be confirmed by the testimony of holy Scripture.
That, then, thoughts arise within ourselves, David testifies in the Psalms, saying,
"The thought of a man will make confession to You, and the rest of the thought
shall observe to You a festival day." That this, however, is also brought about by
the opposing powers, is shown by Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes in the
following manner: "If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your
place; for soundness restrains great offenses." The Apostle Paul also will bear
testimony to the same point in the words: "Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of Christ." That it is an
effect due to God, nevertheless, is declared by David, when he says in the
Psalms, "Blessed is the man whose help is in You, O Lord, Your ascents (are) in
his heart." And the apostle says that "God put it into the heart of Titus." That
certain thoughts are suggested to men's hearts either by good or evil angels, is
shown both by the angel that accompanied Tobias, and by the language of the
prophet, where he says, "And the angel who spoke in me answered." The book of
the Shepherd declares the same, saying that each individual is attended by two
angels; that whenever good thoughts arise in our hearts, they are suggested by
the good angel; but when of a contrary kind, they are the instigation of the evil
angel. The same is declared by Barnabas in his Epistle, where he says there are
two ways, one of light and one of darkness, over which he asserts that certain
angels are placed—the angels of God over the way of light, the angels of Satan
over the way of darkness. We are not, however, to imagine that any other result
follows from what is suggested to our heart, whether good or bad, save a
(mental) commotion only, and an incitement instigating us either to good or evil.
For it is quite within our reach, when a malignant power has begun to incite us to
evil, to cast away from us the wicked suggestions, and to resist the vile
inducements, and to do nothing that is at all deserving of blame. And, on the
other hand, it is possible, when a divine power calls us to better things, not to
obey the call; our freedom of will being preserved to us in either case. We said,
indeed, in the foregoing pages, that certain recollections of good or evil actions
were suggested to us either by the act of divine providence or by the opposing
powers, as is shown in the book of Esther, when Artaxerxes had not remembered
the services of that just man Mordecai, but, when wearied out with his nightly
vigils, had it put into his mind by God to require that the annals of his great
deeds should be read to him; whereon, being reminded of the benefits received
from Mordecai, he ordered his enemy Haman to be hanged, but splendid honours
to be conferred on him, and impunity from the threatened danger to be granted to
the whole of the holy nation. On the other hand, however, we must suppose that
it was through the hostile influence of the devil that the suggestion was
introduced into the minds of the high priests and the scribes which they made to
Pilate, when they came and said, "Sir, we remember that that deceiver said,
while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again." The design of Judas,
also, respecting the betrayal of our Lord and Saviour, did not originate in the
wickedness of his mind alone. For Scripture testifies that the "devil had already
put it into his heart to betray Him." And therefore Solomon rightly commanded,
saying, "Keep your heart with all diligence." And the Apostle Paul warns us:
"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have
heard, lest perhaps we should let them slip." And when he says, "Neither give
place to the devil," he shows by that injunction that it is through certain acts, or a
kind of mental slothfulness, that room is made for the devil, so that, if he once
enter our heart, he will either gain possession of us, or at least will pollute the
soul, if he has not obtained the entire mastery over it, by casting on us his fiery
darts; and by these we are sometimes deeply wounded, and sometimes only set
on fire. Seldom indeed, and only in a few instances, are these fiery darts
quenched, so as not to find a place where they may wound, i.e., when one is
covered by the strong and mighty shield of faith. The declaration, indeed, in the
Epistle to the Ephesians, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places," must be so understood as if "we"
meant, "I Paul, and you Ephesians, and all who have not to wrestle against flesh
and blood:" for such have to struggle against principalities and powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, not like the Corinthians, whose struggle
was as yet against flesh and blood, and who had been overtaken by no
temptation but such as is common to man.
5. We are not, however, to suppose that each individual has to contend
against all these (adversaries). For it is impossible for any man, although he were
a saint, to carry on a contest against all of them at the same time. If that indeed
were by any means to be the case, as it is certainly impossible it should be so,
human nature could not possibly bear it without undergoing entire destruction.
But as, for example, if fifty soldiers were to say that they were about to engage
with fifty others, they would not be understood to mean that one of them had to
contend against the whole fifty, but each one would rightly say that "our battle
was against fifty," all against all; so also this is to be understood as the apostle's
meaning, that all the athletes and soldiers of Christ have to wrestle and struggle
against all the adversaries enumerated—the struggle having, indeed, to be
maintained against all, but by single individuals either with individual powers, or
at least in such manner as shall be determined by God, who is the just president
of the struggle. For I am of opinion that there is a certain limit to the powers of
human nature, although there may be a Paul, of whom it is said, "He is a chosen
vessel unto Me;" or a Peter, against whom the gates of hell do not prevail; or a
Moses, the friend of God: yet not one of them could sustain, without destruction
to himself, the whole simultaneous assault of these opposing powers, unless
indeed the might of Him alone were to work in him, who said, "Be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world." And therefore Paul exclaims with
confidence, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me;" and again,
"I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which
was with me." On account, then, of this power, which certainly is not of human
origin operating and speaking in him, Paul could say, "For I am persuaded that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor power, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord." For I do not think that human nature can alone of itself
maintain a contest with angels, and with the powers of the height and of the
abyss, and with any other creature; but when it feels the presence of the Lord
dwelling within it, confidence in the divine help will lead it to say, "The Lord is
my light, and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my
life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the enemies draw near to me, to eat my
flesh, my enemies who trouble me, they stumbled and fell. Though an host
encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me,
in Him shall I be confident." From which I infer that a man perhaps would never
be able of himself to vanquish an opposing power, unless he had the benefit of
divine assistance. Hence, also, the angel is said to have wrestled with Jacob.
Here, however, I understand the writer to mean, that it was not the same thing
for the angel to have wrestled with Jacob, and to have wrestled against him; but
the angel that wrestles with him is he who was present with him in order to
secure his safety, who, after knowing also his moral progress, gave him in
addition the name of Israel, i.e., he is with him in the struggle, and assists him in
the contest; seeing there was undoubtedly another angel against whom he
contended, and against whom he had to carry on a contest. Finally, Paul has not
said that we wrestle with princes, or with powers, but against principalities and
powers. And hence, although Jacob wrestled, it was unquestionably against
some one of those powers which, Paul declares, resist and contend with the
human race, and especially with the saints. And therefore at last the Scripture
says of him that "he wrestled with the angel, and had power with God," so that
the struggle is supported by help of the angel, but the prize of success conducts
the conqueror to God.
6. Nor are we, indeed, to suppose that struggles of this kind are carried on
by the exercise of bodily strength, and of the arts of the wrestling school; but
spirit contends with spirit, according to the declaration of Paul, that our struggle
is against principalities, and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world.
Nay, the following is to be understood as the nature of the struggles; when, e.g.,
losses and dangers befall us, or calumnies and false accusations are brought
against us, it not being the object of the hostile powers that we should suffer
these (trials) only, but that by means of them we should be driven either to
excess of anger or sorrow, or to the last pitch of despair; or at least, which is a
greater sin, should be forced, when fatigued and overcome by any annoyances,
to make complaints against God, as one who does not administer human life
justly and equitably; the consequence of which is, that our faith may be
weakened, or our hopes disappointed, or we may be compelled to give up the
truth of our opinions, or be led to entertain irreligious sentiments regarding God.
For some such things are written regarding Job, after the devil had requested
God that power should be given him over his goods. By which also we are
taught, that it is not by any accidental attacks that we are assailed, whenever we
are visited with any such loss of property, nor that it is owing to chance when
one of us is taken prisoner, or when the dwellings in which those who are dear to
us are crushed to death, fall in ruins; for, with respect to all these occurrences,
every believer ought to say, "You could have no power at all against Me, except
it were given you from above." For observe that the house of Job did not fall
upon his sons until the devil had first received power against them; nor would
the horsemen have made an irruption in three bands, to carry away his camels or
his oxen, and other cattle, unless they had been instigated by that spirit to whom
they had delivered themselves up as the servants of his will. Nor would that fire,
as it seemed to be, or thunderbolt, as it has been considered, have fallen upon the
sheep of the patriarch, until the devil had said to God, "Have You not made a
hedge about all that is without and within his house and around all the rest of
his property? But now put forth Your hand, and touch all that he has, (and see) if
he do not renounce You to Your face."
 7. The result of all the foregoing remarks is to show, that all the occurrences
in the world which are considered to be of an intermediate kind, whether they be
mournful or otherwise are brought about, not indeed by God, and yet not without
Him; while He not only does not prevent those wicked and opposing powers that
are desirous to bring about these things (from accomplishing their purpose), but
even permits them to do so, although only on certain occasions and to certain
individuals, as is said with respect to Job himself, that for a certain time he was
made to fall under the power of others, and to have his house plundered by
unjust persons. And therefore holy Scripture teaches us to receive all that
happens as sent by God, knowing that without Him no event occurs. For how
can we doubt that such is the case, viz., that nothing comes to man without (the
will of) God, when our Lord and Saviour declares, "Are not two sparrows sold
for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father
who is in heaven." But the necessity of the case has drawn us away in a
lengthened digression on the subject of the struggle waged by the hostile powers
against men, and of those sadder events which happen to human life, i.e., its
temptations— according to the declaration of Job, "Is not the whole life of man
upon the earth a temptation?" — in order that the manner of their occurrence,
and the spirit in which we should regard them, might be clearly shown. Let us
notice next, how men fall away into the sin of false knowledge, or with what
object the opposing powers are wont to stir up conflict with us regarding such
things.

Chapter 3. On Threefold Wisdom.

1. The holy apostle, wishing to teach us some great and hidden truth
respecting science and wisdom, says, in the first Epistle to the Corinthians: "We
speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor
of the princes of the world, that come to nought: but we speak the wisdom of
God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the
world unto our glory: which none of the princes of the world knew: for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." In this passage,
wishing to describe the different kinds of wisdom, he points out that there is a
wisdom of this world, and a wisdom of the princes of this world, and another
wisdom of God. But when he uses the expression "wisdom of the princes of this
world," I do not think that he means a wisdom common to all the princes of this
world, but one rather that is peculiar to certain individuals among them. And
again, when he says, "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden
wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory," we must inquire
whether his meaning be, that this is the same wisdom of God which was hidden
from other times and generations, and was not made known to the sons of men,
as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets, and which was
also that wisdom of God before the advent of the Saviour, by means of which
Solomon obtained his wisdom, and in reference to which the language of the
Saviour Himself declared, that what He taught was greater than Solomon, in
these words, "Behold, a greater than Solomon is here," — words which show,
that those who were instructed by the Saviour were instructed in something
higher than the knowledge of Solomon. For if one were to assert that the Saviour
did indeed Himself possess greater knowledge, but did not communicate more to
others than Solomon did, how will that agree with the statement which follows:
"The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment, and condemn the men of
this generation, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom
of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here?" There is therefore a
wisdom of this world, and also probably a wisdom belonging to each individual
prince of this world. But with respect to the wisdom of God alone, we perceive
that this is indicated, that it operated to a less degree in ancient and former times,
and was (afterwards) more fully revealed and manifested through Christ. We
shall inquire, however, regarding the wisdom of God in the proper place.
2. But now, since we are treating of the manner in which the opposing
powers stir up those contests, by means of which false knowledge is introduced
into the minds of men, and human souls led astray, while they imagine that they
have discovered wisdom, I think it necessary to name and distinguish the
wisdom of this world, and of the princes of this world, that by so doing we may
discover who are the fathers of this wisdom, nay, even of these kinds of wisdom.
I am of opinion, therefore, as I have stated above, that there is another wisdom of
this world besides those (different kinds of) wisdom which belong to the princes
of this world, by which wisdom those things seem to be understood and
comprehended which belong to this world. This wisdom, however, possesses in
itself no fitness for forming any opinion either respecting divine things, or the
plan of the world's government, or any other subjects of importance, or regarding
the training for a good or happy life; but is such as deals wholly with the art of
poetry, e.g., or that of grammar, or rhetoric, or geometry, or music, with which
also, perhaps, medicine should be classed. In all these subjects we are to suppose
that the wisdom of this world is included. The wisdom of the princes of this
world, on the other hand, we understand to be such as the secret and occult
philosophy, as they call it, of the Egyptians, and the astrology of the Chaldeans
and Indians, who make profession of the knowledge of high things, and also that
manifold variety of opinion which prevails among the Greeks regarding divine
things. Accordingly, in the holy Scriptures we find that there are princes over
individual nations; as in Daniel we read that there was a prince of the kingdom
of Persia, and another prince of the kingdom of Græcia, who are clearly shown,
by the nature of the passage, to be not human beings, but certain powers. In the
prophecies of Ezekiel, also, the prince of Tyre is unmistakeably shown to be a
kind of spiritual power. When these, then, and others of the same kind,
possessing each his own wisdom, and building up his own opinions and
sentiments, beheld our Lord and Saviour professing and declaring that He had
for this purpose come into the world, that all the opinions of science, falsely so
called, might be destroyed, not knowing what was concealed within Him, they
immediately laid a snare for Him: for "the kings of the earth set themselves, and
the rulers assembled together, against the Lord and His Christ." But their snares
being discovered, and the plans which they had attempted to carry out being
made manifest when they crucified the Lord of glory, therefore the apostle says,
"We speak wisdom among them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this
world, nor of the princes of this world, who are brought to nought, which none
of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory."
3. We must, indeed, endeavour to ascertain whether that wisdom of the
princes of this world, with which they endeavour to imbue men, is introduced
into their minds by the opposing powers, with the purpose of ensnaring and
injuring them, or only for the purpose of deceiving them, i.e., not with the object
of doing any hurt to man; but, as these princes of this world esteem such
opinions to be true, they desire to impart to others what they themselves believe
to be the truth: and this is the view which I am inclined to adopt. For as, to take
an illustration, certain Greek authors, or the leaders of some heretical sect, after
having imbibed an error in doctrine instead of the truth, and having come to the
conclusion in their own minds that such is the truth, proceed, in the next place, to
endeavour to persuade others of the correctness of their opinions; so, in like
manner, are we to suppose is the procedure of the princes of this world, in which
to certain spiritual powers has been assigned the rule over certain nations, and
who are termed on that account the princes of this world. There are besides, in
addition to these princes, certain special energies of this world, i.e., spiritual
powers, which bring about certain effects, which they have themselves, in virtue
of their freedom of will, chosen to produce, and to these belong those princes
who practise the wisdom of this world: there being, for example, a peculiar
energy and power, which is the inspirer of poetry; another, of geometry; and so a
separate power, to remind us of each of the arts and professions of this kind.
Lastly, many Greek writers have been of opinion that the art of poetry cannot
exist without madness; whence also it is several times related in their histories,
that those whom they call poets were suddenly filled with a kind of spirit of
madness. And what are we to say also of those whom they call diviners, from
whom, by the working of those demons who have the mastery over them,
answers are given in carefully constructed verses? Those persons, too, whom
they term Magi or Malevolent, frequently, by invoking demons over boys of
tender years, have made them repeat poetical compositions which were the
admiration and amazement of all. Now these effects we are to suppose are
brought about in the following manner: As holy and immaculate souls, after
devoting themselves to God with all affection and purity, and after preserving
themselves free from all contagion of evil spirits, and after being purified by
lengthened abstinence, and imbued with holy and religious training, assume by
this means a portion of divinity, and earn the grace of prophecy, and other divine
gifts; so also are we to suppose that those who place themselves in the way of
the opposing powers, i.e., who purposely admire and adopt their manner of life
and habits, receive their inspiration, and become partakers of their wisdom and
doctrine. And the result of this is, that they are filled with the working of those
spirits to whose service they have subjected themselves.
4. With respect to those, indeed, who teach differently regarding Christ
from what the rule of Scripture allows, it is no idle task to ascertain whether it is
from a treacherous purpose that these opposing powers, in their struggles to
prevent a belief in Christ, have devised certain fabulous and impious doctrines;
or whether, on hearing the word of Christ, and not being able to cast it forth from
the secrecy of their conscience, nor yet to retain it pure and holy, they have, by
means of vessels that were convenient to their use, and, so to speak, through
their prophets, introduced various errors contrary to the rule of Christian truth.
Now we are to suppose rather that apostate and refugee powers, which have
departed from God out of the very wickedness of their mind and will, or from
envy of those for whom there is prepared (on their becoming acquainted with the
truth) an ascent to the same rank, whence they themselves had fallen, did, in
order to prevent any progress of that kind, invent these errors and delusions of
false doctrine. It is then clearly established, by many proofs, that while the soul
of man exists in this body, it may admit different energies, i.e., operations, from
a diversity of good and evil spirits. Now, of wicked spirits there is a twofold
mode of operation: i.e., when they either take complete and entire possession of
the mind, so as to allow their captives the power neither of understanding nor
feeling; as, for instance, is the case with those commonly called possessed,
whom we see to be deprived of reason, and insane (such as those were who are
related in the Gospel to have been cured by the Saviour); or when by their
wicked suggestions they deprave a sentient and intelligent soul with thoughts of
various kinds, persuading it to evil, of which Judas is an illustration, who was
induced at the suggestion of the devil to commit the crime of treason, according
to the declaration of Scripture, that "the devil had already put it into the heart of
Judas Iscariot to betray him."
But a man receives the energy, i.e., the working, of a good spirit, when he is
stirred and incited to good, and is inspired to heavenly or divine things; as the
holy angels and God Himself wrought in the prophets, arousing and exhorting
them by their holy suggestions to a better course of life, yet so, indeed, that it
remained within the will and judgment of the individual, either to be willing or
unwilling to follow the call to divine and heavenly things. And from this
manifest distinction, it is seen how the soul is moved by the presence of a better
spirit, i.e., if it encounter no perturbation or alienation of mind whatever from
the impending inspiration, nor lose the free control of its will; as, for instance, is
the case with all, whether prophets or apostles, who ministered to the divine
responses without any perturbation of mind. Now, that by the suggestions of a
good spirit the memory of man is aroused to the recollection of better things, we
have already shown by previous instances, when we mentioned the cases of
Mordecai and Artaxerxes.
5. This too, I think, should next be inquired into, viz., what are the reasons
why a human soul is acted on at one time by good (spirits), and at another by
bad: the grounds of which I suspect to be older than the bodily birth of the
individual, as John (the Baptist) showed by his leaping and exulting in his
mother's womb, when the voice of the salutation of Mary reached the ears of his
mother Elisabeth; and as Jeremiah the prophet declares, who was known to God
before he was formed in his mother's womb, and before he was born was
sanctified by Him, and while yet a boy received the grace of prophecy. And
again, on the other hand it is shown beyond a doubt, that some have been
possessed by hostile spirits from the very beginning of their lives: i.e., some
were born with an evil spirit; and others, according to credible histories, have
practised divination from childhood. Others have been under the influence of the
demon called Python, i.e., the ventriloquial spirit, from the commencement of
their existence. To all which instances, those who maintain that everything in the
world is under the administration of Divine Providence (as is also our own
belief), can, as it appears to me, give no other answer, so as to show that no
shadow of injustice rests upon the divine government, than by holding that there
were certain causes of prior existence, in consequence of which the souls, before
their birth in the body, contracted a certain amount of guilt in their sensitive
nature, or in their movements, on account of which they have been judged
worthy by Divine Providence of being placed in this condition. For a soul is
always in possession of free-will, as well when it is in the body as when it is
without it; and freedom of will is always directed either to good or evil. Nor can
any rational and sentient being, i.e., a mind or soul, exist without some
movement either good or bad. And it is probable that these movements furnish
grounds for merit even before they do anything in this world; so that on account
of these merits or grounds they are, immediately on their birth, and even before
it, so to speak, assorted by Divine Providence for the endurance either of good or
evil.
Let such, then, be our views respecting those events which appear to befall
men, either immediately after birth, or even before they enter upon the light. But
as regards the suggestions which are made to the soul, i.e., to the faculty of
human thought, by different spirits, and which arouse men to good actions or the
contrary, even in such a case we must suppose that there sometimes existed
certain causes anterior to bodily birth. For occasionally the mind, when watchful,
and casting away from it what is evil, calls to itself the aid of the good; or if it
be, on the contrary, negligent and slothful, it makes room through insufficient
caution for these spirits, which, lying in wait secretly like robbers, contrive to
rush into the minds of men when they see a lodgment made for them by sloth; as
the Apostle Peter says, "that our adversary the devil goes about like a roaring
lion, seeking whom he may devour." On which account our heart must be kept
with all carefulness both by day and night, and no place be given to the devil;
but every effort must be used that the ministers of God— those spirits, viz., who
were sent to minister to them who are called to be heirs of salvation — may find
a place within us, and be delighted to enter into the guest-chamber of our soul,
and dwelling within us may guide us by their counsels; if, indeed, they shall find
the habitation of our heart adorned by the practice of virtue and holiness. But let
that be sufficient which we have said, as we best could, regarding those powers
which are hostile to the human race.

Chapter 4. On Human Temptations.

1. And now the subject of human temptations must not, in my opinion, be

passed over in silence, which take their rise sometimes from flesh and blood, or
from the wisdom of flesh and blood, which is said to be hostile to God. And
whether the statement be true which certain allege, viz., that each individual has
as it were two souls, we shall determine after we have explained the nature of
those temptations, which are said to be more powerful than any of human origin,
i.e., which we sustain from principalities and powers, and from the rulers of the
darkness of this world, and from spiritual wickedness in high places, or to which
we are subjected from wicked spirits and unclean demons. Now, in the
investigation of this subject, we must, I think, inquire according to a logical
method whether there be in us human beings, who are composed of soul and
body and vital spirit, some other element, possessing an incitement of its own,
and evoking a movement towards evil. For a question of this kind is wont to be
discussed by some in this way: whether, viz., as two souls are said to co-exist
discussed by some in this way: whether, viz., as two souls are said to co-exist
within us, the one is more divine and heavenly and the other inferior; or whether,
from the very fact that we inhere in bodily structures which according to their
own proper nature are dead, and altogether devoid of life (seeing it is from us,
i.e., from our souls, that the material body derives its life, it being contrary and
hostile to the spirit), we are drawn on and enticed to the practice of those evils
which are agreeable to the body; or whether, thirdly (which was the opinion of
some of the Greek philosophers), although our soul is one in substance, it
nevertheless consists of several elements, and one portion of it is called rational
and another irrational, and that which is termed the irrational part is again
separated into two affections— those of covetousness and passion. These three
opinions, then, regarding the soul, which we have stated above, we have found
to be entertained by some, but that one of them, which we have mentioned as
being adopted by certain Grecian philosophers, viz., that the soul is tripartite, I
do not observe to be greatly confirmed by the authority of holy Scripture; while
with respect to the remaining two there is found a considerable number of
passages in the holy Scriptures which seem capable of application to them.
2. Now, of these opinions, let us first discuss that which is maintained by
some, that there is in us a good and heavenly soul, and another earthly and
inferior; and that the better soul is implanted within us from heaven, such as was
that which, while Jacob was still in the womb, gave him the prize of victory in
supplanting his brother Esau, and which in the case of Jeremiah was sanctified
from his birth, and in that of John was filled by the Holy Spirit from the womb.
Now, that which they term the inferior soul is produced, they allege, along with
the body itself out of the seed of the body, whence they say it cannot live or
subsist beyond the body, on which account also they say it is frequently termed
flesh. For the expression, "The flesh lusts against the Spirit," they take to be
applicable not to the flesh, but to this soul, which is properly the soul of the
flesh. From these words, moreover, they endeavour notwithstanding to make
good the declaration in Leviticus: "The life of all flesh is the blood thereof." For,
from the circumstance that it is the diffusion of the blood throughout the whole
flesh which produces life in the flesh, they assert that this soul, which is said to
be the life of all flesh, is contained in the blood. This statement, moreover, that
the flesh struggles against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and the
further statement, that "the life of all flesh is the blood thereof," is, according to
these writers, simply calling the wisdom of the flesh by another name, because it
is a kind of material spirit, which is not subject to the law of God, nor can be so,
because it has earthly wishes and bodily desires. And it is with respect to this
that they think the apostle uttered the words: "I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of
sin which is in my members." And if one were to object to them that these words
were spoken of the nature of the body, which indeed, agreeably to the peculiarity
of its nature, is dead, but is said to have sensibility, or wisdom which is hostile to
God, or which struggles against the spirit; or if one were to say that, in a certain
degree, the flesh itself was possessed of a voice, which should cry out against the
endurance of hunger, or thirst, or cold, or of any discomfort arising either from
abundance or poverty,— they would endeavour to weaken and impair the force
of such (arguments), by showing that there were many other mental
perturbations which derive their origin in no respect from the flesh, and yet
against which the spirit struggles, such as ambition, avarice, emulation, envy,
pride, and others like these; and seeing that with these the human mind or spirit
wages a kind of contest, they lay down as the cause of all these evils, nothing
else than this corporal soul, as it were, of which we have spoken above, and
which is generated from the seed by a process of traducianism. They are
accustomed also to adduce, in support of their assertion, the declaration of the
apostle, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, poisonings, hatred, contentions,
emulations, wrath, quarrelling, dissensions, heresies, sects, envyings,
drunkenness, revellings, and the like;" asserting that all these do not derive their
origin from the habits or pleasures of the flesh, so that all such movements are to
be regarded as inherent in that substance which has not a soul, i.e., the flesh. The
declaration, moreover, "For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men among you according to the flesh are called," would seem to require to
be understood as if there were one kind of wisdom, carnal and material, and
another according to the spirit, the former of which cannot indeed be called
wisdom, unless there be a soul of the flesh, which is wise in respect of what is
called carnal wisdom. And in addition to these passages they adduce the
following: "Since the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh, so that we cannot do the things that we would." What are these things now
respecting which he says, "that we cannot do the things that we would?" It is
certain, they reply, that the spirit cannot be intended; for the will of the spirit
suffers no hindrance. But neither can the flesh be meant, because if it has not a
soul of its own, neither can it assuredly possess a will. It remains, then, that the
will of this soul be intended which is capable of having a will of its own, and
which certainly is opposed to the will of the spirit. And if this be the case, it is
established that the will of the soul is something intermediate between the flesh
and the spirit, undoubtedly obeying and serving that one of the two which it has
elected to obey. And if it yield itself up to the pleasures of the flesh, it renders
men carnal; but when it unites itself with the spirit, it produces men of the Spirit,
and who on that account are termed spiritual. And this seems to be the meaning
of the apostle in the words, "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit."
We have accordingly to ascertain what is this very will (intermediate)
between flesh and spirit, besides that will which is said to belong to the flesh or
the spirit. For it is held as certain, that everything which is said to be a work of
the spirit is (a product of) the will of the spirit, and everything that is called a
work of the flesh (proceeds from) the will of the flesh. What else then, besides
these, is that will of the soul which receives a separate name, and which will, the
apostle being opposed to our executing, says: "You cannot do the things that you
would?" By this it would seem to be intended, that it ought to adhere to neither
of these two, i.e., to neither flesh nor spirit. But some one will say, that as it is
better for the soul to execute its own will than that of the flesh; so, on the other
hand, it is better to do the will of the spirit than its own will. How, then, does the
apostle say, "that you cannot do the things that you would?" Because in that
contest which is waged between flesh and spirit, the spirit is by no means certain
of victory, it being manifest that in very many individuals the flesh has the
mastery.
3. But since the subject of discussion on which we have entered is one of
great profundity, which it is necessary to consider in all its bearings, let us see
whether some such point as this may not be determined: that as it is better for the
soul to follow the spirit when the latter has overcome the flesh, so also, if it seem
to be a worse course for the former to follow the flesh in its struggles against the
spirit, when the latter would recall the soul to its influence, it may nevertheless
appear a more advantageous procedure for the soul to be under the mastery of
the flesh than to remain under the power of its own will. For, since it is said to be
neither hot nor cold, but to continue in a sort of tepid condition, it will find
conversion a slow and somewhat difficult undertaking. If indeed it clung to the
flesh, then, satiated at length, and filled with those very evils which it suffers
from the vices of the flesh, and wearied as it were by the heavy burdens of
luxury and lust, it may sometimes be converted with greater ease and rapidity
from the filthiness of matter to a desire for heavenly things, and (to a taste for)
spiritual graces. And the apostle must be supposed to have said, that "the Spirit
contends against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit, so that we cannot do
the things that we would" (those things, undoubtedly, which are designated as
being beyond the will of the spirit, and the will of the flesh), meaning (as if we
were to express it in other words) that it is better for a man to be either in a state
of virtue or in one of wickedness, than in neither of these; but that the soul,
before its conversion to the spirit, and its union with it, appears during its
adherence to the body, and its meditation of carnal things, to be neither in a good
condition nor in a manifestly bad one, but resembles, so to speak, an animal. It is
better, however, for it, if possible, to be rendered spiritual through adherence to
the spirit; but if that cannot be done, it is more expedient for it to follow even the
wickedness of the flesh, than, placed under the influence of its own will, to
retain the position of an irrational animal.
These points we have now discussed, in our desire to consider each
individual opinion, at greater length than we intended, that those views might not
be supposed to have escaped our notice which are generally brought forward by
those who inquire whether there is within us any other soul than this heavenly
and rational one, which is naturally opposed to the latter, and is called either the
flesh, or the wisdom of the flesh, or the soul of the flesh.
4. Let us now see what answer is usually returned to these statements by
those who maintain that there is in us one movement, and one life, proceeding
from one and the same soul, both the salvation and the destruction of which are
ascribed to itself as a result of its own actions. And, in the first place, let us
notice of what nature those commotions of the soul are which we suffer, when
we feel ourselves inwardly drawn in different directions; when there arises a
kind of contest of thoughts in our hearts, and certain probabilities are suggested
us, agreeably to which we lean now to this side, now to that, and by which we
are sometimes convicted of error, and sometimes approve of our acts. It is
nothing remarkable, however, to say of wicked spirits, that they have a varying
and conflicting judgment, and one out of harmony with itself, since such is
found to be the case in all men, whenever, in deliberating upon an uncertain
event, council is taken, and men consider and consult what is to be chosen as the
better and more useful course. It is not therefore surprising that, if two
probabilities meet, and suggest opposite views, they should drag the mind in
contrary directions. For example, if a man be led by reflection to believe and to
fear God, it cannot then be said that the flesh contends against the Spirit; but,
amidst the uncertainty of what may be true and advantageous, the mind is drawn
in opposite directions. So, also, when it is supposed that the flesh provokes to the
indulgence of lust, but better counsels oppose allurements of that kind, we are
not to suppose that it is one life which is resisting another, but that it is the
tendency of the nature of the body, which is eager to empty out and cleanse the
places filled with seminal moisture; as, in like manner, it is not to be supposed
that it is any opposing power, or the life of another soul, which excites within us
the appetite of thirst, and impels us to drink, or which causes us to feel hunger,
and drives us to satisfy it. But as it is by the natural movements of the body that
food and drink are either desired or rejected, so also the natural seed, collected
together in course of time in the various vessels, has an eager desire to be
expelled and thrown away, and is so far from never being removed, save by the
impulse of some exciting cause, that it is even sometimes spontaneously emitted.
When, therefore, it is said that "the flesh struggles against the Spirit," these
persons understand the expression to mean that habit or necessity, or the delights
of the flesh, arouse a man, and withdraw him from divine and spiritual things.
For, owing to the necessity of the body being drawn away, we are not allowed to
have leisure for divine things, which are to be eternally advantageous. So again,
the soul, devoting itself to divine and spiritual pursuits, and being united to the
spirit, is said to fight against the flesh, by not permitting it to be relaxed by
indulgence, and to become unsteady through the influence of those pleasures for
which it feels a natural delight. In this way, also, they claim to understand the
words, "The wisdom of the flesh is hostile to God," not that the flesh really has a
soul, or a wisdom of its own. But as we are accustomed to say, by an abuse of
language, that the earth is thirsty, and wishes to drink in water, this use of the
word "wishes" is not proper, but catachrestic,— as if we were to say again, that
this house wants to be rebuilt, and many other similar expressions; so also is the
wisdom of the flesh to be understood, or the expression, that "the flesh lusts
against the Spirit." They generally connect with these the expression, "The voice
of your brother's blood cries unto Me from the ground." For what cries unto the
Lord is not properly the blood which was shed; but the blood is said improperly
to cry out, vengeance being demanded upon him who had shed it. The
declaration also of the apostle, "I see another law in my members, warring
against the law of my mind," they so understand as if he had said, That he who
wishes to devote himself to the word of God is, on account of his bodily
necessities and habits, which like a sort of law are ingrained in the body,
distracted, and divided, and impeded, lest, by devoting himself vigorously to the
study of wisdom, he should be enabled to behold the divine mysteries.
5. With respect, however, to the following being ranked among the works
of the flesh, viz., heresies, and envyings, and contentions, or other (vices), they
so understand the passage, that the mind, being rendered grosser in feeling, from
its yielding itself to the passions of the body, and being oppressed by the mass of
its vices, and having no refined or spiritual feelings, is said to be made flesh, and
derives its name from that in which it exhibits more vigour and force of will.
They also make this further inquiry, "Who will be found, or who will be said to
be, the creator of this evil sense, called the sense of the flesh?" Because they
defend the opinion that there is no other creator of soul and flesh than God. And
if we were to assert that the good God created anything in His own creation that
was hostile to Himself, it would appear to be a manifest absurdity. If, then, it is
written, that "carnal wisdom is enmity against God," and if this be declared to be
a result of creation, God Himself will appear to have formed a nature hostile to
Himself, which cannot be subject to Him nor to His law, as if it were (supposed
to be) an animal of which such qualities are predicated. And if this view be
admitted, in what respect will it appear to differ from that of those who maintain
that souls of different natures are created, which, according to their natures, are
destined either to be lost or saved? But this is an opinion of the heretics alone,
who, not being able to maintain the justice of God on grounds of piety, compose
impious inventions of this kind. And now we have brought forward to the best of
our ability, in the person of each of the parties, what might be advanced by way
of argument regarding the several views, and let the reader choose out of them
for himself that which he thinks ought to be preferred.

Chapter 5. That the World Took Its Beginning in Time.

 1. And now, since there is one of the articles of the Church which is held
principally in consequence of our belief in the truth of our sacred history, viz.
that this world was created and took its beginning at a certain time, and, in
conformity to the cycle of time decreed to all things, is to be destroyed on
account of its corruption, there seems no absurdity in re-discussing a few points
connected with this subject. And so far, indeed, as the credibility of Scripture is
concerned, the declarations on such a matter seem easy of proof. Even the
heretics, although widely opposed on many other things, yet on this appear to be
at one, yielding to the authority of Scripture.
Concerning, then, the creation of the world, what portion of Scripture can
give us more information regarding it, than the account which Moses has
transmitted respecting its origin? And although it comprehends matters of
profounder significance than the mere historical narrative appears to indicate,
and contains very many things that are to be spiritually understood, and employs
the letter, as a kind of veil, in treating of profound and mystical subjects;
nevertheless the language of the narrator shows that all visible things were
created at a certain time. But with regard to the consummation of the world,
Jacob is the first who gives any information, in addressing his children in the
words: "Gather yourselves together unto me, you sons of Jacob, that I may tell
you what shall be in the last days," or "after the last days." If, then, there be "last
days," or a period "succeeding the last days," the days which had a beginning
must necessarily come to an end. David, too, declares: "The heavens shall
perish, but You shall endure; yea, all of them shall wax old as does a garment:
as a vesture shall You change them, and they shall be changed: but You are the
same, and Your years shall have no end." Our Lord and Saviour, indeed, in the
words, "He who made them at the beginning, made them male and female,"
Himself bears witness that the world was created; and again, when He says,
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away," He
points out that they are perishable, and must come to an end. The apostle,
moreover, in declaring that "the creature was made subject to vanity, not
willingly, but by reason of Him who has subjected the same in hope, because the
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God," manifestly announces the end of the
world; as he does also when he again says, "The fashion of this world passes
away." Now, by the expression which he employs, "that the creature was made
subject to vanity," he shows that there was a beginning to this world: for if the
creature were made subject to vanity on account of some hope, it was certainly
made subject from a cause; and seeing it was from a cause, it must necessarily
have had a beginning: for, without some beginning, the creature could not be
subject to vanity, nor could that (creature) hope to be freed from the bondage of
corruption, which had not begun to serve. But any one who chooses to search at
his leisure, will find numerous other passages in holy Scripture in which the
world is both said to have a beginning and to hope for an end.
2. Now, if there be any one who would here oppose either the authority or
credibility of our Scriptures, we would ask of him whether he asserts that God
can, or cannot, comprehend all things? To assert that He cannot, would
manifestly be an act of impiety. If then he answer, as he must, that God
comprehends all things, it follows from the very fact of their being capable of
comprehension, that they are understood to have a beginning and an end, seeing
that which is altogether without any beginning cannot be at all comprehended.
For however far understanding may extend, so far is the faculty of
comprehending illimitably withdrawn and removed when there is held to be no
beginning.
3. But this is the objection which they generally raise: they say, "If the
world had its beginning in time, what was God doing before the world began?
For it is at once impious and absurd to say that the nature of God is inactive and
immoveable, or to suppose that goodness at one time did not do good, and
omnipotence at one time did not exercise its power." Such is the objection which
they are accustomed to make to our statement that this world had its beginning at
a certain time, and that, agreeably to our belief in Scripture, we can calculate the
years of its past duration. To these propositions I consider that none of the
heretics can easily return an answer that will be in conformity with the nature of
their opinions. But we can give a logical answer in accordance with the standard
of religion, when we say that not then for the first time did God begin to work
when He made this visible world; but as, after its destruction, there will be
another world, so also we believe that others existed before the present came into
being. And both of these positions will be confirmed by the authority of holy
Scripture. For that there will be another world after this, is taught by Isaiah, who
says, "There will be new heavens, and a new earth, which I shall make to abide
in my sight, says the Lord;" and that before this world others also existed is
shown by Eccelesiastes, in the words: "What is that which has been? Even that
which shall be. And what is that which has been created? Even this which is to
be created: and there is nothing altogether new under the sun. Who shall speak
and declare, Lo, this is new? It has already been in the ages which have been
before us." By these testimonies it is established both that there were ages before
our own, and that there will be others after it. It is not, however, to be supposed
that several worlds existed at once, but that, after the end of this present world,
others will take their beginning; respecting which it is unnecessary to repeat each
particular statement, seeing we have already done so in the preceding pages.
4. This point, indeed, is not to be idly passed by, that the holy Scriptures
have called the creation of the world by a new and peculiar name, terming it
[καταβολή], which has been very improperly translated into Latin by
"constitutio;" for in Greek [καταβολή] signifies rather "dejicere," i.e., to cast
downwards—a word which has been, as we have already remarked, improperly
translated into Latin by the phrase "constitutio mundi," as in the Gospel
according to John, where the Saviour says, "And there will be tribulation in
those days, such as was not since the beginning of the world;" in which passage
[καταβολή] is rendered by beginning ( constitutio ), which is to be understood as
above explained. The apostle also, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, has employed
the same language, saying, "Who has chosen us before the foundation of the
world;" and this foundation he calls [καταβολή], to be understood in the same
sense as before. It seems worth while, then, to inquire what is meant by this new
term; and I am, indeed, of opinion that, as the end and consummation of the
saints will be in those (ages) which are not seen, and are eternal, we must
conclude (as frequently pointed out in the preceding pages), from a
contemplation of that very end, that rational creatures had also a similar
beginning. And if they had a beginning such as the end for which they hope,
they existed undoubtedly from the very beginning in those (ages) which are not
seen, and are eternal. And if this is so, then there has been a descent from a
higher to a lower condition, on the part not only of those souls who have
deserved the change by the variety of their movements, but also on that of those
who, in order to serve the whole world, were brought down from those higher
and invisible spheres to these lower and visible ones, although against their will
— "Because the creature was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but because of
Him who subjected the same in hope;" so that both sun, and moon, and stars, and
angels might discharge their duty to the world, and to those souls which, on
account of their excessive mental defects, stood in need of bodies of a grosser
and more solid nature; and for the sake of those for whom this arrangement was
necessary, this visible world was also called into being. From this it follows, that
by the use of the word a descent from a higher to a lower condition, shared by all
in common, would seem to be pointed out. The hope indeed of freedom is
entertained by the whole of creation— of being liberated from the corruption of
slavery— when the sons of God, who either fell away or were scattered abroad,
shall be gathered together into one, or when they shall have fulfilled their other
duties in this world, which are known to God alone, the Disposer of all things.
We are, indeed, to suppose that the world was created of such quality and
capacity as to contain not only all those souls which it was determined should be
trained in this world, but also all those powers which were prepared to attend,
and serve, and assist them. For it is established by many declarations that all
rational creatures are of one nature: on which ground alone could the justice of
God in all His dealings with them be defended, seeing every one has the reason
in himself, why he has been placed in this or that rank in life.
5. This arrangement of things, then, which God afterwards appointed (for
He had, from the very origin of the world, clearly perceived the reasons and
causes affecting those who, either owing to mental deficiencies, deserved to
enter into bodies, or those who were carried away by their desire for visible
things, and those also who, either willingly or unwillingly, were compelled, (by
Him who subjected the same in hope), to perform certain services to such as had
fallen into that condition), not being understood by some, who failed to perceive
that it was owing to preceding causes, originating in free-will, that this variety of
arrangement had been instituted by God, they have concluded that all things in
this world are directed either by fortuitous movements or by a necessary fate,
and that nothing is within the power of our own will. And, therefore, also they
were unable to show that the providence of God was beyond the reach of
censure.
6. But as we have said that all the souls who lived in this world stood in
need of many ministers, or rulers, or assistants; so, in the last times, when the
end of the world is already imminent and near, and the whole human race is
verging upon the last destruction, and when not only those who were governed
by others have been reduced to weakness, but those also to whom had been
committed the cares of government, it was no longer such help nor such
defenders that were needed, but the help of the Author and Creator Himself was
required to restore to the one the discipline of obedience, which had been
corrupted and profaned, and to the other the discipline of rule. And hence the
only-begotten Son of God, who was the Word and the Wisdom of the Father,
when He was in the possession of that glory with the Father, which He had
before the world was, divested Himself of it, and, taking the form of a servant,
was made obedient unto death, that He might teach obedience to those who
could not otherwise than by obedience obtain salvation. He restored also the
laws of rule and government which had been corrupted, by subduing all enemies
under His feet, that by this means (for it was necessary that He should reign until
He had put all enemies under His feet, and destroyed the last enemy— death) He
might teach rulers themselves moderation in their government. As He had come,
then, to restore the discipline, not only of government, but of obedience, as we
have said, accomplishing in Himself first what He desired to be accomplished by
others, He became obedient to the Father, not only to the death of the cross, but
also, in the end of the world, embracing in Himself all whom He subjects to the
Father, and who by Him come to salvation, He Himself, along with them, and in
them, is said also to be subject to the Father; all things subsisting in Him, and He
Himself being the Head of all things, and in Him being the salvation and the
fullness of those who obtain salvation. And this consequently is what the apostle
says of Him: "And when all things shall be subjected to Him, then shall the Son
also Himself be subject to Him that put all things under Him, that God may be
all in all."
7. I know not, indeed, how the heretics, not understanding the meaning of
the apostle in these words, consider the term "subjection" degrading as applied
to the Son; for if the propriety of the title be called in question, it may easily be
ascertained from making a contrary supposition. Because if it be not good to be
in subjection, it follows that the opposite will be good, viz., not to be in
subjection. Now the language of the apostle, according to their view, appears to
indicate by these words, "And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then
shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him,"
that He, who is not now in subjection to the Father, will become subject to Him
when the Father shall have first subdued all things unto Him. But I am
astonished how it can be conceived to be the meaning, that He who, while all
things are not yet subdued to Him, is not Himself in subjection, should— at a
time when all things have been subdued to Him, and when He has become King
of all men, and holds sway over all things— be supposed then to be made
subject, seeing He was not formerly in subjection; for such do not understand
that the subjection of Christ to the Father indicates that our happiness has
attained to perfection, and that the work undertaken by Him has been brought to
a victorious termination, seeing He has not only purified the power of supreme
government over the whole of creation, but presents to the Father the principles
of the obedience and subjection of the human race in a corrected and improved
condition. If, then, that subjection be held to be good and salutary by which the
Son is said to be subject to the Father, it is an extremely rational and logical
inference to deduce that the subjection also of enemies, which is said to be made
to the Son of God, should be understood as being also salutary and useful; as if,
when the Son is said to be subject to the Father, the perfect restoration of the
whole of creation is signified, so also, when enemies are said to be subjected to
the Son of God, the salvation of the conquered and the restoration of the lost is
in that understood to consist.
8. This subjection, however, will be accomplished in certain ways, and after
certain training, and at certain times; for it is not to be imagined that the
subjection is to be brought about by the pressure of necessity (lest the whole
world should then appear to be subdued to God by force), but by word, reason,
and doctrine; by a call to a better course of things, by the best systems of
training, by the employment also of suitable and appropriate threatenings, which
will justly impend over those who despise any care or attention to their salvation
and usefulness. In a word, we men also, in training either our slaves or children,
restrain them by threats and fear while they are, by reason of their tender age,
incapable of using their reason; but when they have begun to understand what is
good, and useful, and honourable, the fear of the lash being over, they acquiesce
through the suasion of words and reason in all that is good. But how,
consistently with the preservation of freedom of will in all rational creatures,
each one ought to be regulated, i.e., who they are whom the word of God finds
and trains, as if they were already prepared and capable of it; who they are
whom it puts off to a later time; who these are from whom it is altogether
concealed, and who are so situated as to be far from hearing it; who those, again,
are who despise the word of God when made known and preached to them, and
who are driven by a kind of correction and chastisement to salvation, and whose
conversion is in a certain degree demanded and extorted; who those are to whom
certain opportunities of salvation are afforded, so that sometimes, their faith
being proved by an answer alone, they have unquestionably obtained salvation;
— from what causes or on what occasions these results take place, or what the
divine wisdom sees within them, or what movements of their will leads God so
to arrange all these things, is known to Him alone, and to His only-begotten Son,
through whom all things were created and restored, and to the Holy Spirit,
through whom all things are sanctified, who proceeds from the Father, to whom
be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Chapter 6. On the End of the World.

1. Now, respecting the end of the world and the consummation of all things,
we have stated in the preceding pages, to the best of our ability, so far as the
authority of holy Scripture enabled us, what we deem sufficient for purposes of
instruction; and we shall here only add a few admonitory remarks, since the
order of investigation has brought us back to the subject. The highest good, then,
after the attainment of which the whole of rational nature is seeking, which is
also called the end of all blessings, is defined by many philosophers as follows:
The highest good, they say, is to become as like to God as possible. But this
definition I regard not so much as a discovery of theirs, as a view derived from
holy Scripture. For this is pointed out by Moses, before all other philosophers,
when he describes the first creation of man in these words: "And God said, Let
Us make man in Our own image, and after Our likeness;" and then he adds the
words: "So God created man in His own image: in the image of God created He
him; male and female created He them, and He blessed them." Now the
expression, "In the image of God created He him," without any mention of the
word likeness, conveys no other meaning than this, that man received the dignity
of God's image at his first creation; but that the perfection of his likeness has
been reserved for the consummation—namely, that he might acquire it for
himself by the exercise of his own diligence in the imitation of God, the
possibility of attaining to perfection being granted him at the beginning through
the dignity of the divine image, and the perfect realization of the divine likeness
being reached in the end by the fulfilment of the (necessary) works. Now, that
such is the case, the Apostle John points out more clearly and unmistakeably,
when he makes this declaration: "Little children, we do not yet know what we
shall be; but if a revelation be made to us from the Saviour, you will say, without
any doubt, we shall be like Him." By which expression he points out with the
utmost certainty, that not only was the end of all things to be hoped for, which he
says was still unknown to him, but also the likeness to God, which will be
conferred in proportion to the completeness of our deserts. The Lord Himself, in
the Gospel, not only declares that these same results are future, but that they are
to be brought about by His own intercession, He Himself deigning to obtain
them from the Father for His disciples, saying, "Father, I will that where I am,
these also may be with Me; and as You and I are one, they also may be one in
Us." In which the divine likeness itself already appears to advance, if we may so
express ourselves, and from being merely similar, to become the same, because
undoubtedly in the consummation or end God is "all and in all." And with
reference to this, it is made a question by some whether the nature of bodily
matter, although cleansed and purified, and rendered altogether spiritual, does
not seem either to offer an obstruction towards attaining the dignity of the
(divine) likeness, or to the property of unity, because neither can a corporeal
nature appear capable of any resemblance to a divine nature which is certainly
incorporeal; nor can it be truly and deservedly designated one with it, especially
since we are taught by the truths of our religion that that which alone is one, viz.,
the Son with the Father, must be referred to a peculiarity of the (divine) nature.
2. Since, then, it is promised that in the end God will be all and in all, we
are not, as is fitting, to suppose that animals, either sheep or other cattle, come to
that end, lest it should be implied that God dwelt even in animals, whether sheep
or other cattle; and so, too, with pieces of wood or stones, lest it should be said
that God is in these also. So, again, nothing that is wicked must be supposed to
attain to that end, lest, while God is said to be in all things, He may also be said
to be in a vessel of wickedness. For if we now assert that God is everywhere and
in all things, on the ground that nothing can be empty of God, we nevertheless
do not say that He is now "all things" in those in whom He is. And hence we
must look more carefully as to what that is which denotes the perfection of
blessedness and the end of things, which is not only said to be God in all things,
but also "all in all." Let us then inquire what all those things are which God is to
become in all.
3. I am of opinion that the expression, by which God is said to be "all in
all," means that He is "all" in each individual person. Now He will be "all" in
each individual in this way: when all which any rational understanding, cleansed
from the dregs of every sort of vice, and with every cloud of wickedness
completely swept away, can either feel, or understand, or think, will be wholly
God; and when it will no longer behold or retain anything else than God, but
when God will be the measure and standard of all its movements; and thus God
will be "all," for there will no longer be any distinction of good and evil, seeing
evil nowhere exists; for God is all things, and to Him no evil is near: nor will
there be any longer a desire to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, on the part of him who is always in the possession of good, and to whom
God is all. So then, when the end has been restored to the beginning, and the
termination of things compared with their commencement, that condition of
things will be re-established in which rational nature was placed, when it had no
need to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; so that when all feeling
of wickedness has been removed, and the individual has been purified and
cleansed, He who alone is the one good God becomes to him "all," and that not
in the case of a few individuals, or of a considerable number, but He Himself is
"all in all." And when death shall no longer anywhere exist, nor the sting of
death, nor any evil at all, then verily God will be "all in all." But some are of
opinion that that perfection and blessedness of rational creatures, or natures, can
only remain in that same condition of which we have spoken above, i.e., that all
things should possess God, and God should be to them all things, if they are in
no degree prevented by their union with a bodily nature. Otherwise they think
that the glory of the highest blessedness is impeded by the intermixture of any
material substance. But this subject we have discussed at greater length, as may
be seen in the preceding pages.
4. And now, as we find the apostle making mention of a spiritual body, let
us inquire, to the best of our ability, what idea we are to form of such a thing. So
far, then, as our understanding can grasp it, we consider a spiritual body to be of
such a nature as ought to be inhabited not only by all holy and perfect souls, but
also by all those creatures which will be liberated from the slavery of corruption.
Respecting the body also, the apostle has said, "We have a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens," i.e., in the mansions of the blessed. And from this
statement we may form a conjecture, how pure, how refined, and how glorious
are the qualities of that body, if we compare it with those which, although they
are celestial bodies, and of most brilliant splendour, were nevertheless made
with hands, and are visible to our sight. But of that body it is said, that it is a
house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens. Since, then, those things
"which are seen are temporal, but those things which are not seen are eternal,"
all those bodies which we see either on earth or in heaven, and which are capable
of being seen, and have been made with hands, but are not eternal, are far
excelled in glory by that which is not visible, nor made with hands, but is
eternal. From which comparison it may be conceived how great are the
comeliness, and splendour, and brilliancy of a spiritual body; and how true it is,
that "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to
conceive, what God has prepared for them that love Him." We ought not,
however, to doubt that the nature of this present body of ours may, by the will of
God, who made it what it is, be raised to those qualities of refinement, and
purity, and splendour (which characterize the body referred to), according as the
condition of things requires, and the deserts of our rational nature shall demand.
Finally, when the world required variety and diversity, matter yielded itself with
all docility throughout the diverse appearances and species of things to the
Creator, as to its Lord and Maker, that He might educe from it the various forms
of celestial and terrestrial beings. But when things have begun to hasten to that
consummation that all may be one, as the Father is one with the Son, it may be
understood as a rational inference, that where all are one, there will no longer be
any diversity.
5. The last enemy, moreover, who is called death, is said on this account to
be destroyed, that there may not be anything left of a mournful kind when death
does not exist, nor anything that is adverse when there is no enemy. The
destruction of the last enemy, indeed, is to be understood, not as if its substance,
which was formed by God, is to perish, but because its mind and hostile will,
which came not from God, but from itself, are to be destroyed. Its destruction,
therefore, will not be its non-existence, but its ceasing to be an enemy, and (to
be) death. For nothing is impossible to the Omnipotent, nor is anything incapable
of restoration to its Creator: for He made all things that they might exist, and
those things which were made for existence cannot cease to be. For this reason
also will they admit of change and variety, so as to be placed, according to their
merits, either in a better or worse position; but no destruction of substance can
befall those things which were created by God for the purpose of permanent
existence. For those things which agreeably to the common opinion are believed
to perish, the nature either of our faith or of the truth will not permit us to
suppose to be destroyed. Finally, our flesh is supposed by ignorant men and
unbelievers to be destroyed after death, in such a degree that it retains no relic at
all of its former substance. We, however, who believe in its resurrection,
understand that a change only has been produced by death, but that its substance
certainly remains; and that by the will of its Creator, and at the time appointed, it
will be restored to life; and that a second time a change will take place in it, so
that what at first was flesh (formed) out of earthly soil, and was afterwards
dissolved by death, and again reduced to dust and ashes ( "For dust you are," it
is said, "and to dust shall you return" ), will be again raised from the earth, and
shall after this, according to the merits of the indwelling soul, advance to the
glory of a spiritual body.
6. Into this condition, then, we are to suppose that all this bodily substance
of ours will be brought, when all things shall be re-established in a state of unity,
and when God shall be all in all. And this result must be understood as being
brought about, not suddenly, but slowly and gradually, seeing that the process of
amendment and correction will take place imperceptibly in the individual
instances during the lapse of countless and unmeasured ages, some outstripping
others, and tending by a swifter course towards perfection, while others again
follow close at hand, and some again a long way behind; and thus, through the
numerous and uncounted orders of progressive beings who are being reconciled
to God from a state of enmity, the last enemy is finally reached, who is called
death, so that he also may be destroyed, and no longer be an enemy. When,
therefore, all rational souls shall have been restored to a condition of this kind,
then the nature of this body of ours will undergo a change into the glory of a
spiritual body. For as we see it not to be the case with rational natures, that some
of them have lived in a condition of degradation owing to their sins, while others
have been called to a state of happiness on account of their merits; but as we see
those same souls who had formerly been sinful, assisted, after their conversion
and reconciliation to God, to a state of happiness; so also are we to consider,
with respect to the nature of the body, that the one which we now make use of in
a state of meanness, and corruption, and weakness, is not a different body from
that which we shall possess in incorruption, and in power, and in glory; but that
the same body, when it has cast away the infirmities in which it is now
entangled, shall be transmuted into a condition of glory, being rendered spiritual,
so that what was a vessel of dishonour may, when cleansed, become a vessel
unto honour, and an abode of blessedness. And in this condition, also, we are to
believe, that by the will of the Creator, it will abide for ever without any change,
as is confirmed by the declaration of the apostle, when he says, "We have a
house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." For the faith of the Church
does not admit the view of certain Grecian philosophers, that there is besides the
body, composed of four elements, another fifth body, which is different in all its
parts, and diverse from this our present body; since neither out of sacred
Scripture can any produce the slightest suspicion of evidence for such an
opinion, nor can any rational inference from things allow the reception of it,
especially when the holy apostle manifestly declares, that it is not new bodies
which are given to those who rise from the dead, but that they receive those
identical ones which they had possessed when living, transformed from an
inferior into a better condition. For his words are: "It is sown an animal body, it
will rise a spiritual body; it is sown in corruption, it will arise in incorruption: it
is sown in weakness, it will arise in power: it is sown in dishonour, it will arise
in glory." As, therefore, there is a kind of advance in man, so that from being
first an animal being, and not understanding what belongs to the Spirit of God,
he reaches by means of instruction the stage of being made a spiritual being, and
of judging all things, while he himself is judged by no one; so also, with respect
to the state of the body, we are to hold that this very body which now, on
account of its service to the soul, is styled an animal body, will, by means of a
certain progress, when the soul, united to God, shall have been made one spirit
with Him (the body even then ministering, as it were, to the spirit), attain to a
spiritual condition and quality, especially since, as we have often pointed out,
bodily nature was so formed by the Creator, as to pass easily into whatever
condition he should wish, or the nature of the case demand.
7. The whole of this reasoning, then, amounts to this: that God created two
general natures—a visible, i.e., a corporeal nature; and an invisible nature, which
is incorporeal. Now these two natures admit of two different permutations. That
invisible and rational nature changes in mind and purpose, because it is endowed
with freedom of will, and is on this account found sometimes to be engaged in
the practice of good, and sometimes in that of the opposite. But this corporeal
nature admits of a change in substance; whence also God, the arranger of all
things, has the service of this matter at His command in the moulding, or
fabrication, or re-touching of whatever He wishes, so that corporeal nature may
be transmuted, and transformed into any forms or species whatever, according as
the deserts of things may demand; which the prophet evidently has in view when
he says, "It is God who makes and transforms all things."
8. And now the point for investigation is, whether, when God shall be all in
all, the whole of bodily nature will, in the consummation of all things, consist of
one species, and the sole quality of body be that which shall shine in the
indescribable glory which is to be regarded as the future possession of the
spiritual body. For if we rightly understand the matter, this is the statement of
Moses in the beginning of his book, when he says, "In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth." For this is the beginning of all creation: to
this beginning the end and consummation of all things must be recalled, i.e., in
order that that heaven and that earth may be the habitation and resting-place of
the pious; so that all the holy ones, and the meek, may first obtain an inheritance
in that land, since this is the teaching of the law, and of the prophets, and of the
Gospel. In which land I believe there exist the true and living forms of that
worship which Moses handed down under the shadow of the law; of which it is
said, that "they serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things" — those,
viz., who were in subjection in the law. To Moses himself also was the
injunction given, "Look that you make them after the form and pattern which
were showed you on the mount." From which it appears to me, that as on this
earth the law was a sort of schoolmaster to those who by it were to be conducted
to Christ, in order that, being instructed and trained by it, they might more easily,
after the training of the law, receive the more perfect principles of Christ; so also
another earth, which receives into it all the saints, may first imbue and mould
them by the institutions of the true and everlasting law, that they may more
easily gain possession of those perfect institutions of heaven, to which nothing
can be added; in which there will be, of a truth, that Gospel which is called
everlasting, and that Testament, ever new, which shall never grow old.
9. In this way, accordingly, we are to suppose that at the consummation and
restoration of all things, those who make a gradual advance, and who ascend (in
the scale of improvement), will arrive in due measure and order at that land, and
at that training which is contained in it, where they may be prepared for those
better institutions to which no addition can be made. For, after His agents and
servants, the Lord Christ, who is King of all, will Himself assume the kingdom;
i.e., after instruction in the holy virtues, He will Himself instruct those who are
capable of receiving Him in respect of His being wisdom, reigning in them until
He has subjected them to the Father, who has subdued all things to Himself, i.e.,
that when they shall have been made capable of receiving God, God may be to
them all in all. Then accordingly, as a necessary consequence, bodily nature will
obtain that highest condition to which nothing more can be added. Having
discussed, up to this point, the quality of bodily nature, or of spiritual body, we
leave it to the choice of the reader to determine what he shall consider best. And
here we may bring the third book to a conclusion.
 De Principiis (Book IV)
Translated from the Latin of Rufinus

1. But as it is not sufficient, in the discussion of matters of such importance,

to entrust the decision to the human senses and to the human understanding, and
to pronounce on things invisible as if they were seen by us, we must, in order to
establish the positions which we have laid down, adduce the testimony of Holy
Scripture. And that this testimony may produce a sure and unhesitating belief,
either with regard to what we have still to advance, or to what has been already
stated, it seems necessary to show, in the first place, that the Scriptures
themselves are divine, i.e., were inspired by the Spirit of God. We shall therefore
with all possible brevity draw forth from the Holy Scriptures themselves, such
evidence on this point as may produce upon us a suitable impression, (making
our quotations) from Moses, the first legislator of the Hebrew nation, and from
the words of Jesus Christ, the Author and Chief of the Christian religious
system. For although there have been numerous legislators among the Greeks
and Barbarians, and also countless teachers and philosophers who professed to
declare the truth, we do not remember any legislator who was able to produce in
the minds of foreign nations an affection and a zeal (for him) such as led them
either voluntarily to adopt his laws, or to defend them with all the efforts of their
mind. No one, then, has been able to introduce and make known what seemed to
himself the truth, among, I do not say many foreign nations, but even among the
individuals of one single nation, in such a manner that a knowledge and belief of
the same should extend to all. And yet there can be no doubt that it was the wish
of the legislators that their laws should be observed by all men, if possible; and
of the teachers, that what appeared to themselves to be truth, should become
known to all. But knowing that they could by no means succeed in producing
any such mighty power within them as would lead foreign nations to obey their
laws, or have regard to their statements, they did not venture even to essay the
attempt, lest the failure of the undertaking should stamp their conduct with the
mark of imprudence. And yet there are throughout the whole world—
throughout all Greece, and all foreign countries— countless individuals who
have abandoned the laws of their country, and those whom they had believed to
be gods, and have yielded themselves up to the obedience of the law of Moses,
and to the discipleship and worship of Christ; and have done this, not without
exciting against themselves the intense hatred of the worshippers of images, so
as frequently to be exposed to cruel tortures from the latter, and sometimes even
to be put to death. And yet they embrace, and with all affection preserve, the
words and teaching of Christ.
2. And we may see, moreover, how that religion itself grew up in a short
time, making progress by the punishment and death of its worshippers, by the
plundering of their goods, and by the tortures of every kind which they endured;
and this result is the more surprising, that even the teachers of it themselves
neither were men of skill, nor very numerous; and yet these words are preached
throughout the whole world, so that Greeks and Barbarians, wise and foolish,
adopt the doctrines of the Christian religion. From which it is no doubtful
inference, that it is not by human power or might that the words of Jesus Christ
come to prevail with all faith and power over the understandings and souls of all
men. For, that these results were both predicted by Him, and established by
divine answers proceeding from Him, is clear from His own words: "You shall
be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them
and the Gentiles." And again: "This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached
among all nations." And again: "Many shall say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not eaten and drunk in Your name, and in Your name cast out devils?
And I will say unto them, Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew
you." If these sayings, indeed, had been so uttered by Him, and yet if these
predictions had not been fulfilled, they might perhaps appear to be untrue, and
not to possess any authority. But now, when His declarations do pass into
fulfilment, seeing they were predicted with such power and authority, it is most
clearly shown to be true that He, when He was made man, delivered to men the
precepts of salvation.
3. What, then, are we to say of this, which the prophets had beforehand
foretold of Him, that princes would not cease from Judah, nor leaders from beÂ‐
tween his thighs, until He should come for whom it has been reserved (viz., the
kingdom), and until the expectation of the Gentiles should come? For it is most
distinctly evident from the history itself, from what is clearly seen at the present
day, that from the times of Christ onwards there were no kings among the Jews.
Nay, even all those objects of Jewish pride, of which they vaunted so much, and
in which they exulted, whether regarding the beauty of the temple or the
ornaments of the altar, and all those sacerdotal fillets and robes of the high
priests, were all destroyed together. For the prophÂecy was fulfilled which had
declared, "For the chilÂdren of Israel shall abide many days without king and
prince: there shall be no victim, nor altar, nor priesthood, nor answers." These
testimonies, acÂcordingly, we employ against those who seem to assert that
what is spoken in Genesis by Jacob refers to Judah; and who say that there still
remains a prince of the race of Judah— he, viz., who is the prince of their nation,
whom they style Patriarch — and that there cannot fail (a ruler) of his seed, who
will reÂmain until the advent of that Christ whom they picÂture to themselves.
But if the prophet's words be true, when he says, "The children of Israel shall
abide many days without king, without prince; and there shall be no victim, nor
altar, nor priesthood;" and if, certainly, since the overthrow of the temple,
victims are neither offered, nor any altar found, nor any priesthood exists, it is
most certain that, as it is written, princes have departed from Judah, and a leader
from between his thighs, until the coming of Him for whom it has been reserved.
It is established, then, that He has come for whom it has been reserved, and in
whom is the expectation of the Gentiles. And this manifestly seems to be
fulfilled in the multitude of those who have believed on God through Christ out
of the different nations.
4. In the song of Deuteronomy, also, it is proÂphetically declared that, on
account of the sins of the former people, there was to be an election of a foolÂ‐
ish nation—no other, certainly, than that which was brought about by Christ; for
thus the words run: "They have moved Me to anger with their images, and I will
stir them up to jealousy; I will arouse them to anger against a foolish nation."
We may therefore evidently see how the Hebrews, who are said to have excited
God's anger by means of those (idols), which are no gods, and to have aroused
His wrath by their images, were themselves also excited to jealousy by means of
a foolish nation, which God has chosen by the advent of Jesus Christ and His
disciples. For the following is the language of the apostle: "For you see your
calling, brethren, how that not many wise men among you after the flesh, not
many mighty, not many noble (are called): but God has chosen the foolish things
of the world, and the things which are not, to destroy the things which formerly
existed." Carnal Israel, therefore, should not boast; for such is the term used by
the apostle: "No flesh, I say, should glory in the presence of God."
5. What are we to say, moreover, regarding those prophecies of Christ
contained in the Psalms, espeÂcially the one with the superscription, "A song for
the Beloved;" in which it is stated that "His tongue is the pen of a ready writer;
fairer than the children of men;" that "grace is poured into His lips?" Now, the
indication that grace has been poured upon His lips is this, that, after a short
period had elapsed— for He taught only during a year and some months — the
whole world, nevertheless, became filled with His doctrine, and with faith in His
religion. There arose, then, "in His days righteous men, and abundance of
peace," abiding even to the end, which end is entitled "the taking away of the
moon;" and "His dominion shall extend from sea to sea, and from the river to the
ends of the earth." There was a sign also given to the house of David. For a
virgin conceived, and bare Emmanuel, which, when interpreted, signifies, "God
with us: know it, O nations, and be overcome." For we are conÂquered and
overcome, who are of the Gentiles, and remain as a kind of spoils of His victory,
who have subjected our necks to His grace. Even the place of His birth was
predicted in the prophecies of Micah, who said, "And you, Bethlehem, land of
Judah, art by no means small among the leaders of Judah: for out of you shall
come forth a Leader, who shall rule My people Israel." The weeks of years, also,
which the prophet Daniel had predicted, extending to the leadership of Christ,
have been fulÂfilled. Moreover, he is at hand, who in the book of Job is said to
be about to destroy the huge beast, who also gave power to his own disciples to
tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, without
being injured by him. But if any one will consider the journeys of Christ's
apostles throughout the different places, in which as His mesÂsengers they
preached the Gospel, he will find that both what they ventured to undertake is
beyond the power of man, and what they were enabled to acÂcomplish is from
God alone. If we consider how men, on hearing that a new doctrine was
introduced by these, were able to receive them; or rather, when desiring often to
destroy them, they were prevented by a divine power which was in them, we
shall find that in this nothing was effected by human strength, but that the whole
was the result of the divine power and providence—signs and wonders, manifest
beÂyond all doubt, bearing testimony to their word and doctrine.
6. These points now being briefly established, viz., regarding the deity of
Christ, and the fulfilment of all that was prophesied respecting Him, I think that
this position also has been made good, viz., that the Scriptures themselves,
which contained these predicÂtions, were divinely inspired,— those, namely,
which had either foretold His advent, or the power of His doctrine, or the
bringing over of all nations (to His obedience). To which this remark must be
added, that the divinity and inspiration both of the predicÂtions of the prophets
and of the law of Moses have been clearly revealed and confirmed, especially
since the advent of Christ into the world. For before the fulfilment of those
events which were predicted by them, they could not, although true and inspired
by God, be shown to be so, because they were as yet unfulfilled. But the coming
of Christ was a declaraÂtion that their statements were true and divinely inÂ‐
spired, although it was certainly doubtful before that whether there would be an
accomplishment of those things which had been foretold.
If any one, moreover, consider the words of the prophets with all the zeal
and reverence which they deserve, it is certain that, in the perusal and careful
examination thus given them, he will feel his mind and senses touched by a
divine breath, and will acknowledge that the words which he reads were no
human utterances, but the language of God; and from his own emotions he will
feel that these books were the composition of no human skill, nor of any mortal
eloquence, but, so to speak, of a style that is divine. The splendour of Christ's
advent, therefore, illuminating the law of Moses by the light of truth, has taken
away that veil which had been placed over the letter (of the law), and has
unsealed, for every one who believes upon Him, all the blessings which were
concealed by the covering of the word.
7. It is, however, a matter attended with considerÂable labour, to point out,
in every instance, how and when the predictions of the prophets were fulfilled,
so as to appear to confirm those who are in doubt, seeing it is possible for
everyone who wishes to beÂcome more thoroughly acquainted with these
things, to gather abundant proofs from the records of the truth themselves. But if
the sense of the letter, which is beyond man, does not appear to present itself at
once, on the first glance, to those who are less versed in divine discipline, it is
not at all to be wondered at, because divine things are brought down somewhat
slowly to (the comprehension of) men, and elude the view in proportion as one is
either sceptical or unworthy. For although it is certain that all things which exist
in this world, or take place in it, are ordered by the providence of God, and
certain events indeed do appear with sufficient clearness to be under the disposal
of His providential government, yet others again unfold themselves so
mysteriously and incomprehensibly, that the plan of Divine Providence with
regard to them is completely concealed; so that it is occasionally believed by
some that particular occurrences do not belong to (the plan of) Providence,
because the principle eludes their grasp, according to which the works of Divine
Providence are administered with indescriÂbable skill; which principle of
administration, howÂever, is not equally concealed from all. For even among
men themselves, one individual devotes less consideration to it, another more;
while by every man, He who is on earth, whoever is the inhabitant of heaven, is
more acknowledged. And the nature of bodies is clear to us in one way, that of
trees in another, that of animals in a third; the nature of souls, again, is concealed
in a different way; and the manner in which the diverse movements of rational
Âunderstandings are ordered by Providence, eludes the view of men in a greater
degree, and even, in my opinion, in no small degree that of the angels also. But
as the existence of divine proviÂdence is not refuted by those especially who are
certain of its existence, but who do not comprehend its workings or
arrangements by the powers of the human mind; so neither will the divine
inspiration of holy Scripture, which extends throughout its body, be believed to
be non-existent, because the weakness of our understanding is unable to trace
out the hidÂden and secret meaning in each individual word, the treasure of
divine wisdom being hid in the vulgar and unpolished vessels of words, as the
apostle also points out when he says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels,"
that the virtue of the divine power may shine out the more brightly, no colouring
of human eloquence being intermingled with the truth of the doctrines. For if our
books induced men to believe because they were composed either by rhetorical
arts or by the wisdom of philosophy, then undoubtedly our faith would be
considered to be based on the art of words, and on human wisdom, and not upon
the power of God; whereas it is now known to all that the word of this preaching
has been so accepted by numbers throughout almost the whole world, because
they understood their belief to rest not on the persuasive words of human
wisdom, but on the manifestation of the Spirit and of power. On which account,
being led by a heavenly, nay, by a more than heavenly power, to faith and
acceptance, that we may worship the sole Creator of all things as our God, let us
also do our utmost endeavour, by abandoning the language of the elements of
Christ, which are but the first beginnings of wisdom, to go on to perfection, in
order that that wisdom which is given to them who are perfect, may be given to
us also. For such is the promise of him to whom was entrusted the preaching of
this wisdom, in the words: "Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are
perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, who
will be brought to nought;" by which he shows that this wisdom of ours has
nothing in common, so far as regards the beauty of language, with the wisdom of
this world. This wisdom, then, will be inscribed more clearly and perfectly on
our hearts, if it be made known to us according to the revelation of the mystery
which has been hid from eternity, but now is maniÂfest through the Scriptures of
prophecy, and the advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be
glory for ever. Amen.
Many, not understanding the Scriptures in a spirÂitual sense, but
incorrectly, have fallen into heresies.
8. These particulars, then, being briefly stated regarding the inspiration of
the sacred Scriptures by the Holy Spirit, it seems necessary to explain this point
also, viz., how certain persons, not reading them correctly, have given
themselves over to erroneous opinions, inasmuch as the procedure to be
followed, in order to attain an understanding of the holy writÂings, is unknown
to many. The Jews, in fine, owing to the hardness of their heart, and from a
desire to appear wise in their own eyes, have not believed in our Lord and
Saviour, judging that those statements which were uttered respecting Him ought
to be understood literally, i.e., that He ought in a sensible and visible manner to
preach deliverance to the capÂtives, and first build a city which they truly deem
the city of God, and cut off at the same time the chariots of Ephraim, and the
horse from Jerusalem; that He ought also to eat butter and honey, in order to
choose the good before He should come to know how to bring forth evil. They
think, also, that it has been predicted that the wolf— that four-footed animal—
is, at the coming of Christ, to feed with the lambs, and the leopard to lie down
with kids, and the calf and the bull to pasture with lions, and that they are to be
led by a little child to the pasÂture; that the ox and the bear are to lie down
together in the green fields, and that their young ones are to be fed together; that
lions also will frequent stalls with the oxen, and feed on straw. And seeing that,
according to history, there was no accomplishment of any of those things
predicted of Him, in which they believed the signs of Christ's advent were
espeÂcially to be observed, they refused to acknowledge the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ; nay, contrary to all the principles of human and divine law,
i.e., contrary to the faith of prophecy, they crucified Him for assuming to
Himself the name of Christ. ThereÂupon the heretics, reading that it is written in
the law, "A fire has been kindled in Mine anger;" and that "I the Lord am a
jealous (God), visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third
and fourth generation;" and that "it repents Me that I anointed Saul to be king;"
and, "I am the Lord, who make peace and create evil;" and again, "There is not
evil in a city which the Lord has not done;" and, "Evils came down from the
Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem;" and, "An evil spirit from the Lord plagued
Saul;" and reading many other passages similar to these, which are found in
Scripture, they did not venture to assert that these were not the Scriptures of
God, but they considered them to be the words of that creator God whom the
Jews worshipped, and who, they judged, ought to be regarded as just only, and
not also as good; but that the Saviour had come to announce to us a more perÂ‐
fect God, who, they allege; is not the creator of the world—there being different
and discordant opinions among them even on this very point, because, when they
once depart from a belief in God the Creator, who is Lord of all, they have given
themselves over to various inventions and fables, devising certain (fictions), and
asserting that some things were visiÂble, and made by one (God), and that
certain other things were invisible, and were created by another, according to the
vain and fanciful suggestions of their own minds. But not a few also of the more
simple of those, who appear to be restrained within the faith of the Church, are
of opinion that there is no greater God than the Creator, holding in this a correct
and sound opinion; and yet they entertain regarding Him such views as would
not be entertained regarding the most unjust and cruel of men.
 9. Now the reason of the erroneous apprehension of all these points on the
part of those whom we have mentioned above, is no other than this, that holy
Scripture is not understood by them according to its spiritual, but according to its
literal meaning. And therefore we shall endeavour, so far as our modÂerate
capacity will permit, to point out to those who believe the holy Scriptures to be
no human compoÂsitions, but to be written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and
to be transmitted and entrusted to us by the will of God the Father, through His
only-begotÂten Son Jesus Christ, what appears to us, who obÂserve things by a
right way of understanding, to be the standard and discipline delivered to the
apostles by Jesus Christ, and which they handed down in sucÂcession to their
posterity, the teachers of the holy Church. Now, that there are certain mystical
econoÂmies indicated in holy Scripture, is admitted by all, I think, even the
simplest of believers. But what these are, or of what kind they are, he who is
rightly minded, and not overcome with the vice of boasting, will scrupulously
acknowledge himself to be ignoÂrant. For if anyone, e.g., were to adduce the
case of the daughters of Lot, who seem, contrary to the law of God, to have had
intercourse with their father, or that of the two wives of Abraham, or of the two
sisters who were married to Jacob, or of the two handÂmaids who increased the
number of his sons, what other answer could be returned than that these were
certain mysteries, and forms of spiritual things, but that we are ignorant of what
nature they are? Nay, even when we read of the construction of the taberÂnacle,
we deem it certain that the written descriptions are the figures of certain hidden
things; but to adapt these to their appropriate standards, and to open up and
discuss every individual point, I consider to be exceedingly difficult, not to say
impossible. That that description, however, is, as I have said, full of mysteries,
does not escape even the common understanding. But all the narrative portion,
relating either to the marriages, or to the begetting of the children, or to battles of
different kinds, or to any other histories whatever, what else can they be
supposed to be, save the forms and figures of hidden and sacred things? As men,
however, make little effort to exercise their intellect, or imagine that they
possess knowledge before they really learn, the conÂsequence is that they never
begin to have knowledge or if there be no want of a desire, at least, nor of an
instructor, and if divine knowledge be sought after, as it ought to be, in a
religious and holy spirit, and in the hope that many points will be opened up by
the revelation of God— since to human sense they are exceedingly difficult and
obscure— then, perhaps, he who seeks in such a manner will find what it is
lawful to discover.
10. But lest this difficulty perhaps should be supÂposed to exist only in the
language of the prophets, seeing the prophetic style is allowed by all to abound
in figures and enigmas, what do we find when we come to the Gospels? Is there
not hidden there also an inner, namely a divine sense, which is reÂvealed by that
grace alone which he had received who said, "But we have the mind of Christ,
that we might know the things freely given to us by God. Which things also we
speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit
teaches?" And if one now were to read the revelations which were made to John,
how amazed would he not be that there should be contained within them so great
an amount of hidden, ineffable mysteries, in which it is clearly understood, even
by those who cannot comprehend what is concealed, that someÂthing certainly is
concealed. And yet are not the Epistles of the Apostles, which seem to some to
be plainer, filled with meanings so profound, that by means of them, as by some
small receptacle, the clearness of incalculable light appears to be poured into
those who are capable of understanding the meaning of divine wisdom? And
therefore, because this is the case, and because there are many who go wrong in
this life, I do not consider that it is easy to pronounce, without danger, that
anyone knows or understands those things, which, in order to be opened up, need
the key of knowledge; which key, the Saviour declared, lay with those who were
skilled in the law. And here, although it is a digression, I think we should inquire
of those who assert that beÂfore the advent of the Saviour there was no truth
among those who were engaged in the study of the law, how it could be said by
our Lord Jesus Christ that the keys of knowledge were with them, who had the
books of the prophets and of the law in their hands. For thus did He speak: "Woe
unto you, you teachers of the law, who have taken away the key of knowledge:
you entered not in yourselves, and you hindered those who wished to enter in."
11. But, as we had begun to observe, the way which seems to us the correct
one for the understandÂing of the Scriptures, and for the investigation of their
meaning, we consider to be of the following kind: for we are instructed by
Scripture itself in reÂgard to the ideas which we ought to form of it. In the
Proverbs of Solomon we find some such rule as the following laid down,
respecting the consideration of holy Scripture: "And do," he says, "deÂscribe
these things to yourself in a threefold manner, in counsel and knowledge, and
that you may anÂswer the words of truth to those who have proposed them to
you." Each one, then, ought to describe in his own mind, in a threefold manner,
the underÂstanding of the divine letters—that is, in order that all the more
simple individuals may be edified, so to speak, by the very body of Scripture; for
such we term that common and historical sense: while, if some have commenced
to make considerable progÂress, and are able to see something more (than that),
they may be edified by the very soul of Scripture. Those, again, who are perfect,
and who resemble those of whom the apostle says, "We speak wisdom among
them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this
world, who will be brought to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God, hidden
in a mystery, which God has decreed before the ages unto our glory;" — all
such as these may be edified by the spiritual law itself (which has a shadow of
good things to come), as if by the Spirit. For as man is said to consist of body,
and soul, and spirit, so also does sacred Scripture, which has been granted by the
divine bounty for the salvaÂtion of man; which we see pointed out, moreover, in
the little book of The Shepherd , which seems to be despised by some, where
Hermas is commanded to write two little books, and afterwards to announce to
the presbyters of the Church what he learned from the Spirit. For these are the
words that are written: "And you will write," he says, "two books; and you will
give the one to Clement, and the other to Grapte. And let Grapte admonish the
widows and orphans, and let Clement send through all the cities which are
abroad, while you will announce to the presbyters of the Church." Grapte,
accordingly, who is commanded to admonish the orphans and widows, is the
pure understanding of the letter itself; by which those youthful minds are
admonished, who have not yet deserved to have God as their Father, and are on
that account styled orphans. They, again, are the widows, who have withdrawn
themselves from the unjust man, to whom they had been united conÂtrary to
law; but who have remained widows, because they have not yet advanced to the
stage of being joined to a heavenly Bridegroom. Clement, moreÂover, is ordered
to send into those cities which are abroad what is written to those individuals
who already are withdrawing from the letter—as if the meaning were to those
souls who, being built up by this means, have begun to rise above the cares of
the body and the desires of the flesh; while he himself, who had learned from the
Holy Spirit, is commanded to announce, not by letter nor by book, but by the
living voice, to the presbyters of the Church of Christ, i.e., to those who possess
a mature faculty of wisdom, capable of receiving spiritual teaching.
12. This point, indeed, is not to be passed by withÂout notice, viz., that
there are certain passages of Scripture where this "body," as we termed it, i.e.,
this inferential historical sense, is not always found, as we shall prove to be the
case in the following pages, but where that which we termed "soul" or "spirit"
can only be understood. And this, I think, is indicated in the Gospels, where
there are said to be placed, according to the manner of purification among the
Jews, six water-vessels, containing two or three firkins a-piece; by which, as I
have said, the language of the Gospel seems to indicate, with respect to those
who are secretly called by the apostle "Jews," that they are purified by the word
of ScripÂture,— receiving indeed sometimes two firkins, i.e., the understanding
of the "soul" or "spirit," accordÂing to our statement as above; sometimes even
three (firkins), when in the reading (of Scripture) the "bodily" sense, which is the
"historical," may be preserved for the edification of the people. Now six water-
vessels are appropriately spoken of, with regard to those persons who are
purified by being placed in the world; for we read that in six days— which is
the perfect number— this world and all things in it were finished. How great,
then, is the utility of this first "historical" sense which we have mentioned, is
attested by the multitude of all beÂlievers, who believe with adequate faith and
simÂplicity, and does not need much argument, because it is openly manifest to
all; whereas of that sense which we have called above the "soul," as it were, of
Scripture, the Apostle Paul has given us numerous examples in the first Epistle
to the Corinthians. For we find the expression, "You shall not muzzle the mouth
of the ox that treads out the grain." And afterwards, when explaining what
precept ought to be understood by this, he adds the words: "Does God take care
for oxen? Or says He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is
written; that he who ploughs should plough in hope, and he that threshes, in
hope of partaking." Very many other passages also of this nature, which are in
this way explained of the law, contribute extensive information to the hearers.
13. Now a "spiritual" interpretation is of this nature: when one is able to
point out what are the heavenly things of which these serve as the patÂterns and
shadow, who are Jews "according to the flesh," and of what things future the law
contains a shadow, and any other expressions of this kind that may be found in
holy Scripture; or when it is a subject of inquiry, what is that wisdom hidden in a
mystery which "God ordained before the world for our glory, which none of the
princes of this world knew;" or the meaning of the apostle's language, when,
employÂing certain illustrations from Exodus or Numbers, he says: "These
things happened to them in a figure, and they are written on our account, on
whom the ends of the ages have come." Now, an opportunity is afforded us of
understanding of what those things which happened to them were figures, when
he adds: "And they drank of that spiritual Rock which folÂlowed them, and that
Rock was Christ." In anÂother Epistle also, when referring to the tabernacle, he
mentions the direction which was given to Moses: "You shall make (all things)
according to the patÂtern which was showed you in the mount." And writing to
the Galatians, and upbraiding certain indiÂviduals who seem to themselves to
read the law, and yet without understanding it, because of their ignoÂrance of
the fact that an allegorical meaning underlies what is written, he says to them in
a certain tone of rebuke: "Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you
not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons; the one by a
bond-maid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bond-woman was
born according to the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise. Which
things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants." And here this point is to
be attended to, viz., the caution with which the apostle employs the expresÂsion,
"You who are under the law, do you not hear the law?" Do you not hear , i.e., do
you not understand and know? In the Epistle to the Colossians, again, briefly
summing up and condensing the meaning of the whole law, he says: "Let no man
therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of holy days, or of the new
moon, or of the Sabbath, which are a shadow of things to come." Writing to the
Hebrews also, and treating of those who belong to the circumÂcision, he says:
"Those who serve to the example and shadow of heavenly things." Now perhaps,
through these illustrations, no doubt will be enterÂtained regarding the five
books of Moses, by those who hold the writings of the apostle, as divinely inÂ‐
spired. And if they require, with respect to the rest of the history, that those
events which are contained in it should be considered as having happened for an
ensample to those of whom they are written, we have observed that this also has
been stated in the Epistle to the Romans, where the apostle adduces an inÂstance
from the third book of Kings, saying, "I have left me seven thousand men who
have not bowed the knee to Baal;" which expression Paul understood as
figuratively spoken of those who are called IsraelÂites according to the election,
in order to show that the advent of Christ had not only now been of adÂvantage
to the Gentiles, but that very many even of the race of Israel had been called to
salvation.
14. This being the state of the case, we shall sketch out, as if by way of
illustration and pattern, what may occur to us with regard to the manner in which
holy Scripture is to be understood on these several points, repeating in the first
instance, and pointing out this fact, that the Holy Spirit, by the providence and
will of God, through the power of His only-begotten Word, who was in the
beginning God with God, enlightened the ministers of truth, the prophets and
apostles, to understand the mysteries of those things or causes which take place
among men, or with respect to men. And by "men," I now mean souls that are
placed in bodies, who, relating those mysteries that are known to them, and
revealed through Christ, as if they were a kind of human transactions, or handing
down certain legal observances and injunctions, described them figuraÂtively;
not that anyone who pleased might view these expositions as deserving to be
trampled under foot, but that he who should devote himself with all chastity, and
sobriety, and watchfulness, to studies of this kind, might be able by this means to
trace out the meaning of the Spirit of God, which is perhaps lying profoundly
buried, and the context, which may be pointing again in another direction than
the ordinary usage of speech would indicate. And in this way he might become a
sharer in the knowledge of the Spirit, and a partaker in the divine counsel,
because the soul cannot come to the perfecÂtion of knowledge otherwise than by
inspiration of the truth of the divine wisdom. Accordingly, it is of God, i.e., of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that these men, filled with the
Divine Spirit, chiefly treat; then the mysteries relating to the Son of God— how
the Word became flesh, and why He descended even to the assumption of the
form of a servant— are the subject, as I have said, of explanation by those
persons who are filled with the Divine Spirit. It next followed, necessarily, that
they should instruct mortals by divine teaching, reÂgarding rational creatures,
both those of heaven and the happier ones of earth; and also (should explain) the
differences among souls, and the origin of these differences; and then should tell
what this world is, and why it was created; whence also sprung the great and
terrible wickedness which extends over the earth. And whether that wickedness
is found on this earth only, or in other places, is a point which it was necessary
for us to learn from divine teaching. Since, then, it was the intention of the Holy
Spirit to enlighten with respect to these and similar subÂjects, those holy souls
who had devoted themselves to the service of the truth, this object was kept in
view, in the second place, viz., for the sake of those who either could not or
would not give themselves to this labour and toil by which they might deserve to
be instructed in or to recognise things of such value and importance, to wrap up
and conceal, as we said before, in ordinary language, under the coverÂing of
some history and narrative of visible things, hidden mysteries. There is therefore
introduced the narrative of the visible creation, and the creation and formation of
the first man; then the offspring which followed from him in succession, and
some of the actions which were done by the good among his posterity, are
related, and occasionally certain crimes also, which are stated to have been
committed by them as being human; and afterwards certain unÂchaste or wicked
deeds also are narrated as being the acts of the wicked. The description of
battles, moreover, is given in a wonderful manner, and the alternations of victors
and vanquished, by which certain ineffable mysteries are made known to those
who know how to investigate statements of that kind. By an admirable discipline
of wisdom, too, the law of truth, even of the prophets, is implanted in the
Scriptures of the law, each of which is woven by a divine art of wisdom, as a
kind of covering and veil of spiritual truths; and this is what we have called the
"body" of Scripture, so that also, in this way, what we have called the covering
of the letter, woven by the art of wisdom, might be capable of edifying and
profiting many, when others would derive no benefit.
15. But as if, in all the instances of this covering (i.e., of this history), the
logical connection and order of the law had been preserved, we would not
certainly believe, when thus possessing the meaning of Scripture in a continuous
series, that anything else was contained in it save what was indicated on the
surface; so for that reason divine wisdom took care that certain stumbling-
blocks, or interruptions, to the historical meaning should take place, by the
introÂduction into the midst (of the narrative) of certain impossibilities and
incongruities; that in this way the very interruption of the narrative might, as by
the interposition of a bolt, present an obstacle to the reader, whereby he might
refuse to acknowledge the way which conducts to the ordinary meaning; and
being thus excluded and debarred from it, we might be recalled to the beginning
of another way, in order that, by entering upon a narrow path, and passing to a
loftier and more sublime road, he might lay open the immense breadth of divine
wisdom. This, however, must not be unnoted by us, that as the chief object of the
Holy Spirit is to preserve the coherence of the spiritual meaning, either in those
things which ought to be done or which have been already performed, if He
anywhere finds that those events which, according to the history, took place, can
be adapted to a spiritual meaning, He composed a texture of both kinds in one
style of narration, always concealing the hidden meaning more deeply; but
where the historical narrative could not be made appropriate to the spiritual
coherence of the occurÂrences, He inserted sometimes certain things which
either did not take place or could not take place; sometimes also what might
happen, but what did not: and He does this at one time in a few words, which,
taken in their "bodily" meaning, seem incaÂpable of containing truth, and at
another by the inÂsertion of many. And this we find frequently to be the case in
the legislative portions, where there are many things manifestly useful among
the "bodily" precepts, but a very great number also in which no principle of
utility is at all discernible, and someÂtimes even things which are judged to be
impossiÂbilities. Now all this, as we have remarked, was done by the Holy
Spirit in order that, seeing those events which lie on the surface can be neither
true nor useful, we may be led to the investigation of that truth which is more
deeply concealed, and to the ascertaining of a meaning worthy of God in those
Scriptures which we believe to be inspired by Him.
16. Nor was it only with regard to those Scriptures which were composed
down to the advent of Christ that the Holy Spirit thus dealt; but as being one and
the same Spirit, and proceeding from one God, He dealt in the same way with
the evangelists and apostles. For even those narratives which He inÂspired them
to write were not composed without the aid of that wisdom of His, the nature of
which we have above explained. Whence also in them were intermingled not a
few things by which, the historical order of the narrative being interrupted and
broken up, the attention of the reader might be recalled, by the impossibility of
the case, to an examination of the inner meaning. But, that our meaning may be
ascertained by the facts themselves, let us examine the passages of Scripture.
Now who is there, pray, possessed of understanding, that will regard the
statement as appropriate, that the first day, and the second, and the third, in
which also both evening and morning are mentioned, existed without sun, and
moon, and stars— the first day even without a sky? And who is found so
ignorant as to suppose that God, as if He had been a husbandman, planted trees
in paradise, in Eden towards the east, and a tree of life in it, i.e., a visible and
palpable tree of wood, so that anyone eating of it with bodily teeth should obtain
life, and, eating again of another tree, should come to the knowledge of good and
evil? No one, I think, can doubt that the statement that God walked in the
afternoon in paradise, and that Adam lay hid under a tree, is related figuratively
in Scripture, that some mystical meaning may be indicated by it. The departure
of Cain from the presence of the Lord will manifestly cause a careful reader to
inquire what is the presence of God, and how anyone can go out from it. But not
to extend the task which we have before us beyond its due limits, it is very easy
for anyone who pleases to gather out of holy Scripture what is recorded indeed
as having been done, but what nevertheless cannot be believed as having reaÂ‐
sonably and appropriately occurred according to the historical account. The
same style of Scriptural narrative occurs abundantly in the Gospels, as when the
devil is said to have placed Jesus on a lofty mountain, that he might show Him
from thence all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. How could it
literally come to pass, either that Jesus should be led up by the devil into a high
mountain, or that the latter should show him all the kingdoms of the world (as if
they were lying beneath his bodily eyes, and adjacent to one mountain), i.e., the
kingÂdoms of the Persians, and Scythians, and Indians? Or how could he show
in what manner the kings of these kingdoms are glorified by men? And many
other instances similar to this will be found in the Gospels by anyone who will
read them with attenÂtion, and will observe that in those narratives which
appear to be literally recorded, there are inserted and interwoven things which
cannot be admitted hisÂtorically, but which may be accepted in a spiritual
signification.
17. In the passages containing the commandments also, similar things are
found. For in the law Moses is commanded to destroy every male that is not
cirÂcumcised on the eighth day, which is exceedingly incongruous; since it
would be necessary, if it were related that the law was executed according to the
history, to command those parents to be punished who did not circumcise their
children, and also those who were the nurses of little children. The declaraÂtion
of Scripture now is, "The uncircumcised male, i.e., who shall not have been
circumcised, shall be cut off from his people." And if we are to inquire regarding
the impossibilities of the law, we find an animal called the goat-stag, which
cannot possibly exist, but which, as being in the number of clean beasts, Moses
commands to be eaten; and a griffin, which no one ever remembers or heard of
as yielding to human power, but which the legislator forbids to be used for food.
Respecting the celebrated obÂservance of the Sabbath also he thus speaks: "You
shall sit, everyone in your dwellings; no one shall move from his place on the
Sabbath day." Which precept it is impossible to observe literally; for no man can
sit a whole day so as not to move from the place where he sat down. With
respect to each one of these points now, those who belong to the cirÂcumcision,
and all who would have no more meaning to be found in sacred Scripture than
what is indicated by the letter, consider that there should be no investigation
regarding the goat-stag, and the griffin, and the vulture; and they invent some
empty and trifling tales about the Sabbath, drawn from some traditional sources
or other, alleging that everyone's place is computed to him within two thousand
cubits. Others, again, among whom is Dositheus the Samaritan, censure indeed
expositions of this kind, but themselves lay down something more ridiculous,
viz., that each one must remain until the evening in the posture, place, or
position in which he found himself on the Sabbath day; i.e., if found sitting, he is
to sit the whole day, or if reclining, he is to recline the whole day. Moreover, the
injunction which runs, "Bear no burden on the Sabbath day," seems to me an
impossibility. For the Jewish doctors, in conseÂquence of these (prescriptions),
have betaken themÂselves, as the holy apostle says, to innumerable fables,
saying that it is not accounted a burden if a man wear shoes without nails, but
that it is a burden if shoes with nails be worn; and that if it be carried on one
shoulder, they consider it a burden but if on both, they declare it to be none.
18. And now, if we institute a similar examination with regard to the
Gospels, how shall it appear otherÂwise than absurd to take the injunction
literally, "SaÂlute no man by the way?" And yet there are simple individuals,
who think that our Saviour gave this comÂmand to His apostles! How, also, can
it appear possible for such an order as this to be observed, especially in those
countries where there is a rigorous winter, attended by frost and ice, viz., that
one should possess "neither two coats, nor shoes?" And this, that when one is
smitten on the right cheek, he is ordered to present the left also, since everyone
who strikes with the right hand smites the left cheek? This precept also in the
Gospels must be accounted among impossibilities, viz., that if the right eye "ofÂ‐
fend" you, it is to be plucked out; for even if we were to suppose that bodily eyes
were spoken of, how shall it appear appropriate, that when both eyes have the
property of sight, the responsibility of the "offense" should be transferred to one
eye, and that the right one? Or who shall be considered free of a crime of the
greatest enormity, that lays hands upon himself? But perhaps the Epistles of the
Apostle Paul will appear to be beyond this. For what is his meaning, when he
says, "Is any man called, being circumcised? Let him not become
uncircumcised." This expression indeed, in the first place, does not on careful
consideration seem to be spoken with reference to the subject of which he was
treating at the time, for this discourse consisted of injunctions relating to
marriage and to chastity; and these words, therefore, will have the appearance an
unnecessary addition to such a subject. In the second place, however, what
objection would there be, if, for the sake of avoiding that unseemliÂness which
is caused by circumcision, a man were able to become uncircumcised? And, in
the third place, that is altogether impossible.
The object of all these statements on our part, is to show that it was the
design of the Holy Spirit, who deigned to bestow upon us the sacred Scriptures,
to show that we were not to be edified by the letter alone, or by everything in it
—a thing which we see to be frequently impossible and inconsistent; for in that
way not only absurdities, but impossibilities, would be the result; but that we are
to understand that certain occurrences were interwoven in this "visible" history,
which, when considered and unÂderstood in their inner meaning, give forth a
law which is advantageous to men and worthy of God.
19. Let no one, however, entertain the suspicion that we do not believe any
history in Scripture to be real, because we suspect certain events related in it not
to have taken place; or that no precepts of the law are to be taken literally,
because we consider certain of them, in which either the nature or possiÂbility
of the case so requires, incapable of being obÂserved; or that we do not believe
those predictions which were written of the Saviour to have been fulÂfilled in a
manner palpable to the senses; or that His commandments are not to be literally
obeyed. We have therefore to state in answer, since we are manifestly so of
opinion, that the truth of the history may and ought to be preserved in the
majority of instances. For who can deny that Abraham was buried in the double
cave at Hebron, as well as Isaac and Jacob, and each of their wives? Or who
doubts that Shechem was given as a portion to Joseph? or that Jerusalem is the
metropolis of Judea, on which the temple of God was built by Solomon?— and
countless other statements. For the passages which hold good in their historical
acÂceptation are much more numerous than those which contain a purely
spiritual meaning. Then, again, who would not maintain that the command to
"honour your father and your mother, that it may be well with you," is sufficient
of itself without any spiritual meaning, and necessary for those who observe it?
Especially when Paul also has confirmed the comÂmand by repeating it in the
same words. And what need is there to speak of the prohibitions, "You shall not
commit adultery," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," and
others of the same kind? And with respect to the precepts enjoined in the
Gospels, no doubt can be entertained that very many of these are to be literally
observed, as, e.g., when our Lord says, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all;"
and when He says, "Whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has comÂ‐
mitted adultery with her already in his heart;" the admonitions also which are
found in the writings of the Apostle Paul, "Warn them that are unruly, comÂfort
the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men," and very many
others. And yet I have no doubt that an attentive reader will, in numerous
instances, hesitate whether this or that hisÂtory can be considered to be literally
true or not; or whether this or that precept ought to be observed according to the
letter or no. And therefore great pains and labour are to be employed, until every
reader reverentially understand that he is dealing with divine and not human
words inserted in the sacred books.
20. The understanding, therefore, of holy ScripÂture which we consider
ought to be deservedly and consistently maintained, is of the following kind. A
certain nation is declared by holy Scripture to have been chosen by God upon the
earth, which nation has received several names: for sometimes the whole of it is
termed Israel, and sometimes Jacob; and it was divided by Jeroboam son of
Nebat into two porÂtions; and the ten tribes which were formed under him were
called Israel, while the two remaining ones (with which were united the tribe of
Levi, and that which was descended from the royal race of David) was named
Judah. Now the whole of the country possessed by that nation, which it had
received from God, was called Judea, in which was situated the metropolis,
Jerusalem; and it is called metropolis, being as it were the mother of many cities,
the names of which you will frequently find mentioned here and there in the
other books of Scripture, but which are collected together into one catalogue in
the book of Joshua the son of Nun.
21. This, then, being the state of the case, the holy apostle desiring to
elevate in some degree, and to raise our understanding above the earth, says in a
certain place, "Behold Israel after the flesh;" by which he certainly means that
there is another Israel which is not according to the flesh, but accordÂing to the
Spirit. And again in another passage, "For they are not all Israelites who are of
Israel."
22. Being taught, then, by him that there is one Israel according to the flesh,
and another according to the Spirit, when the Saviour says, "I am not sent but to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel," we do not understand these words as those
do who savour of earthly things, i.e., the Ebionites, who derive the appellation of
"poor" from their very name (for "Ebion" means "poor" in Hebrew ); but we
understand that there exists a race of souls which is termed "Israel," as is
indicated by the interpretation of the name itself: for Israel is interpreted to mean
a "mind," or "man seeing God." The apostle, again, makes a similar revelation
respecting JeruÂsalem, saying, "The Jerusalem which is above is free, which is
the mother of us all." And in another of his Epistles he says: "But you have come
unto mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, and to the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, and to the Church of the
first-born which is written in heaven." If, then, there are certain souls in this
world who are called Israel, and a city in heaven which is called Jerusalem, it
follows that those cities which are said to belong to the nation of Israel have the
heavenly Jerusalem as their metropÂolis; and that, agreeably to this, we
understand as referring to the whole of Judah (of which also we are of opinion
that the prophets have spoken in certain mystical narratives), any predictions
delivered either regarding Judea or Jerusalem, or invasions of any kind, which
the sacred histories declare to have happened to Judea or Jerusalem. Whatever,
then, is either narrated or predicted of Jerusalem, must, if we accept the words of
Paul as those of Christ speaking in him, be understood as spoken in conformity
with his opinÂion regarding that city which he calls the heavenly Jerusalem, and
all those places or cities which are said to be cities of the holy land, of which
Jerusalem is the metropolis. For we are to suppose that it is from these very
cities that the Saviour, wishing to raise us to a higher grade of intelligence,
promises to those who have well managed the money entrusted to them by
Himself, that they are to have power over ten or five cities. If, then, the
prophecies delivered concerning Judea, and Jerusalem, and Judah, and Israel,
and Jacob, not being understood by us in a carnal sense, signify certain divine
mysteries, it cerÂtainly follows that those prophecies also which were delivered
either concerning Egypt or the Egyptians, or Babylonia and the Babylonians, and
Sidon and the Sidonians, are not to be understood as spoken of that Egypt which
is situated on the earth, or of the earthly Babylon, Tyre, or Sidon. Nor can those
predictions which the prophet Ezekiel delivered concerning Pharaoh king of
Egypt, apply to any man who may seem to have reigned over Egypt, as the
nature of the passage itself declares. In a similar manner also, what is spoken of
the prince of Tyre cannot be underÂstood of any man or king of Tyre. And how
could we possibly accept, as spoken of a man, what is related in many passages
of Scripture, and especially in Isaiah, regarding Nebuchadnezzar? For he is not a
man who is said to have "fallen from heaven," or who was "Lucifer," or who
"arose in the morning." But with respect to those predictions which are found in
Ezekiel concerning Egypt, such as that it is to be destroyed in forty years, so that
the foot of man should not be found within it, and that it should sufÂfer such
devastation, that throughout the whole land the blood of men should rise to the
knees, I do not know that anyone possessed of understanding could refer this to
that earthly Egypt which adjoins EthioÂpia. But let us see whether it may not be
underÂstood more fittingly in the following manner: viz., that as there is a
heavenly Jerusalem and Judea, and a nation undoubtedly which inhabits it, and is
named Israel; so also it is possible that there are certain localities near to these
which may seem to be called either Egypt, or Babylon, or Tyre, or Sidon, and
that the princes of these places, and the souls, if there be any, that inhabit them,
are called Egyptians, BabyÂlonians, Tyrians, and Sidonians. From whom also,
according to the mode of life which they lead there, a sort of captivity would
seem to result, in conseÂquence of which they are said to have fallen from Judea
into Babylonia or Egypt, from a higher and better condition, or to have been
scattered into other countries.
23. For perhaps as those who, departing this world in virtue of that death
which is common to all, are arranged, in conformity with their actions and
deserts— according as they shall be deemed worthy— some in the place which
is called "hell," others in the bosom of Abraham, and in different localities or
mansions; so also from those places, as if dying there, if the expression can be
used, do they come down from the "upper world" to this "hell." For that "hell" to
which the souls of the dead are conÂducted from this world, is, I believe, on
account of this distinction, called the "lower hell" by Scripture, as is said in the
book of Psalms: "You have delivÂered my soul from the lowest hell." Everyone,
accordingly, of those who descend to the earth is, according to his deserts, or
agreeably to the position which he occupied there, ordained to be born in this
world, in a different country, or among a different nation, or in a different mode
of life, or surrounded by infirmities of a different kind, or to be descended from
religious parents, or parents who are not reliÂgious; so that it may sometimes
happen that an Israelite descends among the Scythians, and a poor Egyptian is
brought down to Judea. And yet our Saviour came to gather together the lost
sheep of the house of Israel; and as many of the Israelites did not accept His
teaching, those who belonged to the Gentiles were called. From which it will
appear to follow, that those prophecies which are delivered to the individual
nations ought to be referred rather to the souls, and to their different heavenly
mansions. Nay, the narratives of the events which are said to have happened
either to the nation of Israel, or to Jerusalem, or to Judea, when assailed by this
or that nation, cannot in many instances be understood as having actually
occurred, and are much more apÂpropriate to those nations of souls who inhabit
that heaven which is said to pass away, or who even now are supposed to be
inhabitants of it.
If now anyone demand of us clear and distinct declarations on these points
out of holy Scripture, we must answer that it was the design of the Holy Spirit, in
those portions which appear to relate the history of events, rather to cover and
conceal the meaning: in those passages, e.g., where they are said to go down into
Egypt, or to be carried captive to BabyÂlonia, or when in these very countries
some are said to be brought to excessive humiliation, and to be placed under
bondage to their masters; while others, again, in these very countries of their
captivity, were held in honour and esteem, so as to occupy positions of rank and
power, and were appointed to the govÂernment of provinces—all which things,
as we have said, are kept hidden and covered in the narratives of holy Scripture,
because "the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field; which when a
man finds, he hides it, and for joy thereof goes away and sells all that he has,
and buys that field." By which similitude, consider whether it be not pointed out
that the very soil and surface, so to speak, of Scripture— that is, the literal
meaning— is the field, filled with plants and flowers of all kinds; while that
deeper and profounder "spiritual" meanÂing are the very hidden treasures of
wisdom and knowledge which the Holy Spirit by Isaiah calls the dark and
invisible and hidden treasures, for the findÂing out of which the divine help is
required: for God alone can burst the brazen gates by which they are enclosed
and concealed, and break in pieces the iron bolts and levers by which access is
prevented to all those things which are written and concealed in Genesis
respecting the different kinds of souls, and of those seeds and generations which
either have a close connection with Israel or are widely separated from his
descendants; as well as what is that descent of seventy souls into Egypt, which
seventy souls became in that land as the stars of heaven in multitude. But as not
all of them were the light of this world— "for all who are of Israel are not
Israel" — they grow from being seventy souls to be an important people, and as
the "sand by the sea-shore innumerÂable."

Translated from the Greek

( The translation from the Greek is designedly literal, that the difference
between the original and the paraphrase of Rufinus may be more clearly seen. )
 1. Since, in our investigation of matters of such importance, not satisfied
with the common opinions, and with the clear eviÂdence of visible things, we
take in addition, for the proof of our statements, testimonies from what are
believed by us to be divine writings, viz., from that which is called the Old
Testament, and that which is styled the New, and endeavour by reason to conÂ‐
firm our faith; and as we have not yet spoken of the Scriptures as divine, come
and let us, as if by way of an epitome, treat of a few points respecting them,
layÂing down those reasons which lead us to regard them as divine writings.
And beÂfore making use of the words of the writÂings themselves, and of the
things which are exhibited in them, we must make the following statement
regarding Moses and Jesus Christ—the lawgiver of the Hebrews, and the
Introducer of the savÂing doctrines according to Christianity. For, although
there have been very many legislators among the Greeks and BarbariÂans, and
teachers who announced opinions which professed to be the truth, we have heard
of no legislator who was able to imbue other nations with a zeal for the reception
of his words; and although those who professed to philosophize about truth
brought forward a great apparatus of apparent logical demonstration, no one has
been able to impress what was deemed by him the truth upon other naÂtions, or
even on any number of persons worth mentioning in a single nation. And yet not
only would the legislators have liked to enforce those laws which appeared to be
good, if possible, upon the whole human race, but the teachers also to have
spread what they imagined to be truth everywhere throughout the world. But as
they were unable to call men of other lanÂguages and from many nations to
observe their laws, and accept their teaching, they did not at all attempt to do
this, considerÂing not unwisely the impossibility of such a result happening to
them. Whereas all Greece, and the barbarous part of our world, contains
innumerable zealots, who have deserted the laws of their fathers and the
established gods, for the observance of the laws of Moses and the discipleship of
the words of Jesus Christ; although those who clave to the law of Moses were
hated by the worshippers of images, and those who accepted the words of Jesus
Christ were exposed, in addition, to the danger of death.
2. And if we observe how powerful the word has become in a very few
years, notwithstanding that against those who acknowledged Christianity
conspiracies were formed, and some of them on its account put to death, and
others of them lost their property, and that, notwithstandÂing the small number
of its teachers, it was preached everywhere throughout the world, so that Greeks
and Barbarians, wise and foolish, gave themselves up to the worship that is
through Jesus, we have no difficulty in saying that the result is beÂyond any
human power, Jesus having taught with all authority and persuasiveÂness that
His word should not be overÂcome; so that we may rightly regard as oracular
responses those utterances of His, such as, "You shall be brought before
governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the GenÂ‐
tiles;" and, "Many shall say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten
in Your name, and drunk in Your name, and in Your name cast out devils? And I
shall say unto them, Depart from Me, you workÂers of iniquity, I never knew
you." Now it was perhaps (once) probable that, in uttering these words, He spoke
them in vain, so that they were not true; but when that which was delivered with
so much authority has come to pass, it shows that God, having really become
man, delivered to men the doctrines of salvation.
3. And what need is there to mention also that it was predicted of Christ that
then would the rulers fail from Judah, and the leaders from his thighs, when He
came for whom it is reserved (the kingÂdom, namely); and that the expectation
of the Gentiles should dwell in the land? For it is clearly manifest from the
history, and from what is seen at the present day, that from the times of Jesus
there were no longer any who were called kings of the Jews; all those Jewish
institutions on which they prided themselves— I mean those arrangements
relating to the temple and the altar, and the offering of the service, and the robes
of the high priest Âhaving been destroyed. For the prophecy was fulfilled which
said, "The children of Israel shall sit many days, there being no king, nor ruler,
nor sacrifice, nor altar, nor priesthood, nor responses." And these predictions
we employ to answer those who, in their perplexity as to the words spoken in
Genesis by Jacob to Judah, asÂsert that the Ethnarch, being of the race of Judah,
is the ruler of the people, and that there will not fail some of his seed, until the
advent of that Christ whom they figure to their imagination. But if "the children
of Israel are to sit many days without a king, or ruler, or altar, or priestÂhood,
or responses;" and if, since the temple was destroyed, there exists no longer
sacrifice, nor altar, nor priesthood, it is manifest that the ruler has failed out of
Judah, and the leader from between his thighs. And since the prediction declares
that "the ruler shall not fail from Judah, and the leader from between his thighs,
until what is reserved for Him shall come," it is manifest that He has come to
whom (belongs) what is reserved— the expectaÂtion of the Gentiles. And this is
clear from the multitude of the heathen who have believed on God through Jesus
Christ.
4. And in the song in Deuteronomy, also, it is prophetically made known
that, on account of the sins of the former peoÂple, there was to be an election of
foolish nations, which has been brought to pass by no other than by Jesus. "For
they," He says, "moved Me to jealousy with that which is not God, they have
provoked Me to anger with their idols; and I will move them to jealousy with
those which are not a people, and will provoke them to anger with a foolish
nation." Now it is possiÂble to understand with all clearness how the Hebrews,
who are said to have moved God to jealousy by that which is not God, and to
have provoked Him to anger by their idols, were (themselves) aroused to
jealousy by that which was not a people— the foolish nation, namely, which
God chose by the advent of Jesus Christ and His disciples. We see, indeed, "our
callÂing, that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble (are called); but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise; and base things, and things that are deÂspised, has God
chosen, and things that are not, to bring to nought the things which formerly
existed;" and let not the Israel according to the flesh, which is called by the
apostle "flesh," boast in the presence of God.
 5. And what are we to say regarding the prophecies of Christ in the Psalms,
there being a certain ode with the superscription "For the Beloved," whose
tongue is said to be the "pen of a ready writer, who is fairer than the sons of
men," since "grace was poured on His lips?" For a proof that grace was poured
on His lips is this, that although the period of His teachÂing was short— for He
taught somewhere about a year and a few months— the world has been filled
with his teaching, and with the worship of God (established) through Him. For
there arose "in His days rightÂeousness and abundance of peace," which abides
until the consummation, which has been called the taking away of the moon; and
He continues "ruling from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the
earth." And to the house of David has been given a sign: for the Virgin bore, and
was pregnant, and brought forth a son, and His name is Emmanuel, which is,
"God with us;" and as the same prophet says, the prediction has been fulfilled,
"God (is) with us; know it, O nations, and be overcome; you who are strong, be
vanquished:" for we of the heathen have been overcome and vanquished, we
who have been taken by the grace of His teaching. The place also of His birth
has been foretold in (the prophecies of) Micah: "For you, Bethlehem," he says,
"land of Judah, art by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of
you shall come forth a Ruler, who shall rule My people Israel." And according
to Daniel, seventy weeks were fulfilled until (the coming of) Christ the Ruler.
And He came, who, according to Job, has subdued the great fish, and has given
power to His true disciples to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and all the
power of the enemy, without sustaining any inÂjury from them. And let one
notice also the universal advent of the apostles sent by Jesus to announce the
Gospel, and he will see both that the undertaking was beyond human power, and
that the commandment came from God. And if we examine how men, on
hearing new doctrines, and strange words, yielded themselves up to these
teachers, being overcome, amid the very desire to plot against them, by a divine
power that watched over these (teachers), we shall not be incredulous as to
whether they also wrought miracles, God bearing witness to their words both by
signs, and wonders, and various miracles.
6. And while we thus briefly demonÂstrate the deity of Christ, and (in so
doing) make use of the prophetic declarations regarding Him, we demonstrate at
the same time that the writings which propheÂsied of Him were divinely
inspired; and that those documents which announced His coming and His
doctrine were given forth with all power and authority, and that on this account
they obtained the election from the Gentiles. We must say, also, that the divinity
of the prophetic declarations, and the spiritual nature of the law of Moses, shone
forth after the advent of Christ. For before the advent of Christ it was not
altogether possible to exhibit manifest proofs of the divine inÂspiration of the
ancient Scripture; whereas His coming led those who might suspect the law and
the prophets not to be divine, to the clear conviction that they were composed by
(the aid of) heavenly grace. And he who reads the words of the prophÂets with
care and attention, feeling by the very perusal the traces of the divinity that is in
them, will be led by his own emotions to believe that those words which have
been deemed to be the words of God are not the compositions of men. The light,
moreover, which was contained in the law of Moses, but which had been
concealed by a veil, shone forth at the advent of Jesus, the veil being taken away,
and those blessings, the shadow of which was contained in the letter, coming
forth gradually to the knowledge (of men).
7. It would be tedious now to enumerÂate the most ancient prophecies
respecting each future event, in order that the doubter, being impressed by their
divinity, may lay aside all hesitation and distraction, and devote himself with his
whole soul to the words of God. But if in every part of the Scriptures the
superhuman element of thought does not seem to present itself to the
uninstructed, that is not at all wonderful for, with respect to the works of that
providence which embraces the whole world, some show with the utmost
clearness that they are works of proviÂdence, while others are so concealed as to
seem to furnish ground for unbelief with respect to that God who orders all
things with unspeakable skill and power. For the artistic plan of a providential
Ruler is not so evident in those matters belongÂing to the earth, as in the case of
the sun, and moon, and stars; and not so clear in what relates to human
occurrences, as it is in the souls and bodies of animals,— the object and reason
of the impulses, and phantasies and natures of animals, and the structure of their
bodies, being carefully ascertained by those who attend to these things. But as
(the doctrine of) proviÂdence is not at all weakened (on account of those things
which are not understood) in the eyes of those who have once honÂestly
accepted it, so neither is the divinity of Scripture, which extends to the whole of
it, (lost) on account of the inability of our weakness to discover in every
expresÂsion the hidden splendour of the doctrines veiled in common and
unattractive phraseÂology. For we have the treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power of God may shine forth, and that it may not be deemed
to proceed from us (who are but) human beings. For if the hackÂneyed methods
of demonstration (common) among men, contained in the books (of the Bible),
had been successful in proÂducing conviction; then our faith would rightly have
been supposed to rest on the wisdom of men, and not on the power of God; but
now it is manifest to everyone who lifts up his eyes, that the word and preaching
have not prevailed among the multitude "by persuasive words of wisdom, but by
demonstration of the Spirit and of power." Wherefore, since a celestial or even a
super-celestial power compels us to worship the only Creator, let us leave the
doctrine of the beginning of Christ, i.e., the elements, and endeavour to go on to
perfection, in order that the wisdom spoken to the perfect may be spoken to us
also. For he who possesses it promises to speak wisdom among them that are
perfect, but another wisdom than that of this world, and of the rulers of this
world, which is brought to nought. And this wisdom will be distinctly stamped
upon us, and will produce a revelation of the mystery that was kept silent in the
eternal ages, but now has been manifested through the proÂphetic Scriptures,
and the appearance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for
ever and ever. Amen.
8. Having spoken thus briefly on the subject of the divine inspiration of the
holy Scriptures, it is necessary to proceed to the (consideration of the) manner in
which they are to be read and understood, seeing numerous errors have been
comÂmitted in consequence of the method in which the holy documents ought
to be examined; not having been discovered by the multitude. For both the
hardened in heart, and the ignorant persons belonging to the circumcision, have
not believed on our Saviour, thinking that they are followÂing the language of
the prophecies reÂspecting Him, and not perceiving in a manner palpable to
their senses that He had proclaimed liberty to the captives, nor that He had built
up what they truly conÂsider the city of God, nor cut off "the chariots of
Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem," nor eaten butter and honey, and,
before knowing or preferring the evil, had selected the good. And thinking,
moreover, that it was prophesied that the wolf— the four-footed animal— was to
feed with the lamb, and the leopard to lie down with the kid, and the calf and
bull and lion to feed together, being led by a little child, and that the ox and bear
were to pasture together, their young ones growing up together, and that the lion
was to eat straw like the ox: seeing none of these things visibly accomplished
during the advent of Him who is believed by us to be Christ, they did not accept
our Lord Jesus; but, as having called Himself Christ improperly, they crucified
Him. And those belonging to heretical sects reading this (statement), "A fire has
been kindled in Mine anger;" and this, "I am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation;"
and this, "I repent of having anointed Saul to be king;" and this, "I am a God
that makes peace, and creates evil;" and, among others, this, "There is not
wickedness in the city which the Lord has not done;" and again this, "Evils came
down from the Lord upon the gates of Jerusalem;" and, "An evil spirit from the
Lord plagued Saul;" and countless other passages like these— they have not
ventured to disbelieve these as the Scriptures of God; but believing them to be
the (words) of the Demiurge, whom the Jews worship, they thought that as the
Demiurge was an imperfect and unbenevoÂlent God, the Saviour had come to
anÂnounce a more perfect Deity, who, they say, is not the Demiurge, being of
different opinions regarding Him; and having once departed from the Demiurge,
who is the only uncreated God, they have given themÂselves up to fictions,
inventing to themselves hypotheses, according to which they imÂagine that
there are some things which are visible, and certain other things which are not
visible, all which are the fancies of their own minds. And yet, indeed, the more
simple among those who profess to belong to the Church have supposed that
there is no deity greater than the DemiÂurge, being right in so thinking, while
they imagine regarding Him such things as would not be believed of the most
savage and unjust of mankind.
9. Now the cause, in all the points preÂviously enumerated, of the false
opinions, and of the impious statements or ignorant assertions about God,
appears to be nothing else than the not understanding the Scripture according to
its spiritual meaning, but the interpretation of it agreeÂably to the mere letter.
And therefore, to those who believe that the sacred books are not the
compositions of men, but that they were composed by inspiration of the Holy
Spirit, agreeably to the will of the Father of all things through Jesus Christ, and
that they have come down to us, we must point out the ways (of interpreting
them) which appear (correct) to us, who cling to the standard of the heavenly
Church of Jesus Christ according to the succession of the apostles. Now, that
there are certain mystical economies made known by the holy Scriptures, all—
even the most simple of those who adhere to the word— have believed; but what
these are, candid and modest individuals confess that they know not. If, then,
one were to be perplexed about the intercourse of Lot with his daughters, and
about the two wives of Abraham, and the two sisters married to Jacob, and the
two handmaids who bore him children, they can return no other answer than this,
that these are mysteries not understood by us. Nay, also, when the (description of
the) fitting out of the tabernacle is read, believing that what is written is a type,
they seek to adapt what they can to each particular related about the tabernacle,
— not being wrong so far as regards their belief that the tabernacle is a type of
something , but erring sometimes in adapting the descripÂtion of that of which
the tabernacle is a type, to some special thing in a manner worthy of Scripture.
And all the history that is considered to tell of marriages, or the begetting of
children, or of wars, or any histories whatever that are in circulaÂtion among the
multitude, they declare to be types; but of what in each individual instance,
partly owing to their habits not being thoroughly exercised— partly, too, owing
to their precipitation— sometimes, even when an individual does happen to be
well trained and clear-sighted, owing to the excessive difficulty of discovering
things on the part of men—the nature of each particular regarding these (types)
is not clearly ascertained.
10. And what need is there to speak of the prophecies, which we all know
to be filled with enigmas and dark sayings? And if we come to the Gospels, the
exact understanding of these also, as being the mind of Christ, requires the grace
that was given to him who said, "But we have the mind of Christ, that we might
know the things freely given to us by God. Which things also we speak, not in the
words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit teaches." And who, on
readÂing the revelations made to John, would not be amazed at the unspeakable
mysÂteries therein concealed, and which are evident (even) to him who does not
comÂprehend what is written? And to what person, skilful in investigating
words, would the Epistles of the Apostles seem to be clear and easy of
understanding, since even in them there are countless numbers of most profound
ideas, which, (issuing forth) as by an aperture, admit of no rapid comÂ‐
prehension? And therefore, since these things are so, and since innumerable
indiÂviduals fall into mistakes, it is not safe in reading (the Scriptures) to
declare that one easily understands what needs the key of knowledge, which the
Saviour declares is with the lawyers. And let those answer who will not allow
that the truth was with these before the advent of Christ, how the key of
knowledge is said by our Lord Jesus Christ to be with those who, as they allege,
had not the books which contain the secrets of knowledge, and perfect mysÂ‐
teries. For His words run thus: "Woe unto you, you lawyers! For you have taken
away the key of knowledge: you have not entered in yourselves, and them that
were entering in you hindered."
11. The way, then, as it appears to us, in which we ought to deal with the
ScripÂtures, and extract from them their meanÂing, is the following, which has
been ascerÂtained from the Scriptures themselves. By Solomon in the Proverbs
we find some such rule as this enjoined respecting the divine doctrines of
Scripture: "And portray them in a threefold manner, in counsel and knowledge,
to answer words of truth to them who propose them to you." The individual
ought, then, to portray the ideas of holy Scripture in a threefold manner upon his
own soul; in order that the simple man may be edified by the "flesh," as it were,
of the Scripture, for so we name the obvious sense; while he who has ascended a
certain way (may be edified) by the "soul," as it were. The perfect man, again,
and he who resemÂbles those spoken of by the apostle, when he says, "We speak
wisdom among them that are perfect, but not the wisdom of the world, nor of the
rulers of this world, who come to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God in a
mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God has ordained before the ages, unto our
glory," (may receive edification) from the spiritual law, which has a shadow of
good things to come. For as man consists of body, and soul, and spirit, so in the
same way does Scripture, which has been arranged to be given by God for the
salvation of men. And therefore we deduce this also from a book which is
despised by some— The Shepherd — in respect of the command given to
Hermas to write two books, and after so doing to announce to the presbyters of
the Church what he had learned from the Spirit. The words are as follows: "You
will write two books, and give one to Clement, and one to Grapte. And Grapte
shall admonish the widows and the orphans, and Clement will send to the cities
abroad, while you will announce to the presbyters of the Church." Now Grapte,
who admonishes the widows and the orphans, is the mere letter (of Scripture),
which admonishes those who are yet children in soul, and not able to call God
their Father, and who are on that account styled orphans—admonÂishing,
moreover, those who no longer have an unlawful bridegroom, but who remain
widows, because they have not yet become worthy of the (heavenly)
Bridegroom; while Clement, who is already beyond the letter, is said to send
what is written to the cities abroad, as if we were to call these the "souls," who
are above (the influence of) bodily (affections) and degraded ideas,— the
disciple of the Spirit himself being enjoined to make known, no longer by letÂ‐
ters, but by living words, to the presbyters of the whole Church of God, who
have become grey through wisdom.
12. But as there are certain passages of Scripture which do not at all contain
the "corporeal" sense, as we shall show in the following (paragraphs), there are
also places where we must seek only for the "soul," as it were, and "spirit" of
ScripÂture. And perhaps on this account the water-vessels containing two or
three firkins a-piece are said to lie for the purification of the Jews, as we read in
the Gospel acÂcording to John: the expression darkly intimating, with respect to
those who (are called) by the apostle "Jews" secretly, that they are purified by
the word of Scripture, receiving sometimes two firkins, i.e., so to speak, the
"psychical" and "spiritual" sense; and sometimes three firkins, since some have,
in addition to those already mentioned, also the "corÂporeal" sense, which is
capable of (proÂducing) edification. And six water-vessels are reasonably
(appropriate) to those who are purified in the world, which was made in six days
— the perfect number. That the first "sense," then, is profitable in this respect,
that it is capable of imparting ediÂfication, is testified by the multitudes of
genuine and simple believers; while of that interpretation which is referred back
to the "soul," there is an illustration in Paul's first Epistle to the Corinthians. The
exÂpression is, "You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the
grain;" to which he adds, "Does God take care of oxen? Or says He it altoÂ‐
gether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this was written: that he that
ploughs should plough in hope, and that he who threshes, in hope of partakÂ‐
ing." And there are numerous interpreÂtations adapted to the multitude which
are in circulation, and which edify those who are unable to understand
profounder meanÂings, and which have somewhat the same character.
13. But the interpretation is "spiritual," when one is able to show of what
heavenly things the Jews "according to the flesh" served as an example and a
shadow, and of what future blessings the law contains a shadow. And, generally,
we must investiÂgate, according to the apostolic promise, "the wisdom in a
mystery, the hidden wisÂdom which God ordained before the world for the
glory" of the just, which "none of the princes of this world knew." And the same
apostle says somewhere, after referÂring to certain events mentioned as occurÂ‐
ring in Exodus and Numbers, "that these things happened to them figuratively,
but that they were written on our account, on whom the ends of the world have
come." And he gives an opportunity for ascertainÂing of what things these were
patterns, when he says: "For they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ." And in another Epistle, when sketching the various
matÂters relating to the tabernacle, he used the words: "You shall make
everything acÂcording to the pattern showed you in the mount." Moreover, in
the Epistle to the Galatians, as if upbraiding those who think that they read the
law, and yet do not understand it, judging that those do not understand it who do
not reflect that alleÂgories are contained under what is written, he says: "Tell
me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is
written, Abraham had two sons; the one by the bond-maid, the other by the free
woman. But he who was by the bond-maid was born according to the flesh; but
he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these
are the two covenants," and so on. Now we must carefully observe each word
employed by him. He says: "You who desire to be under the law," not "You that
are under the law;" and, "Do you not hear the law?" — "hearing" being
underÂstood to mean " comprehending " and " knowing ." And in the Epistle to
the Colossians, briefly abridging the meaning of the whole legislation, he says:
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival,
or of a new moon, or of Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come."
Moreover, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, discoursing of those who belong to the
circumcision, he writes: "who serve for an ensample and shadow of heavenly
things." Now it is probable that, from these illustrations, those will entertain no
doubt with respect to the five books of Moses, who have once given in their
adhesion to the apostle, as divinely inspired; but do you wish to know, with
regard to the rest of the hisÂtory, if it also happened as a pattern? We must note,
then, the expression in the Epistle to the Romans, "I have left to myself seven
thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal," quoted from the third
book of Kings, which Paul has understood as equivalent (in meaning) to those
who are Israelites according to elecÂtion, because not only were the Gentiles
benefited by the advent of Christ, but also certain of the race of God.
14. This being the state of the case, we have to sketch what seem to us to be
the marks of the (true) understanding of Scriptures. And, in the first place, this
must be pointed out, that the object of the Spirit, which by the providence of
God, through the Word who was in the beginÂning with God, illuminated the
ministers of truth, the prophets and apostles, was especially (the communication)
of ineffaÂble mysteries regarding the affairs of men (now by men I mean those
souls that make use of bodies), in order that he who is capable of instruction may
by investigaÂtion, and by devoting himself to the study of the profundities of
meaning contained in the words, become a participator of all the doctrines of his
counsel. And among those matters which relate to souls (who cannot otherwise
obtain perfection apart from the rich and wise truth of God), the (doctrines)
belonging to God and His only-begotten Son are necessarily laid down as
primary, viz., of what nature He is, and in what manner He is the Son of God,
and what are the causes of His descending even to (the assumption of) human
flesh, and of complete humanity; and what, also, is the operation of this (Son),
and upon whom and when exerÂcised. And it was necessary also that the subject
of kindred beings, and other rationÂal creatures, both those who are divine and
those who have fallen from blessedÂness, together with the reasons of their fall,
should be contained in the divine teaching; and also that of the diversities of
souls, and of the origin of these diverÂsities, and of the nature of the world, and
the cause of its existence. We must learn also the origin of the great and terrible
wickedness which overspreads the earth, and whether it is confined to this earth
only, or prevails elsewhere. Now, while these and similar objects were present to
the Spirit, who enlightened the souls of the holy ministers of the truth, there was
a second object, for the sake of those who were unable to endure the fatigue of
inÂvestigating matters so important, viz., to conceal the doctrine relating to the
preÂviously mentioned subjects, in expressions containing a narrative which
conveyed an announcement regarding the things of the visible creation, the
creation of man, and the successive descendants of the first men until they
became numerous; and other histories relating the acts of just men, and the sins
occasionally committed by these same men as being human beings, and the
wicked deeds, both of unchastity and vice, committed by sinful and ungodly
men. And what is most remarkable, by the hisÂtory of wars, and of the victors,
and the vanquished, certain mysteries are indiÂcated to those who are able to
test these statements. And more wonderful still, the laws of truth are predicted
by the written legislation;— all these being described in a connected series, with
a power which is truly in keeping with the wisdom of God. For it was intended
that the covering also of the spiritual truths— I mean the "bodiÂly" part of
Scripture— should not be withÂout profit in many cases, but should be capable
of improving the multitude, according to their capacity.
15. But since, if the usefulness of the legislation, and the sequence and
beauty of the history, were universally evident of itself, we should not believe
that any other thing could be understood in the Scriptures save what was
obvious, the word of God has arranged that certain stumbling-blocks, as it were,
and offenses, and impossibiliÂties, should be introduced into the midst of the
law and the history, in order that we may not, through being drawn away in all
directions by the merely attractive naÂture of the language, either altogether fall
away from the (true) doctrines, as learnÂing nothing worthy of God, or, by not
departing from the letter, come to the knowledge of nothing more divine. And
this also we must know, that the principal aim being to announce the "spiritual"
connection in those things that are done, and that ought to be done, where the
Word found that things done according to the history could be adapted to these
mystical senses, He made use of them, concealing from the multitude the deeper
meaning; but where, in the narrative of the developÂment of super-sensual
things, there did not follow the performance of those certain events, which was
already indicated by the mystical meaning, the Scripture interwove in the history
(the account of) some event that did not take place, sometimes what could not
have happened; sometimes what could, but did not. And sometimes a few words
are interpolated which are not true in their literal acceptation, and sometimes a
larger number. And a similar practice also is to be noticed with regard to the
legislation, in which is often to be found what is useful in itself, and approÂ‐
priate to the times of the legislation; and sometimes also what does not appear to
be of utility; and at other times impossibiliÂties are recorded for the sake of the
more skilful and inquisitive, in order that they may give themselves to the toil of
investiÂgating what is written, and thus attain to a becoming conviction of the
manner in which a meaning worthy of God must be sought out in such subjects.
16. It was not only, however, with the (Scriptures composed) before the
advent (of Christ) that the Spirit thus dealt; but as being the same Spirit, and
(proceeding) from the one God, He did the same thing both with the evangelists
and the apostles—as even these do not contain throughÂout a pure history of
events, which are inÂterwoven indeed according to the letter, but which did not
actually occur. Nor even do the law and the commandments wholly convey what
is agreeable to reason. For who that has understanding will supÂpose that the
first, and second, and third day, and the evening and the morning, exÂisted
without a sun, and moon, and stars? And that the first day was, as it were, also
without a sky? And who is so foolish as to suppose that God, after the manner of
a husbandman, planted a paradise in Eden, towards the east, and placed in it a
tree of life, visible and palpable, so that one tasting of the fruit by the bodily
teeth obtained life? And again, that one was a partaker of good and evil by
masticating what was taken from the tree? And if God is said to walk in the
paradise in the evening, and Adam to hide himself under a tree, I do not suppose
that anyone doubts that these things figuratively indiÂcate certain mysteries, the
history having taken place in appearance, and not literally. Cain also, when
going forth from the presence of God, certainly appears to thoughtful men as
likely to lead the reader to inquire what is the presence of God, and what is the
meaning of going out from Him. And what need is there to say more, since those
who are not altogether blind can collect countless instances of a similar kind
recorded as having occurred, but which did not literally take place? Nay, the
Gospels themselves are filled with the same kind of narratives; e.g., the devil
leading Jesus up into a high mounÂtain, in order to show him from thence the
kingdoms of the whole world, and the glory of them. For who is there among
those who do not read such accounts carelessly, that would not condemn those
who think that with the eye of the body— which requires a lofty height in
order that the parts lying (immediately) under and adjacent may be seen— the
kingdoms of the Persians, and Scythians, and Indians, and Parthians, were
beheld, and the manner in which their princes are glorified among men? And the
attentive reader may noÂtice in the Gospels innumerable other pasÂsages like
these, so that he will be convinced that in the histories that are literally reÂ‐
corded, circumstances that did not occur are inserted.
17. And if we come to the legislation of Moses, many of the laws manifest
the irrationality, and others the impossibility, of their literal observance. The
irrationÂality (in this), that the people are forbidÂden to eat vultures, although
no one even in the direst famines was (ever) driven by want to have recourse to
this bird; and that children eight days old, which are uncircumcised, are ordered
to be extermiÂnated from among their people, it being necessary, if the law were
to be carried out at all literally with regard to these, that their fathers, or those
with whom they are brought up, should be commanded to be put to death. Now
the Scripture says: "Every male that is uncircumcised, who shall not be
circumcised on the eighth day, shall be cut off from among his people." And if
you wish to see impossibilities conÂtained in the legislation, let us observe that
the goat-stag is one of those animals that cannot exist, and yet Moses commands
us to offer it as being a clean beast; whereas a griffin, which is not recorded ever
to have been subdued by man, the lawgiver forbids to be eaten. Nay, he who
careÂfully considers (the famous injunction reÂlating to) the Sabbath, "You
shall sit each one in your dwellings: let no one go out from his place on the
seventh day," will deem it impossible to be literally observed: for no living being
is able to sit throughout a whole day, and remain without moving from a sitting
position. And therefore those who belong to the circumcision, and all who desire
that no meaning should be exhibited, save the literal one, do not inÂvestigate at
all such subjects as those of the goat-stag and griffin and vulture, but indulge in
foolish talk on certain points, multiplying words and adducing tasteless
traditions; as, for example, with regard to the Sabbath, saying that two thousand
cuÂbits is each one's limit. Others, again, among whom is Dositheus the
Samaritan, condemning such an interpretation, think that in the position in which
a man is found on the Sabbath day, he is to remain until evening. Moreover, the
not carrying of a burden on the Sabbath day is an imÂpossibility; and therefore
the Jewish teachÂers have fallen into countless absurdities, saying that a shoe of
such a kind was a burden, but not one of another kind; and that a sandal which
had nails was a burÂden, but not one that was without them; and in like manner
what was borne on one shoulder (was a load), but not that which was carried on
both.
18. And if we go to the Gospel and institute a similar examination, what
would be more irrational than (to take literally the injunction), "Salute no man by
the way," which simple persons think the SavÂiour enjoined on the apostles?
The comÂmand, moreover, that the right cheek should be smitten, is most
incredible, since everyone who strikes, unless he happen to have some bodily
defect, smites the left cheek with his right hand. And it is imÂpossible to take
(literally, the statement) in the Gospel about the "offending" of the right eye. For,
to grant the possibility of one being "offended" by the sense of sight, how, when
there are two eyes that see, should the blame be laid upon the right eye? And
who is there that, conÂdemning himself for having looked upon a woman to lust
after her, would rationally transfer the blame to the right eye alone, and throw it
away? The apostle, moreÂover, lays down the law, saying, "Is any man called,
being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised." In the first place,
anyone will see that he does not utter these words in connection with the subject
before him. For, when laying down precepts on marriage and purity, how will it
not appear that he has introÂduced these words at random? But, in the second
place, who will say that a man does wrong who endeavours to become
uncircumcised, if that be possible, on account of the disgrace that is considered
by the multitude to attach to circumcision.
All these statements have been made by us, in order to show that the design
of that divine power which gave us the sacred Scriptures is, that we should not
receive what is presented by the letter alone (such things being sometimes not
true in their literal acceptation, but absurd and imposÂsible), but that certain
things have been introduced into the actual history and into the legislation that
are useful in their literal sense.
19. But that no one may suppose that we assert respecting the whole that no
hisÂtory is real because a certain one is not; and that no law is to be literally
observed, because a certain one, (understood) acÂcording to the letter, is absurd
or impossiÂble; or that the statements regarding the Saviour are not true in a
manner perceptÂible to the senses; or that no commandÂment and precept of
His ought to be obeyed—we have to answer that, with regard to certain things, it
is perfectly clear to us that the historical account is true; as that Abraham was
buried in the double cave at Hebron, as also Isaac and Jacob, and the wives of
each of them; and that Shechem was given as a portion to Joseph; and that
Jerusalem is the metropolis of Judea, in which the temple of God was built by
Solomon; and innumerable other statements. For the passages that are true in
their historical meaning are much more numerous than those which are
interspersed with a purely spiritual signification. And again, who would not say
that the comÂmand which enjoins to "honour your father and your mother, that
it may be well with you," is useful, apart from all allegorical meaning, and ought
to be observed, the Apostle Paul also having employed these very same words?
And what need is there to speak of the (prohibitions), "You shall not commit
adultery," "You shall not kill," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false
witness?" And again, there are commandments contained in the Gospel which
admit of no doubt whether they are to be observed according to the letter or not;
e.g., that which says, "But I say unto you, Whoever is angry with his brother,"
and so on. And again, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all." And in the writings
of the apostle the literal sense is to be retained: "Warn them that are unruly,
comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men;"
although it is possible for those ambitious of a deeper meaning to retain the
profundities of the wisdom of God, without setting aside the commandment in
its literal meaning. The careful (reader), however, will be in doubt as to cerÂtain
points, being unable to show without long investigation whether this history so
deemed literally occurred or not, and whether the literal meaning of this law is to
be observed or not. And therefore the exact reader must, in obedience to the
Saviour's injunction to "search the Scriptures," carefully ascertain in how far the
literal meaning is true, and in how far imÂpossible; and so far as he can, trace
out, by means of similar statements, the meanÂing everywhere scattered through
Scripture of that which cannot be understood in a literal signification.
20. Since, therefore, as will be clear to those who read, the connection taken
literally is impossible, while the sense preÂferred is not impossible, but even the
true one, it must be our object to grasp the whole meaning, which connects the
account of what is literally impossible in an intelligible manner with what is not
only not impossible, but also historically true, and which is allegorically
understood, in respect of its not having literally occurred. For, with respect to
holy Scripture, our opinion is that the whole of it has a "spirÂitual," but not the
whole a "bodily" meaning, because the bodily meaning is in many places proved
to be impossible. And therefore great attention must be bestowed by the cautious
reader on the divine books, as being divine writings; the manner of
understanding which apÂpears to us to be as follows:— The ScripÂtures relate
that God chose a certain nation upon the earth, which they call by several names.
For the whole of this nation is termed Israel, and also Jacob. And when it was
divided in the times of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the ten tribes related as being
subject to him were called Israel; and the remaining two, along with the tribe of
Levi, being ruled over by the deÂscendants of David, were named Judah. And
the whole of the territory which the people of this nation inhabited, being given
them by God, receives the name of Judah, the metropolis of which is Jerusalem,
— a metropolis, namely, of numerous cities, the names of which lie scattered
about in many other passages (of Scripture), but are enumerated together in the
book of Joshua the son of Nun.
21. Such, then, being the state of the case, the apostle, elevating our power
of discernment (above the letter), says someÂwhere, "Behold Israel after the
flesh," as if there were an Israel "according to the Spirit." And in another place
he says, "For they who are the children of the flesh are not the children of God;"
nor are "they all Israel who are of Israel;" nor is "he a Jew who is one
outwardly, nor is that 'circumcision' which is outward in the flesh: but he is a
Jew who is one 'inwardly;' and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and
not in the letÂter." For if the judgment respecting the "Jew inwardly" be
adopted, we must understand that, as there is a "bodily" race of Jews, so also is
there a race of "Jews inwardly," the soul having acquired this nobility for certain
mysterious reasons. Moreover, there are many prophecies which predict
regarding Israel and Judah what is about to befall them. And do not such
promises as are written concerning them, in respect of their being mean in
expresÂsion, and manifesting no elevation (of thought), nor anything worthy of
the promÂise of God, need a mystical interpretation? And if the "spiritual"
promises are anÂnounced by visible signs, then they to whom the promises are
made are not "corÂporeal." And not to linger over the point of the Jew who is a
Jew "inwardly," nor over that of the Israelite according to the "inner man" —
these statements being sufficient for those who are not devoid of understanding
— we return to our subject, and say that Jacob is the father of the twelve
patriarchs, and they of the rulers of the people; and these, again, of the other
Israelites. Do not, then, the "corporeal" Israelites refer their descent to the rulers
of the people, and the rulers of the people to the patriarchs, and the patriarchs to
Jacob, and those still higher up; while are not the "spiritual" Israelites, of whom
the "corporeal" Israelites were the type, sprung from the families, and the
families from the tribes, and the tribes from some one individual whose descent
is not of a "corporeal" but of a better kind—he, too, being born of Isaac, and he
of Abraham—all going back to Adam, whom the apostle declares to be Christ?
For every beginning of those families which have relaÂtion to God as to the
Father of all, took its commencement lower down with Christ, who is next to the
God and Father of all, being thus the Father of every soul, as Adam is the father
of all men. And if Eve also is intended by the apostle to refer to the Church, it is
not surprising that Cain, who was born of Eve, and all after him, whose descent
goes back to Eve, should be types of the Church, inasmuch as in a pre-eminent
sense they are all descended from the Church.
22. Now, if the statements made to us regarding Israel, and its tribes and its
famÂilies, are calculated to impress us, when the Saviour says, "I was not sent
but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," we do not understand the expression
as the Ebionites do, who are poor in underÂstanding (deriving their name from
the poverty of their intellect— "Ebion" sigÂnifying "poor" in Hebrew), so as to
supÂpose that the Saviour came specially to the "carnal" Israelites; for "they
who are the children of the flesh are not the children of God." Again, the apostle
teaches regarding Jerusalem as follows: "The Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of us all." And in another Epistle: "But you have come unto
mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to
an innumerable company of angels, to the genÂeral assembly and to the Church
of the first-born which are written in heaven." If, then, Israel is among the race
of souls, and if there is in heaven a city of Jerusalem, it follows that the cities of
Israel have for their metropolis the heavenly JeruÂsalem, and it consequently is
the metropÂolis of all Judea. Whatever, therefore, is predicted of Jerusalem, and
spoken of it, if we listen to the words of Paul as those of God, and of one who
utters wisdom, we must understand the Scriptures as speaking of the heavenly
city, and of the whole terÂritory included within the cities of the holy land. For
perhaps it is to these cities that the Saviour refers us, when to those who have
gained credit by having managed their "pounds" well, He assigns the presiÂ‐
dency over five or ten cities. If, therefore, the prophecies relating to Judea, and
JeruÂsalem, and Israel, and Judah, and Jacob, not being understood by us in a
"carnal" sense, indicate some such mysteries (as already mentioned), it will
follow also that the predictions concerning Egypt and the Egyptians, Babylon
and the Babylonians, Tyre and the Tyrians, Sidon and the Sidonians, or the other
nations, are spoken not only of these "bodily" Egyptians, and Babylonians, and
Tyrians, and Sidonians, but also of their "spiritual" (counterparts). For if there
be "spiritual" Israelites, it follows that there are also "spiritual" Egyptians and
Babylonians. For what is related in Ezekiel concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt
does not at all apply to the case of a certain man who ruled or was said to rule
over Egypt, as will be evident to those who give it careful consideration.
Similarly, what is said about the ruler of Tyre cannot be understood of a certain
man who ruled over Tyre. And what is said in many places, and especially in
Isaiah, of NebuÂchadnezzar, cannot be explained of that individual. For the man
Nebuchadnezzar neither fell from heaven, nor was he the morning star, nor did
he arise upon the earth in the morning. Nor would any man of understanding
interpret what is said in Ezekiel about Egypt— viz., that in forty years it should
be laid desolate, so that the footstep of man should not be found thereÂon, and
that the ravages of war should be so great that the blood should run throughÂout
the whole of it, and rise to the knees— of that Egypt which is situated beside the
Ethiopians whose bodies are blackened by the sun.
23. And perhaps as those here, dying according to the death common to all,
are, in consequence of the deeds done here, so arranged as to obtain different
places according to the proportion of their sins, if they should be deemed worthy
of the place called Hades; so those there dying, so to speak, descend into this
Hades, being judged deserving of different abodes— better or worse—
throughout all this space of earth, and (of being deÂscended) from parents of
different kinds, so that an Israelite may sometimes fall among Scythians, and an
Egyptian deÂscend into Judea. And yet the Saviour came to gather together the
lost sheep of the house of Israel; but many of the IsraÂelites not having yielded
to His teaching, those from the Gentiles were called....And these points, as we
suppose, have been concealed in the histories. For "the kingdom of heaven is like
a treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy
thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field." Let us notice, then,
whether the apparent and superficial and obvious meaning of Scripture does not
resemble a field filled with plants of every kind, while the things lying in it, and
not visible to all, but buried, as it were, under the plants that are seen, are the
hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge; which the Spirit through Isaiah calls
dark and invisible and concealed, God alone being able to break the brazen gates
that conceal them, and to burst the iron bars that are upon the gates, in order that
all the statements in the book of Genesis may be discovered which refer to the
various genuine kinds, and seeds, as it were, of souls, which stand nearly related
to Israel, or at a distance from it; and the descent into Egypt of the seventy souls,
that they may there beÂcome as the "stars of heaven in multiÂtude." But since
not all who are of them are the light of the world— "for not all who are of Israel
are Israel" — they beÂcome from seventy souls as the "sand that is beside the
sea-shore innumerable."

From the Latin

24. This descent of the holy fathers into Egypt will appear as granted to this
world by the providence of God for the illumination of others, and for the
instruction of the human race, that so by this means the souls of others might be
assisted in the work of enlightenment. For to them was first granted the privilege
of converse with God, because theirs is the only race which is said to see God;
this being the meaning, by interpretation, of the word "Israel." And now it
follows that, agreeably to this view, ought the statement to be accepted and
explained that Egypt was scourged with ten plagues, to allow the people of God
to depart, or the account of what was done with the people in the wilderness, or
of the building of the tabernacle by means of contributions from all the people,
or of the wearing of the priestly robes, or of the vessels of the public service,
because, as it is written, they truly contain within them the "shadow and form of
heavenly things." For Paul openly says of them, that "they serve unto the
example and shadow of heavenly things." There are, moreover, contained in this
same law the precepts and institutions, according to which men are to live in the
holy land. Threatenings also are held out as impending over those who shall
transgress the law; different kinds of purifications are moreover prescribed for
those who required purification, as being persons who were liable to frequent
pollution, that by means of these they may arrive at last at that one purification
after which no further pollution is permitted. The very people are numbered,
though not all; for the souls of children are not yet old enough to be numbered
according to the divine command: nor are those souls who cannot become the
head of another, but are themselves subordinated to others as to a head, who are
called "women," who certainly are not included in that numbering which is
enjoined by God; but they alone are numbered who are called "men," by which it
might be shown that the women could not be counted separately, but were
included in those called men. Those, however, especially belong to the sacred
number, who are prepared to go forth to the battles of the Israelites, and are able
to fight against those public and private enemies whom the Father subjects to the
Son, who sits on His right hand that He may destroy all principality and power,
and by means of these bands of His soldiery, who, being engaged in a warfare
for God, do not entangle themselves in secular business, He may overturn the
Kingdom of His adversary; by whom the shields of faith are borne, and the
weapons of wisdom brandished; among whom also the helmet of hope and
salvation gleams forth, and the breastplate of brightness fortifies the breast that
is filled with God. Such soldiers appear to me to be indicated, and to be prepared
for wars of this kind, in those persons who in the sacred books are ordered by
God's command to be numbered. But of these, by far the more perfect and
distinguished are shown to be those of whom the very hairs of the head are said
to be numbered. Such, indeed, as were punished for their sins, whose bodies fell
in the wilderness, appear to possess a resemblance to those who had made
indeed no little progress, but who could not at all, for various reasons, attain to
the end of perfection; because they are reported either to have murmured, or to
have worshipped idols, or to have committed fornication, or to have done some
evil work which the mind ought not even to conceive. I do not consider the
following even to be without some mystical meaning, viz., that certain (of the
Israelites), possessing many flocks and animals, take possession by anticipation
of a country adapted for pasture and the feeding of cattle, which was the very
first that the right hand of the Hebrews had secured in war. For, making a
request of Moses to receive this region, they are divided off by the waters of the
Jordan, and set apart from any possession in the holy land. And this Jordan,
according to the form of heavenly things, may appear to water and irrigate
thirsty souls, and the senses that are adjacent to it. In connection with which,
even this statement does not appear superfluous, that Moses indeed hears from
God what is described in the book of Leviticus, while in Deuteronomy it is the
people that are the auditors of Moses, and who learn from him what they could
not hear from God. For as Deuteronomy is called, as it were, the second law,
which to some will appear to convey this signification, that when the first law
which was given through Moses had come to an end, so a second legislation
seems to have been enacted, which was specially transmitted by Moses to his
successor Joshua, who is certainly believed to embody a type of our Saviour, by
whose second law— that is, the precepts of the Gospel— all things are brought
to perfection.
25. We have to see, however, whether this deeper meaning may not perhaps
be indicated, viz., that as in Deuteronomy the legislation is made known with
greater clearness and distinctness than in those books which were first written,
so also by that advent of the Saviour which He accomplished in His state of
humiliation, when He assumed the form of a servant, that more celebrated and
renowned second advent in the glory of His Father may not be pointed out, and
in it the types of Deuteronomy may be fulfilled, when in the kingdom of heaven
all the saints shall live according to the laws of the everlasting Gospel; and as in
His coming now He fulfilled that law which has a shadow of good things to
come, so also by that (future) glorious advent will be fulfilled and brought to
perfection the shadows of the present advent. For thus spoke the prophet
regarding it: "The breath of our countenance, Christ the Lord, to whom we said,
that under Your shadow we shall live among the nations;" at the time, viz., when
He will more worthily transfer all the saints from a temporal to an everlasting
Gospel, according to the designation, employed by John in the Apocalypse, of
"an everlasting Gospel."
26. But let it be sufficient for us in all these matters to adapt our
understanding to the rule of religion, and so to think of the words of the Holy
Spirit as not to deem the language the ornate composition of feeble human
eloquence, but to hold, according to the scriptural statement, that "all the glory
of the King is within," and that the treasure of divine meaning is enclosed within
the frail vessel of the common letter. And if any curious reader were still to ask
an explanation of individual points, let him come and hear, along with ourselves,
how the Apostle Paul, seeking to penetrate by help of the Holy Spirit, who
searches even the "deep things" of God, into the depths of divine wisdom and
knowledge, and yet, unable to reach the end, so to speak, and to come to a
thorough knowledge, exclaims in despair and amazement, "Oh the depth of the
riches of the knowledge and wisdom of God!" Now, that it was from despair of
attaining a perfect understanding that he uttered this exclamation, listen to his
own words: "How unsearchable are God's judgments! And His ways, how past
finding out!" For he did not say that God's judgments were difficult to discover,
but that they were altogether inscrutable; nor that it was (simply) difficult to
trace out His ways, but that they were altogether past finding out. For however
far a man may advance in his investigations, and how great soever the progress
that he may make by unremitting study, assisted even by the grace of God, and
with his mind enlightened, he will not be able to attain to the end of those things
which are the object of his inquiries. Nor can any created mind deem it possible
in any way to attain a full comprehension (of things); but after having discovered
certain of the objects of its research, it sees again others which have still to be
sought out. And even if it should succeed in mastering these, it will see again
many others succeeding them which must form the subject of investigation. And
on this account, therefore, Solomon, the wisest of men, beholding by his wisdom
the nature of things, says, "I said, I will become wise; and wisdom herself was
made far from me, far further than it was; and a profound depth, who shall
find?" Isaiah also, knowing that the beginnings of things could not be discovered
by a mortal nature, and not even by those natures which, although more divine
than human, were nevertheless themselves created or formed; knowing then, that
by none of these could either the beginning or the end be discovered, says, "Tell
the former things which have been, and we know that you are gods; or announce
what are the last things, and then we shall see that you are gods." For my
Hebrew teacher also used thus to teach, that as the beginning or end of all things
could be comprehended by no one, save only our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy
Spirit, so under the form of a vision Isaiah spoke of two seraphim alone, who
with two wings cover the countenance of God, and with two His feet, and with
two do fly, calling to each other alternately, and saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the
Lord God of Sabaoth; the whole earth is full of Your glory." That the seraphim
alone have both their wings over the face of God, and over His feet, we venture
to declare as meaning that neither the hosts of holy angels, nor the "holy seats,"
nor the "dominions," nor the "principalities," nor the "powers," can fully
understand the beginning of all things, and the limits of the universe. But we are
to understand that those "saints" whom the Spirit has enrolled, and the "virtues,"
approach very closely to those very beginnings, and attain to a height which the
others cannot reach; and yet whatever it be that these "virtues" have learned
through revelation from the Son of God and from the Holy Spirit— and they will
certainly be able to learn very much, and those of higher rank much more than
those of a lower— nevertheless it is impossible for them to comprehend all
things, according to the statement, "The most part of the works of God are hid." [
Sirach 16:21 ] And therefore also it is to be desired that every one, according to
his strength, should ever stretch out to those things that are before, "forgetting
the things that are behind," both to better works and to a clearer apprehension
and understanding, through Jesus Christ our Saviour, to whom be glory for ever!
27. Let every one, then, who cares for truth, be little concerned about words
and language, seeing that in every nation there prevails a different usage of
speech; but let him rather direct his attention to the meaning conveyed by the
words, than to the nature of the words that convey the meaning, especially in
matters of such importance and difficulty: as, e.g., when it is an object of
investigation whether there is any "substance" in which neither colour, nor form,
nor touch, nor magnitude is to be understood as existing visible to the mind
alone, which any one names as he pleases; for the Greeks call such [ἀσώματον],
i.e., "incorporeal," while holy Scripture declares it to be "invisible," for Paul
calls Christ the "image of the invisible God," and says again, that by Christ were
created all things "visible and invisible." And by this it is declared that there are,
among created things, certain "substances" that are, according to their peculiar
nature, invisible. But although these are not themselves "corporeal," they
nevertheless make use of bodies, while they are themselves better than any
bodily substances. But that "substance" of the Trinity which is the beginning and
cause of all things, "from which are all things, and through which are all things,
and in which are all things," cannot be believed to be either a body or in a body,
but is altogether incorporeal. And now let it suffice to have spoken briefly on
these points (although in a digression, caused by the nature of the subject), in
order to show that there are certain things, the meaning of which cannot be
unfolded at all by any words of human language, but which are made known
more through simple apprehension than by any properties of words. And under
this rule must be brought also the understanding of the sacred Scripture, in order
that its statements may be judged not according to the worthlessness of the letter,
but according to the divinity of the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration they were
caused to be written.

Summary (of Doctrine) Regarding the Father, the

Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the Other Topics
Discussed in the Preceding Pages.
28. It is now time, after the rapid consideration which to the best of our
ability we have given to the topics discussed, to recapitulate, by way of summing
up what we have said in different places, the individual points, and first of all to
restate our conclusions regarding the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Seeing God the Father is invisible and inseparable from the Son, the Son is
not generated from Him by "prolation," as some suppose. For if the Son be a
"prolation" of the Father (the term "prolation" being used to signify such a
generation as that of animals or men usually is), then, of necessity, both He who
"prolated" and He who was "prolated" are corporeal. For we do not say, as the
heretics suppose, that some part of the substance of God was converted into the
Son, or that the Son was procreated by the Father out of things non-existent, i.e.,
beyond His own substance, so that there once was a time when He did not exist;
but, putting away all corporeal conceptions, we say that the Word and Wisdom
was begotten out of the invisible and incorporeal without any corporeal feeling,
as if it were an act of the will proceeding from the understanding. Nor, seeing He
is called the Son of (His) love, will it appear absurd if in this way He be called
the Son of (His) will. Nay, John also indicates that "God is Light," and Paul also
declares that the Son is the splendour of everlasting light. As light, accordingly,
could never exist without splendour, so neither can the Son be understood to
exist without the Father; for He is called the "express image of His person," and
the Word and Wisdom. How, then, can it be asserted that there once was a time
when He was not the Son? For that is nothing else than to say that there was
once a time when He was not the Truth, nor the Wisdom, nor the Life, although
in all these He is judged to be the perfect essence of God the Father; for these
things cannot be severed from Him, or even be separated from His essence. And
although these qualities are said to be many in understanding, yet in their nature
and essence they are one, and in them is the fullness of divinity. Now this
expression which we employ— "that there never was a time when He did not
exist" — is to be understood with an allowance. For these very words "when" or
"never" have a meaning that relates to time, whereas the statements made
regarding Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are to be understood as transcending all
time, all ages, and all eternity. For it is the Trinity alone which exceeds the
comprehension not only of temporal but even of eternal intelligence; while other
things which are not included in it are to be measured by times and ages. This
Son of God, then, in respect of the Word being God, which was in the beginning
with God, no one will logically suppose to be contained in any place; nor yet in
respect of His being "Wisdom," or "Truth," or the "Life," or "Righteousness," or
"Sanctification," or "Redemption:" for all these properties do not require space to
be able to act or to operate, but each one of them is to be understood as meaning
those individuals who participate in His virtue and working.
29. Now, if any one were to say that, through those who are partakers of the
"Word" of God, or of His "Wisdom," or His "Truth," or His "Life," the Word and
Wisdom itself appeared to be contained in a place, we should have to say to him
in answer, that there is no doubt that Christ, in respect of being the "Word" or
"Wisdom," or all other things, was in Paul, and that he therefore said, "Do you
seek a proof of Christ speaking in me?" and again, "I live, yet not I, but Christ
lives in me." Seeing, then, He was in Paul, who will doubt that He was in a
similar manner in Peter and in John, and in each one of the saints; and not only
in those who are upon the earth, but in those also who are in heaven? For it is
absurd to say that Christ was in Peter and in Paul, but not in Michael the
archangel, nor in Gabriel. And from this it is distinctly shown that the divinity of
the Son of God was not shut up in some place; otherwise it would have been in it
only, and not in another. But since, in conformity with the majesty of its
incorporeal nature, it is confined to no place; so, again, it cannot be understood
to be wanting in any. But this is understood to be the sole difference, that
although He is in different individuals as we have said— as Peter, or Paul, or
Michael, or Gabriel— He is not in a similar way in all beings whatever. For He
is more fully and clearly, and, so to speak, more openly in archangels than in
other holy men. And this is evident from the statement, that when all who are
saints have arrived at the summit of perfection, they are said to be made like, or
equal to, the angels, agreeably to the declaration in the Gospels. Whence it is
clear that Christ is in each individual in as great a degree as the amount of his
deserts allows.
30. Having, then, briefly restated these points regarding the nature of the
Trinity, it follows that we notice shortly this statement also, that "by the Son" are
said to be created "all things that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible
and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him; and He is before all, and
all things consist by Him, who is the Head." In conformity with which John also
in his Gospel says: "All things were created by Him; and without Him was not
anything made." And David, intimating that the mystery of the entire Trinity was
(concerned) in the creation of all things, says: "By the Word of the Lord were the
heavens made; and all the host of them by the Spirit of His mouth."
After these points we shall appropriately remind (the reader) of the bodily
advent and incarnation of the only-begotten Son of God, with respect to whom
we are not to suppose that all the majesty of His divinity is confined within the
limits of His slender body, so that all the "word" of God, and His "wisdom," and
"essential truth," and "life," was either rent asunder from the Father, or
restrained and confined within the narrowness of His bodily person, and is not to
be considered to have operated anywhere besides; but the cautious
acknowledgment of a religious man ought to be between the two, so that it ought
neither to be believed that anything of divinity was wanting in Christ, nor that
any separation at all was made from the essence of the Father, which is
everywhere. For some such meaning seems to be indicated by John the Baptist,
when he said to the multitude in the bodily absence of Jesus, "There stands one
among you whom you know not: He it is who comes after me, the latchet of
whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose." For it certainly could not be said of
Him, who was absent, so far as His bodily presence is concerned, that He was
standing in the midst of those among whom the Son of God was not bodily
present.
31. Let no one, however, suppose that by this we affirm that some portion
of the divinity of the Son of God was in Christ, and that the remaining portion
was elsewhere or everywhere, which may be the opinion of those who are
ignorant of the nature of an incorporeal and invisible essence. For it is
impossible to speak of the parts of an incorporeal being, or to make any division
of them; but He is in all things, and through all things, and above all things, in
the manner in which we have spoken above, i.e., in the manner in which He is
understood to be either "wisdom," or the "word," or the "life," or the "truth," by
which method of understanding all confinement of a local kind is undoubtedly
excluded. The Son of God, then, desiring for the salvation of the human race to
appear unto men, and to sojourn among them, assumed not only a human body,
as some suppose, but also a soul resembling our souls indeed in nature, but in
will and power resembling Himself, and such as might unfailingly accomplish
all the desires and arrangements of the "word" and "wisdom." Now, that He had
a soul, is most clearly shown by the Saviour in the Gospels, when He said, "No
man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay down
my life, and I have power to take it again." And again, "My soul is sorrowful
even unto death." And again, "Now is my soul troubled." For the "Word" of God
is not to be understood to be a "sorrowful and troubled" soul, because with the
authority of divinity He says, "I have power to lay down my life." Nor yet do we
assert that the Son of God was in that soul as he was in the soul of Paul or Peter
and the other saints, in whom Christ is believed to speak as He does in Paul. But
regarding all these we are to hold, as Scripture declares, "No one is clean from
filthiness, not even if his life lasted but a single day." But this soul which was in
Jesus, before it knew the evil, selected the good; and because He loved
righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God "anointed Him with the oil of
gladness above His fellows." He is anointed, then, with the oil of gladness when
He is united to the "word" of God in a stainless union, and by this means alone
of all souls was incapable of sin, because it was capable of (receiving) well and
fully the Son of God; and therefore also it is one with Him, and is named by His
titles, and is called Jesus Christ, by whom all things are said to be made. Of
which soul, seeing it had received into itself the whole wisdom of God, and the
truth, and the life, I think that the apostle also said this: "Our life is hidden with
Christ in God; but when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall we also
appear with him in glory." For what other Christ can be here understood, who is
said to be hidden in God, and who is afterwards to appear, except Him who is
related to have been anointed with the oil of gladness, i.e., to have been filled
with God essentially, in whom he is now said to be hidden? For on this account
is Christ proposed as an example to all believers, because as He always, even
before he knew evil at all, selected the good, and loved righteousness, and hated
iniquity, and therefore God anointed Him with the oil of gladness; so also ought
each one, after a lapse or sin, to cleanse himself from his stains, making Him his
example, and, taking Him as the guide of his journey, enter upon the steep way
of virtue, that so perchance by this means, as far as possible we may, by
imitating Him, be made partakers of the divine nature, according to the words of
Scripture: "He that says that he believes in Christ, ought so to walk, as He also
walked."
This "word," then, and this "wisdom," by the imitation of which we are said
to be either wise or rational (beings), becomes "all things to all men, that it may
gain all;" and because it is made weak, it is therefore said of it, "Though He was
crucified through weakness, yet He lives by the power of God." Finally, to the
Corinthians who were weak, Paul declares that he "knew nothing, save Jesus
Christ, and Him crucified."
32. Some, indeed, would have the following language of the apostle applied
to the soul itself, as soon as it had assumed flesh from Mary, viz., "Who, being in
the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but divested
Himself (of His glory) taking upon Himself the form of a servant;" since He
undoubtedly restored it to the form of God by means of better examples and
training, and recalled it to that fullness of which He had divested Himself.
As now by participation in the Son of God one is adopted as a son, and by
participating in that wisdom which is in God is rendered wise, so also by
participation in the Holy Spirit is a man rendered holy and spiritual. For it is one
and the same thing to have a share in the Holy Spirit, which is (the Spirit) of the
Father and the Son, since the nature of the Trinity is one and incorporeal. And
what we have said regarding the participation of the soul is to be understood of
angels and heavenly powers in a similar way as of souls, because every rational
creature needs a participation in the Trinity.
Respecting also the plan of this visible world— seeing one of the most
important questions usually raised is as to the manner of its existence— we have
spoken to the best of our ability in the preceding pages, for the sake of those who
are accustomed to seek the grounds of their belief in our religion, and also for
those who stir against us heretical questions, and who are accustomed to bandy
about the word "matter," which they have not yet been able to understand; of
which subject I now deem it necessary briefly to remind (the reader).
33. And, in the first place, it is to be noted that we have nowhere found in
the canonical Scriptures, up to the present time, the word "matter" used for that
substance which is said to underlie bodies. For in the expression of Isaiah, "And
he shall devour [ὕλη]," i.e., matter, "like hay," when speaking of those who were
appointed to undergo their punishments, the word "matter" was used instead of
"sins." And if this word "matter" should happen to occur in any other passage, it
will never be found, in my opinion, to have the signification of which we are
now in quest, unless perhaps in the book which is called the Wisdom of
Solomon, a work which is certainly not esteemed authoritative by all. In that
book, however, we find written as follows: "For your almighty hand, that made
the world out of shapeless matter, wanted not means to send among them a
multitude of bears and fierce lions." Very many, indeed, are of opinion that the
matter of which things are made is itself signified in the language used by Moses
in the beginning of Genesis: "In the beginning God made heaven and earth; and
the earth was invisible, and not arranged:" for by the words "invisible and not
arranged" Moses would seem to mean nothing else than shapeless matter. But if
this be truly matter, it is clear then that the original elements of bodies are not
incapable of change. For those who posited "atoms" — either those particles
which are incapable of subdivision, or those which are subdivided into equal
parts— or any one element, as the principles of bodily things, could not posit the
word "matter" in the proper sense of the term among the first principles of
things. For if they will have it that matter underlies every body— a substance
convertible or changeable, or divisible in all its parts— they will not, as is
proper, assert that it exists without qualities. And with them we agree, for we
altogether deny that matter ought to be spoken of as "unbegotten" or
"uncreated," agreeably to our former statements, when we pointed out that from
water, and earth, and air or heat, different kinds of fruits were produced by
different kinds of trees; or when we showed that fire, and air, and water, and
earth were alternately converted into each other, and that one element was
resolved into another by a kind of mutual consanguinity; and also when we
proved that from the food either of men or animals the substance of the flesh was
derived, or that the moisture of the natural seed was converted into solid flesh
and bones—all which go to prove that the substance of the body is changeable,
and may pass from one quality into all others.
34. Nevertheless we must not forget that a substance never exists without a
quality, and that it is by an act of the understanding alone that this (substance)
which underlies bodies, and which is capable of quality, is discovered to be
matter. Some indeed, in their desire to investigate these subjects more
profoundly, have ventured to assert that bodily nature is nothing else than
qualities. For if hardness and softness, heat and cold, moisture and aridity, be
qualities; and if, when these or other (qualities) of this sort be cut away, nothing
else is understood to remain, then all things will appear to be "qualities." And
therefore also those persons who make these assertions have endeavoured to
maintain, that since all who say that matter was uncreated will admit that
qualities were created by God, it may be in this way shown that even according
to them matter was not uncreated; since qualities constitute everything, and these
are declared by all without contradiction to have been made by God. Those,
again, who would make out that qualities are superimposed from without upon a
certain underlying matter, make use of illustrations of this kind: e.g., Paul
undoubtedly is either silent, or speaks, or watches, or sleeps, or maintains a
certain attitude of body; for he is either in a sitting, or standing, or recumbent
position. For these are "accidents" belonging to men, without which they are
almost never found. And yet our conception of man does not lay down any of
these things as a definition of him; but we so understand and regard him by their
means, that we do not at all take into account the reason of his (particular)
condition either in watching, or in sleeping, or in speaking, or in keeping silence,
or in any other action that must necessarily happen to men. If any one, then, can
regard Paul as being without all these things which are capable of happening, he
will in the same way also be able to understand this underlying (substance)
without qualities. When, then, our mind puts away all qualities from its
conception, and gazes, so to speak, upon the underlying element alone, and
keeps its attention closely upon it, without any reference to the softness or
hardness, or heat or cold, or humidity or aridity of the substance, then by means
of this somewhat simulated process of thought it will appear to behold matter
clear from qualities of every kind.
35. But some one will perhaps inquire whether we can obtain out of
Scripture any grounds for such an understanding of the subject. Now I think
some such view is indicated in the Psalms, when the prophet says, "My eyes
have seen your imperfection;" by which the mind of the prophet, examining with
keener glance the first principles of things, and separating in thought and
imagination only between matter and its qualities, perceived the imperfection of
God, which certainly is understood to be perfected by the addition of qualities.
Enoch also, in his book, speaks as follows: "I have walked on even to
imperfection;" which expression I consider may be understood in a similar
manner, viz., that the mind of the prophet proceeded in its scrutiny and
investigation of all visible things, until it arrived at that first beginning in which
it beheld imperfect matter (existing) without "qualities." For it is written in the
same boo of Enoch, "I beheld the whole of matter;" which is so understood as if
he had said: "I have clearly seen all the divisions of matter which are broken up
from one into each individual species either of men, or animals, or of the sky, or
of the sun, or of all other things in this world." After these points, now, we
proved to the best of our power in the preceding pages that all things which exist
were made by God, and that there was nothing which was not made, save the
nature of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that God, who is by
nature good, desiring to have those upon whom He might confer benefits, and
who might rejoice in receiving His benefits, created creatures worthy (of this),
i.e., who were capable of receiving Him in a worthy manner, who, He says, are
also begotten by Him as his sons. He made all things, moreover, by number and
measure. For there is nothing before God without either limit or measure. For by
His power He comprehends all things, and He Himself is comprehended by the
strength of no created thing, because that nature is known to itself alone. For the
Father alone knows the Son, and the Son alone knows the Father, and the Holy
Spirit alone searches even the deep things of God. All created things, therefore,
i.e., either the number of rational beings or the measure of bodily matter, are
distinguished by Him as being within a certain number or measurement; since,
as it was necessary for an intellectual nature to employ bodies, and this nature is
shown to be changeable and convertible by the very condition of its being
created (for what did not exist, but began to exist, is said by this very
circumstance to be of mutable nature), it can have neither goodness nor
wickedness as an essential, but only as an accidental attribute of its being.
Seeing, then, as we have said, that rational nature was mutable and changeable,
so that it made use of a different bodily covering of this or that sort of quality,
according to its merits, it was necessary, as God foreknew there would be
diversities in souls or spiritual powers, that He should create also a bodily nature
the qualities of which might be changed at the will of the Creator into all that
was required. And this bodily nature must last as long as those things which
require it as a covering: for there will be always rational natures which need a
bodily covering; and there will therefore always be a bodily nature whose
coverings must necessarily be used by rational creatures, unless some one be
able to demonstrate by arguments that a rational nature can live without a body.
But how difficult— nay, how almost impossible— this is for our understanding,
we have shown in the preceding pages, in our discussion of the individual topics.
36. It will not, I consider, be opposed to the nature of our undertaking, if we
restate with all possible brevity our opinions on the immortality of rational
natures. Every one who participates in anything, is unquestionably of one
essence and nature with him who is partaker of the same thing. For example, as
all eyes participate in the light, so accordingly all eyes which partake of the light
are of one nature; but although every eye partakes of the light, yet, inasmuch as
one sees more clearly, and another more obscurely, every eye does not equally
share in the light. And again, all hearing receives voice or sound, and therefore
all hearing is of one nature; but each one hears more rapidly or more slowly,
according as the quality of his hearing is clear and sound. Let us pass now from
these sensuous illustrations to the consideration of intellectual things. Every
mind which partakes of intellectual light ought undoubtedly to be of one nature
with every mind which partakes in a similar manner of intellectual light. If the
heavenly virtues, then, partake of intellectual light, i.e., of divine nature, because
they participate in wisdom and holiness, and if human souls, have partaken of
the same light and wisdom, and thus are mutually of one nature and of one
essence—then, since the heavenly virtues are incorruptible and immortal, the
essence of the human soul will also be immortal and incorruptible. And not only
so, but because the nature of Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, whose intellectual
light alone all created things have a share, is incorruptible and eternal, it is
altogether consistent and necessary that every substance which partakes of that
eternal nature should last for ever, and be incorruptible and eternal, so that the
eternity of divine goodness may be understood also in this respect, that they who
obtain its benefits are also eternal. But as, in the instances referred to, a diversity
in the participation of the light was observed, when the glance of the beholder
was described as being duller or more acute, so also a diversity is to be noted in
the participation of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, varying with the degree of zeal
or capacity of mind. If such were not the case, we have to consider whether it
would not seem to be an act of impiety to say that the mind which is capable of
(receiving) God should admit of a destruction of its essence; as if the very fact
that it is able to feel and understand God could not suffice for its perpetual
existence, especially since, if even through neglect the mind fall away from a
pure and complete reception of God, it nevertheless contains within it certain
seeds of restoration and renewal to a better understanding, seeing the "inner,"
which is also called the "rational" man, is renewed after "the image and likeness
of God, who created him." And therefore the prophet says, "All the ends of the
earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord; and all the kindreds of the nations
shall worship before You."
37. If any one, indeed, venture to ascribe essential corruption to Him who
was made after the image and likeness of God, then, in my opinion, this impious
charge extends even to the Son of God Himself, for He is called in Scripture the
image of God. Or he who holds this opinion would certainly impugn the
authority of Scripture, which says that man was made in the image of God; and
in him are manifestly to be discovered traces of the divine image, not by any
appearance of the bodily frame, which is corruptible, but by mental wisdom, by
justice, moderation, virtue, wisdom, discipline; in fine, by the whole band of
virtues, which are innate in the essence of God, and which may enter into man
by diligence and imitation of God; as the Lord also intimates in the Gospel,
when He says, "Be therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful;" and, "Be
perfect, even as your Father also is perfect." From which it is clearly shown that
all these virtues are perpetually in God, and that they can never approach to or
depart from Him, whereas by men they are acquired only slowly, and one by
one. And hence also by these means they seem to have a kind of relationship
with God; and since God knows all things, and none of things intellectual in
themselves can elude His notice (for God the Father alone, and His only-
begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit, not only possess a knowledge of those things
which they have created, but also of themselves), a rational understanding also,
advancing from small things to great, and from things visible to things invisible,
may attain to a more perfect knowledge. For it is placed in the body, and
advances from sensible things themselves, which are corporeal, to things that are
intellectual. But lest our statement that things intellectual are not cognisable by
the senses should appear unbecoming, we shall employ the instance of Solomon,
who says, "You will find also a divine sense;" by which he shows that those
things which are intellectual are to be sought out not by means of a bodily sense,
but by a certain other which he calls "divine." And with this sense must we look
on each of those rational beings which we have enumerated above; and with this
sense are to be understood those words which we speak, and those statements to
be weighed which we commit to writing. For the divine nature knows even those
thoughts which we revolve within us in silence. And on those matters of which
we have spoken, or on the others which follow from them, according to the rule
above laid down, are our opinions to be formed.
 Letter to Origen
About the History of Susanna.
Greeting, my lord and son, most worthy Origen, from Africanus. In your
sacred discussion with Agnomon you referred to that prophecy of Daniel which
is related of his youth. This at that time, as was meet, I accepted as genuine.
Now, however, I cannot understand how it escaped you that this part of the book
is spurious. For, in truth, this section, although apart from this it is elegantly
written, is plainly a more modern forgery. There are many proofs of this. When
Susanna is condemned to die, the prophet is seized by the Spirit, and cries out
that the sentence is unjust. Now, in the first place, it is always in some other way
that Daniel prophesies— by visions, and dreams, and an angel appearing to him,
never by prophetic inspiration. Then, after crying out in this extraordinary
fashion, he detects them in a way no less incredible, which not even Philistion
the play-writer would have resorted to. For, not satisfied with rebuking them
through the Spirit, he placed them apart, and asked them severally where they
saw her committing adultery. And when the one said, "Under a holm-tree" (
[prinos] ), he answered that the angel would saw him asunder ( [prisein] ); and
in a similar fashion menaced the other who said, "Under a mastich-tree" (
[schinos] ), with being rent asunder ( [schisthenai] ). Now, in Greek, it happens
that "holm-tree" and "saw asunder," and "rend" and "mastich-tree" sound alike;
but in Hebrew they are quite distinct. But all the books of the Old Testament
have been translated from Hebrew into Greek.
2. Moreover, how is it that they who were captives among the Chaldæans,
lost and won at play, thrown out unburied on the streets, as was prophesied of
the former captivity, their sons torn from them to be eunuchs, and their
daughters to be concubines, as had been prophesied; how is it that such could
pass sentence of death, and that on the wife of their king Joakim, whom the king
of the Babylonians had made partner of his throne? Then if it was not this
Joakim, but some other from the common people, whence had a captive such a
mansion and spacious garden? But a more fatal objection is, that this section,
along with the other two at the end of it, is not contained in the Daniel received
among the Jews. And add that, among all the many prophets who had been
before, there is no one who has quoted from another word for word. For they had
no need to go a-begging for words, since their own were true; but this one, in
rebuking one of those men, quotes the words of the Lord: "The innocent and
righteous shall you not slay." From all this I infer that this section is a later
addition. Moreover, the style is different. I have struck the blow; do you give the
echo; answer, and instruct me. Salute all my masters. The learned all salute you.
With all my heart I pray for your and your circle's health.
 Letter to Africanus
[Origen] to Africanus, a beloved brother in God the Father, through Jesus
Christ, His holy Child, greeting. Your letter, from which I learn what you think
of the Susanna in the Book of Daniel, which is used in the Churches, although
apparently somewhat short, presents in its few words many problems, each of
which demands no common treatment, but such as oversteps the character of a
letter, and reaches the limits of a discourse. And I, when I consider, as best I can,
the measure of my intellect, that I may know myself, am aware that I am
wanting in the accuracy necessary to reply to your letter; and that the more, that
the few days I have spent in Nicomedia have been far from sufficient to send
you an answer to all your demands and queries even after the fashion of the
present epistle. Wherefore pardon my little ability, and the little time I had, and
read this letter with all indulgence, supplying anything I may omit.
2. You begin by saying, that when, in my discussion with our friend Bassus,
I used the Scripture which contains the prophecy of Daniel when yet a young
man in the affair of Susanna, I did this as if it had escaped me that this part of the
book was spurious. You say that you praise this passage as elegantly written, but
find fault with it as a more modern composition, and a forgery; and you add that
the forger has had recourse to something which not even Philistion the play-
writer would have used in his puns between prinos and prisein , schinos and
schisis , which words as they sound in Greek can be used in this way, but not in
Hebrew. In answer to this, I have to tell you what it behooves us to do in the
cases not only of the History of Susanna, which is found in every Church of
Christ in that Greek copy which the Greeks use, but is not in the Hebrew, or of
the two other passages you mention at the end of the book containing the history
of Bel and the Dragon, which likewise are not in the Hebrew copy of Daniel; but
of thousands of other passages also which I found in many places when with my
little strength I was collating the Hebrew copies with ours. For in Daniel itself I
found the word "bound" followed in our versions by very many verses which are
not in the Hebrew at all, beginning (according to one of the copies which
circulate in the Churches) thus: "Ananias, and Azarias, and Misael prayed and
sang unto God," down to "O, all you that worship the Lord, bless the God of
gods. Praise Him, and say that His mercy endures for ever and ever. And it came
to pass, when the king heard them singing, and saw them that they were alive."
Or, as in another copy, from "And they walked in the midst of the fire, praising
God and blessing the Lord," down to "O, all you that worship the Lord, bless the
God of gods. Praise Him, and say that His mercy endures to all generations."
But in the Hebrew copies the words, "And these three men, Sedrach, Misach,
and Abednego fell down bound into the midst of the fire," are immediately
followed by the verse, "Nabouchodonosor the king was astonished, and rose up
in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counsellors." For so Aquila, following the
Hebrew reading, gives it, who has obtained the credit among the Jews of having
interpreted the Scriptures with no ordinary care, and whose version is most
commonly used by those who do not know Hebrew, as the one which has been
most successful. Of the copies in my possession whose readings I gave, one
follows the Seventy, and the other Theodotion; and just as the History of
Susanna which you call a forgery is found in both, together with the passages at
the end of Daniel, so they give also these passages, amounting, to make a rough
guess, to more than two hundred verses.
3. And in many other of the sacred books I found sometimes more in our
copies than in the Hebrew, sometimes less. I shall adduce a few examples, since
it is impossible to give them all. Of the Book of Esther neither the prayer of
Mardochaios nor that of Esther, both fitted to edify the reader, is found in the
Hebrew. Neither are the letters; nor the one written to Amman about the rooting
up of the Jewish nation, nor that of Mardochaios in the name of Artaxerxes
delivering the nation from death. Then in Job, the words from "It is written, that
he shall rise again with those whom the Lord raises," to the end, are not in the
Hebrew, and so not in Aquila's edition; while they are found in the Septuagint
and in Theodotion's version, agreeing with each other at least in sense. And
many other places I found in Job where our copies have more than the Hebrew
ones, sometimes a little more, and sometimes a great deal more: a little more, as
when to the words, "Rising up in the morning, he offered burnt-offerings for
them according to their number," they add, "one heifer for the sin of their soul;"
and to the words, "The angels of God came to present themselves before God,
and the devil came with them," "from going to and fro in the earth, and from
walking up and down in it." Again, after "The Lord gave, the Lord has taken
away," the Hebrew has not, "It was so, as seemed good to the Lord." Then our
copies are very much fuller than the Hebrew, when Job's wife speaks to him,
from "How long will you hold out? And he said, Lo, I wait yet a little while,
looking for the hope of my salvation," down to "that I may cease from my
troubles, and my sorrows which compass me." For they have only these words of
the woman, "But say a word against God, and die."
4. Again, through the whole of Job there are many passages in the Hebrew
which are wanting in our copies, generally four or five verses, but sometimes,
however, even fourteen, and nineteen, and sixteen. But why should I enumerate
all the instances I collected with so much labour, to prove that the difference
between our copies and those of the Jews did not escape me? In Jeremiah I
noticed many instances, and indeed in that book I found much transposition and
variation in the readings of the prophecies. Again, in Genesis, the words, "God
saw that it was good," when the firmament was made, are not found in the
Hebrew, and there is no small dispute among them about this; and other
instances are to be found in Genesis, which I marked, for the sake of distinction,
with the sign the Greeks call an obelisk, as on the other hand I marked with an
asterisk those passages in our copies which are not found in the Hebrew. What
needs there to speak of Exodus, where there is such diversity in what is said
about the tabernacle and its court, and the ark, and the garments of the high
priest and the priests, that sometimes the meaning even does not seem to be
akin? And, forsooth, when we notice such things, we are immediately to reject as
spurious the copies in use in our Churches, and enjoin the brotherhood to put
away the sacred books current among them, and to coax the Jews, and persuade
them to give us copies which shall be untampered with, and free from forgery!
Are we to suppose that that Providence which in the sacred Scriptures has
ministered to the edification of all the Churches of Christ, had no thought for
those bought with a price, for whom Christ died; whom, although His Son, God
who is love spared not, but gave Him up for us all, that with Him He might
freely give us all things?
5. In all these cases consider whether it would not be well to remember the
words, "You shall not remove the ancient landmarks which your fathers have
set." Nor do I say this because I shun the labour of investigating the Jewish
Scriptures, and comparing them with ours, and noticing their various readings.
This, if it be not arrogant to say it, I have already to a great extent done to the
best of my ability, labouring hard to get at the meaning in all the editions and
various readings; while I paid particular attention to the interpretation of the
Seventy, lest I might to be found to accredit any forgery to the Churches which
are under heaven, and give an occasion to those who seek such a starting-point
for gratifying their desire to slander the common brethren, and to bring some
accusation against those who shine forth in our community. And I make it my
endeavour not to be ignorant of their various readings, lest in my controversies
with the Jews I should quote to them what is not found in their copies, and that I
may make some use of what is found there, even although it should not be in our
Scriptures. For if we are so prepared for them in our discussions, they will not,
as is their manner, scornfully laugh at Gentile believers for their ignorance of the
true reading as they have them. So far as to the History of Susanna not being
found in the Hebrew.
6. Let us now look at the things you find fault with in the story itself. And
here let us begin with what would probably make any one averse to receiving the
history: I mean the play of words between prinos and prisis , schinos and schisis
. You say that you can see how this can be in Greek, but that in Hebrew the
words are altogether distinct. On this point, however, I am still in doubt;
because, when I was considering this passage (for I myself saw this difficulty), I
consulted not a few Jews about it, asking them the Hebrew words for prinos and
prisein , and how they would translate schinos the tree, and how schisis . And
they said that they did not know these Greek words prinos and schinos , and
asked me to show them the trees, that they might see what they called them. And
I at once (for the truth's dear sake) put before them pieces of the different trees.
One of them then said, that he could not with any certainty give the Hebrew
name of anything not mentioned in Scripture, since, if one was at a loss, he was
prone to use the Syriac word instead of the Hebrew one; and he went on to say,
that some words the very wisest could not translate. "If, then," said he, "you can
adduce a passage in any Scripture where the schinos is mentioned, or the prinos
, you will find there the words you seek, together with the words which have the
same sound; but if it is nowhere mentioned, we also do not know it." This, then,
being what the Hebrews said to whom I had recourse, and who were acquainted
with the history, I am cautious of affirming whether or not there is any
correspondence to this play of words in the Hebrew. Your reason for affirming
that there is not, you yourself probably know.
7. Moreover, I remember hearing from a learned Hebrew, said among
themselves to be the son of a wise man, and to have been specially trained to
succeed his father, with whom I had intercourse on many subjects, the names of
these elders, just as if he did not reject the History of Susanna, as they occur in
Jeremias as follows: "The Lord make you like Zedekias and Achiab, whom the
king of Babylon roasted in the fire, for the iniquity they did in Israel." How,
then, could the one be sawn asunder by an angel, and the other rent in pieces?
The answer is, that these things were prophesied not of this world, but of the
judgment of God, after the departure from this world. For as the lord of that
wicked servant who says, "My lord delays his coming," and so gives himself up
to drunkenness, eating and drinking with drunkards, and smiting his fellow-
servants, shall at his coming "cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with
the unbelievers," even so the angels appointed to punish will accomplish these
things (just as they will cut asunder the wicked steward of that passage) on these
men, who were called indeed elders, but who administered their stewardship
wickedly. One will saw asunder him who was waxen old in wicked days, who
had pronounced false judgment, condemning the innocent, and letting the guilty
go free; and another will rend in pieces him of the seed of Chanaan, and not of
Judah, whom beauty had deceived, and whose heart lust had perverted.
8. And I knew another Hebrew, who told about these elders such traditions
as the following: that they pretended to the Jews in captivity, who were hoping
by the coming of Christ to be freed from the yoke of their enemies, that they
could explain clearly the things concerning Christ,...and that they so deceived
the wives of their countrymen. Wherefore it is that the prophet Daniel calls the
one "waxen old in wicked days," and says to the other, "Thus have you dealt with
the children of Israel; but the daughters of Juda would not abide your
wickedness."
9. But probably to this you will say, Why then is the "History" not in their
Daniel, if, as you say, their wise men hand down by tradition such stories? The
answer is, that they hid from the knowledge of the people as many of the
passages which contained any scandal against the elders, rulers, and judges, as
they could, some of which have been preserved in uncanonical writings
(Apocrypha). As an example, take the story told about Esaias; and guaranteed by
the Epistle to the Hebrews, which is found in none of their public books. For the
author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in speaking of the prophets, and what they
suffered, says, "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were slain with
the sword." To whom, I ask, does the "sawn asunder" refer (for by an old idiom,
not peculiar to Hebrew, but found also in Greek, this is said in the plural,
although it refers to but one person)? Now we know very well that tradition says
that Esaias the prophet was sawn asunder; and this is found in some apocryphal
work, which probably the Jews have purposely tampered with, introducing some
phrases manifestly incorrect, that discredit might be thrown on the whole.
However, some one hard pressed by this argument may have recourse to the
opinion of those who reject this Epistle as not being Paul's; against whom I must
at some other time use other arguments to prove that it is Paul's. At present I
shall adduce from the Gospel what Jesus Christ testifies concerning the prophets,
together with a story which He refers to, but which is not found in the Old
Testament, since in it also there is a scandal against unjust judges in Israel. The
words of our Saviour run thus: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites
because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the
righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have
been partaken with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore be witnesses
unto yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill
up then the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you generation of vipers, how
can you escape the damnation of Gehenna? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you
prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them you shall kill and
crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute
them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed
upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias,
son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say
unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." And what follows is
of the same tenor: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that killest the prophets, and
stone them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your
children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you
would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."
Let us see now if in these cases we are not forced to the conclusion, that
while the Saviour gives a true account of them, none of the Scriptures which
could prove what He tells are to be found. For they who build the tombs of the
prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, condemning the crimes
their fathers committed against the righteous and the prophets, say, "If we had
been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in
the blood of the prophets." In the blood of what prophets, can any one tell me?
For where do we find anything like this written of Esaias, or Jeremias, or any of
the twelve, or Daniel? Then about Zacharias the son of Barachias, who was slain
between the temple and the altar, we learn from Jesus only, not knowing it
otherwise from any Scripture. Wherefore I think no other supposition is possible,
than that they who had the reputation of wisdom, and the rulers and elders, took
away from the people every passage which might bring them into discredit
among the people. We need not wonder, then, if this history of the evil device of
the licentious elders against Susanna is true, but was concealed and removed
from the Scriptures by men themselves not very far removed from the counsel of
these elders.
In the Acts of the Apostles also, Stephen, in his other testimony, says,
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain
them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have
been now the betrayers and murderers." That Stephen speaks the truth, every
one will admit who receives the Acts of the Apostles; but it is impossible to
show from the extant books of the Old Testament how with any justice he
throws the blame of having persecuted and slain the prophets on the fathers of
those who believed not in Christ. And Paul, in the first Epistle to the
Thessalonians, testifies this concerning the Jews: "For you, brethren, became
followers of the Churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for you
also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the
Jews; who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have
persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men." What I
have said is, I think, sufficient to prove that it would be nothing wonderful if this
history were true, and the licentious and cruel attack was actually made on
Susanna by those who were at that time elders, and written down by the wisdom
of the Spirit, but removed by these rulers of Sodom, as the Spirit would call
them.
10. Your next objection is, that in this writing Daniel is said to have been
seized by the Spirit, and to have cried out that the sentence was unjust; while in
that writing of his which is universally received he is represented as prophesying
in quite another manner, by visions and dreams, and an angel appearing to him,
but never by prophetic inspiration. You seem to me to pay too little heed to the
words, "At sundry times, and in various manners, God spoke in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets." This is true not only in the general, but also of
individuals. For if you notice, you will find that the same saints have been
favoured with divine dreams and angelic appearances and (direct) inspirations.
For the present it will suffice to instance what is testified concerning Jacob. Of
dreams from God he speaks thus: "And it came to pass, at the time that the cattle
conceived, that I saw them before my eyes in a dream, and, behold, the rams and
he-goats which leaped upon the sheep and the goats, white-spotted, and
speckled, and grisled. And the angel of God spoke unto me in a dream, saying,
Jacob. And I said, What is it? And he said, Lift up your eyes and see, the goats
and rams leaping on the goats and sheep, white-spotted, and speckled, and
grisled: for I have seen all that Laban does unto you. I am God, who appeared
unto you in the place of God, where you anointed to Me there a pillar, and
vowed a vow there to Me: now arise, get out from this land, and return unto the
land of your kindred."
And as to an appearance (which is better than a dream), he speaks as
follows about himself: "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with
him until the breaking of the day. And he saw that he prevailed not against him,
and he touched the breadth of his thigh; and the breadth of Jacob's thigh grew
stiff while he was wrestling with him. And he said to him, Let me go, for the day
breaks. And he said, I will not let you go, unless you bless me. And he said unto
him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And he said to him, Your name
shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel shall be your name: for you have
prevailed with God, and art powerful with men. And Jacob asked him, and said,
Tell me your name. And he said, Why is it that you ask after my name? And he
blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Vision of God: for I
have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. And the sun rose, when the
vision of God passed by." And that he also prophesied by inspiration, is evident
from this passage: "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days. Gather
yourselves together, and hear, you sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your
father. Reuben, my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my children, hard
to be born, hard and stubborn. You were wanton, boil not over like water;
because you went up to your father's bed; then defiled the couch to which you
went up." And so with the rest: it was by inspiration that the prophetic blessings
were pronounced. We need not wonder, then, that Daniel sometimes prophesied
by inspiration, as when he rebuked the elders sometimes, as you say, by dreams
and visions, and at other times by an angel appearing unto him.
11. Your other objections are stated, as it appears to me, somewhat
irreverently, and without the becoming spirit of piety. I cannot do better than
quote your very words: "Then, after crying out in this extraordinary fashion, he
detects them in a way no less incredible, which not even Philistion the play-
writer would have resorted to. For, not satisfied with rebuking them through the
Spirit, he placed them apart, and asked them severally where they saw her
committing adultery; and when the one said, 'Under a holm-tree' ( prinos ) he
answered that the angel would saw him asunder ( prisein ); and in a similar
fashion threatened the other, who said, 'Under a mastich-tree' ( schinos ), with
being rent asunder."
You might as reasonably compare to Philistion the play-writer, a story
somewhat like this one, which is found in the third book of Kings, which you
yourself will admit to be well written. Here is what we read in Kings:—
"Then there appeared two women that were harlots before the king, and
stood before him. And the one woman said, To me, my lord, I and this woman
dwell in one house; and we were delivered in the house. And it came to pass, the
third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we
were together; there is no one in our house except us two. And this woman's
child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and
took my son from my arms. And your handmaid slept. And she laid it in her
bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And I arose in the morning to give
my child suck, and he was dead; but when I had considered it in the morning,
behold, it was not my son which I did bear. And the other woman said, Nay; the
dead is your son, but the living is my son. And the other said, No; the living is
my son, but the dead is your son. Thus they spoke before the king. Then said the
king, You say, This is my son that lives, and your son is the dead: and you say
Nay; but your son is the dead, and my son is the living. And the king said, Bring
me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide
the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spoke
the woman whose the living child was unto the king (for her bowels yearned
after her son), and she said, To me, my lord, give her the living child, and in no
wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor yours, but divide it.
Then the king answered and said, Give the child to her which said, Give her the
living child, and in no wise slay it: for she is the mother of it. And all Israel
heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the face of the
king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment."
For if we were at liberty to speak in this scoffing way of the Scriptures in
use in the Churches, we should rather compare this story of the two harlots to the
play of Philistion than that of the chaste Susanna. And just as the people would
not have been persuaded if Solomon had merely said, "Give this one the living
child, for she is the mother of it;" so Daniel's attack on the elders would not have
been sufficient had there not been added the condemnation from their own
mouth, when both said that they had seen her lying with the young man under a
tree, but did not agree as to what kind of tree it was. And since you have
asserted, as if you knew for certain, that Daniel in this matter judged by
inspiration (which may or may not have been the case), I would have you notice
that there seem to me to be some analogies in the story of Daniel to the judgment
of Solomon, concerning whom the Scripture testifies that the people saw that the
wisdom of God was in him to do judgment. This might be said also of Daniel,
for it was because wisdom was in him to do judgment that the elders were
judged in the manner described.
12. I had nearly forgotten an additional remark I have to make about the
prino-prisein and schino-schisein difficulty; that is, that in our Scriptures there
are many etymological fancies, so to call them, which in the Hebrew are
perfectly suitable, but not in the Greek. It need not surprise us, then, if the
translators of the History of Susanna contrived it so that they found out some
Greek words, derived from the same root, which either corresponded exactly to
the Hebrew form (though this I hardly think possible), or presented some
analogy to it. Here is an instance of this in our Scripture. When the woman was
made by God from the rib of the man, Adam says, "She shall be called woman,
because she was taken out of her husband." Now the Jews say that the woman
was called " Essa ," and that "taken" is a translation of this word as is evident
from " chos isouoth essa ," which means, "I have taken the cup of salvation;"
and that " is " means "man," as we see from " Hesre aïs ," which is, "Blessed is
the man." According to the Jews, then, " is " is "man," and " essa ," "woman,"
because she was taken out of her husband ( is ). It need not then surprise us if
some interpreters of the Hebrew "Susanna," which had been concealed among
them at a very remote date, and had been preserved only by the more learned and
honest, should have either given the Hebrew word for word, or hit upon some
analogy to the Hebrew forms, that the Greeks might be able to follow them. For
in many other passages we can find traces of this kind of contrivance on the part
of the translators, which I noticed when I was collating the various editions.
13. You raise another objection, which I give in your own words:
"Moreover, how is it that they, who were captives among the Chaldeans, lost
and won at play, thrown out unburied on the streets, as was prophesied of the
former captivity, their sons torn from them to be eunuchs, and their daughters to
be concubines, as had been prophesied; how is it that such could pass sentence
of death, and that on the wife of their king Joakim, whom the king of the
Babylonians had made partner of his throne? Then, if it was not this Joakim, but
some other from the common people, whence had a captive such a mansion and
spacious garden?"
Where you get your "lost and won at play, and thrown out unburied on the
streets," I know not, unless it is from Tobias; and Tobias (as also Judith), we
ought to notice, the Jews do not use. They are not even found in the Hebrew
Apocrypha, as I learned from the Jews themselves. However, since the Churches
use Tobias, you must know that even in the captivity some of the captives were
rich and well to do. Tobias himself says, "Because I remembered God with all
my heart; and the Most High gave me grace and beauty in the eyes of
Nemessarus, and I was his purveyor; and I went into Media, and left in trust
with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Ragi, a city of Media, ten talents of
silver." And he adds, as if he were a rich man, "In the days of Nemessarus I gave
many alms to my brethren. I gave my bread to the hungry, and my clothes to the
naked: and if I saw any of my nation dead, and cast outside the walls of Nineve,
I buried him; and if king Senachereim had slain any when he came fleeing from
Judea, I buried them privily (for in his wrath he killed many)." Think whether
this great catalogue of Tobias's good deeds does not betoken great wealth and
much property, especially when he adds, "Understanding that I was sought for
to be put to death, I withdrew myself for fear, and all my goods were forcibly
taken away."
And another captive, Dachiacharus, the son of Ananiel, the brother of
Tobias, was set over all the exchequer of the kingdom of king Acherdon; and we
read, "Now Achiacharus was cup-bearer and keeper of the signet, and steward
and overseer of the accounts."
Mardochaios, too, frequented the court of the king, and had such boldness
before him, that he was inscribed among the benefactors of Artaxerxes.
Again we read in Esdras, that Neemias, a cup-bearer and eunuch of the
king, of Hebrew race, made a request about the rebuilding of the temple, and
obtained it; so that it was granted to him, with many more, to return and build
the temple again. Why then should we wonder that one Joakim had garden, and
house, and property, whether these were very expensive or only moderate, for
this is not clearly told us in the writing?
14. But you say, "How could they who were in captivity pass sentence of
death?" asserting, I know not on what grounds, that Susanna was the wife of a
king, because of the name Joakim. The answer is, that it is no uncommon thing,
when great nations become subject, that the king should allow the captives to use
their own laws and courts of justice. Now, for instance, that the Romans rule,
and the Jews pay the half-shekel to them, how great power by the concession of
Cæsar the ethnarch has; so that we, who have had experience of it, know that he
differs in little from a true king! Private trials are held according to the law, and
some are condemned to death. And though there is not full licence for this, still it
is not done without the knowledge of the ruler, as we learned and were
convinced of when we spent much time in the country of that people. And yet
the Romans only take account of two tribes, while at that time besides Judah
there were the ten tribes of Israel. Probably the Assyrians contented themselves
with holding them in subjection, and conceded to them their own judicial
processes.
15. I find in your letter yet another objection in these words: "And add, that
among all the many prophets who had been before, there is no one who has
quoted from another word for word. For they had no need to go a-begging for
words, since their own were true. But this one, in rebuking one of these men,
quotes the words of the Lord, 'The innocent and righteous shall you not slay.'" I
cannot understand how, with all your exercise in investigating and meditating on
the Scriptures, you have not noticed that the prophets continually quote each
other almost word for word. For who of all believers does not know the words in
Esaias? "And in the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be manifest, and the
house of the Lord on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the
hills; and all nations shall come unto it. And many people shall go and say,
Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, unto the house of the God of
Jacob; and He will teach us His way, and we will walk in it: for out of Zion shall
go forth a law, and a word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge
among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their
swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not
lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more."
But in Micah we find a parallel passage, which is almost word for word:
"And in the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be manifest, established on
the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall
hasten unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and they will teach us
His way, and we will walk in His paths: for a law shall go forth from Zion, and a
word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and
rebuke strong nations; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and
their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more."
Again, in First Chronicles, the psalm which is put in the hands of Asaph
and his brethren to praise the Lord, beginning, "Give thanks unto the Lord, call
upon His name," is in the beginning almost identical with Psalm cv., down to
"and do my prophets no harm;" and after that it is the same as Psalm xcvi., from
the beginning of that psalm, which is something like this, "Praise the Lord all
the earth," down to "For He comes to judge the earth." (It would have taken up
too much time to quote more fully; so I have given these short references, which
are sufficient for the matter before us.) And you will find the law about not
bearing a burden on the Sabbath day in Jeremias, as well as in Moses. And the
rules about the passover, and the rules for the priests, are not only in Moses, but
also at the end of Ezekiel. I would have quoted these, and many more, had I not
found that from the shortness of my stay in Nicomedia my time for writing you
was already too much restricted.
Your last objection is, that the style is different. This I cannot see.
This, then, is my defence. I might, especially after all these accusations,
speak in praise of this history of Susanna, dwelling on it word by word, and
expounding the exquisite nature of the thoughts. Such an encomium, perhaps,
some of the learned and able students of divine things may at some other time
compose. This, however, is my answer to your strokes, as you call them. Would
that I could instruct you! But I do not now arrogate that to myself. My lord and
dear brother Ambrosius, who has written this at my dictation, and has, in looking
over it, corrected as he pleased, salutes you. His faithful spouse, Marcella, and
her children, also salute you. Also Anicetus. Do you salute our dear father
Apollinarius, and all our friends.
 Letter to Gregory
1. Greeting in God, my most excellent sir, and venerable son Gregory, from
Origen. A natural readiness of comprehension, as you well know, may, if
practice be added, contribute somewhat to the contingent end, if I may so call it,
of that which any one wishes to practise. Thus, your natural good parts might
make of you a finished Roman lawyer or a Greek philosopher, so to speak, of
one of the schools in high reputation. But I am anxious that you should devote
all the strength of your natural good parts to Christianity for your end; and in
order to this, I wish to ask you to extract from the philosophy of the Greeks what
may serve as a course of study or a preparation for Christianity, and from
geometry and astronomy what will serve to explain the sacred Scriptures, in
order that all that the sons of the philosophers are wont to say about geometry
and music, grammar, rhetoric, and astronomy, as fellow-helpers to philosophy,
we may say about philosophy itself, in relation to Christianity.
2. Perhaps something of this kind is shadowed forth in what is written in
Exodus from the mouth of God, that the children of Israel were commanded to
ask from their neighbours, and those who dwelt with them, vessels of silver and
gold, and raiment, in order that, by spoiling the Egyptians, they might have
material for the preparation of the things which pertained to the service of God.
For from the things which the children of Israel took from the Egyptians the
vessels in the holy of holies were made—the ark with its lid, and the Cherubim,
and the mercy-seat, and the golden coffer, where was the manna, the angels'
bread. These things were probably made from the best of the Egyptian gold. An
inferior kind would be used for the solid golden candlestick near the inner veil,
and its branches, and the golden table on which were the pieces of showbread,
and the golden censer between them. And if there was a third and fourth quality
of gold, from it would be made the holy vessels; and the other things would be
made of Egyptian silver. For when the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt, they
gained this from their dwelling there, that they had no lack of such precious
material for the utensils of the service of God. And of the Egyptian raiment were
probably made all those things which, as the Scripture mentions, needed sewed
and embroidered work, sewed with the wisdom of God, the one to the other, that
the veils might be made, and the inner and the outer courts. And why should I go
on, in this untimely digression, to set forth how useful to the children of Israel
were the things brought from Egypt, which the Egyptians had not put to a proper
use, but which the Hebrews, guided by the wisdom of God, used for God's
service? Now the sacred Scripture is wont to represent as an evil the going down
from the land of the children of Israel into Egypt, indicating that certain persons
get harm from sojourning among the Egyptians, that is to say, from meddling
with the knowledge of this world, after they have subscribed to the law of God,
and the Israelitish service of Him. Ader at least, the Idumæan; so long as he was
in the land of Israel, and had not tasted the bread of the Egyptians, made no
idols. It was when he fled from the wise Solomon, and went down into Egypt, as
it were flying from the wisdom of God, and was made a kinsman of Pharaoh by
marrying his wife's sister, and begetting a child, who was brought up with the
children of Pharaoh, that he did this. Wherefore, although he did return to the
land of Israel, he returned only to divide the people of God, and to make them
say to the golden calf, "These be your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from
the land of Egypt." And I may tell you from my experience, that not many take
from Egypt only the useful, and go away and use it for the service of God; while
Ader the Idumæan has many brethren. These are they who, from their Greek
studies, produce heretical notions, and set them up, like the golden calf, in
Bethel, which signifies "God's house." In these words also there seems to me an
indication that they have set up their own imaginations in the Scriptures, where
the word of God dwells, which is called in a figure Bethel. The other figure, the
word says, was set up in Dan. Now the borders of Dan are the most extreme, and
nearest the borders of the Gentiles, as is clear from what is written in Joshua, the
son of Nun. Now some of the devices of these brethren of Ader, as we call them,
are also very near the borders of the Gentiles.
3. Do you then, my son, diligently apply yourself to the reading of the
sacred Scriptures. Apply yourself, I say. For we who read the things of God need
much application, lest we should say or think anything too rashly about them.
And applying yourself thus to the study of the things of God, with faithful
prejudgments such as are well pleasing to God, knock at its locked door, and it
will be opened to you by the porter, of whom Jesus says, "To him the porter
opens." And applying yourself thus to the divine study, seek aright, and with
unwavering trust in God, the meaning of the holy Scriptures, which so many
have missed. Be not satisfied with knocking and seeking; for prayer is of all
things indispensable to the knowledge of the things of God. For to this the
Saviour exhorted, and said not only, "Knock, and it shall be opened to you; and
seek, and you shall find," but also, "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." My
fatherly love to you has made me thus bold; but whether my boldness be good,
God will know, and His Christ, and all partakers of the Spirit of God and the
Spirit of Christ. May you also be a partaker, and be ever increasing your
inheritance, that you may say not only, "We have become partakers of Christ,"
but also partakers of God.
 Contra Celsus, Book I
Preface.

1. When false witnesses testified against our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
He remained silent; and when unfounded charges were brought against Him, He
returned no answer, believing that His whole life and conduct among the Jews
were a better refutation than any answer to the false testimony, or than any
formal defence against the accusations. And I know not, my pious Ambrosius,
why you wished me to write a reply to the false charges brought by Celsus
against the Christians, and to his accusations directed against the faith of the
Churches in his treatise; as if the facts themselves did not furnish a manifest
refutation, and the doctrine a better answer than any writing, seeing it both
disposes of the false statements, and does not leave to the accusations any
credibility or validity. Now, with respect to our Lord's silence when false witness
was borne against Him, it is sufficient at present to quote the words of Matthew,
for the testimony of Mark is to the same effect. And the words of Matthew are as
follow: "And the high priest and the council sought false witness against Jesus to
put Him to death, but found none, although many false witnesses came forward.
At last two false witnesses came and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy
the temple of God, and after three days to build it up. And the high priest arose,
and said to Him, Do you answer nothing to what these witness against you? But
Jesus held His peace." And that He returned no answer when falsely accused,
the following is the statement: "And Jesus stood before the governor; and he
asked Him, saying, Are You the King of the Jews? And Jesus said to him, You
say. And when He was accused of the chief priests and elders, He answered
nothing. Then said Pilate unto Him, Do you not hear how many things they
witness against You? And He answered him to never a word, insomuch that the
governor marvelled greatly."
2. It was, indeed, matter of surprise to men even of ordinary intelligence,
that one who was accused and assailed by false testimony, but who was able to
defend Himself, and to show that He was guilty of none of the charges (alleged),
and who might have enumerated the praiseworthy deeds of His own life, and His
miracles wrought by divine power, so as to give the judge an opportunity of
delivering a more honourable judgment regarding Him, should not have done
this, but should have disdained such a procedure, and in the nobleness of His
nature have contemned His accusers. That the judge would, without any
hesitation, have set Him at liberty if He had offered a defence, is clear from what
is related of him when he said, "Which of the two do you wish that I should
release unto you, Barabbas or Jesus, who is called Christ?" and from what the
Scripture adds, "For he knew that for envy they had delivered Him." Jesus,
however, is at all times assailed by false witnesses, and, while wickedness
remains in the world, is ever exposed to accusation. And yet even now He
continues silent before these things, and makes no audible answer, but places His
defence in the lives of His genuine disciples, which are a pre-eminent testimony,
and one that rises superior to all false witness, and refutes and overthrows all
unfounded accusations and charges.
3. I venture, then, to say that this "apology" which you require me to
compose will somewhat weaken that defence (of Christianity) which rests on
facts, and that power of Jesus which is manifest to those who are not altogether
devoid of perception. Notwithstanding, that we may not have the appearance of
being reluctant to undertake the task which you have enjoined, we have
endeavoured, to the best of our ability, to suggest, by way of answer to each of
the statements advanced by Celsus, what seemed to us adapted to refute them,
although his arguments have no power to shake the faith of any (true) believer.
And forbid, indeed, that any one should be found who, after having been a
partaker in such a love of God as was (displayed) in Christ Jesus, could be
shaken in his purpose by the arguments of Celsus, or of any such as he. For Paul,
when enumerating the innumerable causes which generally separate men from
the love of Christ and from the love of God in Christ Jesus (to all of which, the
love that was in himself rose superior), did not set down argument among the
grounds of separation. For observe that he says, firstly: "Who shall separate us
from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (as it is written, For Your sake we are killed
all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.) Nay, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." And secondly,
when laying down another series of causes which naturally tend to separate those
who are not firmly grounded in their religion, he says: "For I am persuaded that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
4. Now, truly, it is proper that we should feel elated because afflictions, or
those other causes enumerated by Paul, do not separate us (from Christ); but not
that Paul and the other apostles, and any other resembling them, (should
entertain that feeling), because they were far exalted above such things when
they said, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that
loved us," which is a stronger statement than that they are simply "conquerors."
But if it be proper for apostles to entertain a feeling of elation in not being
separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, that feeling will
be entertained by them, because neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor any of the things that follow, can separate them from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And therefore I do not congratulate
that believer in Christ whose faith can be shaken by Celsus— who no longer
shares the common life of men, but has long since departed— or by any apparent
plausibility of argument. For I do not know in what rank to place him who has
need of arguments written in books in answer to the charges of Celsus against
the Christians, in order to prevent him from being shaken in his faith, and
confirm him in it. But nevertheless, since in the multitude of those who are
considered believers some such persons might be found as would have their faith
shaken and overthrown by the writings of Celsus, but who might be preserved by
a reply to them of such a nature as to refute his statements and to exhibit the
truth, we have deemed it right to yield to your injunction, and to furnish an
answer to the treatise which you sent us, but which I do not think that any one,
although only a short way advanced in philosophy, will allow to be a "True
Discourse," as Celsus has entitled it.
5. Paul, indeed, observing that there are in Greek philosophy certain things
not to be lightly esteemed, which are plausible in the eyes of the many, but
which represent falsehood as truth, says with regard to such: "Beware lest any
man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." And seeing that there was
a kind of greatness manifest in the words of the world's wisdom, he said that the
words of the philosophers were "according to the rudiments of the world." No
man of sense, however, would say that those of Celsus were "according to the
rudiments of the world." Now those words, which contained some element of
deceitfulness, the apostle named "vain deceit," probably by way of distinction
from a deceit that was not "vain;" and the prophet Jeremiah observing this,
ventured to say to God, "O Lord, You have deceived me, and I was deceived;
You are stronger than I, and hast prevailed." But in the language of Celsus there
seems to me to be no deceitfulness at all, not even that which is "vain;" such
deceitfulness, viz., as is found in the language of those who have founded
philosophical sects, and who have been endowed with no ordinary talent for
such pursuits. And as no one would say that any ordinary error in geometrical
demonstrations was intended to deceive, or would describe it for the sake of
exercise in such matters; so those opinions which are to be styled "vain deceit,"
and the "tradition of men," and "according to the rudiments of the world," must
have some resemblance to the views of those who have been the founders of
philosophical sects, (if such titles are to be appropriately applied to them).
6. After proceeding with this work as far as the place where Celsus
introduces the Jew disputing with Jesus, I resolved to prefix this preface to the
beginning (of the treatise), in order that the reader of our reply to Celsus might
fall in with it first, and see that this book has been composed not for those who
are thorough believers, but for such as are either wholly unacquainted with the
Christian faith, or for those who, as the apostle terms them, are "weak in the
faith;" regarding whom he says, "Receive him that is weak in the faith." And this
preface must be my apology for beginning my answer to Celsus on one plan, and
carrying it on on another. For my first intention was to indicate his principal
objections, and then briefly the answers that were returned to them, and
subsequently to make a systematic treatise of the whole discourse. But
afterwards, circumstances themselves suggested to me that I should be
economical of my time, and that, satisfied with what I had already stated at the
commencement, I should in the following part grapple closely, to the best of my
ability, with the charges of Celsus. I have therefore to ask indulgence for those
portions which follow the preface towards the beginning of the book. And if you
are not impressed by the powerful arguments which succeed, then, asking
similar indulgence also with respect to them, I refer you, if you still desire an
argumentative solution of the objections of Celsus, to those men who are wiser
than myself, and who are able by words and treatises to overthrow the charges
which he brings against us. But better is the man who, although meeting with the
work of Celsus, needs no answer to it at all, but who despises all its contents,
since they are contemned, and with good reason, by every believer in Christ,
through the Spirit that is in him.
 Chapter 1
The first point which Celsus brings forward, in his desire to throw discredit
upon Christianity, is, that the Christians entered into secret associations with
each other contrary to law, saying, that "of associations some are public, and
that these are in accordance with the laws; others, again, secret, and maintained
in violation of the laws." And his wish is to bring into disrepute what are termed
the "love-feasts" of the Christians, as if they had their origin in the common
danger, and were more binding than any oaths. Since, then, he babbles about the
public law, alleging that the associations of the Christians are in violation of it,
we have to reply, that if a man were placed among Scythians, whose laws were
unholy, and having no opportunity of escape, were compelled to live among
them, such an one would with good reason, for the sake of the law of truth,
which the Scythians would regard as wickedness, enter into associations
contrary to their laws, with those like-minded with himself; so, if truth is to
decide, the laws of the heathens which relate to images, and an atheistical
polytheism, are "Scythian" laws, or more impious even than these, if there be
any such. It is not irrational, then, to form associations in opposition to existing
laws, if done for the sake of the truth. For as those persons would do well who
should enter into a secret association in order to put to death a tyrant who had
seized upon the liberties of a state, so Christians also, when tyrannized over by
him who is called the devil, and by falsehood, form leagues contrary to the laws
of the devil, against his power, and for the safety of those others whom they may
succeed in persuading to revolt from a government which is, as it were,
"Scythian," and despotic.
 Chapter 2
Celsus next proceeds to say, that the system of doctrine, viz., Judaism, upon
which Christianity depends, was barbarous in its origin. And with an appearance
of fairness, he does not reproach Christianity because of its origin among
barbarians, but gives the latter credit for their ability in discovering (such)
doctrines. To this, however, he adds the statement, that the Greeks are more
skilful than any others in judging, establishing, and reducing to practice the
discoveries of barbarous nations. Now this is our answer to his allegations, and
our defence of the truths contained in Christianity, that if any one were to come
from the study of Grecian opinions and usages to the Gospel, he would not only
decide that its doctrines were true, but would by practice establish their truth,
and supply whatever seemed wanting, from a Grecian point of view, to their
demonstration, and thus confirm the truth of Christianity. We have to say,
moreover, that the Gospel has a demonstration of its own, more divine than any
established by Grecian dialectics. And this diviner method is called by the
apostle the "manifestation of the Spirit and of power:" of "the Spirit," on account
of the prophecies, which are sufficient to produce faith in any one who reads
them, especially in those things which relate to Christ; and of "power," because
of the signs and wonders which we must believe to have been performed, both
on many other grounds, and on this, that traces of them are still preserved among
those who regulate their lives by the precepts of the Gospel.
 Chapter 3
After this, Celsus proceeding to speak of the Christians teaching and
practising their favourite doctrines in secret, and saying that they do this to some
purpose, seeing they escape the penalty of death which is imminent, he compares
their dangers with those which were encountered by such men as Socrates for
the sake of philosophy; and here he might have mentioned Pythagoras as well,
and other philosophers. But our answer to this is, that in the case of Socrates the
Athenians immediately afterwards repented; and no feeling of bitterness
remained in their minds regarding him, as also happened in the history of
Pythagoras. The followers of the latter, indeed, for a considerable time
established their schools in that part of Italy called Magna Græcia; but in the
case of the Christians, the Roman Senate, and the princes of the time, and the
soldiery, and the people, and the relatives of those who had become converts to
the faith, made war upon their doctrine, and would have prevented (its progress),
overcoming it by a confederacy of so powerful a nature, had it not, by the help of
God, escaped the danger, and risen above it, so as (finally) to defeat the whole
world in its conspiracy against it.
 Chapter 4
Let us notice also how he thinks to cast discredit upon our system of
morals, alleging that it is only common to us with other philosophers, and no
venerable or new branch of instruction. In reply to which we have to say, that
unless all men had naturally impressed upon their minds sound ideas of morality,
the doctrine of the punishment of sinners would have been excluded by those
who bring upon themselves the righteous judgments of God. It is not therefore
matter of surprise that the same God should have sown in the hearts of all men
those truths which He taught by the prophets and the Saviour, in order that at the
divine judgment every man may be without excuse, having the "requirements of
the law written upon his heart," — a truth obscurely alluded to by the Bible in
what the Greeks regard as a myth, where it represents God as having with His
own finger written down the commandments, and given them to Moses, and
which the wickedness of the worshippers of the calf made him break in pieces,
as if the flood of wickedness, so to speak, had swept them away. But Moses
having again hewn tables of stone, God wrote the commandments a second time,
and gave them to him; the prophetic word preparing the soul, as it were, after the
first transgression, for the writing of God a second time.
 Chapter 5
Treating of the regulations respecting idolatry as being peculiar to
Christianity, Celsus establishes their correctness, saying that the Christians do
not consider those to be gods that are made with hands, on the ground that it is
not in conformity with right reason (to suppose) that images, fashioned by the
most worthless and depraved of workmen, and in many instances also provided
by wicked men, can be (regarded as) gods. In what follows, however, wishing to
show that this is a common opinion, and one not first discovered by Christianity,
he quotes a saying of Heraclitus to this effect: "That those who draw near to
lifeless images, as if they were gods, act in a similar manner to those who would
enter into conversation with houses." Respecting this, then, we have to say, that
ideas were implanted in the minds of men like the principles of morality, from
which not only Heraclitus, but any other Greek or barbarian, might by reflection
have deduced the same conclusion; for he states that the Persians also were of
the same opinion, quoting Herodotus as his authority. We also can add to these
Zeno of Citium, who in his Polity , says: "And there will be no need to build
temples, for nothing ought to be regarded as sacred, or of much value, or holy,
which is the work of builders and of mean men." It is evident, then, with respect
to this opinion (as well as others), that there has been engraven upon the hearts
of men by the finger of God a sense of the duty that is required.
 Chapter 6
After this, through the influence of some motive which is unknown to me,
Celsus asserts that it is by the names of certain demons, and by the use of
incantations, that the Christians appear to be possessed of (miraculous) power;
hinting, I suppose, at the practices of those who expel evil spirits by incantations.
And here he manifestly appears to malign the Gospel. For it is not by
incantations that Christians seem to prevail (over evil spirits), but by the name of
Jesus, accompanied by the announcement of the narratives which relate to Him;
for the repetition of these has frequently been the means of driving demons out
of men, especially when those who repeated them did so in a sound and
genuinely believing spirit. Such power, indeed, does the name of Jesus possess
over evil spirits, that there have been instances where it was effectual, when it
was pronounced even by bad men, which Jesus Himself taught (would be the
case), when He said: "Many shall say to Me in that day, In Your name we have
cast out devils, and done many wonderful works." Whether Celsus omitted this
from intentional malignity, or from ignorance, I do not know. And he next
proceeds to bring a charge against the Saviour Himself, alleging that it was by
means of sorcery that He was able to accomplish the wonders which He
performed; and that foreseeing that others would attain the same knowledge, and
do the same things, making a boast of doing them by help of the power of God,
He excludes such from His kingdom. And his accusation is, that if they are justly
excluded, while He Himself is guilty of the same practices, He is a wicked man;
but if He is not guilty of wickedness in doing such things, neither are they who
do the same as He. But even if it be impossible to show by what power Jesus
wrought these miracles, it is clear that Christians employ no spells or
incantations, but the simple name of Jesus, and certain other words in which they
repose faith, according to the holy Scriptures.
 Chapter 7
Moreover, since he frequently calls the Christian doctrine a secret system
(of belief), we must confute him on this point also, since almost the entire world
is better acquainted with what Christians preach than with the favourite opinions
of philosophers. For who is ignorant of the statement that Jesus was born of a
virgin, and that He was crucified, and that His resurrection is an article of faith
among many, and that a general judgment is announced to come, in which the
wicked are to be punished according to their deserts, and the righteous to be duly
rewarded? And yet the mystery of the resurrection, not being understood, is
made a subject of ridicule among unbelievers. In these circumstances, to speak
of the Christian doctrine as a secret system, is altogether absurd. But that there
should be certain doctrines, not made known to the multitude, which are
(revealed) after the exoteric ones have been taught, is not a peculiarity of
Christianity alone, but also of philosophic systems, in which certain truths are
exoteric and others esoteric. Some of the hearers of Pythagoras were content
with his ipse dixit ; while others were taught in secret those doctrines which were
not deemed fit to be communicated to profane and insufficiently prepared ears.
Moreover, all the mysteries that are celebrated everywhere throughout Greece
and barbarous countries, although held in secret, have no discredit thrown upon
them, so that it is in vain that he endeavours to calumniate the secret doctrines of
Christianity, seeing he does not correctly understand its nature.
 Chapter 8
It is with a certain eloquence, indeed, that he appears to advocate the cause
of those who bear witness to the truth of Christianity by their death, in the
following words: "And I do not maintain that if a man, who has adopted a
system of good doctrine, is to incur danger from men on that account, he should
either apostatize, or feign apostasy, or openly deny his opinions." And he
condemns those who, while holding the Christian views, either pretend that they
do not, or deny them, saying that "he who holds a certain opinion ought not to
feign recantation, or publicly disown it." And here Celsus must be convicted of
self-contradiction. For from other treatises of his it is ascertained that he was an
Epicurean; but here, because he thought that he could assail Christianity with
better effect by not professing the opinions of Epicurus, he pretends that there is
a something better in man than the earthly part of his nature, which is akin to
God, and says that "they in whom this element, viz., the soul, is in a healthy
condition, are ever seeking after their kindred nature, meaning God, and are
ever desiring to hear something about Him, and to call it to remembrance."
Observe now the insincerity of his character! Having said a little before, that
"the man who had embraced a system of good doctrine ought not, even if
exposed to danger on that account from men, to disavow it, or pretend that he
had done so, nor yet openly disown it," he now involves himself in all manner of
contradictions. For he knew that if he acknowledged himself an Epicurean, he
would not obtain any credit when accusing those who, in any degree, introduce
the doctrine of Providence, and who place a God over the world. And we have
heard that there were two individuals of the name of Celsus, both of whom were
Epicureans; the earlier of the two having lived in the time of Nero, but this one
in that of Adrian, and later.
 Chapter 9
He next proceeds to recommend, that in adopting opinions we should
follow reason and a rational guide, since he who assents to opinions without
following this course is very liable to be deceived. And he compares
inconsiderate believers to Metragyrtæ, and soothsayers, and Mithræ, and
Sabbadians, and to anything else that one may fall in with, and to the phantoms
of Hecate, or any other demon or demons. For as among such persons are
frequently to be found wicked men, who, taking advantage of the ignorance of
those who are easily deceived, lead them away whither they will, so also, he
says, is the case among Christians. And he asserts that certain persons who do
not wish either to give or receive a reason for their belief, keep repeating, "Do
not examine, but believe!" and, "Your faith will save you!" And he alleges that
such also say, "The wisdom of this life is bad, but that foolishness is a good
thing!" To which we have to answer, that if it were possible for all to leave the
business of life, and devote themselves to philosophy, no other method ought to
be adopted by any one, but this alone. For in the Christian system also it will be
found that there is, not to speak at all arrogantly, at least as much of
investigation into articles of belief, and of explanation of dark sayings, occurring
in the prophetical writings, and of the parables in the Gospels, and of countless
other things, which either were narrated or enacted with a symbolic signification,
(as is the case with other systems). But since the course alluded to is impossible,
partly on account of the necessities of life, partly on account of the weakness of
men, as only a very few individuals devote themselves earnestly to study, what
better method could be devised with a view of assisting the multitude, than that
which was delivered by Jesus to the heathen? And let us inquire, with respect to
the great multitude of believers, who have washed away the mire of wickedness
in which they formerly wallowed, whether it were better for them to believe
without a reason, and (so) to have become reformed and improved in their
habits, through the belief that men are chastised for sins, and honoured for good
works or not to have allowed themselves to be converted on the strength of mere
faith, but (to have waited) until they could give themselves to a thorough
examination of the (necessary) reasons. For it is manifest that, (on such a plan),
all men, with very few exceptions, would not obtain this (amelioration of
conduct) which they have obtained through a simple faith, but would continue to
remain in the practice of a wicked life. Now, whatever other evidence can be
furnished of the fact, that it was not without divine intervention that the
philanthropic scheme of Christianity was introduced among men, this also must
be added. For a pious man will not believe that even a physician of the body,
who restores the sick to better health, could take up his abode in any city or
country without divine permission, since no good happens to men without the
help of God. And if he who has cured the bodies of many, or restored them to
better health, does not effect his cures without the help of God, how much more
He who has healed the souls of many, and has turned them (to virtue), and
improved their nature, and attached them to God who is over all things, and
taught them to refer every action to His good pleasure, and to shun all that is
displeasing to Him, even to the least of their words or deeds, or even of the
thoughts of their hearts?
 Chapter 10
In the next place, since our opponents keep repeating those statements
about faith, we must say that, considering it as a useful thing for the multitude,
we admit that we teach those men to believe without reasons, who are unable to
abandon all other employments, and give themselves to an examination of
arguments; and our opponents, although they do not acknowledge it, yet
practically do the same. For who is there that, on betaking himself to the study of
philosophy, and throwing himself into the ranks of some sect, either by chance,
or because he is provided with a teacher of that school, adopts such a course for
any other reason, except that he believes his particular sect to be superior to any
other? For, not waiting to hear the arguments of all the other philosophers, and
of all the different sects, and the reasons for condemning one system and for
supporting another, he in this way elects to become a Stoic, e.g., or a Platonist,
or a Peripatetic, or an Epicurean, or a follower of some other school, and is thus
borne, although they will not admit it, by a kind of irrational impulse to the
practice, say of Stoicism, to the disregard of the others; despising either
Platonism, as being marked by greater humility than the others; or
Peripateticism, as more human, and as admitting with more fairness than other
systems the blessings of human life. And some also, alarmed at first sight about
the doctrine of providence, from seeing what happens in the world to the vicious
and to the virtuous, have rashly concluded that there is no divine providence at
all, and have adopted the views of Epicurus and Celsus.
 Chapter 11
Since, then, as reason teaches, we must repose faith in some one of those
who have been the introducers of sects among the Greeks or Barbarians, why
should we not rather believe in God who is over all things, and in Him who
teaches that worship is due to God alone, and that other things are to be passed
by, either as non-existent, or as existing indeed, and worthy of honour, but not of
worship and reverence? And respecting these things, he who not only believes,
but who contemplates things with the eye of reason, will state the
demonstrations that occur to him, and which are the result of careful
investigation. And why should it not be more reasonable, seeing all human
things are dependent upon faith, to believe God rather than them? For who enters
on a voyage, or contracts a marriage, or becomes the father of children, or casts
seed into the ground, without believing that better things will result from so
doing, although the contrary might and sometimes does happen? And yet the
belief that better things, even agreeably to their wishes, will follow, makes all
men venture upon uncertain enterprises, which may turn out differently from
what they expect. And if the hope and belief of a better future be the support of
life in every uncertain enterprise, why shall not this faith rather be rationally
accepted by him who believes on better grounds than he who sails the sea, or
tills the ground, or marries a wife, or engages in any other human pursuit, in the
existence of a God who was the Creator of all these things, and in Him who with
surpassing wisdom and divine greatness of mind dared to make known this
doctrine to men in every part of the world, at the cost of great danger, and of a
death considered infamous, which He underwent for the sake of the human race;
having also taught those who were persuaded to embrace His doctrine at the
first, to proceed, under the peril of every danger, and of ever impending death, to
all quarters of the world to ensure the salvation of men?
 Chapter 12
In the next place, when Celsus says in express words, "If they would answer
me, not as if I were asking for information, for I am acquainted with all their
opinions, but because I take an equal interest in them all, it would be well. And if
they will not, but will keep reiterating, as they generally do, 'Do not investigate,'
etc., they must," he continues, "explain to me at least of what nature these things
are of which they speak, and whence they are derived," etc. Now, with regard to
his statement that he "is acquainted with all our doctrines," we have to say that
this is a boastful and daring assertion; for if he had read the prophets in
particular, which are full of acknowledged difficulties, and of declarations that
are obscure to the multitude, and if he had perused the parables of the Gospels,
and the other writings of the law and of the Jewish history, and the utterances of
the apostles, and had read them candidly, with a desire to enter into their
meaning, he would not have expressed himself with such boldness, nor said that
he "was acquainted with all their doctrines." Even we ourselves, who have
devoted much study to these writings, would not say that "we were acquainted
with everything," for we have a regard for truth. Not one of us will assert, "I
know all the doctrines of Epicurus," or will be confident that he knows all those
of Plato, in the knowledge of the fact that so many differences of opinion exist
among the expositors of these systems. For who is so daring as to say that he
knows all the opinions of the Stoics or of the Peripatetics? Unless, indeed, it
should be the case that he has heard this boast, "I know them all," from some
ignorant and senseless individuals, who do not perceive their own ignorance, and
should thus imagine, from having had such persons as his teachers, that he was
acquainted with them all. Such an one appears to me to act very much as a
person would do who had visited Egypt (where the Egyptian savans , learned in
their country's literature, are greatly given to philosophizing about those things
which are regarded among them as divine, but where the vulgar, hearing certain
myths, the reasons of which they do not understand, are greatly elated because of
their fancied knowledge), and who should imagine that he is acquainted with the
whole circle of Egyptian knowledge, after having been a disciple of the ignorant
alone, and without having associated with any of the priests, or having learned
the mysteries of the Egyptians from any other source. And what I have said
regarding the learned and ignorant among the Egyptians, I might have said also
of the Persians; among whom there are mysteries, conducted on rational
principles by the learned among them, but understood in a symbolic sense by the
more superficial of the multitude. And the same remark applies to the Syrians,
and Indians, and to all those who have a literature and a mythology.
 Chapter 13
But since Celsus has declared it to be a saying of many Christians, that "the
wisdom of this life is a bad thing, but that foolishness is good," we have to
answer that he slanders the Gospel, not giving the words as they actually occur
in the writings of Paul, where they run as follow: "If any one among you seems
to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." The apostle, therefore, does not
say simply that "wisdom is foolishness with God," but "the wisdom of this world
." And again, not, "If any one among you seems to be wise, let him become a fool
universally;" but, "let him become a fool in this world , that he may become
wise." We term, then, "the wisdom of this world," every false system of
philosophy, which, according to the Scriptures, is brought to nought; and we call
foolishness good, not without restriction, but when a man becomes foolish as to
this world . As if we were to say that the Platonist, who believes in the
immortality of the soul, and in the doctrine of its metempsychosis, incurs the
charge of folly with the Stoics, who discard this opinion; and with the
Peripatetics, who babble about the subtleties of Plato; and with the Epicureans,
who call it superstition to introduce a providence, and to place a God over all
things. Moreover, that it is in agreement with the spirit of Christianity, of much
more importance to give our assent to doctrines upon grounds of reason and
wisdom than on that of faith merely, and that it was only in certain
circumstances that the latter course was desired by Christianity, in order not to
leave men altogether without help, is shown by that genuine disciple of Jesus,
Paul, when he says: "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom
knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe." Now by these words it is clearly shown that it is by the wisdom of God
that God ought to be known. But as this result did not follow, it pleased God a
second time to save them that believe, not by "folly" universally , but by such
foolishness as depended on preaching. For the preaching of Jesus Christ as
crucified is the "foolishness" of preaching, as Paul also perceived, when he said,
"But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the
Greeks foolishness; but to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
the power of God, and wisdom of God."
 Chapter 14
Celsus, being of opinion that there is to be found among many nations a
general relationship of doctrine, enumerates all the nations which gave rise to
such and such opinions; but for some reason, unknown to me, he casts a slight
upon the Jews, not including them among the others, as having either laboured
along with them, and arrived at the same conclusions, or as having entertained
similar opinions on many subjects. It is proper, therefore, to ask him why he
gives credence to the histories of Barbarians and Greeks respecting the antiquity
of those nations of whom he speaks, but stamps the histories of this nation alone
as false. For if the respective writers related the events which are found in these
works in the spirit of truth, why should we distrust the prophets of the Jews
alone? And if Moses and the prophets have recorded many things in their history
from a desire to favour their own system, why should we not say the same of the
historians of other countries? Or, when the Egyptians or their histories speak evil
of the Jews, are they to be believed on that point; but the Jews, when saying the
same things of the Egyptians, and declaring that they had suffered great injustice
at their hands, and that on this account they had been punished by God, are to be
charged with falsehood? And this applies not to the Egyptians alone, but to
others; for we shall find that there was a connection between the Assyrians and
the Jews, and that this is recorded in the ancient histories of the Assyrians. And
so also the Jewish historians (I avoid using the word "prophets," that I may not
appear to prejudge the case) have related that the Assyrians were enemies of the
Jews. Observe at once, then, the arbitrary procedure of this individual, who
believes the histories of these nations on the ground of their being learned, and
condemns others as being wholly ignorant. For listen to the statement of Celsus:
"There is," he says, "an authoritative account from the very beginning,
respecting which there is a constant agreement among all the most learned
nations, and cities, and men." And yet he will not call the Jews a learned nation
in the same way in which he does the Egyptians, and Assyrians, and Indians, and
Persians, and Odrysians, and Samothracians, and Eleusinians.
 Chapter 15
How much more impartial than Celsus is Numenius the Pythagorean, who
has given many proofs of being a very eloquent man, and who has carefully
tested many opinions, and collected together from many sources what had the
appearance of truth; for, in the first book of his treatise On the Good , speaking
of those nations who have adopted the opinion that God is incorporeal, he
enumerates the Jews also among those who hold this view; not showing any
reluctance to use even the language of their prophets in his treatise, and to give it
a metaphorical signification. It is said, moreover, that Hermippus has recorded in
his first book, On Lawgivers , that it was from the Jewish people that Pythagoras
derived the philosophy which he introduced among the Greeks. And there is
extant a work by the historian Hecatæus, treating of the Jews, in which so high a
character is bestowed upon that nation for its learning, that Herennius Philo, in
his treatise on the Jews, has doubts in the first place, whether it is really the
composition of the historian; and says, in the second place, that if really his, it is
probable that he was carried away by the plausible nature of the Jewish history,
and so yielded his assent to their system.
 Chapter 16
I must express my surprise that Celsus should class the Odrysians, and
Samothracians, and Eleusinians, and Hyperboreans among the most ancient and
learned nations, and should not deem the Jews worthy of a place among such,
either for their learning or their antiquity, although there are many treatises in
circulation among the Egyptians, and Phœnicians, and Greeks, which testify to
their existence as an ancient people, but which I have considered it unnecessary
to quote. For any one who chooses may read what Flavius Josephus has recorded
in his two books, On the Antiquity of the Jews , where he brings together a great
collection of writers, who bear witness to the antiquity of the Jewish people; and
there exists the Discourse to the Greeks of Tatian the younger, in which with
very great learning he enumerates those historians who have treated of the
antiquity of the Jewish nation and of Moses. It seems, then, to be not from a love
of truth, but from a spirit of hatred, that Celsus makes these statements, his
object being to asperse the origin of Christianity, which is connected with
Judaism. Nay, he styles the Galactophagi of Homer, and the Druids of the Gauls,
and the Getæ, most learned and ancient tribes, on account of the resemblance
between their traditions and those of the Jews, although I know not whether any
of their histories survive; but the Hebrews alone, as far as in him lies, he
deprives of the honour both of antiquity and learning. And again, when making a
list of ancient and learned men who have conferred benefits upon their
contemporaries (by their deeds), and upon posterity by their writings, he
excluded Moses from the number; while of Linus, to whom Celsus assigns a
foremost place in his list, there exists neither laws nor discourses which
produced a change for the better among any tribes; whereas a whole nation,
dispersed throughout the entire world, obey the laws of Moses. Consider, then,
whether it is not from open malevolence that he has expelled Moses from his
catalogue of learned men, while asserting that Linus, and Musæus, and Orpheus,
and Pherecydes, and the Persian Zoroaster, and Pythagoras, discussed these
topics, and that their opinions were deposited in books, and have thus been
preserved down to the present time. And it is intentionally also that he has
omitted to take notice of the myth, embellished chiefly by Orpheus, in which the
gods are described as affected by human weaknesses and passions.
 Chapter 17
In what follows, Celsus, assailing the Mosaic history, finds fault with those
who give it a tropical and allegorical signification. And here one might say to
this great man, who inscribed upon his own work the title of a True Discourse ,
"Why, good sir, do you make it a boast to have it recorded that the gods should
engage in such adventures as are described by your learned poets and
philosophers, and be guilty of abominable intrigues, and of engaging in wars
against their own fathers, and of cutting off their secret parts, and should dare to
commit and to suffer such enormities; while Moses, who gives no such accounts
respecting God, nor even regarding the holy angels, and who relates deeds of
far less atrocity regarding men (for in his writings no one ever ventured to
commit such crimes as Kronos did against Uranus, or Zeus against his father, or
that of the father of men and gods, who had intercourse with his own daughter),
should be considered as having deceived those who were placed under his laws,
and to have led them into error?" And here Celsus seems to me to act somewhat
as Thrasymachus the Platonic philosopher did, when he would not allow
Socrates to answer regarding justice, as he wished, but said, "Take care not to
say that utility is justice, or duty, or anything of that kind." For in like manner
Celsus assails (as he thinks) the Mosaic histories, and finds fault with those who
understand them allegorically, at the same time bestowing also some praise upon
those who do so, to the effect that they are more impartial (than those who do
not); and thus, as it were, he prevents by his cavils those who are able to show
the true state of the case from offering such a defence as they would wish to
offer.
 Chapter 18
And challenging a comparison of book with book, I would say, "Come now,
good sir, take down the poems of Linus, and of Musæus, and of Orpheus, and the
writings of Pherecydes, and carefully compare these with the laws of Moses—
histories with histories, and ethical discourses with laws and commandments—
and see which of the two are the better fitted to change the character of the
hearer on the very spot, and which to harden him in his wickedness; and observe
that your series of writers display little concern for those readers who are to
peruse them at once unaided, but have composed their philosophy (as you term
it) for those who are able to comprehend its metaphorical and allegorical
signification; whereas Moses, like a distinguished orator who meditates some
figure of Rhetoric, and who carefully introduces in every part language of
twofold meaning, has done this in his five books: neither affording, in the
portion which relates to morals, any handle to his Jewish subjects for
committing evil; nor yet giving to the few individuals who were endowed with
greater wisdom, and who were capable of investigating his meaning, a treatise
devoid of material for speculation. But of your learned poets the very writings
would seem no longer to be preserved, although they would have been carefully
treasured up if the readers had perceived any benefit (likely to be derived from
them); whereas the works of Moses have stirred up many, who were even aliens
to the manners of the Jews, to the belief that, as these writings testify, the first
who enacted these laws and delivered them to Moses, was the God who was the
Creator of the world. For it became the Creator of the universe, after laying
down laws for its government, to confer upon His words a power which might
subdue all men in every part of the earth. And this I maintain, having as yet
entered into no investigation regarding Jesus, but still demonstrating that
Moses, who is far inferior to the Lord, is, as the Discourse will show, greatly
superior to your wise poets and philosophers."
 Chapter 19
After these statements, Celsus, from a secret desire to cast discredit upon
the Mosaic account of the creation, which teaches that the world is not yet ten
thousand years old, but very much under that, while concealing his wish,
intimates his agreement with those who hold that the world is uncreated. For,
maintaining that there have been, from all eternity, many conflagrations and
many deluges, and that the flood which lately took place in the time of
Deucalion is comparatively modern, he clearly demonstrates to those who are
able to understand him, that, in his opinion, the world was uncreated. But let this
assailant of the Christian faith tell us by what arguments he was compelled to
accept the statement that there have been many conflagrations and many
cataclysms, and that the flood which occurred in the time of Deucalion, and the
conflagration in that of Phæthon, were more recent than any others. And if he
should put forward the dialogues of Plato (as evidence) on these subjects, we
shall say to him that it is allowable for us also to believe that there resided in the
pure and pious soul of Moses, who ascended above all created things, and united
himself to the Creator of the universe, and who made known divine things with
far greater clearness than Plato, or those other wise men (who lived) among the
Greeks and Romans, a spirit which was divine. And if he demands of us our
reasons for such a belief, let him first give grounds for his own unsupported
assertions, and then we shall show that this view of ours is the correct one.
 Chapter 20
And yet, against his will, Celsus is entangled into testifying that the world
is comparatively modern, and not yet ten thousand years old, when he says that
the Greeks consider those things as ancient, because, owing to the deluges and
conflagrations, they have not beheld or received any memorials of older events.
But let Celsus have, as his authorities for the myth regarding the conflagrations
and inundations, those persons who, in his opinion, are the most learned of the
Egyptians, traces of whose wisdom are to be found in the worship of irrational
animals, and in arguments which prove that such a worship of God is in
conformity with reason, and of a secret and mysterious character. The Egyptians,
then, when they boastfully give their own account of the divinity of animals, are
to be considered wise; but if any Jew, who has signified his adherence to the law
and the lawgiver, refer everything to the Creator of the universe, and the only
God, he is, in the opinion of Celsus and those like him, deemed inferior to him
who degrades the Divinity not only to the level of rational and mortal animals,
but even to that of irrational also!— a view which goes far beyond the mythical
doctrine of transmigration, according to which the soul falls down from the
summit of heaven, and enters into the body of brute beasts, both tame and
savage! And if the Egyptians related fables of this kind, they are believed to
convey a philosophical meaning by their enigmas and mysteries; but if Moses
compose and leave behind him histories and laws for an entire nation, they are to
be considered as empty fables, the language of which admits of no allegorical
meaning!
 Chapter 21
The following is the view of Celsus and the Epicureans: "Moses having," he
says, "learned the doctrine which is to be found existing among wise nations and
eloquent men, obtained the reputation of divinity." Now, in answer to this we
have to say, that it may be allowed him that Moses did indeed hear a somewhat
ancient doctrine, and transmitted the same to the Hebrews; that if the doctrine
which he heard was false, and neither pious nor venerable, and if
notwithstanding, he received it and handed it down to those under his authority,
he is liable to censure; but if, as you assert, he gave his adherence to opinions
that were wise and true, and educated his people by means of them, what, pray,
has he done deserving of condemnation? Would, indeed, that not only Epicurus,
but Aristotle, whose sentiments regarding providence are not so impious (as
those of the former), and the Stoics, who assert that God is a body, had heard
such a doctrine! Then the world would not have been filled with opinions which
either disallow or enfeeble the action of providence, or introduce a corrupt
corporeal principle, according to which the god of the Stoics is a body, with
respect to whom they are not afraid to say that he is capable of change, and may
be altered and transformed in all his parts, and, generally, that he is capable of
corruption, if there be any one to corrupt him, but that he has the good fortune to
escape corruption, because there is none to corrupt. Whereas the doctrine of the
Jews and Christians, which preserves the immutability and unalterableness of the
divine nature, is stigmatized as impious, because it does not partake of the
profanity of those whose notions of God are marked by impiety, but because it
says in the supplication addressed to the Divinity, "You are the same," it being,
moreover, an article of faith that God has said, "I change not."
 Chapter 22
After this, Celsus, without condemning circumcision as practised by the
Jews, asserts that this usage was derived from the Egyptians; thus believing the
Egyptians rather than Moses, who says that Abraham was the first among men
who practised the rite. And it is not Moses alone who mentions the name of
Abraham, assigning to him great intimacy with God; but many also of those who
give themselves to the practice of the conjuration of evil spirits, employ in their
spells the expression "God of Abraham," pointing out by the very name the
friendship (that existed) between that just man and God. And yet, while making
use of the phrase "God of Abraham," they do not know who Abraham is! And
the same remark applies to Isaac, and Jacob, and Israel; which names, although
confessedly Hebrew, are frequently introduced by those Egyptians who profess
to produce some wonderful result by means of their knowledge. The rite of
circumcision, however, which began with Abraham, and was discontinued by
Jesus, who desired that His disciples should not practise it, is not before us for
explanation; for the present occasion does not lead us to speak of such things,
but to make an effort to refute the charges brought against the doctrine of the
Jews by Celsus, who thinks that he will be able the more easily to establish the
falsity of Christianity, if, by assailing its origin in Judaism, he can show that the
latter also is untrue.
 Chapter 23
After this, Celsus next asserts that "Those herdsmen and shepherds who
followed Moses as their leader, had their minds deluded by vulgar deceits, and
so supposed that there was one God." Let him show, then, how, after this
irrational departure, as he regards it, of the herdsmen and shepherds from the
worship of many gods, he himself is able to establish the multiplicity of deities
that are found among the Greeks, or among those other nations that are called
Barbarian. Let him establish, therefore, the existence of Mnemosyne, the mother
of the Muses by Zeus; or of Themis, the parent of the Hours; or let him prove
that the ever naked Graces can have a real, substantial existence. But he will not
be able to show, from any actions of theirs, that these fictitious representations
of the Greeks, which have the appearance of being invested with bodies, are
(really) gods. And why should the fables of the Greeks regarding the gods be
true, any more than those of the Egyptians for example, who in their language
know nothing of a Mnemosyne, mother of the nine Muses; nor of a Themis,
parent of the Hours; nor of a Euphrosyne, one of the Graces; nor of any other of
these names? How much more manifest (and how much better than all these
inventions!) is it that, convinced by what we see, in the admirable order of the
world, we should worship the Maker of it as the one Author of one effect, and
which, as being wholly in harmony with itself, cannot on that account have been
the work of many makers; and that we should believe that the whole heaven is
not held together by the movements of many souls, for one is enough, which
bears the whole of the non-wandering sphere from east to west, and embraces
within it all things which the world requires, and which are not self-existing! For
all are parts of the world, while God is no part of the whole. But God cannot be
imperfect, as a part is imperfect. And perhaps profounder consideration will
show, that as God is not a part, so neither is He properly the whole, since the
whole is composed of parts; and reason will not allow us to believe that the God
who is over all is composed of parts, each one of which cannot do what all the
other parts can.
 Chapter 24
After this he continues: "These herdsmen and shepherds concluded that
there was but one God, named either the Highest, or Adonai, or the Heavenly, or
Sabaoth, or called by some other of those names which they delight to give this
world; and they knew nothing beyond that." And in a subsequent part of his
work he says, that "It makes no difference whether the God who is over all
things be called by the name of Zeus, which is current among the Greeks, or by
that, e.g., which is in use among the Indians or Egyptians." Now, in answer to
this, we have to remark that this involves a deep and mysterious subject— that,
viz., respecting the nature of names: it being a question whether, as Aristotle
thinks, names were bestowed by arrangement, or, as the Stoics hold, by nature;
the first words being imitations of things, agreeably to which the names were
formed, and in conformity with which they introduce certain principles of
etymology; or whether, as Epicurus teaches (differing in this from the Stoics),
names were given by nature,— the first men having uttered certain words
varying with the circumstances in which they found themselves. If, then, we
shall be able to establish, in reference to the preceding statement, the nature of
powerful names, some of which are used by the learned among the Egyptians, or
by the Magi among the Persians, and by the Indian philosophers called
Brahmans, or by the Samanæans, and others in different countries; and shall be
able to make out that the so-called magic is not, as the followers of Epicurus and
Aristotle suppose, an altogether uncertain thing, but is, as those skilled in it
prove, a consistent system, having words which are known to exceedingly few;
then we say that the name Sabaoth, and Adonai, and the other names treated with
so much reverence among the Hebrews, are not applicable to any ordinary
created things, but belong to a secret theology which refers to the Framer of all
things. These names, accordingly, when pronounced with that attendant train of
circumstances which is appropriate to their nature, are possessed of great power;
and other names, again, current in the Egyptian tongue, are efficacious against
certain demons who can only do certain things; and other names in the Persian
language have corresponding power over other spirits; and so on in every
individual nation, for different purposes. And thus it will be found that, of the
various demons upon the earth, to whom different localities have been assigned,
each one bears a name appropriate to the several dialects of place and country.
He, therefore, who has a nobler idea, however small, of these matters, will be
careful not to apply differing names to different things; lest he should resemble
those who mistakenly apply the name of God to lifeless matter, or who drag
down the title of "the Good" from the First Cause, or from virtue and excellence,
and apply it to blind Plutus, and to a healthy and well-proportioned mixture of
flesh and blood and bones, or to what is considered to be noble birth.
 Chapter 25
And perhaps there is a danger as great as that which degrades the name of
"God," or of "the Good," to improper objects, in changing the name of God
according to a secret system, and applying those which belong to inferior beings
to greater, and vice versa . And I do not dwell on this, that when the name of
Zeus is uttered, there is heard at the same time that of the son of Kronos and
Rhea, and the husband of Hera, and brother of Poseidon, and father of Athene,
and Artemis, who was guilty of incest with his own daughter Persephone; or that
Apollo immediately suggests the son of Leto and Zeus, and the brother of
Artemis, and half-brother of Hermes; and so with all the other names invented
by these wise men of Celsus, who are the parents of these opinions, and the
ancient theologians of the Greeks. For what are the grounds for deciding that he
should on the one hand be properly called Zeus, and yet on the other should not
have Kronos for his father and Rhea for his mother? And the same argument
applies to all the others that are called gods. But this charge does not at all apply
to those who, for some mysterious reason, refer the word Sabaoth, or Adonai, or
any of the other names to the (true) God. And when one is able to philosophize
about the mystery of names, he will find much to say respecting the titles of the
angels of God, of whom one is called Michael, and another Gabriel, and another
Raphael, appropriately to the duties which they discharge in the world,
according to the will of the God of all things. And a similar philosophy of names
applies also to our Jesus, whose name has already been seen, in an
unmistakeable manner, to have expelled myriads of evil spirits from the souls
and bodies (of men), so great was the power which it exerted upon those from
whom the spirits were driven out. And while still upon the subject of names, we
have to mention that those who are skilled in the use of incantations, relate that
the utterance of the same incantation in its proper language can accomplish what
the spell professes to do; but when translated into any other tongue, it is
observed to become inefficacious and feeble. And thus it is not the things
signified, but the qualities and peculiarities of words, which possess a certain
power for this or that purpose. And so on such grounds as these we defend the
conduct of the Christians, when they struggle even to death to avoid calling God
by the name of Zeus, or to give Him a name from any other language. For they
either use the common name— God— indefinitely, or with some such addition
as that of the "Maker of all things," "the Creator of heaven and earth" — He
who sent down to the human race those good men, to whose names that of God
being added, certain mighty works are wrought among men. And much more
besides might be said on the subject of names, against those who think that we
ought to be indifferent as to our use of them. And if the remark of Plato in the
Philebus should surprise us, when he says, "My fear, O Protagoras, about the
names of the gods is no small one," seeing Philebus in his discussion with
Socrates had called pleasure a "god," how shall we not rather approve the piety
of the Christians, who apply none of the names used in the mythologies to the
Creator of the world? And now enough on this subject for the present.
 Chapter 26
But let us see the manner in which this Celsus, who professes to know
everything, brings a false accusation against the Jews, when he alleges that "they
worship angels, and are addicted to sorcery, in which Moses was their
instructor." Now, in what part of the writings of Moses he found the lawgiver
laying down the worship of angels, let him tell, who professes to know all about
Christianity and Judaism; and let him show also how sorcery can exist among
those who have accepted the Mosaic law, and read the injunction, "Neither seek
after wizards, to be defiled by them." Moreover, he promises to show afterwards
"how it was through ignorance that the Jews were deceived and led into error."
Now, if he had discovered that the ignorance of the Jews regarding Christ was
the effect of their not having heard the prophecies about Him, he would show
with truth how the Jews fell into error. But without any wish whatever that this
should appear, he views as Jewish errors what are no errors at all. And Celsus
having promised to make us acquainted, in a subsequent part of his work, with
the doctrines of Judaism, proceeds in the first place to speak of our Saviour as
having been the leader of our generation, in so far as we are Christians, and says
that "a few years ago he began to teach this doctrine, being regarded by
Christians as the Son of God." Now, with respect to this point— His prior
existence a few years ago— we have to remark as follows. Could it have come
to pass without divine assistance, that Jesus, desiring during these years to
spread abroad His words and teaching, should have been so successful, that
everywhere throughout the world, not a few persons, Greeks as well as
Barbarians, learned as well as ignorant, adopted His doctrine, so that they
struggled, even to death in its defence, rather than deny it, which no one is ever
related to have done for any other system? I indeed, from no wish to flatter
Christianity, but from a desire thoroughly to examine the facts, would say that
even those who are engaged in the healing of numbers of sick persons, do not
attain their object— the cure of the body— without divine help; and if one were
to succeed in delivering souls from a flood of wickedness, and excesses, and acts
of injustice, and from a contempt of God, and were to show, as evidence of such
a result, one hundred persons improved in their natures (let us suppose the
number to be so large), no one would reasonably say that it was without divine
assistance that he had implanted in those hundred individuals a doctrine capable
of removing so many evils. And if any one, on a candid consideration of these
things, shall admit that no improvement ever takes place among men without
divine help, how much more confidently shall he make the same assertion
regarding Jesus, when he compares the former lives of many converts to His
doctrine with their after conduct, and reflects in what acts of licentiousness and
injustice and covetousness they formerly indulged, until, as Celsus, and they
who think with him, allege, "they were deceived," and accepted a doctrine
which, as these individuals assert, is destructive of the life of men; but who,
from the time that they adopted it, have become in some way meeker, and more
religious, and more consistent, so that certain among them, from a desire of
exceeding chastity, and a wish to worship God with greater purity, abstain even
from the permitted indulgences of (lawful) love.
 Chapter 27
Any one who examines the subject will see that Jesus attempted and
successfully accomplished works beyond the reach of human power. For
although, from the very beginning, all things opposed the spread of His doctrine
in the world, — both the princes of the times, and their chief captains and
generals, and all, to speak generally, who were possessed of the smallest
influence, and in addition to these, the rulers of the different cities, and the
soldiers, and the people—yet it proved victorious, as being the Word of God, the
nature of which is such that it cannot be hindered; and becoming more powerful
than all such adversaries, it made itself master of the whole of Greece, and a
considerable portion of Barbarian lands, and convened countless numbers of
souls to His religion. And although, among the multitude of converts to
Christianity, the simple and ignorant necessarily outnumbered the more
intelligent, as the former class always does the latter, yet Celsus, unwilling to
take note of this, thinks that this philanthropic doctrine, which reaches to every
soul under the sun, is vulgar, and on account of its vulgarity and its want of
reasoning power, obtained a hold only over the ignorant. And yet he himself
admits that it was not the simple alone who were led by the doctrine of Jesus to
adopt His religion; for he acknowledges that there were among them some
persons of moderate intelligence, and gentle disposition, and possessed of
understanding, and capable of comprehending allegories.
 Chapter 28
And since, in imitation of a rhetorician training a pupil, he introduces a Jew,
who enters into a personal discussion with Jesus, and speaks in a very childish
manner, altogether unworthy of the grey hairs of a philosopher, let me
endeavour, to the best of my ability, to examine his statements, and show that he
does not maintain, throughout the discussion, the consistency due to the
character of a Jew. For he represents him disputing with Jesus, and confuting
Him, as he thinks, on many points; and in the first place, he accuses Him of
having "invented his birth from a virgin," and upbraids Him with being "born in
a certain Jewish village, of a poor woman of the country, who gained her
subsistence by spinning, and who was turned out of doors by her husband, a
carpenter by trade, because she was convicted of adultery; that after being
driven away by her husband, and wandering about for a time, she disgracefully
gave birth to Jesus, an illegitimate child, who having hired himself out as a
servant in Egypt on account of his poverty, and having there acquired some
miraculous powers, on which the Egyptians greatly pride themselves, returned to
his own country, highly elated on account of them, and by means of these
proclaimed himself a God." Now, as I cannot allow anything said by unbelievers
to remain unexamined, but must investigate everything from the beginning, I
give it as my opinion that all these things worthily harmonize with the
predictions that Jesus is the Son of God.
 Chapter 29
For birth is an aid towards an individual's becoming famous, and
distinguished, and talked about; viz., when a man's parents happen to be in a
position of rank and influence, and are possessed of wealth, and are able to
spend it upon the education of their son, and when the country of one's birth is
great and illustrious; but when a man having all these things against him is able,
notwithstanding these hindrances, to make himself known, and to produce an
impression on those who hear of him, and to become distinguished and visible to
the whole world, which speaks of him as it did not do before, how can we help
admiring such a nature as being both noble in itself, and devoting itself to great
deeds, and possessing a courage which is not by any means to be despised? And
if one were to examine more fully the history of such an individual, why should
he not seek to know in what manner, after being reared up in frugality and
poverty, and without receiving any complete education, and without having
studied systems and opinions by means of which he might have acquired
confidence to associate with multitudes, and play the demagogue, and attract to
himself many hearers, he nevertheless devoted himself to the teaching of new
opinions, introducing among men a doctrine which not only subverted the
customs of the Jews, while preserving due respect for their prophets, but which
especially overturned the established observances of the Greeks regarding the
Divinity? And how could such a person— one who had been so brought up, and
who, as his calumniators admit, had learned nothing great from men— have
been able to teach, in a manner not at all to be despised, such doctrines as he did
regarding the divine judgment, and the punishments that are to overtake
wickedness, and the rewards that are to be conferred upon virtue; so that not
only rustic and ignorant individuals were won by his words, but also not a few of
those who were distinguished by their wisdom, and who were able to discern the
hidden meaning in those more common doctrines, as they were considered,
which were in circulation, and which secret meaning enwrapped, so to speak,
some more recondite signification still? The Seriphian, in Plato, who reproaches
Themistocles after he had become celebrated for his military skill, saying that
his reputation was due not to his own merits, but to his good fortune in having
been born in the most illustrious country in Greece, received from the good-
natured Athenian, who saw that his native country did contribute to his renown,
the following reply: "Neither would I, had I been a Seriphian, have been so
distinguished as I am, nor would you have been a Themistocles, even if you had
had the good fortune to be an Athenian!" And now, our Jesus, who is reproached
with being born in a village, and that not a Greek one, nor belonging to any
nation widely esteemed, and being despised as the son of a poor labouring
woman, and as having on account of his poverty left his native country and hired
himself out in Egypt, and being, to use the instance already quoted, not only a
Seriphian, as it were, a native of a very small and undistinguished island, but
even, so to speak, the meanest of the Seriphians, has yet been able to shake the
whole inhabited world not only to a degree far above what Themistocles the
Athenian ever did, but beyond what even Pythagoras, or Plato, or any other wise
man in any part of the world whatever, or any prince or general, ever succeeded
in doing.
 Chapter 30
Now, would not any one who investigated with ordinary care the nature of
these facts, be struck with amazement at this man's victory?— with his complete
success in surmounting by his reputation all causes that tended to bring him into
disrepute, and with his superiority over all other illustrious individuals in the
world? And yet it is a rare thing for distinguished men to succeed in acquiring a
reputation for several things at once. For one man is admired on account of his
wisdom, another for his military skill, and some of the Barbarians for their
marvellous powers of incantation, and some for one quality, and others for
another; but not many have been admired and acquired a reputation for many
things at the same time; whereas this man, in addition to his other merits, is an
object of admiration both for his wisdom, and for his miracles, and for his
powers of government. For he persuaded some to withdraw themselves from
their laws, and to secede to him, not as a tyrant would do, nor as a robber, who
arms his followers against men; nor as a rich man, who bestows help upon those
who come to him; nor as one of those who confessedly are deserving of censure;
but as a teacher of the doctrine regarding the God of all things, and of the
worship which belongs to Him, and of all moral precepts which are able to
secure the favour of the Supreme God to him who orders his life in conformity
therewith. Now, to Themistocles, or to any other man of distinction, nothing
happened to prove a hindrance to their reputation; whereas to this man, besides
what we have already enumerated, and which are enough to cover with
dishonour the soul of a man even of the most noble nature, there was that
apparently infamous death of crucifixion, which was enough to efface his
previously acquired glory, and to lead those who, as they who disavow his
doctrine assert, were formerly deluded by him to abandon their delusion, and to
pass condemnation upon their deceiver.
 Chapter 31
And besides this, one may well wonder how it happened that the disciples
— if, as the calumniators of Jesus say, they did not see Him after His
resurrection from the dead, and were not persuaded of His divinity— were not
afraid to endure the same sufferings with their Master, and to expose themselves
to danger, and to leave their native country to teach, according to the desire of
Jesus, the doctrine delivered to them by Him. For I think that no one who
candidly examines the facts would say that these men devoted themselves to a
life of danger for the sake of the doctrine of Jesus, without profound belief
which He had wrought in their minds of its truth, not only teaching them to
conform to His precepts, but others also, and to conform, moreover, when
manifest destruction to life impended over him who ventured to introduce these
new opinions into all places and before all audiences, and who could retain as
his friend no human being who adhered to the former opinions and usages. For
did not the disciples of Jesus see, when they ventured to prove not only to the
Jews from their prophetic Scriptures that this is He who was spoken of by the
prophets, but also to the other heathen nations, that He who was crucified
yesterday or the day before underwent this death voluntarily on behalf of the
human race—that this was analogous to the case of those who have died for their
country in order to remove pestilence, or barrenness, or tempests? For it is
probable that there is in the nature of things, for certain mysterious reasons
which are difficult to be understood by the multitude, such a virtue that one just
man, dying a voluntary death for the common good, might be the means of
removing wicked spirits, which are the cause of plagues, or barrenness, or
tempests, or similar calamities. Let those, therefore, who would disbelieve the
statement that Jesus died on the cross on behalf of men, say whether they also
refuse to accept the many accounts current both among Greeks and Barbarians,
of persons who have laid down their lives for the public advantage, in order to
remove those evils which had fallen upon cities and countries? Or will they say
that such events actually happened, but that no credit is to be attached to that
account which makes this so-called man to have died to ensure the destruction of
a mighty evil spirit, the ruler of evil spirits, who had held in subjection the souls
of all men upon earth? And the disciples of Jesus, seeing this and much more
(which, it is probable, they learned from Jesus in private), and being filled,
moreover, with a divine power (since it was no mere poetical virgin that
endowed them with strength and courage, but the true wisdom and
understanding of God), exerted all their efforts "to become distinguished among
all men," not only among the Argives, but among all the Greeks and Barbarians
alike, and "so bear away for themselves a glorious renown."
 Chapter 32
But let us now return to where the Jew is introduced, speaking of the
mother of Jesus, and saying that "when she was pregnant she was turned out of
doors by the carpenter to whom she had been betrothed, as having been guilty of
adultery, and that she bore a child to a certain soldier named Panthera;" and let
us see whether those who have blindly concocted these fables about the adultery
of the Virgin with Panthera, and her rejection by the carpenter, did not invent
these stories to overturn His miraculous conception by the Holy Ghost: for they
could have falsified the history in a different manner, on account of its extremely
miraculous character, and not have admitted, as it were against their will, that
Jesus was born of no ordinary human marriage. It was to be expected, indeed,
that those who would not believe the miraculous birth of Jesus would invent
some falsehood. And their not doing this in a credible manner, but (their)
preserving the fact that it was not by Joseph that the Virgin conceived Jesus,
rendered the falsehood very palpable to those who can understand and detect
such inventions. Is it at all agreeable to reason, that he who dared to do so much
for the human race, in order that, as far as in him lay, all the Greeks and
Barbarians, who were looking for divine condemnation, might depart from evil,
and regulate their entire conduct in a manner pleasing to the Creator of the
world, should not have had a miraculous birth, but one the vilest and most
disgraceful of all? And I will ask of them as Greeks, and particularly of Celsus,
who either holds or not the sentiments of Plato, and at any rate quotes them,
whether He who sends souls down into the bodies of men, degraded Him who
was to dare such mighty acts, and to teach so many men, and to reform so many
from the mass of wickedness in the world, to a birth more disgraceful than any
other, and did not rather introduce Him into the world through a lawful
marriage? Or is it not more in conformity with reason, that every soul, for certain
mysterious reasons (I speak now according to the opinion of Pythagoras, and
Plato, and Empedocles, whom Celsus frequently names), is introduced into a
body, and introduced according to its deserts and former actions? It is probable,
therefore, that this soul also, which conferred more benefit by its residence in the
flesh than that of many men (to avoid prejudice, I do not say "all" ), stood in
need of a body not only superior to others, but invested with all excellent
qualities.
 Chapter 33
Now if a particular soul, for certain mysterious reasons, is not deserving of
being placed in the body of a wholly irrational being, nor yet in that of one
purely rational, but is clothed with a monstrous body, so that reason cannot
discharge its functions in one so fashioned, which has the head disproportioned
to the other parts, and altogether too short; and another receives such a body that
the soul is a little more rational than the other; and another still more so, the
nature of the body counteracting to a greater or less degree the reception of the
reasoning principle; why should there not be also some soul which receives an
altogether miraculous body, possessing some qualities common to those of other
men, so that it may be able to pass through life with them, but possessing also
some quality of superiority, so that the soul may be able to remain untainted by
sin? And if there be any truth in the doctrine of the physiognomists, whether
Zopyrus, or Loxus, or Polemon, or any other who wrote on such a subject, and
who profess to know in some wonderful way that all bodies are adapted to the
habits of the souls, must there have been for that soul which was to dwell with
miraculous power among men, and work mighty deeds, a body produced, as
Celsus thinks, by an act of adultery between Panthera and the Virgin?! Why,
from such unhallowed intercourse there must rather have been brought forth
some fool to do injury to mankind—a teacher of licentiousness and wickedness,
and other evils; and not of temperance, and righteousness, and the other virtues!
 Chapter 34
But it was, as the prophets also predicted, from a virgin that there was to be
born, according to the promised sign, one who was to give His name to the fact,
showing that at His birth God was to be with man. Now it seems to me
appropriate to the character of a Jew to have quoted the prophecy of Isaiah,
which says that Immanuel was to be born of a virgin. This, however, Celsus,
who professes to know everything, has not done, either from ignorance or from
an unwillingness (if he had read it and voluntarily passed it by in silence) to
furnish an argument which might defeat his purpose. And the prediction runs
thus: "And the Lord spoke again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask you a sign of the Lord
your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will
not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord . And he said, Hear now, O house of David;
is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?
Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which is, being
interpreted, God with us." And that it was from intentional malice that Celsus
did not quote this prophecy, is clear to me from this, that although he makes
numerous quotations from the Gospel according to Matthew, as of the star that
appeared at the birth of Christ, and other miraculous occurrences, he has made
no mention at all of this. Now, if a Jew should split words, and say that the
words are not, "Lo, a virgin," but, "Lo, a young woman," we reply that the word
"Olmah" — which the Septuagint have rendered by "a virgin," and others by "a
young woman" — occurs, as they say, in Deuteronomy, as applied to a "virgin,"
in the following connection: "If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an
husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; then you shall bring
them both out unto the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones that
they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man,
because he humbled his neighbour's wife." And again: "But if a man find a
betrothed damsel in a field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the
man only that lay with her shall die: but unto the damsel you shall do nothing;
there is in her no sin worthy of death."
 Chapter 35
But that we may not seem, because of a Hebrew word, to endeavour to
persuade those who are unable to determine whether they ought to believe it or
not, that the prophet spoke of this man being born of a virgin, because at his
birth these words, "God with us," were uttered, let us make good our point from
the words themselves. The Lord is related to have spoken to Ahaz thus: "Ask a
sign for yourself from the Lord your God, either in the depth or height above;"
and afterwards the sign is given, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a
son." What kind of sign, then, would that have been— a young woman who was
not a virgin giving birth to a child? And which of the two is the more appropriate
as the mother of Immanuel (i.e., "God with us" )—whether a woman who has
had intercourse with a man, and who has conceived after the manner of women,
or one who is still a pure and holy virgin? Surely it is appropriate only to the
latter to produce a being at whose birth it is said, "God with us." And should he
be so captious as to say that it is to Ahaz that the command is addressed, "Ask
for yourself a sign from the Lord your God," we shall ask in return, who in the
times of Ahaz bore a son at whose birth the expression is made use of,
"Immanuel," i.e., "God with us?" And if no one can be found, then manifestly
what was said to Ahaz was said to the house of David, because it is written that
the Saviour was born of the house of David according to the flesh; and this sign
is said to be "in the depth or in the height," since "He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things." And
these arguments I employ as against a Jew who believes in prophecy. Let Celsus
now tell me, or any of those who think with him, with what meaning the prophet
utters either these statements about the future, or the others which are contained
in the prophecies? Is it with any foresight of the future or not? If with a foresight
of the future, then the prophets were divinely inspired; if with no foresight of the
future, let him explain the meaning of one who speaks thus boldly regarding the
future, and who is an object of admiration among the Jews because of his
prophetic powers.
 Chapter 36
And now, since we have touched upon the subject of the prophets, what we
are about to advance will be useful not only to the Jews, who believe that they
spoke by divine inspiration, but also to the more candid among the Greeks. To
these we say that we must necessarily admit that the Jews had prophets, if they
were to be kept together under that system of law which had been given them,
and were to believe in the Creator of the world, as they had learned, and to be
without pretexts, so far as the law was concerned, for apostatizing to the
polytheism of the heathen. And we establish this necessity in the following
manner. "For the nations," as it is written in the law of the Jews itself, "shall
hearken unto observers of times, and diviners;" but to that people it is said: "But
as for you, the Lord your God has not suffered you so to do." And to this is
subjoined the promise: "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you
from among your brethren." Since, therefore, the heathen employ modes of
divination either by oracles or by omens, or by birds, or by ventriloquists, or by
those who profess the art of sacrifice, or by Chaldean genealogists— all which
practices were forbidden to the Jews— this people, if they had no means of
attaining a knowledge of futurity, being led by the passion common to humanity
of ascertaining the future would have despised their own prophets, as not having
in them any particle of divinity; and would not have accepted any prophet after
Moses, nor committed their words to writing, but would have spontaneously
betaken themselves to the divining usages of the heathen, or attempted to
establish some such practices among themselves. There is therefore no absurdity
in their prophets having uttered predictions even about events of no importance,
to soothe those who desire such things, as when Samuel prophesies regarding
three she-asses which were lost, or when mention is made in the third book of
Kings respecting the sickness of a king's son. And why should not those who
desired to obtain auguries from idols be severely rebuked by the administrators
of the law among the Jews?— as Elijah is found rebuking Ahaziah, and saying,
"Is it because there is not a God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baalzebub,
god of Ekron?"
 Chapter 37
I think, then, that it has been pretty well established not only that our
Saviour was to be born of a virgin, but also that there were prophets among the
Jews who uttered not merely general predictions about the future—as, e.g.,
regarding Christ and the kingdoms of the world, and the events that were to
happen to Israel, and those nations which were to believe in the Saviour, and
many other things concerning Him—but also prophecies respecting particular
events; as, for instance, how the asses of Kish, which were lost, were to be
discovered, and regarding the sickness which had fallen upon the son of the king
of Israel, and any other recorded circumstance of a similar kind. But as a further
answer to the Greeks, who do not believe in the birth of Jesus from a virgin, we
have to say that the Creator has shown, by the generation of several kinds of
animals, that what He has done in the instance of one animal, He could do, if it
pleased Him, in that of others, and also of man himself. For it is ascertained that
there is a certain female animal which has no intercourse with the male (as
writers on animals say is the case with vultures), and that this animal, without
sexual intercourse, preserves the succession of race. What incredibility,
therefore, is there in supposing that, if God wished to send a divine teacher to the
human race, He caused Him to be born in some manner different from the
common! Nay, according to the Greeks themselves, all men were not born of a
man and woman. For if the world has been created, as many even of the Greeks
are pleased to admit, then the first men must have been produced not from
sexual intercourse, but from the earth, in which spermatic elements existed;
which, however, I consider more incredible than that Jesus was born like other
men, so far as regards the half of his birth. And there is no absurdity in
employing Grecian histories to answer Greeks, with the view of showing that we
are not the only persons who have recourse to miraculous narratives of this kind.
For some have thought fit, not in regard to ancient and heroic narratives, but in
regard to events of very recent occurrence, to relate as a possible thing that Plato
regard to events of very recent occurrence, to relate as a possible thing that Plato
was the son of Amphictione, Ariston being prevented from having marital
intercourse with his wife until she had given birth to him with whom she was
pregnant by Apollo. And yet these are veritable fables, which have led to the
invention of such stories concerning a man whom they regarded as possessing
greater wisdom and power than the multitude, and as having received the
beginning of his corporeal substance from better and diviner elements than
others, because they thought that this was appropriate to persons who were too
great to be human beings. And since Celsus has introduced the Jew disputing
with Jesus, and tearing in pieces, as he imagines, the fiction of His birth from a
virgin, comparing the Greek fables about Danaë, and Melanippe, and Auge, and
Antiope, our answer is, that such language becomes a buffoon, and not one who
is writing in a serious tone.
 Chapter 38
But, moreover, taking the history, contained in the Gospel according to
Matthew, of our Lord's descent into Egypt, he refuses to believe the miraculous
circumstances attending it, viz., either that the angel gave the divine intimation,
or that our Lord's quitting Judea and residing in Egypt was an event of any
significance; but he invents something altogether different, admitting somehow
the miraculous works done by Jesus, by means of which He induced the
multitude to follow Him as the Christ. And yet he desires to throw discredit on
them, as being done by help of magic and not by divine power; for he asserts
"that he (Jesus), having been brought up as an illegitimate child, and having
served for hire in Egypt, and then coming to the knowledge of certain
miraculous powers, returned from thence to his own country, and by means of
those powers proclaimed himself a god." Now I do not understand how a
magician should exert himself to teach a doctrine which persuades us always to
act as if God were to judge every man for his deeds; and should have trained his
disciples, whom he was to employ as the ministers of his doctrine, in the same
belief. For did the latter make an impression upon their hearers, after they had
been so taught to work miracles; or was it without the aid of these? The
assertion, therefore, that they did no miracles at all, but that, after yielding their
belief to arguments which were not at all convincing, like the wisdom of Grecian
dialectics, they gave themselves up to the task of teaching the new doctrine to
those persons among whom they happened to take up their abode, is altogether
absurd. For in what did they place their confidence when they taught the doctrine
and disseminated the new opinions? But if they indeed wrought miracles, then
how can it be believed that magicians exposed themselves to such hazards to
introduce a doctrine which forbade the practice of magic?
 Chapter 39
I do not think it necessary to grapple with an argument advanced not in a
serious but in a scoffing spirit, such as the following: "If the mother of Jesus was
beautiful, then the god whose nature is not to love a corruptible body, had
intercourse with her because she was beautiful;" or, "It was improbable that the
god would entertain a passion for her, because she was neither rich nor of royal
rank, seeing no one, even of her neighbours, knew her." And it is in the same
scoffing spirit that he adds: "When hated by her husband, and turned out of
doors, she was not saved by divine power, nor was her story believed. Such
things," he says, "have no connection with the kingdom of heaven." In what
respect does such language differ from that of those who pour abuse on others on
the public streets, and whose words are unworthy of any serious attention?
 Chapter 40
After these assertions, he takes from the Gospel of Matthew, and perhaps
also from the other Gospels, the account of the dove alighting upon our Saviour
at His baptism by John, and desires to throw discredit upon the statement,
alleging that the narrative is a fiction. Having completely disposed, as he
imagined, of the story of our Lord's birth from a virgin, he does not proceed to
deal in an orderly manner with the accounts that follow it; since passion and
hatred observe no order, but angry and vindictive men slander those whom they
hate, as the feeling comes upon them, being prevented by their passion from
arranging their accusations on a careful and orderly plan. For if he had observed
a proper arrangement, he would have taken up the Gospel, and, with the view of
assailing it, would. have objected to the first narrative, then passed on to the
second, and so on to the others. But now, after the birth from a virgin, this
Celsus, who professes to be acquainted with all our history, attacks the account
of the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove at the baptism. He
then, after that, tries to throw discredit upon the prediction that our Lord was to
come into the world. In the next place, he runs away to what immediately
follows the narrative of the birth of Jesus— the account of the star, and of the
wise men who came from the east to worship the child. And you yourself may
find, if you take the trouble, many confused statements made by Celsus
throughout his whole book; so that even in this account he may, by those who
know how to observe and require an orderly method of arrangement, be
convicted of great rashness and boasting, in having inscribed upon his work the
title of A True Discourse ,— a thing which is never done by a learned
philosopher. For Plato says, that it is not an indication of an intelligent man to
make strong assertions respecting those matters which are somewhat uncertain;
and the celebrated Chrysippus even, who frequently states the reasons by which
he is decided, refers us to those whom we shall find to be abler speakers than
himself. This man, however, who is wiser than those already named, and than all
the other Greeks, agreeably to his assertion of being acquainted with everything,
inscribed upon his book the words, A True Discourse !
 Chapter 41
But, that we may not have the appearance of intentionally passing by his
charges through inability to refute them, we have resolved to answer each one of
them separately according to our ability, attending not to the connection and
sequence of the nature of the things themselves, but to the arrangement of the
subjects as they occur in this book. Let us therefore notice what he has to say by
way of impugning the bodily appearance of the Holy Spirit to our Saviour in the
form of a dove. And it is a Jew who addresses the following language to Him
whom we acknowledge to be our Lord Jesus: "When you were bathing," says the
Jew, "beside John, you say that what had the appearance of a bird from the air
alighted upon you." And then this same Jew of his, continuing his interrogations,
asks, "What credible witness beheld this appearance? Or who heard a voice
from heaven declaring you to be the Son of God? What proof is there of it, save
your own assertion, and the statement of another of those individuals who have
been punished along with you?"
 Chapter 42
Before we begin our reply, we have to remark that the endeavour to show,
with regard to almost any history, however true, that it actually occurred, and to
produce an intelligent conception regarding it, is one of the most difficult
undertakings that can be attempted, and is in some instances an impossibility.
For suppose that some one were to assert that there never had been any Trojan
war, chiefly on account of the impossible narrative interwoven therewith, about
a certain Achilles being the son of a sea-goddess Thetis and of a man Peleus, or
Sarpedon being the son of Zeus, or Ascalaphus and Ialmenus the sons of Ares, or
Æneas that of Aphrodite, how should we prove that such was the case, especially
under the weight of the fiction attached, I know not how, to the universally
prevalent opinion that there was really a war in Ilium between Greeks and
Trojans? And suppose, also, that some one disbelieved the story of Œdipus and
Jocasta, and of their two sons Eteocles and Polynices, because the sphinx, a kind
of half-virgin, was introduced into the narrative, how should we demonstrate the
reality of such a thing? And in like manner also with the history of the Epigoni,
although there is no such marvellous event interwoven with it, or with the return
of the Heracleidæ, or countless other historical events. But he who deals
candidly with histories, and would wish to keep himself also from being
imposed upon by them, will exercise his judgment as to what statements he will
give his assent to, and what he will accept figuratively, seeking to discover the
meaning of the authors of such inventions, and from what statements he will
withhold his belief, as having been written for the gratification of certain
individuals. And we have said this by way of anticipation respecting the whole
history related in the Gospels concerning Jesus, not as inviting men of acuteness
to a simple and unreasoning faith, but wishing to show that there is need of
candour in those who are to read, and of much investigation, and, so to speak, of
insight into the meaning of the writers, that the object with which each event has
been recorded may be discovered.
been recorded may be discovered.
 Chapter 43
We shall therefore say, in the first place, that if he who disbelieves the
appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove had been described as an
Epicurean, or a follower of Democritus, or a Peripatetic, the statement would
have been in keeping with the character of such an objector. But now even this
Celsus, wisest of all men, did not perceive that it is to a Jew, who believes more
incredible things contained in the writings of the prophets than the narrative of
the appearance of the dove, that he attributes such an objection! For one might
say to the Jew, when expressing his disbelief of the appearance, and thinking to
assail it as a fiction, "How are you able to prove, sir, that the Lord spoke to
Adam, or to Eve, or to Cain, or to Noah, or to Abraham, or to Isaac, or to Jacob,
those words which He is recorded to have spoken to these men?" And, to
compare history with history, I would say to the Jew, "Even your own Ezekiel
writes, saying, 'The heavens were opened, and I saw a vision of God.' After
relating which, he adds, 'This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of
the Lord; and He said to me,'" etc. Now, if what is related of Jesus be false,
since we cannot, as you suppose, clearly prove it to be true, it being seen or
heard by Himself alone, and, as you appear to have observed, also by one of
those who were punished, why should we not rather say that Ezekiel also was
dealing in the marvellous when he said, "The heavens were opened," etc.? Nay,
even Isaiah asserts, "I saw the Lord of hosts sitting on a throne, high and lifted
up; and the seraphim stood round about it: the one had six wings, and the other
had six wings." How can we tell whether he really saw them or not? Now, O
Jew, you have believed these visions to be true, and to have been not only shown
to the prophet by a diviner Spirit, but also to have been both spoken and
recorded by the same. And who is the more worthy of belief, when declaring that
the heavens were opened before him, and that he heard a voice, or beheld the
Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne high and lifted up—whether Isaiah and
Ezekiel or Jesus? Of the former, indeed, no work has been found equal to those
of the latter; whereas the good deeds of Jesus have not been confined solely to
the period of His tabernacling in the flesh, but up to the present time His power
still produces conversion and amelioration of life in those who believe in God
through Him. And a manifest proof that these things are done by His power, is
the fact that, although, as He Himself said, and as is admitted, there are not
labourers enough to gather in the harvest of souls, there really is nevertheless
such a great harvest of those who are gathered together and conveyed into the
everywhere existing threshing-floors and Churches of God.
 Chapter 44
And with these arguments I answer the Jew, not disbelieving, I who am a
Christian, Ezekiel and Isaiah, but being very desirous to show, on the footing of
our common belief, that this man is far more worthy of credit than they are when
He says that He beheld such a sight, and, as is probable, related to His disciples
the vision which He saw, and told them of the voice which He heard. But
another party might object, that not all those who have narrated the appearance
of the dove and the voice from heaven heard the accounts of these things from
Jesus, but that that Spirit which taught Moses the history of events before his
own time, beginning with the creation, and descending down to Abraham his
father, taught also the writers of the Gospel the miraculous occurrence which
took place at the time of Jesus' baptism. And he who is adorned with the spiritual
gift, called the "word of wisdom," will explain also the reason of the heavens
opening, and the dove appearing, and why the Holy Spirit appeared to Jesus in
the form of no other living thing than that of a dove. But our present subject does
not require us to explain this, our purpose being to show that Celsus displayed
no sound judgment in representing a Jew as disbelieving, on such grounds, a fact
which has greater probability in its favour than many events in which he firmly
reposes confidence.
 Chapter 45
And I remember on one occasion, at a disputation held with certain Jews
who were reputed learned men, having employed the following argument in the
presence of many judges: "Tell me, sirs," I said, "since there are two individuals
who have visited the human race, regarding whom are related marvellous works
surpassing human power— Moses, viz., your own legislator, who wrote about
himself, and Jesus our teacher, who has left no writings regarding Himself, but
to whom testimony is borne by the disciples in the Gospels— what are the
grounds for deciding that Moses is to be believed as speaking the truth, although
the Egyptians slander him as a sorcerer, and as appearing to have wrought his
mighty works by jugglery, while Jesus is not to be believed because you are His
accusers? And yet there are nations which bear testimony in favour of both: the
Jews to Moses; and the Christians, who do not deny the prophetic mission of
Moses, but proving from that very source the truth of the statement regarding
Jesus, accept as true the miraculous circumstances related of Him by His
disciples. Now, if you ask us for the reasons of our faith in Jesus, give yours first
for believing in Moses, who lived before Him, and then we shall give you ours
for accepting the latter. But if you draw back, and shirk a demonstration, then
we, following your own example, decline for the present to offer any
demonstration likewise. Nevertheless, admit that you have no proof to offer for
Moses, and then listen to our defence of Jesus derived from the law and the
prophets. And now observe what is almost incredible! It is shown from the
declarations concerning Jesus, contained in the law and the prophets, that both
Moses and the prophets were truly prophets of God."
 Chapter 46
For the law and the prophets are full of marvels similar to those recorded of
Jesus at His baptism, viz., regarding the dove and the voice from heaven. And I
think the wonders wrought by Jesus are a proof of the Holy Spirit's having then
appeared in the form of a dove, although Celsus, from a desire to cast discredit
upon them, alleges that He performed only what He had learned among the
Egyptians. And I shall refer not only to His miracles, but, as is proper, to those
also of the apostles of Jesus. For they could not without the help of miracles and
wonders have prevailed on those who heard their new doctrines and new
teachings to abandon their national usages, and to accept their instructions at the
danger to themselves even of death. And there are still preserved among
Christians traces of that Holy Spirit which appeared in the form of a dove. They
expel evil spirits, and perform many cures, and foresee certain events, according
to the will of the Logos. And although Celsus, or the Jew whom he has
introduced, may treat with mockery what I am going to say, I shall say it
nevertheless—that many have been converted to Christianity as if against their
will, some sort of spirit having suddenly transformed their minds from a hatred
of the doctrine to a readiness to die in its defence, and having appeared to them
either in a waking vision or a dream of the night. Many such instances have we
known, which, if we were to commit to writing, although they were seen and
witnessed by ourselves, we should afford great occasion for ridicule to
unbelievers, who would imagine that we, like those whom they suppose to have
invented such things, had ourselves also done the same. But God is witness of
our conscientious desire, not by false statements, but by testimonies of different
kinds, to establish the divinity of the doctrine of Jesus. And as it is a Jew who is
perplexed about the account of the Holy Spirit having descended upon Jesus in
the form of a dove, we would say to him, "Sir, who is it that says in Isaiah, 'And
now the Lord has sent me and His Spirit.'" In which sentence, as the meaning is
doubtful— viz., whether the Father and the Holy Spirit sent Jesus, or the Father
sent both Christ and the Holy Spirit— the latter is correct. For, because the
Saviour was sent, afterwards the Holy Spirit was sent also, that the prediction of
the prophet might be fulfilled; and as it was necessary that the fulfilment of the
prophecy should be known to posterity, the disciples of Jesus for that reason
committed the result to writing.
 Chapter 47
I would like to say to Celsus, who represents the Jew as accepting somehow
John as a Baptist, who baptized Jesus, that the existence of John the Baptist,
baptizing for the remission of sins, is related by one who lived no great length of
time after John and Jesus. For in the 18th book of his Antiquities of the Jews ,
Josephus bears witness to John as having been a Baptist, and as promising
purification to those who underwent the rite. Now this writer, although not
believing in Jesus as the Christ, in seeking after the cause of the fall of Jerusalem
and the destruction of the temple, whereas he ought to have said that the
conspiracy against Jesus was the cause of these calamities befalling the people,
since they put to death Christ, who was a prophet, says nevertheless— being,
although against his will, not far from the truth— that these disasters happened
to the Jews as a punishment for the death of James the Just, who was a brother of
Jesus (called Christ),— the Jews having put him to death, although he was a man
most distinguished for his justice. Paul, a genuine disciple of Jesus, says that he
regarded this James as a brother of the Lord, not so much on account of their
relationship by blood, or of their being brought up together, as because of his
virtue and doctrine. If, then, he says that it was on account of James that the
desolation of Jerusalem was made to overtake the Jews, how should it not be
more in accordance with reason to say that it happened on account (of the death)
of Jesus Christ, of whose divinity so many Churches are witnesses, composed of
those who have been convened from a flood of sins, and who have joined
themselves to the Creator, and who refer all their actions to His good pleasure.
 Chapter 48
Although the Jew, then, may offer no defence for himself in the instances of
Ezekiel and Isaiah, when we compare the opening of the heavens to Jesus, and
the voice that was heard by Him, to the similar cases which we find recorded in
Ezekiel and Isaiah, or any other of the prophets, we nevertheless, so far as we
can, shall support our position, maintaining that, as it is a matter of belief that in
a dream impressions have been brought before the minds of many, some relating
to divine things, and others to future events of this life, and this either with
clearness or in an enigmatic manner—a fact which is manifest to all who accept
the doctrine of providence; so how is it absurd to say that the mind which could
receive impressions in a dream should be impressed also in a waking vision, for
the benefit either of him on whom the impressions are made, or of those who are
to hear the account of them from him? And as in a dream we fancy that we hear,
and that the organs of hearing are actually impressed, and that we see with our
eyes— although neither the bodily organs of sight nor hearing are affected, but it
is the mind alone which has these sensations— so there is no absurdity in
believing that similar things occurred to the prophets, when it is recorded that
they witnessed occurrences of a rather wonderful kind, as when they either heard
the words of the Lord or beheld the heavens opened. For I do not suppose that
the visible heaven was actually opened, and its physical structure divided, in
order that Ezekiel might be able to record such an occurrence. Should not,
therefore, the same be believed of the Saviour by every intelligent hearer of the
Gospels?— although such an occurrence may be a stumbling-block to the
simple, who in their simplicity would set the whole world in movement, and
split in sunder the compact and mighty body of the whole heavens. But he who
examines such matters more profoundly will say, that there being, as the
Scripture calls it, a kind of general divine perception which the blessed man
alone knows how to discover, according to the saying of Solomon, "You shall
find the knowledge of God;" and as there are various forms of this perceptive
power, such as a faculty of vision which can naturally see things that are better
than bodies, among which are ranked the cherubim and seraphim; and a faculty
of hearing which can perceive voices which have not their being in the air; and a
sense of taste which can make use of living bread that has come down from
heaven, and that gives life unto the world; and so also a sense of smelling, which
scents such things as leads Paul to say that he is a sweet savour of Christ unto
God; and a sense of touch, by which John says that he "handled with his hands
of the Word of life;" — the blessed prophets having discovered this divine
perception, and seeing and hearing in this divine manner, and tasting likewise,
and smelling, so to speak, with no sensible organs of perception, and laying hold
on the Logos by faith, so that a healing effluence from it comes upon them, saw
in this manner what they record as having seen, and heard what they say they
heard, and were affected in a similar manner to what they describe when eating
the roll of a book that was given them. And so also Isaac smelled the savour of
his son's divine garments, and added to the spiritual blessing these words: "See,
the savour of my son is as the savour of a full field which the Lord blessed." And
similarly to this, and more as a matter to be understood by the mind than to be
perceived by the senses, Jesus touched the leper, to cleanse him, as I think, in a
twofold sense—freeing him not only, as the multitude heard, from the visible
leprosy by visible contact, but also from that other leprosy, by His truly divine
touch. It is in this way, accordingly, that John testifies when he says, "I beheld
the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I
knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said to me,
Upon whom you will see the Spirit descending, and abiding on Him, the same is
He that baptizes with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bear witness, that this is
the Son of God." Now it was to Jesus that the heavens were opened; and on that
occasion no one except John is recorded to have seen them opened. But with
respect to this opening of the heavens, the Saviour, foretelling to His disciples
that it would happen, and that they would see it, says, "Verily, verily, I say unto
you, You shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of man." And so Paul was carried away into the third
heaven, having previously seen it opened, since he was a disciple of Jesus. It
does not, however, belong to our present object to explain why Paul says,
"Whether in the body, I know not; or whether out of the body, I know not: God
knows." But I shall add to my argument even those very points which Celsus
imagines, viz., that Jesus Himself related the account of the opening of the
heavens, and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him at the Jordan in the form
of a dove, although the Scripture does not assert that He said that He saw it. For
this great man did not perceive that it was not in keeping with Him who
commanded His disciples on the occasion of the vision on the mount, "Tell what
you have seen to no man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead," to have
related to His disciples what was seen and heard by John at the Jordan. For it
may be observed as a trait of the character of Jesus, that He on all occasions
avoided unnecessary talk about Himself; and on that account said, "If I speak of
Myself, My witness is not true." And since He avoided unnecessary talk about
Himself, and preferred to show by acts rather than words that He was the Christ,
the Jews for that reason said to Him, "If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." And
as it is a Jew who, in the work of Celsus, uses the language to Jesus regarding
the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, "This is your own
testimony, unsupported save by one of those who were sharers of your
punishment, whom you adduce," it is necessary for us to show him that such a
statement is not appropriately placed in the mouth of a Jew. For the Jews do not
connect John with Jesus, nor the punishment of John with that of Christ. And by
this instance, this man who boasts of universal knowledge is convicted of not
knowing what words he ought to ascribe to a Jew engaged in a disputation with
Jesus.
 Chapter 49
After this he wilfully sets aside, I know not why, the strongest evidence in
confirmation of the claims of Jesus, viz., that His coming was predicted by the
Jewish prophets— Moses, and those who succeeded as well as preceded that
legislator— from inability, as I think, to meet the argument that neither the Jews
nor any other heretical sect refuse to believe that Christ was the subject of
prophecy. But perhaps he was unacquainted with the prophecies relating to
Christ. For no one who was acquainted with the statements of the Christians, that
many prophets foretold the advent of the Saviour, would have ascribed to a Jew
sentiments which it would have better befitted a Samaritan or a Sadducee to
utter; nor would the Jew in the dialogue have expressed himself in language like
the following: "But my prophet once declared in Jerusalem, that the Son of God
will come as the Judge of the righteous and the Punisher of the wicked." Now it
is not one of the prophets merely who predicted the advent of Christ. But
although the Samaritans and Sadducees, who receive the books of Moses alone,
would say that there were contained in them predictions regarding Christ, yet
certainly not in Jerusalem, which is not even mentioned in the times of Moses,
was the prophecy uttered. It were indeed to be desired, that all the accusers of
Christianity were equally ignorant with Celsus, not only of the facts, but of the
bare letter of Scripture, and would so direct their assaults against it, that their
arguments might not have the least available influence in shaking, I do not say
the faith, but the little faith of unstable and temporary believers. A Jew,
however, would not admit that any prophet used the expression, "The 'Son of
God' will come;" for the term which they employ is, "The 'Christ of God?' will
come." And many a time indeed do they directly interrogate us about the "Son of
God," saying that no such being exists, or was made the subject of prophecy. We
do not of course assert that the "Son of God" is not the subject of prophecy; but
we assert that he most inappropriately attributes to the Jewish disputant, who
would not allow that He was, such language as, "My prophet once declared in
Jerusalem that the 'Son of God' will come."
 Chapter 50
In the next place, as if the only event predicted were this, that He was to be
"the Judge of the righteous and the Punisher of the wicked," and as if neither the
place of His birth, nor the sufferings which He was to endure at the hands of the
Jews, nor His resurrection, nor the wonderful works which He was to perform,
had been made the subject of prophecy, he continues: "Why should it be you
alone, rather than innumerable others, who existed after the prophecies were
published, to whom these predictions are applicable?" And desiring, I know not
how, to suggest to others the possibility of the notion that they themselves were
the persons referred to by the prophets, he says that "some, carried away by
enthusiasm, and others having gathered a multitude of followers, give out that
the Son of God has come down from heaven." Now we have not ascertained that
such occurrences are admitted to have taken place among the Jews. We have to
remark then, in the first place, that many of the prophets have uttered predictions
in all kinds of ways regarding Christ; some by means of dark sayings, others in
allegories or in some other manner, and some also in express words. And as in
what follows he says, in the character of the Jew addressing the converts from
his own nation, and repeating emphatically and malevolently, that "the
prophecies referred to the events of his life may also suit other events as well,"
we shall state a few of them out of a greater number; and with respect to these,
any one who chooses may say what he thinks fitted to ensure a refutation of
them, and which may turn away intelligent believers from the faith.
 Chapter 51
Now the Scripture speaks, respecting the place of the Saviour's birth— that
the Ruler was to come forth from Bethlehem— in the following manner: "And
you Bethlehem, house of Ephrata, are not the least among the thousands of
Judah: for out of you shall He come forth unto Me who is to be Ruler in Israel;
and His goings forth have been of old, from everlasting." Now this prophecy
could not suit any one of those who, as Celsus' Jew says, were fanatics and mob-
leaders, and who gave out that they had come from heaven, unless it were clearly
shown that He had been born in Bethlehem, or, as another might say, had come
forth from Bethlehem to be the leader of the people. With respect to the birth of
Jesus in Bethlehem, if any one desires, after the prophecy of Micah and after the
history recorded in the Gospels by the disciples of Jesus, to have additional
evidence from other sources, let him know that, in conformity with the narrative
in the Gospel regarding His birth, there is shown at Bethlehem the cave where
He was born, and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in swaddling-
clothes. And this sight is greatly talked of in surrounding places, even among the
enemies of the faith, it being said that in this cave was born that Jesus who is
worshipped and reverenced by the Christians. Moreover, I am of opinion that,
before the advent of Christ, the chief priests and scribes of the people, on
account of the distinctness and clearness of this prophecy, taught that in
Bethlehem the Christ was to be born. And this opinion had prevailed also
extensively among the Jews; for which reason it is related that Herod, on
inquiring at the chief priests and scribes of the people, heard from them that the
Christ was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, "whence David was." It is stated
also in the Gospel according to John, that the Jews declared that the Christ was
to be born in Bethlehem, "whence David was." But after our Lord's coming,
those who busied themselves with overthrowing the belief that the place of His
birth had been the subject of prophecy from the beginning, withheld such
teaching from the people; acting in a similar manner to those individuals who
won over those soldiers of the guard stationed around the tomb who had seen
Him arise from the dead, and who instructed these eye-witnesses to report as
follows: "Say that His disciples, while we slept, came and stole Him away. And if
this come to the governor's ears, we shall persuade him, and secure you."
 Chapter 52
Strife and prejudice are powerful instruments in leading men to disregard
even those things which are abundantly clear; so that they who have somehow
become familiar with certain opinions, which have deeply imbued their minds,
and stamped them with a certain character, will not give them up. For a man will
abandon his habits in respect to other things, although it may be difficult for him
to tear himself from them, more easily than he will surrender his opinions. Nay,
even the former are not easily put aside by those who have become accustomed
to them; and so neither houses, nor cities, nor villages, nor intimate
acquaintances, are willingly forsaken when we are prejudiced in their favour.
This, therefore, was a reason why many of the Jews at that time disregarded the
clear testimony of the prophecies, and miracles which Jesus wrought, and of the
sufferings which He is related to have endured. And that human nature is thus
affected, will be manifest to those who observe that those who have once been
prejudiced in favour of the most contemptible and paltry traditions of their
ancestors and fellow citizens, with difficulty lay them aside. For example, no
one could easily persuade an Egyptian to despise what he had learned from his
fathers, so as no longer to consider this or that irrational animal as a god, or not
to guard against eating, even under the penalty of death, of the flesh of such an
animal. Now, if in carrying our examination of this subject to a considerable
length, we have enumerated the points respecting Bethlehem, and the prophecy
regarding it, we consider that we were obliged to do this, by way of defence
against those who would assert that if the prophecies current among the Jews
regarding Jesus were so clear as we represent them, why did they not at His
coming give in their adhesion to His doctrine, and betake themselves to the
better life pointed out by Him? Let no one, however, bring such a reproach
against believers, since he may see that reasons of no light weight are assigned
by those who have learned to state them, for their faith in Jesus.
 Chapter 53
And if we should ask for a second prophecy, which may appear to us to
have a clear reference to Jesus, we would quote that which was written by Moses
very many years before the advent of Christ, when he makes Jacob, on his
departure from this life, to have uttered predictions regarding each of his sons,
and to have said of Judah along with the others: "The ruler will not fail from
Judah, and the governor from his loins, until that which is reserved for him
come." Now, any one meeting with this prophecy, which is in reality much older
than Moses, so that one who was not a believer might suspect that it was not
written by him, would be surprised that Moses should be able to predict that the
princes of the Jews, seeing there are among them twelve tribes, should be born
of the tribe of Judah, and should be the rulers of the people; for which reason
also the whole nation are called Jews, deriving their name from the ruling tribe.
And, in the second place, one who candidly considers the prophecy, would be
surprised how, after declaring that the rulers and governors of the people were to
proceed from the tribe of Judah, he should determine also the limit of their rule,
saying that "the ruler should not fail from Judah, nor the governor from his
loins, until there should come that which was reserved for him, and that He is
the expectation of the Gentiles." For He came for whom these things were
reserved, viz., the Christ of God, the ruler of the promises of God. And
manifestly He is the only one among those who preceded, and, I might make
bold to say, among those also who followed Him, who was the expectation of
the Gentiles; for converts from among all the Gentile nations have believed on
God through Him, and that in conformity with the prediction of Isaiah, that in
His name the Gentiles had hoped: "In Your name shall the Gentiles hope." And
this man said also to those who are in prison, as every man is a captive to the
chains of his sins, "Come forth;" and to the ignorant, "Come into the light:" these
things also having been thus foretold: "I have given You for a covenant of the
people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritage; saying to
the prisoners, Go forth; and to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves." And
we may see at the appearing of this man, by means of those who everywhere
throughout the world have reposed a simple faith in Him, the fulfilment of this
prediction: "They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all the
beaten tracks."
 Chapter 54
And since Celsus, although professing to know all about the Gospel,
reproaches the Saviour because of His sufferings, saying that He received no
assistance from the Father, or was unable to aid Himself; we have to state that
His sufferings were the subject of prophecy, along with the cause of them;
because it was for the benefit of mankind that He should die on their account,
and should suffer stripes because of His condemnation. It was predicted,
moreover, that some from among the Gentiles would come to the knowledge of
Him (among whom the prophets are not included); and it had been declared that
He would be seen in a form which is deemed dishonourable among men. The
words of prophecy run thus: "Lo, my Servant shall have understanding, and
shall be exalted and glorified, and raised exceedingly high. In like manner, many
shall be astonished at You; so Your form shall be in no reputation among men,
and Your glory among the sons of men. Lo, many nations shall marvel because
of Him; and kings shall close their mouths: because they, to whom no message
about Him was sent, shall see Him; and they who have not heard of Him, shall
have knowledge of Him." "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom was
the arm of the Lord revealed? We have reported, as a child before Him, as a
root in a thirsty ground. He has no form nor glory; and we beheld Him, and He
had not any form nor beauty: but His appearance was without honour, and
deficient more than that of all men. He was a man under suffering, and who
knew how to bear sickness: because His countenance was averted, He was
treated with disrespect, and was made of no account. This man bears our sins,
and suffers pain on our behalf; and we regarded Him as in trouble, and in
suffering, and as ill-treated. But He was wounded for our sins, and bruised for
our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; by His stripes we
were healed. We all, like sheep, wandered from the way. A man wandered in his
way, and the Lord delivered Him on account of our sins; and He, because of His
evil treatment, opens not His mouth. As a sheep was He led to slaughter; and as
a lamb before her shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth. In His
humiliation His judgment was taken away. And who shall describe His
generation? Because His life is taken away from the earth; because of the
iniquities of My people was He led unto death."
 Chapter 55
Now I remember that, on one occasion, at a disputation held with certain
Jews, who were reckoned wise men, I quoted these prophecies; to which my
Jewish opponent replied, that these predictions bore reference to the whole
people, regarded as one individual , and as being in a state of dispersion and
suffering, in order that many proselytes might be gained, on account of the
dispersion of the Jews among numerous heathen nations. And in this way he
explained the words, "Your form shall be of no reputation among men;" and
then, "They to whom no message was sent respecting him shall see;" and the
expression, "A man under suffering." Many arguments were employed on that
occasion during the discussion to prove that these predictions regarding one
particular person were not rightly applied by them to the whole nation. And I
asked to what character the expression would be appropriate, "This man bears
our sins, and suffers pain on our behalf;" and this, "But He was wounded for our
sins, and bruised for our iniquities;" and to whom the expression properly
belonged, "By His stripes were we healed." For it is manifest that it is they who
had been sinners, and had been healed by the Saviour's sufferings (whether
belonging to the Jewish nation or converts from the Gentiles), who use such
language in the writings of the prophet who foresaw these events, and who,
under the influence of the Holy Spirit, applied these words to a person. But we
seemed to press them hardest with the expression, "Because of the iniquities of
My people was He led away unto death." For if the people, according to them,
are the subject of the prophecy, how is the man said to be led away to death
because of the iniquities of the people of God, unless he be a different person
from that people of God? And who is this person save Jesus Christ, by whose
stripes they who believe in Him are healed, when "He had spoiled the
principalities and powers (that were over us), and had made a show of them
openly on His cross?" At another time we may explain the several parts of the
prophecy, leaving none of them unexamined. But these matters have been
treated at greater length, necessarily as I think, on account of the language of the
Jew, as quoted in the work of Celsus.
 Chapter 56
Now it escaped the notice of Celsus, and of the Jew whom he has
introduced, and of all who are not believers in Jesus, that the prophecies speak of
two advents of Christ: the former characterized by human suffering and
humility, in order that Christ, being with men, might make known the way that
leads to God, and might leave no man in this life a ground of excuse, in saying
that he knew not of the judgment to come; and the latter, distinguished only by
glory and divinity, having no element of human infirmity intermingled with its
divine greatness. To quote the prophecies at length would be tedious; and I deem
it sufficient for the present to quote a part of the forty-fifth Psalm, which has this
inscription, in addition to others, "A Psalm for the Beloved," where God is
evidently addressed in these words: "Grace is poured into Your lips: therefore
God will bless You for ever and ever. Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O mighty
One, with Your beauty and Your majesty. And stretch forth, and ride
prosperously, and reign, because of Your truth, and meekness, and
righteousness; and Your right hand shall lead You marvellously. Your arrows
are pointed, O mighty One; the people will fall under You in the heart of the
enemies of the King." But attend carefully to what follows, where He is called
God: "For Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness
is the sceptre of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated
iniquity: therefore God, even Your God, has anointed You with the oil of
gladness above Your fellows." And observe that the prophet, speaking familiarly
to God, whose "throne is for ever and ever," and "a sceptre of righteousness the
sceptre of His kingdom," says that this God has been anointed by a God who was
His God, and anointed, because more than His fellows He had loved
righteousness and hated iniquity. And I remember that I pressed the Jew, who
was deemed a learned man, very hard with this passage; and he, being perplexed
about it, gave such an answer as was in keeping with his Judaistic views, saying
that the words, "Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of
righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom," are spoken of the God of all
things; and these, "You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore
Your God has anointed You," etc., refer to the Messiah.
 Chapter 57
The Jew, moreover, in the treatise, addresses the Saviour thus: "If you say
that every man, born according to the decree of Divine Providence, is a son of
God, in what respect should you differ from another?" In reply to whom we say,
that every man who, as Paul expresses it, is no longer under fear, as a
schoolmaster, but who chooses good for its own sake, is "a son of God;" but this
man is distinguished far and wide above every man who is called, on account of
his virtues, a son of God, seeing He is, as it were, a kind of source and beginning
of all such. The words of Paul are as follow: "For you have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father." But, according to the Jew of Celsus, "countless
individuals will convict Jesus of falsehood, alleging that those predictions which
were spoken of him were intended of them." We are not aware, indeed, whether
Celsus knew of any who, after coming into this world, and having desired to act
as Jesus did, declared themselves to be also the "sons of God," or the "power" of
God. But since it is in the spirit of truth that we examine each passage, we shall
mention that there was a certain Theudas among the Jews before the birth of
Christ, who gave himself out as some great one, after whose death his deluded
followers were completely dispersed. And after him, in the days of the census,
when Jesus appears to have been born, one Judas, a Galilean, gathered around
him many of the Jewish people, saying he was a wise man, and a teacher of
certain new doctrines. And when he also had paid the penalty of his rebellion,
his doctrine was overturned, having taken hold of very few persons indeed, and
these of the very humblest condition. And after the times of Jesus, Dositheus the
Samaritan also wished to persuade the Samaritans that he was the Christ
predicted by Moses; and he appears to have gained over some to his views. But
it is not absurd, in quoting the extremely wise observation of that Gamaliel
named in the book of Acts, to show how those persons above mentioned were
strangers to the promise, being neither "sons of God" nor "powers" of God,
whereas Christ Jesus was truly the Son of God. Now Gamaliel, in the passage
referred to, said: "If this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought"
(as also did the designs of those men already mentioned after their death); "but if
it be of God, you cannot overthrow this doctrine, lest haply you be found even to
fight against God." There was also Simon the Samaritan magician, who wished
to draw away certain by his magical arts. And on that occasion he was
successful; but now-a-days it is impossible to find, I suppose, thirty of his
followers in the entire world, and probably I have even overstated the number.
There are exceedingly few in Palestine; while in the rest of the world, through
which he desired to spread the glory of his name, you find it nowhere mentioned.
And where it is found, it is found quoted from the Acts of the Apostles; so that it
is to Christians that he owes this mention of himself, the unmistakeable result
having proved that Simon was in no respect divine.
 Chapter 58
After these matters this Jew of Celsus, instead of the Magi mentioned in the
Gospel, says that "Chaldeans are spoken of by Jesus as having been induced to
come to him at his birth, and to worship him while yet an infant as a God, and to
have made this known to Herod the tetrarch; and that the latter sent and slew all
the infants that had been born about the same time, thinking that in this way he
would ensure his death among the others; and that he was led to do this through
fear that, if Jesus lived to a sufficient age, he would obtain the throne." See now
in this instance the blunder of one who cannot distinguish between Magi and
Chaldeans, nor perceive that what they profess is different, and so has falsified
the Gospel narrative. I know not, moreover, why he has passed by in silence the
cause which led the Magi to come, and why he has not stated, according to the
scriptural account, that it was a star seen by them in the east. Let us see now
what answer we have to make to these statements. The star that was seen in the
east we consider to have been a new star, unlike any of the other well-known
planetary bodies, either those in the firmament above or those among the lower
orbs, but partaking of the nature of those celestial bodies which appear at times,
such as comets, or those meteors which resemble beams of wood, or beards, or
wine jars, or any of those other names by which the Greeks are accustomed to
describe their varying appearances. And we establish our position in the
following manner.
 Chapter 59
It has been observed that, on the occurrence of great events, and of mighty
changes in terrestrial things, such stars are wont to appear, indicating either the
removal of dynasties or the breaking out of wars, or the happening of such
circumstances as may cause commotions upon the earth. But we have read in the
Treatise on Comets by Chæremon the Stoic, that on some occasions also, when
good was to happen, comets made their appearance; and he gives an account of
such instances. If, then, at the commencement of new dynasties, or on the
occasion of other important events, there arises a comet so called, or any similar
celestial body, why should it be matter of wonder that at the birth of Him who
was to introduce a new doctrine to the human race, and to make known His
teaching not only to Jews, but also to Greeks, and to many of the barbarous
nations besides, a star should have arisen? Now I would say, that with respect to
comets there is no prophecy in circulation to the effect that such and such a
comet was to arise in connection with a particular kingdom or a particular time;
but with respect to the appearance of a star at the birth of Jesus there is a
prophecy of Balaam recorded by Moses to this effect: "There shall arise a star
out of Jacob, and a man shall rise up out of Israel." And now, if it shall be
deemed necessary to examine the narrative about the Magi, and the appearance
of the star at the birth of Jesus, the following is what we have to say, partly in
answer to the Greeks, and partly to the Jews.
 Chapter 60
To the Greeks, then, I have to say that the Magi, being on familiar terms
with evil spirits, and invoking them for such purposes as their knowledge and
wishes extend to, bring about such results only as do not appear to exceed the
superhuman power and strength of the evil spirits, and of the spells which invoke
them, to accomplish; but should some greater manifestation of divinity be made,
then the powers of the evil spirits are overthrown, being unable to resist the light
of divinity. It is probable, therefore, that since at the birth of Jesus "a multitude
of the heavenly host," as Luke records, and as I believe, "praised God, saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will towards men," the
evil spirits on that account became feeble, and lost their strength, the falsity of
their sorcery being manifested, and their power being broken; this overthrow
being brought about not only by the angels having visited the terrestrial regions
on account of the birth of Jesus, but also by the power of Jesus Himself, and His
innate divinity. The Magi, accordingly, wishing to produce the customary
results, which formerly they used to perform by means of certain spells and
sorceries, sought to know the reason of their failure, conjecturing the cause to be
a great one; and beholding a divine sign in the heaven, they desired to learn its
signification. I am therefore of opinion that, possessing as they did the
prophecies of Balaam, which Moses also records, inasmuch as Balaam was
celebrated for such predictions, and finding among them the prophecy about the
star, and the words, "I shall show him to him, but not now; I deem him happy,
although he will not be near," they conjectured that the man whose appearance
had been foretold along with that of the star, had actually come into the world;
and having predetermined that he was superior in power to all demons, and to all
common appearances and powers, they resolved to offer him homage. They
came, accordingly, to Judea, persuaded that some king had been born; but not
knowing over what kingdom he was to reign, and being ignorant also of the
place of his birth, bringing gifts, which they offered to him as one whose nature
partook, if I may so speak, both of God and of a mortal man—gold, viz., as to a
king; myrrh, as to one who was mortal; and incense, as to a God; and they
brought these offerings after they had learned the place of His birth. But since
He was a God, the Saviour of the human race, raised far above all those angels
which minister to men, an angel rewarded the piety of the Magi for their worship
of Him, by making known to them that they were not to go back to Herod, but to
return to their own homes by another way.
 Chapter 61
That Herod conspired against the Child (although the Jew of Celsus does
not believe that this really happened), is not to be wondered at. For wickedness
is in a certain sense blind, and would desire to defeat fate, as if it were stronger
than it. And this being Herod's condition, he both believed that a king of the
Jews had been born, and yet cherished a purpose contradictory of such a belief;
not seeing that the Child is assuredly either a king and will come to the throne,
or that he is not to be a king, and that his death, therefore, will be to no purpose.
He desired accordingly to kill Him, his mind being agitated by contending
passions on account of his wickedness, and being instigated by the blind and
wicked devil who from the very beginning plotted against the Saviour,
imagining that He was and would become some mighty one. An angel, however,
perceiving the course of events, intimated to Joseph, although Celsus may not
believe it, that he was to withdraw with the Child and His mother into Egypt,
while Herod slew all the infants that were in Bethlehem and the surrounding
borders, in the hope that he would thus destroy Him also who had been born
King of the Jews. For he saw not the sleepless guardian power that is around
those who deserve to be protected and preserved for the salvation of men, of
whom Jesus is the first, superior to all others in honour and excellence, who was
to be a King indeed, but not in the sense that Herod supposed, but in that in
which it became God to bestow a kingdom,— for the benefit, viz., of those who
were to be under His sway, who was to confer no ordinary and unimportant
blessings, so to speak, upon His subjects, but who was to train them and to
subject them to laws that were truly from God. And Jesus, knowing this well,
and denying that He was a king in the sense that the multitude expected, but
declaring the superiority of His kingdom, says: "If My kingdom were of this
world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews:
but now is My kingdom not of this world." Now, if Celsus had seen this, he
would not have said: "But if, then, this was done in order that you might not
reign in his stead when you had grown to man's estate; why, after you did reach
that estate, do you not become a king, instead of you, the Son of God, wandering
about in so mean a condition, hiding yourself through fear, and leading a
miserable life up and down?" Now, it is not dishonourable to avoid exposing
one's self to dangers, but to guard carefully against them, when this is done, not
through fear of death, but from a desire to benefit others by remaining in life,
until the proper time come for one who has assumed human nature to die a death
that will be useful to mankind. And this is plain to him who reflects that Jesus
died for the sake of men—a point of which we have spoken to the best of our
ability in the preceding pages.
 Chapter 62
And after such statements, showing his ignorance even of the number of the
apostles, he proceeds thus: "Jesus having gathered around him ten or eleven
persons of notorious character, the very wickedest of tax-gatherers and sailors,
fled in company with them from place to place, and obtained his living in a
shameful and importunate manner." Let us to the best of our power see what
truth there is in such a statement. It is manifest to us all who possess the Gospel
narratives, which Celsus does not appear even to have read, that Jesus selected
twelve apostles, and that of these Matthew alone was a tax-gatherer; that when
he calls them indiscriminately sailors, he probably means James and John,
because they left their ship and their father Zebedee, and followed Jesus; for
Peter and his brother Andrew, who employed a net to gain their necessary
subsistence, must be classed not as sailors, but as the Scripture describes them,
as fishermen. The Lebes also, who was a follower of Jesus, may have been a tax-
gatherer; but he was not of the number of the apostles, except according to a
statement in one of the copies of Mark's Gospel. And we have not ascertained
the employments of the remaining disciples, by which they earned their
livelihood before becoming disciples of Jesus. I assert, therefore, in answer to
such statements as the above, that it is clear to all who are able to institute an
intelligent and candid examination into the history of the apostles of Jesus, that it
was by help of a divine power that these men taught Christianity, and succeeded
in leading others to embrace the word of God. For it was not any power of
speaking, or any orderly arrangement of their message, according to the arts of
Grecian dialectics or rhetoric, which was in them the effective cause of
converting their hearers. Nay, I am of opinion that if Jesus had selected some
individuals who were wise according to the apprehension of the multitude, and
who were fitted both to think and speak so as to please them, and had used such
as the ministers of His doctrine, He would most justly have been suspected of
employing artifices, like those philosophers who are the leaders of certain sects,
and consequently the promise respecting the divinity of His doctrine would not
have manifested itself; for had the doctrine and the preaching consisted in the
persuasive utterance and arrangement of words, then faith also, like that of the
philosophers of the world in their opinions, would have been through the
wisdom of men, and not through the power of God. Now, who is there on seeing
fishermen and tax-gatherers, who had not acquired even the merest elements of
learning (as the Gospel relates of them, and in respect to which Celsus believes
that they speak the truth, inasmuch as it is their own ignorance which they
record), discoursing boldly not only among the Jews of faith in Jesus, but also
preaching Him with success among other nations, would not inquire whence
they derived this power of persuasion, as theirs was certainly not the common
method followed by the multitude? And who would not say that the promise,
"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men," had been accomplished by
Jesus in the history of His apostles by a sort of divine power? And to this also,
Paul, referring in terms of commendation, as we have stated a little above, says:
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; that your faith should
not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." For, according to the
predictions in the prophets, foretelling the preaching of the Gospel, "the Lord
gave the word in great power to them who preached it, even the King of the
powers of the Beloved," in order that the prophecy might be fulfilled which said,
"His words shall run very swiftly." And we see that "the voice of the apostles of
Jesus has gone forth into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."
On this account are they who hear the word powerfully proclaimed filled with
power, which they manifest both by their dispositions and their lives, and by
struggling even to death on behalf of the truth; while some are altogether empty,
although they profess to believe in God through Jesus, inasmuch as, not
possessing any divine power, they have the appearance only of being converted
to the word of God. And although I have previously mentioned a Gospel
declaration uttered by the Saviour, I shall nevertheless quote it again, as
appropriate to the present occasion, as it confirms both the divine manifestation
of our Saviour's foreknowledge regarding the preaching of His Gospel, and the
power of His word, which without the aid of teachers gains the mastery over
those who yield their assent to persuasion accompanied with divine power; and
the words of Jesus referred to are, "The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers
are few; pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth
labourers into His harvest."
 Chapter 63
And since Celsus has termed the apostles of Jesus men of infamous
notoriety, saying that they were tax-gatherers and sailors of the vilest character,
we have to remark, with respect to this charge, that he seems, in order to bring
an accusation against Christianity, to believe the Gospel accounts only where he
pleases, and to express his disbelief of them, in order that he may not be forced
to admit the manifestations of Divinity related in these same books; whereas one
who sees the spirit of truth by which the writers are influenced, ought, from their
narration of things of inferior importance, to believe also the account of divine
things. Now in the general Epistle of Barnabas, from which perhaps Celsus took
the statement that the apostles were notoriously wicked men, it is recorded that
"Jesus selected His own apostles, as persons who were more guilty of sin than
all other evildoers." And in the Gospel according to Luke, Peter says to Jesus,
"Depart from me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man." Moreover, Paul, who himself
also at a later time became an apostle of Jesus, says in his Epistle to Timothy,
"This is a faithful saying, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners,
of whom I am the chief." And I do not know how Celsus should have forgotten
or not have thought of saying something about Paul, the founder, after Jesus, of
the Churches that are in Christ. He saw, probably, that anything he might say
about that apostle would require to be explained, in consistency with the fact
that, after being a persecutor of the Church of God, and a bitter opponent of
believers, who went so far even as to deliver over the disciples of Jesus to death,
so great a change afterwards passed over him, that he preached the Gospel of
Jesus from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, and was ambitious to carry the
glad tidings where he needed not to build upon another man's foundation, but to
places where the Gospel of God in Christ had not been proclaimed at all. What
absurdity, therefore, is there, if Jesus, desiring to manifest to the human race the
power which He possesses to heal souls, should have selected notorious and
wicked men, and should have raised them to such a degree of moral excellence,
that they became a pattern of the purest virtue to all who were converted by their
instrumentality to the Gospel of Christ?
 Chapter 64
But if we were to reproach those who have been converted with their
former lives, then we would have occasion to accuse Phædo also, even after he
became a philosopher; since, as the history relates, he was drawn away by
Socrates from a house of bad fame to the pursuits of philosophy. Nay, even the
licentious life of Polemo, the successor of Xenocrates, will be a subject of
reproach to philosophy; whereas even in these instances we ought to regard it as
a ground of praise, that reasoning was enabled, by the persuasive power of these
men, to convert from the practice of such vices those who had been formerly
entangled by them. Now among the Greeks there was only one Phædo, I know
not if there were a second, and one Polemo, who betook themselves to
philosophy, after a licentious and most wicked life; while with Jesus there were
not only at the time we speak of, the twelve disciples, but many more at all
times, who, becoming a band of temperate men, speak in the following terms of
their former lives: "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful,
and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour
towards man appeared, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the
Holy Ghost, which He shed upon us richly," we became such as we are. For
"God sent forth His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their
destructions," as the prophet taught in the book of Psalms. And in addition to
what has been already said, I would add the following: that Chrysippus, in his
treatise on the Cure of the Passions , in his endeavours to restrain the passions of
the human soul, not pretending to determine what opinions are the true ones,
says that according to the principles of the different sects are those to be cured
who have been brought under the dominion of the passions, and continues: "And
if pleasure be an end, then by it must the passions be healed; and if there be
three kinds of chief blessings, still, according to this doctrine, it is in the same
way that those are to be freed from their passions who are under their
dominion;" whereas the assailants of Christianity do not see in how many
persons the passions have been brought under restraint, and the flood of
wickedness checked, and savage manners softened, by means of the Gospel. So
that it well became those who are ever boasting of their zeal for the public good,
to make a public acknowledgement of their thanks to that doctrine which by a
new method led men to abandon many vices, and to bear their testimony at least
to it, that even though not the truth, it has at all events been productive of benefit
to the human race.
 Chapter 65
And since Jesus, in teaching His disciples not to be guilty of rashness, gave
them the precept, "If they persecute you in this city, flee into another; and if they
persecute you in the other, flee again into a third," to which teaching He added
the example of a consistent life, acting so as not to expose Himself to danger
rashly, or unseasonably, or without good grounds; from this Celsus takes
occasion to bring a malicious and slanderous accusation—the Jew whom he
brings forward saying to Jesus, "In company with your disciples you go and hide
yourself in different places." Now similar to what has thus been made the ground
of a slanderous charge against Jesus and His disciples, do we say was the
conduct recorded of Aristotle. This philosopher, seeing that a court was about to
be summoned to try him, on the ground of his being guilty of impiety on account
of certain of his philosophical tenets which the Athenians regarded as impious,
withdrew from Athens, and fixed his school in Chalcis, defending his course of
procedure to his friends by saying, "Let us depart from Athens, that we may not
give the Athenians a handle for incurring guilt a second time, as formerly in the
case of Socrates, and so prevent them from committing a second act of impiety
against philosophy." He further says, "that Jesus went about with His disciples,
and obtained His livelihood in a disgraceful and importunate manner." Let him
show wherein lay the disgraceful and importunate element in their manner of
subsistence. For it is related in the Gospels, that there were certain women who
had been healed of their diseases, among whom also was Susanna, who from
their own possessions afforded the disciples the means of support. And who is
there among philosophers, that, when devoting himself to the service of his
acquaintances, is not in the habit of receiving from them what is needful for his
wants? Or is it only in them that such acts are proper and becoming; but when
the disciples of Jesus do the same, they are accused by Celsus of obtaining their
livelihood by disgraceful importunity?
 Chapter 66
And in addition to the above, this Jew of Celsus afterwards addresses Jesus:
"What need, moreover, was there that you, while still an infant, should be
conveyed into Egypt? Was it to escape being murdered? But then it was not
likely that a God should be afraid of death; and yet an angel came down from
heaven, commanding you and your friends to flee, lest you should be captured
and put to death! And was not the great God, who had already sent two angels
on your account, able to keep you, His only Son, there in safety?" From these
words Celsus seems to think that there was no element of divinity in the human
body and soul of Jesus, but that His body was not even such as is described in
the fables of Homer; and with a taunt also at the blood of Jesus which was shed
upon the cross, he adds that it was not

"Ichor, such as flows in the veins of the blessed gods."

We now, believing Jesus Himself, when He says respecting His divinity, "I
am the way, and the truth, and the life," and employs other terms of similar
import; and when He says respecting His being clothed with a human body,
"And now you seek to kill Me, a man that has told you the truth," conclude that
He was a kind of compound being. And so it became Him who was making
provision for His sojourning in the world as a human being, not to expose
Himself unseasonably to the danger of death. And in like manner it was
necessary that He should be taken away by His parents, acting under the
instructions of an angel from heaven, who communicated to them the divine
will, saying on the first occasion, "Joseph, you son of David, fear not to take
unto you Mary your wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost;" and on the second, "Arise, and take the young Child, and His mother,
and flee into Egypt; and be there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the
young Child to destroy Him." Now, what is recorded in these words appears to
me to be not at all marvellous. For in either passage of Scripture it is stated that
it was in a dream that the angel spoke these words; and that in a dream certain
persons may have certain things pointed out to them to do, is an event of
frequent occurrence to many individuals,— the impression on the mind being
produced either by an angel or by some other thing. Where, then, is the absurdity
in believing that He who had once become incarnate, should be led also by
human guidance to keep out of the way of dangers? Not indeed from any
impossibility that it should be otherwise, but from the moral fitness that ways
and means should be made use of to ensure the safety of Jesus. And it was
certainly better that the Child Jesus should escape the snare of Herod, and should
reside with His parents in Egypt until the death of the conspirator, than that
Divine Providence should hinder the free-will of Herod in his wish to put the
Child to death, or that the fabled poetic helmet of Hades should have been
employed, or anything of a similar kind done with respect to Jesus, or that they
who came to destroy Him should have been smitten with blindness like the
people of Sodom. For the sending of help to Him in a very miraculous and
unnecessarily public manner, would not have been of any service to Him who
wished to show that as a man, to whom witness was borne by God, He possessed
within that form which was seen by the eyes of men some higher element of
divinity,— that which was properly the Son of God— God the Word— the
power of God, and the wisdom of God— He who is called the Christ. But this is
not a suitable occasion for discussing the composite nature of the incarnate
Jesus; the investigation into such a subject being for believers, so to speak, a sort
of private question.
 Chapter 67
After the above, this Jew of Celsus, as if he were a Greek who loved
learning, and were well instructed in Greek literature, continues: "The old
mythological fables, which attributed a divine origin to Perseus, and Amphion,
and Æacus, and Minos, were not believed by us. Nevertheless, that they might
not appear unworthy of credit, they represented the deeds of these personages as
great and wonderful, and truly beyond the power of man; but what have you
done that is noble or wonderful either in deed or in word? You have made no
manifestation to us, although they challenged you in the temple to exhibit some
unmistakeable sign that you were the Son of God." In reply to which we have to
say: Let the Greeks show to us, among those who have been enumerated, any
one whose deeds have been marked by a utility and splendour extending to after
generations, and which have been so great as to produce a belief in the fables
which represented them as of divine descent. But these Greeks can show us
nothing regarding those men of whom they speak, which is even inferior by a
great degree to what Jesus did; unless they take us back to their fables and
histories, wishing us to believe them without any reasonable grounds, and to
discredit the Gospel accounts even after the clearest evidence. For we assert that
the whole habitable world contains evidence of the works of Jesus, in the
existence of those Churches of God which have been founded through Him by
those who have been converted from the practice of innumerable sins. And the
name of Jesus can still remove distractions from the minds of men, and expel
demons, and also take away diseases; and produce a marvellous meekness of
spirit and complete change of character, and a humanity, and goodness, and
gentleness in those individuals who do not feign themselves to be Christians for
the sake of subsistence or the supply of any mortal wants, but who have honestly
accepted the doctrine concerning God and Christ, and the judgment to come.
 Chapter 68
But after this, Celsus, having a suspicion that the great works performed by
Jesus, of which we have named a few out of a great number, would be brought
forward to view, affects to grant that those statements may be true which are
made regarding His cures, or His resurrection, or the feeding of a multitude with
a few loaves, from which many fragments remained over, or those other stories
which Celsus thinks the disciples have recorded as of a marvellous nature; and
he adds: "Well, let us believe that these were actually wrought by you." But then
he immediately compares them to the tricks of jugglers, who profess to do more
wonderful things, and to the feats performed by those who have been taught by
Egyptians, who in the middle of the market-place, in return for a few obols, will
impart the knowledge of their most venerated arts, and will expel demons from
men, and dispel diseases, and invoke the souls of heroes, and exhibit expensive
banquets, and tables, and dishes, and dainties having no real existence, and who
will put in motion, as if alive, what are not really living animals, but which have
only the appearance of life. And he asks, "Since, then, these persons can perform
such feats, shall we of necessity conclude that they are 'sons of God,' or must we
admit that they are the proceedings of wicked men under the influence of an evil
spirit?" You see that by these expressions he allows, as it were, the existence of
magic. I do not know, however, if he is the same who wrote several books
against it. But, as it helped his purpose, he compares the (miracles) related of
Jesus to the results produced by magic. There would indeed be a resemblance
between them, if Jesus, like the dealers in magical arts, had performed His works
only for show; but now there is not a single juggler who, by means of his
proceedings, invites his spectators to reform their manners, or trains those to the
fear of God who are amazed at what they see, nor who tries to persuade them so
to live as men who are to be justified by God. And jugglers do none of these
things, because they have neither the power nor the will, nor any desire to busy
themselves about the reformation of men, inasmuch as their own lives are full of
the grossest and most notorious sins. But how should not He who, by the
miracles which He did, induced those who beheld the excellent results to
undertake the reformation of their characters, manifest Himself not only to His
genuine disciples, but also to others, as a pattern of most virtuous life, in order
that His disciples might devote themselves to the work of instructing men in the
will of God, and that the others, after being more fully instructed by His word
and character than by His miracles, as to how they were to direct their lives,
might in all their conduct have a constant reference to the good pleasure of the
universal God? And if such were the life of Jesus, how could any one with
reason compare Him with the sect of impostors, and not, on the contrary,
believe, according to the promise, that He was God, who appeared in human
form to do good to our race?
 Chapter 69
After this, Celsus, confusing together the Christian doctrine and the
opinions of some heretical sect, and bringing them forward as charges that were
applicable to all who believe in the divine word, says: "Such a body as yours
could not have belonged to God." Now, in answer to this, we have to say that
Jesus, on entering into the world, assumed, as one born of a woman, a human
body, and one which was capable of suffering a natural death. For which reason,
in addition to others, we say that He was also a great wrestler; having, on
account of His human body, been tempted in all respects like other men, but no
longer as men, with sin as a consequence, but being altogether without sin. For it
is distinctly clear to us that "He did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth;
and as one who knew no sin," God delivered Him up as pure for all who had
sinned. Then Celsus says: "The body of god would not have been so generated as
you, O Jesus, were." He saw, besides, that if, as it is written, it had been born,
His body somehow might be even more divine than that of the multitude, and in
a certain sense a body of god. But he disbelieves the accounts of His conception
by the Holy Ghost, and believes that He was begotten by one Panthera, who
corrupted the Virgin, "because a god's body would not have been so generated
as you were." But we have spoken of these matters at greater length in the
preceding pages.
 Chapter 70
He asserts, moreover, that "the body of a god is not nourished with such
food (as was that of Jesus)," since he is able to prove from the Gospel narratives
both that He partook of food, and food of a particular kind. Well, be it so. Let
him assert that He ate the passover with His disciples, when He not only used the
words, "With desire have I desired to eat this passover with you," but also
actually partook of the same. And let him say also, that He experienced the
sensation of thirst beside the well of Jacob, and drank of the water of the well. In
what respect do these facts militate against what we have said respecting the
nature of His body? Moreover, it appears indubitable that after His resurrection
He ate a piece of fish; for, according to our view, He assumed a (true) body, as
one born of a woman. "But," objects Celsus, "the body of a god does not make
use of such a voice as that of Jesus, nor employ such a method of persuasion as
he." These are, indeed, trifling and altogether contemptible objections. For our
reply to him will be, that he who is believed among the Greeks to be a god, viz.,
the Pythian and Didymean Apollo, makes use of such a voice for his Pythian
priestess at Delphi, and for his prophetess at Miletus; and yet neither the Pythian
nor Didymean is charged by the Greeks with not being a god, nor any other
Grecian deity whose worship is established in one place. And it was far better,
surely, that a god should employ a voice which, on account of its being uttered
with power, should produce an indescribable sort of persuasion in the minds of
the hearers.
 Chapter 71
Continuing to pour abuse upon Jesus as one who, on account of his impiety
and wicked opinions, was, so to speak, hated by God, he asserts that "these
tenets of his were those of a wicked and God-hated sorcerer." And yet, if the
name and the thing be properly examined, it will be found an impossibility that
man should be hated by God, seeing God loves all existing things, and "hates
nothing of what He has made," for He created nothing in a spirit of hatred. And
if certain expressions in the prophets convey such an impression, they are to be
interpreted in accordance with the general principle by which Scripture employs
such language with regard to God as if He were subject to human affections. But
what reply need be made to him who, while professing to bring foreward
credible statements, thinks himself bound to make use of calumnies and slanders
against Jesus, as if He were a wicked sorcerer? Such is not the procedure of one
who seeks to make good his case, but of one who is in an ignorant and
unphilosophic state of mind, inasmuch as the proper course is to state the case,
and candidly to investigate it; and, according to the best of his ability, to bring
forward what occurs to him with regard to it. But as the Jew of Celsus has, with
the above remarks, brought to a close his charges against Jesus, so we also shall
here bring to a termination the contents of our first book in reply to him. And if
God bestow the gift of that truth which destroys all falsehood, agreeably to the
words of the prayer, "Cut them off in your truth," we shall begin, in what
follows, the consideration of the second appearance of the Jew, in which he is
represented by Celsus as addressing those who have become converts to Jesus.
 Contra Celsus, Book II
Chapter 1

The first book of our answer to the treatise of Celsus, entitled A True
Discourse , which concluded with the representation of the Jew addressing
Jesus, having now extended to a sufficient length, we intend the present part as a
reply to the charges brought by him against those who have been converted from
Judaism to Christianity. And we call attention, in the first place, to this special
question, viz., why Celsus, when he had once resolved upon the introduction of
individuals upon the stage of his book, did not represent the Jew as addressing
the converts from heathenism rather than those from Judaism, seeing that his
discourse, if directed to us, would have appeared more likely to produce an
impression. But probably this claimant to universal knowledge does not know
what is appropriate in the matter of such representations; and therefore let us
proceed to consider what he has to say to the converts from Judaism. He asserts
that "they have forsaken the law of their fathers, in consequence of their minds
being led captive by Jesus; that they have been most ridiculously deceived, and
that they have become deserters to another name and to another mode of life."
Here he has not observed that the Jewish converts have not deserted the law of
their fathers, inasmuch as they live according to its prescriptions, receiving their
very name from the poverty of the law, according to the literal acceptation of the
word; for Ebion signifies "poor" among the Jews, and those Jews who have
received Jesus as Christ are called by the name of Ebionites. Nay, Peter himself
seems to have observed for a considerable time the Jewish observances enjoined
by the law of Moses, not having yet learned from Jesus to ascend from the law
that is regulated according to the letter, to that which is interpreted according to
the spirit,— a fact which we learn from the Acts of the Apostles. For on the day
after the angel of God appeared to Cornelius, suggesting to him "to send to
Joppa, to Simon surnamed Peter," Peter "went up into the upper room to pray
about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but
while they made ready he fell into a trance, and saw heaven opened, and a
certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four
corners, and let down to the earth; wherein were all manner of four-footed
beasts, and creeping things of the earth, and fowls of the air. And there came a
voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have
never eaten anything that is common or unclean. And the voice spoke unto him
again the second time, What God has cleansed, call not common." Now observe
how, by this instance, Peter is represented as still observing the Jewish customs
respecting clean and unclean animals. And from the narrative that follows, it is
manifest that he, as being yet a Jew, and living according to their traditions, and
despising those who were beyond the pale of Judaism, stood in need of a vision
to lead him to communicate to Cornelius (who was not an Israelite according to
the flesh), and to those who were with him, the word of faith. Moreover, in the
Epistle to the Galatians, Paul states that Peter, still from fear of the Jews, ceased
upon the arrival of James to eat with the Gentiles, and "separated himself from
them, fearing them that were of the circumcision;" and the rest of the Jews, and
Barnabas also, followed the same course. And certainly it was quite consistent
that those should not abstain from the observance of Jewish usages who were
sent to minister to the circumcision, when they who "seemed to be pillars" gave
the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas, in order that, while devoting
themselves to the circumcision, the latter might preach to the Gentiles. And why
do I mention that they who preached to the circumcision withdrew and separated
themselves from the heathen, when even Paul himself "became as a Jew to the
Jews, that he might gain the Jews?" Wherefore also in the Acts of the Apostles it
is related that he even brought an offering to the altar, that he might satisfy the
Jews that he was no apostate from their law. Now, if Celsus had been acquainted
with all these circumstances, he would not have represented the Jew holding
such language as this to the converts from Judaism: "What induced you, my
fellow citizens, to abandon the law of your fathers, and to allow your minds to be
led captive by him with whom we have just conversed, and thus be most
ridiculously deluded, so as to become deserters from us to another name, and to
the practices of another life?"
 Chapter 2
Now, since we are upon the subject of Peter, and of the teachers of
Christianity to the circumcision, I do not deem it out of place to quote a certain
declaration of Jesus taken from the Gospel according to John, and to give the
explanation of the same. For it is there related that Jesus said: "I have yet many
things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the
Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all the truth: for He shall not
speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak." And when
we inquire what were the "many things" referred to in the passage which Jesus
had to say to His disciples, but which they were not then able to bear, I have to
observe that, probably because the apostles were Jews, and had been trained up
according to the letter of the Mosaic law, He was unable to tell them what was
the true law, and how the Jewish worship consisted in the pattern and shadow of
certain heavenly things, and how future blessings were foreshadowed by the
injunctions regarding meats and drinks, and festivals, and new moons, and
sabbaths. These were many of the subjects which He had to explain to them; but
as He saw that it was a work of exceeding difficulty to root out of the mind
opinions that have been almost born with a man, and amid which he has been
brought up till he reached the period of maturity, and which have produced in
those who have adopted them the belief that they are divine, and that it is an act
of impiety to overthrow them; and to demonstrate by the superiority of Christian
doctrine, that is, by the truth, in a manner to convince the hearers, that such
opinions were but "loss and dung," He postponed such a task to a future season
— to that, namely, which followed His passion and resurrection. For the
bringing of aid unseasonably to those who were not yet capable of receiving it,
might have overturned the idea which they had already formed of Jesus, as the
Christ, and the Son of the living God. And see if there is not some well-
grounded reason for such a statement as this, "I have many things to say unto
you, but you cannot bear them now;" seeing there are many points in the law
which require to be explained and cleared up in a spiritual sense, and these the
disciples were in a manner unable to bear, having been born and brought up
among Jews. I am of opinion, moreover, that since these rites were typical, and
the truth was that which was to be taught them by the Holy Spirit, these words
were added, "When He has come who is the Spirit of truth, He will lead you into
all the truth;" as if He had said, into all the truth about those things which, being
to you but types, you believed to constitute a true worship which you rendered
unto God. And so, according to the promise of Jesus, the Spirit of truth came to
Peter, saying to him, with regard to the four-footed beasts, and creeping things of
the earth, and fowls of the air: "Arise, Peter; kill, and eat." And the Spirit came
to him while he was still in a state of superstitious ignorance; for he said, in
answer to the divine command, "Not so Lord; for I have never yet eaten anything
common or unclean." He instructed him, however, in the true and spiritual
meaning of meats, by saying, "What God has cleansed, call not common." And
so, after that vision, the Spirit of truth, which conducted Peter into all the truth,
told him the many things which he was unable to bear when Jesus was still with
him in the flesh. But I shall have another opportunity of explaining those
matters, which are connected with the literal acceptation of the Mosaic law.
 Chapter 3
Our present object, however, is to expose the ignorance of Celsus, who
makes this Jew of his address his fellow-citizen and the Israelitish converts in
the following manner: "What induced you to abandon the law of your fathers?"
etc. Now, how should they have abandoned the law of their fathers, who are in
the habit of rebuking those who do not listen to its commands, saying, "Tell me,
you who read the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham
had two sons;" and so on, down to the place, "which things are an allegory,"
etc.? And how have they abandoned the law of their fathers, who are ever
speaking of the usages of their fathers in such words as these: "Or does not the
law say these things also? For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not
muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. Does God care for oxen?
Or says He it altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it was written," and so
on? Now, how confused is the reasoning of the Jew in regard to these matters
(although he had it in his power to speak with greater effect) when he says:
"Certain among you have abandoned the usages of our fathers under a pretence
of explanations and allegories; and some of you, although, as you pretend,
interpreting them in a spiritual manner, nevertheless do observe the customs of
our fathers; and some of you, without any such interpretation, are willing to
accept Jesus as the subject of prophecy, and to keep the law of Moses according
to the customs of the fathers, as having in the words the whole mind of the
Spirit." Now how was Celsus able to see these things so clearly in this place,
when in the subsequent parts of his work he makes mention of certain godless
heresies altogether alien from the doctrine of Jesus, and even of others which
leave the Creator out of account altogether, and does not appear to know that
there are Israelites who are converts to Christianity, and who have not
abandoned the law of their fathers? It was not his object to investigate
everything here in the spirit of truth, and to accept whatever he might find to be
useful; but he composed these statements in the spirit of an enemy, and with a
desire to overthrow everything as soon as he heard it.
 Chapter 4
The Jew, then, continues his address to converts from his own nation thus:
"Yesterday and the day before, when we visited with punishment the man who
deluded you, you became apostates from the law of your fathers;" showing by
such statements (as we have just demonstrated) anything but an exact knowledge
of the truth. But what he advances afterwards seems to have some force, when
he says: "How is it that you take the beginning of your system from our worship,
and when you have made some progress you treat it with disrespect, although
you have no other foundation to show for your doctrines than our law?" Now,
certainly the introduction to Christianity is through the Mosaic worship and the
prophetic writings; and after the introduction, it is in the interpretation and
explanation of these that progress takes place, while those who are introduced
prosecute their investigations into "the mystery according to revelation, which
was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest in the
Scriptures of the prophets," and by the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ. But
they who advance in the knowledge of Christianity do not, as you allege, treat
the things written in the law with disrespect. On the contrary, they bestow upon
them greater honour, showing what a depth of wise and mysterious reasons is
contained in these writings, which are not fully comprehended by the Jews, who
treat them superficially, and as if they were in some degree even fabulous. And
what absurdity should there be in our system— that is, the Gospel— having the
law for its foundation, when even the Lord Jesus Himself said to those who
would not believe upon Him: "If you had believed Moses, you would have
believed Me, for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how shall
you believe My words?" Nay, even one of the evangelists— Mark— says: "The
beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who shall prepare Your way
before You," which shows that the beginning of the Gospel is connected with the
Jewish writings. What force, then, is there in the objection of the Jew of Celsus,
that "if any one predicted to us that the Son of God was to visit mankind, he was
one of our prophets, and the prophet of our God?" Or how is it a charge against
Christianity, that John, who baptized Jesus, was a Jew? For although He was a
Jew, it does not follow that every believer, whether a convert from heathenism
or from Judaism, must yield a literal obedience to the law of Moses.
 Chapter 5
After these matters, although Celsus becomes tautological in his statements
about Jesus, repeating for the second time that "he was punished by the Jews for
his crimes," we shall not again take up the defence, being satisfied with what we
have already said. But, in the next place, as this Jew of his disparages the
doctrine regarding the resurrection of the dead, and the divine judgment, and of
the rewards to be bestowed upon the just, and of the fire which is to devour the
wicked, as being stale opinions, and thinks that he will overthrow Christianity by
asserting that there is nothing new in its teaching upon these points, we have to
say to him, that our Lord, seeing the conduct of the Jews not to be at all in
keeping with the teaching of the prophets, inculcated by a parable that the
kingdom of God would be taken from them, and given to the converts from
heathenism. For which reason, now, we may also see of a truth that all the
doctrines of the Jews of the present day are mere trifles and fables, since they
have not the light that proceeds from the knowledge of the Scriptures; whereas
those of the Christians are the truth, having power to raise and elevate the soul
and understanding of man, and to persuade him to seek a citizenship, not like the
earthly Jews here below, but in heaven. And this result shows itself among those
who are able to see the grandeur of the ideas contained in the law and the
prophets, and who are able to commend them to others.
 Chapter 6
But let it be granted that Jesus observed all the Jewish usages, including
even their sacrificial observances, what does that avail to prevent our
recognising Him as the Son of God? Jesus, then, is the Son of God, who gave the
law and the prophets; and we, who belong to the Church, do not transgress the
law, but have escaped the mythologizings of the Jews, and have our minds
chastened and educated by the mystical contemplation of the law and the
prophets. For the prophets themselves, as not resting the sense of these words in
the plain history which they relate, nor in the legal enactments taken according
to the word and letter, express themselves somewhere, when about to relate
histories, in words like this, "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hard
sayings of old;" and in another place, when offering up a prayer regarding the
law as being obscure, and needing divine help for its comprehension, they offer
up this prayer, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your
law."
 Chapter 7
Moreover, let them show where there is to be found even the appearance of
language dictated by arrogance and proceeding from Jesus. For how could an
arrogant man thus express himself, "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of
heart, and you shall find rest for your souls?" or how can He be styled arrogant,
who after supper laid aside His garments in the presence of His disciples, and,
after girding Himself with a towel, and pouring water into a basin, proceeded to
wash the feet of each disciple, and rebuked him who was unwilling to allow
them to be washed, with the words, "Except I wash you, you have no part with
Me?" Or how could He be called such who said, "I was among you, not as he
that sits at meat, but as he that serves?" And let any one show what were the
falsehoods which He uttered, and let him point out what are great and what are
small falsehoods, that he may prove Jesus to have been guilty of the former. And
there is yet another way in which we may confute him. For as one falsehood is
not less or more false than another, so one truth is not less or more true than
another. And what charges of impiety he has to bring against Jesus, let the Jew
of Celsus especially bring forward. Was it impious to abstain from corporeal
circumcision, and from a literal Sabbath, and literal festivals, and literal new
moons, and from clean and unclean meats, and to turn the mind to the good and
true and spiritual law of God, while at the same time he who was an ambassador
for Christ knew how to become to the Jews as a Jew, that he might gain the
Jews, and to those who are under the law, as under the law, that he might gain
those who are under the law?
 Chapter 8
He says, further, that "many other persons would appear such as Jesus was,
to those who were willing to be deceived." Let this Jew of Celsus then show us,
not many persons, nor even a few, but a single individual, such as Jesus was,
introducing among the human race, with the power that was manifested in Him,
a system of doctrine and opinions beneficial to human life, and which converts
men from the practice of wickedness. He says, moreover, that this charge is
brought against the Jews by the Christian converts, that they have not believed in
Jesus as in God. Now on this point we have, in the preceding pages, offered a
preliminary defence, showing at the same time in what respects we understand
Him to be God, and in what we take Him to be man. "How should we," he
continues, "who have made known to all men that there is to come from God one
who is to punish the wicked, treat him with disregard when he came?" And to
this, as an exceedingly silly argument, it does not seem to me reasonable to offer
any answer. It is as if some one were to say, "How could we, who teach
temperance, commit any act of licentiousness? Or we, who are ambassadors for
righteousness, be guilty of any wickedness?" For as these inconsistencies are
found among men, so, to say that they believed the prophets when speaking of
the future advent of Christ, and yet refused their belief to Him when He came,
agreeably to prophetic statement, was quite in keeping with human nature. And
since we must add another reason, we shall remark that this very result was
foretold by the prophets. Isaiah distinctly declares: "Hearing you shall hear, and
shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive: for the
heart of this people has become fat," etc. And let them explain why it was
predicted to the Jews, that although they both heard and saw, they would not
understand what was said, nor perceive what was seen as they ought. For it is
indeed manifest, that when they beheld Jesus they did not see who He was; and
when they heard Him, they did not understand from His words the divinity that
was in Him, and which transferred God's providential care, hitherto exercised
over the Jews, to His converts from the heathen. Therefore we may see, that after
the advent of Jesus the Jews were altogether abandoned, and possess now none
of what were considered their ancient glories, so that there is no indication of
any Divinity abiding among them. For they have no longer prophets nor
miracles, traces of which to a considerable extent are still found among
Christians, and some of them more remarkable than any that existed among the
Jews; and these we ourselves have witnessed, if our testimony may be received.
But the Jew of Celsus exclaims: "Why did we treat him, whom we announced
beforehand, with dishonour? Was it that we might be chastised more than
others?" To which we have to answer, that on account of their unbelief, and the
other insults which they heaped upon Jesus, the Jews will not only suffer more
than others in that judgment which is believed to impend over the world, but
have even already endured such sufferings. For what nation is an exile from their
own metropolis, and from the place sacred to the worship of their fathers, save
the Jews alone? And these calamities they have suffered, because they were a
most wicked nation, which, although guilty of many other sins, yet has been
punished so severely for none, as for those that were committed against our
Jesus.
 Chapter 9
The Jew continues his discourse thus: "How should we deem him to be a
God, who not only in other respects, as was currently reported, performed none
of his promises, but who also, after we had convicted him, and condemned him
as deserving of punishment, was found attempting to conceal himself, and
endeavouring to escape in a most disgraceful manner, and who was betrayed by
those whom he called disciples? And yet," he continues, "he who was a God
could neither flee nor be led away a prisoner; and least of all could he be
deserted and delivered up by those who had been his associates, and had shared
all things in common, and had had him for their teacher, who was deemed to be
a Saviour, and a son of the greatest God, and an angel." To which we reply, that
even we do not suppose the body of Jesus, which was then an object of sight and
perception, to have been God. And why do I say His body? Nay, not even His
soul, of which it is related, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."
But as, according to the Jewish manner of speaking, "I am the Lord, the God of
all flesh," and, "Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after
Me," God is believed to be He who employs the soul and body of the prophet as
an instrument; and as, according to the Greeks, he who says,

I know both the number of the sand, and the measures of the sea,
And I understand a dumb man, and hear him who does not speak,

is considered to be a god when speaking, and making himself heard through

the Pythian priestess; so, according to our view, it was the Logos God, and Son
of the God of all things, who spoke in Jesus these words, "I am the way, and the
truth, and the life;" and these, "I am the door;" and these, "I am the living bread
that came down from heaven;" and other expressions similar to these. We
therefore charge the Jews with not acknowledging Him to be God, to whom
testimony was borne in many passages by the prophets, to the effect that He was
a mighty power, and a God next to the God and Father of all things. For we
assert that it was to Him the Father gave the command, when in the Mosaic
account of the creation He uttered the words, "Let there be light," and "Let there
be a firmament," and gave the injunctions with regard to those other creative acts
which were performed; and that to Him also were addressed the words, "Let Us
make man in Our own image and likeness;" and that the Logos, when
commanded, obeyed all the Father's will. And we make these statements not
from our own conjectures, but because we believe the prophecies circulated
among the Jews, in which it is said of God, and of the works of creation, in
express words, as follows: "He spoke, and they were made; He commanded, and
they were created." Now if God gave the command, and the creatures were
formed, who, according to the view of the spirit of prophecy, could He be that
was able to carry out such commands of the Father, save Him who, so to speak,
is the living Logos and the Truth? And that the Gospels do not consider him who
in Jesus said these words, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life," to have
been of so circumscribed a nature as to have an existence nowhere out of the
soul and body of Jesus, is evident both from many considerations, and from a
few instances of the following kind which we shall quote. John the Baptist, when
predicting that the Son of God was to appear immediately, not in that body and
soul, but as manifesting Himself everywhere, says regarding Him: "There stands
in the midst of you One whom you know not, who comes after me." For if he had
thought that the Son of God was only there, where was the visible body of Jesus,
how could he have said, "There stands in the midst of you One whom you know
not?" And Jesus Himself, in raising the minds of His disciples to higher thoughts
of the Son of God, says: "Where two or three are gathered together in My name,
there am I in the midst of you." And of the same nature is His promise to His
disciples: "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world." And we
quote these passages, making no distinction between the Son of God and Jesus.
For the soul and body of Jesus formed, after the [οἰκονομία], one being with the
Logos of God. Now if, according to Paul's teaching, "he that is joined unto the
Lord is one spirit," every one who understands what being joined to the Lord is,
and who has been actually joined to Him, is one spirit with the Lord; how should
not that being be one in a far greater and more divine degree, which was once
united with the Logos of God? He, indeed, manifested Himself among the Jews
as the power of God, by the miracles which He performed, which Celsus
suspected were accomplished by sorcery, but which by the Jews of that time
were attributed I know not why, to Beelzebub, in the words: "He casts out devils
through Beelzebub, the prince of the devils." But these our Saviour convicted of
uttering the greatest absurdities, from the fact that the kingdom of evil was not
yet come to an end. And this will be evident to all intelligent readers of the
Gospel narrative, which it is not now the time to explain.
 Chapter 10
But what promise did Jesus make which He did not perform? Let Celsus
produce any instance of such, and make good his charge. But he will be unable
to do so, especially since it is from mistakes, arising either from
misapprehension of the Gospel narratives, or from Jewish stories, that he thinks
to derive the charges which he brings against Jesus or against ourselves.
Moreover, again, when the Jew says, "We both found him guilty, and condemned
him as deserving of death," let them show how they who sought to concoct false
witness against Him proved Him to be guilty. Was not the great charge against
Jesus, which His accusers brought forward, this, that He said, "I am able to
destroy the temple of God, and after three days to raise it up again?" But in so
saying, He spoke of the temple of His body; while they thought, not being able
to understand the meaning of the speaker, that His reference was to the temple of
stone, which was treated by the Jews with greater respect than He was who
ought to have been honoured as the true Temple of God— the Word, and the
Wisdom, and the Truth. And who can say that "Jesus attempted to make His
escape by disgracefully concealing Himself?" Let any one point to an act
deserving to be called disgraceful. And when he adds, "he was taken prisoner," I
would say that, if to be taken prisoner implies an act done against one's will, then
Jesus was not taken prisoner; for at the fitting time He did not prevent Himself
falling into the hands of men, as the Lamb of God, that He might take away the
sin of the world. For, knowing all things that were to come upon Him, He went
forth, and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" and they answered, "Jesus of
Nazareth;" and He said unto them, "I am He." And Judas also, who betrayed
Him, was standing with them. When, therefore, He had said to them, "I am He,"
they went backwards and fell to the ground. Again He asked them, "Whom do
you seek?" and they said again, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I told
you I am He; if then you seek Me, let these go away." Nay, even to Him who
wished to help Him, and who smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his ear,
He said: "Put up your sword into its sheath: for all they who draw the sword
shall perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot even now pray to My
Father, and He will presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But
how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" And if any one
imagines these statements to be inventions of the writers of the Gospels, why
should not those statements rather be regarded as inventions which proceeded
from a spirit of hatred and hostility against Jesus and the Christians? And these
the truth, which proceed from those who manifest the sincerity of their feelings
towards Jesus, by enduring everything, whatever it may be, for the sake of His
words? For the reception by the disciples of such power of endurance and
resolution continued even to death, with a disposition of mind that would not
invent regarding their Teacher what was not true, is a very evident proof to all
candid judges that they were fully persuaded of the truth of what they wrote,
seeing they submitted to trials so numerous and so severe, for the sake of Him
whom they believed to be the Son of God.
 Chapter 11
In the next place, that He was betrayed by those whom He called His
disciples, is a circumstance which the Jew of Celsus learned from the Gospels;
calling the one Judas, however, "many disciples," that he might seem to add
force to the accusation. Nor did he trouble himself to take note of all that is
related concerning Judas; how this Judas, having come to entertain opposite and
conflicting opinions regarding his Master neither opposed Him with his whole
soul, nor yet with his whole soul preserved the respect due by a pupil to his
teacher. For he that betrayed Him gave to the multitude that came to apprehend
Jesus, a sign, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, it is he; seize him," — retaining
still some element of respect for his Master: for unless he had done so, he would
have betrayed Him, even publicly, without any pretence of affection. This
circumstance, therefore, will satisfy all with regard to the purpose of Judas, that
along with his covetous disposition, and his wicked design to betray his Master,
he had still a feeling of a mixed character in his mind, produced in him by the
words of Jesus, which had the appearance (so to speak) of some remnant of
good. For it is related that, "when Judas, who betrayed Him, knew that He was
condemned, he repented, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the high
priest and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent
blood. But they said, What is that to us? You see to that;" — and that, having
thrown the money down in the temple, he departed, and went and hanged
himself. But if this covetous Judas, who also stole the money placed in the bag
for the relief of the poor, repented, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to
the chief priests and elders, it is clear that the instructions of Jesus had been able
to produce some feeling of repentance in his mind, and were not altogether
despised and loathed by this traitor. Nay, the declaration, "I have sinned, in that I
have betrayed the innocent blood," was a public acknowledgment of his crime.
Observe, also, how exceedingly passionate was the sorrow for his sins that
proceeded from that repentance, and which would not suffer him any longer to
live; and how, after he had cast the money down in the temple, he withdrew, and
went away and hanged himself: for he passed sentence upon himself, showing
what a power the teaching of Jesus had over this sinner Judas, this thief and
traitor, who could not always treat with contempt what he had learned from
Jesus. Will Celsus and his friends now say that those proofs which show that the
apostasy of Judas was not a complete apostasy, even after his attempts against
his Master, are inventions, and that this alone is true, viz., that one of His
disciples betrayed Him; and will they add to the Scriptural account that he
betrayed Him also with his whole heart? To act in this spirit of hostility with the
same writings, both as to what we are to believe and what we are not to believe,
is absurd. And if we must make a statement regarding Judas which may
overwhelm our opponents with shame, we would say that, in the book of Psalms,
the whole of the 108th contains a prophecy about Judas, the beginning of which
is this: "O God, hold not Your peace before my praise; for the mouth of the
sinner, and the mouth of the crafty man, are opened against me." And it is
predicted in this psalm, both that Judas separated himself from the number of the
apostles on account of his sins, and that another was selected in his place; and
this is shown by the words: "And his bishopric let another take." But suppose
now that He had been betrayed by some one of His disciples, who was possessed
by a worse spirit than Judas, and who had completely poured out, as it were, all
the words which he had heard from Jesus, what would this contribute to an
accusation against Jesus or the Christian religion? And how will this
demonstrate its doctrine to be false? We have replied in the preceding chapter to
the statements which follow this, showing that Jesus was not taken prisoner
when attempting to flee, but that He gave Himself up voluntarily for the sake of
us all. Whence it follows, that even if He were bound, He was bound agreeably
to His own will; thus teaching us the lesson that we should undertake similar
things for the sake of religion in no spirit of unwillingness.
 Chapter 12
And the following appear to me to be childish assertions, viz., that "no good
general and leader of great multitudes was ever betrayed; nor even a wicked
captain of robbers and commander of very wicked men, who seemed to be of any
use to his associates; but Jesus, having been betrayed by his subordinates,
neither governed like a good general, nor, after deceiving his disciples,
produced in the minds of the victims of his deceit that feeling of good-will which,
so to speak, would be manifested towards a brigand chief." Now one might find
many accounts of generals who were betrayed by their own soldiers, and of
robber chiefs who were captured through the instrumentality of those who did
not keep their bargains with them. But grant that no general or robber chief was
ever betrayed, what does that contribute to the establishment of the fact as a
charge against Jesus, that one of His disciples became His betrayer? And since
Celsus makes an ostentatious exhibition of philosophy, I would ask of him, If,
then, it was a charge against Plato, that Aristotle, after being his pupil for twenty
years, went away and assailed his doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and
styled the ideas of Plato the merest trifling? And if I were still in doubt, I would
continue thus: Was Plato no longer mighty in dialectics, nor able to defend his
views, after Aristotle had taken his departure; and, on that account, are the
opinions of Plato false? Or may it not be, that while Plato is true, as the pupils of
his philosophy would maintain, Aristotle was guilty of wickedness and
ingratitude towards his teacher? Nay, Chrysippus also, in many places of his
writings, appears to assail Cleanthes, introducing novel opinions opposed to his
views, although the latter had been his teacher when he was a young man, and
began the study of philosophy. Aristotle, indeed, is said to have been Plato's
pupil for twenty years, and no inconsiderable period was spent by Chrysippus in
the school of Cleanthes; while Judas did not remain so much as three years with
Jesus. But from the narratives of the lives of philosophers we might take many
instances similar to those on which Celsus founds a charge against Jesus on
account of Judas. Even the Pythagoreans erected cenotaphs to those who, after
betaking themselves to philosophy, fell back again into their ignorant mode of
life; and yet neither was Pythagoras nor his followers, on that account, weak in
argument and demonstration.
 Chapter 13
This Jew of Celsus continues, after the above, in the following fashion:
"Although he could state many things regarding the events of the life of Jesus
which are true, and not like those which are recorded by the disciples, he
willingly omits them." What, then, are those true statements, unlike the accounts
in the Gospels, which the Jew of Celsus passes by without mention? Or is he
only employing what appears to be a figure of speech, in pretending to have
something to say, while in reality he had nothing to produce beyond the Gospel
narrative which could impress the hearer with a feeling of its truth, and furnish a
clear ground of accusation against Jesus and His doctrine? And he charges the
disciples with having invented the statement that Jesus foreknew and foretold all
that happened to Him; but the truth of this statement we shall establish, although
Celsus may not like it, by means of many other predictions uttered by the
Saviour, in which He foretold what would befall the Christians in after
generations. And who is there who would not be astonished at this prediction:
"You shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony
against them and the Gentiles;" and at any others which He may have delivered
respecting the future persecution of His disciples? For what system of opinions
ever existed among men on account of which others are punished, so that any
one of the accusers of Jesus could say that, foreseeing the impiety or falsity of
his opinions to be the ground of an accusation against them he thought that this
would redound to his credit, that he had so predicted regarding it long before?
Now if any deserve to be brought, on account of their opinions, before governors
and kings, what others are they, save the Epicureans, who altogether deny the
existence of providence? And also the Peripatetics, who say that prayers are of
no avail, and sacrifices offered as to the Divinity? But some one will say that the
Samaritans suffer persecution because of their religion. In answer to whom we
shall state that the Sicarians, on account of the practice of circumcision, as
mutilating themselves contrary to the established laws and the customs permitted
to the Jews alone, are put to death. And you never hear a judge inquiring
whether a Sicarian who strives to live according to this established religion of
his will be released from punishment if he apostatizes, but will be led away to
death if he continues firm; for the evidence of the circumcision is sufficient to
ensure the death of him who has undergone it. But Christians alone, according to
the prediction of their Saviour, "You shall be brought before governors and
kings for My sake," are urged up to their last breath by their judges to deny
Christianity, and to sacrifice according to the public customs; and after the oath
of abjuration, to return to their homes, and to live in safety. And observe whether
it is not with great authority that this declaration is uttered: "Whosoever
therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father
who is in heaven. And whosoever shall deny Me before men," etc. And go back
with me in thought to Jesus when He uttered these words, and see His
predictions not yet accomplished. Perhaps you will say, in a spirit of incredulity,
that he is talking folly, and speaking to no purpose, for his words will have no
fulfilment; or, being in doubt about assenting to his words, you will say, that if
these predictions be fulfilled, and the doctrine of Jesus be established, so that
governors and kings think of destroying those who acknowledge Jesus, then we
shall believe that he utters these prophecies as one who has received great power
from God to implant this doctrine among the human race, and as believing that it
will prevail. And who will not be filled with wonder, when he goes back in
thought to Him who then taught and said, "This Gospel shall be preached
throughout the whole world, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles," and
beholds, agreeably to His words, the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached in the
whole world under heaven to Greeks and Barbarians, wise and foolish alike? For
the word, spoken with power, has gained the mastery over men of all sorts of
nature, and it is impossible to see any race of men which has escaped accepting
the teaching of Jesus. But let this Jew of Celsus, who does not believe that He
foreknew all that happened to Him, consider how, while Jerusalem was still
standing, and the whole Jewish worship celebrated in it, Jesus foretold what
would befall it from the hand of the Romans. For they will not maintain that the
acquaintances and pupils of Jesus Himself handed down His teaching contained
in the Gospels without committing it to writing, and left His disciples without
the memoirs of Jesus contained in their works. Now in these it is recorded, that
"when you shall see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, then shall you
know that the desolation thereof is near." But at that time there were no armies
around Jerusalem, encompassing and enclosing and besieging it; for the siege
began in the reign of Nero, and lasted till the government of Vespasian, whose
son Titus destroyed Jerusalem, on account, as Josephus says, of James the Just,
the brother of Jesus who was called Christ, but in reality, as the truth makes
clear, on account of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
 Chapter 14
Celsus, however, accepting or granting that Jesus foreknew what would
befall Him, might think to make light of the admission, as he did in the case of
the miracles, when he alleged that they were wrought by means of sorcery; for
he might say that many persons by means of divination, either by auspices, or
auguries, or sacrifices, or nativities, have come to the knowledge of what was to
happen. But this concession he would not make, as being too great a one; and
although he somehow granted that Jesus worked miracles, he thought to weaken
the force of this by the charge of sorcery. Now Phlegon, in the thirteenth or
fourteenth book, I think, of his Chronicles, not only ascribed to Jesus a
knowledge of future events (although falling into confusion about some things
which refer to Peter, as if they referred to Jesus), but also testified that the result
corresponded to His predictions. So that he also, by these very admissions
regarding foreknowledge, as if against his will, expressed his opinion that the
doctrines taught by the fathers of our system were not devoid of divine power.
 Chapter 15
Celsus continues: "The disciples of Jesus, having no undoubted fact on
which to rely, devised the fiction that he foreknew everything before it
happened;" not observing, or not wishing to observe, the love of truth which
actuated the writers, who acknowledged that Jesus had told His disciples
beforehand, "All you shall be offended because of Me this night," — a statement
which was fulfilled by their all being offended; and that He predicted to Peter,
"Before the cock crow, you shall deny Me thrice," which was followed by Peter's
threefold denial. Now if they had not been lovers of truth, but, as Celsus
supposes, inventors of fictions, they would not have represented Peter as
denying, nor His disciples as being offended. For although these events actually
happened, who could have proved that they turned out in that manner? And yet,
according to all probability, these were matters which ought to have been passed
over in silence by men who wished to teach the readers of the Gospels to despise
death for the sake of confessing Christianity. But now, seeing that the word, by
its power, will gain the mastery over men, they related those facts which they
have done, and which, I know not how, were neither to do any harm to their
readers, nor to afford any pretext for denial.
 Chapter 16
Exceedingly weak is his assertion, that "the disciples of Jesus wrote such
accounts regarding him, by way of extenuating the charges that told against
him: as if," he says, "any one were to say that a certain person was a just man,
and yet were to show that he was guilty of injustice; or that he was pious, and
yet had committed murder; or that he was immortal, and yet was dead;
subjoining to all these statements the remark that he had foretold all these
things." Now his illustrations are at once seen to be inappropriate; for there is no
absurdity in Him who had resolved that He would become a living pattern to
men, as to the manner in which they were to regulate their lives, showing also
how they ought to die for the sake of their religion, apart altogether from the fact
that His death on behalf of men was a benefit to the whole world, as we proved
in the preceding book. He imagines, moreover, that the whole of the confession
of the Saviour's sufferings confirms his objection instead of weakening it. For he
is not acquainted either with the philosophical remarks of Paul, or the statements
of the prophets, on this subject. And it escaped him that certain heretics have
declared that Jesus underwent His sufferings in appearance, not in reality. For
had he known, he would not have said: "For you do not even allege this, that he
seemed to wicked men to suffer this punishment, though not undergoing it in
reality; but, on the contrary, you acknowledge that he openly suffered." But we
do not view His sufferings as having been merely in appearance, in order that
His resurrection also may not be a false, but a real event. For he who really died,
actually arose, if he did arise; whereas he who appeared only to have died, did
not in reality arise. But since the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a subject of
mockery to unbelievers, we shall quote the words of Plato, that Erus the son of
Armenius rose from the funeral pile twelve days after he had been laid upon it,
and gave an account of what he had seen in Hades; and as we are replying to
unbelievers, it will not be altogether useless to refer in this place to what
Heraclides relates respecting the woman who was deprived of life. And many
persons are recorded to have risen from their tombs, not only on the day of their
burial, but also on the day following. What wonder is it, then, if in the case of
One who performed many marvellous things, both beyond the power of man and
with such fullness of evidence, that he who could not deny their performance,
endeavoured to calumniate them by comparing them to acts of sorcery, should
have manifested also in His death some greater display of divine power, so that
His soul, if it pleased, might leave its body, and having performed certain offices
out of it, might return again at pleasure? And such a declaration is Jesus said to
have made in the Gospel of John, when He said: "No man takes My life from Me,
but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take
it again." And perhaps it was on this account that He hastened His departure
from the body, that He might preserve it, and that His legs might not be broken,
as were those of the robbers who were crucified with Him. "For the soldiers
broke the legs of the first, and of the other who was crucified with Him; but
when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead, they broke not His legs."
We have accordingly answered the question, "How is it credible that Jesus could
have predicted these things?" And with respect to this, "How could the dead
man be immortal?" let him who wishes to understand know, that it is not the
dead man who is immortal, but He who rose from the dead. So far, indeed, was
the dead man from being immortal, that even the Jesus before His decease— the
compound being, who was to suffer death— was not immortal. For no one is
immortal who is destined to die; but he is immortal when he shall no longer be
subject to death. But "Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more: death
has no more dominion over Him;" although those may be unwilling to admit this
who cannot understand how such things should be said.
 Chapter 17
Extremely foolish also is his remark, "What god, or spirit, or prudent man
would not, on foreseeing that such events were to befall him, avoid them if he
could; whereas he threw himself headlong into those things which he knew
beforehand were to happen?" And yet Socrates knew that he would die after
drinking the hemlock, and it was in his power, if he had allowed himself to be
persuaded by Crito, by escaping from prison, to avoid these calamities; but
nevertheless he decided, as it appeared to him consistent with right reason, that it
was better for him to die as became a philosopher, than to retain his life in a
manner unbecoming one. Leonidas also, the Lacedæmonian general, knowing
that he was on the point of dying with his followers at Thermopylæ, did not
make any effort to preserve his life by disgraceful means but said to his
companions, "Let us go to breakfast, as we shall sup in Hades." And those who
are interested in collecting stories of this kind will find numbers of them. Now,
where is the wonder if Jesus, knowing all things that were to happen, did not
avoid them, but encountered what He foreknew; when Paul, His own disciple,
having heard what would befall him when he went up to Jerusalem, proceeded to
face the danger, reproaching those who were weeping around him, and
endeavouring to prevent him from going up to Jerusalem? Many also of our
contemporaries, knowing well that if they made a confession of Christianity they
would be put to death, but that if they denied it they would be liberated, and their
property restored, despised life, and voluntarily selected death for the sake of
their religion.
 Chapter 18
After this the Jew makes another silly remark, saying, "How is it that, if
Jesus pointed out beforehand both the traitor and the perjurer, they did not fear
him as a God, and cease, the one from his intended treason, and the other from
his perjury?" Here the learned Celsus did not see the contradiction in his
statement: for if Jesus foreknew events as a God, then it was impossible for His
foreknowledge to prove untrue; and therefore it was impossible for him who was
known to Him as going to betray Him not to execute his purpose, nor for him
who was rebuked as going to deny Him not to have been guilty of that crime.
For if it had been possible for the one to abstain from the act of betrayal, and the
other from that of denial, as having been warned of the consequences of these
actions beforehand, then His words were no longer true, who predicted that the
one would betray Him and the other deny Him. For if He had foreknowledge of
the traitor, He knew the wickedness in which the treason originated, and this
wickedness was by no means taken away by the foreknowledge. And, again, if
He had ascertained that one would deny Him, He made that prediction from
seeing the weakness out of which that act of denial would arise, and yet this
weakness was not to be taken away thus at once by the foreknowledge. But
whence he derived the statement, "that these persons betrayed and denied him
without manifesting any concern about him," I know not; for it was proved, with
respect to the traitor, that it is false to say that he betrayed his master without an
exhibition of anxiety regarding Him. And this was shown to be equally true of
him who denied Him; for he went out, after the denial, and wept bitterly.
 Chapter 19
Superficial also is his objection, that "it is always the case when a man
against whom a plot is formed, and who comes to the knowledge of it, makes
known to the conspirators that he is acquainted with their design, that the latter
are turned from their purpose, and keep upon their guard." For many have
continued to plot even against those who were acquainted with their plans. And
then, as if bringing his argument to a conclusion, he says: "Not because these
things were predicted did they come to pass, for that is impossible; but since
they have come to pass, their being predicted is shown to be a falsehood: for it is
altogether impossible that those who heard beforehand of the discovery of their
designs, should carry out their plans of betrayal and denial!" But if his premises
are overthrown, then his conclusion also falls to the ground, viz., "that we are
not to believe, because these things were predicted, that they have come to
pass." Now we maintain that they not only came to pass as being possible, but
also that, because they came to pass, the fact of their being predicted is shown to
be true; for the truth regarding future events is judged of by results. It is false,
therefore, as asserted by him, that the prediction of these events is proved to be
untrue; and it is to no purpose that he says, "It is altogether impossible for those
who heard beforehand that their designs were discovered, to carry out their
plans of betrayal and denial."
 Chapter 20
Let us see how he continues after this: "These events," he says, "he
predicted as being a God, and the prediction must by all means come to pass.
God, therefore, who above all others ought to do good to men, and especially to
those of his own household, led on his own disciples and prophets, with whom he
was in the habit of eating and drinking, to such a degree of wickedness, that they
became impious and unholy men. Now, of a truth, he who shared a man's table
would not be guilty of conspiring against him; but after banqueting with God, he
became a conspirator. And, what is still more absurd, God himself plotted
against the members of his own table, by converting them into traitors and
villains!" Now, since you wish me to answer even those charges of Celsus which
seem to me frivolous, the following is our reply to such statements. Celsus
imagines that an event, predicted through foreknowledge, comes to pass because
it was predicted; but we do not grant this, maintaining that he who foretold it
was not the cause of its happening, because he foretold it would happen; but the
future event itself, which would have taken place though not predicted, afforded
the occasion to him, who was endowed with foreknowledge, of foretelling its
occurrence. Now, certainly this result is present to the foreknowledge of him
who predicts an event, when it is possible that it may or may not happen, viz.,
that one or other of these things will take place. For we do not assert that he who
foreknows an event, by secretly taking away the possibility of its happening or
not, makes any such declaration as this: "This shall infallibly happen, and it is
impossible that it can be otherwise." And this remark applies to all the
foreknowledge of events dependent upon ourselves, whether contained in the
sacred Scriptures or in the histories of the Greeks. Now, what is called by
logicians an "idle argument," which is a sophism, will be no sophism as far as
Celsus can help, but according to sound reasoning it is a sophism. And that this
may be seen, I shall take from the Scriptures the predictions regarding Judas, or
the foreknowledge of our Saviour regarding him as the traitor; and from the
Greek histories the oracle that was given to Laius, conceding for the present its
truth, since it does not affect the argument. Now, in Ps. cviii., Judas is spoken of
by the mouth of the Saviour, in words beginning thus: "Hold not Your peace, O
God of my praise; for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are
opened against me." Now, if you carefully observe the contents of the psalm,
you will find that, as it was foreknown that he would betray the Saviour, so also
was he considered to be himself the cause of the betrayal, and deserving, on
account of his wickedness, of the imprecations contained in the prophecy. For let
him suffer these things, "because," says the psalmist, "he remembered not to
show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man." Wherefore it was possible
for him to show mercy, and not to persecute him whom he did persecute. But
although he might have done these things, he did not do them, but carried out the
act of treason, so as to merit the curses pronounced against him in the prophecy.
And in answer to the Greeks we shall quote the following oracular response
to Laius, as recorded by the tragic poet, either in the exact words of the oracle or
in equivalent terms. Future events are thus made known to him by the oracle:
"Do not try to beget children against the will of the gods. For if you beget a son,
your son shall murder you; and all your household shall wade in blood." Now
from this it is clear that it was within the power of Laius not to try to beget
children, for the oracle would not have commanded an impossibility; and it was
also in his power to do the opposite, so that neither of these courses was
compulsory. And the consequence of his not guarding against the begetting of
children was, that he suffered from so doing the calamities described in the
tragedies relating to Œdipus and Jocasta and their sons. Now that which is called
the "idle argument," being a quibble, is such as might be applied, say in the case
of a sick man, with the view of sophistically preventing him from employing a
physician to promote his recovery; and it is something like this: "If it is decreed
that you should recover from your disease, you will recover whether you call in
a physician or not; but if it is decreed that you should not recover, you will not
recover whether you call in a physician or no. But it is certainly decreed either
that you should recover, or that you should not recover; and therefore it is in
vain that you call in a physician." Now with this argument the following may be
wittily compared: "If it is decreed that you should beget children, you will beget
them, whether you have intercourse with a woman or not. But if it is decreed that
you should not beget children, you will not do so, whether you have intercourse
with a woman or no. Now, certainly, it is decreed either that you should beget
children or not; therefore it is in vain that you have intercourse with a woman."
For, as in the latter instance, intercourse with a woman is not employed in vain,
seeing it is an utter impossibility for him who does not use it to beget children;
so, in the former, if recovery from disease is to be accomplished by means of the
healing art, of necessity the physician is summoned, and it is therefore false to
say that "in vain do you call in a physician." We have brought forward all these
illustrations on account of the assertion of this learned Celsus, that "being a God
He predicted these things, and the predictions must by all means come to pass."
Now, if by " by all means " he means " necessarily ," we cannot admit this. For
it was quite possible, also, that they might not come to pass. But if he uses " by
all means " in the sense of " simple futurity ," which nothing hinders from being
true (although it was possible that they might not happen), he does not at all
touch my argument; nor did it follow, from Jesus having predicted the acts of the
traitor or the perjurer, that it was the same thing with His being the cause of such
impious and unholy proceedings. For He who was among us, and knew what
was in man, seeing his evil disposition, and foreseeing what he would attempt
from his spirit of covetousness, and from his want of stable ideas of duty
towards his Master, along with many other declarations, gave utterance to this
also: "He that dips his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me."
 Chapter 21
Observe also the superficiality and manifest falsity of such a statement of
Celsus, when he asserts "that he who was partaker of a man's table would not
conspire against him; and if he would not conspire against a man, much less
would he plot against a God after banqueting with him." For who does not know
that many persons, after partaking of the salt on the table, have entered into a
conspiracy against their entertainers? The whole of Greek and Barbarian history
is full of such instances. And the Iambic poet of Paros, when upbraiding
Lycambes with having violated covenants confirmed by the salt of the table,
says to him:—

"But you have broken a mighty oath— that, viz., by the salt of the
table."

And they who are interested in historical learning, and who give themselves
wholly to it, to the neglect of other branches of knowledge more necessary for
the conduct of life, can quote numerous instances, showing that they who shared
in the hospitality of others entered into conspiracies against them.
 Chapter 22
He adds to this, as if he had brought together an argument with conclusive
demonstrations and consequences, the following: "And, which is still more
absurd, God himself conspired against those who sat at his table, by converting
them into traitors and impious men." But how Jesus could either conspire or
convert His disciples into traitors or impious men, it would be impossible for
him to prove, save by means of such a deduction as any one could refute with
the greatest ease.
 Chapter 23
He continues in this strain: "If he had determined upon these things, and
underwent chastisement in obedience to his Father, it is manifest that, being a
God, and submitting voluntarily, those things that were done agreeably to his
own decision were neither painful nor distressing." But he did not observe that
here he was at once contradicting himself. For if he granted that He was
chastised because He had determined upon these things, and had submitted
Himself to His Father, it is clear that He actually suffered punishment, and it was
impossible that what was inflicted on Him by His chastisers should not be
painful, because pain is an involuntary thing. But if, because He was willing to
suffer, His inflictions were neither painful nor distressing, how did He grant that
"He was chastised?" He did not perceive that when Jesus had once, by His birth,
assumed a body, He assumed one which was capable both of suffering pains,
and those distresses incidental to humanity, if we are to understand by distresses
what no one voluntarily chooses. Since, therefore, He voluntarily assumed a
body, not wholly of a different nature from that of human flesh, so along with
His body He assumed also its sufferings and distresses, which it was not in His
power to avoid enduring, it being in the power of those who inflicted them to
send upon Him things distressing and painful. And in the preceding pages we
have already shown, that He would not have come into the hands of men had He
not so willed. But He did come, because He was willing to come, and because it
was manifest beforehand that His dying upon behalf of men would be of
advantage to the whole human race.
 Chapter 24
After this, wishing to prove that the occurrences which befell Him were
painful and distressing, and that it was impossible for Him, had He wished, to
render them otherwise, he proceeds: "Why does he mourn, and lament, and pray
to escape the fear of death, expressing himself in terms like these: 'O Father, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from Me?'" Now in these words observe the
malignity of Celsus, how not accepting the love of truth which actuates the
writers of the Gospels (who might have passed over in silence those points
which, as Celsus thinks, are censurable, but who did not omit them for many
reasons, which any one, in expounding the Gospel, can give in their proper
place), he brings an accusation against the Gospel statement, grossly
exaggerating the facts, and quoting what is not written in the Gospels, seeing it is
nowhere found that Jesus lamented. And he changes the words in the expression,
"Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me," and does not give what
follows immediately after, which manifests at once the ready obedience of Jesus
to His Father, and His greatness of mind, and which runs thus: "Nevertheless,
not as I will, but as You will." Nay, even the cheerful obedience of Jesus to the
will of His Father in those things which He was condemned to suffer, exhibited
in the declaration, "If this cup cannot pass from Me except I drink it, Your will be
done," he pretends not to have observed, acting here like those wicked
individuals who listen to the Holy Scriptures in a malignant spirit, and "who talk
wickedness with lofty head." For they appear to have heard the declaration, "I
kill," and they often make it to us a subject of reproach; but the words, "I will
make alive," they do not remember—the whole sentence showing that those who
live amid public wickedness, and who work wickedly, are put to death by God,
and that a better life is infused into them instead, even one which God will give
to those who have died to sin. And so also these men have heard the words, "I
will smite;" but they do not see these, "and I will heal," which are like the words
of a physician, who cuts bodies asunder, and inflicts severe wounds, in order to
extract from them substances that are injurious and prejudicial to health, and
who does not terminate his work with pains and lacerations, but by his treatment
restores the body to that state of soundness which he has in view. Moreover, they
have not heard the whole of the announcement, "For He makes sore, and again
binds up;" but only this part, "He makes sore." So in like manner acts this Jew of
Celsus who quotes the words, "O Father, would that this cup might pass from
Me;" but who does not add what follows, and which exhibits the firmness of
Jesus, and His preparedness for suffering. But these matters, which afford great
room for explanation from the wisdom of God, and which may reasonably be
pondered over by those whom Paul calls "perfect" when he said, "We speak
wisdom among them who are perfect," we pass by for the present, and shall
speak for a little of those matters which are useful for our present purpose.
 Chapter 25
We have mentioned in the preceding pages that there are some of the
declarations of Jesus which refer to that Being in Him which was the "first-born
of every creature," such as, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life," and such
like; and others, again, which belong to that in Him which is understood to be
man, such as, "But now you seek to kill Me, a man that has told you the truth
which I have heard of the Father." And here, accordingly, he describes the
element of weakness belonging to human flesh, and that of readiness of spirit
which existed in His humanity: the element of weakness in the expression,
"Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;" the readiness of the spirit in
this, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." And since it is proper to
observe the order of our quotations, observe that, in the first place, there is
mentioned only the single instance, as one would say, indicating the weakness of
the flesh; and afterwards those other instances, greater in number, manifesting
the willingness of the spirit. For the expression, "Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from Me," is only one: whereas more numerous are those others, viz.,
"Not as I will, but as You will;" and, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass from
Me except I drink it, Your will be done." It is to be noted also, that the words are
not, "let this cup depart from Me;" but that the whole expression is marked by a
tone of piety and reverence, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me."
I know, indeed, that there is another explanation of this passage to the following
effect:— The Saviour, foreseeing the sufferings which the Jewish people and the
city of Jerusalem were to undergo in requital of the wicked deeds which the Jews
had dared to perpetrate upon Him, from no other motive than that of the purest
philanthropy towards them, and from a desire that they might escape the
impending calamities, gave utterance to the prayer, "Father, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from Me." It is as if He had said, "Because of My drinking this cup
of punishment, the whole nation will be forsaken by You, I pray, if it be possible,
that this cup may pass from Me, in order that Your portion, which was guilty of
such crimes against Me, may not be altogether deserted by You." But if, as
Celsus would allege, "nothing at that time was done to Jesus which was either
painful or distressing," how could men afterwards quote the example of Jesus as
enduring sufferings for the sake of religion, if He did not suffer what are human
sufferings, but only had the appearance of so doing?
 Chapter 26
This Jew of Celsus still accuses the disciples of Jesus of having invented
these statements, saying to them: "Even although guilty of falsehood, you have
not been able to give a colour of credibility to your inventions." In answer to
which we have to say, that there was an easy method of concealing these
occurrences—that, viz., of not recording them at all. For if the Gospels had not
contained the accounts of these things, who could have reproached us with Jesus
having spoken such words during His stay upon the earth? Celsus, indeed, did
not see that it was an inconsistency for the same persons both to be deceived
regarding Jesus, believing Him to be God, and the subject of prophecy, and to
invent fictions about Him, knowing manifestly that these statements were false.
Of a truth, therefore, they were not guilty of inventing untruths, but such were
their real impressions, and they recorded them truly; or else they were guilty of
falsifying the histories, and did not entertain these views, and were not deceived
when they acknowledged Him to be God.
 Chapter 27
After this he says, that certain of the Christian believers, like persons who
in a fit of drunkenness lay violent hands upon themselves, have corrupted the
Gospel from its original integrity, to a threefold, and fourfold, and many-fold
degree, and have remodelled it, so that they might be able to answer objections.
Now I know of no others who have altered the Gospel, save the followers of
Marcion, and those of Valentinus, and, I think, also those of Lucian. But such an
allegation is no charge against the Christian system, but against those who dared
so to trifle with the Gospels. And as it is no ground of accusation against
philosophy, that there exist Sophists, or Epicureans, or Peripatetics, or any
others, whoever they may be, who hold false opinions; so neither is it against
genuine Christianity that there are some who corrupt the Gospel histories, and
who introduce heresies opposed to the meaning of the doctrine of Jesus.
 Chapter 28
And since this Jew of Celsus makes it a subject of reproach that Christians
should make use of the prophets, who predicted the events of Christ's life, we
have to say, in addition to what we have already advanced upon this head, that it
became him to spare individuals, as he says, and to expound the prophecies
themselves, and after admitting the probability of the Christian interpretation of
them, to show how the use which they make of them may be overturned. For in
this way he would not appear hastily to assume so important a position on small
grounds, and particularly when he asserts that the "prophecies agree with ten
thousand other things more credibly than with Jesus." And he ought to have
carefully met this powerful argument of the Christians, as being the strongest
which they adduce, and to have demonstrated with regard to each particular
prophecy, that it can apply to other events with greater probability than to Jesus.
He did not, however, perceive that this was a plausible argument to be advanced
against the Christians only by one who was an opponent of the prophetic
writings; but Celsus has here put in the mouth of a Jew an objection which a Jew
would not have made. For a Jew will not admit that the prophecies may be
applied to countless other things with greater probability than to Jesus; but he
will endeavour, after giving what appears to him the meaning of each, to oppose
the Christian interpretation, not indeed by any means adducing convincing
reasons, but only attempting to do so.
 Chapter 29
In the preceding pages we have already spoken of this point, viz., the
prediction that there were to be two advents of Christ to the human race, so that
it is not necessary for us to reply to the objection, supposed to be urged by a Jew,
that "the prophets declare the coming one to be a mighty potentate, Lord of all
nations and armies." But it is in the spirit of a Jew, I think, and in keeping with
their bitter animosity, and baseless and even improbable calumnies against Jesus,
that he adds: "Nor did the prophets predict such a pestilence." For neither Jews,
nor Celsus, nor any other, can bring any argument to prove that a pestilence
converts men from the practice of evil to a life which is according to nature, and
distinguished by temperance and other virtues.
 Chapter 30
This objection also is cast in our teeth by Celsus: "From such signs and
misinterpretations, and from proofs so mean, no one could prove him to be God,
and the Son of God." Now it was his duty to enumerate the alleged
misinterpretations, and to prove them to be such, and to show by reasoning the
meanness of the evidence, in order that the Christian, if any of his objections
should seem to be plausible, might be able to answer and confute his arguments.
What he said, however, regarding Jesus, did indeed come to pass, because He
was a mighty potentate, although Celsus refuses to see that it so happened,
notwithstanding that the clearest evidence proves it true of Jesus. "For as the
sun," he says, "which enlightens all other objects, first makes himself visible, so
ought the Son of God to have done." We would say in reply, that so He did; for
righteousness has arisen in His days, and there is abundance of peace, which
took its commencement at His birth, God preparing the nations for His teaching,
that they might be under one prince, the king of the Romans, and that it might
not, owing to the want of union among the nations, caused by the existence of
many kingdoms, be more difficult for the apostles of Jesus to accomplish the
task enjoined upon them by their Master, when He said, "Go and teach all
nations." Moreover it is certain that Jesus was born in the reign of Augustus,
who, so to speak, fused together into one monarchy the many populations of the
earth. Now the existence of many kingdoms would have been a hindrance to the
spread of the doctrine of Jesus throughout the entire world; not only for the
reasons mentioned, but also on account of the necessity of men everywhere
engaging in war, and fighting on behalf of their native country, which was the
case before the times of Augustus, and in periods still more remote, when
necessity arose, as when the Peloponnesians and Athenians warred against each
other, and other nations in like manner. How, then, was it possible for the Gospel
doctrine of peace, which does not permit men to take vengeance even upon
enemies, to prevail throughout the world, unless at the advent of Jesus a milder
spirit had been everywhere introduced into the conduct of things?
 Chapter 31
He next charges the Christians with being "guilty of sophistical reasoning,
in saying that the Son of God is the [Logos] Himself." And he thinks that he
strengthens the accusation, because "when we declare the [Logos] to be the Son
of God, we do not present to view a pure and holy [Logos], but a most degraded
man, who was punished by scourging and crucifixion." Now, on this head we
have briefly replied to the charges of Celsus in the preceding pages, where Christ
was shown to be the first-born of all creation, who assumed a body and a human
soul; and that God gave commandment respecting the creation of such mighty
things in the world, and they were created; and that He who received the
command was God the Logos. And seeing it is a Jew who makes these
statements in the work of Celsus, it will not be out of place to quote the
declaration, "He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their
destruction," — a passage of which we spoke a little ago. Now, although I have
conferred with many Jews who professed to be learned men, I never heard any
one expressing his approval of the statement that the Logos is the Son of God, as
Celsus declares they do, in putting into the mouth of the Jew such a declaration
as this: "If your Logos is the Son of God, we also give our assent to the same."
 Chapter 32
We have already shown that Jesus can be regarded neither as an arrogant
man, nor a sorcerer; and therefore it is unnecessary to repeat our former
arguments, lest, in replying to the tautologies of Celsus, we ourselves should be
guilty of needless repetition. And now, in finding fault with our Lord's
genealogy, there are certain points which occasion some difficulty even to
Christians, and which, owing to the discrepancy between the genealogies, are
advanced by some as arguments against their correctness, but which Celsus has
not even mentioned. For Celsus, who is truly a braggart, and who professes to be
acquainted with all matters relating to Christianity, does not know how to raise
doubts in a skilful manner against the credibility of Scripture. But he asserts that
the "framers of the genealogies, from a feeling of pride, made Jesus to be
descended from the first man, and from the kings of the Jews." And he thinks
that he makes a notable charge when he adds, that "the carpenters wife could not
have been ignorant of the fact, had she been of such illustrious descent." But
what has this to do with the question? Granted that she was not ignorant of her
descent, how does that affect the result? Suppose that she were ignorant, how
could her ignorance prove that she was not descended from the first man, or
could not derive her origin from the Jewish kings? Does Celsus imagine that the
poor must always be descended from ancestors who are poor, or that kings are
always born of kings? But it appears folly to waste time upon such an argument
as this, seeing it is well known that, even in our own days, some who are poorer
than Mary are descended from ancestors of wealth and distinction, and that
rulers of nations and kings have sprung from persons of no reputation.
 Chapter 33
"But," continues Celsus, "what great deeds did Jesus perform as being a
God? Did he put his enemies to shame, or bring to a ridiculous conclusion what
was designed against him?" Now to this question, although we are able to show
the striking and miraculous character of the events which befell Him, yet from
what other source can we furnish an answer than from the Gospel narratives,
which state that "there was an earthquake, and that the rocks were split asunder,
and the tombs opened, and the veil of the temple rent in two from top to bottom,
and that darkness prevailed in the day-time, the sun failing to give light?" But if
Celsus believe the Gospel accounts when he thinks that he can find in them
matter of charge against the Christians, and refuse to believe them when they
establish the divinity of Jesus, our answer to him is: "Sir, either disbelieve all the
Gospel narratives, and then no longer imagine that you can found charges upon
them; or, in yielding your belief to their statements, look in admiration on the
Logos of God, who became incarnate, and who desired to confer benefits upon
the whole human race. And this feature evinces the nobility of the work of Jesus,
that, down to the present time, those whom God wills are healed by His name.
And with regard to the eclipse in the time of Tiberius Cæsar, in whose reign
Jesus appears to have been crucified, and the great earthquakes which then took
place, Phlegon too, I think, has written in the thirteenth or fourteenth book of his
Chronicles."
 Chapter 34
This Jew of Celsus, ridiculing Jesus, as he imagines, is described as being
acquainted with the Bacchæ of Euripides, in which Dionysus says:—

"The divinity himself will liberate me whenever I wish."

Now the Jews are not much acquainted with Greek literature; but suppose
that there was a Jew so well versed in it (as to make such a quotation on his part
appropriate), how (does it follow) that Jesus could not liberate Himself, because
He did not do so? For let him believe from our own Scriptures that Peter
obtained his freedom after having been bound in prison, an angel having loosed
his chains; and that Paul, having been bound in the stocks along with Silas in
Philippi of Macedonia, was liberated by divine power, when the gates of the
prison were opened. But it is probable that Celsus treats these accounts with
ridicule, or that he never read them; for he would probably say in reply, that
there are certain sorcerers who are able by incantations to unloose chains and to
open doors, so that he would liken the events related in our histories to the
doings of sorcerers. "But," he continues, "no calamity happened even to him who
condemned him, as there did to Pentheus, viz., madness or discerption." And yet
he does not know that it was not so much Pilate that condemned Him (who knew
that "for envy the Jews had delivered Him" ), as the Jewish nation, which has
been condemned by God, and rent in pieces, and dispersed over the whole earth,
in a degree far beyond what happened to Pentheus. Moreover, why did he
intentionally omit what is related of Pilate's wife, who beheld a vision, and who
was so moved by it as to send a message to her husband, saying: "Have nothing
to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream
because of Him?" And again, passing by in silence the proofs of the divinity of
Jesus, Celsus endeavours to cast reproach upon Him from the narratives in the
Gospel, referring to those who mocked Jesus, and put on Him the purple robe,
and the crown of thorns, and placed the reed in His hand. From what source
now, Celsus, did you derive these statements, save from the Gospel narratives?
And did you, accordingly, see that they were fit matters for reproach; while they
who recorded them did not think that you, and such as you, would turn them into
ridicule; but that others would receive from them an example how to despise
those who ridiculed and mocked Him on account of His religion, who
appropriately laid down His life for its sake? Admire rather their love of truth,
and that of the Being who bore these things voluntarily for the sake of men, and
who endured them with all constancy and long-suffering. For it is not recorded
that He uttered any lamentation, or that after His condemnation He either did or
uttered anything unbecoming.
 Chapter 35
But in answer to this objection, "If not before, yet why now, at least, does he
not give some manifestation of his divinity, and free himself from this reproach,
and take vengeance upon those who insult both him and his Father?" We have
to reply, that it would be the same thing as if we were to say to those among the
Greeks who accept the doctrine of providence, and who believe in portents, Why
does God not punish those who insult the Divinity, and subvert the doctrine of
providence? For as the Greeks would answer such objections, so would we, in
the same, or a more effective manner. There was not only a portent from heaven
— the eclipse of the sun— but also the other miracles, which show that the
crucified One possessed something that was divine, and greater than was
possessed by the majority of men.
 Chapter 36
Celsus next says: "What is the nature of the ichor in the body of the
crucified Jesus? Is it 'such as flows in the bodies of the immortal gods?'" He puts
this question in a spirit of mockery; but we shall show from the serious
narratives of the Gospels, although Celsus may not like it, that it was no mythic
and Homeric ichor which flowed from the body of Jesus, but that, after His
death, "one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and there came
thereout blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true,
and he knows that he says the truth." Now, in other dead bodies the blood
congeals, and pure water does not flow forth; but the miraculous feature in the
case of the dead body of Jesus was, that around the dead body blood and water
flowed forth from the side. But if this Celsus, who, in order to find matter of
accusation against Jesus and the Christians, extracts from the Gospel even
passages which are incorrectly interpreted, but passes over in silence the
evidences of the divinity of Jesus, would listen to divine portents, let him read
the Gospel, and see that even the centurion, and they who with him kept watch
over Jesus, on seeing the earthquake, and the events that occurred, were greatly
afraid, saying, "This man was the Son of God."
 Chapter 37
After this, he who extracts from the Gospel narrative those statements on
which he thinks he can found an accusation, makes the vinegar and the gall a
subject of reproach to Jesus, saying that "he rushed with open mouth to drink of
them, and could not endure his thirst as any ordinary man frequently endures it."
Now this matter admits of an explanation of a peculiar and figurative kind; but
on the present occasion, the statement that the prophets predicted this very
incident may be accepted as the more common answer to the objection. For in
the sixty-ninth Psalm there is written, with reference to Christ: "And they gave
me gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." Now, let
the Jews say who it is that the prophetic writing represents as uttering these
words; and let them adduce from history one who received gall for his food, and
to whom vinegar was given as drink. Would they venture to assert that the Christ
whom they expect still to come might be placed in such circumstances? Then we
would say, What prevents the prediction from having been already
accomplished? For this very prediction was uttered many ages before, and is
sufficient, along with the other prophetic utterances, to lead him who fairly
examines the whole matter to the conclusion that Jesus is He who was
prophesied of as Christ, and as the Son of God.
 Chapter 38
The few next remarks: "You, O sincere believers, find fault with us, because
we do not recognise this individual as God, nor agree with you that he endured
these (sufferings) for the benefit of mankind, in order that we also might despise
punishment." Now, in answer to this, we say that we blame the Jews, who have
been brought up under the training of the law and the prophets (which foretell
the coming of Christ), because they neither refute the arguments which we lay
before them to prove that He is the Messiah, adducing such refutation as a
defence of their unbelief; nor yet, while not offering any refutation, do they
believe in Him who was the subject of prophecy, and who clearly manifested
through His disciples, even after the period of His appearance in the flesh, that
He underwent these things for the benefit of mankind; having, as the object of
His first advent, not to condemn men and their actions before He had instructed
them, and pointed out to them their duty, nor to chastise the wicked and save the
good, but to disseminate His doctrine in an extraordinary manner, and with the
evidence of divine power, among the whole human race, as the prophets also
have represented these things. And we blame them, moreover, because they did
not believe in Him who gave evidence of the power that was in Him, but
asserted that He cast out demons from the souls of men through Beelzebub the
prince of the demons; and we blame them because they slander the philanthropic
character of Him, who overlooked not only no city, but not even a single village
in Judea, that He might everywhere announce the kingdom of God, accusing
Him of leading the wandering life of a vagabond, and passing an anxious
existence in a disgraceful body. But there is no disgrace in enduring such labours
for the benefit of all those who may be able to understand Him.
 Chapter 39
And how can the following assertion of this Jew of Celsus appear anything
else than a manifest falsehood, viz., that Jesus, "having gained over no one
during his life, not even his own disciples, underwent these punishments and
sufferings?" For from what other source sprang the envy which was aroused
against Him by the Jewish high priests, and elders, and scribes, save from the
fact that multitudes obeyed and followed Him, and were led into the deserts not
only by the persuasive language of Him whose words were always appropriate to
His hearers, but who also by His miracles made an impression on those who
were not moved to belief by His words? And is it not a manifest falsehood to say
that "he did not gain over even his own disciples," who exhibited, indeed, at that
time some symptoms of human weakness arising from cowardly fear— for they
had not yet been disciplined to the exhibition of full courage— but who by no
means abandoned the judgments which they had formed regarding Him as the
Christ? For Peter, after his denial, perceiving to what a depth of wickedness he
had fallen, "went out and wept bitterly;" while the others, although stricken with
dismay on account of what had happened to Jesus (for they still continued to
admire Him), had, by His glorious appearance, their belief more firmly
established than before that He was the Son of God.
 Chapter 40
It is, moreover, in a very unphilosophical spirit that Celsus imagines our
Lord's pre-eminence among men to consist, not in the preaching of salvation and
in a pure morality, but in acting contrary to the character of that personality
which He had taken upon Him, and in not dying, although He had assumed
mortality; or, if dying, yet at least not such a death as might serve as a pattern to
those who were to learn by that very act how to die for the sake of religion, and
to comport themselves boldly through its help, before those who hold erroneous
views on the subject of religion and irreligion, and who regard religious men as
altogether irreligious, but imagine those to be most religious who err regarding
God, and who apply to everything rather than to God the ineradicable idea of
Him (which is implanted in the human mind), and especially when they eagerly
rush to destroy those who have yielded themselves up with their whole soul
(even unto death), to the clear evidence of one God who is over all things.
 Chapter 41
In the person of the Jew, Celsus continues to find fault with Jesus, alleging
that "he did not show himself to be pure from all evil." Let Celsus state from
what "evil" our Lord did not, show Himself to be pure. If he means that, He was
not pure from what is properly termed "evil," let him clearly prove the existence
of any wicked work in Him. But if he deems poverty and the cross to be evils,
and conspiracy on the part of wicked men, then it is clear that he would say that
evil had happened also to Socrates, who was unable to show himself pure from
evils. And how great also the other band of poor men is among the Greeks, who
have given themselves to philosophical pursuits, and have voluntarily accepted a
life of poverty, is known to many among the Greeks from what is recorded of
Democritus, who allowed his property to become pasture for sheep; and of
Crates, who obtained his freedom by bestowing upon the Thebans the price
received for the sale of his possessions. Nay, even Diogenes himself, from
excessive poverty, came to live in a tub; and yet, in the opinion of no one
possessed of moderate understanding, was Diogenes on that account considered
to be in an evil (sinful) condition.
 Chapter 42
But further, since Celsus will have it that "Jesus was not irreproachable,"
let him instance any one of those who adhere to His doctrine, who has recorded
anything that could truly furnish ground of reproach against Jesus; or if it be not
from these that he derives his matter of accusation against Him, let him say from
what quarter he has learned that which has induced him to say that He is not free
from reproach. Jesus, however, performed all that He promised to do, and by
which He conferred benefits upon his adherents. And we, continually seeing
fulfilled all that was predicted by Him before it happened, viz., that this Gospel
of His should be preached throughout the whole world, and that His disciples
should go among all nations and announce His doctrine; and, moreover, that they
should be brought before governors and kings on no other account than because
of His teaching; we are lost in wonder at Him, and have our faith in Him daily
confirmed. And I know not by what greater or more convincing proofs Celsus
would have Him confirm His predictions; unless, indeed, as seems to be the
case, not understanding that the Logos had become the man Jesus, he would
have Him to be subject to no human weakness, nor to become an illustrious
pattern to men of the manner in which they ought to bear the calamities of life,
although these appear to Celsus to be most lamentable and disgraceful
occurrences, seeing that he regards labour to be the greatest of evils, and
pleasure the perfect good—a view accepted by none of those philosophers who
admit the doctrine of providence, and who allow that courage, and fortitude, and
magnanimity are virtues. Jesus, therefore, by His sufferings cast no discredit
upon the faith of which He was the object; but rather confirmed the same among
those who would approve of manly courage, and among those who were taught
by Him that what was truly and properly the happy life was not here below, but
was to be found in that which was called, according to His own words, the
"coming world;" whereas in what is called the "present world" life is a calamity,
or at least the first and greatest struggle of the soul.
 Chapter 43
Celsus next addresses to us the following remark: "You will not, I suppose,
say of him, that, after failing to gain over those who were in this world, he went
to Hades to gain over those who were there." But whether he like it or not, we
assert that not only while Jesus was in the body did He win over not a few
persons merely, but so great a number, that a conspiracy was formed against
Him on account of the multitude of His followers; but also, that when He
became a soul, without the covering of the body, He dwelt among those souls
which were without bodily covering, converting such of them as were willing to
Himself, or those whom He saw, for reasons known to Him alone, to be better
adapted to such a course.
 Chapter 44
Celsus in the next place says, with indescribable silliness: "If, after
inventing defences which are absurd, and by which you were ridiculously
deluded, you imagine that you really make a good defence, what prevents you
from regarding those other individuals who have been condemned, and have
died a miserable death, as greater and more divine messengers of heaven (than
Jesus)?" Now, that manifestly and clearly there is no similarity between Jesus,
who suffered what is described, and those who have died a wretched death on
account of their sorcery, or whatever else be the charge against them, is patent to
every one. For no one can point to any acts of a sorcerer which turned away
souls from the practice of the many sins which prevail among men, and from the
flood of wickedness (in the world). But since this Jew of Celsus compares Him
to robbers, and says that "any similarly shameless fellow might be able to say
regarding even a robber and murderer whom punishment had overtaken, that
such an one was not a robber, but a god, because he predicted to his fellow
robbers that he would suffer such punishment as he actually did suffer," it might,
in the first place, be answered, that it is not because He predicted that He would
suffer such things that we entertain those opinions regarding Jesus which lead us
to have confidence in Him, as one who has come down to us from God. And, in
the second place, we assert that this very comparison has been somehow foretold
in the Gospels; since God was numbered with the transgressors by wicked men,
who desired rather a "murderer" (one who for sedition and murder had been cast
into prison) to be released unto them, and Jesus to be crucified, and who
crucified Him between two robbers. Jesus, indeed, is ever crucified with robbers
among His genuine disciples and witnesses to the truth, and suffers the same
condemnation which they do among men. And we say, that if those persons have
any resemblance to robbers, who on account of their piety towards God suffer all
kinds of injury and death, that they may keep it pure and unstained, according to
the teaching of Jesus, then it is clear also that Jesus, the author of such teaching,
is with good reason compared by Celsus to the captain of a band of robbers. But
neither was He who died for the common good of mankind, nor they who
suffered because of their religion, and alone of all men were persecuted because
of what appeared to them the right way of honouring God, put to death in
accordance with justice, nor was Jesus persecuted without the charge of impiety
being incurred by His persecutors.
 Chapter 45
But observe the superficial nature of his argument respecting the former
disciples of Jesus, in which he says: "In the next place, those who were his
associates while alive, and who listened to his voice, and enjoyed his
instructions as their teacher, on seeing him subjected to punishment and death,
neither died with him, nor for him, nor were even induced to regard punishment
with contempt, but denied even that they were his disciples, whereas now you die
along with him." And here he believes the sin which was committed by the
disciples while they were yet beginners and imperfect, and which is recorded in
the Gospels, to have been actually committed, in order that he may have matter
of accusation against the Gospel; but their upright conduct after their
transgression, when they behaved with courage before the Jews, and suffered
countless cruelties at their hands, and at last suffered death for the doctrine of
Jesus, he passes by in silence. For he would neither hear the words of Jesus,
when He predicted to Peter, "When you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your
hands," etc., to which the Scripture adds, "This spoke He, signifying by what
death he should glorify God;" nor how James the brother of John— an apostle,
the brother of an apostle— was slain with the sword by Herod for the doctrine of
Christ; nor even the many instances of boldness displayed by Peter and the other
apostles because of the Gospel, and "how they went forth from the presence of
the Sanhedrin after being scourged, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to
suffer shame for His name," and so surpassing many of the instances related by
the Greeks of the fortitude and courage of their philosophers. From the very
beginning, then, this was inculcated as a precept of Jesus among His hearers,
which taught men to despise the life which is eagerly sought after by the
multitude, but to be earnest in living the life which resembles that of God.
 Chapter 46
But how can this Jew of Celsus escape the charge of falsehood, when he
says that Jesus, "when on earth, gained over to himself only ten sailors and tax-
gatherers of the most worthless character, and not even the whole of these?"
Now it is certain that the Jews themselves would admit that He drew over not ten
persons merely, nor a hundred, nor a thousand, but on one occasion five
thousand at once, and on another four thousand; and that He attracted them to
such a degree that they followed Him even into the deserts, which alone could
contain the assembled multitude of those who believed in God through Jesus,
and where He not only addressed to them discourses, but also manifested to
them His works. And now, through his tautology, he compels us also to be
tautological, since we are careful to guard against being supposed to pass over
any of the charges advanced by him; and therefore, in reference to the matter
before us following the order of his treatise as we have it, he says: "Is it not the
height of absurdity to maintain, that if, while he himself was alive, he won over
not a single person to his views, after his death any who wish are able to gain
over such a multitude of individuals?" Whereas he ought to have said, in
consistency with truth, that if, after His death, not simply those who will, but
they who have the will and the power, can gain over so many proselytes, how
much more consonant to reason is it, that while He was alive He should, through
the greater power of His words and deeds, have won over to Himself manifold
greater numbers of adherents?
 Chapter 47
He represents, moreover, a statement of his own as if it were an answer to
one of his questions, in which he asks: "By what train of argument were you led
to regard him as the Son of God?" For he makes us answer that "we were won
over to him, because we know that his punishment was undergone to bring about
the destruction of the father of evil." Now we were won over to His doctrine by
innumerable other considerations, of which we have stated only the smallest part
in the preceding pages; but, if God permit, we shall continue to enumerate them,
not only while dealing with the so-called True Discourse of Celsus, but also on
many other occasions. And, as if we said that we consider Him to be the Son of
God because He suffered punishment, he asks: "What then? Have not many
others, too, been punished, and that not less disgracefully?" And here Celsus
acts like the most contemptible enemies of the Gospel, and like those who
imagine that it follows as a consequence from our history of the crucified Jesus,
that we should worship those who have undergone crucifixion!
 Chapter 48
Celsus, moreover, unable to resist the miracles which Jesus is recorded to
have performed, has already on several occasions spoken of them slanderously
as works of sorcery; and we also on several occasions have, to the best of our
ability, replied to his statements. And now he represents us as saying that "we
deemed Jesus to be the Son of God, because he healed the lame and the blind."
And he adds: "Moreover, as you assert, he raised the dead." That He healed the
lame and the blind, and that therefore we hold Him to be the Christ and the Son
of God, is manifest to us from what is contained in the prophecies: "Then the
eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear; then shall
the lame man leap as an hart." And that He also raised the dead, and that it is no
fiction of those who composed the Gospels, is shown by this, that if it had been a
fiction, many individuals would have been represented as having risen from the
dead, and these, too, such as had been many years in their graves. But as it is no
fiction, they are very easily counted of whom this is related to have happened;
viz., the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue (of whom I know not why He
said, "She is not dead, but sleeps," stating regarding her something which does
not apply to all who die); and the only son of the widow, on whom He took
compassion and raised him up, making the bearers of the corpse to stand still;
and the third instance, that of Lazarus, who had been four days in the grave.
Now, regarding these cases we would say to all persons of candid mind, and
especially to the Jew, that as there were many lepers in the days of Elisha the
prophet, and none of them was healed save Naaman the Syrian, and many
widows in the days of Elijah the prophet, to none of whom was Elijah sent save
to Sarepta in Sidonia (for the widow there had been deemed worthy by a divine
decree of the miracle which was wrought by the prophet in the matter of the
bread); so also there were many dead in the days of Jesus, but those only rose
from the grave whom the Logos knew to be fitted for a resurrection, in order that
the works done by the Lord might not be merely symbols of certain things, but
that by the very acts themselves He might gain over many to the marvellous
doctrine of the Gospel. I would say, moreover, that, agreeably to the promise of
Jesus, His disciples performed even greater works than these miracles of Jesus,
which were perceptible only to the senses. For the eyes of those who are blind in
soul are ever opened; and the ears of those who were deaf to virtuous words,
listen readily to the doctrine of God, and of the blessed life with Him; and many,
too, who were lame in the feet of the "inner man," as Scripture calls it, having
now been healed by the word, do not simply leap, but leap as the hart, which is
an animal hostile to serpents, and stronger than all the poison of vipers. And
these lame who have been healed, receive from Jesus power to trample, with
those feet in which they were formerly lame, upon the serpents and scorpions of
wickedness, and generally upon all the power of the enemy; and though they
tread upon it, they sustain no injury, for they also have become stronger than the
poison of all evil and of demons.
 Chapter 49
Jesus, accordingly, in turning away the minds of His disciples, not merely
from giving heed to sorcerers in general, and those who profess in any other
manner to work miracles— for His disciples did not need to be so warned— but
from such as gave themselves out as the Christ of God, and who tried by certain
apparent miracles to gain over to them the disciples of Jesus, said in a certain
passage: "Then, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there;
believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall
show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they shall
say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert, go not forth; behold, he is in the secret
chambers, believe it not. For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines
even to the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." And in another
passage: "Many will say unto Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and
drunk in Your name, and by Your name have cast out demons, and done many
wonderful works? And then will I say unto them, Depart from Me, because you
are workers of iniquity." But Celsus, wishing to assimilate the miracles of Jesus
to the works of human sorcery, says in express terms as follows: "O light and
truth! He distinctly declares, with his own voice, as you yourselves have
recorded, that there will come to you even others, employing miracles of a
similar kind, who are wicked men, and sorcerers; and he calls him who makes
use of such devices, one Satan. So that Jesus himself does not deny that these
works at least are not at all divine, but are the acts of wicked men; and being
compelled by the force of truth, he at the same time not only laid open the doings
of others, but convicted himself of the same acts. Is it not, then, a miserable
inference, to conclude from the same works that the one is God and the other
sorcerers? Why ought the others, because of these acts, to be accounted wicked
rather than this man, seeing they have him as their witness against himself? For
he has himself acknowledged that these are not the works of a divine nature, but
the inventions of certain deceivers, and of thoroughly wicked men." Observe,
now, whether Celsus is not clearly convicted of slandering the Gospel by such
statements, since what Jesus says regarding those who are to work signs and
wonders is different from what this Jew of Celsus alleges it to be. For if Jesus
had simply told His disciples to be on their guard against those who professed to
work miracles, without declaring what they would give themselves out to be,
then perhaps there would have been some ground for his suspicion. But since
those against whom Jesus would have us to be on our guard give themselves out
as the Christ— which is not a claim put forth by sorcerers— and since He says
that even some who lead wicked lives will perform miracles in the name of
Jesus, and expel demons out of men, sorcery in the case of these individuals, or
any suspicion of such, is rather, if we may so speak, altogether banished, and the
divinity of Christ established, as well as the divine mission of His disciples;
seeing that it is possible that one who makes use of His name, and who is
wrought upon by some power, in some way unknown, to make the pretence that
he is the Christ, should seem to perform miracles like those of Jesus, while
others through His name should do works resembling those of His genuine
disciples.
Paul, moreover, in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, shows in what
manner there will one day be revealed "the man of sin, the son of perdition, who
opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." And again
he says to the Thessalonians: "And now you know what withholds that he might
be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he
who now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way: and then shall that Wicked
be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose cunning is after the
working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." And in assigning the
reason why the man of sin is permitted to continue in existence, he says:
"Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a
lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in
unrighteousness." Let any one now say whether any of the statements in the
Gospel, or in the writings of the apostle, could give occasion for the suspicion
that there is therein contained any prediction of sorcery. Any one, moreover,
who likes may find the prophecy in Daniel respecting antichrist. But Celsus
falsities the words of Jesus, since He did not say that others would come
working similar miracles to Himself, but who are wicked men and sorcerers,
although Celsus asserts that He uttered such words. For as the power of the
Egyptian magicians was not similar to the divinely-bestowed grace of Moses,
but the issue clearly proved that the acts of the former were the effect of magic,
while those of Moses were wrought by divine power; so the proceedings of the
antichrists, and of those who feign that they can work miracles as being the
disciples of Christ, are said to be lying signs and wonders, prevailing with all
deceivableness of unrighteousness among them that perish; whereas the works of
Christ and His disciples had for their fruit, not deceit, but the salvation of human
souls. And who would rationally maintain that an improved moral life, which
daily lessened the number of a man's offenses, could proceed from a system of
deceit?
 Chapter 51
Celsus, indeed, evinced a slight knowledge of Scripture when he made
Jesus say, that it is "a certain Satan who contrives such devices;" although he
begs the question when he asserts that "Jesus did not deny that these works have
in them nothing of divinity, but proceed from wicked men," for he makes things
which differ in kind to be the same. Now, as a wolf is not of the same species as
a dog, although it may appear to have some resemblance in the figure of its body
and in its voice, nor a common wood-pigeon the same as a dove, so there is no
resemblance between what is done by the power of God and what is the effect of
sorcery. And we might further say, in answer to the calumnies of Celsus, Are
those to be regarded as miracles which are wrought through sorcery by wicked
demons, but those not which are performed by a nature that is holy and divine?
And does human life endure the worse, but never receive the better? Now it
appears to me that we must lay it down as a general principle, that as, wherever
anything that is evil would make itself to be of the same nature with the good,
there must by all means be something that is good opposed to the evil; so also, in
opposition to those things which are brought about by sorcery, there must also of
necessity be some things in human life which are the result of divine power. And
it follows from the same, that we must either annihilate both, and assert that
neither exists, or, assuming the one, and particularly the evil, admit also the
reality of the good. Now, if one were to lay it down that works are wrought by
means of sorcery, but would not grant that there are also works which are the
product of divine power, he would seem to me to resemble him who should
admit the existence of sophisms and plausible arguments, which have the
appearance of establishing the truth, although really undermining it, while
denying that truth had anywhere a home among men, or a dialectic which
differed from sophistry. But if we once admit that it is consistent with the
existence of magic and sorcery (which derive their power from evil demons,
who are spell-bound by elaborate incantations, and become subject to sorcerers)
that some works must be found among men which proceed from a power that is
divine, why shall we not test those who profess to perform them by their lives
and morals, and the consequences of their miracles, viz., whether they tend to
the injury of men or to the reformation of conduct? What minister of evil
demons, e.g., can do such things? And by means of what incantations and magic
arts? And who, on the other hand, is it that, having his soul and his spirit, and I
imagine also his body, in a pure and holy state, receives a divine spirit, and
performs such works in order to benefit men, and to lead them to believe in the
true God? But if we must once investigate (without being carried away by the
miracles themselves) who it is that performs them by help of a good, and who by
help of an evil power, so that we may neither slander all without discrimination,
nor yet admire and accept all as divine, will it not be manifest, from what
occurred in the times of Moses and Jesus, when entire nations were established
in consequence of their miracles, that these men wrought by means of divine
power what they are recorded to have performed? For wickedness and sorcery
would not have led a whole nation to rise not only above idols and images
erected by men, but also above all created things, and to ascend to the uncreated
origin of the God of the universe.
 Chapter 52
But since it is a Jew who makes these assertions in the treatise of Celsus,
we would say to him: Pray, friend, why do you believe the works which are
recorded in your writings as having been performed by God through the
instrumentality of Moses to be really divine, and endeavour to refute those who
slanderously assert that they were wrought by sorcery, like those of the Egyptian
magicians; while, in imitation of your Egyptian opponents, you charge those
which were done by Jesus, and which, you admit, were actually performed, with
not being divine? For if the final result, and the founding of an entire nation by
the miracles of Moses, manifestly demonstrate that it was God who brought
these things to pass in the time of Moses the Hebrew lawgiver, why should not
such rather be shown to be the case with Jesus, who accomplished far greater
works than those of Moses? For the former took those of his own nation, the
descendants of Abraham, who had observed the rite of circumcision transmitted
by tradition, and who were careful observers of the Abrahamic usages, and led
them out of Egypt, enacting for them those laws which you believe to be divine;
whereas the latter ventured upon a greater undertaking, and superinduced upon
the pre-existing constitution, and upon ancestral customs and modes of life
agreeable to the existing laws, a constitution in conformity with the Gospel. And
as it was necessary, in order that Moses should find credit not only among the
elders, but the common people, that there should be performed those miracles
which he is recorded to have performed, why should not Jesus also, in order that
He may be believed on by those of the people who had learned to ask for signs
and wonders, need to work such miracles as, on account of their greater grandeur
and divinity (in comparison with those of Moses), were able to convert men
from Jewish fables, and from the human traditions which prevailed among them,
and make them admit that He who taught and did such things was greater than
the prophets? For how was not He greater than the prophets, who was
proclaimed by them to be the Christ, and the Saviour of the human race?
proclaimed by them to be the Christ, and the Saviour of the human race?
 Chapter 53
All the arguments, indeed, which this Jew of Celsus advances against those
who believe in Jesus, may, by parity of reasoning, be urged as ground of
accusation against Moses: so that there is no difference in asserting that the
sorcery practised by Jesus and that by Moses were similar to each other, — both
of them, so far as the language of this Jew of Celsus is concerned, being liable to
the same charge; as, e.g., when this Jew says of Christ, "But, O light and truth!
Jesus with his own voice expressly declares, as you yourselves have recorded,
that there will appear among you others also, who will perform miracles like
mine, but who are wicked men and sorcerers," some one, either Greek or
Egyptian, or any other party who disbelieved the Jew, might say respecting
Moses, "But, O light and truth! Moses with his own voice expressly declares, as
you also have recorded, that there will appear among you others also, who will
perform miracles like mine, but who are wicked men and sorcerers. For it is
written in your law, 'If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of
dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass
whereof he spoke unto you, saying, Let us go after other gods which you have
not known, and let us serve them; you shall not hearken to the words of that
prophet, or dreamer of dreams,'" etc. Again, perverting the words of Jesus, he
says, "And he terms him who devises such things, one Satan;" while one,
applying this to Moses, might say, "And he terms him who devises such things, a
prophet who dreams." And as this Jew asserts regarding Jesus, that "even he
himself does not deny that these works have in them nothing of divinity, but are
the acts of wicked men;" so any one who disbelieves the writings of Moses
might say, quoting what has been already said, the same thing, viz., that, "even
Moses does not deny that these works have in them nothing of divinity, but are
the acts of wicked men." And he will do the same thing also with respect to this:
"Being compelled by the force of truth, Moses at the same time both exposed the
doings of others, and convicted himself of the same." And when the Jew says, "Is
it not a wretched inference from the same acts, to conclude that the one is a God,
and the others sorcerers?" one might object to him, on the ground of those
words of Moses already quoted, "Is it not then a wretched inference from the
same acts, to conclude that the one is a prophet and servant of God, and the
others sorcerers?" But when, in addition to those comparisons which I have
already mentioned, Celsus, dwelling upon the subject, adduces this also: "Why
from these works should the others be accounted wicked, rather than this man,
seeing they have him as a witness against himself?" — we, too, shall adduce the
following, in addition to what has been already said: "Why, from those passages
in which Moses forbids us to believe those who exhibit signs and wonders, ought
we to consider such persons as wicked, rather than Moses, because he
calumniates some of them in respect of their signs and wonders?" And urging
more to the same effect, that he may appear to strengthen his attempt, he says:
"He himself acknowledged that these were not the works of a divine nature, but
were the inventions of certain deceivers, and of very wicked men." Who, then, is
"himself?" You O Jew, say that it is Jesus; but he who accuses you as liable to
the same charges, will transfer this "himself" to the person of Moses.
 Chapter 54
After this, forsooth, the Jew of Celsus, to keep up the character assigned to
the Jew from the beginning, in his address to those of his countrymen who had
become believers, says: "By what, then, were you induced (to become his
followers)? Was it because he foretold that after his death he would rise again?"
Now this question, like the others, can be retorted upon Moses. For we might say
to the Jew: "By what, then, were you induced (to become the follower of Moses)?
Was it because he put on record the following statement about his own death:
'And Moses, the servant of the Lord died there, in the land of Moab, according to
the word of the Lord; and they buried him in Moab, near the house of Phogor:
and no one knows his sepulchre until this day?'" For as the Jew casts discredit
upon the statement, that "Jesus foretold that after His death He would rise
again," another person might make a similar assertion about Moses, and would
say in reply, that Moses also put on record (for the book of Deuteronomy is his
composition) the statement, that "no one knows his sepulchre until this day," in
order to magnify and enhance the importance of his place of burial, as being
unknown to mankind.
 Chapter 55
The Jew continues his address to those of his countrymen who are converts,
as follows: "Come now, let us grant to you that the prediction was actually
uttered. Yet how many others are there who practise such juggling tricks, in
order to deceive their simple hearers, and who make gain by their deception?—
as was the case, they say, with Zamolxis in Scythia, the slave of Pythagoras; and
with Pythagoras himself in Italy; and with Rhampsinitus in Egypt (the latter of
whom, they say, played at dice with Demeter in Hades, and returned to the
upper world with a golden napkin which he had received from her as a gift); and
also with Orpheus among the Odrysians, and Protesilaus in Thessaly, and
Hercules at Cape Tænarus, and Theseus. But the question is, whether any one
who was really dead ever rose with a veritable body. Or do you imagine the
statements of others not only to be myths, but to have the appearance of such,
while you have discovered a becoming and credible termination to your drama
in the voice from the cross, when he breathed his last, and in the earthquake and
the darkness? That while alive he was of no assistance to himself, but that when
dead he rose again, and showed the marks of his punishment, and how his hands
were pierced with nails: who beheld this? A half-frantic woman, as you state,
and some other one, perhaps, of those who were engaged in the same system of
delusion, who had either dreamed so, owing to a peculiar state of mind, or under
the influence of a wandering imagination had formed to himself an appearance
according to his own wishes, which has been the case with numberless
individuals; or, which is most probable, one who desired to impress others with
this portent, and by such a falsehood to furnish an occasion to impostors like
himself."
Now, since it is a Jew who makes these statements, we shall conduct the
defence of our Jesus as if we were replying to a Jew, still continuing the
comparison derived from the accounts regarding Moses, and saying to him:
"How many others are there who practise similar juggling tricks to those of
Moses, in order to deceive their silly hearers, and who make gain by their
deception?" Now this objection would be more appropriate in the mouth of one
who did not believe in Moses (as we might quote the instances of Zamolxis and
Pythagoras, who were engaged in such juggling tricks) than in that of a Jew, who
is not very learned in the histories of the Greeks. An Egyptian, moreover, who
did not believe the miracles of Moses, might credibly adduce the instance of
Rhampsinitus, saying that it was far more credible that he had descended to
Hades, and had played at dice with Demeter, and that after stealing from her a
golden napkin he exhibited it as a sign of his having been in Hades, and of his
having returned thence, than that Moses should have recorded that he entered
into the darkness, where God was, and that he alone, above all others, drew near
to God. For the following is his statement: "Moses alone shall come near the
Lord; but the rest shall not come near." We, then, who are the disciples of Jesus,
say to the Jew who urges these objections: "While assailing our belief in Jesus,
defend yourself, and answer the Egyptian and the Greek objectors: what will you
say to those charges which you brought against our Jesus, but which also might
be brought against Moses first? And if you should make a vigorous effort to
defend Moses, as indeed his history does admit of a clear and powerful defence,
you will unconsciously, in your support of Moses, be an unwilling assistant in
establishing the greater divinity of Jesus."
 Chapter 56
But since the Jew says that these histories of the alleged descent of heroes
to Hades, and of their return thence, are juggling impositions, maintaining that
these heroes disappeared for a certain time, and secretly withdrew themselves
from the sight of all men, and gave themselves out afterwards as having returned
from Hades,— for such is the meaning which his words seem to convey
respecting the Odrysian Orpheus, and the Thessalian Protesilaus, and the
Tænarian Hercules, and Theseus also—let us endeavour to show that the account
of Jesus being raised from the dead cannot possibly be compared to these. For
each one of the heroes respectively mentioned might, had he wished, have
secretly withdrawn himself from the sight of men, and returned again, if so
determined, to those whom he had left; but seeing that Jesus was crucified before
all the Jews, and His body slain in the presence of His nation, how can they
bring themselves to say that He practised a similar deception with those heroes
who are related to have gone down to Hades, and to have returned thence? But
we say that the following consideration might be adduced, perhaps, as a defence
of the public crucifixion of Jesus, especially in connection with the existence of
those stories of heroes who are supposed to have been compelled to descend to
Hades: that if we were to suppose Jesus to have died an obscure death, so that
the fact of His decease was not patent to the whole nation of the Jews, and
afterwards to have actually risen from the dead, there would, in such a case, have
been ground for the same suspicion entertained regarding the heroes being also
entertained regarding Himself. Probably, then, in addition to other causes for the
crucifixion of Jesus, this also may have contributed to His dying a conspicuous
death upon the cross, that no one might have it in his power to say that He
voluntarily withdrew from the sight of men, and seemed only to die, without
really doing so; but, appearing again, made a juggler's trick of the resurrection
from the dead. But a clear and unmistakeable proof of the fact I hold to be the
undertaking of His disciples, who devoted themselves to the teaching of a
undertaking of His disciples, who devoted themselves to the teaching of a
doctrine which was attended with danger to human life—a doctrine which they
would not have taught with such courage had they invented the resurrection of
Jesus from the dead; and who also, at the same time, not only prepared others to
despise death, but were themselves the first to manifest their disregard for its
terrors.
 Chapter 57
But observe whether this Jew of Celsus does not talk very blindly, in saying
that it is impossible for any one to rise from the dead with a veritable body, his
language being: "But this is the question, whether any one who was really dead
ever rose again with a veritable body?" Now a Jew would not have uttered these
words, who believed what is recorded in the third and fourth books of Kings
regarding little children, of whom the one was raised up by Elijah, and the other
by Elisha. And on this account, too, I think it was that Jesus appeared to no other
nation than the Jews, who had become accustomed to miraculous occurrences;
so that, by comparing what they themselves believed with the works which were
done by Him, and with what was related of Him, they might confess that He, in
regard to whom greater things were done, and by whom mightier marvels were
performed, was greater than all those who preceded Him.
 Chapter 58
Further, after these Greek stories which the Jew adduced respecting those
who were guilty of juggling practices, and who pretended to have risen from the
dead, he says to those Jews who are converts to Christianity: "Do you imagine
the statements of others not only to be myths, but to have the appearance of
such, while you have discovered a becoming and credible termination to your
drama in the voice from the cross, when he breathed his last?" We reply to the
Jew: "What you adduce as myths, we regard also as such; but the statements of
the Scriptures which are common to us both, in which not you only, but we also,
take pride, we do not at all regard as myths. And therefore we accord our belief
to those who have therein related that some rose from the dead, as not being
guilty of imposition; and to Him especially there mentioned as having risen, who
both predicted the event Himself, and was the subject of prediction by others.
And His resurrection is more miraculous than that of the others in this respect,
that they were raised by the prophets Elijah and Elisha, while He was raised by
none of the prophets, but by His Father in heaven. And therefore His
resurrection also produced greater results than theirs. For what great good has
accrued to the world from the resurrection of the children through the
instrumentality of Elijah and Elisha, such as has resulted from the preaching of
the resurrection of Jesus, accepted as an article of belief, and as effected
through the agency of divine power?"
 Chapter 59
He imagines also that both the earthquake and the darkness were an
invention; but regarding these, we have in the preceding pages, made our
defence, according to our ability, adducing the testimony of Phlegon, who relates
that these events took place at the time when our Saviour suffered. And he goes
on to say, that "Jesus, while alive, was of no assistance to himself, but that he
arose after death, and exhibited the marks of his punishment, and showed how
his hands had been pierced by nails." We ask him what he means by the
expression, "was of no assistance to himself?" For if he means it to refer to want
of virtue, we reply that He was of very great assistance. For He neither uttered
nor committed anything that was improper, but was truly "led as a sheep to the
slaughter, and was dumb as a lamb before the shearer;" and the Gospel testifies
that He opened not His mouth. But if Celsus applies the expression to things
indifferent and corporeal, (meaning that in such Jesus could render no help to
Himself,) we say that we have proved from the Gospels that He went voluntarily
to encounter His sufferings. Speaking next of the statements in the Gospels, that
after His resurrection He showed the marks of His punishment, and how His
hands had been pierced, he asks, "Who beheld this?" And discrediting the
narrative of Mary Magdalene, who is related to have seen Him, he replies, "A
half-frantic woman, as you state." And because she is not the only one who is
recorded to have seen the Saviour after His resurrection, but others also are
mentioned, this Jew of Celsus calumniates these statements also in adding, "And
some one else of those engaged in the same system of deception!"
 Chapter 60
In the next place, as if this were possible, viz., that the image of a man who
was dead could appear to another as if he were still living, he adopts this opinion
as an Epicurean, and says, "That some one having so dreamed owing to a
peculiar state of mind, or having, under the influence of a perverted
imagination, formed such an appearance as he himself desired, reported that
such had been seen; and this," he continues, "has been the case with numberless
individuals." But even if this statement of his seems to have a considerable
degree of force, it is nevertheless only fitted to confirm a necessary doctrine, that
the soul of the dead exists in a separate state (from the body); and he who adopts
such an opinion does not believe without good reason in the immortality, or at
least continued existence, of the soul, as even Plato says in his treatise on the
Soul that shadowy phantoms of persons already dead have appeared to some
around their sepulchres. Now the phantoms which exist about the soul of the
dead are produced by some substance, and this substance is in the soul, which
exists apart in a body said to be of splendid appearance. But Celsus, unwilling to
admit any such view, will have it that some dreamed a waking dream, and, under
the influence of a perverted imagination, formed to themselves such an image as
they desired. Now it is not irrational to believe that a dream may take place
while one is asleep; but to suppose a waking vision in the case of those who are
not altogether out of their senses, and under the influence of delirium or
hypochondria, is incredible. And Celsus, seeing this, called the woman "half-
mad," — a statement which is not made by the history recording the fact, but
from which he took occasion to charge the occurrences with being untrue.
 Chapter 61
Jesus accordingly, as Celsus imagines, exhibited after His death only the
appearance of wounds received on the cross, and was not in reality so wounded
as He is described to have been; whereas, according to the teaching of the
Gospel— some portions of which Celsus arbitrarily accepts, in order to find
ground of accusation, and other parts of which he rejects— Jesus called to Him
one of His disciples who was sceptical, and who deemed the miracle an
impossibility. That individual had, indeed, expressed his belief in the statement
of the woman who said that she had seen Him, because he did not think it
impossible that the soul of a dead man could be seen; but he did not yet consider
the report to be true that He had been raised in a body, which was the antitype of
the former. And therefore he did not merely say, "Unless I see, I will not
believe;" but he added, "Unless I put my hand into the print of the nails, and lay
my hands upon His side, I will not believe." These words were spoken by
Thomas, who deemed it possible that the body of the soul might be seen by the
eye of sense, resembling in all respects its former appearance,

Both in size, and in beauty of eyes,

And in voice;

and frequently, too,

"Having, also, such garments around the person (as when alive)."

Jesus accordingly, having called Thomas, said, "Reach hither your finger,
and behold My hands; and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into My side:
and be not faithless, but believing."
 Chapter 62
Now it followed from all the predictions which were uttered regarding Him
— among which was this prediction of the resurrection— and, from all that was
done by Him, and from all the events which befell Him, that this event should be
marvellous above all others. For it had been said beforehand by the prophet in
the person of Jesus: "My flesh shall rest in hope, and You will not leave my soul
in Hades, and will not suffer Your Holy One to see corruption." And truly, after
His resurrection, He existed in a body intermediate, as it were, between the
grossness of that which He had before His sufferings, and the appearance of a
soul uncovered by such a body. And hence it was, that when His disciples were
together, and Thomas with them, there "came Jesus, the doors being shut, and
stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then says He to Thomas, Reach
hither your finger," etc. And in the Gospel of Luke also, while Simon and
Cleopas were conversing with each other respecting all that had happened to
them, Jesus "drew near, and went with them. And their eyes were holden, that
they should not know Him. And He said unto them, What manner of
communications are these that you have one to another, as you walk?" And
when their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, then the Scripture says, in
express words, "And He vanished out of their sight." And although Celsus may
wish to place what is told of Jesus, and of those who saw Him after His
resurrection, on the same level with imaginary appearances of a different kind,
and those who have invented such, yet to those who institute a candid and
intelligent examination, the events will appear only the more miraculous.
 Chapter 63
After these points, Celsus proceeds to bring against the Gospel narrative a
charge which is not to be lightly passed over, saying that "if Jesus desired to
show that his power was really divine, he ought to have appeared to those who
had ill-treated him, and to him who had condemned him, and to all men
universally." For it appears to us also to be true, according to the Gospel
account, that He was not seen after His resurrection in the same manner as He
used formerly to show Himself— publicly, and to all men. But it is recorded in
the Acts, that "being seen during forty days," He expounded to His disciples "the
things pertaining to the kingdom of God." And in the Gospels it is not stated that
He was always with them; but that on one occasion He appeared in their midst,
after eight days, when the doors were shut, and on another in some similar
fashion. And Paul also, in the concluding portions of the first Epistle to the
Corinthians, in reference to His not having publicly appeared as He did in the
period before He suffered, writes as follows: "For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures; and that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that He
was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part
remain unto the present time, but some are fallen asleep. After that He was seen
of James, then of all the apostles. And last of all He was seen of me also, as of
one born out of due time." I am of opinion now that the statements in this
passage contain some great and wonderful mysteries, which are beyond the
grasp not merely of the great multitude of ordinary believers, but even of those
who are far advanced (in Christian knowledge), and that in them the reason
would be explained why He did not show Himself, after His resurrection from
the dead, in the same manner as before that event. And in a treatise of this
nature, composed in answer to a work directed against the Christians and their
faith, observe whether we are able to adduce a few rational arguments out of a
greater number, and thus make an impression upon the hearers of this apology.
 Chapter 64
Although Jesus was only a single individual, He was nevertheless more
things than one, according to the different standpoint from which He might be
regarded; nor was He seen in the same way by all who beheld Him. Now, that
He was more things than one, according to the varying point of view, is clear
from this statement, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life;" and from this, "I
am the bread;" and this, "I am the door," and innumerable others. And that when
seen He did not appear in like fashion to all those who saw Him, but according
to their several ability to receive Him, will be clear to those who notice why, at
the time when He was about to be transfigured on the high mountain, He did not
admit all His apostles (to this sight), but only Peter, and James, and John,
because they alone were capable of beholding His glory on that occasion, and of
observing the glorified appearance of Moses and Elijah, and of listening to their
conversation, and to the voice from the heavenly cloud. I am of opinion, too, that
before He ascended the mountain where His disciples came to Him alone, and
where He taught them the beatitudes, when He was somewhere in the lower part
of the mountain, and when, as it became late, He healed those who were brought
to Him, freeing them from all sickness and disease, He did not appear the same
person to the sick, and to those who needed His healing aid, as to those who
were able by reason of their strength to go up the mountain along with Him.
Nay, even when He interpreted privately to His own disciples the parables which
were delivered to the multitudes without, from whom the explanation was
withheld, as they who heard them explained were endowed with higher organs
of hearing than they who heard them without explanation, so was it altogether
the same with the eyes of their soul, and, I think, also with those of their body.
And the following statement shows that He had not always the same appearance,
viz., that Judas, when about to betray Him, said to the multitudes who were
setting out with him, as not being acquainted with Him, "Whomsoever I shall
kiss, the same is He." And I think that the Saviour Himself indicates the same
thing by the words: "I was daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you laid
no hold on Me." Entertaining, then, such exalted views regarding Jesus, not only
with respect to the Deity within, and which was hidden from the view of the
multitude, but with respect to the transfiguration of His body, which took place
when and to whom He would, we say, that before Jesus had "put off the
governments and powers," and while as yet He was not dead unto sin, all men
were capable of seeing Him; but that, when He had "put off the governments and
powers," and had no longer anything which was capable of being seen by the
multitude, all who had formerly seen Him were not now able to behold Him.
And therefore, sparing them, He did not show Himself to all after His
resurrection from the dead.
 Chapter 65
And why do I say "to all?" For even with His own apostles and disciples
He was not perpetually present, nor did He constantly show Himself to them,
because they were not able without intermission to receive His divinity. For His
deity was more resplendent after He had finished the economy (of salvation):
and this Peter, surnamed Cephas, the first-fruits as it were of the apostles, was
enabled to behold, and along with him the twelve (Matthias having been
substituted in room of Judas); and after them He appeared to the five hundred
brethren at once, and then to James, and subsequently to all the others besides
the twelve apostles, perhaps to the seventy also, and lastly to Paul, as to one born
out of due time, and who knew well how to say, "Unto me, who am less than the
least of all saints, is this grace given;" and probably the expression "least of all"
has the same meaning with "one born out of due time." For as no one could
reasonably blame Jesus for not having admitted all His apostles to the high
mountain, but only the three already mentioned, on the occasion of His
transfiguration, when He was about to manifest the splendour which appeared in
His garments, and the glory of Moses and Elias talking with Him, so none could
reasonably object to the statements of the apostles, who introduce the appearance
of Jesus after His resurrection as having been made not to all, but to those only
whom He knew to have received eyes capable of seeing His resurrection. I think,
moreover, that the following statement regarding Him has an apologetic value in
reference to our subject, viz.: "For to this end Christ died, and rose again, that
He might be Lord both of the 'dead and living.'" For observe, it is conveyed in
these words, that Jesus died that He might be Lord of the dead; and that He rose
again to be Lord not only of the dead, but also of the living. And the apostle
understands, undoubtedly, by the dead over whom Christ is to be Lord, those
who are so called in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, "For the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible;" and by the living, those who
are to be changed, and who are different from the dead who are to be raised. And
respecting the living the words are these, "And we shall be changed;" an
expression which follows immediately after the statement, "The dead shall be
raised first." Moreover, in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, describing the
same change in different words, he says, that they who sleep are not the same as
those who are alive; his language being, "I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them who are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others
which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so
them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you
by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of
the Lord, shall not prevent them that are asleep." The explanation which
appeared to us to be appropriate to this passage, we gave in the exegetical
remarks which we have made on the first Epistle to the Thessalonians.
 Chapter 66
And be not surprised if all the multitudes who have believed on Jesus do
not behold His resurrection, when Paul, writing to the Corinthians, can say to
them, as being incapable of receiving greater matters, "For I determined not to
know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified;" which is the
same as saying, "Hitherto you were not able, neither yet now are you able, for
you are still carnal." The Scripture, therefore, doing everything by appointment
of God, has recorded of Jesus, that before His sufferings He appeared to all
indifferently, but not always; while after His sufferings He no longer appeared to
all in the same way, but with a certain discrimination which measured out to
each his due. And as it is related that "God appeared to Abraham," or to one of
the saints, and this "appearance" was not a thing of constant occurrence, but
took place at intervals, and not to all, so understand that the Son of God
appeared in the one case on the same principle that God appeared to the latter.
 Chapter 67
To the best of our ability, therefore, as in a treatise of this nature, we have
answered the objection, that "if Jesus had really wished to manifest his divine
power, he ought to have shown himself to those who ill-treated him, and to the
judge who condemned him, and to all without reservation." There was, however,
no obligation on Him to appear either to the judge who condemned Him, or to
those who ill-treated Him. For Jesus spared both the one and the other, that they
might not be smitten with blindness, as the men of Sodom were when they
conspired against the beauty of the angels entertained by Lot. And here is the
account of the matter: "But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the
house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men who were at the
door of the house with blindness, both small and great; so that they wearied
themselves to find the door." Jesus, accordingly, wished to show that His power
was divine to each one who was capable of seeing it, and according to the
measure of His capability. And I do not suppose that He guarded against being
seen on any other ground than from a regard to the fitness of those who were
incapable of seeing Him. And it is in vain for Celsus to add, "For he had no
longer occasion to fear any man after his death, being, as you say, a God; nor
was he sent into the world at all for the purpose of being hid." Yet He was sent
into the world not only to become known, but also to be hid. For all that He was,
was not known even to those to whom He was known, but a certain part of Him
remained concealed even from them; and to some He was not known at all. And
He opened the gates of light to those who were the sons of darkness and of night,
and had devoted themselves to becoming the sons of light and of the day. For
our Saviour Lord, like a good physician, came rather to us who were full of sins,
than to those who were righteous.
 Chapter 68
But let us observe how this Jew of Celsus asserts that, "if this at least would
have helped to manifest his divinity, he ought accordingly to have at once
disappeared from the cross." Now this seems to me to be like the argument of
those who oppose the doctrine of providence, and who arrange things differently
from what they are, and allege that the world would be better if it were as they
arrange it. Now, in those instances in which their arrangement is a possible one,
they are proved to make the world, so far as depends upon them, worse by their
arrangement than it actually is; while in those cases in which they do not portray
things worse than they really are, they are shown to desire impossibilities; so that
in either case they are deserving of ridicule. And here, accordingly, that there
was no impossibility in His coming, as a being of diviner nature, in order to
disappear when He chose, is clear from the very nature of the case; and is
certain, moreover, from what is recorded of Him, in the judgment of those who
do not adopt certain portions merely of the narrative that they may have ground
for accusing Christianity, and who consider other portions to be fiction. For it is
related in St. Luke's Gospel, that Jesus after His resurrection took bread, and
blessed it, and breaking it, distributed it to Simon and Cleopas; and when they
had received the bread, "their eyes were opened, and they knew Him, and He
vanished out of their sight."
 Chapter 69
But we wish to show that His instantaneous bodily disappearance from the
cross was not better fitted to serve the purposes of the whole economy of
salvation (than His remaining upon it was). For the mere letter and narrative of
the events which happened to Jesus do not present the whole view of the truth.
For each one of them can be shown, to those who have an intelligent
apprehension of Scripture, to be a symbol of something else. Accordingly, as His
crucifixion contains a truth, represented in the words, "I am crucified with
Christ," and intimated also in these, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I unto
the world;" and as His death was necessary, because of the statement, "For in
that He died, He died unto sin once," and this, "Being made conformable to His
death," and this, "For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him:" so
also His burial has an application to those who have been made conformable to
His death, who have been both crucified with Him, and have died with Him; as
is declared by Paul, "For we were buried with Him by baptism, and have also
risen with Him." These matters, however, which relate to His burial, and His
sepulchre, and him who buried Him, we shall expound at greater length on a
more suitable occasion, when it will be our professed purpose to treat of such
things. But, for the present, it is sufficient to notice the clean linen in which the
pure body of Jesus was to be enwrapped, and the new tomb which Joseph had
hewn out of the rock, where "no one was yet lying," or, as John expresses it,
"wherein was never man yet laid." And observe whether the harmony of the
three evangelists here is not fitted to make an impression: for they have thought
it right to describe the tomb as one that was "quarried or hewn out of the rock;"
so that he who examines the words of the narrative may see something worthy of
consideration, both in them and in the newness of the tomb—a point mentioned
by Matthew and John — and in the statement of Luke and John, that no one had
ever been interred therein before. For it became Him, who was unlike other dead
men (but who even in death manifested signs of life in the water and the blood),
and who was, so to speak, a new dead man, to be laid in a new and clean tomb,
in order that, as His birth was purer than any other (in consequence of His being
born, not in the way of ordinary generation, but of a virgin), His burial also
might have the purity symbolically indicated in His body being deposited in a
sepulchre which was new, not built of stones gathered from various quarters, and
having no natural unity, but quarried and hewed out of one rock, united together
in all its parts. Regarding the explanation, however, of these points, and the
method of ascending from the narratives themselves to the things which they
symbolized, one might treat more profoundly, and in a manner more adapted to
their divine character, on a more suitable occasion, in a work expressly devoted
to such subjects. The literal narrative, however, one might thus explain, viz., that
it was appropriate for Him who had resolved to endure suspension upon the
cross, to maintain all the accompaniments of the character He had assumed, in
order that He who as a man had been put to death, and who as a man had died,
might also as a man be buried. But even if it had been related in the Gospels,
according to the view of Celsus, that Jesus had immediately disappeared from
the cross, he and other unbelievers would have found fault with the narrative,
and would have brought against it some such objection as this: "Why, pray, did
he disappear after he had been put upon the cross, and not disappear before he
suffered?" If, then, after learning from the Gospels that He did not at once
disappear from the cross, they imagine that they can find fault with the narrative,
because it did not invent, as they consider it ought to have done, any such
instantaneous disappearance, but gave a true account of the matter, is it not
reasonable that they should accord their faith also to His resurrection, and should
believe that He, according to His pleasure, on one occasion, when the doors were
shut, stood in the midst of His disciples, and on another, after distributing bread
to two of His acquaintances, immediately disappeared from view, after He had
spoken to them certain words?
 Chapter 70
But how is it that this Jew of Celsus could say that Jesus concealed
Himself? For his words regarding Him are these: "And who that is sent as a
messenger ever conceals himself when he ought to make known his message?"
Now, He did not conceal Himself, who said to those who sought to apprehend
Him, "I was daily teaching openly in the temple, and you laid no hold upon Me."
But having once already answered this charge of Celsus, now again repeated, we
shall content ourselves with what we have formerly said. We have answered,
also, in the preceding pages, this objection, that "while he was in the body, and
no one believed upon him, he preached to all without intermission; but when he
might have produced a powerful belief in himself after rising from the dead, he
showed himself secretly only to one woman, and to his own boon companions."
Now it is not true that He showed Himself only to one woman; for it is stated in
the Gospel according to Matthew, that "in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to
dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other
Mary, to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there had been a great earthquake: for
the angel of the Lord had descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the
stone." And, shortly after, Matthew adds: "And, behold, Jesus met them " —
clearly meaning the afore-mentioned Marys— "saying, All hail. And they came
and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him." And we answered, too, the
charge, that "while undergoing his punishment he was seen by all, but after his
resurrection only by one," when we offered our defence of the fact that "He was
not seen by all." And now we might say that His merely human attributes were
visible to all men but those which were divine in their nature— I speak of the
attributes not as related, but as distinct — were not capable of being received by
all. But observe here the manifest contradiction into which Celsus falls. For
having said, a little before, that Jesus had appeared secretly to one woman and
His own boon companions, he immediately subjoins: "While undergoing his
punishment he was seen by all men, but after his resurrection by one, whereas
the opposite ought to have happened." And let us hear what he means by "ought
to have happened." The being seen by all men while undergoing His
punishment, but after His resurrection only by one individual, are opposites.
Now, so far as his language conveys a meaning, he would have that to take place
which is both impossible and absurd, viz., that while undergoing His punishment
He should be seen only by one individual, but after His resurrection by all men!
Or else how will you explain his words, "The opposite ought to have happened?"
 Chapter 71
Jesus taught us who it was that sent Him, in the words, "None knows the
Father but the Son;" and in these, "No man has seen God at any time; the only-
begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." He,
treating of Deity, stated to His true disciples the doctrine regarding God; and we,
discovering traces of such teaching in the Scripture narratives, take occasion
from such to aid our theological conceptions, hearing it declared in one passage,
that "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all;" and in another, "God
is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
But the purposes for which the Father sent Him are innumerable; and these any
one may ascertain who chooses, partly from the prophets who prophesied of
Him, and partly from the narratives of the evangelists. And not a few things also
will he learn from the apostles, and especially from Paul. Moreover, those who
are pious He leads to the light, and those who sin He will punish—a
circumstance which Celsus not observing, has represented Him "as one who will
lead the pious to the light, and who will have mercy on others, whether they sin
or repent."
 Chapter 72
After the above statements, he continues: "If he wished to remain hid, why
was there heard a voice from heaven proclaiming him to be the Son of God? And
if he did not seek to remain concealed, why was he punished? Or why did he
die?" Now, by such questions he thinks to convict the histories of discrepancy,
not observing that Jesus neither desired all things regarding Himself to be known
to all whom He happened to meet, nor yet all things to be unknown.
Accordingly, the voice from heaven which proclaimed Him to be the Son of
God, in the words, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," is not
stated to have been audible to the multitudes, as this Jew of Celsus supposed.
The voice from the cloud on the high mountain, moreover, was heard only by
those who had gone up with Him. For the divine voice is of such a nature, as to
be heard only by those whom the speaker wishes to hear it. And I maintain, that
the voice of God which is referred to, is neither air which has been struck, nor
any concussion of the air, nor anything else which is mentioned in treatises on
the voice; and therefore it is heard by a better and more divine organ of hearing
than that of sense. And when the speaker will not have his voice to be heard by
all, he that has the finer ear hears the voice of God, while he who has the ears of
his soul deadened does not perceive that it is God who speaks. These things I
have mentioned because of his asking, "Why was there heard a voice from
heaven proclaiming him to be the Son of God?" while with respect to the query,
"Why was he punished, if he wished to remain hid?" what has been stated at
greater length in the preceding pages on the subject of His suffering may suffice.
 Chapter 73
The Jew proceeds, after this, to state as a consequence what does not follow
from the premises; for it does not follow from "His having wished, by the
punishments which He underwent, to teach us also to despise death," that after
His resurrection He should openly summon all men to the light, and instruct
them in the object of His coming. For He had formerly summoned all men to the
light in the words, "Come unto Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest." And the object of His coming had been explained at great
length in His discourses on the beatitudes, and in the announcements which
followed them, and in the parables, and in His conversations with the scribes and
Pharisees. And the instruction afforded us by the Gospel of John, shows that the
eloquence of Jesus consisted not in words, but in deeds; while it is manifest from
the Gospel narratives that His speech was "with power," on which account also
they marvelled at Him.
 Chapter 74
In addition to all this, the Jew further says: "All these statements are taken
from your own books, in addition to which we need no other witness; for you fall
upon your own swords."
Now we have proved that many foolish assertions, opposed to the narratives
of our Gospels, occur in the statements of the Jew, either with respect to Jesus or
ourselves. And I do not think that he has shown that "we fall upon our own
swords;" but he only so imagines. And when the Jew adds, in a general way, this
to his former remarks: "O most high and heavenly one! What God, on appearing
to men, is received with incredulity?" we must say to him, that according to the
accounts in the law of Moses, God is related to have visited the Hebrews in a
most public manner, not only in the signs and wonders performed in Egypt, and
also in the passage of the Red Sea, and in the pillar of fire and cloud of light, but
also when the Decalogue was announced to the whole people, and yet was
received with incredulity by those who saw these things: for had they believed
what they saw and heard, they would not have fashioned the calf, nor changed
their own glory into the likeness of a grass-eating calf; nor would they have said
to one another with reference to the calf, "These be your gods, O Israel, who
brought you up out of the land of Egypt." And observe whether it is not entirely
in keeping with the character of the same people, who formerly refused to
believe such wonders and such appearances of divinity, throughout the whole
period of wandering in the wilderness, as they are recorded in the law of the
Jews to have done, to refuse to be convinced also, on occasion of the glorious
advent of Jesus, by the mighty words which were spoken by Him with authority,
and the marvels which He performed in the presence of all the people.
 Chapter 75
I think what has been stated is enough to convince any one that the unbelief
of the Jews with regard to Jesus was in keeping with what is related of this
people from the beginning. For I would say in reply to this Jew of Celsus, when
he asks, "What God that appeared among men is received with incredulity, and
that, too, when appearing to those who expect him? Or why, pray, is he not
recognized by those who have been long looking for him?" what answer, friends,
would you have us return to your questions? Which class of miracles, in your
judgment, do you regard as the greater? Those which were wrought in Egypt and
the wilderness, or those which we declare that Jesus performed among you? For
if the former are in your opinion greater than the latter, does it not appear from
this very fact to be in conformity with the character of those who disbelieved the
greater to despise the less? And this is the opinion entertained with respect to our
accounts of the miracles of Jesus. But if those related of Jesus are considered to
be as great as those recorded of Moses, what strange thing has come to pass
among a nation which has manifested incredulity with regard to the
commencement of both dispensations? For the beginning of the legislation was
in the time of Moses, in whose work are recorded the sins of the unbelievers and
wicked among you, while the commencement of our legislation and second
covenant is admitted to have been in the time of Jesus. And by your unbelief of
Jesus you show that you are the sons of those who in the desert discredited the
divine appearances; and thus what was spoken by our Saviour will be applicable
also to you who believed not on Him: "Therefore you bear witness that you
allow the deeds of your fathers." And there is fulfilled among you also the
prophecy which said: "Your life shall hang in doubt before your eyes, and you
will have no assurance of your life." For you did not believe in the life which
came to visit the human race.
 Chapter 76
Celsus, in adopting the character of a Jew, could not discover any
objections to be urged against the Gospel which might not be retorted on him as
liable to be brought also against the law and the prophets. For he censures Jesus
in such words as the following: "He makes use of threats, and reviles men on
light grounds, when he says, 'Woe unto you,' and 'I tell you beforehand.' For by
such expressions he manifestly acknowledges his inability to persuade; and this
would not be the case with a God, or even a prudent man." Observe, now,
whether these charges do not manifestly recoil upon the Jew. For in the writings
of the law and the prophets God makes use of threats and revilings, when He
employs language of not less severity than that found in the Gospel, such as the
following expressions of Isaiah: "Woe unto them that join house to house, and
lay field to field;" and, "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning that
they may follow strong drink;" and, "Woe unto them that draw their sins after
them as with a long rope;" and, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good
evil;" and, "Woe unto those of you who are mighty to drink wine;" and
innumerable other passages of the same kind. And does not the following
resemble the threats of which he speaks: "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with
iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters?" and so on, to which
he subjoins such threats as are equal in severity to those which, he says, Jesus
made use of. For is it not a threatening, and a great one, which declares, "Your
country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour
it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers?" And are
there not revilings in Ezekiel directed against the people, when the Lord says to
the prophet, "You dwell in the midst of scorpions?" Were you serious, then,
Celsus, in representing the Jew as saying of Jesus, that "he makes use of threats
and revilings on slight grounds, when he employs the expressions, 'Woe unto
you,' and 'I tell you beforehand?'" Do you not see that the charges which this
Jew of yours brings against Jesus might be brought by him against God? For the
God who speaks in the prophetic writings is manifestly liable to the same
accusations, as Celsus regards them, of inability to persuade. I might, moreover,
say to this Jew, who thinks that he makes a good charge against Jesus by such
statements, that if he undertakes, in support of the scriptural account, to defend
the numerous curses recorded in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, we
should make as good, or better, a defence of the revilings and threatenings which
are regarded as having been spoken by Jesus. And as respects the law of Moses
itself, we are in a position to make a better defence of it than the Jew is, because
we have been taught by Jesus to have a more intelligent apprehension of the
writings of the law. Nay, if the Jew perceive the meaning of the prophetic
Scriptures, he will be able to show that it is for no light reason that God employs
threatenings and revilings, when He says, "Woe unto you," and "I tell you
beforehand." And how should God employ such expressions for the conversion
of men, which Celsus thinks that even a prudent man would not have recourse
to? But Christians, who know only one God— the same who spoke in the
prophets and in the Lord (Jesus)— can prove the reasonableness of those
threatenings and revilings, as Celsus considers and entitles them. And here a few
remarks shall be addressed to this Celsus, who professes both to be a
philosopher, and to be acquainted with all our system. How is it, friend, when
Hermes, in Homer, says to Odysseus,

"Why, now, wretched man, do you come wandering alone over the
mountain-tops?"

that you are satisfied with the answer, which explains that the Homeric
Hermes addresses such language to Odysseus to remind him of his duty, because
it is characteristic of the Sirens to flatter and to say pleasing things, around
whom

"Is a huge heap of bones,"

 and who say,

"Come here, much lauded Odysseus, great glory of the Greeks;"

whereas, if our prophets and Jesus Himself, in order to turn their hearers
from evil, make use of such expressions as "Woe unto you," and what you regard
as revilings, there is no condescension in such language to the circumstances of
the hearers, nor any application of such words to them as healing medicine?
Unless, indeed, you would have God, or one who partakes of the divine nature,
when conversing with men, to have regard to His own nature alone, and to what
is worthy of Himself, but to have no regard to what is fitting to be brought
before men who are under the dispensation and leading of His word, and with
each one of whom He is to converse agreeably to his individual character. And is
it not a ridiculous assertion regarding Jesus, to say that He was unable to
persuade men, when you compare the state of matters not only among the Jews,
who have many such instances recorded in the prophecies, but also among the
Greeks, among whom all of those who have attained great reputation for their
wisdom have been unable to persuade those who conspired against them, or to
induce their judges or accusers to cease from evil, and to endeavour to attain to
virtue by the way of philosophy?
 Chapter 77
After this the Jew remarks, manifestly in accordance with the Jewish belief:
"We certainly hope that there will be a bodily resurrection, and that we shall
enjoy an eternal life; and the example and archetype of this will be He who is
sent to us, and who will show that nothing is impossible with God." We do not
know, indeed, whether the Jew would say of the expected Christ, that He
exhibits in Himself an example of the resurrection; but let it be supposed that he
both thinks and says so. We shall give this answer, then, to him who has told us
that he drew his information from our own writings: "Did you read those
writings, friend, in which you think you discover matter of accusation against us,
and not find there the resurrection of Jesus, and the declaration that He was the
first-born from the dead? Or because you will not allow such things to have been
recorded, were they not actually recorded?" But as the Jew still admits the
resurrection of the body, I do not consider the present a suitable time to discuss
the subject with one who both believes and says that there is a bodily
resurrection, whether he has an articulate understanding of such a topic, and is
able to plead well on its behalf, or not, but has only given his assent to it as being
of a legendary character. Let the above, then, be our reply to this Jew of Celsus.
And when he adds, "Where, then, is he, that we may see him and believe upon
him?" we answer: Where is He now who spoke in the prophecies, and who
wrought miracles, that we may see and believe that He is part of God? Are you
to be allowed to meet the objection, that God does not perpetually show Himself
to the Hebrew nation, while we are not to be permitted the same defence with
regard to Jesus, who has both once risen Himself, and led His disciples to
believe in His resurrection, and so thoroughly persuaded them of its truth, that
they show to all men by their sufferings how they are able to laugh at all the
troubles of life, beholding the life eternal and the resurrection clearly
demonstrated to them both in word and deed?
 Chapter 78
The Jew continues: "Did Jesus come into the world for this purpose, that
we should not believe him?" To which we immediately answer, that He did not
come with the object of producing incredulity among the Jews; but knowing
beforehand that such would be the result, He foretold it, and made use of their
unbelief for the calling of the Gentiles. For through their sin salvation came to
the Gentiles, respecting whom the Christ who speaks in the prophecies says, "A
people whom I did not know became subject to Me: they were obedient to the
hearing of My ear;" and, "I was found of them who sought Me not; I became
manifest to those who inquired not after Me." It is certain, moreover, that the
Jews were punished even in this present life, after treating Jesus in the manner in
which they did. And let the Jews assert what they will when we charge them
with guilt, and say, "Is not the providence and goodness of God most
wonderfully displayed in your punishment, and in your being deprived of
Jerusalem, and of the sanctuary, and of your splendid worship?" For whatever
they may say in reply with respect to the providence of God, we shall be able
more effectually to answer it by remarking, that the providence of God was
wonderfully manifested in using the transgression of that people for the purpose
of calling into the kingdom of God, through Jesus Christ, those from among the
Gentiles who were strangers to the covenant and aliens to the promises. And
these things were foretold by the prophets, who said that, on account of the
transgressions of the Hebrew nation, God would make choice, not of a nation,
but of individuals chosen from all lands; and, having selected the foolish things
of the world, would cause an ignorant nation to become acquainted with the
divine teaching, the kingdom of God being taken from the one and given to the
other. And out of a larger number it is sufficient on the present occasion to
adduce the prediction from the song in Deuteronomy regarding the calling of the
Gentiles, which is as follows, being spoken in the person of the Lord: "They
have moved Me to jealousy with those who are not gods; they have provoked Me
to anger with their idols: and I will move them to jealousy with those who are
not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation."
 Chapter 79
The conclusion of all these arguments regarding Jesus is thus stated by the
Jew: "He was therefore a man, and of such a nature, as the truth itself proves,
and reason demonstrates him to be." I do not know, however, whether a man
who had the courage to spread throughout the entire world his doctrine of
religious worship and teaching, could accomplish what he wished without the
divine assistance, and could rise superior to all who withstood the progress of his
doctrine— kings and rulers, and the Roman senate, and governors in all places,
and the common people. And how could the nature of a man possessed of no
inherent excellence convert so vast a multitude? For it would not be wonderful if
it were only the wise who were so convened; but it is the most irrational of men,
and those devoted to their passions, and who, by reason of their irrationality,
change with the greater difficulty so as to adopt a more temperate course of life.
And yet it is because Christ was the power of God and the wisdom of the Father
that He accomplished, and still accomplishes, such results, although neither the
Jews nor Greeks who disbelieve His word will so admit. And therefore we shall
not cease to believe in God, according to the precepts of Jesus Christ, and to
seek to convert those who are blind on the subject of religion, although it is they
who are truly blind themselves that charge us with blindness: and they, whether
Jews or Greeks, who lead astray those that follow them, accuse us of seducing
men— a good seduction, truly!— that they may become temperate instead of
dissolute, or at least may make advances to temperance; may become just
instead of unjust, or at least may tend to become so; prudent instead of foolish,
or be on the way to become such; and instead of cowardice, meanness, and
timidity, may exhibit the virtues of fortitude and courage, especially displayed in
the struggles undergone for the sake of their religion towards God, the Creator of
all things. Jesus Christ therefore came announced beforehand, not by one
prophet, but by all; and it was a proof of the ignorance of Celsus, to represent a
Jew as saying that one prophet only had predicted the advent of Christ. But as
this Jew of Celsus, after being thus introduced, asserting that these things were
indeed in conformity with his own law, has somewhere here ended his discourse,
with a mention of other matters not worthy of remembrance, I too shall here
terminate this second book of my answer to his treatise. But if God permit, and
the power of Christ abide in my soul, I shall endeavour in the third book to deal
with the subsequent statements of Celsus.
 Contra Celsus, Book III
Chapter 1

In the first book of our answer to the work of Celsus, who had boastfully
entitled the treatise which he had composed against us A True Discourse , we
have gone through, as you enjoined, my faithful Ambrosius, to the best of our
ability, his preface, and the parts immediately following it, testing each one of
his assertions as we went along, until we finished with the tirade of this Jew of
his, feigned to have been delivered against Jesus. And in the second book we
met, as we best could, all the charges contained in the invective of the said Jew,
which were levelled at us who are believers in God through Christ; and now we
enter upon this third division of our discourse, in which our object is to refute the
allegations which he makes in his own person.
He gives it as his opinion, that "the controversy between Jews and
Christians is a most foolish one," and asserts that "the discussions which we have
with each other regarding Christ differ in no respect from what is called in the
proverb, 'a fight about the shadow of an ass.'" and thinks that "there is nothing
of importance in the investigations of the Jews and Christians: for both believe
that it was predicted by the Divine Spirit that one was to come as a Saviour to
the human race, but do not yet agree on the point whether the person predicted
has actually come or not." For we Christians, indeed, have believed in Jesus, as
He who came according to the predictions of the prophets. But the majority of
the Jews are so far from believing in Him, that those of them who lived at the
time of His coming conspired against Him; and those of the present day,
approving of what the Jews of former times dared to do against Him, speak evil
of Him, asserting that it was by means of sorcery that he passed himself off for
Him who was predicted by the prophets as the One who was to come, and who
was called, agreeably to the traditions of the Jews, the Christ.
 Chapter 2
But let Celsus, and those who assent to his charges, tell us whether it is at
all like "an ass's shadow," that the Jewish prophets should have predicted the
birth-place of Him who was to be the ruler of those who had lived righteous
lives, and who are called the "heritage" of God; and that Emmanuel should be
conceived by a virgin; and that such signs and wonders should be performed by
Him who was the subject of prophecy; and that His word should have such
speedy course, that the voice of His apostles should go forth into all the earth;
and that He should undergo certain sufferings after His condemnation by the
Jews; and that He should rise again from the dead. For was it by chance that the
prophets made these announcements, with no persuasion of the truth in their
minds, moving them not only to speak, but to deem their announcements worthy
of being committed to writing? And did so great a nation as that of the Jews,
who had long ago received a country of their own wherein to dwell, recognise
certain men as prophets, and reject others as utterers of false predictions, without
any conviction of the soundness of the distinction? And was there no motive
which induced them to class with the books of Moses, which were held as
sacred, the words of those persons who were afterwards deemed to be prophets?
And can those who charge the Jews and Christians with folly, show us how the
Jewish nation could have continued to subsist, had there existed among them no
promise of the knowledge of future events? And how, while each of the
surrounding nations believed, agreeably to their ancient institutions, that they
received oracles and predictions from those whom they accounted gods, this
people alone, who were taught to view with contempt all those who were
considered gods by the heathen, as not being gods, but demons, according to the
declaration of the prophets, "For all the gods of the nations are demons," had
among them no one who professed to be a prophet, and who could restrain such
as, from a desire to know the future, were ready to desert to the demons of other
nations? Judge, then, whether it were not a necessity, that as the whole nation
had been taught to despise the deities of other lands, they should have had an
abundance of prophets, who made known events which were of far greater
importance in themselves, and which surpassed the oracles of all other countries.
 Chapter 3
In the next place, miracles were performed in all countries, or at least in
many of them, as Celsus himself admits, instancing the case of Æsculapius, who
conferred benefits on many, and who foretold future events to entire cities,
which were dedicated to him, such as Tricca, and Epidaurus, and Cos, and
Pergamus; and along with Æsculapius he mentions Aristeas of Proconnesus, and
a certain Clazomenian, and Cleomedes of Astypalæa. But among the Jews alone,
who say they are dedicated to the God of all things, there was wrought no
miracle or sign which might help to confirm their faith in the Creator of all
things, and strengthen their hope of another and better life! But how can they
imagine such a state of things? For they would immediately have gone over to
the worship of those demons which gave oracles and performed cures, and
deserted the God who was believed, as far as words went, to assist them, but
who never manifested to them His visible presence. But if this result has not
taken place, and if, on the contrary, they have suffered countless calamities
rather than renounce Judaism and their law, and have been cruelly treated, at one
time in Assyria, at another in Persia, and at another under Antiochus, is it not in
keeping with the probabilities of the case for those to suppose who do not yield
their belief to their miraculous histories and prophecies, that the events in
question could not be inventions, but that a certain divine Spirit being in the holy
souls of the prophets, as of men who underwent any labour for the cause of
virtue, did move them to prophesy some things relating to their contemporaries,
and others to their posterity, but chiefly regarding a certain personage who was
to come as a Saviour to the human race?
 Chapter 4
And if the above be the state of the case, how do Jews and Christians search
after "the shadow of an ass," in seeking to ascertain from those prophecies which
they believe in common, whether He who was foretold has come, or has not yet
arrived, and is still an object of expectation? But even suppose it be granted to
Celsus that it was not Jesus who was announced by the prophets, then, even on
such a hypothesis, the investigation of the sense of the prophetic writings is no
search after "the shadow of an ass," if He who was spoken of can be clearly
pointed out, and it can be shown both what sort of person He was predicted to
be, and what He was to do, and, if possible, when He was to arrive. But in the
preceding pages we have already spoken on the point of Jesus being the
individual who was foretold to be the Christ, quoting a few prophecies out of a
larger number. Neither Jews nor Christians, then, are wrong in assuming that the
prophets spoke under divine influence; but they are in error who form erroneous
opinions respecting Him who was expected by the prophets to come, and whose
person and character were made known in their "true discourses."
 Chapter 5
Immediately after these points, Celsus, imagining that the Jews are
Egyptians by descent, and had abandoned Egypt, after revolting against the
Egyptian state, and despising the customs of that people in matters of worship,
says that "they suffered from the adherents of Jesus, who believed in Him as the
Christ, the same treatment which they had inflicted upon the Egyptians; and that
the cause which led to the new state of things in either instance was rebellion
against the state." Now let us observe what Celsus has here done. The ancient
Egyptians, after inflicting many cruelties upon the Hebrew race, who had settled
in Egypt owing to a famine which had broken out in Judea, suffered, in
consequence of their injustice to strangers and suppliants, that punishment which
divine Providence had decreed was to fall on the whole nation for having
combined against an entire people, who had been their guests, and who had done
them no harm; and after being smitten by plagues from God, they allowed them,
with difficulty, and after a brief period, to go wherever they liked, as being
unjustly detained in slavery. Because, then, they were a selfish people, who
honoured those who were in any degree related to them far more than they did
strangers of better lives, there is not an accusation which they have omitted to
bring against Moses and the Hebrews,— not altogether denying, indeed, the
miracles and wonders done by him, but alleging that they were wrought by
sorcery, and not by divine power. Moses, however, not as a magician, but as a
devout man, and one devoted to the God of all things, and a partaker in the
divine Spirit, both enacted laws for the Hebrews, according to the suggestions of
the Divinity, and recorded events as they happened with perfect fidelity.
 Chapter 6
Celsus, therefore, not investigating in a spirit of impartiality the facts,
which are related by the Egyptians in one way, and by the Hebrews in another,
but being bewitched, as it were, in favour of the former, accepted as true the
statements of those who had oppressed the strangers, and declared that the
Hebrews, who had been unjustly treated, had departed from Egypt after revolting
against the Egyptians,— not observing how impossible it was for so great a
multitude of rebellious Egyptians to become a nation, which, dating its origin
from the said revolt, should change its language at the time of its rebellion, so
that those who up to that time made use of the Egyptian tongue, should
completely adopt, all at once, the language of the Hebrews! Let it be granted,
however, according to his supposition, that on abandoning Egypt they did
conceive a hatred also of their mother tongue, how did it happen that after so
doing they did not rather adopt the Syrian or Phœnician language, instead of
preferring the Hebrew, which is different from both? But reason seems to me to
demonstrate that the statement is false, which makes those who were Egyptians
by race to have revolted against Egyptians, and to have left the country, and to
have proceeded to Palestine, and occupied the land now called Judea. For
Hebrew was the language of their fathers before their descent into Egypt; and the
Hebrew letters, employed by Moses in writing those five books which are
deemed sacred by the Jews, were different from those of the Egyptians.
 Chapter 7
In like manner, as the statement is false "that the Hebrews, being
(originally) Egyptians, dated the commencement (of their political existence)
from the time of their rebellion," so also is this, "that in the days of Jesus others
who were Jews rebelled against the Jewish state, and became His followers;" for
neither Celsus nor they who think with him are able to point out any act on the
part of Christians which savours of rebellion. And yet, if a revolt had led to the
formation of the Christian commonwealth, so that it derived its existence in this
way from that of the Jews, who were permitted to take up arms in defence of the
members of their families, and to slay their enemies, the Christian Lawgiver
would not have altogether forbidden the putting of men to death; and yet He
nowhere teaches that it is right for His own disciples to offer violence to any
one, however wicked. For He did not deem it in keeping with such laws as His,
which were derived from a divine source, to allow the killing of any individual
whatever. Nor would the Christians, had they owed their origin to a rebellion,
have adopted laws of so exceedingly mild a character as not to allow them, when
it was their fate to be slain as sheep, on any occasion to resist their persecutors.
And truly, if we look a little deeper into things, we may say regarding the exodus
from Egypt, that it is a miracle if a whole nation at once adopted the language
called Hebrew, as if it had been a gift from heaven, when one of their own
prophets said, "As they went forth from Egypt, they heard a language which they
did not understand."
 Chapter 8
In the following way, also, we may conclude that they who came out of
Egypt with Moses were not Egyptians; for if they had been Egyptians, their
names also would be Egyptian, because in every language the designations (of
persons and things) are kindred to the language. But if it is certain, from the
names being Hebrew, that the people were not Egyptians,— and the Scriptures
are full of Hebrew names, and these bestowed, too, upon their children while
they were in Egypt—it is clear that the Egyptian account is false, which asserts
that they were Egyptians, and went forth from Egypt with Moses. Now it is
absolutely certain that, being descended, as the Mosaic history records, from
Hebrew ancestors, they employed a language from which they also took the
names which they conferred upon their children. But with regard to the
Christians, because they were taught not to avenge themselves upon their
enemies (and have thus observed laws of a mild and philanthropic character);
and because they would not, although able, have made war even if they had
received authority to do so—they have obtained this reward from God, that He
has always warred in their behalf, and on certain occasions has restrained those
who rose up against them and desired to destroy them. For in order to remind
others, that by seeing a few engaged in a struggle for their religion, they also
might be better fitted to despise death, some, on special occasions, and these
individuals who can be easily numbered, have endured death for the sake of
Christianity—God not permitting the whole nation to be exterminated, but
desiring that it should continue, and that the whole world should be filled with
this salutary and religious doctrine. And again, on the other hand, that those who
were of weaker minds might recover their courage and rise superior to the
thought of death, God interposed His providence on behalf of believers,
dispersing by an act of His will alone all the conspiracies formed against them;
so that neither kings, nor rulers, nor the populace, might be able to rage against
them beyond a certain point. Such, then, is our answer to the assertions of
Celsus, "that a revolt was the original commencement of the ancient Jewish
state, and subsequently of Christianity."
 Chapter 9
But since he is manifestly guilty of falsehood in the statements which
follow, let us examine his assertion when he says, "If all men wished to become
Christians, the latter would not desire such a result." Now that the above
statement is false is clear from this, that Christians do not neglect, as far as in
them lies, to take measures to disseminate their doctrine throughout the whole
world. Some of them, accordingly, have made it their business to itinerate not
only through cities, but even villages and country houses, that they might make
converts to God. And no one would maintain that they did this for the sake of
gain, when sometimes they would not accept even necessary sustenance; or if at
any time they were pressed by a necessity of this sort, were contented with the
mere supply of their wants, although many were willing to share (their
abundance) with them, and to bestow help upon them far above their need. At
the present day, indeed, when, owing to the multitude of Christian believers, not
only rich men, but persons of rank, and delicate and high-born ladies, receive the
teachers of Christianity, some perhaps will dare to say that it is for the sake of a
little glory that certain individuals assume the office of Christian instructors. It is
impossible, however, rationally to entertain such a suspicion with respect to
Christianity in its beginnings, when the danger incurred, especially by its
teachers, was great; while at the present day the discredit attaching to it among
the rest of mankind is greater than any supposed honour enjoyed among those
who hold the same belief, especially when such honour is not shared by all. It is
false, then, from the very nature of the case, to say that "if all men wished to
become Christians, the latter would not desire such a result."
 Chapter 10
But observe what he alleges as a proof of his statement: "Christians at first
were few in number, and held the same opinions; but when they grew to be a
great multitude, they were divided and separated, each wishing to have his own
individual party: for this was their object from the beginning." That Christians at
first were few in number, in comparison with the multitudes who subsequently
became Christian, is undoubted; and yet, all things considered, they were not so
very few. For what stirred up the envy of the Jews against Jesus, and aroused
them to conspire against Him, was the great number of those who followed Him
into the wilderness—five thousand men on one occasion, and four thousand on
another, having attended Him there, without including the women and children.
For such was the charm of Jesus' words, that not only were men willing to follow
Him to the wilderness, but women also, forgetting the weakness of their sex and
a regard for outward propriety in thus following their Teacher into desert places.
Children, too, who are altogether unaffected by such emotions, either following
their parents, or perhaps attracted also by His divinity, in order that it might be
implanted within them, became His followers along with their parents. But let it
be granted that Christians were few in number at the beginning, how does that
help to prove that Christians would be unwilling to make all men believe the
doctrine of the Gospel?
 Chapter 11
He says, in addition, that "all the Christians were of one mind," not
observing, even in this particular, that from the beginning there were differences
of opinion among believers regarding the meaning of the books held to be
divine. At all events, while the apostles were still preaching, and while eye-
witnesses of (the works of) Jesus were still teaching His doctrine, there was no
small discussion among the converts from Judaism regarding Gentile believers,
on the point whether they ought to observe Jewish customs, or should reject the
burden of clean and unclean meats, as not being obligatory on those who had
abandoned their ancestral Gentile customs, and had become believers in Jesus.
Nay, even in the Epistles of Paul, who was contemporary with those who had
seen Jesus, certain particulars are found mentioned as having been the subject of
dispute—viz., respecting the resurrection, and whether it were already past, and
the day of the Lord, whether it were near at hand or not. Nay, the very
exhortation to "avoid profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science
falsely so called: which some professing, have erred concerning the faith," is
enough to show that from the very beginning, when, as Celsus imagines,
believers were few in number, there were certain doctrines interpreted in
different ways.
 Chapter 12
In the next place, since he reproaches us with the existence of heresies in
Christianity as being a ground of accusation against it, saying that "when
Christians had greatly increased in numbers, they were divided and split up into
factions, each individual desiring to have his own party;" and further, that
"being thus separated through their numbers, they confute one another, still
having, so to speak, one name in common, if indeed they still retain it. And this is
the only thing which they are yet ashamed to abandon, while other matters are
determined in different ways by the various sects." In reply to which, we say that
heresies of different kinds have never originated from any matter in which the
principle involved was not important and beneficial to human life. For since the
science of medicine is useful and necessary to the human race, and many are the
points of dispute in it respecting the manner of curing bodies, there are found,
for this reason, numerous heresies confessedly prevailing in the science of
medicine among the Greeks, and also, I suppose, among those barbarous nations
who profess to employ medicine. And, again, since philosophy makes a
profession of the truth, and promises a knowledge of existing things with a view
to the regulation of life, and endeavours to teach what is advantageous to our
race, and since the investigation of these matters is attended with great
differences of opinion, innumerable heresies have consequently sprung up in
philosophy, some of which are more celebrated than others. Even Judaism itself
afforded a pretext for the origination of heresies, in the different acceptation
accorded to the writings of Moses and those of the prophets. So, then, seeing
Christianity appeared an object of veneration to men, not to the more servile
class alone, as Celsus supposes, but to many among the Greeks who were
devoted to literary pursuits, there necessarily originated heresies—not at all,
however, as the result of faction and strife, but through the earnest desire of
many literary men to become acquainted with the doctrines of Christianity. The
consequence of which was, that, taking in different acceptations those discourses
which were believed by all to be divine, there arose heresies, which received
their names from those individuals who admired, indeed, the origin of
Christianity, but who were led, in some way or other, by certain plausible
reasons, to discordant views. And yet no one would act rationally in avoiding
medicine because of its heresies; nor would he who aimed at that which is
seemly entertain a hatred of philosophy, and adduce its many heresies as a
pretext for his antipathy. And so neither are the sacred books of Moses and the
prophets to be condemned on account of the heresies in Judaism.
 Chapter 13
Now, if these arguments hold good, why should we not defend, in the same
way, the existence of heresies in Christianity? And respecting these, Paul
appears to me to speak in a very striking manner when he says, "For there must
be heresies among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest
among you." For as that man is "approved" in medicine who, on account of his
experience in various (medical) heresies, and his honest examination of the
majority of them, has selected the preferable system—and as the great proficient
in philosophy is he who, after acquainting himself experimentally with the
various views, has given in his adhesion to the best,— so I would say that the
wisest Christian was he who had carefully studied the heresies both of Judaism
and Christianity. Whereas he who finds fault with Christianity because of its
heresies would find fault also with the teaching of Socrates, from whose school
have issued many others of discordant views. Nay, the opinions of Plato might
be chargeable with error, on account of Aristotle's having separated from his
school, and founded a new one—on which subject we have remarked in the
preceding book. But it appears to me that Celsus has become acquainted with
certain heresies which do not possess even the name of Jesus in common with
us. Perhaps he had heard of the sects called Ophites and Cainites, or some others
of a similar nature, which had departed in all points from the teaching of Jesus.
And yet surely this furnishes no ground for a charge against the Christian
doctrine.
 Chapter 14
After this he continues: "Their union is the more wonderful, the more it can
be shown to be based on no substantial reason. And yet rebellion is a substantial
reason, as well as the advantages which accrue from it, and the fear of external
enemies. Such are the causes which give stability to their faith." To this we
answer, that our union does thus rest upon a reason, or rather not upon a reason,
but upon the divine working, so that its commencement was God's teaching men,
in the prophetical writings, to expect the advent of Christ, who was to be the
Saviour of mankind. For in so far as this point is not really refuted (although it
may seem to be by unbelievers), in the same proportion is the doctrine
commended as the doctrine of God, and Jesus shown to be the Son of God both
before and after His incarnation. I maintain, moreover, that even after His
incarnation, He is always found by those who possess the acutest spiritual vision
to be most God-like, and to have really come down to us from God, and to have
derived His origin or subsequent development not from human wisdom, but
from the manifestation of God within Him, who by His manifold wisdom and
miracles established Judaism first, and Christianity afterwards; and the assertion
that rebellion, and the advantages attending it, were the originating causes of a
doctrine which has converted and improved so many men was effectually
refuted.
 Chapter 15
But again, that it is not the fear of external enemies which strengthens our
union, is plain from the fact that this cause, by God's will, has already, for a
considerable time, ceased to exist. And it is probable that the secure existence, so
far as regards the world, enjoyed by believers at present, will come to an end,
since those who calumniate Christianity in every way are again attributing the
present frequency of rebellion to the multitude of believers, and to their not
being persecuted by the authorities as in old times. For we have learned from the
Gospel neither to relax our efforts in days of peace, and to give ourselves up to
repose, nor, when the world makes war upon us, to become cowards, and
apostatize from the love of the God of all things which is in Jesus Christ. And
we clearly manifest the illustrious nature of our origin, and do not (as Celsus
imagines) conceal it, when we impress upon the minds of our first converts a
contempt for idols, and images of all kinds, and, besides this, raise their thoughts
from the worship of created things instead of God, and elevate them to the
universal Creator; clearly showing Him to be the subject of prophecy, both from
the predictions regarding Him— of which there are many— and from those
traditions which have been carefully investigated by such as are able
intelligently to understand the Gospels, and the declarations of the apostles.
 Chapter 16
"But what the legends are of every kind which we gather together, or the
terrors which we invent," as Celsus without proof asserts, he who likes may
show. I know not, indeed, what he means by "inventing terrors," unless it be our
doctrine of God as Judge, and of the condemnation of men for their deeds, with
the various proofs derived partly from Scripture, partly from probable reason.
And yet— for truth is precious— Celsus says, at the close, "Forbid that either I,
or these, or any other individual should ever reject the doctrine respecting the
future punishment of the wicked and the reward of the good!" What terrors, then,
if you except the doctrine of punishment, do we invent and impose upon
mankind? And if he should reply that "we weave together erroneous opinions
drawn from ancient sources, and trumpet them aloud, and sound them before
men, as the priests of Cybele clash their cymbals in the ears of those who are
being initiated in their mysteries;" we shall ask him in reply, "Erroneous
opinions from what ancient sources?" For, whether he refers to Grecian
accounts, which taught the existence of courts of justice under the earth, or
Jewish, which, among other things, predicted the life that follows the present
one; he will be unable to show that we who, striving to believe in grounds of
reason, regulate our lives in conformity with such doctrines, have failed
correctly to ascertain the truth.
 Chapter 17
He wishes, indeed, to compare the articles of our faith to those of the
Egyptians; "among whom, as you approach their sacred edifices, are to be seen
splendid enclosures, and groves, and large and beautiful gateways, and
wonderful temples, and magnificent tents around them, and ceremonies of
worship full of superstition and mystery; but when you have entered, and passed
within, the object of worship is seen to be a cat, or an ape, or a crocodile, or a
goat, or a dog!" Now, what is the resemblance between us and the splendours of
Egyptian worship which are seen by those who draw near their temples? And
where is the resemblance to those irrational animals which are worshipped
within, after you pass through the splendid gateways? Are our prophecies, and
the God of all things, and the injunctions against images, objects of reverence in
the view of Celsus also, and Jesus Christ crucified, the analogue to the worship
of the irrational animal? But if he should assert this— and I do not think that he
will maintain anything else— we shall reply that we have spoken in the
preceding pages at greater length in defence of those charges affecting Jesus,
showing that what appeared to have happened to Him in the capacity of His
human nature, was fraught with benefit to all men, and with salvation to the
whole world.
 Chapter 18
In the next place, referring to the statements of the Egyptians, who talk
loftily about irrational animals, and who assert that they are a sort of symbols of
God, or anything else which their prophets, so termed, are accustomed to call
them, Celsus says that "an impression is produced in the minds of those who
have learned these things; that they have not been initiated in vain;" while with
regard to the truths which are taught in our writings to those who have made
progress in the study of Christianity (through that which is called by Paul the gift
consisting in the "word of wisdom" through the Spirit, and in the "word of
knowledge" according to the Spirit), Celsus does not seem even to have formed
an idea, judging not only from what he has already said, but from what he
subsequently adds in his attack upon the Christian system, when he asserts that
Christians "repel every wise man from the doctrine of their faith, and invite only
the ignorant and the vulgar;" on which assertions we shall remark in due time,
when we come to the proper place.
 Chapter 19
He says, indeed, that "we ridicule the Egyptians, although they present
many by no means contemptible mysteries for our consideration, when they
teach us that such rites are acts of worship offered to eternal ideas, and not, as
the multitude think, to ephemeral animals; and that we are silly, because we
introduce nothing nobler than the goats and dogs of the Egyptian worship in our
narratives about Jesus." Now to this we reply, "Good sir, (suppose that) you are
right in eulogizing the fact that the Egyptians present to view many by no means
contemptible mysteries, and obscure explanations about the animals
(worshipped) among them, you nevertheless do not act consistently in accusing
us as if you believed that we had nothing to state which was worthy of
consideration, but that all our doctrines were contemptible and of no account,
seeing we unfold the narratives concerning Jesus according to the 'wisdom of
the word' to those who are 'perfect' in Christianity. Regarding whom, as being
competent to understand the wisdom that is in Christianity, Paul says: 'We speak
wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the
princes of this world, who come to nought, but we speak the wisdom of God in a
mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our
glory; which none of the princes of this world knew.'"
 Chapter 20
And we say to those who hold similar opinions to those of Celsus: "Paul
then, we are to suppose, had before his mind the idea of no pre-eminent wisdom
when he professed to speak wisdom among them that are perfect?" Now, as he
spoke with his customary boldness when in making such a profession he said
that he was possessed of no wisdom, we shall say in reply: first of all examine
the Epistles of him who utters these words, and look carefully at the meaning of
each expression in them— say, in those to the Ephesians, and Colossians, and
Thessalonians, and Philippians, and Romans,— and show two things, both that
you understand Paul's words, and that you can demonstrate any of them to be
silly or foolish. For if any one give himself to their attentive perusal, I am well
assured either that he will be amazed at the understanding of the man who can
clothe great ideas in common language; or if he be not amazed, he will only
exhibit himself in a ridiculous light, whether he simply state the meaning of the
writer as if he had comprehended it, or try to controvert and confute what he
only imagined that he understood!
 Chapter 21
And I have not yet spoken of the observance of all that is written in the
Gospels, each one of which contains much doctrine difficult to be understood,
not merely by the multitude, but even by certain of the more intelligent,
including a very profound explanation of the parables which Jesus delivered to
"those without," while reserving the exhibition of their full meaning for those
who had passed beyond the stage of exoteric teaching, and who came to Him
privately in the house. And when he comes to understand it, he will admire the
reason why some are said to be "without," and others "in the house." And again,
who would not be filled with astonishment that is able to comprehend the
movements of Jesus; ascending at one time a mountain for the purpose of
delivering certain discourses, or of performing certain miracles, or for His own
transfiguration, and descending again to heal the sick and those who were unable
to follow Him whither His disciples went? But it is not the appropriate time to
describe at present the truly venerable and divine contents of the Gospels, or the
mind of Christ— that is, the wisdom and the word— contained in the writings of
Paul. But what we have said is sufficient by way of answer to the unphilosophic
sneers of Celsus, in comparing the inner mysteries of the Church of God to the
cats, and apes, and crocodiles, and goats, and dogs of Egypt.
 Chapter 22
But this low jester Celsus, omitting no species of mockery and ridicule
which can be employed against us, mentions in his treatise the Dioscuri, and
Hercules, and Æsculapius, and Dionysus, who are believed by the Greeks to
have become gods after being men, and says that "we cannot bear to call such
beings gods, because they were at first men, and yet they manifested many noble
qualifies, which were displayed for the benefit of mankind, while we assert that
Jesus was seen after His death by His own followers;" and he brings against us
an additional charge, as if we said that "He was seen indeed, but was only a
shadow!" Now to this we reply, that it was very artful of Celsus not here clearly
to indicate that he did not regard these beings as gods, for he was afraid of the
opinion of those who might peruse his treatise, and who might suppose him to be
an atheist; whereas, if he had paid respect to what appeared to him to be the
truth, he would not have feigned to regard them as gods. Now to either of the
allegations we are ready with an answer. Let us, accordingly, to those who do
not regard them as gods reply as follows: These beings, then, are not gods at all;
but agreeably to the view of those who think that the soul of man perishes
immediately (after death), the souls of these men also perished; or according to
the opinion of those who say that the soul continues to subsist or is immortal,
these men continue to exist or are immortal, and they are not gods but heroes,—
or not even heroes, but simply souls. If, then, on the one hand, you suppose them
not to exist, we shall have to prove the doctrine of the soul's immortality, which
is to us a doctrine of pre-eminent importance; if, on the other hand, they do exist,
we have still to prove the doctrine of immortality, not only by what the Greeks
have so well said regarding it, but also in a manner agreeable to the teaching of
Holy Scripture. And we shall demonstrate that it is impossible for those who
were polytheists during their lives to obtain a better country and position after
their departure from this world, by quoting the histories that are related of them,
in which is recorded the great dissoluteness of Hercules, and his effeminate
bondage with Omphale, together with the statements regarding Æsculapius, that
their Zeus struck him dead by a thunderbolt. And of the Dioscuri, it will be said
that they die often—

At one time live on alternate days, and at another

Die, and obtain honour equally with the gods.

How, then, can they reasonably imagine that one of these is to be regarded
as a god or a hero?
 Chapter 23
But we, in proving the facts related of our Jesus from the prophetic
Scriptures, and comparing afterwards His history with them, demonstrate that no
dissoluteness on His part is recorded. For even they who conspired against Him,
and who sought false witnesses to aid them, did not find even any plausible
grounds for advancing a false charge against Him, so as to accuse Him of
licentiousness; but His death was indeed the result of a conspiracy, and bore no
resemblance to the death of Æsculapius by lightning. And what is there that is
venerable in the madman Dionysus, and his female garments, that he should be
worshipped as a god? And if they who would defend such beings betake
themselves to allegorical interpretations, we must examine each individual
instance, and ascertain whether it is well founded, and also in each particular
case, whether those beings can have a real existence, and are deserving of
respect and worship who were torn by the Titans, and cast down from their
heavenly throne. Whereas our Jesus, who appeared to the members of His own
troop — for I will take the word that Celsus employs— did really appear, and
Celsus makes a false accusation against the Gospel in saying that what appeared
was a shadow. And let the statements of their histories and that of Jesus be
carefully compared together. Will Celsus have the former to be true, but the
latter, although recorded by eye-witnesses who showed by their acts that they
clearly understood the nature of what they had seen, and who manifested their
state of mind by what they cheerfully underwent for the sake of His Gospel, to
be inventions? Now, who is there that, desiring to act always in conformity with
right reason, would yield his assent at random to what is related of the one, but
would rush to the history of Jesus, and without examination refuse to believe
what is recorded of Him?
 Chapter 24
And again, when it is said of Æsculapius that a great multitude both of
Greeks and Barbarians acknowledge that they have frequently seen, and still see,
no mere phantom, but Æsculapius himself, healing and doing good, and
foretelling the future; Celsus requires us to believe this, and finds no fault with
the believers in Jesus, when we express our belief in such stories, but when we
give our assent to the disciples, and eye-witnesses of the miracles of Jesus, who
clearly manifest the honesty of their convictions (because we see their
guilelessness, as far as it is possible to see the conscience revealed in writing),
we are called by him a set of "silly" individuals, although he cannot demonstrate
that an incalculable number, as he asserts, of Greeks and Barbarians
acknowledge the existence of Æsculapius; while we, if we deem this a matter of
importance, can clearly show a countless multitude of Greeks and Barbarians
who acknowledge the existence of Jesus. And some give evidence of their
having received through this faith a marvellous power by the cures which they
perform, revoking no other name over those who need their help than that of the
God of all things, and of Jesus, along with a mention of His history. For by these
means we too have seen many persons freed from grievous calamities, and from
distractions of mind, and madness, and countless other ills, which could be cured
neither by men nor devils.
 Chapter 25
Now, in order to grant that there did exist a healing spirit named
Æsculapius, who used to cure the bodies of men, I would say to those who are
astonished at such an occurrence, or at the prophetic knowledge of Apollo, that
since the cure of bodies is a thing indifferent, and a matter within the reach not
merely of the good, but also of the bad; and as the foreknowledge of the future is
also a thing indifferent— for the possessor of foreknowledge does not
necessarily manifest the possession of virtue— you must show that they who
practise healing or who forefell the future are in no respect wicked, but exhibit a
perfect pattern of virtue, and are not far from being regarded as gods. But they
will not be able to show that they are virtuous who practise the art of healing, or
who are gifted with foreknowledge, seeing many who are not fit to live are
related to have been healed; and these, too, persons whom, as leading improper
lives, no wise physician would wish to heal. And in the responses of the Pythian
oracle also you may find some injunctions which are not in accordance with
reason, two of which we will adduce on the present occasion; viz., when it gave
commandment that Cleomedes — the boxer, I suppose— should be honoured
with divine honours, seeing some great importance or other attaching to his
pugilistic skill, but did not confer either upon Pythagoras or upon Socrates the
honours which it awarded to pugilism; and also when it called Archilochus "the
servant of the Muses" — a man who employed his poetic powers upon topics of
the most wicked and licentious nature, and whose public character was dissolute
and impure— and entitled him "pious," in respect of his being the servant of the
Muses, who are deemed to be goddesses! Now I am inclined to think that no one
would assert that he was a "pious" man who was not adorned with all
moderation and virtue, or that a decorous man would utter such expressions as
are contained in the unseemly iambics of Archilochus. And if nothing that is
divine in itself is shown to belong either to the healing skill of Æsculapius or the
prophetic power of Apollo, how could any one, even were I to grant that the
facts are as alleged, reasonably worship them as pure divinities?— and
especially when the prophetic spirit of Apollo, pure from any body of earth,
secretly enters through the private parts the person of her who is called the
priestess, as she is seated at the mouth of the Pythian cave! Whereas regarding
Jesus and His power we have no such notion; for the body which was born of the
Virgin was composed of human material, and capable of receiving human
wounds and death.
 Chapter 26
Let us see what Celsus says next, when he adduces from history marvellous
occurrences, which in themselves seem to be incredible, but which are not
discredited by him, so far at least as appears from his words. And, in the first
place, regarding Aristeas of Proconnesus, of whom he speaks as follows: "Then,
with respect to Aristeas of Proconnesus, who disappeared from among men in a
manner so indicative of divine intervention, and who showed himself again in so
unmistakeable a fashion, and on many subsequent occasions visited many parts
of the world, and announced marvellous events, and whom Apollo enjoined the
inhabitants of Metapontium to regard as a god, no one considers him to be a
god." This account he appears to have taken from Pindar and Herodotus. It will
be sufficient, however, at present to quote the statement of the latter writer from
the fourth book of his histories, which is to the following effect: "Of what
country Aristeas, who made these verses, was, has already been mentioned, and
I shall now relate the account I heard of him in Proconnesus and Cyzicus. They
say that Aristeas, who was inferior to none of the citizens by birth, entering into
a fuller's shop in Proconnesus, died suddenly, and that the fuller, having closed
his workshop, went to acquaint the relatives of the deceased. When the report
had spread through the city that Aristeas was dead, a certain Cyzicenian,
arriving from Artace, fell into a dispute with those who made the report,
affirming that he had met and conversed with him on his way to Cyzicus, and he
vehemently disputed the truth of the report; but the relations of the deceased
went to the fuller's shop, taking with them what was necessary for the purpose of
carrying the body away; but when the house was opened, Aristeas was not to be
seen, either dead or alive. They say that afterwards, in the seventh year, he
appeared in Proconnesus, composed those verses which by the Greeks are now
called Arimaspian, and having composed them, disappeared a second time. Such
is the story current in these cities. But these things I know happened to the
Metapontines in Italy 340 years after the second disappearance of Aristeas, as I
discovered by computation in Proconnesus and Metapontium. The Metapontines
say that Aristeas himself, having appeared in their country, exhorted them to
erect an altar to Apollo, and to place near it a statue bearing the name of
Aristeas the Proconnesian; for he said that Apollo had visited their country only
of all the Italians, and that he himself, who was now Aristeas, accompanied him;
and that when he accompanied the god he was a crow; and after saying this he
vanished. And the Metapontines say they sent to Delphi to inquire of the god
what the apparition of the man meant; but the Pythian bade them obey the
apparition, and if they obeyed it would conduce to their benefit. They
accordingly, having received this answer, fulfilled the injunctions. And now, a
statue bearing the name of Aristeas is placed near the image of Apollo, and
around it laurels are planted: the image is placed in the public square. Thus
much concerning Aristeas."
 Chapter 27
Now, in answer to this account of Aristeas, we have to say, that if Celsus
had adduced it as history, without signifying his own assent to its truth, it is in a
different way that we should have met his argument. But since he asserts that he
"disappeared through the intervention of the divinity," and "showed himself
again in an unmistakeable manner," and "visited many parts of the world," and
"made marvellous announcements;" and, moreover, that there was "an oracle of
Apollo, enjoining the Metapontines to treat Aristeas as a god," he gives the
accounts relating to him as upon his own authority, and with his full assent. And
(this being the case), we ask, How is it possible that, while supposing the
marvels related by the disciples of Jesus regarding their Master to be wholly
fictitious, and finding fault with those who believe them, you, O Celsus, do not
regard these stories of yours to be either products of jugglery or inventions? And
how, while charging others with an irrational belief in the marvels recorded of
Jesus, can you show yourself justified in giving credence to such statement as
the above, without producing some proof or evidence of the alleged occurrences
having taken place? Or do Herodotus and Pindar appear to you to speak the
truth, while they who have made it their concern to die for the doctrine of Jesus,
and who have left to their successors writings so remarkable on the truths which
they believed, entered for the sake of "fictions" (as you consider them), and
"myths," and "juggleries," upon a struggle which entails a life of danger and a
death of violence? Place yourself, then, as a neutral party, between what is
related of Aristeas and what is recorded of Jesus, and see whether, from the
result, and from the benefits which have accrued from the reformation of morals,
and to the worship of the God who is over all things, it is not allowable to
conclude that we must believe the events recorded of Jesus not to have happened
without the divine intervention, but that this was not the case with the story of
Aristeas the Proconnesian.
 Chapter 28
For with what purpose in view did Providence accomplish the marvels
related of Aristeas? And to confer what benefit upon the human race did such
remarkable events, as you regard them, take place? You cannot answer. But we,
when we relate the events of the history of Jesus, have no ordinary defence to
offer for their occurrence—this, viz., that God desired to commend the doctrine
of Jesus as a doctrine which was to save mankind, and which was based, indeed,
upon the apostles as foundations of the rising edifice of Christianity, but which
increased in magnitude also in the succeeding ages, in which not a few cures are
wrought in the name of Jesus, and certain other manifestations of no small
moment have taken place. Now what sort of person is Apollo, who enjoined the
Metapontines to treat Aristeas as a god? And with what object does he do this?
And what advantage was he procuring to the Metapontines from this divine
worship, if they were to regard him as a god, who a little ago was a mortal? And
yet the recommendations of Apollo (viewed by us as a demon who has obtained
the honour of libation and sacrificial odours ) regarding this Aristeas appear to
you to be worthy of consideration; while those of the God of all things, and of
His holy angels, made known beforehand through the prophets— not after the
birth of Jesus, but before He appeared among men— do not stir you up to
admiration, not merely of the prophets who received the Divine Spirit, but of
Him also who was the object of their predictions, whose entrance into life was so
clearly predicted many years beforehand by numerous prophets, that the whole
Jewish people who were hanging in expectation of the coming of Him who was
looked for, did, after the advent of Jesus, fall into a keen dispute with each other;
and that a great multitude of them acknowledged Christ, and believed Him to be
the object of prophecy, while others did not believe in Him, but, despising the
meekness of those who, on account of the teaching of Jesus, were unwilling to
cause even the most trifling sedition, dared to inflict on Jesus those cruelties
which His disciples have so truthfully and candidly recorded, without secretly
omitting from their marvellous history of Him what seems to the multitude to
bring disgrace upon the doctrine of Christianity. But both Jesus Himself and His
disciples desired that His followers should believe not merely in His Godhead
and miracles, as if He had not also been a partaker of human nature, and had
assumed the human flesh which "lusts against the Spirit;" but they saw also that
the power which had descended into human nature, and into the midst of human
miseries, and which had assumed a human soul and body, contributed through
faith, along with its divine elements, to the salvation of believers, when they see
that from Him there began the union of the divine with the human nature, in
order that the human, by communion with the divine, might rise to be divine, not
in Jesus alone, but in all those who not only believe, but enter upon the life
which Jesus taught, and which elevates to friendship with God and communion
with Him every one who lives according to the precepts of Jesus.
 Chapter 29
According to Celsus, then, Apollo wished the Metapontines to treat Aristeas
as a god. But as the Metapontines considered the evidence in favour of Aristeas
being a man— and probably not a virtuous one— to be stronger than the
declaration of the oracle to the effect that he was a god or worthy of divine
honours, they for that reason would not obey Apollo, and consequently no one
regarded Aristeas as a god. But with respect to Jesus we would say that, as it was
of advantage to the human race to accept him as the Son of God— God come in
a human soul and body— and as this did not seem to be advantageous to the
gluttonous appetites of the demons which love bodies, and to those who deem
them to be gods on that account, the demons that are on earth (which are
supposed to be gods by those who are not instructed in the nature of demons),
and also their worshippers, were desirous to prevent the spread of the doctrine of
Jesus; for they saw that the libations and odours in which they greedily delighted
were being swept away by the prevalence of the instructions of Jesus. But the
God who sent Jesus dissipated all the conspiracies of the demons, and made the
Gospel of Jesus to prevail throughout the whole world for the conversion and
reformation of men, and caused Churches to be everywhere established in
opposition to those of superstitious and licentious and wicked men; for such is
the character of the multitudes who constitute the citizens in the assemblies of
the various cities. Whereas the Churches of God which are instructed by Christ,
when carefully contrasted with the assemblies of the districts in which they are
situated, are as beacons in the world; for who would not admit that even the
inferior members of the Church, and those who in comparison with the better are
less worthy, are nevertheless more excellent than many of those who belong to
the assemblies in the different districts?
 Chapter 30
For the Church of God, e.g., which is at Athens, is a meek and stable body,
as being one which desires to please God, who is over all things; whereas the
assembly of the Athenians is given to sedition, and is not at all to be compared to
the Church of God in that city. And you may say the same thing of the Church of
God at Corinth, and of the assembly of the Corinthian people; and also of the
Church of God at Alexandria, and of the assembly of the people of Alexandria.
And if he who hears this be a candid man, and one who investigates things with
a desire to ascertain the truth, he will be filled with admiration of Him who not
only conceived the design, but also was able to secure in all places the
establishment of Churches of God alongside of the assemblies of the people in
each city. In like manner, also, in comparing the council of the Church of God
with the council in any city, you would find that certain councillors of the
Church are worthy to rule in the city of God, if there be any such city in the
whole world; whereas the councillors in all other places exhibit in their
characters no quality worthy of the conventional superiority which they appear
to enjoy over their fellow citizens. And so, too, you must compare the ruler of
the Church in each city with the ruler of the people of the city, in order to
observe that even among those councillors and rulers of the Church of God who
come very far short of their duty, and who lead more indolent lives than others
who are more energetic, it is nevertheless possible to discover a general
superiority in what relates to the progress of virtue over the characters of the
councillors and rulers in the various cities.
 Chapter 31
Now if these things be so, why should it not be consistent with reason to
hold with regard to Jesus, who was able to effect results so great, that there dwelt
in Him no ordinary divinity? While this was not the case either with the
Proconnesian Aristeas (although Apollo would have him regarded as a god), or
with the other individuals enumerated by Celsus when he says, "No one regards
Abaris the Hyperborean as a god, who was possessed of such power as to be
borne along like an arrow from a bow." For with what object did the deity who
bestowed upon this Hyperborean Abaris the power of being carried along like an
arrow, confer upon him such a gift? Was it that the human race might be
benefited thereby, or did he himself obtain any advantage from the possession of
such a power?— always supposing it to be conceded that these statements are
not wholly inventions, but that the thing actually happened through the co-
operation of some demon. But if it be recorded that my Jesus was received up
into glory, I perceive the divine arrangement in such an act, viz., because God,
who brought this to pass, commends in this way the Teacher to those who
witnessed it, in order that as men who are contending not for human doctrine,
but for divine teaching, they may devote themselves as far as possible to the God
who is over all, and may do all things in order to please Him, as those who are to
receive in the divine judgment the reward of the good or evil which they have
wrought in this life.
 Chapter 32
But as Celsus next mentions the case of the Clazomenian, subjoining to the
story about him this remark, "Do they not report that his soul frequently quitted
his body, and flitted about in an incorporeal form? And yet men did not regard
him as a god," we have to answer that probably certain wicked demons
contrived that such statements should be committed to writing (for I do not
believe that they contrived that such a thing should actually take place ), in order
that the predictions regarding Jesus, and the discourses uttered by Him, might
either be evil spoken of, as inventions like these, or might excite no surprise, as
not being more remarkable than other occurrences. But my Jesus said regarding
His own soul (which was separated from the body, not by virtue of any human
necessity, but by the miraculous power which was given Him also for this
purpose): "No one takes my life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." For as He had power to
lay it down, He laid it down when He said, "Father, why have You forsaken Me?
And when He had cried with a loud voice, He gave up the ghost," anticipating
the public executioners of the crucified, who break the legs of the victims, and
who do so in order that their punishment may not be further prolonged. And He
"took His life," when He manifested Himself to His disciples, having in their
presence foretold to the unbelieving Jews, "Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up again," and "He spoke this of the temple of His body;" the
prophets, moreover, having predicted such a result in many other passages of
their writings, and in this, "My flesh also shall rest in hope: for You will not
leave my soul in hell, neither will You suffer Your Holy One to see corruption."
 Chapter 33
Celsus, however, shows that he has read a good many Grecian histories,
when he quotes further what is told of Cleomedes of Astypalæa, "who," he
relates, "entered into an ark, and although shut up within it, was not found
therein, but through some arrangement of the divinity, flew out, when certain
persons had cut open the ark in order to apprehend him." Now this story, if an
invention, as it appears to be, cannot be compared with what is related of Jesus,
since in the lives of such men there is found no indication of their possessing the
divinity which is ascribed to them; whereas the divinity of Jesus is established
both by the existence of the Churches of the saved, and by the prophecies uttered
concerning Him, and by the cures wrought in His name, and by the wisdom and
knowledge which are in Him, and the deeper truths which are discovered by
those who know how to ascend from a simple faith, and to investigate the
meaning which lies in the divine Scriptures, agreeably to the injunctions of
Jesus, who said, "Search the Scriptures," and to the wish of Paul, who taught
that "we ought to know how to answer every man;" nay, also of him who said,
"Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks of you a reason of the
faith that is in you." If he wishes to have it conceded, however, that it is not a
fiction, let him show with what object this supernatural power made him,
through some arrangement of the divinity, flee from the ark. For if he will
adduce any reason worthy of consideration, and point out any purpose worthy of
God in conferring such a power on Cleomedes, we will decide on the answer
which we ought to give; but if he fail to say anything convincing on the point,
clearly because no reason can be discovered, then we shall either speak
slightingly of the story to those who have not accepted it, and charge it with
being false, or we shall say that some demoniac power, casting a glamour over
the eyes, produced, in the case of the Astypalæan, a result like that which is
produced by the performers of juggling tricks, while Celsus thinks that with
respect to him he has spoken like an oracle, when he said that "by some divine
arrangement he flew away from the ark."
 Chapter 34
I am, however, of opinion that these individuals are the only instances with
which Celsus was acquainted. And yet, that he might appear voluntarily to pass
by other similar cases, he says, "And one might name many others of the same
kind." Let it be granted, then, that many such persons have existed who
conferred no benefit upon the human race: what would each one of their acts be
found to amount to in comparison with the work of Jesus, and the miracles
related of Him, of which we have already spoken at considerable length? He
next imagines that, "in worshipping him who," as he says, "was taken prisoner
and put to death, we are acting like the Getæ who worship Zamolxis, and the
Cilicians who worship Mopsus, and the Acarnanians who pay divine honours to
Amphilochus, and like the Thebans who do the same to Amphiaraus, and the
Lebadians to Trophonius." Now in these instances we shall prove that he has
compared us to the foregoing without good grounds. For these different tribes
erected temples and statues to those individuals above enumerated, whereas we
have refrained from offering to the Divinity honour by any such means (seeing
they are adapted rather to demons, which are somehow fixed in a certain place
which they prefer to any other, or which take up their dwelling, as it were, after
being removed (from one place to another) by certain rites and incantations), and
are lost in reverential wonder at Jesus, who has recalled our minds from all
sensible things, as being not only corruptible, but destined to corruption, and
elevated them to honour the God who is over all with prayers and a righteous
life, which we offer to Him as being intermediate between the nature of the
uncreated and that of all created things, and who bestows upon us the benefits
which come from the Father, and who as High Priest conveys our prayers to the
supreme God.
 Chapter 35
But I should like, in answer to him who for some unknown reason advances
such statements as the above, to make in a conversational way some such
remarks as the following, which seem not inappropriate to him. Are then those
persons whom you have mentioned nonentities, and is there no power in
Lebadea connected with Trophonius, nor in Thebes with the temple of
Amphiaraus, nor in Acarnania with Amphilochus, nor in Cilicia with Mopsus?
Or is there in such persons some being, either a demon, or a hero, or even a god,
working works which are beyond the reach of man? For if he answer that there is
nothing either demoniacal or divine about these individuals more than others,
then let him at once make known his own opinion, as being that of an Epicurean,
and of one who does not hold the same views with the Greeks, and who neither
recognises demons nor worships gods as do the Greeks; and let it be shown that
it was to no purpose that he adduced the instances previously enumerated (as if
he believed them to be true), together with those which he adds in the following
pages. But if he will assert that the persons spoken of are either demons, or
heroes, or even gods, let him notice that he will establish by what he has
admitted a result which he does not desire, viz., that Jesus also was some such
being; for which reason, too, he was able to demonstrate to not a few that He had
come down from God to visit the human race. And if he once admit this, see
whether he will not be forced to confess that He is mightier than those
individuals with whom he classed Him, seeing none of the latter forbids the
offering of honour to the others; while He, having confidence in Himself,
because He is more powerful than all those others, forbids them to be received as
divine because they are wicked demons, who have taken possession of places on
earth, through inability to rise to the purer and diviner region, whither the
grossnesses of earth and its countless evils cannot reach.
 Chapter 36
But as he next introduces the case of the favourite of Adrian (I refer to the
accounts regarding the youth Antinous, and the honours paid him by the
inhabitants of the city of Antinous in Egypt), and imagines that the honour paid
to him falls little short of that which we render to Jesus, let us show in what a
spirit of hostility this statement is made. For what is there in common between a
life lived among the favourites of Adrian, by one who did not abstain even from
unnatural lusts, and that of the venerable Jesus, against whom even they who
brought countless other charges, and who told so many falsehoods, were not able
to allege that He manifested, even in the slightest degree, any tendency to what
was licentious? Nay, further, if one were to investigate, in a spirit of truth and
impartiality, the stories relating to Antinous, he would find that it was due to the
magical arts and rites of the Egyptians that there was even the appearance of his
performing anything (marvellous) in the city which bears his name, and that too
only after his decease—an effect which is said to have been produced in other
temples by the Egyptians, and those who are skilled in the arts which they
practise. For they set up in certain places demons claiming prophetic or healing
power, and which frequently torture those who seem to have committed any
mistake about ordinary kinds of food, or about touching the dead body of a man,
that they may have the appearance of alarming the uneducated multitude. Of this
nature is the being that is considered to be a god in Antinoopolis in Egypt, whose
(reputed) virtues are the lying inventions of some who live by the gain derived
therefrom; while others, deceived by the demon placed there, and others again
convicted by a weak conscience, actually think that they are paying a divine
penalty inflicted by Antinous. Of such a nature also are the mysteries which they
perform, and the seeming predictions which they utter. Far different from such
are those of Jesus. For it was no company of sorcerers, paying court to a king or
ruler at his bidding, who seemed to have made him a god; but the Architect of
the universe Himself, in keeping with the marvellously persuasive power of His
words, commended Him as worthy of honour, not only to those men who were
well disposed, but to demons also, and other unseen powers, which even at the
present time show that they either fear the name of Jesus as that of a being of
superior power, or reverentially accept Him as their legal ruler. For if the
commendation had not been given Him by God, the demons would not have
withdrawn from those whom they had assailed, in obedience to the mere
mention of His name.
 Chapter 37
The Egyptians, then, having been taught to worship Antinous, will, if you
compare him with Apollo or Zeus, endure such a comparison, Antinous being
magnified in their estimation through being classed with these deities; for Celsus
is clearly convicted of falsehood when he says, "that they will not endure his
being compared with Apollo or Zeus." Whereas Christians (who have learned
that their eternal life consists in knowing the only true God, who is over all, and
Jesus Christ, whom He has sent; and who have learned also that all the gods of
the heathen are greedy demons, which flit around sacrifices and blood, and other
sacrificial accompaniments, in order to deceive those who have not taken refuge
with the God who is over all, but that the divine and holy angels of God are of a
different nature and will from all the demons on earth, and that they are known
to those exceedingly few persons who have carefully and intelligently
investigated these matters) will not endure a comparison to be made between
them and Apollo or Zeus, or any being worshipped with odour and blood and
sacrifices; some of them, so acting from their extreme simplicity, not being able
to give a reason for their conduct, but sincerely observing the precepts which
they have received; others, again, for reasons not to be lightly regarded, nay,
even of a profound description, and (as a Greek would say) drawn from the inner
nature of things; and among the latter of these God is a frequent subject of
conversation, and those who are honoured by God, through His only-begotten
Word, with participation in His divinity, and therefore also in His name. They
speak much, too, both regarding the angels of God and those who are opposed to
the truth, but have been deceived; and who, in consequence of being deceived,
call them gods or angels of God, or good demons, or heroes who have become
such by the transference into them of a good human soul. And such Christians
will also show, that as in philosophy there are many who appear to be in
possession of the truth, who have yet either deceived themselves by plausible
arguments, or by rashly assenting to what was brought forward and discovered
by others; so also, among those souls which exist apart from bodies, both angels
and demons, there are some which have been induced by plausible reasons to
declare themselves gods. And because it was impossible that the reasons of such
things could be discovered by men with perfect exactness, it was deemed safe
that no mortal should entrust himself to any being as to God, with the exception
of Jesus Christ, who is, as it were, the Ruler over all things, and who both beheld
these weighty secrets, and made them known to a few.
 Chapter 38
The belief, then, in Antinous, or any other such person, whether among the
Egyptians or the Greeks, is, so to speak, unfortunate; while the belief in Jesus
would seem to be either a fortunate one, or the result of thorough investigation,
having the appearance of the former to the multitude, and of the latter to
exceedingly few. And when I speak of a certain belief being, as the multitude
would call it, unfortunate, I in such a case refer the cause to God, who knows the
reasons of the various fates allotted to each one who enters human life. The
Greeks, moreover, will admit that even among those who are considered to be
most largely endowed with wisdom, good fortune has had much to do, as in the
choice of teachers of one kind rather than another, and in meeting with a better
class of instructors (there being teachers who taught the most opposite
doctrines), and in being brought up in better circumstances; for the bringing up
of many has been amid surroundings of such a kind, that they were prevented
from ever receiving any idea of better things, but constantly passed their life,
from their earliest youth, either as the favourites of licentious men or of tyrants,
or in some other wretched condition which forbade the soul to look upwards.
And the causes of these varied fortunes, according to all probability, are to be
found in the reasons of providence, though it is not easy for men to ascertain
these; but I have said what I have done by way of digression from the main body
of my subject, on account of the proverb, that "such is the power of faith,
because it seizes that which first presents itself." For it was necessary, owing to
the different methods of education, to speak of the differences of belief among
men, some of whom are more, others less fortunate in their belief; and from this
to proceed to show that what is termed good or bad fortune would appear to
contribute even in the case of the most talented, to their appearing to be more
fully endowed with reason and to give their assent on grounds of reason to the
majority of human opinions. But enough on these points.
 Chapter 39
We must notice the remarks which Celsus next makes, when he says to us,
that "faith, having taken possession of our minds, makes us yield the assent
which we give to the doctrine of Jesus;" for of a truth it is faith which does
produce such an assent. Observe, however, whether that faith does not of itself
exhibit what is worthy of praise, seeing we entrust ourselves to the God who is
over all, acknowledging our gratitude to Him who has led us to such a faith, and
declaring that He could not have attempted or accomplished such a result
without the divine assistance. And we have confidence also in the intentions of
the writers of the Gospels, observing their piety and conscientiousness,
manifested in their writings, which contain nothing that is spurious, or deceptive,
or false, or cunning; for it is evident to us that souls unacquainted with those
artifices which are taught by the cunning sophistry of the Greeks (which is
characterized by great plausibility and acuteness), and by the kind of rhetoric in
vogue in the courts of justice, would not have been able thus to invent
occurrences which are fitted of themselves to conduct to faith, and to a life in
keeping with faith. And I am of opinion that it was on this account that Jesus
wished to employ such persons as teachers of His doctrines, viz., that there
might be no ground for any suspicion of plausible sophistry, but that it might
clearly appear to all who were capable of understanding, that the guileless
purpose of the writers being, so to speak, marked with great simplicity, was
deemed worthy of being accompanied by a diviner power, which accomplished
far more than it seemed possible could be accomplished by a periphrasis of
words, and a weaving of sentences, accompanied by all the distinctions of
Grecian art.
 Chapter 40
But observe whether the principles of our faith, harmonizing with the
general ideas implanted in our minds at birth, do not produce a change upon
those who listen candidly to its statements; for although a perverted view of
things, with the aid of much instruction to the same effect, has been able to
implant in the minds of the multitude the belief that images are gods, and that
things made of gold, and silver, and ivory, and stone are deserving of worship,
yet common sense forbids the supposition that God is at all a piece of corruptible
matter, or is honoured when made to assume by men a form embodied in dead
matter, fashioned according to some image or symbol of His appearance. And
therefore we say at once of images that they are not gods, and of such creations
(of art) that they are not to be compared with the Creator, but are small in
contrast with the God who is over all, and who created, and upholds, and
governs the universe. And the rational soul recognising, as it were, its
relationship (to the divine), at once rejects what it for a time supposed to be
gods, and resumes its natural love for its Creator; and because of its affection
towards Him, receives Him also who first presented these truths to all nations
through the disciples whom He had appointed, and whom He sent forth,
furnished with divine power and authority, to proclaim the doctrine regarding
God and His kingdom.
 Chapter 41
But since he has charged us, I know not how often already, "with regarding
this Jesus, who was but a mortal body, as a God, and with supposing that we act
piously in so doing," it is superfluous to say any more in answer to this, as a
great deal has been said in the preceding pages. And yet let those who make this
charge understand that He whom we regard and believe to have been from the
beginning God, and the Son of God, is the very Logos, and the very Wisdom,
and the very Truth; and with respect to His mortal body, and the human soul
which it contained, we assert that not by their communion merely with Him, but
by their unity and intermixture, they received the highest powers, and after
participating in His divinity, were changed into God. And if any one should feel
a difficulty at our saying this regarding His body, let him attend to what is said
by the Greeks regarding matter, which, properly speaking, being without
qualities, receives such as the Creator desires to invest it with, and which
frequently divests itself of those which it formerly possessed, and assumes others
of a different and higher kind. And if these opinions be correct, what is there
wonderful in this, that the mortal quality of the body of Jesus, if the providence
of God has so willed it, should have been changed into one that was ethereal and
divine?
 Chapter 42
Celsus, then, does not speak as a good reasoner, when he compares the
mortal flesh of Jesus to gold, and silver, and stone, asserting that the former is
more liable to corruption than the latter. For, to speak correctly, that which is
incorruptible is not more free from corruption than another thing which is
incorruptible, nor that which is corruptible more liable to corruption than another
corruptible thing. But, admitting that there are degrees of corruptibility, we can
say in answer, that if it is possible for the matter which underlies all qualities to
exchange some of them, how should it be impossible for the flesh of Jesus also
to exchange qualities, and to become such as it was proper for a body to be
which had its abode in the ether and the regions above it, and possessing no
longer the infirmities belonging to the flesh, and those properties which Celsus
terms "impurities," and in so terming them, speaks unlike a philosopher? For that
which is properly impure, is so because of its wickedness. Now the nature of
body is not impure; for in so far as it is bodily nature, it does not possess vice,
which is the generative principle of impurity. But, as he had a suspicion of the
answer which we would return, he says with respect to the change of the body of
Jesus, "Well, after he has laid aside these qualities, he will be a God:" (and if
so), why not rather Æsculapius, and Dionysus, and Hercules? To which we
reply, "What great deed has Æsculapius, or Dionysus, or Hercules wrought?"
And what individuals will they be able to point out as having been improved in
character, and made better by their words and lives, so that they may make good
their claim to be gods? For let us peruse the many narratives regarding them, and
see whether they were free from licentiousness or injustice, or folly, or
cowardice. And if nothing of that kind be found in them, the argument of Celsus
might have force, which places the forenamed individuals upon an equality with
Jesus. But if it is certain that, although some things are reported of them as
reputable, they are recorded, nevertheless, to have done innumerable things
which are contrary to right reason, how could you any longer say, with any show
of reason, that these men, on putting aside their mortal body, became gods rather
than Jesus?
 Chapter 43
He next says of us, that "we ridicule those who worship Jupiter, because his
tomb is pointed out in the island of Crete; and yet we worship him who rose from
the tomb, although ignorant of the grounds on which the Cretans observe such a
custom." Observe now that he thus undertakes the defence of the Cretans, and of
Jupiter, and of his tomb, alluding obscurely to the allegorical notions, in
conformity with which the myth regarding Jupiter is said to have been invented;
while he assails us who acknowledge that our Jesus has been buried, indeed, but
who maintain that He has also been raised from the tomb—a statement which
the Cretans have not yet made regarding Jupiter. But since he appears to admit
that the tomb of Jupiter is in Crete, when he says that "we are ignorant of the
grounds on which the Cretans observe such a custom," we reply that
Callimachus the Cyrenian, who had read innumerable poetic compositions, and
nearly the whole of Greek history, was not acquainted with any allegorical
meaning which was contained in the stories about Jupiter and his tomb; and
accordingly he accuses the Cretans in his hymn addressed to Jupiter, in the
words: —

The Cretans are always liars: for your tomb, O king,

The Cretans have reared; and yet you did not die,
For you ever live.

Now he who said, "You did not die, for you ever live," in denying that
Jupiter's tomb was in Crete, records nevertheless that in Jupiter there was the
beginning of death. But birth upon earth is the beginning of death. And his
words run:—

"And Rhea bore you among the Parrhasians;" —

 whereas he ought to have seen, after denying that the birth of Jupiter took
place in Crete because of his tomb, that it was quite congruous with his birth in
Arcadia that he who was born should also die. And the following is the manner
in which Callimachus speaks of these things: "O Jupiter, some say that you were
born on the mountains of Ida, others in Arcadia. Which of them, O father, have
lied? The Cretans are always liars," etc. Now it is Celsus who made us discuss
these topics, by the unfair manner in which he deals with Jesus, in giving his
assent to what is related about His death and burial, but regarding as an
invention His resurrection from the dead, although this was not only foretold by
innumerable prophets, but many proofs also were given of His having appeared
after death.
 Chapter 44
After these points Celsus quotes some objections against the doctrine of
Jesus, made by a very few individuals who are considered Christians, not of the
more intelligent, as he supposes, but of the more ignorant class, and asserts that
"the following are the rules laid down by them. Let no one come to us who has
been instructed, or who is wise or prudent (for such qualifications are deemed
evil by us); but if there be any ignorant, or unintelligent, or uninstructed, or
foolish persons, let them come with confidence. By which words, acknowledging
that such individuals are worthy of their God, they manifestly show that they
desire and are able to gain over only the silly, and the mean, and the stupid, with
women and children." In reply to which, we say that, as if, while Jesus teaches
continence, and says, "Whosoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has
already committed adultery with her in his heart," one were to behold a few of
those who are deemed to be Christians living licentiously, he would most justly
blame them for living contrary to the teaching of Jesus, but would act most
unreasonably if he were to charge the Gospel with their censurable conduct; so,
if he found nevertheless that the doctrine of the Christians invites men to
wisdom, the blame then must remain with those who rest in their own ignorance,
and who utter, not what Celsus relates (for although some of them are simple
and ignorant, they do not speak so shamelessly as he alleges), but other things of
much less serious import, which, however, serve to turn aside men from the
practice of wisdom.
 Chapter 45
But that the object of Christianity is that we should become wise, can be
proved not only from the ancient Jewish writings, which we also use, but
especially from those which were composed after the time of Jesus, and which
are believed among the Churches to be divine. Now, in the fiftieth Psalm, David
is described as saying in his prayer to God these words: "The unseen and secret
things of Your wisdom You have manifested to me." Solomon, too, because he
asked for wisdom, received it; and if any one were to peruse the Psalms, he
would find the book filled with many maxims of wisdom: and the evidences of
his wisdom may be seen in his treatises, which contain a great amount of
wisdom expressed in few words, and in which you will find many laudations of
wisdom, and encouragements towards obtaining it. So wise, moreover, was
Solomon, that "the queen of Sheba, having heard his name, and the name of the
Lord, came to try him with difficult questions, and spoke to him all things,
whatsoever were in her heart; and Solomon answered her all her questions.
There was no question omitted by the king which he did not answer her. And the
queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the possessions which he
had and there was no more spirit in her. And she said to the king, The report is
true which I heard in my own land regarding you and your wisdom; and I
believed not them who told me, until I had come, and my eyes have seen it. And,
lo, they did not tell me the half. You have added wisdom and possessions above
all the report which I heard." It is recorded also of him, that "God gave Solomon
wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the
sand that is on the seashore. And the wisdom that was in Solomon greatly
excelled the wisdom of all the ancients, and of all the wise men of Egypt; and he
was wiser than all men, even than Gethan the Ezrahite, and Emad, and
Chalcadi, and Aradab, the sons of Madi. And he was famous among all the
nations round about. And Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs
were five thousand. And he spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon
even to the hyssop which springs out of the wall; and also of fishes and of beasts.
And all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of
the earth who had heard of the fame of his wisdom."
And to such a degree does the Gospel desire that there should be wise men
among believers, that for the sake of exercising the understanding of its hearers,
it has spoken certain truths in enigmas, others in what are called "dark" sayings,
others in parables, and others in problems. And one of the prophets— Hosea—
says at the end of his prophecies: "Who is wise, and he will understand these
things? Or prudent, and he shall know them?" Daniel, moreover, and his fellow-
captives, made such progress in the learning which the wise men around the king
in Babylon cultivated, that they were shown to excel all of them in a tenfold
degree. And in the book of Ezekiel it is said to the ruler of Tyre, who greatly
prided himself on his wisdom, "Are you wiser than Daniel? Every secret was not
revealed to you."
 Chapter 46
And if you come to the books written after the time of Jesus, you will find
that those multitudes of believers who hear the parables are, as it were,
"without," and worthy only of exoteric doctrines, while the disciples learn in
private the explanation of the parables. For, privately, to His own disciples did
Jesus open up all things, esteeming above the multitudes those who desired to
know His wisdom. And He promises to those who believe upon Him to send
them wise men and scribes, saying, "Behold, I will send unto you wise men and
scribes, and some of them they shall kill and crucify." And Paul also, in the
catalogue of "charismata" bestowed by God, placed first "the word of wisdom,"
and second, as being inferior to it, "the word of knowledge," but third, and lower
down, "faith." And because he regarded "the word" as higher than miraculous
powers, he for that reason places "workings of miracles" and "gifts of healings"
in a lower place than the gifts of the word. And in the Acts of the Apostles
Stephen bears witness to the great learning of Moses, which he had obtained
wholly from ancient writings not accessible to the multitude. For he says: "And
Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." And therefore, with
respect to his miracles, it was suspected that he wrought them perhaps, not in
virtue of his professing to come from God, but by means of his Egyptian
knowledge, in which he was well versed. For the king, entertaining such a
suspicion, summoned the Egyptian magicians, and wise men, and enchanters,
who were found to be of no avail as against the wisdom of Moses, which proved
superior to all the wisdom of the Egyptians.
 Chapter 47
But it is probable that what is written by Paul in the first Epistle to the
Corinthians, as being addressed to Greeks who prided themselves greatly on
their Grecian wisdom, has moved some to believe that it was not the object of
the Gospel to win wise men. Now, let him who is of this opinion understand that
the Gospel, as censuring wicked men, says of them that they are wise not in
things which relate to the understanding, and which are unseen and eternal; but
that in busying themselves about things of sense alone, and regarding these as
all-important, they are wise men of the world: for as there are in existence a
multitude of opinions, some of them espousing the cause of matter and bodies,
and asserting that everything is corporeal which has a substantial existence, and
that besides these nothing else exists, whether it be called invisible or
incorporeal, it says also that these constitute the wisdom of the world, which
perishes and fades away, and belongs only to this age, while those opinions
which raise the soul from things here to the blessedness which is with God, and
to His kingdom, and which teach men to despise all sensible and visible things
as existing only for a season, and to hasten on to things invisible, and to have
regard to those things which are not seen—these, it says, constitute the wisdom
of God. But Paul, as a lover of truth, says of certain wise men among the Greeks,
when their statements are true, that "although they knew God, they glorified Him
not as God, neither were thankful." And he bears witness that they knew God,
and says, too, that this did not happen to them without divine permission, in
these words: "For God showed it unto them;" dimly alluding, I think, to those
who ascend from things of sense to those of the understanding, when he adds,
"For the invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God,
they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful."
 Chapter 48
And perhaps also from the words, "For you see your calling, brethren, how
that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
called: but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and the base things, and the things which are despised, has God chosen, and
things which are not, to bring to nought things that are, that no flesh may glory
in His presence;" some have been led to suppose that no one who is instructed,
or wise, or prudent, embraces the Gospel. Now, in answer to such an one, we
would say that it has not been stated that " no wise man according to the flesh,"
but that "not many wise men according to the flesh," are called. It is manifest,
further, that among the characteristic qualifications of those who are termed
"bishops," Paul, in describing what kind of man the bishop ought to be, lays
down as a qualification that he should also be a teacher, saying that he ought to
be able to convince the gainsayers, that by the wisdom which is in him he may
stop the mouths of foolish talkers and deceivers. And as he selects for the
episcopate a man who has been once married rather than he who has twice
entered the married state, and a man of blameless life rather than one who is
liable to censure, and a sober man rather than one who is not such, and a prudent
man rather than one who is not prudent, and a man whose behaviour is decorous
rather than he who is open to the charge even of the slightest indecorum, so he
desires that he who is to be chosen by preference for the office of a bishop
should be apt to teach, and able to convince the gainsayers. How then can Celsus
justly charge us with saying, "Let no one come to us who is 'instructed,' or 'wise,'
or 'prudent?'" Nay, let him who wills come to us "instructed," and "wise," and
"prudent;" and none the less, if any one be ignorant and unintelligent, and
uninstructed and foolish, let him also come: for it is these whom the Gospel
promises to cure, when they come, by rendering them all worthy of God.
 Chapter 49
This statement also is untrue, that it is "only foolish and low individuals,
and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children, of
whom the teachers of the divine word wish to make converts." Such indeed does
the Gospel invite, in order to make them better; but it invites also others who are
very different from these, since Christ is the Saviour of all men, and especially
of them that believe, whether they be intelligent or simple; and "He is the
propitiation with the Father for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world." After this it is superfluous for us to wish to offer a
reply to such statements of Celsus as the following: "For why is it an evil to have
been educated, and to have studied the best opinions, and to have both the
reality and appearance of wisdom? What hindrance does this offer to the
knowledge of God? Why should it not rather be an assistance, and a means by
which one might be better able to arrive at the truth?" Truly it is no evil to have
been educated, for education is the way to virtue; but to rank those among the
number of the educated who hold erroneous opinions is what even the wise men
among the Greeks would not do. On the other hand, who would not admit that to
have studied the best opinions is a blessing? But what shall we call the best, save
those which are true, and which incite men to virtue? Moreover, it is an excellent
thing for a man to be wise, but not to seem so, as Celsus says. And it is no
hindrance to the knowledge of God, but an assistance, to have been educated,
and to have studied the best opinions, and to be wise. And it becomes us rather
than Celsus to say this, especially if it be shown that he is an Epicurean.
 Chapter 50
But let us see what those statements of his are which follow next in these
words: "Nay, we see, indeed, that even those individuals, who in the market-
places perform the most disgraceful tricks, and who gather crowds around them,
would never approach an assembly of wise men, nor dare to exhibit their arts
among them; but wherever they see young men, and a mob of slaves, and a
gathering of unintelligent persons, there they thrust themselves in, and show
themselves off." Observe, now, how he slanders us in these words, comparing us
to those who in the market-places perform the most disreputable tricks, and
gather crowds around them! What disreputable tricks, pray, do we perform? Or
what is there in our conduct that resembles theirs, seeing that by means of
readings, and explanations of the things read, we lead men to the worship of the
God of the universe, and to the cognate virtues, and turn them away from
contemning Deity, and from all things contrary to right reason? Philosophers
verily would wish to collect together such hearers of their discourses as exhort
men to virtue—a practice which certain of the Cynics especially have followed,
who converse publicly with those whom they happen to meet. Will they
maintain, then, that these who do not gather together persons who are considered
to have been educated, but who invite and assemble hearers from the public
street, resemble those who in the market-places perform the most disreputable
tricks, and gather crowds around them? Neither Celsus, however, nor any one
who holds the same opinions, will blame those who, agreeably to what they
regard as a feeling of philanthropy, address their arguments to the ignorant
populace.
 Chapter 51
And if they are not to be blamed for so doing, let us see whether Christians
do not exhort multitudes to the practice of virtue in a greater and better degree
than they. For the philosophers who converse in public do not pick and choose
their hearers, but he who likes stands and listens. The Christians, however,
having previously, so far as possible, tested the souls of those who wish to
become their hearers, and having previously instructed them in private, when
they appear (before entering the community) to have sufficiently evinced their
desire towards a virtuous life, introduce them then, and not before, privately
forming one class of those who are beginners, and are receiving admission, but
who have not yet obtained the mark of complete purification; and another of
those who have manifested to the best of their ability their intention to desire no
other things than are approved by Christians; and among these there are certain
persons appointed to make inquiries regarding the lives and behaviour of those
who join them, in order that they may prevent those who commit acts of infamy
from coming into their public assembly, while those of a different character they
receive with their whole heart, in order that they may daily make them better.
And this is their method of procedure, both with those who are sinners, and
especially with those who lead dissolute lives, whom they exclude from their
community, although, according to Celsus, they resemble those who in the
market-places perform the most shameful tricks. Now the venerable school of
the Pythagoreans used to erect a cenotaph to those who had apostatized from
their system of philosophy, treating them as dead; but the Christians lament as
dead those who have been vanquished by licentiousness or any other sin,
because they are lost and dead to God, and as being risen from the dead (if they
manifest a becoming change) they receive them afterwards, at some future time,
after a greater interval than in the case of those who were admitted at first, but
not placing in any office or post of rank in the Church of God those who, after
professing the Gospel, lapsed and fell.
professing the Gospel, lapsed and fell.
 Chapter 52
Observe now with regard to the following statement of Celsus, "We see also
those persons who in the market-places perform most disreputable tricks, and
collect crowds around them," whether a manifest falsehood has not been uttered,
and things compared which have no resemblance. He says that these individuals,
to whom he compares us, who "perform the most disreputable tricks in the
market-places and collect crowds, would never approach an assembly of wise
men, nor dare to show off their tricks before them; but wherever they see young
men, and a mob of slaves, and a gathering of foolish people, there do they thrust
themselves in and make a display." Now, in speaking thus he does nothing else
than simply load us with abuse, like the women upon the public streets, whose
object is to slander one another; for we do everything in our power to secure that
our meetings should be composed of wise men, and those things among us
which are especially excellent and divine we then venture to bring forward
publicly in our discussions when we have an abundance of intelligent hearers,
while we conceal and pass by in silence the truths of deeper import when we see
that our audience is composed of simpler minds, which need such instruction as
is figuratively termed "milk."
 Chapter 53
For the word is used by our Paul in writing to the Corinthians, who were
Greeks, and not yet purified in their morals: "I have fed you with milk, not with
meat; for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able, for
you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying and strife, are you
not carnal, and walk as men?" Now the same writer, knowing that there was a
certain kind of nourishment better adapted for the soul, and that the food of those
young persons who were admitted was compared to milk, continues: "And you
have become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one
that uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But
strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Would then those
who believe these words to be well spoken, suppose that the noble doctrines of
our faith would never be mentioned in an assembly of wise men, but that
wherever (our instructors) see young men, and a mob of slaves, and a collection
of foolish individuals, they bring publicly forward divine and venerable truths,
and before such persons make a display of themselves in treating of them? But it
is clear to him who examines the whole spirit of our writings, that Celsus is
animated with a hatred against the human race resembling that of the ignorant
populace, and gives utterance to these falsehoods without examination.
 Chapter 54
We acknowledge, however, although Celsus will not have it so, that we do
desire to instruct all men in the word of God, so as to give to young men the
exhortations which are appropriate to them, and to show to slaves how they may
recover freedom of thought, and be ennobled by the word. And those among us
who are the ambassadors of Christianity sufficiently declare that they are debtors
to Greeks and Barbarians, to wise men and fools, (for they do not deny their
obligation to cure the souls even of foolish persons,) in order that as far as
possible they may lay aside their ignorance, and endeavour to obtain greater
prudence, by listening also to the words of Solomon: "Oh, you fools, be of an
understanding heart," and "Who is the most simple among you, let him turn unto
me;" and wisdom exhorts those who are devoid of understanding in the words,
"Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mixed for you.
Forsake folly that you may live, and correct understanding in knowledge." This
too would I say (seeing it bears on the point), in answer to the statement of
Celsus: Do not philosophers invite young men to their lectures? And do they not
encourage young men to exchange a wicked life for a better? And do they not
desire slaves to learn philosophy? Must we find fault, then, with philosophers
who have exhorted slaves to the practice of virtue? With Pythagoras for having
so done with Zamolxis, Zeno with Perseus, and with those who recently
encouraged Epictetus to the study of philosophy? Is it indeed permissible for
you, O Greeks, to call youths and slaves and foolish persons to the study of
philosophy, but if we do so, we do not act from philanthropic motives in wishing
to heal every rational nature with the medicine of reason, and to bring them into
fellowship with God, the Creator of all things? These remarks, then, may suffice
in answer to what are slanders rather than accusations on the part of Celsus.
 Chapter 55
But as Celsus delights to heap up calumnies against us, and, in addition to
those which he has already uttered, has added others, let us examine these also,
and see whether it be the Christians or Celsus who have reason to be ashamed of
what is said. He asserts, "We see, indeed, in private houses workers in wool and
leather, and fullers, and persons of the most uninstructed and rustic character,
not venturing to utter a word in the presence of their elders and wiser masters;
but when they get hold of the children privately, and certain women as ignorant
as themselves, they pour forth wonderful statements, to the effect that they ought
not to give heed to their father and to their teachers, but should obey them; that
the former are foolish and stupid, and neither know nor can perform anything
that is really good, being preoccupied with empty trifles; that they alone know
how men ought to live, and that, if the children obey them, they will both be
happy themselves, and will make their home happy also. And while thus
speaking, if they see one of the instructors of youth approaching, or one of the
more intelligent class, or even the father himself, the more timid among them
become afraid, while the more forward incite the children to throw off the yoke,
whispering that in the presence of father and teachers they neither will nor can
explain to them any good thing, seeing they turn away with aversion from the
silliness and stupidity of such persons as being altogether corrupt, and far
advanced in wickedness, and such as would inflict punishment upon them; but
that if they wish (to avail themselves of their aid) they must leave their father
and their instructors, and go with the women and their playfellows to the
women's apartments, or to the leather shop, or to the fuller's shop, that they may
attain to perfection;— and by words like these they gain them over."
 Chapter 56
Observe now how by such statements he depreciates those among us who
are teachers of the word, and who strive in every way to raise the soul to the
Creator of all things, and who show that we ought to despise things "sensible,"
and "temporal," and "visible," and to do our utmost to reach communion with
God, and the contemplation of things that are "intelligent," and "invisible," and a
blessed life with God, and the friends of God; comparing them to "workers in
wool in private houses, and to leather-cutters, and to fullers, and to the most
rustic of mankind, who carefully incite young boys to wickedness, and women to
forsake their fathers and teachers, and follow them." Now let Celsus point out
from what wise parent, or from what teachers, we keep away children and
women, and let him ascertain by comparison among those children and women
who are adherents of our doctrine, whether any of the opinions which they
formerly heard are better than ours, and in what manner we draw away children
and women from noble and venerable studies, and incite them to worse things.
But he will not be able to make good any such charge against us, seeing that, on
the contrary, we turn away women from a dissolute life, and from being at
variance with those with whom they live, from all mad desires after theatres and
dancing, and from superstition; while we train to habits of self-restraint boys just
reaching the age of puberty, and feeling a desire for sexual pleasures, pointing
out to them not only the disgrace which attends those sins, but also the state to
which the soul of the wicked is reduced through practices of that kind, and the
judgments which it will suffer, and the punishments which will be inflicted.
 Chapter 57
But who are the teachers whom we call triflers and fools, whose defence is
undertaken by Celsus, as of those who teach better things? (I know not,) unless
he deem those to be good instructors of women, and no triflers, who invite them
to superstition and to unchaste spectacles, and those, moreover, to be teachers
not devoid of sense who lead and drag the young men to all those disorderly acts
which we know are often committed by them. We indeed call away these also, as
far as we can, from the dogmas of philosophy to our worship of God, by
showing forth its excellence and purity. But as Celsus, by his statements, has
declared that we do not do so, but that we call only the foolish, I would say to
him, "If you had charged us with withdrawing from the study of philosophy those
who were already preoccupied with it, you would not have spoken the truth, and
yet your charge would have had an appearance of probability; but when you
now say that we draw away our adherents from good teachers, show who are
those other teachers save the teachers of philosophy, or those who have been
appointed to give instruction in some useful branch of study."
He will be unable, however, to show any such; while we promise, openly
and not in secret, that they will be happy who live according to the word of God,
and who look to Him in all things, and who do everything, whatever it is, as if in
the presence of God. Are these the instructions of workers in wool, and of
leather-cutters, and fullers, and uneducated rustics? But such an assertion he
cannot make good.
 Chapter 58
But those who, in the opinion of Celsus, resemble the workers in wool in
private houses, and the leather-cutters, and fullers, and uneducated rustics, will,
he alleges, in the presence of father or teachers be unwilling to speak, or unable
to explain to the boys anything that is good. In answer to which, we would say,
What kind of father, my good sir, and what kind of teacher, do you mean? If you
mean one who approves of virtue, and turns away from vice, and welcomes what
is better, then know, that with the greatest boldness will we declare our opinions
to the children, because we will be in good repute with such a judge. But if, in
the presence of a father who has a hatred of virtue and goodness, we keep
silence, and also before those who teach what is contrary to sound doctrine, do
not blame us for so doing, since you will blame us without good reason. You, at
all events, in a case where fathers deemed the mysteries of philosophy an idle
and unprofitable occupation for their sons, and for young men in general, would
not, in teaching philosophy, make known its secrets before worthless parents;
but, desiring to keep apart those sons of wicked parents who had been turned
towards the study of philosophy, you would observe the proper seasons, in order
that the doctrines of philosophy might reach the minds of the young men. And
we say the same regarding our teachers. For if we turn (our hearers) away from
those instructors who teach obscene comedies and licentious iambics, and many
other things which neither improve the speaker nor benefit the hearers (because
the latter do not know how to listen to poetry in a philosophic frame of mind, nor
the former how to say to each of the young men what tends to his profit), we are
not, in following such a course, ashamed to confess what we do. But if you will
show me teachers who train young men for philosophy, and who exercise them
in it, I will not from such turn away young men, but will try to raise them, as
those who have been previously exercised in the whole circle of learning and in
philosophical subjects, to the venerable and lofty height of eloquence which lies
hid from the multitude of Christians, where are discussed topics of the greatest
hid from the multitude of Christians, where are discussed topics of the greatest
importance, and where it is demonstrated and shown that they have been treated
philosophically both by the prophets of God and the apostles of Jesus.
 Chapter 59
Immediately after this, Celsus, perceiving that he has slandered us with too
great bitterness, as if by way of defence expresses himself as follows: "That I
bring no heavier charge than what the truth compels me, any one may see from
the following remarks. Those who invite to participation in other mysteries,
make proclamation as follows: 'Every one who has clean hands, and a prudent
tongue;' others again thus: 'He who is pure from all pollution, and whose soul is
conscious of no evil, and who has lived well and justly.' Such is the proclamation
made by those who promise purification from sins. But let us hear what kind of
persons these Christians invite. Every one, they say, who is a sinner, who is
devoid of understanding, who is a child, and, to speak generally, whoever is
unfortunate, him will the kingdom of God receive. Do you not call him a sinner,
then, who is unjust, and a thief, and a housebreaker, and a poisoner, and a
committer of sacrilege, and a robber of the dead? What others would a man
invite if he were issuing a proclamation for an assembly of robbers?" Now, in
answer to such statements, we say that it is not the same thing to invite those
who are sick in soul to be cured , and those who are in health to the knowledge
and study of divine things. We, however, keeping both these things in view, at
first invite all men to be healed, and exhort those who are sinners to come to the
consideration of the doctrines which teach men not to sin, and those who are
devoid of understanding to those which beget wisdom, and those who are
children to rise in their thoughts to manhood, and those who are simply
unfortunate to good fortune, or— which is the more appropriate term to use— to
blessedness. And when those who have been turned towards virtue have made
progress, and have shown that they have been purified by the word, and have led
as far as they can a better life, then and not before do we invite them to
participation in our mysteries. "For we speak wisdom among them that are
perfect."
 Chapter 60
And as we teach, moreover, that "wisdom will not enter into the soul of a
base man, nor dwell in a body that is involved in sin," [ Wisdom 1:4 ] we say,
Whoever has clean hands, and therefore lifts up holy hands to God, and by
reason of being occupied with elevated and heavenly things, can say, "The lifting
up of my hands is as the evening sacrifice," let him come to us; and whoever has
a wise tongue through meditating on the law of the Lord day and night, and by
"reason of habit has his senses exercised to discern between good and evil," let
him have no reluctance in coming to the strong and rational sustenance which is
adapted to those who are athletes in piety and every virtue. And since the grace
of God is with all those who love with a pure affection the teacher of the
doctrines of immortality, whoever is pure not only from all defilement, but from
what are regarded as lesser transgressions, let him be boldly initiated in the
mysteries of Jesus, which properly are made known only to the holy and the
pure. The initiated of Celsus accordingly says, "Let him whose soul is conscious
of no evil come." But he who acts as initiator, according to the precepts of Jesus,
will say to those who have been purified in heart, "He whose soul has, for a long
time, been conscious of no evil, and especially since he yielded himself to the
healing of the word, let such an one hear the doctrines which were spoken in
private by Jesus to His genuine disciples." Therefore in the comparison which he
institutes between the procedure of the initiators into the Grecian mysteries, and
the teachers of the doctrine of Jesus, he does not know the difference between
inviting the wicked to be healed, and initiating those already purified into the
sacred mysteries!
 Chapter 61
Not to participation in mysteries , then, and to fellowship in the wisdom
hidden in a mystery , which God ordained before the world to the glory of His
saints, do we invite the wicked man, and the thief , and the housebreaker , and
the poisoner , and the committer of sacrilege , and the plunderer of the dead ,
and all those others whom Celsus may enumerate in his exaggerating style, but
such as these we invite to be healed . For there are in the divinity of the word
some helps towards the cure of those who are sick, respecting which the word
says, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick;" others,
again, which to the pure in soul and body exhibit "the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest by the
Scriptures of the prophets," and "by the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,"
which "appearing" is manifested to each one of those who are perfect, and
which enlightens the reason in the true knowledge of things. But as he
exaggerates the charges against us, adding, after his list of those vile individuals
whom he has mentioned, this remark, "What other persons would a robber
summon to himself by proclamation?" we answer such a question by saying that
a robber summons around him individuals of such a character, in order to make
use of their villainy against the men whom they desire to slay and plunder. A
Christian, on the other hand, even though he invite those whom the robber
invites, invites them to a very different vocation, viz., to bind up these wounds
by His word, and to apply to the soul, festering amid evils, the drugs obtained
from the word, and which are analogous to the wine and oil, and plasters, and
other healing appliances which belong to the art of medicine.
 Chapter 62
In the next place, throwing a slur upon the exhortations spoken and written
to those who have led wicked lives, and which invite them to repentance and
reformation of heart, he asserts that we say "that it was to sinners that God has
been sent." Now this statement of his is much the same as if he were to find fault
with certain persons for saying that on account of the sick who were living in a
city, a physician had been sent them by a very benevolent monarch. God the
Word was sent, indeed, as a physician to sinners, but as a teacher of divine
mysteries to those who are already pure and who sin no more. But Celsus,
unable to see this distinction—for he had no desire to be animated with a love of
truth—remarks, "Why was he not sent to those who were without sin? What evil
is it not to have committed sin?" To which we reply, that if by those "who were
without sin" he means those who sin no more, then our Saviour Jesus was sent
even to such, but not as a physician. While if by those "who were without sin" he
means such as have never at any time sinned—for he made no distinction in his
statement—we reply that it is impossible for a man thus to be without sin. And
this we say, excepting, of course, the man understood to be in Christ Jesus, who
"did no sin." It is with a malicious intent, indeed, that Celsus says of us that we
assert that "God will receive the unrighteousness man if he humble himself on
account of his wickedness, but that He will not receive the righteous man,
although he look up to Him, (adorned) with virtue from the beginning." Now we
assert that it is impossible for a man to look up to God (adorned) with virtue
from the beginning. For wickedness must necessarily first exist in men. As Paul
also says, "When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Moreover,
we do not teach regarding the unrighteous man, that it is sufficient for him to
humble himself on account of his wickedness in order to his being accepted by
God, but that God will accept him if, after passing condemnation upon himself
for his past conduct, he walk humbly on account of it, and in a becoming manner
for the time to come.
 Chapter 63
After this, not understanding how it has been said that "every one who
exalted himself shall be abased;" nor (although taught even by Plato) that "the
good and virtuous man walks humbly and orderly;" and ignorant, moreover, that
we give the injunction, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of
God, that He may exalt you in due time;" he says that "those persons who
preside properly over a trial make those individuals who bewail before them
their evil deeds to cease from their piteous wailings, lest their decisions should
be determined rather by compassion than by a regard to truth; whereas God
does not decide in accordance with truth, but in accordance with flattery." Now,
what words of flattery and piteous wailing are contained in the Holy Scriptures
when the sinner says in his prayers to God, "I have acknowledged my sin, and
mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgression to the Lord,"
etc., etc.? For is he able to show that a procedure of this kind is not adapted to
the conversion of sinners, who humble themselves in their prayers under the
hand of God? And, becoming confused by his efforts to accuse us, he contradicts
himself; appearing at one time to know a man "without sin," and "a righteous
man, who can look up to God (adorned) with virtue from the beginning;" and at
another time accepting our statement that there is no man altogether righteous, or
without sin; for, as if he admitted its truth, he remarks, "This is indeed
apparently true, that somehow the human race is naturally inclined to sin." In
the next place, as if all men were not invited by the word, he says, "All men,
then, without distinction, ought to be invited, since all indeed are sinners." And
yet, in the preceding pages, we have pointed out the words of Jesus: "Come unto
Me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." All men,
therefore, labouring and being heavy laden on account of the nature of sin, are
invited to the rest spoken of in the word of God, "for God sent His word, and
healed them, and delivered them from their destructions."
 Chapter 64
But since he says, in addition to this, "What is this preference of sinners
over others?" and makes other remarks of a similar nature, we have to reply that
absolutely a sinner is not preferred before one who is not a sinner; but that
sometimes a sinner, who has become conscious of his own sin, and for that
reason comes to repentance, being humbled on account of his sins, is preferred
before one who is accounted a lesser sinner, but who does not consider himself
one, but exalts himself on the ground of certain good qualities which he thinks
he possesses, and is greatly elated on their account. And this is manifest to those
who are willing to peruse the Gospels in a spirit of fairness, by the parable of the
publican, who said, "Be merciful to me a sinner," and of the Pharisee who
boasted with a certain wicked self-conceit in the words, "I thank You that I am
not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican."
For Jesus subjoins to his narrative of them both the words: "This man went down
to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall
be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." We utter no
blasphemy, then, against God, neither are we guilty of falsehood, when we teach
that every man, whoever he may be, is conscious of human infirmity in
comparison with the greatness of God, and that we must ever ask from Him, who
alone is able to supply our deficiencies, what is wanting to our (mortal) nature.
 Chapter 65
He imagines, however, that we utter these exhortations for the conversion
of sinners, because we are able to gain over no one who is really good and
righteous, and therefore open our gates to the most unholy and abandoned of
men. But if any one will fairly observe our assemblies we can present a greater
number of those who have been converted from not a very wicked life, than of
those who have committed the most abominable sins. For naturally those who
are conscious to themselves of better things, desire that those promises may be
true which are declared by God regarding the reward of the righteous, and thus
assent more readily to the statements (of Scripture) than those do who have led
very wicked lives, and who are prevented by their very consciousness (of evil)
from admitting that they will be punished by the Judge of all with such
punishment as befits those who have sinned so greatly, and as would not be
inflicted by the Judge of all contrary to right reason. Sometimes, also, when very
abandoned men are willing to accept the doctrine of (future) punishment, on
account of the hope which is based upon repentance, they are prevented from so
doing by their habit of sinning, being constantly dipped, and, as it were, dyed in
wickedness, and possessing no longer the power to turn from it easily to a proper
life, and one regulated according to right reason. And although Celsus observes
this, he nevertheless, I know not why, expresses himself in the following terms:
"And yet, indeed, it is manifest to every one that no one by chastisement, much
less by merciful treatment, could effect a complete change in those who are
sinners both by nature and custom, for to change nature is an exceedingly
difficult thing. But they who are without sin are partakers of a better life."
 Chapter 66
Now here Celsus appears to me to have committed a great error, in refusing
to those who are sinners by nature, and also by habit, the possibility of a
complete transformation, alleging that they cannot be cured even by punishment.
For it clearly appears that all men are inclined to sin by nature, and some not
only by nature but by practice, while not all men are incapable of an entire
transformation. For there are found in every philosophical sect, and in the word
of God, persons who are related to have undergone so great a change that they
may be proposed as a model of excellence of life. Among the names of the
heroic age some mention Hercules and Ulysses, among those of later times,
Socrates, and of those who have lived very recently, Musonius. Not only against
us, then, did Celsus utter the calumny, when he said that "it was manifest to
every one that those who were given to sin by nature and habit could not by any
means— even by punishments— be completely changed for the better," but also
against the noblest names in philosophy, who have not denied that the recovery
of virtue was a possible thing for men. But although he did not express his
meaning with exactness, we shall nevertheless, though giving his words a more
favourable construction, convict him of unsound reasoning. For his words were:
"Those who are inclined to sin by nature and habit, no one could completely
reform even by chastisement;" and his words, as we understood them, we refuted
to the best of our ability.
 Chapter 67
It is probable, however, that he meant to convey some such meaning as this,
that those who were both by nature and habit given to the commission of those
sins which are committed by the most abandoned of men, could not be
completely transformed even by punishment. And yet this is shown to be false
from the history of certain philosophers. For who is there that would not rank
among the most abandoned of men the individual who somehow submitted to
yield himself to his master, when he placed him in a brothel, that he might allow
himself to be polluted by any one who liked? And yet such a circumstance is
related of Phædo! And who will not agree that he who burst, accompanied with a
flute-player and a party of revellers, his profligate associates, into the school of
the venerable Xenocrates, to insult a man who was the admiration of his friends,
was not one of the greatest miscreants among mankind? Yet, notwithstanding
this, reason was powerful enough to effect their conversion, and to enable them
to make such progress in philosophy, that the one was deemed worthy by Plato
to recount the discourse of Socrates on immortality, and to record his firmness in
prison, when he evinced his contempt of the hemlock, and with all fearlessness
and tranquillity of mind treated of subjects so numerous and important, that it is
difficult even for those to follow them who are giving their utmost attention, and
who are disturbed by no distraction; while Polemon, on the other hand, who
from a profligate became a man of most temperate life, was successor in the
school of Xenocrates, so celebrated for his venerable character. Celsus then does
not speak the truth when he says "that sinners by nature and habit cannot be
completely reformed even by chastisement."
 Chapter 68
That philosophical discourses, however, distinguished by orderly
arrangement and elegant expression, should produce such results in the case of
those individuals just enumerated, and upon others who have led wicked lives, is
not at all to be wondered at. But when we consider that those discourses, which
Celsus terms "vulgar," are filled with power, as if they were spells, and see that
they at once convert multitudes from a life of licentiousness to one of extreme
regularity, and from a life of wickedness to a better, and from a state of
cowardice or unmanliness to one of such high-toned courage as to lead men to
despise even death through the piety which shows itself within them, why should
we not justly admire the power which they contain? For the words of those who
at the first assumed the office of (Christian) ambassadors, and who gave their
labours to rear up the Churches of God—nay, their preaching also—were
accompanied with a persuasive power, though not like that found among those
who profess the philosophy of Plato, or of any other merely human philosopher,
which possesses no other qualities than those of human nature. But the
demonstration which followed the words of the apostles of Jesus was given from
God, and was accredited by the Spirit and by power. And therefore their word
ran swiftly and speedily, or rather the word of God through their instrumentality,
transformed numbers of persons who had been sinners both by nature and habit,
whom no one could have reformed by punishment, but who were changed by the
word, which moulded and transformed them according to its pleasure.
 Chapter 69
Celsus continues in his usual manner, asserting that "to change a nature
entirely is exceedingly difficult." We, however, who know of only one nature in
every rational soul, and who maintain that none has been created evil by the
Author of all things, but that many have become wicked through education, and
perverse example, and surrounding influences, so that wickedness has been
naturalized in some individuals, are persuaded that for the word of God to
change a nature in which evil has been naturalized is not only not impossible,
but is even a work of no very great difficulty, if a man only believe that he must
entrust himself to the God of all things, and do everything with a view to please
Him with whom it cannot be that

Both good and bad are in the same honour,

Or that the idle man and he who laboured much
Perish alike.

But even if it be exceedingly difficult to effect a change in some persons,

the cause must be held to lie in their own will, which is reluctant to accept the
belief that the God over all things is a just Judge of all the deeds done during
life. For deliberate choice and practice avail much towards the accomplishment
of things which appear to be very difficult, and, to speak hyperbolically, almost
impossible. Has the nature of man, when desiring to walk along a rope extended
in the air through the middle of the theatre, and to carry at the same time
numerous and heavy weights, been able by practice and attention to accomplish
such a feat; but when desiring to live in conformity with the practice of virtue,
does it find it impossible to do so, although formerly it may have been
exceedingly wicked? See whether he who holds such views does not bring a
charge against the nature of the Creator of the rational animal rather than against
the creature, if He has formed the nature of man with powers for the attainment
of things of such difficulty, and of no utility whatever, but has rendered it
incapable of securing its own blessedness. But these remarks may suffice as an
answer to the assertion that "entirely to change a nature is exceedingly difficult."
He alleges, in the next place, that "they who are without sin are partakers of a
better life;" not making it clear what he means by "those who are without sin,"
whether those who are so from the beginning (of their lives), or those who
become so by a transformation. Of those who were so from the beginning of
their lives, there cannot possibly be any; while those who are so after a
transformation (of heart) are found to be few in number, being those who have
become so after giving in their allegiance to the saving word. And they were not
such when they gave in their allegiance. For, apart from the aid of the word, and
that too the word of perfection, it is impossible for a man to become free from
sin.
 Chapter 70
In the next place, he objects to the statement, as if it were maintained by us,
that "God will be able to do all things," not seeing even here how these words
are meant, and what "the all things " are which are included in it, and how it is
said that God "will be able." But on these matters it is not necessary now to
speak; for although he might with a show of reason have opposed this
proposition, he has not done so. Perhaps he did not understand the arguments
which might be plausibly used against it, or if he did, he saw the answers that
might be returned. Now in our judgment God can do everything which it is
possible for Him to do without ceasing to be God, and good, and wise. But
Celsus asserts— not comprehending the meaning of the expression "God can do
all things" — "that He will not desire to do anything wicked," admitting that He
has the power , but not the will , to commit evil. We, on the contrary, maintain
that as that which by nature possesses the property of sweetening other things
through its own inherent sweetness cannot produce bitterness contrary to its own
peculiar nature, nor that whose nature it is to produce light through its being
light can cause darkness; so neither is God able to commit wickedness, for the
power of doing evil is contrary to His deity and its omnipotence. Whereas if any
one among existing things is able to commit wickedness from being inclined to
wickedness by nature, it does so from not having in its nature the ability not to
do evil.
 Chapter 71
He next assumes what is not granted by the more rational class of believers,
but what perhaps is considered to be true by some who are devoid of
intelligence,— viz., that "God, like those who are overcome with pity, being
Himself overcome, alleviates the sufferings of the wicked through pity for their
wailings, and casts off the good, who do nothing of that kind, which is the height
of injustice." Now, in our judgment, God lightens the suffering of no wicked
man who has not betaken himself to a virtuous life, and casts off no one who is
already good, nor yet alleviates the suffering of any one who mourns, simply
because he utters lamentation, or takes pity upon him, to use the word pity in its
more common acceptation. But those who have passed severe condemnation
upon themselves because of their sins, and who, as on that account, lament and
bewail themselves as lost, so far as their previous conduct is concerned, and who
have manifested a satisfactory change, are received by God on account of their
repentance, as those who have undergone a transformation from a life of great
wickedness. For virtue, taking up her abode in the souls of these persons, and
expelling the wickedness which had previous possession of them, produces an
oblivion of the past. And even although virtue do not effect an entrance, yet if a
considerable progress take place in the soul, even that is sufficient, in the
proportion that it is progressive, to drive out and destroy the flood of
wickedness, so that it almost ceases to remain in the soul.
 Chapter 72
In the next place, speaking as in the person of a teacher of our doctrine, he
expresses himself as follows: "Wise men reject what we say, being led into error,
and ensnared by their wisdom." In reply to which we say that, since wisdom is
the knowledge of divine and human things and of their causes, or, as it is defined
by the word of God, "the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence
flowing from the glory of the Almighty; and the brightness of the everlasting
light, and the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of His
goodness," [ Wisdom 7:25-26 ] no one who was really wise would reject what is
said by a Christian acquainted with the principles of Christianity, or would be
led into error, or ensnared by it. For true wisdom does not mislead, but ignorance
does, while of existing things knowledge alone is permanent, and the truth which
is derived from wisdom. But if, contrary to the definition of wisdom, you call
any one whatever who dogmatizes with sophistical opinions wise, we answer
that in conformity with what you call wisdom, such an one rejects the words of
God, being misled and ensnared by plausible sophisms. And since, according to
our doctrine, wisdom is not the knowledge of evil, but the knowledge of evil, so
to speak, is in those who hold false opinions and who are deceived by them, I
would therefore in such persons term it ignorance rather than wisdom.
 Chapter 73
After this he again slanders the ambassador of Christianity, and gives out
regarding him that he relates "ridiculous things," although he does not show or
clearly point out what are the things which he calls "ridiculous." And in his
slanders he says that "no wise man believes the Gospel, being driven away by the
multitudes who adhere to it." And in this he acts like one who should say that
owing to the multitude of those ignorant persons who are brought into subjection
to the laws, no wise man would yield obedience to Solon, for example, or to
Lycurgus, or Zaleucus, or any other legislator, and especially if by wise man he
means one who is wise (by living) in conformity with virtue. For, as with regard
to these ignorant persons, the legislators, according to their ideas of utility,
caused them to be surrounded with appropriate guidance and laws, so God,
legislating through Jesus Christ for men in all parts of the world, brings to
Himself even those who are not wise in the way in which it is possible for such
persons to be brought to a better life. And God, well knowing this, as we have
already shown in the preceding pages, says in the books of Moses: "They have
moved Me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked Me to
anger with their idols: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not
a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation." And Paul also,
knowing this, said, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the wise," calling, in a general way, wise all who appear to have made
advances in knowledge, but have fallen into an atheistic polytheism, since
"professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and changed the glory of
the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds,
and four-footed beasts, and creeping things."
 Chapter 74
He accuses the Christian teacher, moreover of "seeking after the
unintelligent." In answer we ask, Whom do you mean by the "unintelligent?"
For, to speak accurately, every wicked man is "unintelligent." If then by
"unintelligent" you mean the wicked, do you, in drawing men to philosophy,
seek to gain the wicked or the virtuous? But it is impossible to gain the virtuous,
because they have already given themselves to philosophy. The wicked, then,
(you try to gain;) but if they are wicked, are they "unintelligent?" And many
such you seek to win over to philosophy, and you therefore seek the
"unintelligent." But if I seek after those who are thus termed "unintelligent," I
act like a benevolent physician, who should seek after the sick in order to help
and cure them. If, however, by "unintelligent" you mean persons who are not
clever, but the inferior class of men intellectually, I shall answer that I endeavour
to improve such also to the best of my ability, although I would not desire to
build up the Christian community out of such materials. For I seek in preference
those who are more clever and acute, because they are able to comprehend the
meaning of the hard sayings, and of those passages in the law, and prophecies,
and Gospels, which are expressed with obscurity, and which you have despised
as not containing anything worthy of notice, because you have not ascertained
the meaning which they contain, nor tried to enter into the aim of the writers.
 Chapter 75
But as he afterwards says that "the teacher of Christianity acts like a person
who promises to restore patients to bodily health, but who prevents them from
consulting skilled physicians, by whom his ignorance would be exposed," we
shall inquire in reply, "What are the physicians to whom you refer, from whom
we turn away ignorant individuals? For you do not suppose that we exhort those
to embrace the Gospel who are devoted to philosophy, so that you would regard
the latter as the physicians from whom we keep away such as we invite to come
to the word of God." He indeed will make no answer, because he cannot name
the physicians; or else he will be obliged to betake himself to those of them who
are ignorant, and who of their own accord servilely yield themselves to the
worship of many gods, and to whatever other opinions are entertained by
ignorant individuals. In either case, then, he will be shown to have employed to
no purpose in his argument the illustration of "one who keeps others away from
skilled physicians." But if, in order to preserve from the philosophy of Epicurus,
and from such as are considered physicians after his system, those who are
deceived by them, why should we not be acting most reasonably in keeping such
away from a dangerous disease caused by the physicians of Celsus,— that, viz.,
which leads to the annihilation of providence, and the introduction of pleasure as
a good? But let it be conceded that we do keep away those whom we encourage
to become our disciples from other philosopher-physicians—from the
Peripatetics, for example, who deny the existence of providence and the relation
of Deity to man—why shall we not piously train and heal those who have been
thus encouraged, persuading them to devote themselves to the God of all things,
and free those who yield obedience to us from the great wounds inflicted by the
words of such as are deemed to be philosophers? Nay, let it also be admitted that
we turn away from physicians of the sect of the Stoics, who introduce a
corruptible god, and assert that his essence consists of a body, which is capable
of being changed and altered in all its parts, and who also maintain that all things
will one day perish, and that God alone will be left; why shall we not even thus
emancipate our subjects from evils, and bring them by pious arguments to
devote themselves to the Creator, and to admire the Father of the Christian
system, who has so arranged that instruction of the most benevolent kind, and
fitted for the conversion of souls, should be distributed throughout the whole
human race? Nay, if we should cure those who have fallen into the folly of
believing in the transmigration of souls through the teaching of physicians, who
will have it that the rational nature descends sometimes into all kinds of
irrational animals, and sometimes into that state of being which is incapable of
using the imagination, why should we not improve the souls of our subjects by
means of a doctrine which does not teach that a state of insensibility or
irrationalism is produced in the wicked instead of punishment, but which shows
that the labours and chastisements inflicted upon the wicked by God are a kind
of medicines leading to conversion? For those who are intelligent Christians,
keeping this in view, deal with the simple-minded, as parents do with very
young children. We do not betake ourselves then to young persons and silly
rustics, saying to them, "Flee from physicians." Nor do we say, "See that none of
you lay hold of knowledge;" nor do we assert that "knowledge is an evil;" nor are
we mad enough to say that "knowledge causes men to lose their soundness of
mind." We would not even say that any one ever perished through wisdom; and
although we give instruction, we never say, "Give heed to me," but "Give heed to
the God of all things, and to Jesus, the giver of instruction concerning Him."
And none of us is so great a braggart as to say what Celsus put in the mouth of
one of our teachers to his acquaintances, "I alone will save you." Observe here
the lies which he utters against us! Moreover, we do not assert that "true
physicians destroy those whom they promise to cure."
 Chapter 76
And he produces a second illustration to our disadvantage, saying that "our
teacher acts like a drunken man, who, entering a company of drunkards, should
accuse those who are sober of being drunk." But let him show, say from the
writings of Paul, that the apostle of Jesus gave way to drunkenness, and that his
words were not those of soberness; or from the writings of John, that his
thoughts do not breathe a spirit of temperance and of freedom from the
intoxication of evil. No one, then, who is of sound mind, and teaches the
doctrines of Christianity, gets drunk with wine; but Celsus utters these calumnies
against us in a spirit very unlike that of a philosopher. Moreover, let Celsus say
who those "sober" persons are whom the ambassadors of Christianity accuse.
For in our judgment all are intoxicated who address themselves to inanimate
objects as to God. And why do I say "intoxicated?" "Insane" would be the more
appropriate word for those who hasten to temples and worship images or animals
as divinities. And they too are not less insane who think that images, fashioned
by men of worthless and sometimes most wicked character, confer any honour
upon genuine divinities.
 Chapter 77
He next likens our teacher to one suffering from ophthalmia, and his
disciples to those suffering from the same disease, and says that "such an one
among a company of those who are afflicted with ophthalmia, accuses those who
are sharp-sighted of being blind." Who, then, would we ask, O Greeks, are they
who in our judgment do not see, save those who are unable to look up from the
exceeding greatness of the world and its contents, and from the beauty of created
things, and to see that they ought to worship, and admire, and reverence Him
alone who made these things, and that it is not befitting to treat with reverence
anything contrived by man, and applied to the honour of God, whether it be
without a reference to the Creator, or with one? For, to compare with that
illimitable excellence, which surpasses all created being, things which ought not
to be brought into comparison with it, is the act of those whose understanding is
darkened. We do not then say that those who are sharp-sighted are suffering
from ophthalmia or blindness; but we assert that those who, in ignorance of God,
give themselves to temples and images, and so-called sacred seasons, are blinded
in their minds, and especially when, in addition to their impiety, they live also in
licentiousness, not even inquiring after any honourable work whatever, but doing
everything that is of a disgraceful character.
 Chapter 78
After having brought against us charges of so serious a kind, he wishes to
make it appear that, although he has others to adduce, he passes them by in
silence. His words are as follows: "These charges I have to bring against them,
and others of a similar nature, not to enumerate them one by one, and I affirm
that they are in error, and that they act insolently towards God, in order to lead
on wicked men by empty hopes, and to persuade them to despise better things,
saying that if they refrain from them it will be better for them." In answer to
which, it might be said that from the power which shows itself in those who are
converted to Christianity, it is not at all the "wicked" who are won over to the
Gospel, as the more simple class of persons, and, as many would term them, the
"unpolished." For such individuals, through fear of the punishments that are
threatened, which arouses and exhorts them to refrain from those actions which
are followed by punishments, strive to yield themselves up to the Christian
religion, being influenced by the power of the word to such a degree, that
through fear of what are called in the word "everlasting punishments," they
despise all the tortures which are devised against them among men—even death
itself, with countless other evils—which no wise man would say is the act of
persons of wicked mind. How can temperance and sober-mindedness, or
benevolence and liberality, be practised by a man of wicked mind? Nay, even
the fear of God cannot be felt by such an one, with respect to which, because it is
useful to the many, the Gospel encourages those who are not yet able to choose
that which ought to be chosen for its own sake, to select it as the greatest
blessing, and one above all promise; for this principle cannot be implanted in
him who prefers to live in wickedness.
 Chapter 79
But if in these matters any one were to imagine that it is superstition rather
than wickedness which appears in the multitude of those who believe the word,
and should charge our doctrine with making men superstitious, we shall answer
him by saying that, as a certain legislator replied to the question of one who
asked him whether he had enacted for his citizens the best laws, that he had not
given them absolutely the best, but the best which they were capable of
receiving; so it might be said by the Father of the Christian doctrine, I have
given the best laws and instruction for the improvement of morals of which the
many were capable, not threatening sinners with imaginary labours and
chastisements, but with such as are real, and necessary to be applied for the
correction of those who offer resistance, although they do not at all understand
the object of him who inflicts the punishment, nor the effect of the labours. For
the doctrine of punishment is both attended with utility, and is agreeable to truth,
and is stated in obscure terms with advantage. Moreover, as for the most part it
is not the wicked whom the ambassadors of Christianity gain over, neither do we
insult God. For we speak regarding Him both what is true, and what appears to
be clear to the multitude, but not so clear to them as it is to those few who
investigate the truths of the Gospel in a philosophical manner.
 Chapter 80
Seeing, however, that Celsus alleges that "Christians are won over by us
through vain hopes," we thus reply to him when he finds fault with our doctrine
of the blessed life, and of communion with God: As for you, good sir, they also
are won over by vain hopes who have accepted the doctrine of Pythagoras and
Plato regarding the soul, that it is its nature to ascend to the vault of heaven, and
in the super-celestial space to behold the sights which are seen by the blessed
spectators above. According to you, O Celsus, they also who have accepted the
doctrine of the duration of the soul (after death), and who lead a life through
which they become heroes, and make their abodes with the gods, are won over
by vain hopes. Probably also they who are persuaded that the soul comes (into
the body) from without, and that it will be withdrawn from the power of death,
would be said by Celsus to be won over by empty hopes. Let him then come
forth to the contest, no longer concealing the sect to which he belongs, but
confessing himself to be an Epicurean, and let him meet the arguments, which
are not lightly advanced among Greeks and Barbarians, regarding the
immortality of the soul, or its duration (after death), or the immortality of the
thinking principle; and let him prove that these are words which deceive with
empty hopes those who give their assent to them; but that the adherents of his
philosophical system are pure from empty hopes, and that they indeed lead to
hopes of good, or— what is more in keeping with his opinions— give birth to no
hope at all, on account of the immediate and complete destruction of the soul
(after death). Unless, perhaps, Celsus and the Epicureans will deny that it is a
vain hope which they entertain regarding their end—pleasure—which, according
to them, is the supreme good, and which consists in the permanent health of the
body, and the hope regarding it which is entertained by Epicurus.
 Chapter 81
And do not suppose that it is not in keeping with the Christian religion for
me to have accepted, against Celsus, the opinions of those philosophers who
have treated of the immortality or after-duration of the soul; for, holding certain
views in common with them, we shall more conveniently establish our position,
that the future life of blessedness shall be for those only who have accepted the
religion which is according to Jesus, and that devotion towards the Creator of all
things which is pure and sincere, and unmingled with any created thing
whatever. And let him who likes show what "better things" we persuade men to
despise, and let him compare the blessed end with God in Christ—that is, the
word, and the wisdom, and all virtue—which, according to our view, shall be
bestowed, by the gift of God, on those who have lived a pure and blameless life,
and who have felt a single and undivided love for the God of all things, with that
end which is to follow according to the teaching of each philosophic sect,
whether it be Greek or Barbarian, or according to the professions of religious
mysteries; and let him prove that the end which is predicted by any of the others
is superior to that which we promise, and consequently that that is true, and ours
not befitting the gift of God, nor those who have lived a good life; or let him
prove that these words were not spoken by the divine Spirit, who filled the souls
of the holy prophets. And let him who likes show that those words which are
acknowledged among all men to be human, are superior to those which are
proved to be divine, and uttered by inspiration. And what are the "better" things
from which we teach those who receive them that it would be better to abstain?
For if it be not arrogant so to speak, it is self-evident that nothing can be denied
which is better than to entrust oneself to the God of all, and yield oneself up to
the doctrine which raises us above all created things, and brings us, through the
animate and living word— which is also living wisdom and the Son of God— to
God who is over all. However, as the third book of our answers to the treatise of
Celsus has extended to a sufficient length, we shall here bring our present
remarks to a close, and in what is to follow shall meet what Celsus has
subsequently written.
 Contra Celsus, Book IV
Chapter 1

Having, in the three preceding books, fully stated what occurred to us by

way of answer to the treatise of Celsus, we now, reverend Ambrosius, with
prayer to God through Christ, offer this fourth book as a reply to what follows.
And we pray that words may be given us, as it is written in the book of Jeremiah
that the Lord said to the prophet: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth as
fire. See, I have set you this day over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root
out and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, and to build and to
plant." For we need words now which will root out of every wounded soul the
reproaches uttered against the truth by this treatise of Celsus, or which proceed
from opinions like his. And we need also thoughts which will pull down all
edifices based on false opinions, and especially the edifice raised by Celsus in
his work which resembles the building of those who said, "Come, let us build us
a city, and a tower whose top shall reach to heaven." Yea, we even require a
wisdom which will throw down all high things that rise against the knowledge of
God, and especially that height of arrogance which Celsus displays against us.
And in the next place, as we must not stop with rooting out and pulling down the
hindrances which have just been mentioned, but must, in room of what has been
rooted out, plant the plants of "God's husbandry;" and in place of what has been
pulled down, rear up the building of God, and the temple of His glory—we must
for that reason pray also to the Lord, who bestowed the gifts named in the book
of Jeremiah, that He may grant even to us words adapted both for building up the
(temple) of Christ, and for planting the spiritual law, and the prophetic words
referring to the same. And above all is it necessary to show, as against the
assertions of Celsus which follow those he has already made, that the prophecies
regarding Christ are true predictions. For, arraying himself at the same time
against both parties— against the Jews on the one hand, who deny that the
advent of Christ has taken place, but who expect it as future, and against
Christians on the other, who acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ spoken of in
prophecy— he makes the following statement:—
 Chapter 2
"But that certain Christians and (all) Jews should maintain, the former that
there has already descended, the latter that there will descend, upon the earth a
certain God, or Son of a God, who will make the inhabitants of the earth
righteous, is a most shameless assertion, and one the refutation of which does
not need many words." Now here he appears to pronounce correctly regarding
not "certain" of the Jews, but all of them, that they imagine that there is a certain
(God) who will descend upon the earth; and with regard to Christians, that
certain of them say that He has already come down. For he means those who
prove from the Jewish Scriptures that the advent of Christ has already taken
place, and he seems to know that there are certain heretical sects which deny that
Christ Jesus was predicted by the prophets. In the preceding pages, however, we
have already discussed, to the best of our ability, the question of Christ having
been the subject of prophecy, and therefore, to avoid tautology, we do not repeat
much that might be advanced upon this head. Observe, now, that if he had
wished with a kind of apparent force to subvert faith in the prophetic writings,
either with regard to the future or past advent of Christ, he ought to have set
forth the prophecies themselves which we Christians and Jews quote in our
discussions with each other. For in this way he would have appeared to turn
aside those who are carried away by the plausible character of the prophetic
statements, as he regards it, from assenting to their truth, and from believing, on
account of these prophecies, that Jesus is the Christ; whereas now, being unable
to answer the prophecies relating to Christ, or else not knowing at all what are
the prophecies relating to Him, he brings forward no prophetic declaration,
although there are countless numbers which refer to Christ; but he thinks that he
prefers an accusation against the prophetic Scriptures, while he does not even
state what he himself would call their "plausible character!" He is not, however,
aware that it is not at all the Jews who say that Christ will descend as a God, or
the Son of a God, as we have shown in the foregoing pages. And when he asserts
that "he is said by us to have already come, but by the Jews that his advent as
Messiah is still future," he appears by the very charge to censure our statement
as one that is most shameless, and which needs no lengthened refutation.
 Chapter 3
And he continues: "What is the meaning of such a descent upon the part of
God?" not observing that, according to our teaching, the meaning of the descent
is pre-eminently to convert what are called in the Gospel the lost "sheep of the
house of Israel;" and secondly, to take away from them, on account of their
disobedience, what is called the "kingdom of God," and to give to other
husbandmen than the ancient Jews, viz. to the Christians, who will render to God
the fruits of His kingdom in due season (each action being a "fruit of the
kingdom" ). We shall therefore, out of a greater number, select a few remarks by
way of answer to the question of Celsus, when he says, "What is the meaning of
such a descent upon the part of God?" And Celsus here returns to himself an
answer which would have been given neither by Jews nor by us, when he asks,
"Was it in order to learn what goes on among men?" For not one of us asserts
that it was in order to learn what goes on among men that Christ entered into this
life. Immediately after, however, as if some would reply that it was "in order to
learn what goes on among men," he makes this objection to his own statement:
"Does he not know all things?" Then, as if we were to answer that He does know
all things, he raises a new question, saying, "Then he does know, but does not
make (men) better, nor is it possible for him by means of his divine power to
make (men) better." Now all this on his part is silly talk; for God, by means of
His word, which is continually passing from generation to generation into holy
souls, and constituting them friends of God and prophets, does improve those
who listen to His words; and by the coming of Christ He improves, through the
doctrine of Christianity, not those who are unwilling, but those who have chosen
the better life, and that which is pleasing to God. I do not know, moreover, what
kind of improvement Celsus wished to take place when he raised the objection,
asking, "Is it then not possible for him, by means of his divine power, to make
(men) better, unless he send some one for that special purpose?" Would he then
have the improvement to take place by God's filling the minds of men with new
ideas, removing at once the (inherent) wickedness, and implanting virtue (in its
stead)? Another person now would inquire whether this was not inconsistent or
impossible in the very nature of things; we, however, would say, "Grant it to be
so, and let it be possible." Where, then, is our free will? and what credit is there
in assenting to the truth? Or how is the rejection of what is false praiseworthy?
But even if it were once granted that such a course was not only possible, but
could be accomplished with propriety (by God), why would not one rather
inquire (asking a question like that of Celsus) why it was not possible for God,
by means of His divine power, to create men who needed no improvement, but
who were of themselves virtuous and perfect, evil being altogether non-existent?
These questions may perplex ignorant and foolish individuals, but not him who
sees into the nature of things; for if you take away the spontaneity of virtue, you
destroy its essence. But it would need an entire treatise to discuss these matters;
and on this subject the Greeks have expressed themselves at great length in their
works on providence. They truly would not say what Celsus has expressed in
words, that "God knows (all things) indeed, but does not make (men) better, nor
is able to do so by His divine power." We ourselves have spoken in many parts
of our writings on these points to the best of our ability, and the Holy Scriptures
have established the same to those who are able to understand them.
 Chapter 4
The argument which Celsus employs against us and the Jews will be turned
against himself thus: My good sir, does the God who is over all things know
what takes place among men, or does He not know? Now if you admit the
existence of a God and of providence, as your treatise indicates, He must of
necessity know. And if He does know, why does He not make (men) better? Is it
obligatory, then, on us to defend God's procedure in not making men better,
although He knows their state, but not equally binding on you , who do not
distinctly show by your treatise that you are an Epicurean, but pretend to
recognise a providence, to explain why God, although knowing all that takes
place among men, does not make them better, nor by divine power liberate all
men from evil? We are not ashamed, however, to say that God is constantly
sending (instructors) in order to make men better; for there are to be found
among men reasons given by God which exhort them to enter on a better life.
But there are many diversities among those who serve God, and they are few in
number who are perfect and pure ambassadors of the truth, and who produce a
complete reformation, as did Moses and the prophets. But above all these, great
was the reformation effected by Jesus, who desired to heal not only those who
lived in one corner of the world, but as far as in Him lay, men in every country,
for He came as the Saviour of all men.
 Chapter 5
The illustrious Celsus, taking occasion I know not from what, next raises an
additional objection against us, as if we asserted that "God Himself will come
down to men." He imagines also that it follows from this, that "He has left His
own abode;" for he does not know the power of God, and that "the Spirit of the
Lord fills the world, and that which upholds all things has knowledge of the
voice." Nor is he able to understand the words, "Do I not fill heaven and earth?
Says the Lord ." Nor does he see that, according to the doctrine of Christianity,
we all "in Him live, and move, and have our being," as Paul also taught in his
address to the Athenians; and therefore, although the God of the universe should
through His own power descend with Jesus into the life of men, and although the
Word which was in the beginning with God, which is also God Himself, should
come to us, He does not give His place or vacate His own seat, so that one place
should be empty of Him, and another which did not formerly contain Him be
filled. But the power and divinity of God comes through him whom God
chooses, and resides in him in whom it finds a place, not changing its situation,
nor leaving its own place empty and filling another: for, in speaking of His
quitting one place and occupying another, we do not mean such expressions to
be taken topically ; but we say that the soul of the bad man, and of him who is
overwhelmed in wickedness, is abandoned by God, while we mean that the soul
of him who wishes to live virtuously, or of him who is making progress (in a
virtuous life), or who is already living conformably thereto, is filled with or
becomes a partaker of the Divine Spirit. It is not necessary, then, for the descent
of Christ, or for the coming of God to men, that He should abandon a greater
seat, and that things on earth should be changed, as Celsus imagines when he
says, "If you were to change a single one, even the least, of things on earth, all
things would be overturned and disappear." And if we must speak of a change in
any one by the appearing of the power of God, and by the entrance of the word
among men, we shall not be reluctant to speak of changing from a wicked to a
virtuous, from a dissolute to a temperate, and from a superstitious to a religious
life, the person who has allowed the word of God to find entrance into his soul.
 Chapter 6
But if you will have us to meet the most ridiculous among the charges of
Celsus, listen to him when he says: "Now God, being unknown among men, and
deeming himself on that account to have less than his due, would desire to make
himself known, and to make trial both of those who believe upon him and of
those who do not, like those of mankind who have recently come into the
possession of riches, and who make a display of their wealth; and thus they
testify to an excessive but very mortal ambition on the part of God." We answer,
then, that God, not being known by wicked men, would desire to make Himself
known, not because He thinks that He meets with less than His due, but because
the knowledge of Him will free the possessor from unhappiness. Nay, not even
with the desire to try those who do or who do not believe upon Him, does He, by
His unspeakable and divine power, Himself take up His abode in certain
individuals, or send His Christ; but He does this in order to liberate from all their
wretchedness those who do believe upon Him, and who accept His divinity, and
that those who do not believe may no longer have this as a ground of excuse,
viz., that their unbelief is the consequence of their not having heard the word of
instruction. What argument, then, proves that it follows from our views that God,
according to our representations, is "like those of mankind who have recently
come into the possession of riches, and who make a display of their wealth?" For
God makes no display towards us, from a desire that we should understand and
consider His pre-eminence; but desiring that the blessedness which results from
His being known by us should be implanted in our souls, He brings it to pass
through Christ, and His ever-indwelling word, that we come to an intimate
fellowship with Him. No mortal ambition, then, does the Christian doctrine
testify as existing on the part of God.
 Chapter 7
I do not know how it is, that after the foolish remarks which he has made
upon the subject which we have just been discussing, he should add the
following, that "God does not desire to make himself known for his own sake,
but because he wishes to bestow upon us the knowledge of himself for the sake of
our salvation, in order that those who accept it may become virtuous and be
saved, while those who do not accept may be shown to be wicked and be
punished." And yet, after making such a statement, he raises a new objection,
saying: "After so long a period of time, then, did God now bethink himself of
making men live righteous lives, but neglect to do so before?" To which we
answer, that there never was a time when God did not wish to make men live
righteous lives; but He continually evinced His care for the improvement of the
rational animal, by affording him occasions for the exercise of virtue. For in
every generation the wisdom of God, passing into those souls which it ascertains
to be holy, converts them into friends and prophets of God. And there may be
found in the sacred book (the names of) those who in each generation were holy,
and were recipients of the Divine Spirit, and who strove to convert their
contemporaries so far as in their power.
 Chapter 8
And it is not matter of surprise that in certain generations there have existed
prophets who, in the reception of divine influence, surpassed, by means of their
stronger and more powerful (religious) life, other prophets who were their
contemporaries, and others also who lived before and after them. And so it is not
at all wonderful that there should also have been a time when something of
surpassing excellence took up its abode among the human race, and which was
distinguished above all that preceded or even that followed. But there is an
element of profound mystery in the account of these things, and one which is
incapable of being received by the popular understanding. And in order that
these difficulties should be made to disappear, and that the objections raised
against the advent of Christ should be answered— viz., that, "after so long a
period of time, then, did God now bethink himself of making men live righteous
lives, but neglect to do so before?" — it is necessary to touch upon the narrative
of the divisions (of the nations), and to make it evident why it was, that "when
the Most High divided the nations, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set
the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God, and the
portion of the Lord was His people Jacob, Israel the cord of His inheritance;"
and it will be necessary to state the reason why the birth of each man took place
within each particular boundary, under him who obtained the boundary by lot,
and how it rightly happened that "the portion of the Lord was His people Jacob,
and Israel the cord of His inheritance," and why formerly the portion of the
Lord was His people Jacob, and Israel the cord of His inheritance. But with
respect to those who come after, it is said to the Saviour by the Father, "Ask of
Me, and I will give You the heathen for Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts
of the earth for Your possession." For there are certain connected and related
reasons, bearing upon the different treatment of human souls, which are difficult
to state and to investigate.
 Chapter 9
There came, then, although Celsus may not wish to admit it, after the
numerous prophets who were the reformers of that well-known Israel, the Christ,
the Reformer of the whole world, who did not need to employ against men
whips, and chains, and tortures, as was the case under the former economy. For
when the sower went forth to sow, the doctrine sufficed to sow the word
everywhere. But if there is a time coming which will necessarily circumscribe
the duration of the world, by reason of its having had a beginning, and if there is
to be an end to the world, and after the end a just judgment of all things, it will
be incumbent on him who treats the declarations of the Gospels philosophically,
to establish these doctrines by arguments of all kinds, not only derived directly
from the sacred Scriptures, but also by inferences deducible from them; while
the more numerous and simpler class of believers, and those who are unable to
comprehend the many varied aspects of the divine wisdom, must entrust
themselves to God, and to the Saviour of our race, and be contented with His
"ipse dixit," instead of this or any other demonstration whatever.
 Chapter 10
In the next place, Celsus, as is his custom, having neither proved nor
established anything, proceeds to say, as if we talked of God in a manner that
was neither holy nor pious, that "it is perfectly manifest that they babble about
God in a way that is neither holy nor reverential;" and he imagines that we do
these things to excite the astonishment of the ignorant, and that we do not speak
the truth regarding the necessity of punishments for those who have sinned. And
accordingly he likens us to those who "in the Bacchic mysteries introduce
phantoms and objects of terror." With respect to the mysteries of Bacchus,
whether there is any trustworthy account of them, or none that is such, let the
Greeks tell, and let Celsus and his boon-companions listen. But we defend our
own procedure, when we say that our object is to reform the human race, either
by the threats of punishments which we are persuaded are necessary for the
whole world, and which perhaps are not without use to those who are to endure
them; or by the promises made to those who have lived virtuous lives, and in
which are contained the statements regarding the blessed termination which is to
be found in the kingdom of God, reserved for those who are worthy of becoming
His subjects.
 Chapter 11
After this, being desirous to show that it is nothing either wonderful or new
which we state regarding floods or conflagrations, but that, from
misunderstanding the accounts of these things which are current among Greeks
or barbarous nations, we have accorded our belief to our own Scriptures when
treating of them, he writes as follows: "The belief has spread among them, from
a misunderstanding of the accounts of these occurrences, that after lengthened
cycles of time, and the returns and conjunctions of planets, conflagrations and
floods are wont to happen, and because after the last flood, which took place in
the time of Deucalion, the lapse of time, agreeably to the vicissitude of all things,
requires a conflagration and this made them give utterance to the erroneous
opinion that God will descend, bringing fire like a torturer." Now in answer to
this we say, that I do not understand how Celsus, who has read a great deal, and
who shows that he has perused many histories, had not his attention arrested by
the antiquity of Moses, who is related by certain Greek historians to have lived
about the time of Inachus the son of Phoroneus, and is acknowledged by the
Egyptians to be a man of great antiquity, as well as by those who have studied
the history of the Phœnicians. And any one who likes may peruse the two books
of Flavius Josephus on the antiquities of the Jews, in order that he may see in
what way Moses was more ancient than those who asserted that floods and
conflagrations take place in the world after long intervals of time; which
statement Celsus alleges the Jews and Christians to have misunderstood, and, not
comprehending what was said about a conflagration, to have declared that "God
will descend, bringing fire like a torturer."
 Chapter 12
Whether, then, there are cycles of time, and floods, or conflagrations which
occur periodically or not, and whether the Scripture is aware of this, not only in
many passages, but especially where Solomon says, "What is the thing which
has been? Even that which shall be. And what is the thing which has been done?
Even that which shall be done," etc., etc., belongs not to the present occasion to
discuss. For it is sufficient only to observe, that Moses and certain of the
prophets, being men of very great antiquity, did not receive from others the
statements relating to the (future) conflagration of the world; but, on the contrary
(if we must attend to the matter of time ), others rather misunderstanding them,
and not inquiring accurately into their statements, invented the fiction of the
same events recurring at certain intervals, and differing neither in their essential
nor accidental qualities. But we do not refer either the deluge or the
conflagration to cycles and planetary periods; but the cause of them we declare
to be the extensive prevalence of wickedness, and its (consequent) removal by a
deluge or a conflagration. And if the voices of the prophets say that God "comes
down," who has said, "Do I not fill heaven and earth? Says the Lord," the term is
used in a figurative sense. For God "comes down" from His own height and
greatness when He arranges the affairs of men, and especially those of the
wicked. And as custom leads men to say that teachers "condescend" to children,
and wise men to those youths who have just betaken themselves to philosophy,
not by "descending" in a bodily manner; so, if God is said anywhere in the holy
Scriptures to "come down," it is understood as spoken in conformity with the
usage which so employs the word, and, in like manner also with the expression
"go up."
 Chapter 13
But as it is in mockery that Celsus says we speak of "God coming down like
a torturer bearing fire," and thus compels us unseasonably to investigate words
of deeper meaning, we shall make a few remarks, sufficient to enable our hearers
to form an idea of the defence which disposes of the ridicule of Celsus against
us, and then we shall turn to what follows. The divine word says that our God is
"a consuming fire," and that "He draws rivers of fire before Him;" nay, that He
even enters in as "a refiner's fire, and as a fuller's herb," to purify His own
people. But when He is said to be a "consuming fire," we inquire what are the
things which are appropriate to be consumed by God. And we assert that they
are wickedness, and the works which result from it, and which, being
figuratively called "wood, hay, stubble," God consumes as a fire. The wicked
man, accordingly, is said to build up on the previously-laid foundation of reason,
"wood, and hay, and stubble." If, then, any one can show that these words were
differently understood by the writer, and can prove that the wicked man literally
builds up "wood, or hay, or stubble," it is evident that the fire must be
understood to be material, and an object of sense. But if, on the contrary, the
works of the wicked man are spoken of figuratively under the names of "wood,
or hay, or stubble," why does it not at once occur (to inquire) in what sense the
word "fire" is to be taken, so that "wood" of such a kind should be consumed?
For (the Scripture) says: "The fire will try each man's work of what sort it is. If
any man's work abide which he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If
any man's work be burned, he shall suffer loss." But what work can be spoken of
in these words as being "burned," save all that results from wickedness?
Therefore our God is a "consuming fire" in the sense in which we have taken the
word; and thus He enters in as a "refiner's fire," to refine the rational nature,
which has been filled with the lead of wickedness, and to free it from the other
impure materials, which adulterate the natural gold or silver, so to speak, of the
soul. And, in like manner, "rivers of fire" are said to be before God, who will
thoroughly cleanse away the evil which is intermingled throughout the whole
soul. But these remarks are sufficient in answer to the assertion, "that thus they
were made to give expression to the erroneous opinion that God will come down
bearing fire like a torturer."
 Chapter 14
But let us look at what Celsus next with great ostentation announces in the
following fashion: "And again," he says, "let us resume the subject from the
beginning, with a larger array of proofs. And I make no new statement, but say
what has been long settled. God is good, and beautiful, and blessed, and that in
the best and most beautiful degree. But if he come down among men, he must
undergo a change, and a change from good to evil, from virtue to vice, from
happiness to misery, and from best to worst. Who, then, would make choice of
such a change? It is the nature of a mortal, indeed, to undergo change and
remoulding, but of an immortal to remain the same and unaltered. God, then,
could not admit of such a change." Now it appears to me that the fitting answer
has been returned to these objections, when I have related what is called in
Scripture the "condescension" of God to human affairs; for which purpose He
did not need to undergo a transformation, as Celsus thinks we assert, nor a
change from good to evil, nor from virtue to vice, nor from happiness to misery,
nor from best to worst. For, continuing unchangeable in His essence, He
condescends to human affairs by the economy of His providence. We show,
accordingly, that the holy Scriptures represent God as unchangeable, both by
such words as "You are the same," and I change not; whereas the gods of
Epicurus, being composed of atoms, and, so far as their structure is concerned,
capable of dissolution, endeavour to throw off the atoms which contain the
elements of destruction. Nay, even the god of the Stoics, as being corporeal, at
one time has his whole essence composed of the guiding principle when the
conflagration (of the world) takes place; and at another, when a rearrangement of
things occurs, he again becomes partly material. For even the Stoics were unable
distinctly to comprehend the natural idea of God, as of a being altogether
incorruptible and simple, and uncompounded and indivisible.
 Chapter 15
And with respect to His having descended among men, He was "previously
in the form of God;" and through benevolence, divested Himself (of His glory),
that He might be capable of being received by men. But He did not, I imagine,
undergo any change from "good to evil," for "He did no sin ;" nor from "virtue
to vice," for "He knew no sin ." Nor did He pass from "happiness to misery," but
He humbled Himself, and nevertheless was blessed, even when His humiliation
was undergone in order to benefit our race. Nor was there any change in Him
from "best to worst," for how can goodness and benevolence be of "the worst?"
Is it befitting to say of the physician, who looks on dreadful sights and handles
unsightly objects in order to cure the sufferers, that he passes from "good to
evil," or from "virtue to vice," or from "happiness to misery?" And yet the
physician, in looking on dreadful sights and handling unsightly objects, does not
wholly escape the possibility of being involved in the same fate. But He who
heals the wounds of our souls, through the word of God that is in Him, is
Himself incapable of admitting any wickedness. But if the immortal God— the
Word — by assuming a mortal body and a human soul, appears to Celsus to
undergo a change and transformation, let him learn that the Word, still remaining
essentially the Word, suffers none of those things which are suffered by the body
or the soul; but, condescending occasionally to (the weakness of) him who is
unable to look upon the splendours and brilliancy of Deity, He becomes as it
were flesh, speaking with a literal voice, until he who has received Him in such a
form is able, through being elevated in some slight degree by the teaching of the
Word, to gaze upon what is, so to speak, His real and pre-eminent appearance.
 Chapter 16
For there are different appearances, as it were, of the Word, according as
He shows Himself to each one of those who come to His doctrine; and this in a
manner corresponding to the condition of him who is just becoming a disciple,
or of him who has made a little progress, or of him who has advanced further, or
of him who has already nearly attained to virtue, or who has even already
attained it. And hence it is not the case, as Celsus and those like him would have
it, that our God was transformed, and ascending the lofty mountain, showed that
His real appearance was something different, and far more excellent than what
those who remained below, and were unable to follow Him on high, beheld. For
those below did not possess eyes capable of seeing the transformation of the
Word into His glorious and more divine condition. But with difficulty were they
able to receive Him as He was; so that it might be said of Him by those who
were unable to behold His more excellent nature: "We saw Him, and He had no
form nor comeliness; but His form was mean, and inferior to that of the sons of
men." And let these remarks be an answer to the suppositions of Celsus, who
does not understand the changes or transformations of Jesus, as related in the
histories, nor His mortal and immortal nature.
 Chapter 17
But will not those narratives, especially when they are understood in their
proper sense, appear far more worthy of respect than the story that Dionysus was
deceived by the Titans, and expelled from the throne of Jupiter, and torn in
pieces by them, and his remains being afterwards put together again, he returned
as it were once more to life, and ascended to heaven? Or are the Greeks at liberty
to refer such stories to the doctrine of the soul, and to interpret them figuratively,
while the door of a consistent explanation, and one everywhere in accord and
harmony with the writings of the Divine Spirit, who had His abode in pure souls,
is closed against us ? Celsus, then, is altogether ignorant of the purpose of our
writings, and it is therefore upon his own acceptation of them that he casts
discredit, and not upon their real meaning; whereas, if he had reflected on what
is appropriate to a soul which is to enjoy an everlasting life, and on the opinion
which we are to form of its essence and principles, he would not so have
ridiculed the entrance of the immortal into a mortal body, which took place not
according to the metempsychosis of Plato, but agreeably to another and higher
view of things. And he would have observed one "descent," distinguished by its
great benevolence, undertaken to convert (as the Scripture mystically terms
them) the "lost sheep of the house of Israel," which had strayed down from the
mountains, and to which the Shepherd is said in certain parables to have gone
down, leaving on the mountains those "which had not strayed."
 Chapter 18
But Celsus, lingering over matters which he does not understand, leads us
to be guilty of tautology, as we do not wish even in appearance to leave any one
of his objections unexamined. He proceeds, accordingly, as follows: "God either
really changes himself, as these assert, into a mortal body, and the impossibility
of that has been already declared; or else he does not undergo a change, but
only causes the beholders to imagine so, and thus deceives them, and is guilty of
falsehood. Now deceit and falsehood are nothing but evils, and would only be
employed as a medicine, either in the case of sick and lunatic friends, with a
view to their cure, or in that of enemies when one is taking measures to escape
danger. But no sick man or lunatic is a friend of God, nor does God fear any one
to such a degree as to shun danger by leading him into error." Now the answer
to these statements might have respect partly to the nature of the Divine Word,
who is God, and partly to the soul of Jesus. As respects the nature of the Word,
in the same way as the quality of the food changes in the nurse into milk with
reference to the nature of the child, or is arranged by the physician with a view
to the good of his health in the case of a sick man or (is specially) prepared for a
stronger man, because he possesses greater vigour, so does God appropriately
change, in the case of each individual, the power of the Word to which belongs
the natural property of nourishing the human soul. And to one is given, as the
Scripture terms it, "the sincere milk of the word;" and to another, who is weaker,
as it were, "herbs;" and to another who is full-grown, "strong meat." And the
Word does not, I imagine, prove false to His own nature, in contributing
nourishment to each one, according as he is capable of receiving Him. Nor does
He mislead or prove false. But if one were to take the change as referring to the
soul of Jesus after it had entered the body, we would inquire in what sense the
term "change" is used. For if it be meant to apply to its essence, such a
supposition is inadmissible, not only in relation to the soul of Jesus, but also to
the rational soul of any other being. And if it be alleged that it suffers anything
from the body when united with it, or from the place to which it has come, then
what inconvenience can happen to the Word who, in great benevolence, brought
down a Saviour to the human race?— seeing none of those who formerly
professed to effect a cure could accomplish so much as that soul showed it could
do, by what it performed, even by voluntarily descending to the level of human
destinies for the benefit of our race. And the Divine Word, well knowing this,
speaks to that effect in many passages of Scripture, although it is sufficient at
present to quote one testimony of Paul to the following effect: "Let this mind be
in you which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it
not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took
upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and being
found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto
death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him,
and given Him a name which is above every name."
 Chapter 19
Others, then, may concede to Celsus that God does not undergo a change,
but leads the spectators to imagine that He does; whereas we who are persuaded
that the advent of Jesus among men was no mere appearance, but a real
manifestation, are not affected by this charge of Celsus. We nevertheless will
attempt a reply, because you assert, Celsus, do you not, that it is sometimes
allowable to employ deceit and falsehood by way, as it were, of medicine?
Where, then, is the absurdity, if such a saving result were to be accomplished,
that some such events should have taken place? For certain words, when
savouring of falsehood, produce upon such characters a corrective effect (like
the similar declarations of physicians to their patients), rather than when spoken
in the spirit of truth. This, however, must be our defence against other
opponents. For there is no absurdity in Him who healed sick friends, healing the
dear human race by means of such remedies as He would not employ
preferentially, but only according to circumstances. The human race, moreover,
when in a state of mental alienation, had to be cured by methods which the Word
saw would aid in bringing back those so afflicted to a sound state of mind. But
Celsus says also, that "one acts thus towards enemies when taking measures to
escape danger. But God does not fear any one, so as to escape danger by
leading into error those who conspire against him." Now it is altogether
unnecessary and absurd to answer a charge which is advanced by no one against
our Saviour. And we have already replied, when answering other charges, to the
statement that "no one who is either in a state of sickness or mental alienation is
a friend of God." For the answer is, that such arrangements have been made, not
for the sake of those who, being already friends, afterwards fell sick or became
afflicted with mental disease, but in order that those who were still enemies
through sickness of the soul, and alienation of the natural reason, might become
the friends of God. For it is distinctly stated that Jesus endured all things on
behalf of sinners, that He might free them from sin, and convert them to
righteousness.
 Chapter 20
In the next place, as he represents the Jews accounting in a way peculiar to
themselves for their belief that the advent of Christ among them is still in the
future, and the Christians as maintaining in their way that the coming of the Son
of God into the life of men has already taken place, let us, as far as we can,
briefly consider these points. According to Celsus, the Jews say that "(human)
life, being filled with all wickedness, needed one sent from God, that the wicked
might be punished, and all things purified in a manner analogous to the first
deluge which happened." And as the Christians are said to make statements
additional to this, it is evident that he alleges that they admit these. Now, where
is the absurdity in the coming of one who is, on account of the prevailing flood
of wickedness, to purify the world, and to treat every one according to his
deserts? For it is not in keeping with the character of God that the diffusion of
wickedness should not cease, and all things be renewed. The Greeks, moreover,
know of the earth's being purified at certain times by a deluge or a fire, as Plato,
too, says somewhere to this effect: "And when the gods overwhelm the earth,
purifying it with water, some of them on the mountains," etc., etc. Must it be
said, then, that if the Greeks make such assertions, they are to be deemed worthy
of respect and consideration, but that if we too maintain certain of these views,
which are quoted with approval by the Greeks, they cease to be honourable? And
yet they who care to attend to the connection and truth of all our records, will
endeavour to establish not only the antiquity of the writers, but the venerable
nature of their writings, and the consistency of their several parts.
 Chapter 21
But I do not understand how he can imagine the overturning of the tower
(of Babel) to have happened with a similar object to that of the deluge, which
effected a purification of the earth, according to the accounts both of Jews and
Christians. For, in order that the narrative contained in Genesis respecting the
tower may be held to convey no secret meaning, but, as Celsus supposes, may be
taken as true to the letter, the event does not on such a view appear to have taken
place for the purpose of purifying the earth; unless, indeed, he imagines that the
so-called confusion of tongues is such a purificatory process. But on this point,
he who has the opportunity will treat more seasonably when his object is to show
not only what is the meaning of the narrative in its historical connection, but
what metaphorical meaning may be deduced from it. Seeing that he imagines,
however, that Moses, who wrote the account of the tower, and the confusion of
tongues, has perverted the story of the sons of Aloeus, and referred it to the
tower, we must remark that I do not think any one prior to the time of Homer has
mentioned the sons of Aloeus, while I am persuaded that what is related about
the tower has been recorded by Moses as being much older not only than Homer,
but even than the invention of letters among the Greeks. Who, then, are the
perverters of each other's narratives? Whether do they who relate the story of the
Aloadæ pervert the history of the time, or he who wrote the account of the tower
and the confusion of tongues the story of the Aloadæ? Now to impartial hearers
Moses appears to be more ancient than Homer. The destruction by fire,
moreover, of Sodom and Gomorrha on account of their sins, related by Moses in
Genesis, is compared by Celsus to the story of Phæthon,— all these statements
of his resulting from one blunder, viz., his not attending to the (greater) antiquity
of Moses. For they who relate the story of Phæthon seem to be younger even
than Homer, who, again, is much younger than Moses. We do not deny, then,
that the purificatory fire and the destruction of the world took place in order that
evil might be swept away, and all things be renewed; for we assert that we have
evil might be swept away, and all things be renewed; for we assert that we have
learned these things from the sacred books of the prophets. But since, as we have
said in the preceding pages, the prophets, in uttering many predictions regarding
future events, show that they have spoken the truth concerning many things that
are past, and thus give evidence of the indwelling of the Divine Spirit, it is
manifest that, with respect to things still future, we should repose faith in them,
or rather in the Divine Spirit that is in them.
 Chapter 22
But, according to Celsus, "the Christians, making certain additional
statements to those of the Jews, assert that the Son of God has been already sent
on account of the sins of the Jews; and that the Jews having chastised Jesus, and
given him gall to drink, have brought upon themselves the divine wrath." And
any one who likes may convict this statement of falsehood, if it be not the case
that the whole Jewish nation was overthrown within one single generation after
Jesus had undergone these sufferings at their hands. For forty and two years, I
think, after the date of the crucifixion of Jesus, did the destruction of Jerusalem
take place. Now it has never been recorded, since the Jewish nation began to
exist, that they have been expelled for so long a period from their venerable
temple-worship and service, and enslaved by more powerful nations; for if at
any time they appeared to be abandoned because of their sins, they were
notwithstanding visited (by God), and returned to their own country, and
recovered their possessions, and performed unhindered the observances of their
law. One fact, then, which proves that Jesus was something divine and sacred, is
this, that Jews should have suffered on His account now for a lengthened time
calamities of such severity. And we say with confidence that they will never be
restored to their former condition. For they committed a crime of the most
unhallowed kind, in conspiring against the Saviour of the human race in that city
where they offered up to God a worship containing the symbols of mighty
mysteries. It accordingly behooved that city where Jesus underwent these
sufferings to perish utterly, and the Jewish nation to be overthrown, and the
invitation to happiness offered them by God to pass to others—the Christians, I
mean, to whom has come the doctrine of a pure and holy worship, and who have
obtained new laws, in harmony with the established constitution in all countries;
seeing those which were formerly imposed, as on a single nation which was
ruled by princes of its own race and of similar manners, could not now be
observed in all their entireness.
 Chapter 23
In the next place, ridiculing after his usual style the race of Jews and
Christians, he compares them all "to a flight of bats or to a swarm of ants issuing
out of their nest, or to frogs holding council in a marsh, or to worms crawling
together in the corner of a dunghill, and quarrelling with one another as to
which of them were the greater sinners, and asserting that God shows and
announces to us all things beforehand; and that, abandoning the whole world,
and the regions of heaven, and this great earth, he becomes a citizen among us
alone, and to us alone makes his intimations, and does not cease sending and
inquiring, in what way we may be associated with him for ever." And in his
fictitious representation, he compares us to "worms which assert that there is a
God, and that immediately after him, we who are made by him are altogether
like God, and that all things have been made subject to us—earth, and water,
and air, and stars—and that all things exist for our sake, and are ordained to be
subject to us." And, according to his representation, the worms— that is, we
ourselves— say that "now, since certain among us commit sin, God will come or
will send his Son to consume the wicked with fire, that the rest of us may have
eternal life with him." And to all this he subjoins the remark, that "such
wranglings would be more endurable among worms and frogs than between
Jews and Christians."
 Chapter 24
In reply to these, we ask of those who accept such aspersions as are
scattered against us, Do you regard all men as a collection of bats, or as frogs, or
as worms, in consequence of the pre-eminence of God or do you not include the
rest of mankind in this proposed comparison, but on account of their possession
of reason, and of the established laws, treat them as men, while you hold cheap
Christians and Jews , because their opinions are distasteful to you, and compare
them to the animals above mentioned? And whatever answer you may return to
our question, we shall reply by endeavouring to show that such assertions are
most unbecoming, whether spoken of all men in general, or of us in particular.
For, let it be supposed that you say justly that all men, as compared with God,
are (rightly) likened to these worthless animals, since their littleness is not at all
to be compared with the superiority of God, what then do you mean by
littleness? Answer me, good sirs. If you refer to littleness of body, know that
superiority and inferiority, if truth is to be judge, are not determined by a bodily
standard. For, on such a view, vultures and elephants would be superior to us
men; for they are larger, and stronger, and longer-lived than we. But no sensible
person would maintain that these irrational creatures are superior to rational
beings, merely on account of their bodies: for the possession of reason raises a
rational being to a vast superiority over all irrational creatures. Even the race of
virtuous and blessed beings would admit this, whether they are, as you say, good
demons, or, as we are accustomed to call them, the angels of God, or any other
natures whatever superior to that of man, since the rational faculty within them
has been made perfect, and endowed with all virtuous qualities.
 Chapter 25
But if you depreciate the littleness of man, not on account of his body, but
of his soul, regarding it as inferior to that of other rational beings, and especially
of those who are virtuous; and inferior, because evil dwells in it—why should
those among Christians who are wicked, and those among the Jews who lead
sinful lives, be termed a collection of bats, or ants, or worms, or frogs, rather
than those individuals among other nations who are guilty of wickedness?—
seeing, in this respect, any individual whatever, especially if carried away by the
tide of evil, is, in comparison with the rest of mankind, a bat, and worm, and
frog, and ant. And although a man may be an orator like Demosthenes, yet, if
stained with wickedness like his, and guilty of deeds proceeding, like his, from a
wicked nature; or an Antiphon, who was also considered to be indeed an orator,
yet who annihilated the doctrine of providence in his writings, which were
entitled Concerning Truth , like that discourse of Celsus,— such individuals are
notwithstanding worms, rolling in a corner of the dung-heap of stupidity and
ignorance. Indeed, whatever be the nature of the rational faculty, it could not
reasonably be compared to a worm, because it possesses capabilities of virtue.
For these adumbrations towards virtue do not allow of those who possess the
power of acquiring it, and who are incapable of wholly losing its seeds, to be
likened to a worm. It appears, therefore, that neither can men in general be
deemed worms in comparison with God. For reason, having its beginning in the
reason of God, cannot allow of the rational animal being considered wholly alien
from Deity. Nor can those among Christians and Jews who are wicked, and who,
in truth, are neither Christians nor Jews, be compared, more than other wicked
men, to worms rolling in a corner of a dunghill. And if the nature of reason will
not permit of such comparisons, it is manifest that we must not calumniate
human nature, which has been formed for virtue, even if it should sin through
ignorance, nor liken it to animals of the kind described.
 Chapter 26
But if it is on account of those opinions of the Christians and Jews which
displease Celsus (and which he does not at all appear to understand) that they are
to be regarded as worms and ants, and the rest of mankind as different, let us
examine the acknowledged opinions of Christians and Jews, and compare them
with those of the rest of mankind, and see whether it will not appear to those
who have once admitted that certain men are worms and ants, that they are the
worms and ants and frogs who have fallen away from sound views of God, and,
under a vain appearance of piety, worship either irrational animals, or images, or
other objects, the works of men's hands; whereas, from the beauty of such, they
ought to admire the Maker of them, and worship Him: while those are indeed
men, and more honourable than men (if there be anything that is so), who, in
obedience to their reason, are able to ascend from stocks and stones, nay, even
from what is reckoned the most precious of all matter— silver and gold; and
who ascend up also from the beautiful things in the world to the Maker of all,
and entrust themselves to Him who alone is able to satisfy all existing things,
and to overlook the thoughts of all, and to hear the prayers of all; who send up
their prayers to Him, and do all things as in the presence of Him who beholds
everything, and who are careful, as in the presence of the Hearer of all things, to
say nothing which might not with propriety be reported to God. Will not such
piety as this— which can be overcome neither by labours, nor by the dangers of
death, nor by logical plausibilities — be of no avail in preventing those who
have obtained it from being any longer compared to worms, even if they had
been so represented before their assumption of a piety so remarkable? Will they
who subdue that fierce longing for sexual pleasures which has reduced the souls
of many to a weak and feeble condition, and who subdue it because they are
persuaded that they cannot otherwise have communion with God, unless they
ascend to Him through the exercise of temperance, appear to you to be the
brothers of worms, and relatives of ants, and to bear a likeness to frogs? What! Is
the brilliant quality of justice, which keeps inviolate the rights common to our
neighbour, and our kindred, and which observes fairness, and benevolence, and
goodness, of no avail in saving him who practises it from being termed a bird of
the night? And are not they who wallow in dissoluteness, as do the majority of
mankind, and they who associate promiscuously with common harlots, and who
teach that such practices are not wholly contrary to propriety, worms who roll in
mire?— especially when they are compared with those who have been taught not
to take the "members of Christ," and the body inhabited by the Word, and make
them the "members of a harlot;" and who have already learned that the body of
the rational being, as consecrated to the God of all things, is the temple of the
God whom they worship, becoming such from the pure conceptions which they
entertain of the Creator, and who also, being careful not to corrupt the temple of
God by unlawful pleasure; practise temperance as constituting piety towards
God!
 Chapter 27
And I have not yet spoken of the other evils which prevail among men,
from which even those who have the appearance of philosophers are not speedily
freed, for in philosophy there are many pretenders. Nor do I say anything on the
point that many such evils are found to exist among those who are neither Jews
nor Christians. Of a truth, such evil practices do not at all prevail among
Christians , if you properly examine what constitutes a Christian. Or, if any
persons of that kind should be discovered, they are at least not to be found
among those who frequent the assemblies, and come to the public prayers,
without their being excluded from them, unless it should happen, and that rarely,
that some one individual of such a character escapes notice in the crowd. We,
then, are not worms who assemble together; who take our stand against the Jews
on those Scriptures which they believe to be divine, and who show that He who
was spoken of in prophecy has come, and that they have been abandoned on
account of the greatness of their sins, and that we who have accepted the Word
have the highest hopes in God, both because of our faith in Him, and of His
ability to receive us into His communion pure from all evil and wickedness of
life. If a man, then, should call himself a Jew or a Christian, he would not say
without qualification that God had made the whole world, and the vault of
heaven for us in particular. But if a man is, as Jesus taught, pure in heart, and
meek, and peaceful, and cheerfully submits to dangers for the sake of his
religion, such an one might reasonably have confidence in God, and with a full
apprehension of the word contained in the prophecies, might say this also: "All
these things has God shown beforehand, and announced to us who believe."
 Chapter 28
But since he has represented those whom he regards as worms, viz., the
Christians, as saying that "God, having abandoned the heavenly regions, and
despising this great earth, takes up His abode among us alone, and to us alone
makes His announcements, and ceases not His messages and inquiries as to how
we may become His associates for ever," we have to answer that he attributes to
us words which we never uttered, seeing we both read and know that God loves
all existing things, and loathes nothing which He has made, for He would not
have created anything in hatred. We have, moreover, read the declaration: "And
You spare all things, because they are Yours, O lover of souls. For Your
incorruptible Spirit is in all. And therefore those also who have fallen away for a
little time You rebuke, and admonish, reminding them of their sins." How can we
assert that "God, leaving the regions of heaven, and the whole world, and
despising this great earth, takes up His abode among us only," when we have
found that all thoughtful persons must say in their prayers, that "the earth is full
of the mercy of the Lord," and that "the mercy of the Lord is upon all flesh;" [
Sirach 18:13 ] and that God, being good, "makes His sun to arise upon the evil
and the good, and sends His rain upon the just and the unjust;" and that He
encourages us to a similar course of action, in order that we may become His
sons, and teaches us to extend the benefits which we enjoy, so far as in our
power, to all men? For He Himself is said to be the Saviour of all men,
especially of them that believe; and His Christ to be the "propitiation for our
sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." And this,
then, is our answer to the allegations of Celsus. Certain other statements, in
keeping with the character of the Jews, might be made by some of that nation,
but certainly not by the Christians, who have been taught that "God commends
His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;" and
although "scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man
some would even dare to die." But now is Jesus declared to have come for the
sake of sinners in all parts of the world (that they may forsake their sin, and
entrust themselves to God), being called also, agreeably to an ancient custom of
these Scriptures, the "Christ of God."
 Chapter 29
But Celsus perhaps has misunderstood certain of those whom he has termed
"worms," when they affirm that "God exists, and that we are next to Him." And
he acts like those who would find fault with an entire sect of philosophers, on
account of certain words uttered by some rash youth who, after a three days'
attendance upon the lectures of a philosopher, should exalt himself above other
people as inferior to himself, and devoid of philosophy. For we know that there
are many creatures more honourable than man; and we have read that "God
stands in the congregation of gods," but of gods who are not worshipped by the
nations, "for all the gods of the nations are idols." We have read also, that "God,
standing in the congregation of the gods, judges among the gods." We know,
moreover, that "though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in
earth (as there be gods many and lords many), but to us there is one God, the
Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom are all things, and we by Him." And we know that in this way the angels
are superior to men; so that men, when made perfect, become like the angels.
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but the
righteous are as the angels in heaven," and also become "equal to the angels."
We know, too, that in the arrangement of the universe there are certain beings
termed "thrones," and others "dominions," and others "powers," and others
"principalities;" and we see that we men, who are far inferior to these, may
entertain the hope that by a virtuous life, and by acting in all things agreeably to
reason, we may rise to a likeness with all these. And, lastly, because "it does not
yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall
be like God, and shall see Him as He is." And if any one were to maintain what
is asserted by some (either by those who possess intelligence or who do not, but
have misconceived sound reason), that "God exists, and we are next to Him," I
would interpret the word "we," by using in its stead, "We who act according to
reason," or rather, "We virtuous , who act according to reason." For, in our
opinion, the same virtue belongs to all the blessed, so that the virtue of man and
of God is identical. And therefore we are taught to become "perfect," as our
Father in heaven is perfect. No good and virtuous man, then, is a "worm rolling
in filth," nor is a pious man an "ant," nor a righteous man a "frog;" nor could one
whose soul is enlightened with the bright light of truth be reasonably likened to a
"bird of the night."
 Chapter 30
It appears to me that Celsus has also misunderstood this statement, "Let Us
make man in Our image and likeness;" and has therefore represented the
"worms" as saying that, being created by God, we altogether resemble Him. If,
however, he had known the difference between man being created "in the image
of God" and "after His likeness," and that God is recorded to have said, "Let Us
make man after Our image and likeness," but that He made man "after the
image" of God, but not then also "after His likeness," he would not have
represented us as saying that "we are altogether like Him." Moreover, we do not
assert that the stars are subject to us; since the resurrection which is called the
"resurrection of the just," and which is understood by wise men, is compared to
the sun, and moon, and stars, by him who said, "There is one glory of the sun,
and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star
differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead."
Daniel also prophesied long ago regarding these things. Celsus says further, that
we assert that "all things have been arranged so as to be subject to us," having
perhaps heard some of the intelligent among us speaking to that effect, and
perhaps also not understanding the saying, that "he who is the greatest among us
is the servant of all." And if the Greeks say, "Then sun and moon are the slaves
of mortal men," they express approval of the statement, and give an explanation
of its meaning; but since such a statement is either not made at all by us, or is
expressed in a different way, Celsus here too falsely accuses us. Moreover, we
who, according to Celsus, are "worms," are represented by him as saying that,
"seeing some among us are guilty of sin, God will come to us, or will send His
own Son, that He may consume the wicked, and that we other frogs may enjoy
eternal life with Him." Observe how this venerable philosopher, like a low
buffoon, turns into ridicule and mockery, and a subject of laughter, the
announcement of a divine judgment, and of the punishment of the wicked, and
of the reward of the righteous; and subjoins to all this the remark, that "such
statements would be more endurable if made by worms and frogs than by
Christians and Jews who quarrel with one another!" We shall not, however,
imitate his example, nor say similar things regarding those philosophers who
profess to know the nature of all things, and who discuss with each other the
manner in which all things were created, and how the heaven and earth
originated, and all things in them; and how the souls (of men), being either
unbegotten, and not created by God, are yet governed by Him, and pass from
one body to another; or being formed at the same time with the body, exist for
ever or pass away. For instead of treating with respect and accepting the
intention of those who have devoted themselves to the investigation of the truth,
one might mockingly and revilingly say that such men were "worms," who did
not measure themselves by their corner of their dung-heap in human life, and
who accordingly gave forth their opinions on matters of such importance as if
they understood them, and who strenuously assert that they have obtained a view
of those things which cannot be seen without a higher inspiration and a diviner
power. "For no man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in
him: even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God." We are not,
however, mad, nor do we compare such human wisdom (I use the word
"wisdom" in the common acceptation), which busies itself not about the affairs
of the multitude, but in the investigation of truth, to the wrigglings of worms or
any other such creatures; but in the spirit of truth, we testify of certain Greek
philosophers that they knew God, seeing "He manifested Himself to them,"
although "they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain
in their imaginations; and professing themselves to be wise, they became foolish,
and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things."
 Chapter 31
After this, wishing to prove that there is no difference between Jews and
Christians, and those animals previously enumerated by him, he asserts that the
Jews were "fugitives from Egypt, who never performed anything worthy of note,
and never were held in any reputation or account." Now, on the point of their
not being fugitives, nor Egyptians, but Hebrews who settled in Egypt, we have
spoken in the preceding pages. But if he thinks his statement, that "they were
never held in any reputation or account," to be proved, because no remarkable
event in their history is found recorded by the Greeks, we would answer, that if
one will examine their polity from its first beginning, and the arrangement of
their laws, he will find that they were men who represented upon earth the
shadow of a heavenly life, and that among them God is recognised as nothing
else, save He who is over all things, and that among them no maker of images
was permitted to enjoy the rights of citizenship. For neither painter nor image-
maker existed in their state, the law expelling all such from it; that there might
be no pretext for the construction of images—an art which attracts the attention
of foolish men, and which drags down the eyes of the soul from God to earth.
There was, accordingly, among them a law to the following effect: "Do not
transgress the law, and make to yourselves a graven image, any likeness of male
or female; either a likeness of any one of the creatures that are upon the earth,
or a likeness of any winged fowl that flies under the heaven, or a likeness of any
creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, or a likeness of any of the fishes which
are in the waters under the earth." The law, indeed, wished them to have regard
to the truth of each individual thing, and not to form representations of things
contrary to reality, feigning the appearance merely of what was really male or
really female, or the nature of animals, or of birds, or of creeping things, or of
fishes. Venerable, too, and grand was this prohibition of theirs: "Lift not up your
eyes unto heaven, lest, when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and
all the host of heaven, you should be led astray to worship them, and serve
them." And what a régime was that under which the whole nation was placed,
and which rendered it impossible for any effeminate person to appear in public;
and worthy of admiration, too, was the arrangement by which harlots were
removed out of the state, those incentives to the passions of the youth! Their
courts of justice also were composed of men of the strictest integrity, who, after
having for a lengthened period set the example of an unstained life, were
entrusted with the duty of presiding over the tribunals, and who, on account of
the superhuman purity of their character, were said to be gods, in conformity
with an ancient Jewish usage of speech. Here was the spectacle of a whole
nation devoted to philosophy; and in order that there might be leisure to listen to
their sacred laws, the days termed "Sabbath," and the other festivals which
existed among them, were instituted. And why need I speak of the orders of their
priests and sacrifices, which contain innumerable indications (of deeper truths)
to those who wish to ascertain the signification of things?
 Chapter 32
But since nothing belonging to human nature is permanent, this polity also
must gradually be corrupted and changed. And Providence, having remodelled
their venerable system where it needed to be changed, so as to adapt it to men of
all countries, gave to believers of all nations, in place of the Jews, the venerable
religion of Jesus, who, being adorned not only with understanding, but also with
a share of divinity, and having overthrown the doctrine regarding earthly
demons, who delight in frankincense, and blood, and in the exhalations of
sacrificial odours, and who, like the fabled Titans or Giants, drag down men
from thoughts of God; and having Himself disregarded their plots, directed
chiefly against the better class of men, enacted laws which ensure happiness to
those who live according to them, and who do not flatter the demons by means
of sacrifices, but altogether despise them, through help of the word of God,
which aids those who look upwards to Him. And as it was the will of God that
the doctrine of Jesus should prevail among men, the demons could effect
nothing, although straining every nerve to accomplish the destruction of
Christians; for they stirred up both princes, and senates, and rulers in every place
—nay, even nations themselves, who did not perceive the irrational and wicked
procedure of the demons—against the word, and those who believed in it; yet,
notwithstanding, the word of God, which is more powerful than all other things,
even when meeting with opposition, deriving from the opposition, as it were, a
means of increase, advanced onwards, and won many souls, such being the will
of God. And we have offered these remarks by way of a necessary digression.
For we wished to answer the assertion of Celsus concerning the Jews, that they
were "fugitives from Egypt, and that these men, beloved by God, never
accomplished anything worthy of note." And further, in answer to the statement
that "they were never held in any reputation or account," we say, that living
apart as a "chosen nation and a royal priesthood," and shunning intercourse with
the many nations around them, in order that their morals might escape
corruption, they enjoyed the protection of the divine power, neither coveting like
the most of mankind the acquisition of other kingdoms, nor yet being abandoned
so as to become, on account of their smallness, an easy object of attack to others,
and thus be altogether destroyed; and this lasted so long as they were worthy of
the divine protection. But when it became necessary for them, as a nation wholly
given to sin, to be brought back by their sufferings to their God, they were
abandoned (by Him), sometimes for a longer, sometimes for a shorter period,
until in the time of the Romans, having committed the greatest of sins in putting
Jesus to death, they were completely deserted.
 Chapter 33
Immediately after this, Celsus, assailing the contents of the first book of
Moses, which is entitled "Genesis," asserts that "the Jews accordingly
endeavoured to derive their origin from the first race of jugglers and deceivers,
appealing to the testimony of dark and ambiguous words, whose meaning was
veiled in obscurity, and which they misinterpreted to the unlearned and
ignorant, and that, too, when such a point had never been called in question
during the long preceding period." Now Celsus appears to me in these words to
have expressed very obscurely the meaning which he intended to convey. It is
probable, indeed, that his obscurity on this subject is intentional, inasmuch as he
saw the strength of the argument which establishes the descent of the Jews from
their ancestors; while again, on the other hand, he wished not to appear ignorant
that the question regarding the Jews and their descent was one that could not be
lightly disposed of. It is certain, however, that the Jews trace their genealogy
back to the three fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And the names of these
individuals possess such efficacy, when united with the name of God, that not
only do those belonging to the nation employ in their prayers to God, and in the
exorcising of demons, the words, "God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God
of Jacob," but so also do almost all those who occupy themselves with
incantations and magical rites. For there is found in treatises on magic in many
countries such an invocation of God, and assumption of the divine name, as
implies a familiar use of it by these men in their dealings with demons. These
facts, then— adduced by Jews and Christians to prove the sacred character of
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, the fathers of the Jewish race— appear to me
not to have been altogether unknown to Celsus, but not to have been distinctly
set forth by him, because he was unable to answer the argument which might be
founded on them.
 Chapter 34
For we inquire of all those who employ such invocations of God, saying:
Tell us, friends, who was Abraham, and what sort of person was Isaac, and what
power did Jacob possess, that the appellation "God," when joined with their
name, could effect such wonders? And from whom have you learned, or can you
learn, the facts relating to these individuals? And who has occupied himself with
writing a history about them, either directly magnifying these men by ascribing
to them mysterious powers, or hinting obscurely at their possession of certain
great and marvellous qualities, patent to those who are qualified to see them?
And when, in answer to our inquiry, no one can show from what history—
whether Greek or Barbarian— or, if not a history, yet at least from what mystical
narrative, the accounts of these men are derived, we shall bring forward the book
entitled "Genesis," which contains the acts of these men, and the divine oracles
addressed to them, and will say, Does not the use by you of the names of these
three ancestors of the race, establishing in the clearest manner that effects not to
be lightly regarded are produced by the invocation of them, evidence the divinity
of the men? And yet we know them from no other source than the sacred books
of the Jews! Moreover, the phrases, "the God of Israel," and "the God of the
Hebrews," and "the God who drowned in the Red Sea the king of Egypt and the
Egyptians," are formulæ frequently employed against demons and certain
wicked powers. And we learn the history of the names and their interpretation
from those Hebrews, who in their national literature and national tongue dwell
with pride upon these things, and explain their meaning. How, then, should the
Jews attempt to derive their origin from the first race of those whom Celsus
supposed to be jugglers and deceivers, and shamelessly endeavour to trace
themselves and their beginning back to these?— whose names, being Hebrew,
are an evidence to the Hebrews, who have their sacred books written in the
Hebrew language and letters, that their nation is akin to these men. For up to the
present time, the Jewish names belonging to the Hebrew language were either
taken from their writings, or generally from words the meaning of which was
made known by the Hebrew language.
 Chapter 35
And let any one who peruses the treatise of Celsus observe whether it does
not convey some such insinuation as the above, when he says: "And they
attempted to derive their origin from the first race of jugglers and deceivers,
appealing to the testimony of dark and ambiguous words, whose meaning was
veiled in obscurity." For these names are indeed obscure, and not within the
comprehension and knowledge of many, though not in our opinion of doubtful
meaning, even although assumed by those who are aliens to our religion; but as,
according to Celsus, they do not convey any ambiguity, I am at a loss to know
why he has rejected them. And yet, if he had wished honestly to overturn the
genealogy which he deemed the Jews to have so shamelessly arrogated, in
boasting of Abraham and his descendants (as their progenitors), he ought to have
quoted all the passages bearing on the subject; and, in the first place, to have
advocated his cause with such arguments as he thought likely to be convincing,
and in the next to have bravely refuted, by means of what appeared to him to be
the true meaning, and by arguments in its favour, the errors existing on the
subject. But neither Celsus nor any one else will be able, by their discussions
regarding the nature of names employed for miraculous purposes, to lay down
the correct doctrine regarding them, and to demonstrate that those men were to
be lightly esteemed whose names merely, not among their countrymen alone, but
also among foreigners, could accomplish (such results). He ought to have shown,
moreover, how we, in misinterpreting the passages in which these names are
found, deceive our hearers, as he imagines, while he himself, who boasts that he
is not ignorant or unintelligent, gives the true interpretation of them. And he
hazarded the assertion, in speaking of those names, from which the Jews deduce
their genealogies, that "never, during the long antecedent period, has there been
any dispute about these names, but that at the present time the Jews dispute
about them with certain others," whom he does not mention. Now, let him who
chooses show who these are that dispute with the Jews, and who adduce even
probable arguments to show that Jews and Christians do not decide correctly on
the points relating to these names, but that there are others who have discussed
these questions with the greatest learning and accuracy. But we are well assured
that none can establish anything of the sort, it being manifest that these names
are derived from the Hebrew language, which is found only among the Jews.
 Chapter 36
Celsus in the next place, producing from history other than that of the
divine record, those passages which bear upon the claims to great antiquity put
forth by many nations, as the Athenians, and Egyptians, and Arcadians, and
Phrygians, who assert that certain individuals have existed among them who
sprang from the earth, and who each adduce proofs of these assertions, says:
"The Jews, then, leading a grovelling life in some corner of Palestine, and being
a wholly uneducated people, who had not heard that these matters had been
committed to verse long ago by Hesiod and innumerable other inspired men,
wove together some most incredible and insipid stories, viz., that a certain man
was formed by the hands of God, and had breathed into him the breath of life,
and that a woman was taken from his side, and that God issued certain
commands, and that a serpent opposed these, and gained a victory over the
commandments of God; thus relating certain old wives' fables, and most
impiously representing God as weak at the very beginning (of things), and
unable to convince even a single human being whom He Himself had formed."
By these instances, indeed, this deeply read and learned Celsus, who accuses
Jews and Christians of ignorance and want of instruction, clearly evinces the
accuracy of his knowledge of the chronology of the respective historians,
whether Greek or Barbarian, since he imagines that Hesiod and the
"innumerable" others, whom he styles "inspired" men, are older than Moses and
his writings— that very Moses who is shown to be much older than the time of
the Trojan war! It is not the Jews, then, who have composed incredible and
insipid stories regarding the birth of man from the earth, but these "inspired"
men of Celsus, Hesiod and his other "innumerable" companions, who, having
neither learned nor heard of the far older and most venerable accounts existing in
Palestine, have written such histories as their Theogonies, attributing, so far as in
their power, "generation" to their deities, and innumerable other absurdities.
And these are the writers whom Plato expels from his "State" as being corrupters
of the youth, — Homer, viz., and those who have composed poems of a similar
description! Now it is evident that Plato did not regard as "inspired" those men
who had left behind them such works. But perhaps it was from a desire to cast
reproach upon us, that this Epicurean Celsus, who is better able to judge than
Plato (if it be the same Celsus who composed two other books against the
Christians), called those individuals "inspired" whom he did not in reality regard
as such.
 Chapter 37
He charges us, moreover, with introducing "a man formed by the hands of
God," although the book of Genesis has made no mention of the "hands" of God,
either when relating the creation or the "fashioning" of the man; while it is Job
and David who have used the expression, "Your hands have made me and
fashioned me;" with reference to which it would need a lengthened discourse to
point out the sense in which these words were understood by those who used
them, both as regards the difference between "making" and "fashioning," and
also the "hands" of God. For those who do not understand these and similar
expressions in the sacred Scriptures, imagine that we attribute to the God who is
over all things a form such as that of man; and according to their conceptions, it
follows that we consider the body of God to be furnished with wings, since the
Scriptures, literally understood, attribute such appendages to God. The subject
before us, however, does not require us to interpret these expressions; for, in our
explanatory remarks upon the book of Genesis, these matters have been made, to
the best of our ability, a special subject of investigation. Observe next the
malignity of Celsus in what follows. For the Scripture, speaking of the
"fashioning" of the man, says, "And breathed into his face the breath of life, and
the man became a living soul." Whereon Celsus, wishing maliciously to ridicule
the "inbreathing into his face of the breath of life," and not understanding the
sense in which the expression was employed, states that "they composed a story
that a man was fashioned by the hands of God, and was inflated by breath blown
into him," in order that, taking the word "inflated" to be used in a similar way to
the inflation of skins, he might ridicule the statement, "He breathed into his face
the breath of life," — terms which are used figuratively, and require to be
explained in order to show that God communicated to man of His incorruptible
Spirit; as it is said, "For Your incorruptible Spirit is in all things." [ Wisdom
12:1 ]
 Chapter 38
In the next place, as it is his object to slander our Scriptures, he ridicules the
following statement: "And God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he
slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And
the rib, which He had taken from the man, made He a woman," and so on;
without quoting the words, which would give the hearer the impression that they
are spoken with a figurative meaning. He would not even have it appear that the
words were used allegorically, although he says afterwards, that "the more
modest among Jews and Christians are ashamed of these things, and endeavour
to give them somehow an allegorical signification." Now we might say to him,
Are the statements of your "inspired" Hesiod, which he makes regarding the
woman in the form of a myth, to be explained allegorically, in the sense that she
was given by Jove to men as an evil thing, and as a retribution for the theft of
"the fire;" while that regarding the woman who was taken from the side of the
man (after he had been buried in deep slumber), and was formed by God,
appears to you to be related without any rational meaning and secret
signification? But is it not uncandid, not to ridicule the former as myths, but to
admire them as philosophical ideas in a mythical dress, and to treat with
contempt the latter, as offending the understanding, and to declare that they are
of no account? For if, because of the mere phraseology, we are to find fault with
what is intended to have a secret meaning, see whether the following lines of
Hesiod, a man, as you say, inspired, are not better fitted to excite laughter:—

'Son of Iapetus!' with wrathful heart

Spoke the cloud-gatherer: 'Oh, unmatched in art!
Exult in this the flame retrieved,
And do you triumph in the god deceived?
But you, with the posterity of man,
Shall rue the fraud whence mightier ills began;
Shall rue the fraud whence mightier ills began;
I will send evil for your stealthy fire,
While all embrace it, and their bane desire.'
The sire, who rules the earth, and sways the pole,
Had said, and laughter fill'd his secret soul.
He bade the artist-god his hest obey,
And mould with tempering waters ductile clay:
Infuse, as breathing life and form began,
The supple vigour, and the voice of man:
Her aspect fair as goddesses above,
A virgin's likeness, with the brows of love.
He bade Minerva teach the skill that dyes
The web with colours, as the shuttle flies;
He called the magic of Love's Queen to shed
A nameless grace around her courteous head;
Instil the wish that longs with restless aim,
And cares of dress that feed upon the frame:
Bade Hermes last implant the craft refined
Of artful manners, and a shameless mind.
He said; their king th' inferior powers obeyed:
The fictile likeness of a bashful maid
Rose from the temper'd earth, by Jove's behest,
Under the forming god; the zone and vest
Were clasp'd and folded by Minerva's hand:
The heaven-born graces, and persuasion bland
Deck'd her round limbs with chains of gold: the hours
Of loose locks twined her temples with spring flowers.
The whole attire Minerva's curious care
Form'd to her shape, and fitted to her air.
But in her breast the herald from above,
Full of the counsels of deep thundering Jove,
 Full of the counsels of deep thundering Jove,
Wrought artful manners, wrought perfidious lies,
And speech that thrills the blood, and lulls the wise.
Her did th' interpreter of gods proclaim,
And named the woman with Pandora's name;
Since all the gods conferr'd their gifts, to charm,
For man's inventive race, this beauteous harm.

Moreover, what is said also about the casket is fitted of itself to excite
laughter; for example:—

Whilome on earth the sons of men abode

From ills apart, and labour's irksome load,
And sore diseases, bringing age to man;
Now the sad life of mortals is a span.
The woman's hands a mighty casket bear;
She lifts the lid; she scatters griefs in air:
Alone, beneath the vessel's rims detained,
Hope still within th' unbroken cell remained,
Nor fled abroad; so will'd cloud-gatherer Jove:
The woman's hand had dropp'd the lid above.

Now, to him who would give to these lines a grave allegorical meaning
(whether any such meaning be contained in them or not), we would say: Are the
Greeks alone at liberty to convey a philosophic meaning in a secret covering? Or
perhaps also the Egyptians, and those of the Barbarians who pride themselves
upon their mysteries and the truth (which is concealed within them); while the
Jews alone, with their lawgiver and historians, appear to you the most
unintelligent of men? And is this the only nation which has not received a share
of divine power, and which yet was so grandly instructed how to rise upwards to
the uncreated nature of God, and to gaze on Him alone, and to expect from Him
alone (the fulfilment of) their hopes?
alone (the fulfilment of) their hopes?
 Chapter 39
But as Celsus makes a jest also of the serpent, as counteracting the
injunctions given by God to the man, taking the narrative to be an old wife's
fable, and has purposely neither mentioned the paradise of God, nor stated that
God is said to have planted it in Eden towards the east, and that there afterwards
sprang up from the earth every tree that was beautiful to the sight, and good for
food, and the tree of life in the midst of the paradise, and the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, and the other statements which follow, which might
of themselves lead a candid reader to see that all these things had not
inappropriately an allegorical meaning, let us contrast with this the words of
Socrates regarding Eros in the Symposium of Plato, and which are put in the
mouth of Socrates as being more appropriate than what was said regarding him
by all the others at the Symposium. The words of Plato are as follow: "When
Aphrodite was born, the gods held a banquet, and there was present, along with
the others, Porus the son of Metis. And after they had dined, Penia came to beg
for something (seeing there was an entertainment), and she stood at the gate.
Porus meantime, having become intoxicated with the nectar (for there was then
no wine), went into the garden of Zeus, and, being heavy with liquor, lay down
to sleep. Penia accordingly formed a secret plot, with a view of freeing herself
from her condition of poverty, to get a child by Porus, and accordingly lay down
beside him, and became pregnant with Eros. And on this account Eros has
become the follower and attendant of Aphrodite, having been begotten on her
birthday feast, and being at the same time by nature a lover of the beautiful,
because Aphrodite too is beautiful. Seeing, then, that Eros is the son of Porus
and Penia, the following is his condition. In the first place, he is always poor,
and far from being delicate and beautiful, as most persons imagine; but is
withered, and sunburnt, and unshod, and without a home, sleeping always upon
the ground, and without a covering; lying in the open air beside gates, and on
public roads; possessing the nature of his mother, and dwelling continually with
indigence. But, on the other hand, in conformity with the character of his father,
he is given to plotting against the beautiful and the good, being courageous, and
hasty, and vehement; a keen hunter, perpetually devising contrivances; both
much given to forethought, and also fertile in resources; acting like a
philosopher throughout the whole of his life; a terrible sorcerer, and dealer in
drugs, and a sophist as well; neither immortal by nature nor yet mortal, but on
the same day, at one time he flourishes and lives when he has plenty, and again
at another time dies, and once more is recalled to life through possessing the
nature of his father. But the supplies furnished to him are always gradually
disappearing, so that he is never at any time in want, nor yet rich; and, on the
other hand, he occupies an intermediate position between wisdom and
ignorance." Now, if those who read these words were to imitate the malignity of
Celsus— which be it far from Christians to do!— they would ridicule the myth,
and would turn this great Plato into a subject of jest; but if, on investigating in a
philosophic spirit what is conveyed in the dress of a myth, they should be able to
discover the meaning of Plato, (they will admire) the manner in which he was
able to conceal, on account of the multitude, in the form of this myth, the great
ideas which presented themselves to him, and to speak in a befitting manner to
those who know how to ascertain from the myths the true meaning of him who
wove them together. Now I have brought forward this myth occurring in the
writings of Plato, because of the mention in it of the garden of Zeus, which
appears to bear some resemblance to the paradise of God, and of the comparison
between Penia and the serpent, and the plot against Porus by Penia, which may
be compared with the plot of the serpent against the man. It is not very clear,
indeed, whether Plato fell in with these stories by chance, or whether, as some
think, meeting during his visit to Egypt with certain individuals who
philosophized on the Jewish mysteries, and learning some things from them, he
may have preserved a few of their ideas, and thrown others aside, being careful
not to offend the Greeks by a complete adoption of all the points of the
philosophy of the Jews, who were in bad repute with the multitude, on account
of the foreign character of their laws and their peculiar polity. The present,
however, is not the proper time for explaining either the myth of Plato, or the
story of the serpent and the paradise of God, and all that is related to have taken
place in it, as in our exposition of the book of Genesis we have especially
occupied ourselves as we best could with these matters.
 Chapter 40
But as he asserts that "the Mosaic narrative most impiously represents God
as in a state of weakness from the very commencement (of things), and as unable
to gain over (to obedience) even one single man whom He Himself had formed,"
we say in answer that the objection is much the same as if one were to find fault
with the existence of evil, which God has not been able to prevent even in the
case of a single individual, so that one man might be found from the very
beginning of things who was born into the world untainted by sin. For as those
whose business it is to defend the doctrine of providence do so by means of
arguments which are not to be despised, so also the subjects of Adam and his son
will be philosophically dealt with by those who are aware that in the Hebrew
language Adam signifies man; and that in those parts of the narrative which
appear to refer to Adam as an individual, Moses is discoursing upon the nature
of man in general. For "in Adam" (as the Scripture says) "all die," and were
condemned in the likeness of Adam's transgression, the word of God asserting
this not so much of one particular individual as of the whole human race . For in
the connected series of statements which appears to apply as to one particular
individual, the curse pronounced upon Adam is regarded as common to all (the
members of the race), and what was spoken with reference to the woman is
spoken of every woman without exception. And the expulsion of the man and
woman from paradise, and their being clothed with tunics of skins (which God,
because of the transgression of men, made for those who had sinned), contain a
certain secret and mystical doctrine (far transcending that of Plato) of the souls
losing its wings, and being borne downwards to earth, until it can lay hold of
some stable resting-place.
 Chapter 41
After this he continues as follows: "They speak, in the next place, of a
deluge, and of a monstrous ark, having within it all things, and of a dove and a
crow as messengers, falsifying and recklessly altering the story of Deucalion;
not expecting, I suppose, that these things would come to light, but imagining
that they were inventing stories merely for young children." Now in these
remarks observe the hostility— so unbecoming a philosopher— displayed by
this man towards this very ancient Jewish narrative. For, not being able to say
anything against the history of the deluge, and not perceiving what he might
have urged against the ark and its dimensions—viz., that, according to the
general opinion, which accepted the statements that it was three hundred cubits
in length, and fifty in breadth, and thirty in height, it was impossible to maintain
that it contained (all) the animals that were upon the earth, fourteen specimens of
every clean and four of every unclean beast—he merely termed it "monstrous,
containing all things within it." Now wherein was its "monstrous" character,
seeing it is related to have been a hundred years in building, and to have had the
three hundred cubits of its length and the fifty of its breadth contracted, until the
thirty cubits of its height terminated in a top one cubit long and one cubit broad?
Why should we not rather admire a structure which resembled an extensive city,
if its measurements be taken to mean what they are capable of meaning, so that it
was nine myriads of cubits long in the base, and two thousand five hundred in
breadth? And why should we not admire the design evinced in having it so
compactly built, and rendered capable of sustaining a tempest which caused a
deluge? For it was not daubed with pitch, or any material of that kind, but was
securely coated with bitumen. And is it not a subject of admiration, that by the
providential arrangement of God, the elements of all the races were brought into
it, that the earth might receive again the seeds of all living things, while God
made use of a most righteous man to be the progenitor of those who were to be
born after the deluge?
 Chapter 42
In order to show that he had read the book of Genesis, Celsus rejects the
story of the dove, although unable to adduce any reason which might prove it to
be a fiction. In the next place, as his habit is, in order to put the narrative in a
more ridiculous light, he converts the "raven" into a "crow," and imagines that
Moses so wrote, having recklessly altered the accounts related of the Grecian
Deucalion; unless perhaps he regards the narrative as not having proceeded from
Moses, but from several individuals, as appears from his employing the plural
number in the expressions, "falsifying and recklessly altering the story of
Deucalion," as well as from the words, "For they did not expect, I suppose, that
these things would come to light." But how should they, who gave their
Scriptures to the whole nation, not expect that they would come to light, and who
predicted, moreover, that this religion should be proclaimed to all nations? Jesus
declared, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof;" and in uttering these words to the Jews, what
other meaning did He intend to convey than this, viz., that He Himself should,
through his divine power, bring forth into light the whole of the Jewish
Scriptures, which contain the mysteries of the kingdom of God? If, then, they
peruse the Theogonies of the Greeks, and the stories about the twelve gods, they
impart to them an air of dignity, by investing them with an allegorical
signification; but when they wish to throw contempt upon our biblical narratives,
they assert that they are fables, clumsily invented for infant children!
 Chapter 43
"Altogether absurd, and out of season," he continues, "is the (account of
the) begetting of children," where, although he has mentioned no names, it is
evident that he is referring to the history of Abraham and Sarah. Cavilling also at
the "conspiracies of the brothers," he allies either to the story of Cain plotting
against Abel, or, in addition, to that of Esau against Jacob; and (speaking) of "a
father's sorrow," he probably refers to that of Isaac on account of the absence of
Jacob, and perhaps also to that of Jacob because of Joseph having been sold into
Egypt. And when relating the "crafty procedure of mothers," I suppose he means
the conduct of Rebecca, who contrived that the blessing of Isaac should descend,
not upon Esau, but upon Jacob. Now if we assert that in all these cases God
interposed in a very marked degree, what absurdity do we commit, seeing we are
persuaded that He never withdraws His providence from those who devote
themselves to Him in an honourable and vigorous life? He ridicules, moreover,
the acquisition of property made by Jacob while living with Laban, not
understanding to what these words refer: "And those which had no spots were
Laban's, and those which were spotted were Jacob's;" and he says that "God
presented his sons with asses, and sheep, and camels," and did not see that "all
these things happened unto them for ensamples, and were written for our sake,
upon whom the ends of the world have come." The varying customs (prevailing
among the different nations) becoming famous, are regulated by the word of
God, being given as a possession to him who is figuratively termed Jacob. For
those who become converts to Christ from among the heathen, are indicated by
the history of Laban and Jacob.
 Chapter 44
And erring widely from the meaning of Scripture, he says that "God gave
wells also to the righteous." Now he did not observe that the righteous do not
construct cisterns, but dig wells, seeking to discover the inherent ground and
source of potable blessings, inasmuch as they receive in a figurative sense the
commandment which enjoins, "Drink waters from your own vessels, and from
your own wells of fresh water. Let not your water be poured out beyond your
own fountain, but let it pass into your own streets. Let it belong to you alone,
and let no alien partake with you." Scripture frequently makes use of the
histories of real events, in order to present to view more important truths, which
are but obscurely intimated; and of this kind are the narratives relating to the
"wells," and to the "marriages," and to the various acts of "sexual intercourse"
recorded of righteous persons, respecting which, however, it will be more
seasonable to offer an explanation in the exegetical writings referring to those
very passages. But that wells were constructed by righteous men in the land of
the Philistines, as related in the book of Genesis, is manifest from the wonderful
wells which are shown at Ascalon, and which are deserving of mention on
account of their structure, so foreign and peculiar compared with that of other
wells. Moreover, that both young women and female servants are to be
understood metaphorically, is not our doctrine merely, but one which we have
received from the beginning from wise men, among whom a certain one said,
when exhorting his hearers to investigate the figurative meaning: "Tell me, you
that read the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had
two sons; the one by a bond maid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of
the bond woman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman was by
promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one
from the Mount Sinai, which genders to bondage, which is Agar." And a little
after, "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." And
any one who will take up the Epistle to the Galatians may learn how the
passages relating to the "marriages," and the intercourse with "the maid-
servants," have been allegorized; the Scripture desiring us to imitate not the
literal acts of those who did these things, but (as the apostles of Jesus are
accustomed to call them) the spiritual.
 Chapter 45
And whereas Celsus ought to have recognised the love of truth displayed by
the writers of sacred Scripture, who have not concealed even what is to their
discredit, and thus been led to accept the other and more marvellous accounts as
true, he has done the reverse, and has characterized the story of Lot and his
daughters (without examining either its literal or its figurative meaning) as
"worse than the crimes of Thyestes." The figurative signification of that passage
of history it is not necessary at present to explain, nor what is meant by Sodom,
and by the words of the angels to him who was escaping thence, when they said:
"Look not behind you, neither stay in all the surrounding district; escape to the
mountain, lest you be consumed;" nor what is intended by Lot and his wife, who
became a pillar of salt because she turned back; nor by his daughters intoxicating
their father, that they might become mothers by him. But let us in a few words
soften down the repulsive features of the history. The nature of actions— good,
bad, and indifferent— has been investigated by the Greeks; and the more
successful of such investigators lay down the principle that intention alone gives
to actions the character of good or bad, and that all things which are done
without a purpose are, strictly speaking, indifferent; that when the intention is
directed to a becoming end, it is praiseworthy; when the reverse, it is censurable.
They have said, accordingly, in the section relating to "things indifferent," that,
strictly speaking, for a man to have sexual intercourse with his daughters is a
thing indifferent, although such a thing ought not to take place in established
communities. And for the sake of hypothesis, in order to show that such an act
belongs to the class of things indifferent, they have assumed the case of a wise
man being left with an only daughter, the entire human race besides having
perished; and they put the question whether the father can fitly have intercourse
with his daughter, in order, agreeably to the supposition, to prevent the
extermination of mankind. Is this to be accounted sound reasoning among the
Greeks, and to be commended by the influential sect of the Stoics; but when
young maidens, who had heard of the burning of the world, though without
comprehending (its full meaning), saw fire devastating their city and country,
and supposing that the only means left of rekindling the flame of human life lay
in their father and themselves, should, on such a supposition, conceive the desire
that the world should continue, shall their conduct be deemed worse than that of
the wise man who, according to the hypothesis of the Stoics, acts becomingly in
having intercourse with his daughter in the case already supposed, of all men
having been destroyed? I am not unaware, however, that some have taken
offense at the desire of Lot's daughters, and have regarded their conduct as very
wicked; and have said that two accursed nations— Moab and Ammon— have
sprung from that unhallowed intercourse. And yet truly sacred Scripture is
nowhere found distinctly approving of their conduct as good, nor yet passing
sentence upon it as blameworthy. Nevertheless, whatever be the real state of the
case, it admits not only of a figurative meaning, but also of being defended on its
own merits.
 Chapter 46
Celsus, moreover, sneers at the "hatred" of Esau (to which, I suppose, he
refers) against Jacob, although he was a man who, according to the Scriptures, is
acknowledged to have been wicked; and not clearly stating the story of Simeon
and Levi, who sallied out (on the Shechemites) on account of the insult offered
to their sister, who had been violated by the son of the Shechemite king, he
inveighs against their conduct. And passing on, he speaks of "brothers selling
(one another)," alluding to the sons of Jacob; and of "a brother sold," Joseph to
wit; and of "a father deceived," viz., Jacob, because he entertained no suspicion
of his sons when they showed him Joseph's coat of many colours, but believed
their statement, and mourned for his son, who was a slave in Egypt, as if he were
dead. And observe in what a spirit of hatred and falsehood Celsus collects
together the statements of the sacred history; so that wherever it appeared to him
to contain a ground of accusation he produces the passage, but wherever there is
any exhibition of virtue worthy of mention— as when Joseph would not gratify
the lust of his mistress, refusing alike her allurements and her threats— he does
not even mention the circumstance! He should see, indeed, that the conduct of
Joseph was far superior to what is related of Bellerophon, since the former chose
rather to be shut up in prison than do violence to his virtue. For although he
might have offered a just defence against his accuser, he magnanimously
remained silent, entrusting his cause to God.
 Chapter 47
Celsus next, for form's sake, and with great want of precision, speaks of
"the dreams of the chief butler and chief baker, and of Pharaoh, and of the
explanation of them, in consequence of which Joseph was taken out of prison in
order to be entrusted by Pharaoh with the second place in Egypt." What
absurdity, then, did the history contain, looked at even in itself, that it should be
adduced as matter of accusation by this Celsus, who gave the title of True
Discourse to a treatise not containing doctrines, but full of charges against Jews
and Christians? He adds: "He who had been sold behaved kindly to his brethren
(who had sold him), when they were suffering from hunger, and had been sent
with their asses to purchase (provisions);" although he has not related these
occurrences (in his treatise). But he does mention the circumstance of Joseph
making himself known to his brethren, although I know not with what view, or
what absurdity he can point out in such an occurrence; since it is impossible for
Momus himself, we might say, to find any reasonable fault with events which,
apart from their figurative meaning, present so much that is attractive. He
relates, further, that "Joseph, who had been sold as a slave, was restored to
liberty, and went up with a solemn procession to his father's funeral," and thinks
that the narrative furnishes matter of accusation against us, as he makes the
following remark: "By whom (Joseph, namely) the illustrious and divine nation
of the Jews, after growing up in Egypt to be a multitude of people, was
commanded to sojourn somewhere beyond the limits of the kingdom, and to
pasture their flocks in districts of no repute." Now the words, "that they were
commanded to pasture their flocks in districts of no repute," are an addition,
proceeding from his own feelings of hatred; for he has not shown that Goshen,
the district of Egypt, is a place of no repute. The exodus of the people from
Egypt he calls a flight, not at all remembering what is written in the book of
Exodus regarding the departure of the Hebrews from the land of Egypt. We have
enumerated these instances to show that what, literally considered, might appear
to furnish ground of accusation, Celsus has not succeeded in proving to be either
objectionable or foolish, having utterly failed to establish the evil character, as
he regards it, of our Scriptures.
 Chapter 48
In the next place, as if he had devoted himself solely to the manifestation of
his hatred and dislike of the Jewish and Christian doctrine, he says: "The more
modest of Jewish and Christian writers give all these things an allegorical
meaning;" and, "Because they are ashamed of these things, they take refuge in
allegory." Now one might say to him, that if we must admit fables and fictions,
whether written with a concealed meaning or with any other object, to be
shameful narratives when taken in their literal acceptation, of what histories can
this be said more truly than of the Grecian? In these histories, gods who are sons
castrate the gods who are their fathers, and gods who are parents devour their
own children, and a goddess-mother gives to the "father of gods and men" a
stone to swallow instead of his own son, and a father has intercourse with his
daughter, and a wife binds her own husband, having as her allies in the work the
brother of the fettered god and his own daughter! But why should I enumerate
these absurd stories of the Greeks regarding their gods, which are most shameful
in themselves, even though invested with an allegorical meaning? (Take the
instance) where Chrysippus of Soli, who is considered to be an ornament of the
Stoic sect, on account of his numerous and learned treatises, explains a picture at
Samos, in which Juno was represented as committing unspeakable abominations
with Jupiter. This reverend philosopher says in his treatises, that matter receives
the spermatic words of the god, and retains them within herself, in order to
ornament the universe. For in the picture at Samos Juno represents matter, and
Jupiter god. Now it is on account of these, and of countless other similar fables,
that we would not even in word call the God of all things Jupiter, or the sun
Apollo, or the moon Diana. But we offer to the Creator a worship which is pure,
and speak with religious respect of His noble works of creation, not
contaminating even in word the things of God; approving of the language of
Plato in the Philebus , who would not admit that pleasure was a goddess, "so
great is my reverence, Protarchus," he says, "for the very names of the gods."
We verily entertain such reverence for the name of God, and for His noble works
of creation, that we would not, even under pretext of an allegorical meaning,
admit any fable which might do injury to the young.
 Chapter 49
If Celsus had read the Scriptures in an impartial spirit, he would not have
said that "our writings are incapable of admitting an allegorical meaning." For
from the prophetic Scriptures, in which historical events are recorded (not from
the historical), it is possible to be convinced that the historical portions also were
written with an allegorical purpose, and were most skilfully adapted not only to
the multitude of the simpler believers, but also to the few who are able or willing
to investigate matters in an intelligent spirit. If, indeed, those writers at the
present day who are deemed by Celsus the "more modest of the Jews and
Christians" were the (first) allegorical interpreters of our Scriptures, he would
have the appearance, perhaps, of making a plausible allegation. But since the
very fathers and authors of the doctrines themselves give them an allegorical
signification, what other inference can be drawn than that they were composed
so as to be allegorically understood in their chief signification? And we shall
adduce a few instances out of very many to show that Celsus brings an empty
charge against the Scriptures, when he says "that they are incapable of admitting
an allegorical meaning." Paul, the apostle of Jesus, says: "It is written in the law,
You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treads out the grain. Does God
take care for oxen? Or says He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no
doubt, this is written, that he that ploughs should plough in hope, and he that
threshes in hope of partaking." And in another passage the same Paul says: "For
it is written, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be
joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery; but I
speak concerning Christ and the Church." And again, in another place: "We
know that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea." Then, explaining
the history relating to the manna, and that referring to the miraculous issue of the
water from the rock, he continues as follows: "And they did all eat the same
spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ." Asaph, moreover,
who, in showing the histories in Exodus and Numbers to be full of difficulties
and parables, begins in the following manner, as recorded in the book of Psalms,
where he is about to make mention of these things: "Give ear, O my people, to
my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in
parables; I will utter dark sayings of old, which we have heard and known, and
our fathers have told us."
 Chapter 50
Moreover, if the law of Moses had contained nothing which was to be
understood as having a secret meaning, the prophet would not have said in his
prayer to God, "Open my eyes, and I will behold wondrous things out of Your
law;" whereas he knew that there was a veil of ignorance lying upon the heart of
those who read but do not understand the figurative meaning, which veil is taken
away by the gift of God, when He hears him who has done all that he can, and
who by reason of habit has his senses exercised to distinguish between good and
evil, and who continually utters the prayer, "Open my eyes, and I will behold
wondrous things out of Your law." And who is there that, on reading of the
dragon that lives in the Egyptian river, and of the fishes which lurk in his scales,
or of the excrement of Pharaoh which fills the mountains of Egypt, is not led at
once to inquire who he is that fills the Egyptian mountains with his stinking
excrement, and what the Egyptian mountains are; and what the rivers in Egypt
are, of which the aforesaid Pharaoh boastfully says, "The rivers are mine, and I
have made them;" and who the dragon is, and the fishes in its scales—and this so
as to harmonize with the interpretation to be given of the rivers? But why
establish at greater length what needs no demonstration? For to these things
applies the saying: "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Or who
is prudent, and he shall know them?" Now I have gone at some length into the
subject, because I wished to show the unsoundness of the assertion of Celsus,
that "the more modest among the Jews and Christians endeavour somehow to
give these stories an allegorical signification, although some of them do not
admit of this, but on the contrary are exceedingly silly inventions." Much rather
are the stories of the Greeks not only very silly, but very impious inventions. For
our narratives keep expressly in view the multitude of simpler believers, which
was not done by those who invented the Grecian fables. And therefore not
without propriety does Plato expel from his state all fables and poems of such a
nature as those of which we have been speaking.
 Chapter 51
Celsus appears to me to have heard that there are treatises in existence
which contain allegorical explanations of the law of Moses. These however, he
could not have read; for if he had he would not have said: "The allegorical
explanations, however, which have been devised are much more shameful and
absurd than the fables themselves, inasmuch as they endeavour to unite with
marvellous and altogether insensate folly things which cannot at all be made to
harmonize." He seems to refer in these words to the works of Philo, or to those
of still older writers, such as Aristobulus. But I conjecture that Celsus has not
read their books, since it appears to me that in many passages they have so
successfully hit the meaning (of the sacred writers), that even Grecian
philosophers would have been captivated by their explanations; for in their
writings we find not only a polished style, but exquisite thoughts and doctrines,
and a rational use of what Celsus imagines to be fables in the sacred writings. I
know, moreover, that Numenius the Pythagorean— a surpassingly excellent
expounder of Plato, and who held a foremost place as a teacher of the doctrines
of Pythagoras— in many of his works quotes from the writings of Moses and the
prophets, and applies to the passages in question a not improbable allegorical
meaning, as in his work called Epops , and in those which treat of "Numbers"
and of "Place." And in the third book of his dissertation on The Good , he quotes
also a narrative regarding Jesus— without, however, mentioning His name—
and gives it an allegorical signification, whether successfully or the reverse I
may state on another occasion. He relates also the account respecting Moses, and
Jannes, and Jambres. But we are not elated on account of this instance, though
we express our approval of Numenius, rather than of Celsus and other Greeks,
because he was willing to investigate our histories from a desire to acquire
knowledge, and was (duly) affected by them as narratives which were to be
allegorically understood, and which did not belong to the category of foolish
compositions.
 Chapter 52
After this, selecting from all the treatises which contain allegorical
explanations and interpretations, expressed in a language and style not to be
despised, the least important, such as might contribute, indeed, to strengthen the
faith of the multitude of simple believers, but were not adapted to impress those
of more intelligent mind, he continues: "Of such a nature do I know the work to
be, entitled Controversy between one Papiscus and Jason , which is fitted to
excite pity and hatred instead of laughter. It is not my purpose, however, to
confute the statements contained in such works; for their fallacy is manifest to
all, especially if any one will have the patience to read the books themselves.
Rather do I wish to show that Nature teaches this, that God made nothing that is
mortal, but that His works, whatever they are, are immortal, and theirs mortal.
And the soul is the work of God, while the nature of the body is different. And in
this respect there is no difference between the body of a bat, or of a worm, or of
a frog, and that of a man; for the matter is the same, and their corruptible part is
alike." Nevertheless I could wish that every one who heard Celsus declaiming
and asserting that the treatise entitled Controversy between Jason and Papiscus
regarding Christ was fitted to excite not laughter, but hatred, could take the
work into his hands, and patiently listen to its contents; that, finding in it nothing
to excite hatred, he might condemn Celsus out of the book itself. For if it be
impartially perused, it will be found that there is nothing to excite even laughter
in a work in which a Christian is described as conversing with a Jew on the
subject of the Jewish Scriptures, and proving that the predictions regarding
Christ fitly apply to Jesus; although the other disputant maintains the discussion
in no ignoble style, and in a manner not unbecoming the character of a Jew.
 Chapter 53
I do not know, indeed, how he could conjoin things that do not admit of
union, and which cannot exist together at the same time in human nature, in
saying, as he did, that "the above treatise deserved to be treated both with pity
and hatred." For every one will admit that he who is the object of pity is not at
the same moment an object of hatred, and that he who is the object of hatred is
not at the same time a subject of pity. Celsus, moreover, says that it was not his
purpose to refute such statements, because he thinks that their absurdity is
evident to all, and that, even before offering any logical refutation, they will
appear to be bad, and to merit both pity and hatred. But we invite him who
peruses this reply of ours to the charges of Celsus to have patience, and to listen
to our sacred writings themselves, and, as far as possible, to form an opinion
from their contents of the purpose of the writers, and of their consciences and
disposition of mind; for he will discover that they are men who strenuously
contend for what they uphold, and that some of them show that the history which
they narrate is one which they have both seen and experienced, which was
miraculous, and worthy of being recorded for the advantage of their future
hearers. Will any one indeed venture to say that it is not the source and fountain
of all blessing (to men) to believe in the God of all things, and to perform all our
actions with the view of pleasing Him in everything whatever, and not to
entertain even a thought unpleasing to Him, seeing that not only our words and
deeds, but our very thoughts, will be the subject of future judgment? And what
other arguments would more effectually lead human nature to adopt a virtuous
life, than the belief or opinion that the supreme God beholds all things, not only
what is said and done, but even what is thought by us? And let any one who likes
compare any other system which at the same time converts and ameliorates, not
merely one or two individuals, but, as far as in it lies, countless numbers, that by
the comparison of both methods he may form a correct idea of the arguments
which dispose to a virtuous life.
 Chapter 54
But as in the words which I quoted from Celsus, which are a paraphrase
from the Timæus, certain expressions occur, such as, "God made nothing mortal,
but immortal things alone, while mortal things are the works of others, and the
soul is a work of God, but the nature of the body is different, and there is no
difference between the body of a man and that of a bat, or of a worm, or of a
frog; for the matter is the same, and their corruptible part alike," — let us
discuss these points for a little; and let us show that Celsus either does not
disclose his Epicurean opinions, or, as might be said by one person, has
exchanged them for better, or, as another might say, has nothing in common save
the name, with Celsus, the Epicurean. For he ought, in giving expression to such
opinions, and in proposing to contradict not only us, but the by no means
obscure sect of philosophers who are the adherents of Zeno of Citium, to have
proved that the bodies of animals are not the work of God, and that the great
skill displayed in their construction did not proceed from the highest
intelligence. And he ought also, with regard to the countless diversities of plants,
which are regulated by an inherent, incomprehensible nature, and which have
been created for the by no means despicable use of man in general, and of the
animals which minister to man, whatever other reasons may be adduced for their
existence, not only to have stated his opinion, but also to have shown us that it
was no perfect intelligence which impressed these qualities upon the matter of
plants. And when he had once represented (various) divinities as the creators of
all the bodies, the soul alone being the work of God, why did not he, who
separated these great acts of creation, and apportioned them among a plurality of
creators, next demonstrate by some convincing reason the existence of these
diversities among divinities, some of which construct the bodies of men, and
others— those, say, of beasts of burden, and others— those of wild animals?
And he who saw that some divinities were the creators of dragons, and of asps,
and of basilisks, and others of each plant and herb according to its species, ought
to have explained the causes of these diversities. For probably, had he given
himself carefully to the investigation of each particular point, he would either
have observed that it was one God who was the creator of all, and who made
each thing with a certain object and for a certain reason; or if he had failed to
observe this, he would have discovered the answer which he ought to return to
those who assert that corruptibility is a thing indifferent in its nature; and that
there was no absurdity in a world which consists of diverse materials, being
formed by one architect, who constructed the different kinds of things so as to
secure the good of the whole. Or, finally, he ought to have expressed no opinion
at all on so important a doctrine, since he did not intend to prove what he
professed to demonstrate; unless, indeed, he who censures others for professing
a simple faith, would have us to believe his mere assertions, although he gave
out that he would not merely assert, but would prove his assertions.
 Chapter 55
But I maintain that, if he had the patience (to use his own expression) to
listen to the writings of Moses and the prophets, he would have had his attention
arrested by the circumstance that the expression "God made" is applied to
heaven and earth, and to what is called the firmament, and also to the lights and
stars; and after these, to the great fishes, and to every living thing among
creeping animals which the waters brought forth after their kinds, and to every
fowl of heaven after its kind; and after these, to the wild beasts of the earth after
their kind, and the beasts after their kind, and to every creeping thing upon the
earth after its kind; and last of all to man. The expression "made," however, is
not applied to other things; but it is deemed sufficient to say regarding light,
"And it was light;" and regarding the one gathering together of all the waters that
are under the whole heaven, "It was so." And in like manner also, with regard to
what grew upon the earth, where it is said, "The earth brought forth grass, and
herb yielding seed after its kind and after its likeness, and the fruit-tree yielding
fruit, whose seed is in itself, after its kind, upon the earth." He would have
inquired, moreover, whether the recorded commands of God respecting the
coming into existence of each part of the world were addressed to one thing or to
several; and he would not lightly have charged with being unintelligible, and as
having no secret meaning, the accounts related in these books, either by Moses,
or, as we would say, by the Divine Spirit speaking in Moses, from whom also he
derived the power of prophesying; since he "knew both the present, and the
future, and the past," in a higher degree than those priests who are alleged by the
poets to have possessed a knowledge of these things.
 Chapter 56
Moreover, since Celsus asserts that "the soul is the work of God, but that
the nature of body is different; and that in this respect there is no difference
between the body of a bat, or of a worm, or of a frog, and that of a man, for the
matter is the same, and their corruptible part alike," — we have to say in answer
to this argument of his, that if, since the same matter underlies the body of a bat,
or of a worm, or of a frog, or of a man, these bodies will differ in no respect
from one another, it is evident then that these bodies also will differ in no respect
from the sun, or the moon, or the stars, or the sky, or any other thing which is
called by the Greeks a god, cognisable by the senses. For the same matter,
underlying all bodies, is, properly speaking, without qualities and without form,
and derives its qualities from some (other) source, I know not whence, since
Celsus will have it that nothing corruptible can be the work of God. Now the
corruptible part of everything whatever, being produced from the same
underlying matter, must necessarily be the same, by Celsus' own showing;
unless, indeed, finding himself here hard pressed, he should desert Plato, who
makes the soul arise from a certain bowl, and take refuge with Aristotle and the
Peripatetics, who maintain that the ether is immaterial , and consists of a fifth
nature, separate from the other four elements, against which view both the
Platonists and the Stoics have nobly protested. And we too, who are despised by
Celsus, will contravene it, seeing we are required to explain and maintain the
following statement of the prophet: The heavens shall perish, but You remain:
and they all shall wax old as a garment; and as a vesture shall You fold them up,
and they shall be changed: but You are the same. These remarks, however, are
sufficient in reply to Celsus, when he asserts that "the soul is the work of God,
but that the nature of body is different;" for from his argument it follows that
there is no difference between the body of a bat, or of a worm, or of a frog, and
that of a heavenly being.
 Chapter 57
See, then, whether we ought to yield to one who, holding such opinions,
calumniates the Christians, and thus abandon a doctrine which explains the
difference existing among bodies as due to the different qualities, internal and
external, which are implanted in them. For we, too, know that there are "bodies
celestial, and bodies terrestrial;" and that "the glory of the celestial is one, and
the glory of the terrestrial another;" and that even the glory of the celestial
bodies is not alike: for "one is the glory of the sun, and another the glory of the
stars;" and among the stars themselves, "one star differs from another star in
glory." And therefore, as those who expect the resurrection of the dead, we
assert that the qualities which are in bodies undergo change: since some bodies,
which are sown in corruption, are raised in incorruption; and others, sown in
dishonour, are raised in glory; and others, again, sown in weakness, are raised in
power; and those which are sown natural bodies, are raised as spiritual. That the
matter which underlies bodies is capable of receiving those qualities which the
Creator pleases to bestow, is a point which all of us who accept the doctrine of
providence firmly hold; so that, if God so willed, one quality is at the present
time implanted in this portion of matter, and afterwards another of a different
and better kind. But since there are, from the beginning of the world, laws
established for the purpose of regulating the changes of bodies, and which will
continue while the world lasts, I do not know whether, when a new and different
order of things has succeeded after the destruction of the world, and what our
Scriptures call the end (of the ages), it is not wonderful that at the present time a
snake should be formed out of a dead man, growing, as the multitude affirm, out
of the marrow of the back, and that a bee should spring from an ox, and a wasp
from a horse, and a beetle from an ass, and, generally, worms from the most of
bodies. Celsus, indeed, thinks that this can be shown to be the consequence of
none of these bodies being the work of God, and that qualities (I know not
whence it was so arranged that one should spring out of another) are not the
work of a divine intelligence, producing the changes which occur in the qualities
of matter.
 Chapter 58
But we have something more to say to Celsus, when he declares that "the
soul is the work of God, and that the nature of body is different," and puts
forward such an opinion not only without proof, but even without clearly
defining his meaning; for he did not make it evident whether he meant that every
soul is the work of God, or only the rational soul. This, then, is what we have to
say: If every soul is the work of God, it is manifest that those of the meanest
irrational animals are God's work, so that the nature of all bodies is different
from that of the soul. He appears, however, in what follows, where he says that
"irrational animals are more beloved by God than we, and have a purer
knowledge of divinity," to maintain that not only is the soul of man, but in a
much greater degree that of irrational animals, the work of God; for this follows
from their being said to be more beloved by God than we. Now if the rational
soul alone be the work of God, then, in the first place, he did not clearly indicate
that such was his opinion; and in the second place, this deduction follows from
his indefinite language regarding the soul— viz., whether not every one, but
only the rational, is the work of God— that neither is the nature of all bodies
different (from the soul). But if the nature of all bodies be not different, although
the body of each animal correspond to its soul, it is evident that the body of that
animal whose soul was the work of God, would differ from the body of that
animal in which dwells a soul which was not the work of God. And so the
assertion will be false, that there is no difference between the body of a bat, or of
a worm, or of a frog, and that of a man.
 Chapter 59
For it would, indeed, be absurd that certain stones and buildings should be
regarded as more sacred or more profane than others, according as they were
constructed for the honour of God, or for the reception of dishonourable and
accursed persons; while bodies should not differ from bodies, according as they
are inhabited by rational or irrational beings, and according as these rational
beings are the most virtuous or most worthless of mankind. Such a principle of
distinction, indeed, has led some to deify the bodies of distinguished men, as
having received a virtuous soul, and to reject and treat with dishonour those of
very wicked individuals. I do not maintain that such a principle has been always
soundly exercised, but that it had its origin in a correct idea. Would a wise man,
indeed, after the death of Anytus and Socrates, think of burying the bodies of
both with like honours? And would he raise the same mound or tomb to the
memory of both? These instances we have adduced because of the language of
Celsus, that "none of these is the work of God" (where the words "of these" refer
to the body of a man or to the snakes which come out of the body and to that of
an ox, or of the bees which come from the body of an ox; and to that of a horse
or of an ass, and to the wasps which come from a horse, and the beetles which
proceed from an ass); for which reason we have been obliged to return to the
consideration of his statement, that "the soul is the work of God, but that the
nature of body is different."
 Chapter 60
He next proceeds to say, that "a common nature pervades all the previously
mentioned bodies, and one which goes and returns the same amid recurring
changes." In answer to this it is evident from what has been already said that not
only does a common nature pervade those bodies which have been previously
enumerated, but the heavenly bodies as well. And if this is the case, it is clear
also that, according to Celsus (although I do not know whether it is according to
truth), it is one nature which goes and returns the same through all bodies amid
recurring changes. It is evident also that this is the case in the opinion of those
who hold that the world is to perish; while those also who hold the opposite view
will endeavour to show, with out the assumption of a fifth substance, that in their
judgment too it is one nature "which goes and returns the same through all
bodies amid recurring changes." And thus, even that which is perishable
remains in order to undergo a change; for the matter which underlies (all things),
while its properties perish, still abides, according to the opinion of those who
hold it to be uncreated. If, however, it can be shown by any arguments not to be
uncreated, but to have been created for certain purposes, it is clear that it will not
have the same nature of permanency which it would possess on the hypothesis of
being uncreated. But it is not our object at present, in answering the charges of
Celsus, to discuss these questions of natural philosophy.
 Chapter 61
He maintains, moreover, that "no product of matter is immortal." Now, in
answer to this it may be said, that if no product of matter is immortal, then either
the whole world is immortal, and thus not a product of matter, or it is not
immortal. If, accordingly, the world is immortal (which is agreeable to the view
of those who say that the soul alone is the work of God, and was produced from
a certain bowl), let Celsus show that the world was not produced from a matter
devoid of qualities, remembering his own assertion that "no product of matter is
immortal." If, however, the world is not immortal (seeing it is a product of
matter), but mortal, does it also perish, or does it not? For if it perish, it will
perish as being a work of God; and then, in the event of the world perishing,
what will become of the soul , which is also a work of God? Let Celsus answer
this! But if, perverting the notion of immortality, he will assert that, although
perishable , it is immortal, because it does not really perish; that it is capable of
dying, but does not actually die—it is evident that, according to him, there will
exist something which is at the same time mortal and immortal, by being capable
of both conditions; and that which does not die will be mortal, and that which is
not immortal by nature will be termed in a peculiar sense immortal, because it
does not die! According to what distinction, then, in the meaning of words, will
he maintain that no product of matter is immortal? And thus you see that the
ideas contained in his writings, when closely examined and tested, are proved
not to be sound and incontrovertible. And after making these assertions he adds:
"On this point these remarks are sufficient; and if any one is capable of hearing
and examining further, he will come to know (the truth)." Let us, then, who in his
opinion are unintelligent individuals, see what will result from our being able to
listen to him for a little, and so continue our investigation.
 Chapter 62
After these matters, then, he thinks that he can make us acquainted in a few
words with the questions regarding the nature of evil, which have been variously
discussed in many important treatises, and which have received very opposite
explanations. His words are: "There neither were formerly, nor are there now,
nor will there be again, more or fewer evils in the world (than have always
been). For the nature of all things is one and the same, and the generation of
evils is always the same." He seems to have paraphrased these words from the
discussions in the Theætetus , where Plato makes Socrates say: "It is neither
possible for evils to disappear from among men, nor for them to become
established among the gods," and so on. But he appears to me not to have
understood Plato correctly, although professing to include all truth in this one
treatise, and giving to his own book against us the title of A True Discourse . For
the language in the Timæus , where it is said, "When the gods purify the earth
with water," shows that the earth, when purified with water, contains less evil
than it did before its purification. And this assertion, that there at one time were
fewer evils in the world, is one which we make, in harmony with the opinion of
Plato, because of the language in the Theætetus , where he says that "evils
cannot disappear from among men."
 Chapter 63
I do not understand how Celsus, while admitting the existence of
Providence, at least so far as appears from the language of this book, can say that
there never existed (at any time) either more or fewer evils, but, as it were, a
fixed number; thus annihilating the beautiful doctrine regarding the indefinite
nature of evil, and asserting that evil, even in its own nature, is infinite. Now it
appears to follow from the position, that there never have been, nor are now, nor
ever will be, more or fewer evils in the world; that as, according to the view of
those who hold the indestructibility of the world, the equipoise of the elements is
maintained by a Providence (which does not permit one to gain the
preponderance over the others, in order to prevent the destruction of the world),
so a kind of Providence presides, as it were, over evils (the number of which is
fixed), to prevent their being either increased or diminished! In other ways, too,
are the arguments of Celsus concerning evil confuted, by those philosophers who
have investigated the subjects of good and evil, and who have proved also from
history that in former times it was without the city, and with their faces
concealed by masks, that loose women hired themselves to those who wanted
them; that subsequently, becoming more impudent, they laid aside their masks,
though not being permitted by the laws to enter the cities, they (still) remained
without them, until, as the dissoluteness of manners daily increased, they dared
even to enter the cities. Such accounts are given by Chrysippus in the
introduction to his work on Good and Evil . From this also it may be seen that
evils both increase and decrease, viz., that those individuals who were called
"Ambiguous" used formerly to present themselves openly to view, suffering and
committing all shameful things, while subserving the passions of those who
frequented their society; but recently they have been expelled by the authorities.
And of countless evils which, owing to the spread of wickedness, have made
their appearance in human life, we may say that formerly they did not exist. For
the most ancient histories, which bring innumerable other accusations against
sinful men, know nothing of the perpetrators of abominable crimes.
 Chapter 64
And now, after these arguments, and others of a similar kind, how can
Celsus escape appearing in a ridiculous light, when he imagines that there never
has been in the past, nor will be in the future, a greater or less number of evils?
For although the nature of all things is one and the same, it does not at all follow
that the production of evils is a constant quantity. For although the nature of a
certain individual is one and the same, yet his mind, and his reason, and his
actions, are not always alike: there being a time when he had not yet attained to
reason; and another, when, with the possession of reason, he had become stained
with wickedness, and when this increased to a greater or less degree; and again,
a time when he devoted himself to virtue, and made greater or less progress
therein, attaining sometimes the very summit of perfection, through longer or
shorter periods of contemplation. In like manner, we may make the same
assertion in a higher degree of the nature of the universe, that although it is one
and the same in kind, yet neither do exactly the same things, nor yet things that
are similar, occur in it; for we neither have invariably productive nor
unproductive seasons, nor yet periods of continuous rain or of drought. And so
in the same way, with regard to virtuous souls, there are neither appointed
periods of fertility nor of barrenness; and the same is the case with the greater or
less spread of evil. And those who desire to investigate all things to the best of
their ability, must keep in view this estimate of evils, that their amount is not
always the same, owing to the working of a Providence which either preserves
earthly things, or purges them by means of floods and conflagrations; and effects
this, perhaps, not merely with reference to things on earth, but also to the whole
universe of things which stands in need of purification, when the wickedness
that is in it has become great.
 Chapter 65
After this Celsus continues: "It is not easy, indeed, for one who is not a
philosopher to ascertain the origin of evils, though it is sufficient for the
multitude to say that they do not proceed from God, but cleave to matter, and
have their abode among mortal things; while the course of mortal things being
the same from beginning to end, the same things must always, agreeably to the
appointed cycles, recur in the past, present, and future." Celsus here observes
that it is not easy for one who is not a philosopher to ascertain the origin of evils,
as if it were an easy matter for a philosopher to gain this knowledge, while for
one who is not a philosopher it was difficult, though still possible, for such an
one, although with great labour, to attain it. Now, to this we say, that the origin
of evils is a subject which is not easy even for a philosopher to master, and that
perhaps it is impossible even for such to attain a clear understanding of it, unless
it be revealed to them by divine inspiration, both what evils are, and how they
originated, and how they shall be made to disappear. But although ignorance of
God is an evil, and one of the greatest of these is not to know how God is to be
served and worshipped, yet, as even Celsus would admit, there are undoubtedly
some philosophers who have been ignorant of this, as is evident from the views
of the different philosophical sects; whereas, according to our judgment, no one
is capable of ascertaining the origin of evils who does not know that it is wicked
to suppose that piety is preserved uninjured amid the laws that are established in
different states, in conformity with the generally prevailing ideas of government.
No one, moreover, who has not heard what is related of him who is called
"devil," and of his "angels," and what he was before he became a devil, and how
he became such, and what was the cause of the simultaneous apostasy of those
who are termed his angels, will be able to ascertain the origin of evils. But he
who would attain to this knowledge must learn more accurately the nature of
demons, and know that they are not the work of God so far as respects their
demoniacal nature, but only in so far as they are possessed of reason; and also
what their origin was, so that they became beings of such a nature, that while
converted into demons, the powers of their mind remain. And if there be any
topic of human investigation which is difficult for our nature to grasp, certainly
the origin of evils may be considered to be such.
 Chapter 66
Celsus in the next place, as if he were able to tell certain secrets regarding
the origin of evils, but chose rather to keep silence, and say only what was
suitable to the multitude, continues as follows: "It is sufficient to say to the
multitude regarding the origin of evils, that they do not proceed from God, but
cleave to matter, and dwell among mortal things." It is true, certainly, that evils
do not proceed from God; for according to Jeremiah, one of our prophets, it is
certain that "out of the mouth of the Most High proceeds not evil and good." But
to maintain that matter, dwelling among mortal things, is the cause of evils, is in
our opinion not true. For it is the mind of each individual which is the cause of
the evil which arises in him, and this is evil (in the abstract); while the actions
which proceed from it are wicked, and there is, to speak with accuracy, nothing
else in our view that is evil. I am aware, however, that this topic requires very
elaborate treatment, which (by the grace of God enlightening the mind) may be
successfully attempted by him who is deemed by God worthy to attain the
necessary knowledge on this subject.
 Chapter 67
I do not understand how Celsus should deem it of advantage, in writing a
treatise against us, to adopt an opinion which requires at least much plausible
reasoning to make it appear, as far as he can do so, that "the course of mortal
things is the same from beginning to end, and that the same things must always,
according to the appointed cycles, recur in the past, present, and future." Now,
if this be true, our free-will is annihilated. For if, in the revolution of mortal
things, the same events must perpetually occur in the past, present, and future,
according to the appointed cycles, it is clear that, of necessity, Socrates will
always be a philosopher, and be condemned for introducing strange gods and for
corrupting the youth. And Anytus and Melitus must always be his accusers, and
the council of the Areopagus must ever condemn him to death by hemlock. And
in the same way, according to the appointed cycles, Phalaris must always play
the tyrant, and Alexander of Pheræ commit the same acts of cruelty, and those
condemned to the bull of Phalaris continually pour forth their wailings from it.
But if these things be granted, I do not see how our free-will can be preserved, or
how praise or blame can be administered with propriety. We may say further to
Celsus, in answer to such a view, that "if the course of moral things be always
the same from beginning to end, and if, according to the appointed cycles, the
same events must always occur in the past, present, and future," then, according
to the appointed cycles, Moses must again come forth from Egypt with the
Jewish people, and Jesus again come to dwell in human life, and perform the
same actions which (according to this view) he has done not once, but countless
times, as the periods have revolved. Nay, Christians too will be the same in the
appointed cycles; and Celsus will again write this treatise of his, which he has
done innumerable times before.
 Chapter 68
Celsus, however, says that it is only "the course of mortal things which,
according to the appointed cycles, must always be the same in the past, present,
and future;" whereas the majority of the Stoics maintain that this is the case not
only with the course of mortal, but also with that of immortal things, and of
those whom they regard as gods. For after the conflagration of the world, which
has taken place countless times in the past, and will happen countless times in
the future, there has been, and will be, the same arrangement of all things from
the beginning to the end. The Stoics, indeed, in endeavouring to parry, I don't
know how, the objections raised to their views, allege that as cycle after cycle
returns, all men will be altogether unchanged from those who lived in former
cycles; so that Socrates will not live again, but one altogether like to Socrates,
who will marry a wife exactly like Xanthippe, and will be accused by men
exactly like Anytus and Melitus. I do not understand, however, how the world is
to be always the same, and one individual not different from another, and yet the
things in it not the same, though exactly alike. But the main argument in answer
to the statements of Celsus and of the Stoics will be more appropriately
investigated elsewhere, since on the present occasion it is not consistent with the
purpose we have in view to expatiate on these points.
 Chapter 69
He continues to say that "neither have visible things been given to man (by
God), but each individual thing comes into existence and perishes for the sake of
the safety of the whole passing agreeably to the change, which I have already
mentioned, from one thing to another." It is unnecessary, however, to linger over
the refutation of these statements, which have been already refuted to the best of
my ability. And the following, too, has been answered, viz., that "there will
neither be more nor less good and evil among mortals." This point also has been
referred to, viz., that "God does not need to amend His work afresh." But it is not
as a man who has imperfectly designed some piece of workmanship, and
executed it unskilfully, that God administers correction to the world, in purifying
it by a flood or by a conflagration, but in order to prevent the tide of evil from
rising to a greater height; and, moreover, I am of opinion that it is at periods
which are precisely determined beforehand that He sweeps wickedness away, so
as to contribute to the good of the whole world. If, however, he should assert
that, after the disappearance of evil, it again comes into existence, such questions
will have to be examined in a special treatise. It is, then, always in order to repair
what has become faulty that God desires to amend His work afresh. For
although, in the creation of the world, all things had been arranged by Him in the
most beautiful and stable manner, He nevertheless needed to exercise some
healing power upon those who were labouring under the disease of wickedness,
and upon a whole world, which was polluted as it were thereby. But nothing has
been neglected by God, or will be neglected by Him; for He does at each
particular juncture what it becomes Him to do in a perverted and changed world.
And as a husbandman performs different acts of husbandry upon the soil and its
productions, according to the varying seasons of the year, so God administers
entire ages of time, as if they were, so to speak, so many individual years,
performing during each one of them what is requisite with a reasonable regard to
the care of the world; and this, as it is truly understood by God alone, so also is it
accomplished by Him.
 Chapter 70
Celsus has made a statement regarding evils of the following nature, viz.,
that "although a thing may seem to you to be evil, it is by no means certain that it
is so; for you do not know what is of advantage to yourself, or to another, or to
the whole world." Now this assertion is made with a certain degree of caution;
and it hints that the nature of evil is not wholly wicked, because that which may
be considered so in individual cases, may contain something which is of
advantage to the whole community. However, lest any one should mistake my
words, and find a pretence of wrongdoing, as if his wickedness were profitable
to the world, or at least might be so, we have to say, that although God, who
preserves the free-will of each individual, may make use of the evil of the
wicked for the administration of the world, so disposing them as to conduce to
the benefit of the whole; yet, notwithstanding, such an individual is deserving of
censure, and as such has been appointed for a use, which is a subject of loathing
to each separate individual, although of advantage to the whole community. It is
as if one were to say that in the case of a city, a man who had committed certain
crimes, and on account of these had been condemned to serve in public works
that were useful to the community, did something that was of advantage to the
entire city, while he himself was engaged in an abominable task, in which no one
possessed of moderate understanding would wish to be engaged. Paul also, the
apostle of Jesus, teaches us that even the very wicked will contribute to the good
of the whole, while in themselves they will be among the vile, but that the most
virtuous men, too, will be of the greatest advantage to the world, and will
therefore on that account occupy the noblest position. His words are: "But in a
great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of
earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge
himself, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master's
use, prepared unto every good work." These remarks I have thought it necessary
to make in reply to the assertion, that "although a thing may seem to you to be
evil, it is by no means certain that it is so, for you do not know what is of
advantage either to yourself or to another," in order that no one may take
occasion from what has been said on the subject to commit sin, on the pretext
that he will thus be useful to the world.
 Chapter 71
But as, in what follows, Celsus, not understanding that the language of
Scripture regarding God is adapted to an anthropopathic point of view, ridicules
those passages which speak of words of anger addressed to the ungodly, and of
threatenings directed against sinners, we have to say that, as we ourselves, when
talking with very young children, do not aim at exerting our own power of
eloquence, but, adapting ourselves to the weakness of our charge, both say and
do those things which may appear to us useful for the correction and
improvement of the children as children, so the word of God appears to have
dealt with the history, making the capacity of the hearers, and the benefit which
they were to receive, the standard of the appropriateness of its announcements
(regarding Him). And, generally, with regard to such a style of speaking about
God, we find in the book of Deuteronomy the following: "The Lord your God
bare with your manners, as a man would bear with the manners of his son." It is,
as it were, assuming the manners of a man in order to secure the advantage of
men that the Scripture makes use of such expressions; for it would not have been
suitable to the condition of the multitude, that what God had to say to them
should be spoken by Him in a manner more befitting the majesty of His own
person. And yet he who is anxious to attain a true understanding of holy
Scripture, will discover the spiritual truths which are spoken by it to those who
are called "spiritual," by comparing the meaning of what is addressed to those of
weaker mind with what is announced to such as are of acuter understanding,
both meanings being frequently found in the same passage by him who is
capable of comprehending it.
 Chapter 72
We speak, indeed, of the "wrath" of God. We do not, however, assert that it
indicates any "passion" on His part, but that it is something which is assumed in
order to discipline by stern means those sinners who have committed many and
grievous sins. For that which is called God's "wrath," and "anger," is a means of
discipline; and that such a view is agreeable to Scripture, is evident from what is
said in the sixth Psalm, "O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, neither chasten
me in Your hot displeasure;" and also in Jeremiah. "O Lord, correct me, but with
judgment: not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing." Any one, moreover,
who reads in the second book of Kings of the "wrath" of God, inducing David to
number the people, and finds from the first book of Chronicles that it was the
devil who suggested this measure, will, on comparing together the two
statements, easily see for what purpose the "wrath" is mentioned, of which
"wrath," as the Apostle Paul declares, all men are children: "We were by nature
children of wrath, even as others." Moreover, that "wrath" is no passion on the
part of God, but that each one brings it upon himself by his sins, will be clear
from the further statement of Paul: "Or do you despise the riches of His
goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of
God leads you to repentance? But after your hardness and impenitent heart,
treasurest up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God." How, then, can any one treasure up for himself
"wrath" against a "day of wrath," if "wrath" be understood in the sense of
"passion?" or how can the "passion of wrath" be a help to discipline? Besides,
the Scripture, which tells us not to be angry at all, and which says in the thirty-
seventh Psalm, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath," and which commands us
by the mouth of Paul to "put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy
communication," would not involve God in the same passion from which it
would have us to be altogether free. It is manifest, further, that the language used
regarding the wrath of God is to be understood figuratively from what is related
of His "sleep," from which, as if awaking Him, the prophet says: "Awake, why
do You sleep, Lord?" and again: "Then the Lord awoke as one out of sleep, and
like a mighty man that shouts by reason of wine." If, then, "sleep" must mean
something else, and not what the first acceptation of the word conveys, why
should not "wrath" also be understood in a similar way? The "threatenings,"
again, are intimations of the (punishments) which are to befall the wicked: for it
is as if one were to call the words of a physician "threats," when he tells his
patients, "I will have to use the knife, and apply cauteries, if you do not obey my
prescriptions, and regulate your diet and mode of life in such a way as I direct
you." It is no human passions, then, which we ascribe to God, nor impious
opinions which we entertain of Him; nor do we err when we present the various
narratives concerning Him, drawn from the Scriptures themselves, after careful
comparison one with another. For those who are wise ambassadors of the "word"
have no other object in view than to free as far as they can their hearers from
weak opinions, and to endue them with intelligence.
 Chapter 73
And as a sequel to his non-understanding of the statements regarding the
"wrath" of God, he continues: "Is it not ridiculous to suppose that, whereas a
man , who became angry with the Jews, slew them all from the youth upwards,
and burned their city (so powerless were they to resist him), the mighty God , as
they say, being angry, and indignant, and uttering threats, should, (instead of
punishing them) send His own Son , who endured the sufferings which He did?"
If the Jews, then, after the treatment which they dared to inflict upon Jesus,
perished with all their youth, and had their city consumed by fire, they suffered
this punishment in consequence of no other wrath than that which they treasured
up for themselves; for the judgment of God against them, which was determined
by the divine appointment, is termed "wrath" agreeably to a traditional usage of
the Hebrews. And what the Son of the mighty God suffered, He suffered
voluntarily for the salvation of men, as has been stated to the best of my ability
in the preceding pages. He then continues: "But that I may speak not of the Jews
alone (for that is not my object), but of the whole of nature, as I promised, I will
bring out more clearly what has been already stated." Now what modest man,
on reading these words, and knowing the weakness of humanity, would not be
indignant at the offensive nature of the promise to give an account of the "whole
of nature," and at an arrogance like that which prompted him to inscribe upon
his book the title which he ventured to give it (of a True Discourse)? But let us
see what he has to say regarding the "whole of nature," and what he is to place
"in a clearer light."
 Chapter 74
He next, in many words, blames us for asserting that God made all things
for the sake of man. Because from the history of animals, and from the sagacity
manifested by them, he would show that all things came into existence not more
for the sake of man than of the irrational animals. And here he seems to me to
speak in a similar manner to those who, through dislike of their enemies, accuse
them of the same things for which their own friends are commended. For as, in
the instance referred to, hatred blinds these persons from seeing that they are
accusing their very dearest friends by the means through which they think they
are slandering their enemies; so in the same way, Celsus also, becoming
confused in his argument, does not see that he is bringing a charge against the
philosophers of the Porch, who, not amiss, place man in the foremost rank, and
rational nature in general before irrational animals, and who maintain that
Providence created all things mainly on account of rational nature. Rational
beings, then, as being the principal ones, occupy the place, as it were, of children
in the womb, while irrational and soulless beings hold that of the envelope which
is created along with the child. I think, too, that as in cities the superintendents of
the goods and market discharge their duties for the sake of no other than human
beings, while dogs and other irrational animals have the benefit of the
superabundance; so Providence provides in a special manner for rational
creatures; while this also follows, that irrational creatures likewise enjoy the
benefit of what is done for the sake of man. And as he is in error who alleges
that the superintendents of the markets make provision in no greater degree for
men than for dogs, because dogs also get their share of the goods; so in a far
greater degree are Celsus and they who think with him guilty of impiety towards
the God who makes provision for rational beings, in asserting that His
arrangements are made in no greater degree for the sustenance of human beings
than for that of plants, and trees, and herbs, and thorns.
 Chapter 75
For, in the first place, he is of opinion that "thunders, and lightnings, and
rains are not the works of God," — thus showing more clearly at last his
Epicurean leanings; and in the second place, that "even if one were to grant that
these were the works of God, they are brought into existence not more for the
support of us who are human beings, than for that of plants, and trees, and
herbs, and thorns," — maintaining, like a true Epicurean, that these things are
the product of chance, and not the work of Providence. For if these things are of
no more use to us than to plants, and trees, and herbs, and thorns, it is evident
either that they do not proceed from Providence at all, or from a providence
which does not provide for us in a greater degree than for trees, and herbs, and
thorns. Now, either of these suppositions is impious in itself, and it would be
foolish to refute such statements by answering any one who brought against us
the charge of impiety; for it is manifest to every one, from what has been said,
who is the person guilty of impiety. In the next place, he adds: "Although you
may say that these things, viz., plants, and trees, and herbs, and thorns, grow for
the use of men, why will you maintain that they grow for the use of men rather
than for that of the most savage of irrational animals?" Let Celsus then say
distinctly that the great diversity among the products of the earth is not the work
of Providence, but that a certain fortuitous concurrence of atoms gave birth to
qualities so diverse, and that it was owing to chance that so many kinds of
plants, and trees, and herbs resemble one another, and that no disposing reason
gave existence to them, and that they do not derive their origin from an
understanding that is beyond all admiration. We Christians, however, who are
devoted to the worship of the only God, who created these things, feel grateful
for them to Him who made them, because not only for us, but also (on our
account) for the animals which are subject to us, He has prepared such a home,
seeing "He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of
man, that He may bring forth food out of the earth, and wine that makes glad the
heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens
man's heart." But that He should have provided food even for the most savage
animals is not matter of surprise, for these very animals are said by some who
have philosophized (upon the subject) to have been created for the purpose of
affording exercise to the rational creature. And one of our own wise men says
somewhere: "Do not say, What is this? Or Wherefore is that? For all things have
been made for their uses. And do not say, What is this? Or Wherefore is that?
For everything shall be sought out in its season."
 Chapter 76
After this, Celsus, desirous of maintaining that Providence created the
products of the earth, not more on our account than on that of the most savage
animals, thus proceeds: "We indeed by labour and suffering earn a scanty and
toilsome subsistence, while all things are produced for them without their
sowing and ploughing." He does not observe that God, wishing to exercise the
human understanding in all countries (that it might not remain idle and
unacquainted with the arts), created man a being full of wants, in order that by
virtue of his very needy condition he might be compelled to be the inventor of
arts, some of which minister to his subsistence, and others to his protection. For
it was better that those who would not have sought out divine things, nor
engaged in the study of philosophy, should be placed in a condition of want, in
order that they might employ their understanding in the invention of the arts,
than that they should altogether neglect the cultivation of their minds, because
their condition was one of abundance. The want of the necessaries of human life
led to the invention on the one hand of the art of husbandry, on the other to that
of the cultivation of the vine; again, to the art of gardening, and the arts of
carpentry and smithwork, by means of which were formed the tools required for
the arts which minister to the support of life. The want of covering, again,
introduced the art of weaving, which followed that of wool-carding and
spinning; and again, that of house-building: and thus the intelligence of men
ascended even to the art of architecture. The want of necessaries caused the
products also of other places to be conveyed, by means of the arts of sailing and
pilotage, to those who were without them; so that even on that account one
might admire the Providence which made the rational being subject to want in a
far higher degree than the irrational animals, and yet all with a view to his
advantage. For the irrational animals have their food provided for them, because
there is not in them even an impulse towards the invention of the arts. They
have, besides, a natural covering; for they are provided either with hair, or
wings, or scales, or shells. Let the above, then, be our answer to the assertions of
Celsus, when he says that "we indeed by labour and suffering earn a scanty and
toilsome subsistence, while all things are produced for them without their
sowing and ploughing."
 Chapter 77
In the next place, forgetting that his object is to accuse both Jews and
Christians, he quotes against himself an iambic verse of Euripides, which is
opposed to his view, and, joining issue with the words, charges them with being
an erroneous statement. His words are as follow: But if you will quote the saying
of Euripides, that

'The Sun and Night are to mortals slaves,'

why should they be so in a greater degree to us than to ants and flies? For
the night is created for them in order that they may rest, and the day that they
may see and resume their work. Now it is undoubted, that not only have certain
of the Jews and Christians declared that the sun and the heavenly bodies are our
servants; but he also has said this, who, according to some, is the philosopher of
the stage, and who was a hearer of the lectures on the philosophy of nature
delivered by Anaxagoras. But this man asserts that all things in the world are
subject to all rational beings—one rational nature being taken to represent all, on
the principle of a part standing for the whole; which, again, clearly appears from
the verse:—

"The Sun and Night are to mortals slaves."

Perhaps the tragic poet meant the day when he said the sun, inasmuch as it
is the cause of the day—teaching that those things which most need the day and
night are the things which are under the moon, and other things in a less degree
than those which are upon the earth. Day and night, then, are subject to mortals,
being created for the sake of rational beings. And if ants and flies, which labour
by day and rest by night, have, besides, the benefit of those things which were
created for the sake of men, we must not say that day and night were brought
into being for the sake of ants and flies, nor must we suppose that they were
into being for the sake of ants and flies, nor must we suppose that they were
created for the sake of nothing, but, agreeably to the design of Providence, were
formed for the sake of man.
 Chapter 78
He next proceeds further to object against himself what is said on behalf of
man, viz., that the irrational animals were created on his account, saying: "If one
were to call us the lords of the animal creation because we hunt the other
animals and live upon their flesh, we would say, Why were not we rather created
on their account, since they hunt and devour us? Nay, we require nets and
weapons, and the assistance of many persons, along with dogs, when engaged in
the chase; while they are immediately and spontaneously provided by nature
with weapons which easily bring us under their power." And here we may
observe, that the gift of understanding has been bestowed upon us as a mighty
aid, far superior to any weapon which wild beasts may seem to possess. We,
indeed, who are far weaker in bodily strength than the beasts, and shorter in
stature than some of them, yet by means of our understanding obtain the
mastery, and capture the huge elephants. We subdue by our gentle treatment
those animals whose nature it is to be tamed, while with those whose nature is
different, or which do not appear likely to be of use to us when tamed, we take
such precautionary measures, that when we desire it, we keep such wild beasts
shut up; and when we need the flesh of their bodies for food, we slaughter them,
as we do those beasts which are not of a savage nature. The Creator, then, has
constituted all things the servants of the rational being and of his natural
understanding. For some purposes we require dogs, say as guardians of our
sheep-folds, or of our cattle-yards, or goat-pastures, or of our dwellings; and for
other purposes we need oxen, as for agriculture; and for others, again, we make
use of those which bear the yoke, or beasts of burden. And so it may be said that
the race of lions, and bears, and leopards, and wild boars, and such like, has been
given to us in order to call into exercise the elements of the manly character that
exists within us.
 Chapter 79
In the next place, in answer to the human race, who perceive their own
superiority, which far exceeds that of the irrational animals, he says: "With
respect to your assertion, that God gave you the power to capture wild beasts,
and to make your own use of them, we would say that, in all probability, before
cities were built, and arts invented, and societies such as now exist were formed,
and weapons and nets employed, men were generally caught and devoured by
wild beasts, while wild beasts were very seldom captured by men." Now, in
reference to this, observe that although men catch wild beasts, and wild beasts
make prey of men, there is a great difference between the case of such as by
means of their understanding obtain the mastery over those whose superiority
consists in their savage and cruel nature, and that of those who do not make use
of their understanding to secure their safety from injury by wild beasts. But
when Celsus says, "before cities were built, and arts invented, and societies such
as now exist were formed," he appears to have forgotten what he had before said,
that "the world was uncreated and incorruptible, and that it was only the things
on earth which underwent deluges and conflagrations, and that all these things
did not happen at the same time." Now let it be granted that these admissions on
his part are entirely in harmony with our views, though not at all with him and
his statements made above; yet what does it all avail to prove that in the
beginning men were mostly captured and devoured by wild beasts, while wild
beasts were never caught by men? For, since the world was created in
conformity with the will of Providence, and God presided over the universe of
things, it was necessary that the elements of the human race should at the
commencement of its existence be placed under some protection of the higher
powers, so that there might be formed from the beginning a union of the divine
nature with that of men. And the poet of Ascra, perceiving this, sings:—

For common then were banquets, and common were seats,

For common then were banquets, and common were seats,
Alike to immortal gods and mortal men.
 Chapter 80
Those holy Scriptures, moreover, which bear the name of Moses, introduce
the first men as hearing divine voices and oracles, and beholding sometimes the
angels of God coming to visit them. For it was probable that in the beginning of
the world's existence human nature would be assisted to a greater degree (than
afterwards), until progress had been made towards the attainment of
understanding and the other virtues, and the invention of the arts, and they
should thus be able to maintain life of themselves, and no longer stand in need of
superintendents, and of those to guide them who do so with a miraculous
manifestation of the means which subserve the will of God. Now it follows from
this, that it is false that "in the beginning men were captured and devoured by
wild beasts, while wild beasts were very seldom caught by men." And from this,
too, it is evident that the following statement of Celsus is untrue, that "in this
way God rather subjected men to wild beasts." For God did not subject men to
wild beasts, but gave wild beasts to be a prey to the understanding of man, and to
the arts, which are directed against them, and which are the product of the
understanding. For it was not without the help of God that men desired for
themselves the means of protection against wild beasts, and of securing the
mastery over them.
 Chapter 81
Our noble opponent, however, not observing how many philosophers there
are who admit the existence of Providence, and who hold that Providence
created all things for the sake of rational beings, overturns as far as he can those
doctrines which are of use in showing the harmony that prevails in these matters
between Christianity and philosophy; nor does he see how great is the injury
done to religion from accepting the statement that before God there is no
difference between a man and an ant or a bee, but proceeds to add, that "if men
appear to be superior to irrational animals on this account, that they have built
cities, and make use of a political constitution, and forms of government, and
sovereignties, this is to say nothing to the purpose, for ants and bees do the
same. Bees, indeed, have a sovereign, who has followers and attendants; and
there occur among them wars and victories, and slaughterings of the
vanquished, and cities and suburbs, and a succession of labours, and judgments
passed upon the idle and the wicked; for the drones are driven away and
punished." Now here he did not observe the difference that exists between what
is done after reason and consideration, and what is the result of an irrational
nature, and is purely mechanical. For the origin of these things is not explained
by the existence of any rational principle in those who make them, because they
do not possess any such principle; but the most ancient Being, who is also the
Son of God, and the King of all things that exist, has created an irrational nature,
which, as being irrational, acts as a help to those who are deemed worthy of
reason. Cities, accordingly, were established among men, with many arts and
well-arranged laws; while constitutions, and governments, and sovereignties
among men are either such as are properly so termed, and which exemplify
certain virtuous tendencies and workings, or they are those which are improperly
so called, and which were devised, so far as could be done, in imitation of the
former: for it was by contemplating these that the most successful legislators
established the best constitutions, and governments, and sovereignties. None of
these things, however, can be found among irrational animals, although Celsus
may transfer rational names, and arrangements which belong to rational beings,
as cities and constitutions, and rulers and sovereignties, even to ants and bees; in
respect to which matters, however, ants and bees merit no approval, because
they do not act from reflection. But we ought to admire the divine nature, which
extended even to irrational animals the capacity, as it were, of imitating rational
beings, perhaps with a view of putting rational beings to shame; so that by
looking upon ants, for instance, they might become more industrious and more
thrifty in the management of their goods; while, by considering the bees, they
might place themselves in subjection to their Ruler, and take their respective
parts in those constitutional duties which are of use in ensuring the safety of
cities.
 Chapter 82
Perhaps also the so-called wars among the bees convey instruction as to the
manner in which wars, if ever there arise a necessity for them, should be waged
in a just and orderly way among men. But the bees have no cities or suburbs;
while their hives and hexagonal cells, and succession of labours, are for the sake
of men, who require honey for many purposes, both for cure of disordered
bodies, and as a pure article of food. Nor ought we to compare the proceedings
taken by the bees against the drones with the judgments and punishments
inflicted on the idle and wicked in cities. But, as I formerly said, we ought on the
one hand in these things to admire the divine nature, and on the other to express
our admiration of man, who is capable of considering and admiring all things (as
co-operating with Providence), and who executes not merely the works which
are determined by the providence of God, but also those which are the
consequences of his own foresight.
 Chapter 83
After Celsus has finished speaking of the bees, in order to depreciate (as far
as he can) the cities, and constitutions, and governments, and sovereignties not
only of us Christians, but of all mankind, as well as the wars which men
undertake on behalf of their native countries, he proceeds, by way of digression,
to pass a eulogy upon the ants, in order that, while praising them, he may
compare the measures which men take to secure their subsistence with those
adopted by these insects, and so evince his contempt for the forethought which
makes provision for winter, as being nothing higher than the irrational
providence of the ants, as he regards it. Now might not some of the more simple-
minded, and such as know not how to look into the nature of all things, be turned
away (so far, at least, as Celsus could accomplish it) from helping those who are
weighed down with the burdens (of life), and from sharing their toils, when he
says of the ants, that "they help one another with their loads, when they see one
of their number toiling under them?" For he who needs to be disciplined by the
word, but who does not at all understand its voice, will say: "Since, then, there is
no difference between us and the ants, even when we help those who are weary
with bearing their heavy burdens, why should we continue to do so to no
purpose?" And would not the ants, as being irrational creature, be greatly puffed
up, and think highly of themselves, because their works were compared to those
of men? While men, on the other hand, who by means of their reason are
enabled to hear how their philanthropy towards others is contemned, would be
injured, so far as could be effected by Celsus and his arguments: for he does not
perceive that, while he wishes to turn away from Christianity those who read his
treatise, he turns away also the sympathy of those who are not Christians from
those who bear the heaviest burdens (of life). Whereas, had he been a
philosopher, who was capable of perceiving the good which men may do each
other, he ought, in addition to not removing along with Christianity the blessings
which are found among men, to have lent his aid to co-operate (if he had it in his
power) with those principles of excellence which are common to Christianity
and the rest of mankind. Moreover, even if the ants set apart in a place by
themselves those grains which sprout forth, that they may not swell into bud, but
may continue throughout the year as their food, this is not to be deemed as
evidence of the existence of reason among ants, but as the work of the universal
mother, Nature, which adorned even irrational animals, so that even the most
insignificant is not omitted, but bears traces of the reason implanted in it by
nature. Unless, indeed, by these assertions Celsus means obscurely to intimate
(for in many instances he would like to adopt Platonic ideas) that all souls are of
the same species, and that there is no difference between that of a man and those
of ants and bees, which is the act of one who would bring down the soul from
the vault of heaven, and cause it to enter not only a human body, but that of an
animal. Christians, however, will not yield their assent to such opinions: for they
have been instructed before now that the human soul was created in the image of
God; and they see that it is impossible for a nature fashioned in the divine image
to have its (original) features altogether obliterated, and to assume others,
formed after I know not what likeness of irrational animals.
 Chapter 84
And since he asserts that, "when ants die, the survivors set apart a special
place (for their interment), and that their ancestral sepulchres such a place is,"
we have to answer, that the greater the laudations which he heaps upon irrational
animals, so much the more does he magnify (although against his will) the work
of that reason which arranged all things in order, and points out the skill which
exists among men, and which is capable of adorning by its reason even the gifts
which are bestowed by nature on the irrational creation. But why do I say
"irrational," since Celsus is of opinion that these animals, which, agreeably to
the common ideas of all men, are termed irrational, are not really so? Nor does
he regard the ants as devoid of reason, who professed to speak of "universal
nature," and who boasted of his truthfulness in the inscription of his book. For,
speaking of the ants conversing with one another, he uses the following
language: "And when they meet one another they enter into conversation, for
which reason they never mistake their way; consequently they possess a full
endowment of reason, and some common ideas on certain general subjects, and
a voice by which they express themselves regarding accidental things." Now
conversation between one man and another is carried on by means of a voice,
which gives expression to the meaning intended, and which also gives utterances
concerning what are called "accidental things;" but to say that this was the case
with ants would be a most ridiculous assertion.
 Chapter 85
He is not ashamed, moreover, to say, in addition to these statements (that
the unseemly character of his opinions may be manifest to those who will live
after him): "Come now, if one were to look down from heaven upon earth, in
what respect would our actions appear to differ from those of ants and bees?"
Now does he who, according to his own supposition, looks from heaven upon
the proceedings of men and ants, look upon their bodies alone, and not rather
have regard to the controlling reason which is called into action by reflection;
while, on the other hand, the guiding principle of the latter is irrational, and set
in motion irrationally by impulse and fancy, in conjunction with a certain natural
apparatus? But it is absurd to suppose that he who looks from heaven upon
earthly things would desire to look from such a distance upon the bodies of men
and ants, and would not rather consider the nature of the guiding principles, and
the source of impulses, whether that be rational or irrational. And if he once look
upon the source of all impulses, it is manifest that he would behold also the
difference which exists, and the superiority of man, not only over ants, but even
over elephants. For he who looks from heaven will see among irrational
creatures, however large their bodies, no other principle than, so to speak,
irrationality; while among rational beings he will discover reason, the common
possession of men, and of divine and heavenly beings, and perhaps of the
Supreme God Himself, on account of which man is said to have been created in
the image of God, for the image of the Supreme God is his reason.
 Chapter 86
Immediately after this, as if doing his utmost to reduce the human race to a
still lower position, and to bring them to the level of the irrational animals, and
desiring to omit not a single circumstance related of the latter which manifests
their greatness, he declares that "in certain individuals among the irrational
creation there exists the power of sorcery;" so that even in this particular men
cannot specially pride themselves, nor wish to arrogate a superiority over
irrational creatures. And the following are his words: "If, however, men entertain
lofty notions because of their possessing the power of sorcery, yet even in that
respect are serpents and eagles their superiors in wisdom; for they are
acquainted with many prophylactics against persons and diseases, and also with
the virtues of certain stones which help to preserve their young. If men, however,
fall in with these, they think that they have gained a wonderful possession."
Now, in the first place, I know not why he should designate as sorcery the
knowledge of natural prophylactics displayed by animals,— whether that
knowledge be the result of experience, or of some natural power of
apprehension; for the term "sorcery" has by usage been assigned to something
else. Perhaps, indeed, he wishes quietly, as an Epicurean, to censure the entire
use of such arts, as resting only on the professions of sorcerers. However, let it
be granted him that men do pride themselves greatly upon the knowledge of
such arts, whether they are sorcerers or not: how can serpents be in this respect
wiser than men, when they make use of the well-known fennel to sharpen their
power of vision and to produce rapidity of movement, having obtained this
natural power not from the exercise of reflection, but from the constitution of
their body, while men do not, like serpents, arrive at such knowledge merely by
nature, but partly by experiment, partly by reason, and sometimes by reflection
and knowledge? So, if eagles, too, in order to preserve their young in the nest,
carry there the eagle-stone when they have discovered it, how does it appear that
they are wise, and more intelligent than men, who find out by the exercise of
their reflective powers and of their understanding what has been bestowed by
nature upon eagles as a gift?
 Chapter 87
Let it be granted, however, that there are other prophylactics against
poisons known to animals: what does that avail to prove that it is not nature, but
reason, which leads to the discovery of such things among them? For if reason
were the discoverer, this one thing (or, if you will, one or two more things)
would not be (exclusive of all others) the sole discovery made by serpents, and
some other thing the sole discovery of the eagle, and so on with the rest of the
animals; but as many discoveries would have been made among them as among
men. But now it is manifest from the determinate inclination of the nature of
each animal towards certain kinds of help, that they possess neither wisdom nor
reason, but a natural constitutional tendency implanted by the [Logos ] towards
such things in order to ensure the preservation of the animal. And, indeed, if I
wished to join issue with Celsus in these matters, I might quote the words of
Solomon from the book of Proverbs, which run thus: "There be four things
which are little upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise: The ants are a
people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; the conies are but
a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; the locusts have no king,
yet go they forth in order at one command; and the spotted lizard, though
leaning upon its hands, and being easily captured, dwells in kings' fortresses." I
do not quote these words, however, as taking them in their literal signification,
but, agreeably to the title of the book (for it is inscribed "Proverbs" ), I
investigate them as containing a secret meaning. For it is the custom of these
writers (of Scripture) to distribute into many classes those writings which
express one sense when taken literally, but which convey a different
signification as their hidden meaning; and one of these kinds of writing is
"Proverbs." And for this reason, in our Gospels too, is our Saviour described as
saying: "These things have I spoken to you in proverbs, but the time comes when
I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs." It is not, then, the visible ants which
are "wiser even than the wise," but they who are indicated as such under the
"proverbial" style of expression. And such must be our conclusion regarding the
rest of the animal creation, although Celsus regards the books of the Jews and
Christians as exceedingly simple and commonplace, and imagines that those
who give them an allegorical interpretation do violence to the meaning of the
writers. By what we have said, then, let it appear that Celsus calumniates us in
vain, and let his assertions that serpents and eagles are wiser than men also
receive their refutation.
 Chapter 88
And wishing to show at greater length that even the thoughts of God
entertained by the human race are not superior to those of all other mortal
creatures, but that certain of the irrational animals are capable of thinking about
Him regarding whom opinions so discordant have existed among the most acute
of mankind— Greeks and Barbarians— he continues: "If, because man has been
able to grasp the idea of God, he is deemed superior to the other animals, let
those who hold this opinion know that this capacity will be claimed by many of
the other animals; and with good reason: for what would any one maintain to be
more divine than the power of foreknowing and predicting future events? Men
accordingly acquire the art from the other animals, and especially from birds.
And those who listen to the indications furnished by them, become possessed of
the gift of prophecy. If, then, birds, and the other prophetic animals, which are
enabled by the gift of God to foreknow events, instruct us by means of signs, so
much the nearer do they seem to be to the society of God, and to be endowed
with greater wisdom, and to be more beloved by Him. The more intelligent of
men, moreover, say that the animals hold meetings which are more sacred than
our assemblies, and that they know what is said at these meetings, and show that
in reality they possess this knowledge, when, having previously stated that the
birds have declared their intention of departing to some particular place, and of
doing this thing or the other, the truth of their assertions is established by the
departure of the birds to the place in question, and by their doing what was
foretold. And no race of animals appears to be more observant of oaths than the
elephants are, or to show greater devotion to divine things; and this, I presume,
solely because they have some knowledge of God." See here now how he at once
lays hold of, and brings forward as acknowledged facts, questions which are the
subject of dispute among those philosophers, not only among the Greeks, but
also among the Barbarians, who have either discovered or learned from certain
demons some things about birds of augury and other animals, by which certain
prophetic intimations are said to be made to men. For, in the first place, it has
been disputed whether there is an art of augury, and, in general, a method of
divination by animals, or not. And, in the second place, they who admit that
there is an art of divination by birds, are not agreed about the manner of the
divination; since some maintain that it is from certain demons or gods of
divination that the animals receive their impulses to action— the birds to flights
and sounds of different kinds, and the other animals to movements of one sort or
another. Others, again, believe that their souls are more divine in their nature,
and fitted to operations of that kind, which is a most incredible supposition.
 Chapter 89
Celsus, however, seeing he wished to prove by the foregoing statements
that the irrational animals are more divine and intelligent than human beings,
ought to have established at greater length the actual existence of such an art of
divination, and in the next place have energetically undertaken its defence, and
effectually refuted the arguments of those who would annihilate such arts of
divination, and have overturned in a convincing manner also the arguments of
those who say that it is from demons or from gods that animals receive the
movements which lead them to divination, and to have proved in the next place
that the soul of irrational animals is more divine than that of man. For, had he
done so, and manifested a philosophical spirit in dealing with such things, we
should to the best of our power have met his confident assertions, refuting in the
first place the allegation that irrational animals are wiser than men, and showing
the falsity of the statement that they have ideas of God more sacred than ours,
and that they hold among themselves certain sacred assemblies. But now, on the
contrary, he who accuses us because we believe in the Supreme God, requires us
to believe that the souls of birds entertain ideas of God more divine and distinct
than those of men. Yet if this is true, the birds have clearer ideas of God than
Celsus himself; and it is not matter of surprise that it should be so with him, who
so greatly depreciates human beings. Nay, so far as Celsus can make it appear,
the birds possess grander and more divine ideas than, I do not say we Christians
do, or than the Jews, who use the same Scriptures with ourselves, but even than
are possessed by the theologians among the Greeks, for they were only human
beings. According to Celsus, indeed, the tribe of birds that practise divination,
forsooth, understand the nature of the Divine Being better than Pherecydes, and
Pythagoras, and Socrates and Plato! We ought then to go to the birds as our
teachers, in order that as, according to the view of Celsus, they instruct us by
their power of divination in the knowledge of future events, so also they may
free men from doubts regarding the Divine Being, by imparting to them the clear
ideas which they have obtained respecting Him! It follows, accordingly, that
Celsus, who regards birds as superior to men, ought to employ them as his
instructors, and not one of the Greek philosophers.
 Chapter 90
But we have a few remarks to make, out of a larger number, in answer to
these statements of Celsus, that we may show the ingratitude towards his Maker
which is involved in his holding these false opinions. For Celsus, although a
man, and "being in honour," does not possess understanding, and therefore he
did not compare himself with the birds and the other irrational animals, which he
regards as capable of divining; but yielding to them the foremost place, he
lowered himself, and as far as he could the whole human race with him (as
entertaining lower and inferior views of God than the irrational animals),
beneath the Egyptians, who worship irrational animals as divinities. Let the
principal point of investigation, however, be this: whether there actually is or not
an art of divination, by means of birds and other living things believed to have
such power. For the arguments which tend to establish either view are not to be
despised. On the one hand, it is pressed upon us not to admit such an art, lest the
rational being should abandon the divine oracles, and betake himself to birds;
and on the other, there is the energetic testimony of many, that numerous
individuals have been saved from the greatest dangers by putting their trust in
divination by birds. For the present, however, let it be granted that an art of
divination does exist, in order that I may in this way show to those who are
prejudiced on the subject, that if this be admitted, the superiority of man over
irrational animals, even over those that are endowed with power of divination, is
great, and beyond all reach of comparison with the latter. We have then to say,
that if there was in them any divine nature capable of foretelling future events,
and so rich (in that knowledge) as out of its superabundance to make them
known to any man who wished to know them, it is manifest that they would
know what concerned themselves far sooner (than what concerned others); and
had they possessed this knowledge, they would have been upon their guard
against flying to any particular place where men had planted snares and nets to
catch them, or where archers took aim and shot at them in their flight. And
especially, were eagles aware beforehand of the designs formed against their
young, either by serpents crawling up to their nests and destroying them, or by
men who take them for their amusement, or for any other useful purpose or
service, they would not have placed their young in a spot where they were to be
attacked; and, in general, not one of these animals would have been captured by
men, because they were more divine and intelligent than they.
 Chapter 91
But besides, if birds of augury converse with one another, as Celsus
maintains they do, the prophetic birds having a divine nature, and the other
rational animals also ideas of the divinity and foreknowledge of future events;
and if they had communicated this knowledge to others, the sparrow mentioned
in Homer would not have built her nest in the spot where a serpent was to devour
her and her young ones, nor would the serpent in the writings of the same poet
have failed to take precautions against being captured by the eagle. For this
wonderful poet says, in his poem regarding the former:—

A mighty dragon shot, of dire portent;

From Jove himself the dreadful sign was sent.
Straight to the tree his sanguine spires he rolled,
And curled around in many a winding fold.
The topmost branch a mother-bird possessed;
Eight callow infants filled the mossy nest;
Herself the ninth: the serpent, as he hung,
Stretched his black jaws, and crashed the dying young;
While hovering near, with miserable moan,
The drooping mother wailed her children gone.
The mother last, as round the nest she flew,
Seized by the beating wing, the monster slew:
Nor long survived: to marble turned, he stands
A lasting prodigy on Aulis' sands.
Such was the will of Jove; and hence we dare
Trust in his omen, and support the war.

And regarding the second— the bird— the poet says:—

Jove's bird on sounding pinions beat the skies;

 Jove's bird on sounding pinions beat the skies;
A bleeding serpent of enormous size,
His talons twined; alive, and curling round,
He stung the bird, whose throat received the wound.
Mad with the smart, he drops the fatal prey,
In airy circles wings his painful way,
Floats on the winds, and rends the heaven with cries;
Amidst the host, the fallen serpent lies.
They, pale with terror, mark its spires unrolled,
And Jove's portent with beating hearts behold.

Did the eagle, then, possess the power of divination, and the serpent (since
this animal also is made use of by the augurs) not? But as this distinction can be
easily refuted, cannot the assertion that both were capable of divination be
refuted also? For if the serpent had possessed this knowledge, would not he have
been on his guard against suffering what he did from the eagle? And
innumerable other instances of a similar character may be found, to show that
animals do not possess a prophetic soul, but that, according to the poet and the
majority of mankind, it is the "Olympian himself who sent him to the light." And
it is with a symbolic meaning that Apollo employs the hawk as his messenger,
for the hawk is called the "swift messenger of Apollo."
 Chapter 92
In my opinion, however, it is certain wicked demons, and, so to speak, of
the race of Titans or Giants, who have been guilty of impiety towards the true
God, and towards the angels in heaven, and who have fallen from it, and who
haunt the denser parts of bodies, and frequent unclean places upon earth, and
who, possessing some power of distinguishing future events, because they are
without bodies of earthly material, engage in an employment of this kind, and
desiring to lead the human race away from the true God, secretly enter the
bodies of the more rapacious and savage and wicked of animals, and stir them up
to do whatever they choose, and at whatever time they choose: either turning the
fancies of these animals to make flights and movements of various kinds, in
order that men may be caught by the divining power that is in the irrational
animals, and neglect to seek after the God who contains all things; or to search
after the pure worship of God, but allow their reasoning powers to grovel on the
earth, and among birds and serpents, and even foxes and wolves. For it has been
observed by those who are skilled in such matters, that the clearest
prognostications are obtained from animals of this kind; because the demons
cannot act so effectively in the milder sort of animals as they can in these, in
consequence of the similarity between them in point of wickedness; and yet it is
not wickedness, but something like wickedness, which exist in these animals.
 Chapter 93
For which reason, whatever else there may be in the writings of Moses
which excites my wonder, I would say that the following is worthy of
admiration, viz., that Moses, having observed the varying natures of animals,
and having either learned from God what was peculiar to them, and to the
demons which are kindred to each of the animals, or having himself ascertained
these things by his own wisdom, has, in arranging the different kinds of animals,
pronounced all those which are supposed by the Egyptians and the rest of
mankind to possess the power of divination to be unclean, and, as a general rule,
all that are not of that class to be clean. And among the unclean animals
mentioned by Moses are the wolf, and fox, and serpent, and eagle, and hawk,
and such like. And, generally speaking, you will find that not only in the law, but
also in the prophets, these animals are employed as examples of all that is most
wicked; and that a wolf or a fox is never mentioned for a good purpose. Each
species of demon, consequently, would seem to possess a certain affinity with a
certain species of animal. And as among men there are some who are stronger
than others, and this not at all owing to their moral character, so, in the same
way, some demons will be more powerful in things indifferent than others; and
one class of them employs one kind of animal for the purpose of deluding men,
in accordance with the will of him who is called in our Scriptures the "prince of
this world," while others predict future events by means of another kind of
animal. Observe, moreover, to what a pitch of wickedness the demons proceed,
so that they even assume the bodies of weasels in order to reveal the future! And
now, consider with yourself whether it is better to accept the belief that it is the
Supreme God and His Son who stir up the birds and the other living creatures to
divination, or that those who stir up these creatures, and not human beings
(although they are present before them), are wicked, and, as they are called by
our Scriptures, unclean demons.
 Chapter 94
But if the soul of birds is to be esteemed divine because future events are
predicted by them, why should we not rather maintain, that when omens are
accepted by men, the souls of those are divine through which the omens are
heard? Accordingly, among such would be ranked the female slave mentioned in
Homer, who ground the grain, when she said regarding the suitors:—

"For the very last time, now, will they sup here."

This slave, then, was divine, while the great Ulysses, the friend of Homer's
Pallas Athene, was not divine, but understanding the words spoken by this
"divine" grinder of grain as an omen, rejoiced, as the poet says:—

"The divine Ulysses rejoiced at the omen."

Observe, now, as the birds are possessed of a divine soul, and are capable
of perceiving God, or, as Celsus says, the gods, it is clear that when we men also
sneeze, we do so in consequence of a kind of divinity that is within us, and
which imparts a prophetic power to our soul. For this belief is testified by many
witnesses, and therefore the poet also says:—

"And while he prayed, he sneezed."

And Penelope, too, said:—

"Do you not perceive that at every word my son did sneeze?"
 Chapter 95
The true God, however, neither employs irrational animals, nor any
individuals whom chance may offer, to convey a knowledge of the future; but,
on the contrary, the most pure and holy of human souls, whom He inspires and
endows with prophetic power. And therefore, whatever else in the Mosaic
writings may excite our wonder, the following must be considered as fitted to do
so: "You shall not practise augury, nor observe the flight of birds;" and in
another place: "For the nations whom the Lord your God will destroy from
before your face, shall listen to omens and divinations; but as for you, the Lord
your God has not suffered you to do so." And he adds: "A prophet shall the Lord
your God raise up unto you from among your brethren." On one occasion,
moreover, God, wishing by means of an augur to turn away (His people) from
the practice of divination, caused the spirit that was in the augur to speak as
follows: "For there is no enchantment in Jacob, nor is there divination in Israel.
In due time will it be declared to Jacob and Israel what the Lord will do." And
now, we who knew these and similar sayings wish to observe this precept with
the mystical meaning, viz., "Keep your heart with all diligence," that nothing of
a demoniacal nature may enter into our minds, or any spirit of our adversaries
turn our imagination whither it chooses. But we pray that the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God may shine in our hearts, and that the Spirit of
God may dwell in our imaginations, and lead them to contemplate the things of
God; for "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
 Chapter 96
We ought to take note, however, that the power of foreknowing the future is
by no means a proof of divinity; for in itself it is a thing indifferent, and is found
occurring among both good and bad. Physicians, at any rate, by means of their
professional skill foreknow certain things, although their character may happen
to be bad. And in the same way also pilots, although perhaps wicked men, are
able to foretell the signs (of good or bad weather), and the approach of violent
tempests of wind, and atmospheric changes, because they gather this knowledge
from experience and observation, although I do not suppose that on that account
any one would term them "gods" if their characters happened to be bad. The
assertion, then, of Celsus is false, when he says: "What could be called more
divine than the power of foreknowing and foretelling the future?" And so also is
this, that "many of the animals claim to have ideas of God;" for none of the
irrational animals possess any idea of God. And wholly false, too, is his
assertion, that "the irrational animals are nearer the society of God (than men),"
when even men who are still in a state of wickedness, however great their
progress in knowledge, are far removed from that society. It is, then, those alone
who are truly wise and sincerely religious who are nearer to God's society; such
persons as were our prophets, and Moses, to the latter of whom, on account of
his exceeding purity, the Scripture said: "Moses alone shall come near the Lord,
but the rest shall not come near."
 Chapter 97
How impious, indeed, is the assertion of this man, who charges us with
impiety, that "not only are the irrational animals wiser than the human race, but
that they are more beloved by God (than they)!" And who would not be repelled
(by horror) from paying any attention to a man who declared that a serpent, and
a fox, and a wolf, and an eagle, and a hawk, were more beloved by God than the
human race? For it follows from his maintaining such a position, that if these
animals be more beloved by God than human beings, it is manifest that they are
dearer to God than Socrates, and Plato, and Pythagoras, and Pherecydes, and
those theologians whose praises he had sung a little before. And one might
address him with the prayer: "If these animals be dearer to God than men, may
you be beloved of God along with them, and be made like to those whom you
consider as dearer to Him than human beings!" And let no one suppose that
such a prayer is meant as an imprecation; for who would not pray to resemble in
all respects those whom he believes to be dearer to God than others, in order that
he, like them, may enjoy the divine love? And as Celsus is desirous to show that
the assemblies of the irrational animals are more sacred than ours, he ascribes
the statement to that effect not to any ordinary individuals, but to persons of
intelligence. Yet it is the virtuous alone who are truly wise, for no wicked man is
so. He speaks, accordingly, in the following style: "Intelligent men say that these
animals hold assemblies which are more sacred than ours, and that they know
what is spoken at them, and actually prove that they are not without such
knowledge, when they mention beforehand that the birds have announced their
intention of departing to a particular place, or of doing this thing or that, and
then show that they have departed to the place in question, and have done the
particular thing which was foretold." Now, truly, no person of intelligence ever
related such things; nor did any wise man ever say that the assemblies of the
irrational animals were more sacred than those of men. But if, for the purpose of
examining (the soundness of) his statements, we look to their consequences, it is
evident that, in his opinion, the assemblies of the irrational animals are more
sacred than those of the venerable Pherecydes, and Pythagoras, and Socrates,
and Plato, and of philosophers in general; which assertion is not only
incongruous in itself, but full of absurdity. In order that we may believe,
however, that certain individuals do learn from the indistinct sound of birds that
they are about to take their departure, and do this thing or that, and announce
these things beforehand, we would say that this information is imparted to men
by demons by means of signs, with the view of having men deceived by demons,
and having their understanding dragged down from God and heaven to earth,
and to places lower still.
 Chapter 98
I do not know, moreover, how Celsus could hear of the elephants' (fidelity
to) oaths, and of their great devotedness to our God, and of the knowledge which
they possess of Him. For I know many wonderful things which are related of the
nature of this animal, and of its gentle disposition. But I am not aware that any
one has spoken of its observance of oaths; unless indeed to its gentle disposition,
and its observance of compacts, so to speak, when once concluded between it
and man, he give the name of keeping its oath, which statement also in itself is
false. For although rarely, yet sometimes it has been recorded that, after their
apparent tameness, they have broken out against men in the most savage manner,
and have committed murder, and have been on that account condemned to death,
because no longer of any use. And seeing that after this, in order to establish (as
he thinks he does) that the stork is more pious than any human being, he adduces
the accounts which are narrated regarding that creature's display of filial
affection in bringing food to its parents for their support, we have to say in reply,
that this is done by the storks, not from a regard to what is proper, nor from
reflection, but from a natural instinct; the nature which formed them being
desirous to show an instance among the irrational animals which might put men
to shame, in the matter of exhibiting their gratitude to their parents. And if
Celsus had known how great the difference is between acting in this way from
reason, and from an irrational natural impulse, he would not have said that storks
are more pious than human beings. But further, Celsus, as still contending for the
piety of the irrational creation, quotes the instance of the Arabian bird the
phœnix, which after many years repairs to Egypt, and bears there its parent,
when dead and buried in a ball of myrrh, and deposits its body in the Temple of
the Sun. Now this story is indeed recorded, and, if it be true, it is possible that it
may occur in consequence of some provision of nature; divine providence freely
displaying to human beings, by the differences which exist among living things,
the variety of constitution which prevails in the world, and which extends even
the variety of constitution which prevails in the world, and which extends even
to birds, and in harmony with which He has brought into existence one creature,
the only one of its kind, in order that by it men may be led to admire, not the
creature, but Him who created it.
 Chapter 99
In addition to all that he has already said, Celsus subjoins the following:
"All things, accordingly, were not made for man, any more than they were made
for lions, or eagles, or dolphins, but that this world, as being God's work, might
be perfect and entire in all respects. For this reason all things have been
adjusted, not with reference to each other, but with regard to their bearing upon
the whole. And God takes care of the whole, and (His) providence will never
forsake it; and it does not become worse; nor does God after a time bring it back
to himself; nor is He angry on account of men any more than on account of apes
or flies; nor does He threaten these beings, each one of which has received its
appointed lot in its proper place." Let us then briefly reply to these statements. I
think, indeed, that I have shown in the preceding pages that all things were
created for man, and every rational being, and that it was chiefly for the sake of
the rational creature that the creation took place. Celsus, indeed, may say that
this was done not more for man than for lions, or the other creatures which he
mentions; but we maintain that the Creator did not form these things for lions, or
eagles, or dolphins, but all for the sake of the rational creature, and "in order that
this world, as being God's work, might be perfect and complete in all things."
For to this sentiment we must yield our assent as being well said. And God takes
care, not, as Celsus supposes, merely of the whole , but beyond the whole, in a
special degree of every rational being. Nor will Providence ever abandon the
whole; for although it should become more wicked, owing to the sin of the
rational being, which is a portion of the whole, He makes arrangements to purify
it, and after a time to bring back the whole to Himself. Moreover, He is not
angry with apes or flies; but on human beings, as those who have transgressed
the laws of nature, He sends judgments and chastisements, and threatens them by
the mouth of the prophets, and by the Saviour who came to visit the whole
human race, that those who hear the threatenings may be converted by them,
while those who neglect these calls to conversion may deservedly suffer those
punishments which it becomes God, in conformity with that will of His which
acts for the advantage of the whole, to inflict upon those who need such painful
discipline and correction. But as our fourth book has now attained sufficient
dimensions, we shall here terminate our discourse. And may God grant, through
His Son, who is God the Word, and Wisdom, and Truth, and Righteousness, and
everything else which the sacred Scriptures when speaking of God call Him, that
we may make a good beginning of the fifth book, to the benefit of our readers,
and may bring it to a successful conclusion, with the aid of His word abiding in
our soul.
 Contra Celsus, Book V
Chapter 1

It is not, my reverend Ambrosius, because we seek after many words— a

thing which is forbidden, and in the indulgence of which it is impossible to avoid
sin — that we now begin the fifth book of our reply to the treatise of Celsus, but
with the endeavour, so far as may be within our power, to leave none of his
statements without examination, and especially those in which it might appear to
some that he had skilfully assailed us and the Jews. If it were possible, indeed,
for me to enter along with my words into the conscience of every one without
exception who peruses this work, and to extract each dart which wounds him
who is not completely protected with the "whole armour" of God, and apply a
rational medicine to cure the wound inflicted by Celsus, which prevents those
who listen to his words from remaining "sound in the faith," I would do so. But
since it is the work of God alone, in conformity with His own Spirit, and along
with that of Christ, to take up His abode invisibly in those persons whom He
judges worthy of being visited; so, on the other hand, is our object to try, by
means of arguments and treatises, to confirm men in their faith, and to earn the
name of "workmen needing not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth." And there is one thing above all which it appears to us we ought to do, if
we would discharge faithfully the task enjoined upon us by you, and that is to
overturn to the best of our ability the confident assertions of Celsus. Let us then
quote such assertions of his as follow those which we have already refuted (the
reader must decide whether we have done so successfully or not), and let us
reply to them. And may God grant that we approach not our subject with our
understanding and reason empty and devoid of divine inspiration, that the faith
of those whom we wish to aid may not depend upon human wisdom, but that,
receiving the "mind" of Christ from His Father, who alone can bestow it, and
being strengthened by participating in the word of God, we may pull down
"every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God," and the
imagination of Celsus, who exalts himself against us, and against Jesus, and also
against Moses and the prophets, in order that He who "gave the word to those
who published it with great power" may supply us also, and bestow upon us
"great power," so that faith in the word and power of God may be implanted in
the minds of all who will peruse our work.
 Chapter 2
We have now, then, to refute that statement of his which runs as follows:
"O Jews and Christians, no God or son of a God either came or will come down
(to earth). But if you mean that certain angels did so, then what do you call
them? Are they gods, or some other race of beings? Some other race of beings
(doubtless), and in all probability demons." Now as Celsus here is guilty of
repeating himself (for in the preceding pages such assertions have been
frequently advanced by him), it is unnecessary to discuss the matter at greater
length, seeing what we have already said upon this point may suffice. We shall
mention, however, a few considerations out of a greater number, such as we
deem in harmony with our former arguments, but which have not altogether the
same bearing as they, and by which we shall show that in asserting generally that
no God, or son of God, ever descended (among men), he overturns not only the
opinions entertained by the majority of mankind regarding the manifestation of
Deity, but also what was formerly admitted by himself. For if the general
statement, that "no God or son of God has come down or will come down," be
truly maintained by Celsus, it is manifest that we have here overthrown the
belief in the existence of gods upon the earth who had descended from heaven
either to predict the future to mankind or to heal them by means of divine
responses; and neither the Pythian Apollo, nor Æsculapius, nor any other among
those supposed to have done so, would be a god descended from heaven. He
might, indeed, either be a god who had obtained as his lot (the obligation) to
dwell on earth for ever, and be thus a fugitive, as it were, from the abode of the
gods, or he might be one who had no power to share in the society of the gods in
heaven; or else Apollo, and Æsculapius, and those others who are believed to
perform acts on earth, would not be gods, but only certain demons, much inferior
to those wise men among mankind, who on account of their virtue ascend to the
vault of heaven.
 Chapter 3
But observe how, in his desire to subvert our opinions, he who never
acknowledged himself throughout his whole treatise to be an Epicurean, is
convicted of being a deserter to that sect. And now is the time for you, (reader),
who peruse the works of Celsus, and give your assent to what has been
advanced, either to overturn the belief in a God who visits the human race, and
exercises a providence over each individual man, or to grant this, and prove the
falsity of the assertions of Celsus. If you, then, wholly annihilate providence,
you will falsify those assertions of his in which he grants the existence of "God
and a providence," in order that you may maintain the truth of your own
position; but if, on the other hand, you still admit the existence of providence,
because you do not assent to the dictum of Celsus, that "neither has a God nor
the son of a God come down nor is to come down to mankind," why not rather
carefully ascertain from the statements made regarding Jesus, and the prophecies
uttered concerning Him, who it is that we are to consider as having come down
to the human race as God, and the Son of God?— whether that Jesus who said
and ministered so much, or those who under pretence of oracles and divinations,
do not reform the morals of their worshippers, but who have besides apostatized
from the pure and holy worship and honour due to the Maker of all things, and
who tear away the souls of those who give heed to them from the one only
visible and true God, under a pretence of paying honour to a multitude of
deities?
 Chapter 4
But since he says, in the next place, as if the Jews or Christians had
answered regarding those who come down to visit the human race, that they
were angels: "But if you say that they are angels, what do you call them?" he
continues, "Are they gods, or some other race of beings?" and then again
introduces us as if answering, "Some other race of beings, and probably
demons," — let us proceed to notice these remarks. For we indeed acknowledge
that angels are "ministering spirits," and we say that "they are sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation;" and that they ascend, bearing
the supplications of men, to the purest of the heavenly places in the universe, or
even to supercelestial regions purer still; and that they come down from these,
conveying to each one, according to his deserts, something enjoined by God to
be conferred by them upon those who are to be the recipients of His benefits.
Having thus learned to call these beings "angels" from their employments, we
find that because they are divine they are sometimes termed "god" in the sacred
Scriptures, but not so that we are commanded to honour and worship in place of
God those who minister to us, and bear to us His blessings. For every prayer, and
supplication, and intercession, and thanksgiving, is to be sent up to the Supreme
God through the High Priest, who is above all the angels, the living Word and
God. And to the Word Himself shall we also pray and make intercessions, and
offer thanksgivings and supplications to Him, if we have the capacity of
distinguishing between the proper use and abuse of prayer.
 Chapter 5
For to invoke angels without having obtained a knowledge of their nature
greater than is possessed by men, would be contrary to reason. But, conformably
to our hypothesis, let this knowledge of them, which is something wonderful and
mysterious, be obtained. Then this knowledge, making known to us their nature,
and the offices to which they are severally appointed, will not permit us to pray
with confidence to any other than to the Supreme God, who is sufficient for all
things, and that through our Saviour the Son of God, who is the Word, and
Wisdom, and Truth, and everything else which the writings of God's prophets
and the apostles of Jesus entitle Him. And it is enough to secure that the holy
angels of God be propitious to us, and that they do all things on our behalf, that
our disposition of mind towards God should imitate as far as it is within the
power of human nature the example of these holy angels, who again follow the
example of their God; and that the conceptions which we entertain of His Son,
the Word, so far as attainable by us, should not be opposed to the clearer
conceptions of Him which the holy angels possess, but should daily approach
these in clearness and distinctness. But because Celsus has not read our holy
Scriptures, he gives himself an answer as if it came from us, saying that we
"assert that the angels who come down from heaven to confer benefits on
mankind are a different race from the gods," and adds that "in all probability
they would be called demons by us:" not observing that the name "demons" is
not a term of indifferent meaning like that of "men," among whom some are
good and some bad, nor yet a term of excellence like that of "the gods," which is
applied not to wicked demons, or to statues, or to animals, but (by those who
know divine things) to what is truly divine and blessed; whereas the term
"demons" is always applied to those wicked powers, freed from the encumbrance
of a grosser body, who lead men astray, and fill them with distractions and drag
them down from God and supercelestial thoughts to things here below.
 Chapter 6
He next proceeds to make the following statement about the Jews:— "The
first point relating to the Jews which is fitted to excite wonder, is that they
should worship the heaven and the angels who dwell therein, and yet pass by
and neglect its most venerable and powerful parts, as the sun, the moon, and the
other heavenly bodies, both fixed stars and planets, as if it were possible that
'the whole' could be God, and yet its parts not divine; or (as if it were
reasonable) to treat with the greatest respect those who are said to appear to
such as are in darkness somewhere, blinded by some crooked sorcery, or
dreaming dreams through the influence of shadowy spectres, while those who
prophesy so clearly and strikingly to all men, by means of whom rain, and heat,
and clouds, and thunder (to which they offer worship), and lightnings, and fruits,
and all kinds of productiveness, are brought about—by means of whom God is
revealed to them—the most prominent heralds among those beings that are
above—those that are truly heavenly angels—are to be regarded as of no
account!" In making these statements, Celsus appears to have fallen into
confusion, and to have penned them from false ideas of things which he did not
understand; for it is patent to all who investigate the practices of the Jews, and
compare them with those of the Christians, that the Jews who follow the law,
which, speaking in the person of God, says, "You shall have no other gods
before Me: you shall not make unto you an image, nor a likeness of anything that
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under
the earth; you shall not bow down to them, nor serve them," worship nothing
else than the Supreme God, who made the heavens, and all things besides. Now
it is evident that those who live according to the law, and worship the Maker of
heaven, will not worship the heaven at the same time with God. Moreover, no
one who obeys the law of Moses will bow down to the angels who are in heaven;
and, in like manner, as they do not bow down to sun, moon, and stars, the host of
heaven, they refrain from doing obeisance to heaven and its angels, obeying the
law which declares: "Lest you lift up your eyes to heaven, and when you see the
sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to
worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has divided unto all
nations."
 Chapter 7
Having, moreover, assumed that the Jews consider the heaven to be God, he
adds that this is absurd; finding fault with those who bow down to the heaven,
but not also to the sun, and moon, and stars, saying that the Jews do this, as if it
were possible that "the whole" should be God, and its several parts not divine.
And he seems to call the heaven "a whole," and sun, moon, and stars its several
parts. Now, certainly neither Jews nor Christians call the "heaven" God. Let it be
granted, however, that, as he alleges, the heaven is called God by the Jews, and
suppose that sun, moon, and stars are parts of "heaven," — which is by no
means true, for neither are the animals and plants upon the earth any portion of it
—how is it true, even according to the opinions of the Greeks, that if God be a
whole, His parts also are divine? Certainly they say that the Cosmos taken as the
whole is God, the Stoics calling it the First God, the followers of Plato the
Second, and some of them the Third. According to these philosophers, then,
seeing the whole Cosmos is God, its parts also are divine; so that not only are
human beings divine, but the whole of the irrational creation, as being " portions
" of the Cosmos; and besides these, the plants also are divine. And if the rivers,
and mountains, and seas are portions of the Cosmos, then, since the whole
Cosmos is God, are the rivers and seas also gods? But even this the Greeks will
not assert. Those, however, who preside over rivers and seas (either demons or
gods, as they call them), they would term gods. Now from this it follows that the
general statement of Celsus, even according to the Greeks, who hold the doctrine
of Providence, is false, that if any "whole" be a god, its parts necessarily are
divine. But it follows from the doctrine of Celsus, that if the Cosmos be God, all
that is in it is divine, being parts of the Cosmos. Now, according to this view,
animals, as flies, and gnats, and worms, and every species of serpent, as well as
of birds and fishes, will be divine,— an assertion which would not be made even
by those who maintain that the Cosmos is God. But the Jews, who live according
to the law of Moses, although they may not know how to receive the secret
meaning of the law, which is conveyed in obscure language, will not maintain
that either the heaven or the angels are God.
 Chapter 8
As we allege, however, that he has fallen into confusion in consequence of
false notions which he has imbibed, come and let us point them out to the best of
our ability, and show that although Celsus considers it to be a Jewish custom to
bow down to the heaven and the angels in it, such a practice is not at all Jewish,
but is in violation of Judaism, as it also is to do obeisance to sun, moon, and
stars, as well as images. You will find at least in the book of Jeremiah the words
of God censuring by the mouth of the prophet the Jewish people for doing
obeisance to such objects, and for sacrificing to the queen of heaven, and to all
the host of heaven. The writings of the Christians, moreover, show, in censuring
the sins committed among the Jews, that when God abandoned that people on
account of certain sins, these sins (of idol-worship) also were committed by
them. For it is related in the Acts of the Apostles regarding the Jews, that "God
turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the
book of the prophets, O you house of Israel, have you offered to Me slain beasts
and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, you took up the
tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which you
made to worship them." And in the writings of Paul, who was carefully trained
in Jewish customs, and converted afterwards to Christianity by a miraculous
appearance of Jesus, the following words may be read in the Epistle to the
Colossians: "Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and
worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly
puffed up by his fleshly mind; and not holding the Head, from which all the body
by joint and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increases
with the increase of God." But Celsus, having neither read these verses, nor
having learned their contents from any other source, has represented, I know not
how, the Jews as not transgressing their law in bowing down to the heavens, and
to the angels therein.
 Chapter 9
And still continuing a little confused, and not taking care to see what was
relevant to the matter, he expressed his opinion that the Jews were induced by
the incantations employed in jugglery and sorcery (in consequence of which
certain phantoms appear, in obedience to the spells employed by the magicians)
to bow down to the angels in heaven, not observing that this was contrary to
their law, which said to them who practised such observances: "Regard not them
which have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I
am the Lord your God." He ought, therefore, either not to have at all attributed
this practice to the Jews, seeing he has observed that they keep their law, and has
called them "those who live according to their law;" or if he did attribute it, he
ought to have shown that the Jews did this in violation of their code. But again,
as they transgress their law who offer worship to those who are said to appear to
them who are involved in darkness and blinded by sorcery, and who dream
dreams, owing to obscure phantoms presenting themselves; so also do they
transgress the law who offer sacrifice to sun, moon, and stars. And there is thus
great inconsistency in the same individual saying that the Jews are careful to
keep their law by not bowing down to sun, and moon, and stars, while they are
not so careful to keep it in the matter of heaven and the angels.
 Chapter 10
And if it be necessary for us to offer a defence of our refusal to recognise as
gods, equally with angels, and sun, and moon, and stars, those who are called by
the Greeks "manifest and visible" divinities, we shall answer that the law of
Moses knows that these latter have been apportioned by God among all the
nations under the heaven, but not among those who were selected by God as His
chosen people above all the nations of the earth. For it is written in the book of
Deuteronomy: "And lest you lift up your eyes unto heaven, and when you see the
sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, should be driven to
worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has divided unto all
nations unto the whole heaven. But the Lord has taken us, and brought us forth
out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of
inheritance, as you are this day." The Hebrew people, then, being called by God
a "chosen generation, and a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, and a
purchased people," regarding whom it was foretold to Abraham by the voice of
the Lord addressed to him, "Look now towards heaven, and tell the stars, if you
are able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall your seed be;" and
having thus a hope that they would become as the stars of heaven, were not
likely to bow down to those objects which they were to resemble as a result of
their understanding and observing the law of God. For it was said to them: "The
Lord our God has multiplied us; and, behold, you are this day as the stars of
heaven for multitude." In the book of Daniel, also, the following prophecies are
found relating to those who are to share in the resurrection: "And at that time
your people shall be delivered, every one that has been written in the book. And
many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament, and (those) of the many righteous as
the stars for ever and ever," etc. And hence Paul, too, when speaking of the
resurrection, says: "And there are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial:
but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory
of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the
resurrection of the dead." It was not therefore consonant to reason that those
who had been taught sublimely to ascend above all created things, and to hope
for the enjoyment of the most glorious rewards with God on account of their
virtuous lives, and who had heard the words, "You are the light of the world,"
and, "Let your light so shine before men, that they, seeing your good works, may
glorify your Father who is in heaven," and who possessed through practice this
brilliant and unfading wisdom, or who had secured even the "very reflection of
everlasting light," should be so impressed with the (mere) visible light of sun,
and moon, and stars, that, on account of that sensible light of theirs, they should
deem themselves (although possessed of so great a rational light of knowledge,
and of the true light, and the light of the world, and the light of men) to be
somehow inferior to them, and to bow down to them; seeing they ought to be
worshipped, if they are to receive worship at all, not for the sake of the sensible
light which is admired by the multitude, but because of the rational and true
light, if indeed the stars in heaven are rational and virtuous beings, and have
been illuminated with the light of knowledge by that wisdom which is the
"reflection of everlasting light." For that sensible light of theirs is the work of the
Creator of all things, while that rational light is derived perhaps from the
principle of free-will within them.
 Chapter 11
But even this rational light itself ought not to be worshipped by him who
beholds and understands the true light, by sharing in which these also are
enlightened; nor by him who beholds God, the Father of the true light—of whom
it has been said, "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." Those,
indeed, who worship sun, moon, and stars because their light is visible and
celestial, would not bow down to a spark of fire or a lamp upon earth, because
they see the incomparable superiority of those objects which are deemed worthy
of homage to the light of sparks and lamps. So those who understand that God is
light, and who have apprehended that the Son of God is "the true light which
lights every man that comes into the world," and who comprehend also how He
says, "I am the light of the world," would not rationally offer worship to that
which is, as it were, a spark in sun, moon, and stars, in comparison with God,
who is light of the true light. Nor is it with a view to depreciate these great works
of God's creative power, or to call them, after the fashion of Anaxagoras, "fiery
masses," that we thus speak of sun, and moon, and stars; but because we
perceive the inexpressible superiority of the divinity of God, and that of His
only-begotten Son, which surpasses all other things. And being persuaded that
the sun himself, and moon, and stars pray to the Supreme God through His only-
begotten Son, we judge it improper to pray to those beings who themselves offer
up prayers (to God), seeing even they themselves would prefer that we should
send up our requests to the God to whom they pray, rather than send them
downwards to themselves, or apportion our power of prayer between God and
them. And here I may employ this illustration, as bearing upon this point: Our
Lord and Saviour, hearing Himself on one occasion addressed as "Good
Master," referring him who used it to His own Father, said, "Why do you call Me
good? There is none good but one, that is, God the Father." [ Matthew 19:17 ]
And since it was in accordance with sound reason that this should be said by the
Son of His Father's love, as being the image of the goodness of God, why should
not the sun say with greater reason to those that bow down to him, Why do you
worship me? "for you will worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you
serve;" for it is He whom I and all who are with me serve and worship. And
although one may not be so exalted (as the sun), nevertheless let such an one
pray to the Word of God (who is able to heal him), and still more to His Father,
who also to the righteous of former times "sent His word, and healed them, and
delivered them from their destructions."
 Chapter 12
God accordingly, in His kindness, condescends to mankind, not in any local
sense, but through His providence; while the Son of God, not only (when on
earth), but at all times, is with His own disciples, fulfilling the promise, "Lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the world." And if a branch cannot bear
fruit except it abide in the vine, it is evident that the disciples also of the Word,
who are the rational branches of the Word's true vine, cannot produce the fruits
of virtue unless they abide in the true vine, the Christ of God, who is with us
locally here below upon the earth, and who is with those who cleave to Him in
all parts of the world, and is also in all places with those who do not know Him.
Another is made manifest by that John who wrote the Gospel, when, speaking in
the person of John the Baptist, he said, "There stands one among you whom you
know not; He it is who comes after me." And it is absurd, when He who fills
heaven and earth, and who said, "Do I not fill heaven and earth? Says the Lord,"
is with us, and near us (for I believe Him when He says, "I am a God near at
hand, and not afar off, says the Lord" ) to seek to pray to sun or moon, or one of
the stars, whose influence does not reach the whole of the world. But, to use the
very words of Celsus, let it be granted that "the sun, moon, and stars do foretell
rain, and heat, and clouds, and thunders," why, then, if they really do foretell
such great things, ought we not rather to do homage to God, whose servant they
are in uttering these predictions, and show reverence to Him rather than His
prophets ? Let them predict, then, the approach of lightnings, and fruits, and all
manner of productions, and let all such things be under their administration; yet
we shall not on that account worship those who themselves offer worship, as we
do not worship even Moses, and those prophets who came from God after him,
and who predicted better things than rain, and heat, and clouds, and thunders,
and lightnings, and fruits, and all sorts of productions visible to the senses. Nay,
even if sun, and moon, and stars were able to prophesy better things than rain,
not even then shall we worship them , but the Father of the prophecies which are
in them, and the Word of God, their minister. But grant that they are His heralds,
and truly messengers of heaven, why, even then ought we not to worship the
God whom they only proclaim and announce, rather than those who are the
heralds and messengers ?
 Chapter 13
Celsus, moreover, assumes that sun, and moon, and stars are regarded by us
as of no account. Now, with regard to these, we acknowledge that they too are
"waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God," being for the present
subjected to the "vanity" of their material bodies, "by reason of Him who has
subjected the same in hope." But if Celsus had read the innumerable other
passages where we speak of sun, moon, and stars, and especially these— "Praise
Him, all you stars, and you, O light," and, "Praise Him, you heaven of heavens,"
— he would not have said of us that we regard such mighty beings, which
"greatly praise" the Lord God, as of no account. Nor did Celsus know the
passage: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation
of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly,
but by reason of Him who has subjected the same in hope; because the creature
itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious
liberty of the children of God." And with these words let us terminate our
defence against the charge of not worshipping sun, moon, and stars. And let us
now bring forward those statements of his which follow, that we may, God
willing, address to him in reply such arguments as shall be suggested by the light
of truth.
 Chapter 14
The following, then, are his words: "It is folly on their part to suppose that
when God, as if He were a cook, introduces the fire (which is to consume the
world), all the rest of the human race will be burnt up, while they alone will
remain, not only such of them as are then alive, but also those who are long
since dead, which latter will arise from the earth clothed with the self-same flesh
(as during life); for such a hope is simply one which might be cherished by
worms. For what sort of human soul is that which would still long for a body
that had been subject to corruption? Whence, also, this opinion of yours is not
shared by some of the Christians, and they pronounce it to be exceedingly vile,
and loathsome, and impossible; for what kind of body is that which, after being
completely corrupted, can return to its original nature, and to that self-same first
condition out of which it fell into dissolution? Being unable to return any
answer, they betake themselves to a most absurd refuge, viz., that all things are
possible to God. And yet God cannot do things that are disgraceful, nor does He
wish to do things that are contrary to His nature; nor, if (in accordance with the
wickedness of your own heart) you desired anything that was evil, would God
accomplish it; nor must you believe at once that it will be done. For God does
not rule the world in order to satisfy inordinate desires, or to allow disorder and
confusion, but to govern a nature that is upright and just. For the soul , indeed,
He might be able to provide an everlasting life; while dead bodies , on the
contrary, are, as Heraclitus observes, more worthless than dung. God, however,
neither can nor will declare, contrary to all reason, that the flesh, which is full of
those things which it is not even honourable to mention, is to exist for ever. For
He is the reason of all things that exist, and therefore can do nothing either
contrary to reason or contrary to Himself."
 Chapter 15
Observe, now, here at the very beginning, how, in ridiculing the doctrine of
a conflagration of the world, held by certain of the Greeks who have treated the
subject in a philosophic spirit not to be depreciated, he would make us,
"representing God, as it were, as a cook, hold the belief in a general
conflagration;" not perceiving that, as certain Greeks were of opinion (perhaps
having received their information from the ancient nation of the Hebrews), it is a
purificatory fire which is brought upon the world, and probably also on each one
of those who stand in need of chastisement by the fire and healing at the same
time, seeing it burns indeed, but does not consume , those who are without a
material body, which needs to be consumed by that fire, and which burns and
consumes those who by their actions, words, and thoughts have built up wood,
or hay, or stubble, in that which is figuratively termed a "building." And the holy
Scriptures say that the Lord will, like a refiner's fire and fullers' soap, visit each
one of those who require purification, because of the intermingling in them of a
flood of wicked matter proceeding from their evil nature; who need fire, I mean,
to refine, as it were, (the dross of) those who are intermingled with copper, and
tin, and lead. And he who likes may learn this from the prophet Ezekiel. But that
we say that God brings fire upon the world, not like a cook, but like a God, who
is the benefactor of them who stand in need of the discipline of fire, will be
testified by the prophet Isaiah, in whose writings it is related that a sinful nation
was thus addressed: "Because you have coals of fire, sit upon them: they shall be
to you a help." Now the Scripture is appropriately adapted to the multitudes of
those who are to peruse it, because it speaks obscurely of things that are sad and
gloomy, in order to terrify those who cannot by any other means be saved from
the flood of their sins, although even then the attentive reader will clearly
discover the end that is to be accomplished by these sad and painful punishments
upon those who endure them. It is sufficient, however, for the present to quote
the words of Isaiah: "For My name's sake will I show Mine anger, and My glory
I will bring upon you, that I may not destroy you." We have thus been under the
necessity of referring in obscure terms to questions not fitted to the capacity of
simple believers, who require a simpler instruction in words, that we might not
appear to leave unrefuted the accusation of Celsus, that "God introduces the fire
(which is to destroy the world), as if He were a cook."
 Chapter 16
From what has been said, it will be manifest to intelligent hearers how we
have to answer the following: "All the rest of the race will be completely burnt
up, and they alone will remain." It is not to be wondered at, indeed, if such
thoughts have been entertained by those among us who are called in Scripture
the "foolish things" of the world, and "base things," and "things which are
despised," and "things which are not," because "by the foolishness of preaching
it pleased God to save them that believe in Him, after that, in the wisdom of God,
the world by wisdom knew not God," — because such individuals are unable to
see distinctly the sense of each particular passage, or unwilling to devote the
necessary leisure to the investigation of Scripture, notwithstanding the injunction
of Jesus, "Search the Scriptures." The following, moreover, are his ideas
regarding the fire which is to be brought upon the world by God, and the
punishments which are to befall sinners. And perhaps, as it is appropriate to
children that some things should be addressed to them in a manner befitting their
infantile condition, to convert them, as being of very tender age, to a better
course of life; so, to those whom the word terms "the foolish things of the
world," and "the base," and "the despised," the just and obvious meaning of the
passages relating to punishments is suitable, inasmuch as they cannot receive
any other mode of conversion than that which is by fear and the presentation of
punishment, and thus be saved from the many evils (which would befall them).
The Scripture accordingly declares that only those who are unscathed by the fire
and the punishments are to remain—those, viz., whose opinions, and morals, and
mind have been purified to the highest degree; while, on the other hand, those of
a different nature— those, viz., who, according to their deserts, require the
administration of punishment by fire— will be involved in these sufferings with
a view to an end which it is suitable for God to bring upon those who have been
created in His image, but who have lived in opposition to the will of that nature
which is according to His image. And this is our answer to the statement, "All
the rest of the race will be completely burnt up, but they alone are to remain."
 Chapter 17
Then, in the next place, having either himself misunderstood the sacred
Scriptures, or those (interpreters) by whom they were not understood, he
proceeds to assert that "it is said by us that there will remain at the time of the
visitation which is to come upon the world by the fire of purification, not only
those who are then alive, but also those who are long ago dead;" not observing
that it is with a secret kind of wisdom that it was said by the apostle of Jesus:
"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead
shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." Now he ought to have
noticed what was the meaning of him who uttered these words, as being one who
was by no means dead, who made a distinction between himself and those like
him and the dead, and who said afterwards, "The dead shall be raised
incorruptible," and "we shall be changed." And as a proof that such was the
apostle's meaning in writing those words which I have quoted from the first
Epistle to the Corinthians, I will quote also from the first to the Thessalonians, in
which Paul, as one who is alive and awake, and different from those who are
asleep, speaks as follows: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent
them who are asleep; for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." Then, again,
after this, knowing that there were others dead in Christ besides himself and such
as he, he subjoins the words, "The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we who
are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air."
 Chapter 18
But since he has ridiculed at great length the doctrine of the resurrection of
the flesh, which has been preached in the Churches, and which is more clearly
understood by the more intelligent believer; and as it is unnecessary again to
quote his words, which have been already adduced, let us, with regard to the
problem (as in an apologetic work directed against an alien from the faith, and
for the sake of those who are still "children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive" ), state and establish to the best of our ability
a few points expressly intended for our readers. Neither we, then, nor the holy
Scriptures, assert that with the same bodies, without a change to a higher
condition, "shall those who were long dead arise from the earth and live again;"
for in so speaking, Celsus makes a false charge against us. For we may listen to
many passages of Scripture treating of the resurrection in a manner worthy of
God, although it may suffice for the present to quote the language of Paul from
the first Epistle to the Corinthians, where he says: "But some man will say, How
are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? You fool, that which
you sow is not quickened, except it die. And that which you sow, you sow not that
body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other
grain; but God gives it a body as it has pleased Him, and to every seed his own
body." Now, observe how in these words he says that there is sown, "not that
body that shall be;" but that of the body which is sown and cast naked into the
earth (God giving to each seed its own body), there takes place as it were a
resurrection: from the seed that was cast into the ground there arising a stalk,
e.g., among such plants as the following, viz., the mustard plant, or of a larger
tree, as in the olive, or one of the fruit-trees.
 Chapter 19
God, then, gives to each thing its own body as He pleases: as in the case of
plants that are sown, so also in the case of those beings who are, as it were, sown
in dying, and who in due time receive, out of what has been "sown," the body
assigned by God to each one according to his deserts. And we may hear,
moreover, the Scripture teaching us at great length the difference between that
which is, as it were, "sown," and that which is, as it were, "raised" from it in
these words: "It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in
dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is
sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." And let him who has the
capacity understand the meaning of the words: "As is the earthy, such are they
also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of
the heavenly." And although the apostle wished to conceal the secret meaning of
the passage, which was not adapted to the simpler class of believers, and to the
understanding of the common people, who are led by their faith to enter on a
better course of life, he was nevertheless obliged afterwards to say (in order that
we might not misapprehend his meaning), after "Let us bear the image of the
heavenly," these words also: "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit
incorruption." Then, knowing that there was a secret and mystical meaning in
the passage, as was becoming in one who was leaving, in his Epistles, to those
who were to come after him words full of significance, he subjoins the
following, "Behold, I show you a mystery;" which is his usual style in
introducing matters of a profounder and more mystical nature, and such as are
fittingly concealed from the multitude, as is written in the book of Tobit: "It is
good to keep close the secret of a king, but honourable to reveal the works of
God," — in a way consistent with truth and God's glory, and so as to be to the
advantage of the multitude. Our hope, then, is not "the hope of worms, nor does
our soul long for a body that has seen corruption;" for although it may require a
body, for the sake of moving from place to place, yet it understands— as having
meditated on the wisdom (that is from above), agreeably to the declaration, "The
mouth of the righteous will speak wisdom" — the difference between the
"earthly house," in which is the tabernacle of the building that is to be dissolved,
and that in which the righteous do groan, being burdened—not wishing to "put
off" the tabernacle, but to be "clothed therewith," that by being clothed upon,
mortality might be swallowed up of life. For, in virtue of the whole nature of the
body being corruptible, the corruptible tabernacle must put on incorruption; and
its other part, being mortal, and becoming liable to the death which follows sin,
must put on immortality, in order that, when the corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and the mortal immortality, then shall come to pass what was
predicted of old by the prophets—the annihilation of the "victory" of death
(because it had conquered and subjected us to his sway), and of its "sting," with
which it stings the imperfectly defended soul, and inflicts upon it the wounds
which result from sin.
 Chapter 20
But since our views regarding the resurrection have, as far as time would
permit, been stated in part on the present occasion (for we have systematically
examined the subject in greater detail in other parts of our writings); and as now
we must by means of sound reasoning refute the fallacies of Celsus, who neither
understands the meaning of our Scripture, nor has the capacity of judging that
the meaning of our wise men is not to be determined by those individuals who
make no profession of anything more than of a (simple) faith in the Christian
system, let us show that men, not to be lightly esteemed on account of their
reasoning powers and dialectic subtleties, have given expression to very absurd
opinions. And if we must sneer at them as contemptible old wives' fables, it is at
them rather than at our narrative that we must sneer. The disciples of the Porch
assert, that after a period of years there will be a conflagration of the world, and
after that an arrangement of things in which everything will be unchanged, as
compared with the former arrangement of the world. Those of them, however,
who evinced their respect for this doctrine have said that there will be a change,
although exceedingly slight, at the end of the cycle, from what prevailed during
the preceding. And these men maintain, that in the succeeding cycle the same
things will occur, and Socrates will be again the son of Sophroniscus, and a
native of Athens; and Phænarete, being married to Sophroniscus, will again
become his mother. And although they do not mention the word "resurrection,"
they show in reality that Socrates, who derived his origin from seed, will spring
from that of Sophroniscus, and will be fashioned in the womb of Phænarete; and
being brought up at Athens, will practise the study of philosophy, as if his
former philosophy had arisen again, and were to be in no respect different from
what it was before. Anytus and Melitus, too, will arise again as accusers of
Socrates, and the Council of Areopagus will condemn him to death! But what is
more ridiculous still, is that Socrates will clothe himself with garments not at all
different from those which he wore during the former cycle, and will live in the
same unchanged state of poverty, and in the same unchanged city of Athens!
And Phalaris will again play the tyrant, and his brazen bull will pour forth its
bellowings from the voices of victims within, unchanged from those who were
condemned in the former cycle! And Alexander of Pheræ, too, will again act the
tyrant with a cruelty unaltered from the former time, and will condemn to death
the same "unchanged" individuals as before. But what need is there to go into
detail upon the doctrine held by the Stoic philosophers on such things, and which
escapes the ridicule of Celsus, and is perhaps even venerated by him, since he
regards Zeno as a wiser man than Jesus?
 Chapter 21
The disciples of Pythagoras, too, and of Plato, although they appear to hold
the incorruptibility of the world, yet fall into similar errors. For as the planets,
after certain definite cycles, assume the same positions, and hold the same
relations to one another, all things on earth will, they assert, be like what they
were at the time when the same state of planetary relations existed in the world.
From this view it necessarily follows, that when, after the lapse of a lengthened
cycle, the planets come to occupy towards each other the same relations which
they occupied in the time of Socrates, Socrates will again be born of the same
parents, and suffer the same treatment, being accused by Anytus and Melitus,
and condemned by the Council of Areopagus! The learned among the Egyptians,
moreover, hold similar views, and yet they are treated with respect, and do not
incur the ridicule of Celsus and such as he; while we, who maintain that all
things are administered by God in proportion to the relation of the free-will of
each individual, and are ever being brought into a better condition, so far as they
admit of being so, and who know that the nature of our free-will admits of the
occurrence of contingent events (for it is incapable of receiving the wholly
unchangeable character of God), yet do not appear to say anything worthy of a
testing examination.
 Chapter 22
Let no one, however, suspect that, in speaking as we do, we belong to those
who are indeed called Christians, but who set aside the doctrine of the
resurrection as it is taught in Scripture. For these persons cannot, so far as their
principles apply, at all establish that the stalk or tree which springs up comes
from the grain of wheat, or anything else (which was cast into the ground);
whereas we, who believe that that which is "sown" is not "quickened" unless it
die, and that there is sown not that body that shall be (for God gives it a body as
it pleases Him, raising it in incorruption after it is sown in corruption; and after it
is sown in dishonour, raising it in glory; and after it is sown in weakness, raising
it in power; and after it is sown a natural body, raising it a spiritual),— we
preserve both the doctrine of the Church of Christ and the grandeur of the divine
promise, proving also the possibility of its accomplishment not by mere
assertion, but by arguments; knowing that although heaven and earth, and the
things that are in them, may pass away, yet His words regarding each individual
thing, being, as parts of a whole, or species of a genus, the utterances of Him
who was God the Word, who was in the beginning with God, shall by no means
pass away. For we desire to listen to Him who said: "Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but My words shall not pass away."
 Chapter 23
We, therefore, do not maintain that the body which has undergone
corruption resumes its original nature, any more than the grain of wheat which
has decayed returns to its former condition. But we do maintain, that as above
the grain of wheat there arises a stalk, so a certain power is implanted in the
body, which is not destroyed, and from which the body is raised up in
incorruption. The philosophers of the Porch, however, in consequence of the
opinions which they hold regarding the unchangeableness of things after a
certain cycle, assert that the body, after undergoing complete corruption, will
return to its original condition, and will again assume that first nature from
which it passed into a state of dissolution, establishing these points, as they
think, by irresistible arguments. We, however, do not betake ourselves to a most
absurd refuge, saying that with God all things are possible; for we know how to
understand this word "all" as not referring either to things that are "non-existent"
or that are inconceivable. But we maintain, at the same time, that God cannot do
what is disgraceful, since then He would be capable of ceasing to be God; for if
He do anything that is disgraceful, He is not God. Since, however, he lays it
down as a principle, that "God does not desire what is contrary to nature," we
have to make a distinction, and say that if any one asserts that wickedness is
contrary to nature, while we maintain that "God does not desire what is contrary
to nature," — either what springs from wickedness or from an irrational
principle—yet, if such things happen according to the word and will of God, we
must at once necessarily hold that they are not contrary to nature. Therefore
things which are done by God, although they may be, or may appear to some to
be incredible, are not contrary to nature. And if we must press the force of
words, we would say that, in comparison with what is generally understood as
"nature," there are certain things which are beyond its power, which God could
at any time do; as, e.g., in raising man above the level of human nature, and
causing him to pass into a better and more divine condition, and preserving him
in the same, so long as he who is the object of His care shows by his actions that
he desires (the continuance of His help).
 Chapter 24
Moreover, as we have already said that for God to desire anything
unbecoming Himself would be destructive of His existence as Deity, we will add
that if man, agreeably to the wickedness of his nature, should desire anything
that is abominable, God cannot grant it. And now it is from no spirit of
contention that we answer the assertions of Celsus; but it is in the spirit of truth
that we investigate them, as assenting to his view that "He is the God, not of
inordinate desires, nor of error and disorder, but of a nature just and upright,"
because He is the source of all that is good. And that He is able to provide an
eternal life for the soul we acknowledge; and that He possesses not only the
"power," but the "will." In view, therefore, of these considerations, we are not at
all distressed by the assertion of Heraclitus, adopted by Celsus, that "dead bodies
are to be cast out as more worthless than dung;" and yet, with reference even to
this, one might say that dung, indeed, ought to be cast out, while the dead bodies
of men, on account of the soul by which they were inhabited, especially if it had
been virtuous, ought not to be cast out. For, in harmony with those laws which
are based upon the principles of equity, bodies are deemed worthy of sepulture,
with the honours accorded on such occasions, that no insult, so far as can be
helped, may be offered to the soul which dwelt within, by casting forth the body
(after the soul has departed) like that of the animals. Let it not then be held,
contrary to reason, that it is the will of God to declare that the grain of wheat is
not immortal, but the stalk which springs from it, while the body which is sown
in corruption is not, but that which is raised by Him in incorruption. But
according to Celsus, God Himself is the reason of all things, while according to
our view it is His Son, of whom we say in philosophic language, "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;"
while in our judgment also, God cannot do anything which is contrary to reason,
or contrary to Himself.
 Chapter 25
Let us next notice the statements of Celsus, which follow the preceding, and
which are as follow: "As the Jews, then, became a peculiar people, and enacted
laws in keeping with the customs of their country, and maintain them up to the
present time, and observe a mode of worship which, whatever be its nature, is
yet derived from their fathers, they act in these respects like other men, because
each nation retains its ancestral customs, whatever they are, if they happen to be
established among them. And such an arrangement appears to be advantageous,
not only because it has occurred to the mind of other nations to decide some
things differently, but also because it is a duty to protect what has been
established for the public advantage; and also because, in all probability, the
various quarters of the earth were from the beginning allotted to different
superintending spirits, and were thus distributed among certain governing
powers, and in this manner the administration of the world is carried on. And
whatever is done among each nation in this way would be rightly done, wherever
it was agreeable to the wishes (of the superintending powers), while it would be
an act of impiety to get rid of the institutions established from the beginning in
the various places." By these words Celsus shows that the Jews, who were
formerly Egyptians, subsequently became a "peculiar people," and enacted laws
which they carefully preserve. And not to repeat his statements, which have been
already before us, he says that it is advantageous to the Jews to observe their
ancestral worship, as other nations carefully attend to theirs. And he further
states a deeper reason why it is of advantage to the Jews to cultivate their
ancestral customs, in hinting dimly that those to whom was allotted the office of
superintending the country which was being legislated for, enacted the laws of
each land in co-operation with its legislators. He appears, then, to indicate that
both the country of the Jews, and the nation which inhabits it, are superintended
by one or more beings, who, whether they were one or more, co-operated with
Moses, and enacted the laws of the Jews.
 Chapter 26
"We must," he says, "observe the laws, not only because it has occurred to
the mind of others to decide some things differently, but because it is a duty to
protect what has been enacted for the public advantage, and also because, in all
probability, the various quarters of the earth were from the beginning allotted to
different superintending spirits, and were distributed among certain governing
powers, and in this manner the administration of the world is carried on." Thus
Celsus, as if he had forgotten what he had said against the Jews, now includes
them in the general eulogy which he passes upon all who observe their ancestral
customs, remarking: "And whatever is done among each nation in this way,
would be rightly done whenever agreeable to the wishes (of the
superintendents)." And observe here, whether he does not openly, so far as he
can, express a wish that the Jew should live in the observance of his own laws,
and not depart from them, because he would commit an act of impiety if he
apostatized; for his words are: "It would be an act of impiety to get rid of the
institutions established from the beginning in the various places." Now I should
like to ask him, and those who entertain his views, who it was that distributed
the various quarters of the earth from the beginning among the different
superintending spirits; and especially, who gave the country of the Jews, and the
Jewish people themselves, to the one or more superintendents to whom it was
allotted? Was it, as Celsus would say, Jupiter who assigned the Jewish people
and their country to a certain spirit or spirits? And was it his wish, to whom they
were thus assigned, to enact among them the laws which prevail, or was it
against his will that it was done? You will observe that, whatever be his answer,
he is in a strait. But if the various quarters of the earth were not allotted by some
one being to the various superintending spirits, then each one at random, and
without the superintendence of a higher power, divided the earth according to
chance; and yet such a view is absurd, and destructive in no small degree of the
providence of the God who presides over all things.
 Chapter 27
Any one, indeed, who chooses, may relate how the various quarters of the
earth, being distributed among certain governing powers, are administered by
those who superintend them; but let him tell us also how what is done among
each nation is done rightly when agreeable to the wishes of the superintendents.
Let him, for example, tell us whether the laws of the Scythians, which permit the
murder of parents, are right laws; or those of the Persians, which do not forbid
the marriages of sons with their mothers, or of daughters with their own fathers.
But what need is there for me to make selections from those who have been
engaged in the business of enacting laws among the different nations, and to
inquire how the laws are rightly enacted among each, according as they please
the superintending powers? Let Celsus, however, tell us how it would be an act
of impiety to get rid of those ancestral laws which permit the marriages of
mothers and daughters; or which pronounce a man happy who puts an end to his
life by hanging, or declare that they undergo entire purification who deliver
themselves over to the fire, and who terminate their existence by fire; and how it
is an act of impiety to do away with those laws which, for example, prevail in
the Tauric Chersonese, regarding the offering up of strangers in sacrifice to
Diana, or among certain of the Libyan tribes regarding the sacrifice of children
to Saturn. Moreover, this inference follows from the dictum of Celsus, that it is
an act of impiety on the part of the Jews to do away with those ancestral laws
which forbid the worship of any other deity than the Creator of all things. And it
will follow, according to his view, that piety is not divine by its own nature, but
by a certain (external) arrangement and appointment. For it is an act of piety
among certain tribes to worship a crocodile, and to eat what is an object of
adoration among other tribes; while, again, with others it is a pious act to
worship a calf, and among others, again, to regard the goat as a god. And, in this
way, the same individual will be regarded as acting piously according to one set
of laws, and impiously according to another; and this is the most absurd result
of laws, and impiously according to another; and this is the most absurd result
that can be conceived!
 Chapter 28
It is probable, however, that to such remarks as the above, the answer
returned would be, that he was pious who kept the laws of his own country, and
not at all chargeable with impiety for the non-observance of those of other lands;
and that, again, he who was deemed guilty of impiety among certain nations was
not really so, when he worshipped his own gods, agreeably to his country's laws,
although he made war against, and even feasted on, those who were regarded as
divinities among those nations which possessed laws of an opposite kind. Now,
observe here whether these statements do not exhibit the greatest confusion of
mind regarding the nature of what is just, and holy, and religious; since there is
no accurate definition laid down of these things, nor are they described as having
a peculiar character of their own, and stamping as religious those who act
according to their injunctions. If, then, religion, and piety, and righteousness
belong to those things which are so only by comparison, so that the same act
may be both pious and impious, according to different relations and different
laws, see whether it will not follow that temperance also is a thing of
comparison, and courage as well, and prudence, and the other virtues, than
which nothing could be more absurd! What we have said, however, is sufficient
for the more general and simple class of answers to the allegations of Celsus.
But as we think it likely that some of those who are accustomed to deeper
investigation will fall in with this treatise, let us venture to lay down some
considerations of a profounder kind, conveying a mystical and secret view
respecting the original distribution of the various quarters of the earth among
different superintending spirits; and let us prove to the best of our ability, that
our doctrine is free from the absurd consequences enumerated above.
 Chapter 29
It appears to me, indeed, that Celsus has misunderstood some of the deeper
reasons relating to the arrangement of terrestrial affairs, some of which are
touched upon even in Grecian history, when certain of those who are considered
to be gods are introduced as having contended with each other about the
possession of Attica; while in the writings of the Greek poets also, some who are
called gods are represented as acknowledging that certain places here are
preferred by them before others. The history of barbarian nations, moreover, and
especially that of Egypt, contains some such allusions to the division of the so-
called Egyptian homes, when it states that Athena, who obtained Saïs by lot, is
the same who also has possession of Attica. And the learned among the
Egyptians can enumerate innumerable instances of this kind, although I do not
know whether they include the Jews and their country in this division. And now,
so far as testimonies outside the word of God bearing on this point are
concerned, enough have been adduced for the present. We say, moreover, that
our prophet of God and His genuine servant Moses, in his song in the book of
Deuteronomy, makes a statement regarding the portioning out of the earth in the
following terms: "When the Most High divided the nations, when He dispersed
the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of
the angels of God; and the portion was His people Jacob, and Israel the cord of
His inheritance." And regarding the distribution of the nations, the same Moses,
in his work entitled Genesis, thus expresses himself in the style of a historical
narrative: "And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech; and it
came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land
of Shinar, and they dwelt there." A little further on he continues: "And the Lord
came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men had built.
And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language;
and this they have begun to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them
which they have imagined to do. Go to, let Us go down, and there confound their
language, that they may not understand one another's speech. And the Lord
scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left
off to build the city and the tower. Therefore is the name of it called Confusion;
because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from
thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." In the
treatise of Solomon, moreover, on "Wisdom," and on the events at the time of the
confusion of languages, when the division of the earth took place, we find the
following regarding Wisdom: "Moreover, the nations in their wicked conspiracy
being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless
unto God, and kept him strong in his tender compassion towards his son." [
Wisdom 10:5 ] But on these subjects much, and that of a mystical kind, might be
said; in keeping with which is the following: "It is good to keep close the secret
of a king," — in order that the doctrine of the entrance of souls into bodies (not,
however, that of the transmigration from one body into another) may not be
thrown before the common understanding, nor what is holy given to the dogs,
nor pearls be cast before swine. For such a procedure would be impious, being
equivalent to a betrayal of the mysterious declarations of God's wisdom, of
which it has been well said: "Into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter, nor
dwell in a body subject to sin." [ Wisdom 1:4 ] It is sufficient, however, to
represent in the style of a historic narrative what is intended to convey a secret
meaning in the garb of history, that those who have the capacity may work out
for themselves all that relates to the subject. (The narrative, then, may be
understood as follows.)
 Chapter 30
All the people upon the earth are to be regarded as having used one divine
language, and so long as they lived harmoniously together were preserved in the
use of this divine language, and they remained without moving from the east so
long as they were imbued with the sentiments of the "light," and of the
"reflection" of the eternal light. But when they departed from the east, and began
to entertain sentiments alien to those of the east, they found a place in the land of
Shinar (which, when interpreted, means "gnashing of teeth," by way of
indicating symbolically that they had lost the means of their support), and in it
they took up their abode. Then, desiring to gather together material things, and to
join to heaven what had no natural affinity for it, that by means of material
things they might conspire against such as were immaterial, they said, "Come, let
us made bricks, and burn them with fire." Accordingly, when they had hardened
and compacted these materials of clay and matter, and had shown their desire to
make brick into stone, and clay into bitumen, and by these means to build a city
and a tower, the head of which was, at least in their conception, to reach up to
the heavens, after the manner of the "high things which exalt themselves against
the knowledge of God," each one was handed over (in proportion to the greater
or less departure from the east which had taken place among them, and in
proportion to the extent in which bricks had been converted into stones, and clay
into bitumen, and building carried on out of these materials) to angels of
character more or less severe, and of a nature more or less stern, until they had
paid the penalty of their daring deeds; and they were conducted by those angels,
who imprinted on each his native language, to the different parts of the earth
according to their deserts: some, for example, to a region of burning heat, others
to a country which chastises its inhabitants by its cold; others, again, to a land
exceedingly difficult of cultivation, others to one less so in degree; while a fifth
were brought into a land filled with wild beasts, and a sixth to a country
comparatively free of these.
 Chapter 31
Now, in the next place, if any one has the capacity, let him understand that
in what assumes the form of history, and which contains some things that are
literally true, while yet it conveys a deeper meaning, those who preserved their
original language continued, by reason of their not having migrated from the
east, in possession of the east, and of their eastern language. And let him notice,
that these alone became the portion of the Lord, and His people who were called
Jacob, and Israel the cord of His inheritance; and these alone were governed by a
ruler who did not receive those who were placed under him for the purpose of
punishment, as was the case with the others. Let him also, who has the capacity
to perceive as far as mortals may, observe that in the body politic of those who
were assigned to the Lord as His pre-eminent portion, sins were committed, first
of all, such as might be forgiven, and of such a nature as not to make the sinner
worthy of entire desertion while subsequently they became more numerous
though still of a nature to be pardoned. And while remarking that this state of
matters continued for a considerable time, and that a remedy was always applied,
and that after certain intervals these persons returned to their duty, let him notice
that they were given over, in proportion to their transgressions, to those to whom
had been assigned the other quarters of the earth; and that, after being at first
slightly punished, and having made atonement, they returned, as if they had
undergone discipline, to their proper habitations. Let him notice also that
afterwards they were delivered over to rulers of a severer character— to
Assyrians and Babylonians, as the Scriptures would call them. In the next place,
notwithstanding that means of healing were being applied, let him observe that
they were still multiplying their transgressions, and that they were on that
account dispersed into other regions by the rulers of the nations that oppressed
them. And their own ruler intentionally overlooked their oppression at the hands
of the rulers of the other nations, in order that he also with good reason, as
avenging himself, having obtained power to tear away from the other nations as
avenging himself, having obtained power to tear away from the other nations as
many as he can, may do so, and enact for them laws, and point out a manner of
life agreeably to which they ought to live, that so he may conduct them to the
end to which those of the former people were conducted who did not commit
sin.
 Chapter 32
And by this means let those who have the capacity of comprehending truths
so profound, learn that he to whom were allotted those who had not formerly
sinned is far more powerful than the others, since he has been able to make a
selection of individuals from the portion of the whole, and to separate them from
those who received them for the purpose of punishment, and to bring them under
the influence of laws, and of a mode of life which helps to produce an oblivion
of their former transgressions. But, as we have previously observed, these
remarks are to be understood as being made by us with a concealed meaning, by
way of pointing out the mistakes of those who asserted that "the various quarters
of the earth were from the beginning distributed among different superintending
spirits, and being allotted among certain governing powers, were administered
in this way;" from which statement Celsus took occasion to make the remarks
referred to. But since those who wandered away from the east were delivered
over, on account of their sins, to "a reprobate mind," and to "vile affections," and
to "uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts," in order that, being sated
with sin, they might hate it, we shall refuse our assent to the assertion of Celsus,
that "because of the superintending spirits distributed among the different parts
of the earth, what is done among each nation is rightly done;" for our desire is to
do what is not agreeable to these spirits. For we see that it is a religious act to do
away with the customs originally established in the various places by means of
laws of a better and more divine character, which were enacted by Jesus, as one
possessed of the greatest power, who has rescued us "from the present evil
world," and "from the princes of the world that come to nought;" and that it is a
mark of irreligion not to throw ourselves at the feet of Him who has manifested
Himself to be holier and more powerful than all other rulers, and to whom God
said, as the prophets many generations before predicted: "Ask of Me, and I shall
give You the heathen for Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
for Your possession." For He, too, has become the "expectation" of us who from
among the heathen have believed upon Him, and upon His Father, who is God
over all things.
 Chapter 33
The remarks which we have made not only answer the statements of Celsus
regarding the superintending spirits, but anticipate in some measure what he
afterwards brings forward, when he says: "Let the second party come forward;
and I shall ask them whence they come, and whom they regard as the originator
of their ancestral customs. They will reply, No one, because they spring from the
same source as the Jews themselves, and derive their instruction and
superintendence from no other quarter, and notwithstanding they have revolted
from the Jews." Each one of us, then, has come "in the last days," when one
Jesus has visited us, to the "visible mountain of the Lord," the Word that is above
every word, and to the "house of God," which is "the Church of the living God,
the pillar and ground of the truth." And we notice how it is built upon "the tops
of the mountains," i.e., the predictions of all the prophets, which are its
foundations. And this house is exalted above the hills, i.e., those individuals
among men who make a profession of superior attainments in wisdom and truth;
and all the nations come to it, and the "many nations" go forth, and say to one
another, turning to the religion which in the last days has shone forth through
Jesus Christ: "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house
of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in
them." For the law came forth from the dwellers in Sion, and settled among us as
a spiritual law. Moreover, the word of the Lord came forth from that very
Jerusalem, that it might be disseminated through all places, and might judge in
the midst of the heathen, selecting those whom it sees to be submissive, and
rejecting the disobedient, who are many in number. And to those who inquire of
us whence we come, or who is our founder, we reply that we have come,
agreeably to the counsels of Jesus, to "cut down our hostile and insolent 'wordy'
swords into ploughshares, and to convert into pruning-hooks the spears formerly
employed in war." For we no longer take up "sword against nation," nor do we
"learn war any more," having become children of peace, for the sake of Jesus,
who is our leader, instead of those whom our fathers followed, among whom we
were "strangers to the covenant," and having received a law, for which we give
thanks to Him that rescued us from the error (of our ways), saying, "Our fathers
honoured lying idols, and there is not among them one that causes it to rain."
Our Superintendent, then, and Teacher, having come forth from the Jews,
regulates the whole world by the word of His teaching. And having made these
remarks by way of anticipation, we have refuted as well as we could the untrue
statements of Celsus, by subjoining the appropriate answer.
 Chapter 34
But, that we may not pass without notice what Celsus has said between
these and the preceding paragraphs, let us quote his words: "We might adduce
Herodotus as a witness on this point, for he expresses himself as follows: 'For
the people of the cities Marea and Apis, who inhabit those parts of Egypt that
are adjacent to Libya, and who look upon themselves as Libyans, and not as
Egyptians, finding their sacrificial worship oppressive, and wishing not to be
excluded from the use of cows' flesh, sent to the oracle of Jupiter Ammon, saying
that there was no relationship between them and the Egyptians, that they dwelt
outside the Delta, that there was no community of sentiment between them and
the Egyptians, and that they wished to be allowed to partake of all kinds of food.
But the god would not allow them to do as they desired, saying that that country
was a part of Egypt, which was watered by the inundation of the Nile, and that
those were Egyptians who dwell to the south of the city of Elephantine, and drink
of the river Nile.' Such is the narrative of Herodotus. But," continues Celsus,
"Ammon in divine things would not make a worse ambassador than the angels of
the Jews, so that there is nothing wrong in each nation observing its established
method of worship. Of a truth, we shall find very great differences prevailing
among the nations, and yet each seems to deem its own by far the best. Those
inhabitants of Ethiopia who dwell in Meroe worship Jupiter and Bacchus alone;
the Arabians, Urania and Bacchus only; all the Egyptians, Osiris and Isis; the
Saïtes, Minerva; while the Naucratites have recently classed Serapis among
their deities, and the rest according to their respective laws. And some abstain
from the flesh of sheep, and others from that of crocodiles; others, again, from
that of cows, while they regard swine's flesh with loathing. The Scythians,
indeed, regard it as a noble act to banquet upon human beings. Among the
Indians, too, there are some who deem themselves discharging a holy duty in
eating their fathers, and this is mentioned in a certain passage by Herodotus.
For the sake of credibility, I shall again quote his very words, for he writes as
follows: 'For if any one were to make this proposal to all men, viz., to bid him
select out of all existing laws the best, each would choose, after examination,
those of his own country. Men each consider their own laws much the best, and
therefore it is not likely than any other than a madman would make these things
a subject of ridicule. But that such are the conclusions of all men regarding the
laws, may be determined by many other evidences, and especially by the
following illustration. Darius, during his reign, having summoned before him
those Greeks who happened to be present at the time, inquired of them for how
much they would be willing to eat their deceased fathers? Their answer was, that
for no consideration would they do such a thing. After this, Darius summoned
those Indians who are called Callatians, who are in the habit of eating their
parents, and asked of them in the presence of these Greeks, who learned what
passed through an interpreter, for what amount of money they would undertake
to burn their deceased fathers with fire? On which they raised a loud shout, and
bade the king say no more.' Such is the way, then, in which these matters are
regarded. And Pindar appears to me to be right in saying that 'law' is the king of
all things."
 Chapter 35
The argument of Celsus appears to point by these illustrations to this
conclusion: that it is "an obligation incumbent on all men to live according to
their country's customs, in which case they will escape censure; whereas the
Christians, who have abandoned their native usages, and who are not one nation
like the Jews, are to be blamed for giving their adherence to the teaching of
Jesus." Let him then tell us whether it is a becoming thing for philosophers, and
those who have been taught not to yield to superstition, to abandon their
country's customs, so as to eat of those articles of food which are prohibited in
their respective cities? Or whether this proceeding of theirs is opposed to what is
becoming? For if, on account of their philosophy, and the instructions which
they have received against superstition, they should eat, in disregard of their
native laws, what was interdicted by their fathers, why should the Christians
(since the Gospel requires them not to busy themselves about statues and images,
or even about any of the created works of God but to ascend on high, and present
the soul to the Creator); when acting in a similar manner to the philosophers, be
censured for so doing? But if, for the sake of defending the thesis which he has
proposed to himself, Celsus, or those who think with him, should say, that even
one who had studied philosophy would keep his country's laws, then
philosophers in Egypt, for example, would act most ridiculously in avoiding the
eating of onions, in order to observe their country's laws, or certain parts of the
body, as the head and shoulders, in order not to transgress the traditions of their
fathers. And I do not speak of those Egyptians who shudder with fear at the
discharge of wind from the body, because if any one of these were to become a
philosopher, and still observe the laws of his country, he would be a ridiculous
philosopher, acting very unphilosophically. In the same way, then, he who has
been led by the Gospel to worship the God of all things, and, from regard to his
country's laws, lingers here below among images and statues of men, and does
not desire to ascend to the Creator, will resemble those who have indeed learned
philosophy, but who are afraid of things which ought to inspire no terrors, and
who regard it as an act of impiety to eat of those things which have been
enumerated.
 Chapter 36
But what sort of being is this Ammon of Herodotus, whose words Celsus
has quoted, as if by way of demonstrating how each one ought to keep his
country's laws? For this Ammon would not allow the people of the cities of
Marea and Apis, who inhabit the districts adjacent to Libya, to treat as a matter
of indifference the use of cows' flesh, which is a thing not only indifferent in its
own nature, but which does not prevent a man from being noble and virtuous. If
Ammon, then, forbade the use of cows' flesh, because of the advantage which
results from the use of the animal in the cultivation of the ground, and in
addition to this, because it is by the female that the breed is increased, the
account would possess more plausibility. But now he simply requires that those
who drink of the Nile should observe the laws of the Egyptians regarding cattle.
And hereupon Celsus, taking occasion to pass a jest upon the employment of the
angels among the Jews as the ambassadors of God, says that "Ammon did not
make a worse ambassador of divine things than did the angels of the Jews," into
the meaning of whose words and manifestations he instituted no investigation;
otherwise he would have seen, that it is not for oxen that God is concerned, even
where He may appear to legislate for them, or for irrational animals, but that
what is written for the sake of men, under the appearance of relating to irrational
animals, contains certain truths of nature. Celsus, moreover, says that no wrong
is committed by any one who wishes to observe the religious worship sanctioned
by the laws of his country; and it follows, according to his view, that the
Scythians commit no wrong, when, in conformity with their country's laws, they
eat human beings. And those Indians who eat their own fathers are considered,
according to Celsus, to do a religious, or at least not a wicked act. He adduces,
indeed, a statement of Herodotus which favours the principle that each one
ought, from a sense of what is becoming, to obey his country's laws; and he
appears to approve of the custom of those Indians called Callatians, who in the
time of Darius devoured their parents, since, on Darius inquiring for how great a
sum of money they would be willing to lay aside this usage, they raised a loud
shout, and bade the king say no more.
 Chapter 37
As there are, then, generally two laws presented to us, the one being the law
of nature, of which God would be the legislator, and the other being the written
law of cities, it is a proper thing, when the written law is not opposed to that of
God, for the citizens not to abandon it under pretext of foreign customs; but
when the law of nature, that is, the law of God, commands what is opposed to
the written law, observe whether reason will not tell us to bid a long farewell to
the written code, and to the desire of its legislators, and to give ourselves up to
the legislator God, and to choose a life agreeable to His word, although in doing
so it may be necessary to encounter dangers, and countless labours, and even
death and dishonour. For when there are some laws in harmony with the will of
God, which are opposed to others which are in force in cities, and when it is
impracticable to please God (and those who administer laws of the kind referred
to), it would be absurd to contemn those acts by means of which we may please
the Creator of all things, and to select those by which we shall become
displeasing to God, though we may satisfy unholy laws, and those who love
them. But since it is reasonable in other matters to prefer the law of nature,
which is the law of God, before the written law, which has been enacted by men
in a spirit of opposition to the law of God, why should we not do this still more
in the case of those laws which relate to God? Neither shall we, like the
Ethiopians who inhabit the parts about Meroe, worship, as is their pleasure,
Jupiter and Bacchus only; nor shall we at all reverence Ethiopian gods in the
Ethiopian manner; nor, like the Arabians, shall we regard Urania and Bacchus
alone as divinities; nor in any degree at all deities in which the difference of sex
has been a ground of distinction (as among the Arabians, who worship Urania as
a female, and Bacchus as a male deity); nor shall we, like all the Egyptians,
regard Osiris and Isis as gods; nor shall we enumerate Athena among these, as
the Saïtes are pleased to do. And if to the ancient inhabitants of Naucratis it
seemed good to worship other divinities, while their modern descendants have
begun quite recently to pay reverence to Serapis, who never was a god at all, we
shall not on that account assert that a new being who was not formerly a god, nor
at all known to men, is a deity. For the Son of God, "the First-born of all
creation," although He seemed recently to have become incarnate, is not by any
means on that account recent. For the holy Scriptures know Him to be the most
ancient of all the works of creation; for it was to Him that God said regarding the
creation of man, "Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness."
 Chapter 38
I wish, however, to show how Celsus asserts without any good reason, that
each one reveres his domestic and native institutions. For he declares that "those
Ethiopians who inhabit Meroe know only of two gods, Jupiter and Bacchus, and
worship these alone; and that the Arabians also know only of two, viz., Bacchus,
who is also an Ethiopian deity, and Urania, whose worship is confined to them."
According to his account, neither do the Ethiopians worship Urania, nor the
Arabians Jupiter. If, then, an Ethiopian were from any accident to fall into the
hands of the Arabians, and were to be judged guilty of impiety because he did
not worship Urania, and for this reason should incur the danger of death, would
it be proper for the Ethiopian to die, or to act contrary to his country's laws, and
do obeisance to Urania? Now, if it would be proper for him to act contrary to the
laws of his country, he will do what is not right, so far as the language of Celsus
is any standard; while, if he should be led away to death, let him show the
reasonableness of selecting such a fate. I know not whether, if the Ethiopian
doctrine taught men to philosophize on the immortality of the soul, and the
honour which is paid to religion, they would reverence those as deities who are
deemed to be such by the laws of the country. A similar illustration may be
employed in the case of the Arabians, if from any accident they happened to visit
the Ethiopians about Meroe. For, having been taught to worship Urania and
Bacchus alone, they will not worship Jupiter along with the Ethiopians; and if,
adjudged guilty of impiety, they should be led away to death, let Celsus tell us
what it would be reasonable on their part to do. And with regard to the fables
which relate to Osiris and Isis, it is superfluous and out of place at present to
enumerate them. For although an allegorical meaning may be given to the fables,
they will nevertheless teach us to offer divine worship to cold water, and to the
earth, which is subject to men, and all the animal creation. For in this way, I
presume, they refer Osiris to water, and Isis to earth; while with regard to
Serapis the accounts are numerous and conflicting, to the effect that very
recently he appeared in public, agreeably to certain juggling tricks performed at
the desire of Ptolemy, who wished to show to the people of Alexandria as it were
a visible god. And we have read in the writings of Numenius the Pythagorean
regarding his formation, that he partakes of the essence of all the animals and
plants that are under the control of nature, that he may appear to have been
fashioned into a god, not by the makers of images alone, with the aid of profane
mysteries, and juggling tricks employed to invoke demons, but also by
magicians and sorcerers, and those demons who are bewitched by their
incantations.
 Chapter 39
We must therefore inquire what may be fittingly eaten or not by the rational
and gentle animal, which acts always in conformity with reason; and not worship
at random, sheep, or goats, or cattle; to abstain from which is an act of
moderation, for much advantage is derived by men from these animals. Whereas,
is it not the most foolish of all things to spare crocodiles, and to treat them as
sacred to some fabulous divinity or other? For it is a mark of exceeding stupidity
to spare those animals which do not spare us, and to bestow care on those which
make a prey of human beings. But Celsus approves of those who, in keeping
with the laws of their country, worship and tend crocodiles, and not a word does
he say against them, while the Christians appear deserving of censure, who have
been taught to loath evil, and to turn away from wicked works, and to reverence
and honour virtue as being generated by God, and as being His Son. For we must
not, on account of their feminine name and nature, regard wisdom and
righteousness as females; for these things are in our view the Son of God, as His
genuine disciple has shown, when he said of Him, "Who of God is made to us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." And although
we may call Him a "second" God, let men know that by the term "second God"
we mean nothing else than a virtue capable of including all other virtues, and a
reason capable of containing all reason whatsoever which exists in all things,
which have arisen naturally, directly, and for the general advantage, and which
"reason," we say, dwelt in the soul of Jesus, and was united to Him in a degree
far above all other souls, seeing He alone was enabled completely to receive the
highest share in the absolute reason, and the absolute wisdom, and the absolute
righteousness.
 Chapter 40
But since, after Celsus had spoken to the above effect of the different kinds
of laws, he adds the following remark, "Pindar appears to me to be correct in
saying that law is king of all things," let us proceed to discuss this assertion.
What law do you mean to say, good sir, is "king of all things?" If you mean
those which exist in the various cities, then such an assertion is not true. For all
men are not governed by the same law. You ought to have said that "laws are
kings of all men," for in every nation some law is king of all. But if you mean
that which is law in the proper sense, then it is this which is by nature "king of
all things;" although there are some individuals who, having like robbers
abandoned the law, deny its validity, and live lives of violence and injustice. We
Christians, then, who have come to the knowledge of the law which is by nature
"king of all things," and which is the same with the law of God, endeavour to
regulate our lives by its prescriptions, having bidden a long farewell to those of
an unholy kind.
 Chapter 41
Let us notice the charges which are next advanced by Celsus, in which there
is exceedingly little that has reference to the Christians, as most of them refer to
the Jews. His words are: "If, then, in these respects the Jews were carefully to
preserve their own law, they are not to be blamed for so doing, but those persons
rather who have forsaken their own usages, and adopted those of the Jews. And
if they pride themselves on it, as being possessed of superior wisdom, and keep
aloof from intercourse with others, as not being equally pure with themselves,
they have already heard that their doctrine concerning heaven is not peculiar to
them, but, to pass by all others, is one which has long ago been received by the
Persians, as Herodotus somewhere mentions. 'For they have a custom,' he says,
'of going up to the tops of the mountains, and of offering sacrifices to Jupiter,
giving the name of Jupiter to the whole circle of the heavens.' And I think,"
continues Celsus, "that it makes no difference whether you call the highest being
Zeus, or Zen, or Adonai, or Sabaoth, or Ammoun like the Egyptians, or Pappæus
like the Scythians. Nor would they be deemed at all holier than others in this
respect, that they observe the rite of circumcision, for this was done by the
Egyptians and Colchians before them; nor because they abstain from swine's
flesh, for the Egyptians practised abstinence not only from it, but from the flesh
of goats, and sheep, and oxen, and fishes as well; while Pythagoras and his
disciples do not eat beans, nor anything that contains life. It is not probable,
however, that they enjoy God's favour, or are loved by Him differently from
others, or that angels were sent from heaven to them alone, as if they had had
allotted to them 'some region of the blessed,' for we see both themselves and the
country of which they were deemed worthy. Let this band, then, take its
departure, after paying the penalty of its vaunting, not having a knowledge of the
great God, but being led away and deceived by the artifices of Moses, having
become his pupil to no good end."
 Chapter 42
It is evident that, by the preceding remarks, Celsus charges the Jews with
falsely giving themselves out as the chosen portion of the Supreme God above
all other nations. And he accuses them of boasting, because they gave out that
they knew the great God, although they did not really know Him, but were led
away by the artifices of Moses, and were deceived by him, and became his
disciples to no good end. Now we have in the preceding pages already spoken in
part of the venerable and distinguished polity of the Jews, when it existed among
them as a symbol of the city of God, and of His temple, and of the sacrificial
worship offered in it and at the altar of sacrifice. But if any one were to turn his
attention to the meaning of the legislator, and to the constitution which he
established, and were to examine the various points relating to him, and compare
them with the present method of worship among other nations, there are none
which he would admire to a greater degree; because, so far as can be
accomplished among mortals, everything that was not of advantage to the human
race was withheld from them, and only those things which are useful bestowed.
And for this reason they had neither gymnastic contests, nor scenic
representations, nor horse-races; nor were there among them women who sold
their beauty to any one who wished to have sexual intercourse without offspring,
and to cast contempt upon the nature of human generation. And what an
advantage was it to be taught from their tender years to ascend above all visible
nature, and to hold the belief that God was not fixed anywhere within its limits,
but to look for Him on high, and beyond the sphere of all bodily substance! And
how great was the advantage which they enjoyed in being instructed almost from
their birth, and as soon as they could speak, in the immortality of the soul, and in
the existence of courts of justice under the earth, and in the rewards provided for
those who have lived righteous lives! These truths, indeed, were proclaimed in
the veil of fable to children, and to those whose views of things were childish;
while to those who were already occupied in investigating the truth, and desirous
of making progress therein, these fables, so to speak, were transfigured into the
truths which were concealed within them. And I consider that it was in a manner
worthy of their name as the "portion of God" that they despised all kinds of
divination, as that which bewitches men to no purpose, and which proceeds
rather from wicked demons than from anything of a better nature; and sought the
knowledge of future events in the souls of those who, owing to their high degree
of purity, received the spirit of the Supreme God.
 Chapter 43
But what need is there to point out how agreeable to sound reason, and
unattended with injury either to master or slave, was the law that one of the same
faith should not be allowed to continue in slavery more than six years? The
Jews, then, cannot be said to preserve their own law in the same points with the
other nations. For it would be censurable in them, and would involve a charge of
insensibility to the superiority of their law, if they were to believe that they had
been legislated for in the same way as the other nations among the heathen. And
although Celsus will not admit it, the Jews nevertheless are possessed of a
wisdom superior not only to that of the multitude, but also of those who have the
appearance of philosophers; because those who engage in philosophical pursuits,
after the utterance of the most venerable philosophical sentiments, fall away into
the worship of idols and demons, whereas the very lowest Jew directs his look to
the Supreme God alone; and they do well, indeed, so far as this point is
concerned, to pride themselves thereon, and to keep aloof from the society of
others as accursed and impious. And would that they had not sinned, and
transgressed the law, and slain the prophets in former times, and in these latter
days conspired against Jesus, that we might be in possession of a pattern of a
heavenly city which even Plato would have sought to describe; although I doubt
whether he could have accomplished as much as was done by Moses and those
who followed him, who nourished a "chosen generation," and "a holy nation,"
dedicated to God, with words free from all superstition.
 Chapter 44
But as Celsus would compare the venerable customs of the Jews with the
laws of certain nations, let us proceed to look at them. He is of opinion,
accordingly, that there is no difference between the doctrine regarding "heaven"
and that regarding "God;" and he says that "the Persians, like the Jews, offer
sacrifices to Jupiter upon the tops of the mountains," — not observing that, as
the Jews were acquainted with one God, so they had only one holy house of
prayer, and one altar of whole burnt-offerings, and one censer for incense, and
one high priest of God. The Jews, then, had nothing in common with the
Persians, who ascend the summits of their mountains, which are many in
number, and offer up sacrifices which have nothing in common with those which
are regulated by the Mosaic code,— in conformity to which the Jewish priests
"served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things," explaining
enigmatically the object of the law regarding the sacrifices, and the things of
which these sacrifices were the symbols. The Persians therefore may call the
"whole circle of heaven" Jupiter; but we maintain that "the heaven" is neither
Jupiter nor God, as we indeed know that certain beings of a class inferior to God
have ascended above the heavens and all visible nature: and in this sense we
understand the words, "Praise God, you heaven of heavens, and you waters that
be above the heavens: let them praise the name of the Lord ."
 Chapter 45
As Celsus, however, is of opinion that it matters nothing whether the
highest being be called Jupiter, or Zen, or Adonai, or Sabaoth, or Ammoun (as
the Egyptians term him), or Pappæus (as the Scythians entitle him), let us
discuss the point for a little, reminding the reader at the same time of what has
been said above upon this question, when the language of Celsus led us to
consider the subject. And now we maintain that the nature of names is not, as
Aristotle supposes, an enactment of those who impose them. For the languages
which are prevalent among men do not derive their origin from men, as is
evident to those who are able to ascertain the nature of the charms which are
appropriated by the inventors of the languages differently, according to the
various tongues, and to the varying pronunciations of the names, on which we
have spoken briefly in the preceding pages, remarking that when those names
which in a certain language were possessed of a natural power were translated
into another, they were no longer able to accomplish what they did before when
uttered in their native tongues. And the same peculiarity is found to apply to
men; for if we were to translate the name of one who was called from his birth
by a certain appellation in the Greek language into the Egyptian or Roman, or
any other tongue, we could not make him do or suffer the same things which he
would have done or suffered under the appellation first bestowed upon him. Nay,
even if we translated into the Greek language the name of an individual who had
been originally invoked in the Roman tongue, we could not produce the result
which the incantation professed itself capable of accomplishing had it preserved
the name first conferred upon him. And if these statements are true when spoken
of the names of men , what are we to think of those which are transferred, for
any cause whatever, to the Deity ? For example, something is transferred from
the name Abraham when translated into Greek, and something is signified by
that of Isaac, and also by that of Jacob; and accordingly, if any one, either in an
invocation or in swearing an oath, were to use the expression, "the God of
Abraham," and "the God of Isaac," and "the God of Jacob," he would produce
certain effects, either owing to the nature of these names or to their powers, since
even demons are vanquished and become submissive to him who pronounces
these names; whereas if we say, "the god of the chosen father of the echo, and
the god of laughter, and the god of him who strikes with the heel," the mention
of the name is attended with no result, as is the case with other names possessed
of no power. And in the same way, if we translate the word "Israel" into Greek
or any other language, we shall produce no result; but if we retain it as it is, and
join it to those expressions to which such as are skilled in these matters think it
ought to be united, there would then follow some result from the pronunciation
of the word which would accord with the professions of those who employ such
invocations. And we may say the same also of the pronunciation of "Sabaoth," a
word which is frequently employed in incantations; for if we translate the term
into "Lord of hosts," or "Lord of armies," or "Almighty" (different acceptation of
it having been proposed by the interpreters), we shall accomplish nothing;
whereas if we retain the original pronunciation, we shall, as those who are
skilled in such matters maintain, produce some effect. And the same observation
holds good of Adonai. If, then, neither "Sabaoth" nor "Adonai," when rendered
into what appears to be their meaning in the Greek tongue, can accomplish
anything, how much less would be the result among those who regard it as a
matter of indifference whether the highest being be called Jupiter, or Zen, or
Adonai, or Sabaoth!
 Chapter 46
It was for these and similar mysterious reasons, with which Moses and the
prophets were acquainted, that they forbade the name of other gods to be
pronounced by him who bethought himself of praying to the one Supreme God
alone, or to be remembered by a heart which had been taught to be pure from all
foolish thoughts and words. And for these reasons we should prefer to endure all
manner of suffering rather than acknowledge Jupiter to be God. For we do not
consider Jupiter and Sabaoth to be the same, nor Jupiter to be at all divine, but
that some demon, unfriendly to men and to the true God, rejoices under this title.
And although the Egyptians were to hold Ammon before us under threat of
death, we would rather die than address him as God, it being a name used in all
probability in certain Egyptian incantations in which this demon is invoked. And
although the Scythians may call Pappæus the supreme God, yet we will not yield
our assent to this; granting, indeed, that there is a Supreme Deity, although we
do not give the name Pappæus to Him as His proper title, but regard it as one
which is agreeable to the demon to whom was allotted the desert of Scythia, with
its people and its language. He, however, who gives God His title in the Scythian
tongue, or in the Egyptian or in any language in which he has been brought up,
will not be guilty of sin.
 Chapter 47
Now the reason why circumcision is practised among the Jews is not the
same as that which explains its existence among the Egyptians and Colchians,
and therefore it is not to be considered the same circumcision. And as he who
sacrifices does not sacrifice to the same god, although he appears to perform the
rite of sacrifice in a similar manner, and he who offers up prayer does not pray to
the same divinity, although he asks the same things in his supplication; so, in the
same way, if one performs the rite of circumcision, it by no means follows that it
is not a different act from the circumcision performed upon another. For the
purpose, and the law, and the wish of him who performs the rite, place the act in
a different category. But that the whole subject may be still better understood,
we have to remark that the term for "righteousness" is the same among all the
Greeks; but righteousness is shown to be one thing according to the view of
Epicurus; and another according to the Stoics, who deny the threefold division of
the soul; and a different thing again according to the followers of Plato, who
hold that righteousness is the proper business of the parts of the soul. And so
also the "courage" of Epicures is one thing, who would undergo some labours in
order to escape from a greater number; and a different thing that of the
philosopher of the Porch, who would choose all virtue for its own sake; and a
different thing still that of Plato, who maintains that virtue itself is the act of the
irascible part of the soul, and who assigns to it a place about the breast. And so
circumcision will be a different thing according to the varying opinions of those
who undergo it. But on such a subject it is unnecessary to speak on this occasion
in a treatise like the present; for whoever desires to see what led us to the
subject, can read what we have said upon it in the Epistle of Paul to the Romans.
 Chapter 48
Although the Jews, then, pride themselves on circumcision, they will
separate it not only from that of the Colchians and Egyptians, but also from that
of the Arabian Ishmaelites; and yet the latter was derived from their ancestor
Abraham, the father of Ishmael, who underwent the rite of circumcision along
with his father. The Jews say that the circumcision performed on the eighth day
is the principal circumcision, and that which is performed according to
circumstances is different; and probably it was performed on account of the
hostility of some angel towards the Jewish nation, who had the power to injure
such of them as were not circumcised, but was powerless against those who had
undergone the rite. This may be said to appear from what is written in the book
of Exodus, where the angel before the circumcision of Eliezer was able to work
against Moses, but could do nothing after his son was circumcised. And when
Zipporah had learned this, she took a pebble and circumcised her child, and is
recorded, according to the reading of the common copies, to have said, "The
blood of my child's circumcision is stayed," but according to the Hebrew text, "A
bloody husband are you to me." For she had known the story about a certain
angel having power before the shedding of the blood, but who became powerless
through the blood of circumcision. For which reason the words were addressed
to Moses, "A bloody husband are you to me." But these things, which appear
rather of a curious nature, and not level to the comprehension of the multitude, I
have ventured to treat at such length; and now I shall only add, as becomes a
Christian, one thing more, and shall then pass on to what follows. For this angel
might have had power, I think, over those of the people who were not
circumcised, and generally over all who worshipped only the Creator; and this
power lasted so long as Jesus had not assumed a human body. But when He had
done this, and had undergone the rite of circumcision in His own person, all the
power of the angel over those who practise the same worship, but are not
circumcised, was abolished; for Jesus reduced it to nought by (the power of) His
unspeakable divinity. And therefore His disciples are forbidden to circumcise
themselves, and are reminded (by the apostle): "If you be circumcised, Christ
shall profit you nothing."
 Chapter 49
But neither do the Jews pride themselves upon abstaining from swine's
flesh, as if it were some great thing; but upon their having ascertained the nature
of clean and unclean animals, and the cause of the distinction, and of swine
being classed among the unclean. And these distinctions were signs of certain
things until the advent of Jesus; after whose coming it was said to His disciple,
who did not yet comprehend the doctrine concerning these matters, but who said,
"Nothing that is common or unclean has entered into my mouth," "What God has
cleansed, call not common." It therefore in no way affects either the Jews or us
that the Egyptian priests abstain not only from the flesh of swine, but also from
that of goats, and sheep, and oxen, and fish. But since it is not that "which enters
into the mouth that defiles a man," and since "meat does not commend us to
God," we do not set great store on refraining from eating, nor yet are we induced
to eat from a gluttonous appetite. And therefore, so far as we are concerned, the
followers of Pythagoras, who abstain from all things that contain life may do as
they please; only observe the different reason for abstaining from things that
have life on the part of the Pythagoreans and our ascetics. For the former abstain
on account of the fable about the transmigration of souls, as the poet says:—

And some one, lifting up his beloved son,

Will slay him after prayer; O how foolish he!

We, however, when we do abstain, do so because "we keep under our body,
and bring it into subjection," and desire "to mortify our members that are upon
the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence;"
and we use every effort to "mortify the deeds of the flesh."
 Chapter 50
Celsus, still expressing his opinion regarding the Jews, says: "It is not
probable that they are in great favour with God, or are regarded by Him with
more affection than others, or that angels are sent by Him to them alone, as if to
them had been allotted some region of the blessed. For we may see both the
people themselves, and the country of which they were deemed worthy." We
shall refute this, by remarking that it is evident that this nation was in great
favour with God, from the fact that the God who presides over all things was
called the God of the Hebrews, even by those who were aliens to our faith. And
because they were in favour with God, they were not abandoned by Him; but
although few in number, they continued to enjoy the protection of the divine
power, so that in the reign of Alexander of Macedon they sustained no injury
from him, although they refused, on account of certain covenants and oaths, to
take up arms against Darius. They say that on that occasion the Jewish high
priest, clothed in his sacred robe, received obeisance from Alexander, who
declared that he had beheld an individual arrayed in this fashion, who announced
to him in his sleep that he was to be the subjugator of the whole of Asia.
Accordingly, we Christians maintain that "it was the fortune of that people in a
remarkable degree to enjoy God's favour, and to be loved by Him in a way
different from others;" but that this economy of things and this divine favour
were transferred to us, after Jesus had conveyed the power which had been
manifested among the Jews to those who had become converts to Him from
among the heathen. And for this reason, although the Romans desired to
perpetrate many atrocities against the Christians, in order to ensure their
extermination, they were unsuccessful; for there was a divine hand which fought
on their behalf, and whose desire it was that the word of God should spread from
one corner of the land of Judea throughout the whole human race.
 Chapter 51
But seeing that we have answered to the best of our ability the charges
brought by Celsus against the Jews and their doctrine, let us proceed to consider
what follows, and to prove that it is no empty boast on our part when we make a
profession of knowing the great God, and that we have not been led away by any
juggling tricks of Moses (as Celsus imagines), or even of our own Saviour Jesus;
but that for a good end we listen to the God who speaks in Moses, and have
accepted Jesus, whom he testifies to be God, as the Son of God, in hope of
receiving the best rewards if we regulate our lives according to His word. And
we shall willingly pass over what we have already stated by way of anticipation
on the points, "whence we came and who is our leader, and what law proceeded
from Him." And if Celsus would maintain that there is no difference between us
and the Egyptians, who worship the goat, or the ram, or the crocodile, or the ox,
or the river-horse, or the dog-faced baboon, or the cat, he can ascertain if it be
so, and so may any other who thinks alike on the subject. We, however, have to
the best of our ability defended ourselves at great length in the preceding pages
on the subject of the honour which we render to our Jesus, pointing out that we
have found the better part; and that in showing that the truth which is contained
in the teaching of Jesus Christ is pure and unmixed with error, we are not
commending ourselves, but our Teacher, to whom testimony was borne through
many witnesses by the Supreme God and the prophetic writings among the Jews,
and by the very clearness of the case itself, for it is demonstrated that He could
not have accomplished such mighty works without the divine help.
 Chapter 52
But the statement of Celsus which we wish to examine at present is the
following: "Let us then pass over the refutations which might be adduced
against the claims of their teacher, and let him be regarded as really an angel.
But is he the first and only one who came (to men), or were there others before
him? If they should say that he is the only one, they would be convicted of telling
lies against themselves. For they assert that on many occasions others came, and
sixty or seventy of them together, and that these became wicked, and were cast
under the earth and punished with chains, and that from this source originate
the warm springs, which are their tears; and, moreover, that there came an
angel to the tomb of this said being— according to some, indeed, one, but
according to others, two— who answered the women that he had arisen. For the
Son of God could not himself, as it seems, open the tomb, but needed the help of
another to roll away the stone. And again, on account of the pregnancy of Mary,
there came an angel to the carpenter, and once more another angel, in order
that they might take up the young Child and flee away (into Egypt). But what
need is there to particularize everything, or to count up the number of angels
said to have been sent to Moses, and others among them? If, then, others were
sent, it is manifest that he also came from the same God. But he may be
supposed to have the appearance of announcing something of greater
importance (than those who preceded him), as if the Jews had been committing
sin, or corrupting their religion, or doing deeds of impiety; for these things are
obscurely hinted at."
 Chapter 53
The preceding remarks might suffice as an answer to the charges of Celsus,
so far as regards those points in which our Saviour Jesus Christ is made the
subject of special investigation. But that we may avoid the appearance of
intentionally passing over any portion of his work, as if we were unable to meet
him, let us, even at the risk of being tautological (since we are challenged to this
by Celsus), endeavour as far as we can with all due brevity to continue our
discourse, since perhaps something either more precise or more novel may occur
to us upon the several topics. He says, indeed, that "he has omitted the
refutations which have been adduced against the claims which Christians
advance on behalf of their teacher," although he has not omitted anything which
he was able to bring forward, as is manifest from his previous language, but
makes this statement only as an empty rhetorical device. That we are not refuted,
however, on the subject of our great Saviour, although the accuser may appear
to refute us, will be manifest to those who peruse in a spirit of truth-loving
investigation all that is predicted and recorded of Him. And, in the next place,
since he considers that he makes a concession in saying of the Saviour, "Let him
appear to be really an angel," we reply that we do not accept of such a
concession from Celsus; but we look to the work of Him who came to visit the
whole human race in His word and teaching, as each one of His adherents was
capable of receiving Him. And this was the work of one who, as the prophecy
regarding Him said, was not simply an angel, but the "Angel of the great
counsel:" for He announced to men the great counsel of the God and Father of
all things regarding them, (saying) of those who yield themselves up to a life of
pure religion, that they ascend by means of their great deeds to God; but of those
who do not adhere to Him, that they place themselves at a distance from God,
and journey on to destruction through their unbelief of Him. He then continues:
"If even the angel came to men, is he the first and only one who came, or did
others come on former occasions?" And he thinks he can meet either of these
dilemmas at great length, although there is not a single real Christian who asserts
that Christ was the only being that visited the human race. For, as Celsus says,
"If they should say the only one," there are others who appeared to different
individuals.
 Chapter 54
In the next place, he proceeds to answer himself as he thinks fit in the
following terms: "And so he is not the only one who is recorded to have visited
the human race, as even those who, under pretext of teaching in the name of
Jesus, have apostatized from the Creator as an inferior being, and have given in
their adherence to one who is a superior God and father of him who visited (the
world), assert that before him certain beings came from the Creator to visit the
human race." Now, as it is in the spirit of truth that we investigate all that relates
to the subject, we shall remark that it is asserted by Apelles, the celebrated
disciple of Marcion, who became the founder of a certain sect, and who treated
the writings of the Jews as fabulous, that Jesus is the only one that came to visit
the human race. Even against him, then, who maintained that Jesus was the only
one that came from God to men, it would be in vain for Celsus to quote the
statements regarding the descent of other angels, seeing Apelles discredits, as we
have already mentioned, the miraculous narratives of the Jewish Scriptures; and
much more will he decline to admit what Celsus has adduced, from not
understanding the contents of the boo of Enoch. No one, then, convicts us of
falsehood, or of making contradictory assertions, as if we maintained both that
our Saviour was the only being that ever came to men, and yet that many others
came on different occasions. And in a most confused manner, moreover, does he
adduce, when examining the subject of the visits of angels to men, what he has
derived, without seeing its meaning, from the contents of the boo of Enoch; for
he does not appear to have read the passages in question, nor to have been aware
that the books which bear the name Enoch do not at all circulate in the Churches
as divine, although it is from this source that he might be supposed to have
obtained the statement, that "sixty or seventy angels descended at the same time,
who fell into a state of wickedness."
 Chapter 55
But, that we may grant to him in a spirit of candour what he has not
discovered in the contents of the book of Genesis, that "the sons of God, seeing
the daughters of men, that they were fair, took to them wives of all whom they
chose," we shall nevertheless even on this point persuade those who are capable
of understanding the meaning of the prophet, that even before us there was one
who referred this narrative to the doctrine regarding souls, which became
possessed with a desire for the corporeal life of men, and this in metaphorical
language, he said, was termed "daughters of men." But whatever may be the
meaning of the "sons of God desiring to possess the daughters of men," it will
not at all contribute to prove that Jesus was not the only one who visited
mankind as an angel, and who manifestly became the Saviour and benefactor of
all those who depart from the flood of wickedness. Then, mixing up and
confusing whatever he had at any time heard, or had anywhere found written—
whether held to be of divine origin among Christians or not— he adds: "The
sixty or seventy who descended together were cast under the earth, and were
punished with chains." And he quotes (as from the boo of Enoch, but without
naming it) the following: "And hence it is that the tears of these angels are warm
springs," — a thing neither mentioned nor heard of in the Churches of God! For
no one was ever so foolish as to materialize into human tears those which were
shed by the angels who had come down from heaven. And if it were right to pass
a jest upon what is advanced against us in a serious spirit by Celsus, we might
observe that no one would ever have said that hot springs, the greater part of
which are fresh water, were the tears of the angels, since tears are saltish in their
nature, unless indeed the angels, in the opinion of Celsus, shed tears which are
fresh.
 Chapter 56
Proceeding immediately after to mix up and compare with one another
things that are dissimilar, and incapable of being united, he subjoins to his
statement regarding the sixty or seventy angels who came down from heaven,
and who, according to him, shed fountains of warm water for tears, the
following: "It is related also that there came to the tomb of Jesus himself,
according to some, two angels, according to others, one;" having failed to
notice, I think, that Matthew and Mark speak of one, and Luke and John of two,
which statements are not contradictory. For they who mention "one," say that it
was he who rolled away the stone from the sepulchre; while they who mention
"two," refer to those who appeared in shining raiment to the women that repaired
to the sepulchre, or who were seen within sitting in white garments. Each of
these occurrences might now be demonstrated to have actually taken place, and
to be indicative of a figurative meaning existing in these "phenomena," (and
intelligible) to those who were prepared to behold the resurrection of the Word.
Such a task, however, does not belong to our present purpose, but rather to an
exposition of the Gospel.
 Chapter 57
Now, that miraculous appearances have sometimes been witnessed by
human beings, is related by the Greeks; and not only by those of them who
might be suspected of composing fabulous narratives, but also by those who
have given every evidence of being genuine philosophers, and of having related
with perfect truth what had happened to them. Accounts of this kind we have
read in the writings of Chrysippus of Soli, and also some things of the same kind
relating to Pythagoras; as well as in some of the more recent writers who lived a
very short time ago, as in the treatise of Plutarch of Chæronea "on the Soul," and
in the second book of the work of Numenius the Pythagorean on the
"Incorruptibility of the Soul." Now, when such accounts are related by the
Greeks, and especially by the philosophers among them, they are not to be
received with mockery and ridicule, nor to be regarded as fictions and fables; but
when those who are devoted to the God of all things, and who endure all kinds
of injury, even to death itself, rather than allow a falsehood to escape their lips
regarding God, announce the appearances of angels which they have themselves
witnessed, they are to be deemed unworthy of belief, and their words are not to
be regarded as true! Now it is opposed to sound reason to judge in this way
whether individuals are speaking truth or falsehood. For those who act honestly,
only after a long and careful examination into the details of a subject, slowly and
cautiously express their opinion of the veracity or falsehood of this or that
person with regard to the marvels which they may relate; since it is the case that
neither do all men show themselves worthy of belief, nor do all make it
distinctly evident that they are relating to men only fictions and fables.
Moreover, regarding the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we have this
remark to make, that it is not at all wonderful if, on such an occasion, either one
or two angels should have appeared to announce that Jesus had risen from the
dead, and to provide for the safety of those who believed in such an event to the
advantage of their souls. Nor does it appear to me at all unreasonable, that those
who believe in the resurrection of Jesus, and who manifest, as a fruit of their
faith not to be lightly esteemed, their possession of a virtuous life, and their
withdrawal from the flood of evils, should not be unattended by angels who lend
their help in accomplishing their conversion to God.
 Chapter 58
But Celsus challenges the account also that an angel rolled away the stone
from the sepulchre where the body of Jesus lay, acting like a lad at school, who
should bring a charge against any one by help of a string of commonplaces. And,
as if he had discovered some clever objection to the narrative, he remarks: "The
Son of God, then, it appears, could not open his tomb, but required the aid of
another to roll away the stone." Now, not to overdo the discussion of this matter,
or to have the appearance of unreasonably introducing philosophical remarks, by
explaining the figurative meaning at present, I shall simply say of the narrative
alone, that it does appear in itself a more respectful proceeding, that the servant
and inferior should have rolled away the stone, than that such an act should have
been performed by Him whose resurrection was to be for the advantage of
mankind. I do not speak of the desire of those who conspired against the Word,
and who wished to put Him to death, and to show to all men that He was dead
and non-existent, that His tomb should not be opened, in order that no one might
behold the Word alive after their conspiracy; but the "Angel of God" who came
into the world for the salvation of men, with the help of another angel, proved
more powerful than the conspirators, and rolled away the weighty stone, that
those who deemed the Word to be dead might be convinced that He is not with
the "departed," but is alive, and precedes those who are willing to follow Him,
that He may manifest to them those truths which come after those which He
formerly showed them at the time of their first entrance (into the school of
Christianity), when they were as yet incapable of receiving deeper instruction. In
the next place, I do not understand what advantage he thinks will accrue to his
purpose when he ridicules the account of "the angel's visit to Joseph regarding
the pregnancy of Mary;" and again, that of the angel to warn the parents "to take
up the new-born Child, whose life was in danger, and to flee with it into Egypt."
Concerning these matters, however, we have in the preceding pages answered
his statements. But what does Celsus mean by saying, that "according to the
Scriptures, angels are recorded to have been sent to Moses, and others as well?"
For it appears to me to contribute nothing to his purpose, and especially because
none of them made any effort to accomplish, as far as in his power, the
conversion of the human race from their sins. Let it be granted, however, that
other angels were sent from God, but that he came to announce something of
greater importance (than any others who preceded him); and when the Jews had
fallen into sin, and corrupted their religion, and had done unholy deeds,
transferred the kingdom of God to other husbandmen, who in all the Churches
take special care of themselves, and use every endeavour by means of a holy life,
and by a doctrine conformable thereto, to win over to the God of all things those
who would rush away from the teaching of Jesus.
 Chapter 59
Celsus then continues: "The Jews accordingly, and these (clearly meaning
the Christians), have the same God;" and as if advancing a proposition which
would not be conceded, he proceeds to make the following assertion: "It is
certain, indeed, that the members of the great Church admit this, and adopt as
true the accounts regarding the creation of the world which are current among
the Jews, viz., concerning the six days and the seventh;" on which day, as the
Scripture says, God "ceased" from His works, retiring into the contemplation of
Himself, but on which, as Celsus says (who does not abide by the letter of the
history, and who does not understand its meaning), God "rested," — a term
which is not found in the record. With respect, however, to the creation of the
world, and the "rest which is reserved after it for the people of God," the subject
is extensive, and mystical, and profound, and difficult of explanation. In the next
place, as it appears to me, from a desire to fill up his book, and to give it an
appearance of importance, he recklessly adds certain statements, such as the
following, relating to the first man, of whom he says: "We give the same account
as do the Jews, and deduce the same genealogy from him as they do." However,
as regards "the conspiracies of brothers against one another," we know of none
such, save that Cain conspired against Abel, and Esau against Jacob; but not
Abel against Cain, nor Jacob against Esau: for if this had been the case, Celsus
would have been correct in saying that we give the same accounts as do the Jews
of "the conspiracies of brothers against one another." Let it be granted,
however, that we speak of the same descent into Egypt as they, and of their
return thence, which was not a "flight," as Celsus considers it to have been, what
does that avail towards founding an accusation against us or against the Jews?
Here, indeed, he thought to cast ridicule upon us, when, in speaking of the
Hebrew people, he termed their exodus a "flight;" but when it was his business
to investigate the account of the punishments inflicted by God upon Egypt, that
topic he purposely passed by in silence.
 Chapter 60
If, however, it be necessary to express ourselves with precision in our
answer to Celsus, who thinks that we hold the same opinions on the matters in
question as do the Jews, we would say that we both agree that the books (of
Scripture) were written by the Spirit of God, but that we do not agree about the
meaning of their contents; for we do not regulate our lives like the Jews, because
we are of opinion that the literal acceptation of the laws is not that which
conveys the meaning of the legislation. And we maintain, that "when Moses is
read, the veil is upon their heart," because the meaning of the law of Moses has
been concealed from those who have not welcomed the way which is by Jesus
Christ. But we know that if one turn to the Lord (for "the Lord is that Spirit" ),
the veil being taken away, "he beholds, as in a mirror with unveiled face, the
glory of the Lord" in those thoughts which are concealed in their literal
expression, and to his own glory becomes a participator of the divine glory; the
term "face" being used figuratively for the "understanding," as one would call it
without a figure, in which is the face of the "inner man," filled with light and
glory, flowing from the true comprehension of the contents of the law.
 Chapter 61
After the above remarks he proceeds as follows: "Let no one suppose that I
am ignorant that some of them will concede that their God is the same as that of
the Jews, while others will maintain that he is a different one, to whom the latter
is in opposition, and that it was from the former that the Son came." Now, if he
imagine that the existence of numerous heresies among the Christians is a
ground of accusation against Christianity, why, in a similar way, should it not be
a ground of accusation against philosophy, that the various sects of philosophers
differ from each other, not on small and indifferent points, but upon those of the
highest importance? Nay, medicine also ought to be a subject of attack, on
account of its many conflicting schools. Let it be admitted, then, that there are
among us some who deny that our God is the same as that of the Jews:
nevertheless, on that account those are not to be blamed who prove from the
same Scriptures that one and the same Deity is the God of the Jews and of the
Gentiles alike, as Paul, too, distinctly says, who was a convert from Judaism to
Christianity, "I thank my God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure
conscience." And let it be admitted also, that there is a third class who call
certain persons "carnal," and others "spiritual," — I think he here means the
followers of Valentinus—yet what does this avail against us, who belong to the
Church, and who make it an accusation against such as hold that certain natures
are saved, and that others perish in consequence of their natural constitution?
And let it be admitted further, that there are some who give themselves out as
Gnostics, in the same way as those Epicureans who call themselves
philosophers: yet neither will they who annihilate the doctrine of providence be
deemed true philosophers, nor those true Christians who introduce monstrous
inventions, which are disapproved of by those who are the disciples of Jesus. Let
it be admitted, moreover, that there are some who accept Jesus, and who boast
on that account of being Christians, and yet would regulate their lives, like the
Jewish multitude, in accordance with the Jewish law—and these are the twofold
sect of Ebionites, who either acknowledge with us that Jesus was born of a
virgin, or deny this, and maintain that He was begotten like other human beings
—what does that avail by way of charge against such as belong to the Church,
and whom Celsus has styled "those of the multitude?" He adds, also, that certain
of the Christians are believers in the Sibyl, having probably misunderstood some
who blamed such as believed in the existence of a prophetic Sibyl, and termed
those who held this belief Sibyllists.
 Chapter 62
He next pours down upon us a heap of names, saying that he knows of the
existence of certain Simonians who worship Helene, or Helenus, as their teacher,
and are called Helenians. But it has escaped the notice of Celsus that the
Simonians do not at all acknowledge Jesus to be the Son of God, but term Simon
the "power" of God, regarding whom they relate certain marvellous stories,
saying that he imagined that if he could become possessed of similar powers to
those with which be believed Jesus to be endowed, he too would become as
powerful among men as Jesus was among the multitude. But neither Celsus nor
Simon could comprehend how Jesus, like a good husbandman of the word of
God, was able to sow the greater part of Greece, and of barbarian lands, with His
doctrine, and to fill these countries with words which transform the soul from all
that is evil, and bring it back to the Creator of all things. Celsus knows,
moreover, certain Marcellians, so called from Marcellina, and Harpocratians
from Salome, and others who derive their name from Mariamme, and others
again from Martha. We, however, who from a love of learning examine to the
utmost of our ability not only the contents of Scripture, and the differences to
which they give rise, but have also, from love to the truth, investigated as far as
we could the opinions of philosophers, have never at any time met with these
sects. He makes mention also of the Marcionites, whose leader was Marcion.
 Chapter 63
In the next place, that he may have the appearance of knowing still more
than he has yet mentioned, he says, agreeably to his usual custom, that "there are
others who have wickedly invented some being as their teacher and demon, and
who wallow about in a great darkness, more unholy and accursed than that of
the companions of the Egyptian Antinous." And he seems to me, indeed, in
touching on these matters, to say with a certain degree of truth, that there are
certain others who have wickedly invented another demon, and who have found
him to be their lord, as they wallow about in the great darkness of their
ignorance. With respect, however, to Antinous, who is compared with our Jesus,
we shall not repeat what we have already said in the preceding pages.
"Moreover," he continues, "these persons utter against one another dreadful
blasphemies, saying all manner of things shameful to be spoken; nor will they
yield in the slightest point for the sake of harmony, hating each other with a
perfect hatred." Now, in answer to this, we have already said that in philosophy
and medicine sects are to be found warring against sects. We, however, who are
followers of the word of Jesus, and have exercised ourselves in thinking, and
saying, and doing what is in harmony with His words, "when reviled, bless;
being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat;" and we would not
utter "all manner of things shameful to be spoken" against those who have
adopted different opinions from ours, but, if possible, use every exertion to raise
them to a better condition through adherence to the Creator alone, and lead them
to perform every act as those who will (one day) be judged. And if those who
hold different opinions will not be convinced, we observe the injunction laid
down for the treatment of such: "A man that is a heretic, after the first and
second admonition, reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sins,
being condemned of himself." Moreover, we who know the maxim, "Blessed are
the peacemakers," and this also, "Blessed are the meek," would not regard with
hatred the corrupters of Christianity, nor term those who had fallen into error
Circes and flattering deceivers.
 Chapter 64
Celsus appears to me to have misunderstood the statement of the apostle,
which declares that "in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy,
having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and
commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with
thanksgiving of them who believe;" and to have misunderstood also those who
employed these declarations of the apostle against such as had corrupted the
doctrines of Christianity. And it is owing to this cause that Celsus has said that
"certain among the Christians are called 'cauterized in the ears;'" and also that
some are termed "enigmas," — a term which we have never met. The expression
"stumbling-block" is, indeed, of frequent occurrence in these writings—an
appellation which we are accustomed to apply to those who turn away simple
persons, and those who are easily deceived, from sound doctrine. But neither we,
nor, I imagine, any other, whether Christian or heretic, know of any who are
styled Sirens, who betray and deceive, and stop their ears, and change into swine
those whom they delude. And yet this man, who affects to know everything, uses
such language as the following: "You may hear," he says, "all those who differ
so widely, and who assail each other in their disputes with the most shameless
language, uttering the words, 'The world is crucified to me, and I unto the
world.'" And this is the only phrase which, it appears, Celsus could remember
out of Paul's writings; and yet why should we not also employ innumerable other
quotations from the Scriptures, such as, "For though we do walk in the flesh, we
do not war after the flesh; (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds,) casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of
God?"
 Chapter 65
But since he asserts that "you may hear all those who differ so widely
saying, 'The world is crucified to me, and I unto the world,'" we shall show the
falsity of such a statement. For there are certain heretical sects which do not
receive the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, as the two sects of Ebionites, and those
who are termed Encratites. Those, then, who do not regard the apostle as a holy
and wise man, will not adopt his language, and say, "The world is crucified to
me, and I unto the world." And consequently in this point, too, Celsus is guilty
of falsehood. He continues, moreover, to linger over the accusations which he
brings against the diversity of sects which exist, but does not appear to me to be
accurate in the language which he employs, nor to have carefully observed or
understood how it is that those Christians who have made progress in their
studies say that they are possessed of greater knowledge than the Jews; and also,
whether they acknowledge the same Scriptures, but interpret them differently, or
whether they do not recognise these books as divine. For we find both of these
views prevailing among the sects. He then continues: "Although they have no
foundation for the doctrine, let us examine the system itself; and, in the first
place, let us mention the corruptions which they have made through ignorance
and misunderstanding, when in the discussion of elementary principles they
express their opinions in the most absurd manner on things which they do not
understand, such as the following." And then, to certain expressions which are
continually in the mouths of the believers in Christianity, he opposes certain
others from the writings of the philosophers, with the object of making it appear
that the noble sentiments which Celsus supposes to be used by Christians have
been expressed in better and clearer language by the philosophers, in order that
he might drag away to the study of philosophy those who are caught by opinions
which at once evidence their noble and religious character. We shall, however,
here terminate the fifth book, and begin the sixth with what follows.
 Contra Celsus, Book VI
Chapter 1

In beginning this our sixth book, we desire, my reverend Ambrosius, to

answer in it those accusations which Celsus brings against the Christians , not,
as might be supposed, those objections which he has adduced from writers on
philosophy . For he has quoted a considerable number of passages, chiefly from
Plato, and has placed alongside of these such declarations of holy Scripture as
are fitted to impress even the intelligent mind; subjoining the assertion that
"these things are stated much better among the Greeks (than in the Scriptures),
and in a manner which is free from all exaggerations and promises on the part
of God, or the Son of God." Now we maintain, that if it is the object of the
ambassadors of the truth to confer benefits upon the greatest possible number,
and, so far as they can, to win over to its side, through their love to men, every
one without exception— intelligent as well as simple— not Greeks only, but
also Barbarians (and great, indeed, is the humanity which should succeed in
converting the rustic and the ignorant ), it is manifest that they must adopt a style
of address fitted to do good to all, and to gain over to them men of every sort.
Those, on the other hand, who turn away from the ignorant as being mere slaves,
and unable to understand the flowing periods of a polished and logical discourse,
and so devote their attention solely to such as have been brought up among
literary pursuits, confine their views of the public good within very strait and
narrow limits.
 Chapter 2
I have made these remarks in reply to the charges which Celsus and others
bring against the simplicity of the language of Scripture, which appears to be
thrown into the shade by the splendour of polished discourse. For our prophets,
and Jesus Himself, and His apostles, were careful to adopt a style of address
which should not merely convey the truth, but which should be fitted to gain
over the multitude, until each one, attracted and led onwards, should ascend as
far as he could towards the comprehension of those mysteries which are
contained in these apparently simple words. For, if I may venture to say so, few
have been benefited (if they have indeed been benefited at all) by the beautiful
and polished style of Plato, and those who have written like him; while, on the
contrary, many have received advantage from those who wrote and taught in a
simple and practical manner, and with a view to the wants of the multitude. It is
easy, indeed, to observe that Plato is found only in the hands of those who
profess to be literary men; while Epictetus is admired by persons of ordinary
capacity, who have a desire to be benefited, and who perceive the improvement
which may be derived from his writings. Now we make these remarks, not to
disparage Plato (for the great world of men has found even him useful), but to
point out the aim of those who said: "And my speech and my preaching was not
with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power, that our faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of
God." For the word of God declares that the preaching (although in itself true
and most worthy of belief) is not sufficient to reach the human heart, unless a
certain power be imparted to the speaker from God, and a grace appear upon his
words; and it is only by the divine agency that this takes place in those who
speak effectually. The prophet says in the sixty-seventh Psalm, that "the Lord
will give a word with great power to them who preach." If, then, it should be
granted with respect to certain points, that the same doctrines are found among
the Greeks as in our own Scriptures, yet they do not possess the same power of
attracting and disposing the souls of men to follow them. And therefore the
disciples of Jesus, men ignorant so far as regards Grecian philosophy, yet
traversed many countries of the world, impressing, agreeably to the desire of the
Logos, each one of their hearers according to his deserts, so that they received a
moral amelioration in proportion to the inclination of their will to accept of that
which is good.
 Chapter 3
Let the ancient sages, then, make known their sayings to those who are
capable of understanding them. Suppose that Plato, for example, the son of
Ariston, in one of his Epistles, is discoursing about the "chief good," and that he
says, "The chief good can by no means be described in words, but is produced by
long habit, and bursts forth suddenly as a light in the soul, as from a fire which
had leapt forth." We, then, on hearing these words, admit that they are well said,
for it is God who revealed to men these as well as all other noble expressions.
And for this reason it is that we maintain that those who have entertained correct
ideas regarding God, but who have not offered to Him a worship in harmony
with the truth, are liable to the punishments which fall on sinners. For respecting
such Paul says in express words: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;
for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the
glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and
to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." The truth, then, is verily
held (in unrighteousness), as our Scriptures testify, by those who are of opinion
that "the chief good cannot be described in words," but who assert that, "after
long custom and familiar usage, a light becomes suddenly kindled in the soul, as
if by a fire springing forth, and that it now supports itself alone."
 Chapter 4
Notwithstanding, those who have written in this manner regarding the
"chief good" will go down to the Piræus and offer prayer to Artemis, as if she
were God, and will look (with approval) upon the solemn assembly held by
ignorant men; and after giving utterance to philosophical remarks of such
profundity regarding the soul, and describing its passage (to a happier world)
after a virtuous life, they pass from those great topics which God has revealed to
them, and adopt mean and trifling thoughts, and offer a cock to Æsculapius! And
although they had been enabled to form representations both of the "invisible
things" of God and of the "archetypal forms" of things from the creation of the
world, and from (the contemplation of) sensible things, from which they ascend
to those objects which are comprehended by the understanding alone—and
although they had no mean glimpses of His "eternal power and Godhead," they
nevertheless became "foolish in their imaginations," and their "foolish heart"
was involved in darkness and ignorance as to the (true) worship of God.
Moreover, we may see those who greatly pride themselves upon their wisdom
and theology worshipping the image of a corruptible man, in honour , they say,
of Him, and sometimes even descending, with the Egyptians, to the worship of
birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things! And although some may
appear to have risen above such practices, nevertheless they will be found to
have changed the truth of God into a lie, and to worship and serve the "creature
more than the Creator." As the wise and learned among the Greeks, then,
commit errors in the service which they render to God, God "chose the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise; and base things of the world, and
things that are weak, and things which are despised, and things which are
nought, to bring to nought things that are;" and this, truly, "that no flesh should
glory in the presence of God." Our wise men, however—Moses, the most
ancient of them all, and the prophets who followed him—knowing that the chief
good could by no means be described in words, were the first who wrote that, as
God manifests Himself to the deserving, and to those who are qualified to behold
Him, He appeared to Abraham, or to Isaac, or to Jacob. But who He was that
appeared, and of what form, and in what manner, and like to which of mortal
beings, they have left to be investigated by those who are able to show that they
resemble those persons to whom God showed Himself: for He was seen not by
their bodily eyes, but by the pure heart. For, according to the declaration of our
Jesus, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
 Chapter 5
But that a light is suddenly kindled in the soul, as by a fire leaping forth, is
a fact known long ago to our Scriptures; as when the prophet said, "Light for
yourselves the light of knowledge." John also, who lived after him, said, "That
which was in the Logos was life, and the life was the light of men;" which "true
light lightens every man that comes into the world" (i.e., the true world, which is
perceived by the understanding ), and makes him a light of the world: For this
light shone in our hearts, to give the light of the glorious Gospel of God in the
face of Christ Jesus. And therefore that very ancient prophet, who prophesied
many generations before the reign of Cyrus (for he was older than he by more
than fourteen generations), expressed himself in these words: "The Lord is my
light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?" and, "Your law is a lamp unto my
feet, and a light unto my path;" and again, "The light of Your countenance, O
Lord, was manifested towards us;" and, "In Your light we shall see light." And
the Logos, exhorting us to come to this light, says, in the prophecies of Isaiah:
"Enlighten yourself, enlighten yourself, O Jerusalem; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." The same prophet also, when
predicting the advent of Jesus, who was to turn away men from the worship of
idols, and of images, and of demons, says, "To those that sat in the land and
shadow of death, upon them has the light arisen;" and again, "The people that
sat in darkness saw a great light." Observe now the difference between the fine
phrases of Plato respecting the "chief good," and the declarations of our prophets
regarding the "light" of the blessed; and notice that the truth as it is contained in
Plato concerning this subject did not at all help his readers to attain to a pure
worship of God, nor even himself, who could philosophize so grandly about the
"chief good," whereas the simple language of the holy Scriptures has led to their
honest readers being filled with a divine spirit; and this light is nourished within
them by the oil, which in a certain parable is said to have preserved the light of
the torches of the five wise virgins.
 Chapter 6
Seeing, however, that Celsus quotes from an epistle of Plato another
statement to the following effect, viz.: "If it appeared to me that these matters
could be adequately explained to the multitude in writing and in oral address,
what nobler pursuit in life could have been followed by me, than to commit to
writing what was to prove of such advantage to human beings, and to lead the
nature of all men onwards to the light?" — let us then consider this point briefly,
viz., whether or not Plato were acquainted with any doctrines more profound
than are contained in his writings, or more divine than those which he has left
behind him, leaving it to each one to investigate the subject according to his
ability, while we demonstrate that our prophets did know of greater things than
any in the Scriptures, but which they did not commit to writing. Ezekiel, e.g.,
received a roll, written within and without, in which were contained
"lamentations," and "songs," and "denunciations;" but at the command of the
Logos he swallowed the book, in order that its contents might not be written, and
so made known to unworthy persons. John also is recorded to have seen and
done a similar thing. Nay, Paul even heard "unspeakable words, which it is not
lawful for a man to utter." And it is related of Jesus, who was greater than all
these, that He conversed with His disciples in private, and especially in their
sacred retreats, concerning the Gospel of God; but the words which He uttered
have not been preserved, because it appeared to the evangelists that they could
not be adequately conveyed to the multitude in writing or in speech. And if it
were not tiresome to repeat the truth regarding these illustrious individuals, I
would say that they saw better than Plato (by means of the intelligence which
they received by the grace of God), what things were to be committed to writing
, and how this was to be done, and what was by no means to be written to the
multitude, and what was to be expressed in words , and what was not to be so
conveyed. And once more, John, in teaching us the difference between what
ought to be committed to writing and what not, declares that he heard seven
thunders instructing him on certain matters, and forbidding him to commit their
words to writing.
 Chapter 7
There might also be found in the writings of Moses and of the prophets,
who are older not only than Plato, but even than Homer and the invention of
letters among the Greeks, passages worthy of the grace of God bestowed upon
them, and filled with great thoughts, to which they gave utterance, but not
because they understood Plato imperfectly, as Celsus imagines. For how was it
possible that they should have heard one who was not yet born? And if any one
should apply the words of Celsus to the apostles of Jesus, who were younger
than Plato, say whether it is not on the very face of it an incredible assertion, that
Paul the tentmaker, and Peter the fisherman, and John who left his father's nets,
should, through misunderstanding the language of Plato in his Epistles, have
expressed themselves as they have done regarding God? But as Celsus now,
after having often required of us immediate assent (to his views), as if he were
babbling forth something new in addition to what he has already advanced, only
repeats himself, what we have said in reply may suffice. Seeing, however, he
produces another quotation from Plato, in which he asserts that the employment
of the method of question and answer sheds light on the thoughts of those who
philosophize like him, let us show from the holy Scriptures that the word of God
also encourages us to the practice of dialectics: Solomon, e.g., declaring in one
passage, that "instruction unquestioned goes astray;" and Jesus the son of
Sirach, who has left us the treatise called "Wisdom," declaring in another, that
"the knowledge of the unwise is as words that will not stand investigation." Our
methods of discussion, however, are rather of a gentle kind; for we have learned
that he who presides over the preaching of the word ought to be able to confute
gainsayers. But if some continue indolent, and do not train themselves so as to
attend to the reading of the word, and "to search the Scriptures," and, agreeably
to the command of Jesus, to investigate the meaning of the sacred writings, and
to ask of God concerning them, and to keep "knocking" at what may be closed
within them, the Scripture is not on that account to be regarded as devoid of
wisdom.
 Chapter 8
In the next place, after other Platonic declarations, which demonstrate that
"the good" can be known by few, he adds: "Since the multitude, being puffed up
with a contempt for others, which is far from right, and being filled with vain
and lofty hopes, assert that, because they have come to the knowledge of some
venerable doctrines, certain things are true." "Yet although Plato predicted
these things, he nevertheless does not talk marvels, nor shut the mouth of those
who wish to ask him for information on the subject of his promises; nor does he
command them to come at once and believe that a God of a particular kind
exists, and that he has a son of a particular nature, who descended (to earth)
and conversed with me." Now, in answer to this we have to say, that with regard
to Plato, it is Aristander, I think, who has related that he was not the son of
Ariston, but of a phantom, which approached Amphictione in the guise of
Apollo. And there are several other of the followers of Plato who, in their lives
of their master, have made the same statement. What are we to say, moreover,
about Pythagoras, who relates the greatest possible amount of wonders, and who,
in a general assembly of the Greeks, showed his ivory thigh, and asserted that he
recognised the shield which he wore when he was Euphorbus, and who is said to
have appeared on one day in two different cities! He, moreover, who will declare
that what is related of Plato and Socrates belongs to the marvellous, will quote
the story of the swan which was recommended to Socrates while he was asleep,
and of the master saying when he met the young man, "This, then, was the
swan!" Nay, the third eye which Plato saw that he himself possessed, he will
refer to the category of prodigies. But occasion for slanderous accusations will
never be wanting to those who are ill-disposed, and who wish to speak evil of
what has happened to such as are raised above the multitude. Such persons will
deride as a fiction even the demon of Socrates. We do not, then, relate marvels
when we narrate the history of Jesus, nor have His genuine disciples recorded
any such stories of Him; whereas this Celsus, who professes universal
knowledge, and who quotes many of the sayings of Plato, is, I think,
intentionally silent on the discourse concerning the Son of God which is related
in Plato's Epistle to Hermeas and Coriscus. Plato's words are as follows: "And
calling to witness the God of all things— the ruler both of things present and
things to come, father and lord both of the ruler and cause— whom, if we are
philosophers indeed, we shall all clearly know, so far as it is possible for happy
human beings to attain such knowledge."
 Chapter 9
Celsus quotes another saying of Plato to the following effect: "It has
occurred to me to speak once more upon these subjects at greater length, as
perhaps I might express myself about them more clearly than I have already
done for there is a certain 'real' cause, which proves a hindrance in the way of
him who has ventured, even to a slight extent, to write on such topics; and as this
has been frequently mentioned by me on former occasions, it appears to me that
it ought to be stated now. In each of existing things, which are necessarily
employed in the acquisition of knowledge, there are three elements; knowledge
itself is the fourth; and that ought to be laid down as the fifth which is both
capable of being known and is true. Of these, one is 'name;' the second is 'word;'
the third, 'image;' the fourth, 'knowledge.'" Now, according to this division, John
is introduced before Jesus as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, so as to
correspond with the "name" of Plato; and the second after John, who is pointed
out by him, is Jesus, with whom agrees the statement, "The Word became flesh;"
and that corresponds to the "word" of Plato. Plato terms the third "image;" but
we, who apply the expression "image" to something different, would say with
greater precision, that the mark of the wounds which is made in the soul by the
word is the Christ which is in each one of us and this mark is impressed by
Christ the Word. And whether Christ, the wisdom which is in those of us who
are perfect, correspond to the "fourth" element— knowledge— will become
known to him who has the capacity to ascertain it.
 Chapter 10
He next continues: "You see how Plato, although maintaining that (the
chief good) cannot be described in words, yet, to avoid the appearance of
retreating to an irrefutable position, subjoins a reason in explanation of this
difficulty, as even 'nothing' might perhaps be explained in words." But as Celsus
adduces this to prove that we ought not to yield a simple assent, but to furnish a
reason for our belief, we shall quote also the words of Paul, where he says, in
censuring the hasty believer, "unless you have believed inconsiderately." Now,
through his practice of repeating himself, Celsus, so far as he can, forces us to be
guilty of tautology, reiterating, after the boastful language which has been
quoted, that "Plato is not guilty of boasting and falsehood, giving out that he has
made some new discovery, or that he has come down from heaven to announce
it, but acknowledges whence these statements are derived." Now, if one wished
to reply to Celsus, one might say in answer to such assertions, that even Plato is
guilty of boasting, when in the Timæus he puts the following language in the
month of Zeus: "Gods of gods, whose creator and father I am," and so on. And
if any one will defend such language on account of the meaning which is
conveyed under the name of Zeus, thus speaking in the dialogue of Plato, why
should not he who investigates the meaning of the words of the Son of God, or
those of the Creator in the prophets, express a profounder meaning than any
conveyed by the words of Zeus in the Timæus ? For the characteristic of divinity
is the announcement of future events, predicted not by human power, but shown
by the result to be due to a divine spirit in him who made the announcement.
Accordingly, we do not say to each of our hearers, "Believe, first of all, that He
whom I introduce to you is the Son of God;" but we put the Gospel before each
one, as his character and disposition may fit him to receive it, inasmuch as we
have learned to know "how we ought to answer every man." And there are some
who are capable of receiving nothing more than an exhortation to believe, and to
these we address that alone; while we approach others, again, as far as possible,
in the way of demonstration, by means of question and answer. Nor do we at all
say, as Celsus scoffingly alleges, "Believe that he whom I introduce to you is the
Son of God, although he was shamefully bound, and disgracefully punished, and
very recently was most contumeliously treated before the eyes of all men;"
neither do we add, "Believe it even the more (on that account)." For it is our
endeavour to state, on each individual point, arguments more numerous even
than we have brought forward in the preceding pages.
 Chapter 11
After this Celsus continues: "If these (meaning the Christians) bring
forward this person, and others, again, a different individual (as the Christ),
while the common and ready cry of all parties is, 'Believe, if you will be saved,
or else begone,' what shall those do who are in earnest about their salvation?
Shall they cast the dice, in order to divine whither they may betake themselves,
and whom they shall join?" Now we shall answer this objection in the following
manner, as the clearness of the case impels us to do. If it had been recorded that
several individuals had appeared in human life as sons of God in the manner in
which Jesus did, and if each of them had drawn a party of adherents to his side,
so that, on account of the similarity of the profession (in the case of each
individual) that he was the Son of God, he to whom his followers bore testimony
to that effect was an object of dispute, there would have been ground for his
saying, "If these bring forward this person, and others a different individual,
while the common and ready cry of all parties is, 'Believe, if you will be saved,
or else begone,'" and so on; whereas it has been proclaimed to the entire world
that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God who visited the human race: for those
who, like Celsus, have supposed that (the acts of Jesus) were a series of
prodigies, and who for that reason wished to perform acts of the same kind, that
they, too, might gain a similar mastery over the minds of men, were convicted of
being utter nonentities. Such were Simon, the Magus of Samaria, and Dositheus,
who was a native of the same place; since the former gave out that he was the
power of God that is called great, and the latter that he was the Son of God. Now
Simonians are found nowhere throughout the world; and yet, in order to gain
over to himself many followers, Simon freed his disciples from the danger of
death, which the Christians were taught to prefer, by teaching them to regard
idolatry as a matter of indifference. But even at the beginning of their existence
the followers of Simon were not exposed to persecution. For that wicked demon
who was conspiring against the doctrine of Jesus, was well aware that none of
his own maxims would be weakened by the teaching of Simon. The Dositheans,
again, even in former times, did not rise to any eminence, and now they are
completely extinguished, so that it is said their whole number does not amount to
thirty. Judas of Galilee also, as Luke relates in the Acts of the Apostles, wished
to call himself some great personage, as did Theudas before him; but as their
doctrine was not of God, they were destroyed, and all who obeyed them were
immediately dispersed. We do not, then, "cast the dice in order to divine whither
we shall betake ourselves, and whom we shall join," as if there were many
claimants able to draw us after them by the profession of their having come
down from God to visit the human race. On these points, however, we have said
enough.
 Chapter 12
Accordingly, let us pass on to another charge made by Celsus, who is not
even acquainted with the words (of our sacred books), but who, from
misunderstanding them, has said that "we declare the wisdom that is among men
to be foolishness with God;" Paul having said that "the wisdom of the world is
foolishness with God." Celsus says that "the reason of this has been stated long
ago." And the reason he imagines to be, "our desire to win over by means of this
saying the ignorant and foolish alone." But, as he himself has intimated, he has
said the same thing before; and we, to the best of our ability, replied to it.
Notwithstanding this, however, he wished to show that this statement was an
invention of ours, and borrowed from the Grecian sages, who declare that human
wisdom is of one kind, and divine of another. And he quotes the words of
Heraclitus, where he says in one passage, that "man's method of action is not
regulated by fixed principles, but that of God is;" and in another, that "a foolish
man listens to a demon, as a boy does to a man." He quotes, moreover, the
following from the Apology of Socrates , of which Plato was the author: "For I,
O men of Athens, have obtained this name by no other means than by my
wisdom. And of what sort is this wisdom? Such, probably, as is human; for in
that respect I venture to think that I am in reality wise." Such are the passages
adduced by Celsus. But I shall subjoin also the following from Plato's letter to
Hermeas, and Erastus, and Coriscus: "To Erastus and Coriscus I say, although I
am an old man, that, in addition to this noble knowledge of 'forms' (which they
possess), they need a wisdom, with regard to the class of wicked and unjust
persons, which may serve as a protective and repelling force against them. For
they are inexperienced, in consequence of having passed a large portion of their
lives with us, who are moderate individuals, and not wicked. I have accordingly
said that they need these things, in order that they may not be compelled to
neglect the true wisdom, and to apply themselves in a greater degree than is
proper to that which is necessary and human."
 Chapter 13
According to the foregoing, then, the one kind of wisdom is human, and the
other divine. Now the "human" wisdom is that which is termed by us the
wisdom of the "world," which is "foolishness with God;" whereas the "divine"
— being different from the "human," because it is "divine" — comes, through
the grace of God who bestows it, to those who have evinced their capacity for
receiving it, and especially to those who, from knowing the difference between
either kind of wisdom, say, in their prayers to God, "Even if one among the sons
of men be perfect, while the wisdom is wanting that comes from You, he shall be
accounted as nothing." [ Wisdom 9:6 ] We maintain, indeed, that "human"
wisdom is an exercise for the soul, but that "divine" wisdom is the "end," being
also termed the "strong" meat of the soul by him who has said that "strong meat
belongs to them that are perfect, even those who by reason of use have their
senses exercised to discern both good and evil." This opinion, moreover, is truly
an ancient one, its antiquity not being referred back, as Celsus thinks, merely to
Heraclitus and Plato. For before these individuals lived, the prophets
distinguished between the two kinds of wisdom. It is sufficient for the present to
quote from the words of David what he says regarding the man who is wise,
according to divine wisdom, that "he will not see corruption when he beholds
wise men dying." Divine wisdom, accordingly, being different from faith, is the
"first" of the so-called "charismata" of God; and the "second" after it— in the
estimation of those who know how to distinguish such things accurately— is
what is called "knowledge;" and the "third" — seeing that even the more simple
class of men who adhere to the service of God, so far as they can, must be saved
— is faith. And therefore Paul says: "To one is given by the Spirit the word of
wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith
by the same Spirit." And therefore it is no ordinary individuals whom you will
find to have participated in the "divine" wisdom, but the more excellent and
distinguished among those who have given in their adherence to Christianity; for
it is not "to the most ignorant, or servile, or most uninstructed of mankind," that
one would discourse upon the topics relating to the divine wisdom.
 Chapter 14
In designating others by the epithets of "uninstructed, and servile, and
ignorant," Celsus, I suppose, means those who are not acquainted with his laws,
nor trained in the branches of Greek learning; while we, on the other hand, deem
those to be "uninstructed" who are not ashamed to address (supplications) to
inanimate objects, and to call upon those for health that have no strength, and to
ask the dead for life, and to entreat the helpless for assistance. And although
some may say that these objects are not gods, but only imitations and symbols of
real divinities, nevertheless these very individuals, in imagining that the hands of
low mechanics can frame imitations of divinity, are "uninstructed, and servile,
and ignorant;" for we assert that the lowest among us have been set free from
this ignorance and want of knowledge, while the most intelligent can understand
and grasp the divine hope. We do not maintain, however, that it is impossible for
one who has not been trained in earthly wisdom to receive the "divine," but we
do acknowledge that all human wisdom is "folly" in comparison with the
"divine." In the next place, instead of endeavouring to adduce reasons, as he
ought, for his assertions, he terms us "sorcerers," and asserts that "we flee away
with headlong speed from the more polished class of persons, because they are
not suitable subjects for our impositions, while we seek to decoy those who are
more rustic." Now he did not observe that from the very beginning our wise men
were trained in the external branches of learning: Moses, e.g., in all the wisdom
of the Egyptians; Daniel, and Ananias, and Azariah, and Mishael, in all Assyrian
learning, so that they were found to surpass in tenfold degree all the wise men of
that country. At the present time, moreover, the Churches have, in proportion to
the multitudes (of ordinary believers), a few "wise" men, who have come over to
them from that wisdom which is said by us to be "according to the flesh;" and
they have also some who have advanced from it to that wisdom which is
"divine."
 Chapter 15
Celsus, in the next place, as one who has heard the subject of humility
greatly talked about, but who has not been at the pains to understand it, would
wish to speak evil of that humility which is practised among us, and imagines
that it is borrowed from some words of Plato imperfectly understood, where he
expresses himself in the Laws as follows: "Now God, according to the ancient
account, having in Himself both the beginning and end and middle of all existing
things, proceeds according to nature, and marches straight on. He is constantly
followed by justice, which is the avenger of all breaches of the divine law: he
who is about to become happy follows her closely in humility, and becomingly
adorned." He did not observe, however, that in writers much older than Plato the
following words occur in a prayer: "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes
lofty, neither do I walk in great matters, nor in things too wonderful for me; if I
had not been humble," etc. Now these words show that he who is of humble
mind does not by any means humble himself in an unseemly or inauspicious
manner, falling down upon his knees, or casting himself headlong on the ground,
putting on the dress of the miserable, or sprinkling himself with dust. But he who
is of humble mind in the sense of the prophet, while "walking in great and
wonderful things," which are above his capacity— viz., those doctrines that are
truly great, and those thoughts that are wonderful— "humbles himself under the
mighty hand of God." If there are some, however, who through their stupidity
have not clearly understood the doctrine of humiliation, and act as they do, it is
not our doctrine which is to be blamed; but we must extend our forgiveness to
the stupidity of those who aim at higher things, and owing to their fatuity of
mind fail to attain them. He who is "humble and becomingly adorned," is so in a
greater degree than Plato's "humble and becomingly adorned" individual: for he
is becomingly adorned, on the one hand, because "he walks in things great and
wonderful," which are beyond his capacity; and humble, on the other hand,
because, while being in the midst of such, he yet voluntarily humbles himself,
not under any one at random, but under "the mighty hand of God," through Jesus
Christ, the teacher of such instruction, "who did not deem equality with God a
thing to be eagerly clung to, but made Himself of no reputation, and took on Him
the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, humbled Himself,
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." And so great is
this doctrine of humiliation, that it has no ordinary individual as its teacher; but
our great Saviour Himself says: "Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart,
and you shall find rest for your souls."
 Chapter 16
In the next place, with regard to the declaration of Jesus against rich men,
when He said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for
a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God," Celsus alleges that this saying
manifestly proceeded from Plato, and that Jesus perverted the words of the
philosopher, which were, that "it was impossible to be distinguished for
goodness, and at the same time for riches." Now who is there that is capable of
giving even moderate attention to affairs— not merely among the believers on
Jesus, but among the rest of mankind— that would not laugh at Celsus, on
hearing that Jesus, who was born and brought up among the Jews, and was
supposed to be the son of Joseph the carpenter, and who had not studied
literature— not merely that of the Greeks, but not even that of the Hebrews— as
the truth-loving Scriptures testify regarding Him, had read Plato, and being
pleased with the opinion he expressed regarding rich men, to the effect that "it
was impossible to be distinguished for goodness and riches at the same time,"
had perverted this, and changed it into, "It is easier for a camel to go through the
eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God!" Now, if
Celsus had not perused the Gospels in a spirit of hatred and dislike, but had been
imbued with a love of truth, he would have turned his attention to the point why
a camel— that one of animals which, as regards its physical structure, is crooked
— was chosen as an object of comparison with a rich man, and what
signification the "narrow eye of a needle" had for him who saw that "strait and
narrow was the way that leads unto life;" and to this point also, that this animal.
according to the law, is described as "unclean," having one element of
acceptability, viz. that it ruminates, but one of condemnation, viz., that it does
not divide the hoof. He would have inquired, moreover, how often the camel was
adduced as an object of comparison in the sacred Scriptures, and in reference to
what objects, that he might thus ascertain the meaning of the [Logos] concerning
the rich men. Nor would he have left without examination the fact that "the
poor" are termed "blessed" by Jesus, while "the rich" are designated as
"miserable;" and whether these words refer to the rich and poor who are visible
to the senses, or whether there is any kind of poverty known to the [Logos]
which is to be deemed "altogether blessed," and any rich man who is to be
wholly condemned. For even a common individual would not thus
indiscriminately have praised the poor, many of whom lead most wicked lives.
But on this point we have said enough.
 Chapter 17
Since Celsus, moreover, from a desire to depreciate the accounts which our
Scriptures give of the kingdom of God, has quoted none of them, as if they were
unworthy of being recorded by him (or perhaps because he was unacquainted
with them), while, on the other hand, he quotes the sayings of Plato, both from
his Epistles and the Phædrus , as if these were divinely inspired, but our
Scriptures were not, let us set forth a few points, for the sake of comparison with
these plausible declarations of Plato, which did not however, dispose the
philosopher to worship in a manner worthy of him the Maker of all things. For
he ought not to have adulterated or polluted this worship with what we call
"idolatry," but what the many would describe by the term "superstition." Now,
according to a Hebrew figure of speech, it is said of God in the eighteenth
Psalm, that "He made darkness His secret place," to signify that those notions
which should be worthily entertained of God are invisible and unknowable,
because God conceals Himself in darkness, as it were, from those who cannot
endure the splendours of His knowledge, or are incapable of looking at them,
partly owing to the pollution of their understanding, which is clothed with the
body of mortal lowliness, and partly owing to its feebler power of
comprehending God. And in order that it may appear that the knowledge of God
has rarely been vouchsafed to men, and has been found in very few individuals,
Moses is related to have entered into the darkness where God was. And again,
with regard to Moses it is said: "Moses alone shall come near the Lord, but the
rest shall not come near." And again, that the prophet may show the depth of the
doctrines which relate to God, and which is unattainable by those who do not
possess the "Spirit which searches all things, even the deep things of God," he
added: "The abyss like a garment is His covering." Nay, our Lord and Saviour,
the Logos of God, manifesting that the greatness of the knowledge of the Father
is appropriately comprehended and known pre-eminently by Him alone, and in
the second place by those whose minds are enlightened by the Logos Himself
and God, declares: "No man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any
man the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him." For
no one can worthily know the "uncreated" and first-born of all created nature
like the Father who begot Him, nor any one the Father like the living Logos, and
His Wisdom and Truth. By sharing in Him who takes away from the Father what
is called "darkness," which He "made His secret place," and "the abyss," which
is called His "covering," and in this way unveiling the Father, every one knows
the Father who is capable of knowing Him.
 Chapter 18
I thought it right to quote these few instances from a much larger number of
passages, in which our sacred writers express their ideas regarding God, in order
to show that, to those who have eyes to behold the venerable character of
Scripture, the sacred writings of the prophets contain things more worthy of
reverence than those sayings of Plato which Celsus admires. Now the declaration
of Plato, quoted by Celsus, runs as follows: "All things are around the King of
all, and all things exist for his sake, and he is the cause of all good things. With
things of the second rank he is second, and with those of the third rank he is
third. The human soul, accordingly, is eager to learn what these things are,
looking to such things as are kindred to itself, none of which is perfect. But as
regards the King and those things which I mentioned, there is nothing which
resembles them." I might have mentioned, moreover, what is said of those beings
which are called seraphim by the Hebrews, and described in Isaiah, who cover
the face and feet of God, and of those called cherubim, whom Ezekiel has
described, and the postures of these, and of the manner in which God is said to
be borne upon the cherubim. But since they are mentioned in a very mysterious
manner, on account of the unworthy and the indecent, who are unable to enter
into the great thoughts and venerable nature of theology, I have not deemed it
becoming to discourse of them in this treatise.
 Chapter 19
Celsus in the next place alleges, that "certain Christians, having
misunderstood the words of Plato, loudly boast of a 'super-celestial' God, thus
ascending beyond the heaven of the Jews." By these words, indeed, he does not
make it clear whether they also ascend beyond the God of the Jews, or only
beyond the heaven by which they swear. It is not our purpose at present,
however, to speak of those who acknowledge another god than the one
worshipped by the Jews, but to defend ourselves, and to show that it was
impossible for the prophets of the Jews, whose writings are reckoned among
ours, to have borrowed anything from Plato, because they were older than he.
They did not then borrow from him the declaration, that "all things are around
the King of all, and that all exist on account of him;" for we have learned that
nobler thoughts than these have been uttered by the prophets, by Jesus Himself
and His disciples, who have clearly indicated the meaning of the spirit that was
in them, which was none other than the spirit of Christ. Nor was the philosopher
the first to present to view the "super-celestial" place; for David long ago
brought to view the profundity and multitude of the thoughts concerning God
entertained by those who have ascended above visible things, when he said in
the book of Psalms: "Praise God, you heaven of heavens and you waters that be
above the heavens, let them praise the name of the Lord ." I do not, indeed, deny
that Plato learned from certain Hebrews the words quoted from the Phædrus , or
even, as some have recorded, that he quoted them from a perusal of our
prophetic writings, when he said: "No poet here below has ever sung of the
super-celestial place, or ever will sing in a becoming manner," and so on. And
in the same passage is the following: "For the essence, which is both colourless
and formless, and which cannot be touched, which really exists, is the pilot of
the soul, and is beheld by the understanding alone; and around it the genus of
true knowledge holds this place." Our Paul, moreover, educated by these words,
and longing after things "supra-mundane" and "super-celestial," and doing his
utmost for their sake to attain them, says in the second Epistle to the Corinthians:
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are unseen are eternal."
 Chapter 20
Now, to those who are capable of understanding him, the apostle manifestly
presents to view "things which are the objects of perception," calling them
"things seen;" while he terms "unseen," things which are the object of the
understanding, and cognisable by it alone. He knows, also, that things "seen" and
visible are "temporal," but that things cognisable by the mind, and "not seen,"
are "eternal;" and desiring to remain in the contemplation of these, and being
assisted by his earnest longing for them, he deemed all affliction as "light" and
as "nothing," and during the season of afflictions and troubles was not at all
bowed down by them, but by his contemplation of (divine) things deemed every
calamity a light thing, seeing we also have "a great High Priest," who by the
greatness of His power and understanding "has passed through the heavens,
even Jesus the Son of God," who has promised to all that have truly learned
divine things, and have lived lives in harmony with them, to go before them to
the things that are supra-mundane; for His words are: "That where I go, you may
be also." And therefore we hope, after the troubles and struggles which we suffer
here, to reach the highest heavens, and receiving, agreeably to the teaching of
Jesus, the fountains of water that spring up unto eternal life, and being filled with
the rivers of knowledge, shall be united with those waters that are said to be
above the heavens, and which praise His name. And as many of us as praise Him
shall not be carried about by the revolution of the heaven, but shall be ever
engaged in the contemplation of the invisible things of God, which are no longer
understood by us through the things which He has made from the creation of the
world, but seeing, as it was expressed by the true disciple of Jesus in these
words, "then face to face;" and in these, "When that which is perfect has come,
then that which is in part will be done away."
 Chapter 21
The Scriptures which are current in the Churches of God do not speak of
"seven" heavens, or of any definite number at all, but they do appear to teach the
existence of "heavens," whether that means the "spheres" of those bodies which
the Greeks call "planets," or something more mysterious. Celsus, too, agreeably
to the opinion of Plato, asserts that souls can make their way to and from the
earth through the planets; while Moses, our most ancient prophet, says that a
divine vision was presented to the view of our prophet Jacob, — a ladder
stretching to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon it,
and the Lord supported upon its top—obscurely pointing, by this matter of the
ladder, either to the same truths which Plato had in view, or to something greater
than these. On this subject Philo has composed a treatise which deserves the
thoughtful and intelligent investigation of all lovers of truth.
 Chapter 22
After this, Celsus, desiring to exhibit his learning in his treatise against us,
quotes also certain Persian mysteries, where he says: "These things are
obscurely hinted at in the accounts of the Persians, and especially in the
mysteries of Mithras, which are celebrated among them. For in the latter there is
a representation of the two heavenly revolutions—of the movement, viz., of the
fixed stars, and of that which take place among the planets, and of the passage
of the soul through these. The representation is of the following nature: There is
a ladder with lofty gates, and on the top of it an eighth gate. The first gate
consists of lead, the second of tin, the third of copper, the fourth of iron, the fifth
of a mixture of metals, the sixth of silver, and the seventh of gold. The first gate
they assign to Saturn, indicating by the 'lead' the slowness of this star; the
second to Venus, comparing her to the splendour and softness of tin; the third to
Jupiter, being firm and solid; the fourth to Mercury, for both Mercury and iron
are fit to endure all things, and are money-making and laborious; the fifth to
Mars, because, being composed of a mixture of metals, it is varied and unequal;
the sixth, of silver, to the Moon; the seventh, of gold, to the Sun—thus imitating
the different colours of the two latter." He next proceeds to examine the reason
of the stars being arranged in this order, which is symbolized by the names of the
rest of matter. Musical reasons, moreover, are added or quoted by the Persian
theology; and to these, again, he strives to add a second explanation, connected
also with musical considerations. But it seems to me, that to quote the language
of Celsus upon these matters would be absurd, and similar to what he himself
has done, when, in his accusations against Christians and Jews, he quoted, most
inappropriately, not only the words of Plato; but, dissatisfied even with these, he
adduced in addition the mysteries of the Persian Mithras, and the explanation of
them. Now, whatever be the case with regard to these—whether the Persians and
those who conduct the mysteries of Mithras give false or true accounts regarding
them—why did he select these for quotation, rather than some of the other
mysteries, with the explanation of them? For the mysteries of Mithras do not
appear to be more famous among the Greeks than those of Eleusis, or than those
in Ægina, where individuals are initiated in the rites of Hecate. But if he must
introduce barbarian mysteries with their explanation, why not rather those of the
Egyptians, which are highly regarded by many, or those of the Cappadocians
regarding the Comanian Diana, or those of the Thracians, or even those of the
Romans themselves, who initiate the noblest members of their senate? But if he
deemed it inappropriate to institute a comparison with any of these, because they
furnished no aid in the way of accusing Jews or Christians, why did it not also
appear to him inappropriate to adduce the instance of the mysteries of Mithras?
 Chapter 23
If one wished to obtain means for a profounder contemplation of the
entrance of souls into divine things, not from the statements of that very
insignificant sect from which he quoted, but from books— partly those of the
Jews, which are read in their synagogues, and adopted by Christians, and partly
from those of Christians alone— let him peruse, at the end of Ezekiel's
prophecies, the visions beheld by the prophet, in which gates of different kinds
are enumerated, which obscurely refer to the different modes in which divine
souls enter into a better world; and let him peruse also, from the Apocalypse of
John, what is related of the city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and of its
foundations and gates. And if he is capable of finding out also the road, which is
indicated by symbols, of those who will march on to divine things, let him read
the book of Moses entitled Numbers, and let him seek the help of one who is
capable of initiating him into the meaning of the narratives concerning the
encampments of the children of Israel; viz., of what sort those were which were
arranged towards the east, as was the case with the first; and what those towards
the south-west and south; and what towards the sea; and what the last were,
which were stationed towards the north. For he will see that there is in the
respective places a meaning not to be lightly treated, nor, as Celsus imagines,
such as calls only for silly and servile listeners: but he will distinguish in the
encampments certain things relating to the numbers that are enumerated, and
which are specially adapted to each tribe, of which the present does not appear to
us to be the proper time to speak. Let Celsus know, moreover, as well as those
who read his book, that in no part of the genuine and divinely accredited
Scriptures are "seven" heavens mentioned; neither do our prophets, nor the
apostles of Jesus, nor the Son of God Himself, repeat anything which they
borrowed from the Persians or the Cabiri.
 Chapter 24
After the instance borrowed from the Mithraic mysteries, Celsus declares
that he who would investigate the Christian mysteries, along with the aforesaid
Persian, will, on comparing the two together, and on unveiling the rites of the
Christians, see in this way the difference between them. Now, wherever he was
able to give the names of the various sects, he was nothing loth to quote those
with which he thought himself acquainted; but when he ought most of all to have
done this, if they were really known to him, and to have informed us which was
the sect that makes use of the diagram he has drawn, he has not done so. It seems
to me, however, that it is from some statements of a very insignificant sect called
Ophites, which he has misunderstood, that, in my opinion, he has partly
borrowed what he says about the diagram. Now, as we have always been
animated by a love of learning, we have fallen in with this diagram, and we have
found in it the representations of men who, as Paul says, "creep into houses, and
lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with various lusts; ever
learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." The diagram
was, however, so destitute of all credibility, that neither these easily deceived
women, nor the most rustic class of men, nor those who were ready to be led
away by any plausible pretender whatever, ever gave their assent to the diagram.
Nor, indeed, have we ever met any individual, although we have visited many
parts of the earth, and have sought out all those who anywhere made profession
of knowledge, that placed any faith in this diagram.
 Chapter 25
In this diagram were described ten circles, distinct from each other, but
united by one circle, which was said to be the soul of all things, and was called
"Leviathan." This Leviathan, the Jewish Scriptures say, whatever they mean by
the expression, was created by God for a plaything; for we find in the Psalms:
"In wisdom have You made all things: the earth is full of Your creatures; so is
this great and wide sea. There go the ships; small animals with great; there is
this dragon, which You have formed to play therein." Instead of the word
"dragon," the term "leviathan" is in the Hebrew. This impious diagram, then,
said of this leviathan, which is so clearly depreciated by the Psalmist, that it was
the soul which had travelled through all things! We observed, also, in the
diagram, the being named "Behemoth," placed as it were under the lowest circle.
The inventor of this accursed diagram had inscribed this leviathan at its
circumference and centre, thus placing its name in two separate places.
Moreover, Celsus says that the diagram was "divided by a thick black line, and
this line he asserted was called Gehenna, which is Tartarus." Now as we found
that Gehenna was mentioned in the Gospel as a place of punishment, we
searched to see whether it is mentioned anywhere in the ancient Scriptures, and
especially because the Jews too use the word. And we ascertained that where the
valley of the son of Ennom was named in Scripture in the Hebrew, instead of
"valley," with fundamentally the same meaning, it was termed both the valley of
Ennom and also Geenna. And continuing our researches, we find that what was
termed "Geenna," or "the valley of Ennom," was included in the lot of the tribe
of Benjamin, in which Jerusalem also was situated. And seeking to ascertain
what might be the inference from the heavenly Jerusalem belonging to the lot of
Benjamin and the valley of Ennom, we find a certain confirmation of what is
said regarding the place of punishment, intended for the purification of such
souls as are to be purified by torments, agreeably to the saying: "The Lord comes
like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and
purifier of silver and of gold."
 Chapter 26
It is in the precincts of Jerusalem, then, that punishments will be inflicted
upon those who undergo the process of purification, who have received into the
substance of their soul the elements of wickedness, which in a certain place is
figuratively termed "lead," and on that account iniquity is represented in
Zechariah as sitting upon a "talent of lead." But the remarks which might be
made on this topic are neither to be made to all, nor to be uttered on the present
occasion; for it is not unattended with danger to commit to writing the
explanation of such subjects, seeing the multitude need no further instruction
than that which relates to the punishment of sinners; while to ascend beyond this
is not expedient, for the sake of those who are with difficulty restrained, even by
fear of eternal punishment, from plunging into any degree of wickedness, and
into the flood of evils which result from sin. The doctrine of Geenna, then, is
unknown both to the diagram and to Celsus: for had it been otherwise, the
framers of the former would not have boasted of their pictures of animals and
diagrams, as if the truth were represented by these; nor would Celsus, in his
treatise against the Christians, have introduced among the charges directed
against them statements which they never uttered instead of what was spoken by
some who perhaps are no longer in existence, but have altogether disappeared, or
been reduced to a very few individuals, and these easily counted. And as it does
not beseem those who profess the doctrines of Plato to offer a defence of
Epicurus and his impious opinions, so neither is it for us to defend the diagram,
or to refute the accusations brought against it by Celsus. We may therefore allow
his charges on these points to pass as superfluous and useless, for we would
censure more severely than Celsus any who should be carried away by such
opinions.
 Chapter 27
After the matter of the diagram, he brings forward certain monstrous
statements, in the form of question and answer, regarding what is called by
ecclesiastical writers the "seal," statements which did not arise from imperfect
information; such as that "he who impresses the seal is called father, and he who
is sealed is called young man and son;" and who answers, "I have been anointed
with white ointment from the tree of life," — things which we never heard to
have occurred even among the heretics. In the next place, he determines even the
number mentioned by those who deliver over the seal, as that "of seven angels,
who attach themselves to both sides of the soul of the dying body; the one party
being named angels of light, the others 'archontics;'" and he asserts that the
"ruler of those named 'archontics' is termed the 'accursed' god." Then, laying
hold of the expression, he assails, not without reason, those who venture to use
such language; and on that account we entertain a similar feeling of indignation
with those who censure such individuals, if indeed there exist any who call the
God of the Jews— who sends rain and thunder, and who is the Creator of this
world, and the God of Moses, and of the cosmogony which he records— an
"accursed" divinity. Celsus, however, appears to have had in view in employing
these expressions, not a rational object, but one of a most irrational kind, arising
out of his hatred towards us, which is so unlike a philosopher. For his aim was,
that those who are unacquainted with our customs should, on perusing his
treatise, at once assail us as if we called the noble Creator of this world an
"accursed divinity." He appears to me, indeed, to have acted like those Jews
who, when Christianity began to be first preached, scattered abroad false reports
of the Gospel, such as that "Christians offered up an infant in sacrifice, and
partook of its flesh;" and again, "that the professors of Christianity, wishing to
do the 'works of darkness,' used to extinguish the lights (in their meetings), and
each one to have sexual intercourse with any woman whom he chanced to meet."
These calumnies have long exercised, although unreasonably, an influence over
the minds of very many, leading those who are aliens to the Gospel to believe
that Christians are men of such a character; and even at the present day they
mislead some, and prevent them from entering even into the simple intercourse
of conversation with those who are Christians.
 Chapter 28
With some such object as this in view does Celsus seem to have been
actuated, when he alleged that Christians term the Creator an "accursed
divinity;" in order that he who believes these charges of his against us, should, if
possible, arise and exterminate the Christians as the most impious of mankind.
Confusing, moreover, things that are distinct, he states also the reason why the
God of the Mosaic cosmogony is termed "accursed," asserting that "such is his
character, and worthy of execration in the opinion of those who so regard him,
inasmuch as he pronounced a curse upon the serpent, who introduced the first
human beings to the knowledge of good and evil." Now he ought to have known
that those who have espoused the cause of the serpent, because he gave good
advice to the first human beings, and who go far beyond the Titans and Giants of
fable, and are on this account called Ophites, are so far from being Christians,
that they bring accusations against Jesus to as great a degree as Celsus himself;
and they do not admit any one into their assembly until he has uttered
maledictions against Jesus. See, then, how irrational is the procedure of Celsus,
who, in his discourse against the Christians, represents as such those who will
not even listen to the name of Jesus, or omit even that He was a wise man, or a
person of virtuous character! What, then, could evince greater folly or madness,
not only on the part of those who wish to derive their name from the serpent as
the author of good, but also on the part of Celsus, who thinks that the
accusations with which the Ophites are charged, are chargeable also against the
Christians! Long ago, indeed, that Greek philosopher who preferred a state of
poverty, and who exhibited the pattern of a happy life, showing that he was not
excluded from happiness although he was possessed of nothing, termed himself
a Cynic; while these impious wretches, as not being human beings, whose
enemy the serpent is, but as being serpents, pride themselves upon being called
Ophites from the serpent, which is an animal most hostile to and greatly dreaded
by man, and boast of one Euphrates as the introducer of these unhallowed
opinions.
 Chapter 29
In the next place, as if it were the Christians whom he was calumniating, he
continues his accusations against those who termed the God of Moses and of his
law an "accursed" divinity; and imagining that it is the Christians who so speak,
he expresses himself thus: "What could be more foolish or insane than such
senseless wisdom? For what blunder has the Jewish lawgiver committed? And
why do you accept, by means, as you say, of a certain allegorical and typical
method of interpretation, the cosmogony which he gives, and the law of the Jews,
while it is with unwillingness, O most impious man, that you give praise to the
Creator of the world, who promised to give them all things; who promised to
multiply their race to the ends of the earth, and to raise them up from the dead
with the same flesh and blood, and who gave inspiration to their prophets; and,
again, you slander Him! When you feel the force of such considerations, indeed,
you acknowledge that you worship the same God; but when your teacher Jesus
and the Jewish Moses give contradictory decisions, you seek another God,
instead of Him, and the Father!" Now, by such statements, this illustrious
philosopher Celsus distinctly slanders the Christians, asserting that, when the
Jews press them hard, they acknowledge the same God as they do; but that when
Jesus legislates differently from Moses, they seek another god instead of Him.
Now, whether we are conversing with the Jews, or are alone with ourselves, we
know of only one and the same God, whom the Jews also worshipped of old
time, and still profess to worship as God, and we are guilty of no impiety
towards Him. We do not assert, however, that God will raise men from the dead
with the same flesh and blood, as has been shown in the preceding pages; for we
do not maintain that the natural body, which is sown in corruption, and in
dishonour, and in weakness, will rise again such as it was sown. On such
subjects, however, we have spoken at adequate length in the foregoing pages.
 Chapter 30
He next returns to the subject of the Seven ruling Demons, whose names
are not found among Christians, but who, I think, are accepted by the Ophites.
We found, indeed, that in the diagram, which on their account we procured a
sight of, the same order was laid down as that which Celsus has given. Celsus
says that "the goat was shaped like a lion," not mentioning the name given him
by those who are truly the most impious of individuals; whereas we discovered
that He who is honoured in holy Scripture as the angel of the Creator is called by
this accursed diagram Michael the Lion-like. Again, Celsus says that the "second
in order is a bull;" whereas the diagram which we possessed made him to be
Suriel, the bull-like. Further, Celsus termed the third "an amphibious sort of
animal, and one that hissed frightfully;" while the diagram described the third as
Raphael, the serpent-like. Moreover, Celsus asserted that the "fourth had the
form of an eagle;" the diagram representing him as Gabriel, the eagle-like.
Again, the "fifth," according to Celsus, "had the countenance of a bear;" and
this, according to the diagram, was Thauthabaoth, the bear-like. Celsus continues
his account, that the "sixth was described as having the face of a dog;" and him
the diagram called Erataoth. The "seventh," he adds, "had the countenance of an
ass, and was named Thaphabaoth or Onoel;" whereas we discovered that in the
diagram he is called Onoel, or Thartharaoth, being somewhat asinine in
appearance. We have thought it proper to be exact in stating these matters, that
we might not appear to be ignorant of those things which Celsus professed to
know, but that we Christians, knowing them better than he, may demonstrate
that these are not the words of Christians, but of those who are altogether
alienated from salvation, and who neither acknowledge Jesus as Saviour, nor
God, nor Teacher, nor Son of God.
 Chapter 31
Moreover, if any one would wish to become acquainted with the artifices of
those sorcerers, through which they desire to lead men away by their teaching
(as if they possessed the knowledge of certain secret rites), but are not at all
successful in so doing, let him listen to the instruction which they receive after
passing through what is termed the "fence of wickedness," — gates which are
subjected to the world of ruling spirits. (The following, then, is the manner in
which they proceed): "I salute the one-formed king, the bond of blindness,
complete oblivion, the first power, preserved by the spirit of providence and by
wisdom, from whom I am sent forth pure, being already part of the light of the
son and of the father: grace be with me; yea, O father, let it be with me." They
say also that the beginnings of the Ogdoad are derived from this. In the next
place, they are taught to say as follows, while passing through what they call
Ialdabaoth: "You, O first and seventh, who art born to command with confidence,
you, O Ialdabaoth, who art the rational ruler of a pure mind, and a perfect work
to son and father, bearing the symbol of life in the character of a type, and
opening to the world the gate which you closed against your kingdom, I pass
again in freedom through your realm. Let grace be with me; yea, O father, let it
be with me." They say, moreover, that the star Phænon is in sympathy with the
lion-like ruler. They next imagine that he who has passed through Ialdabaoth and
arrived at Iao ought thus to speak: "You, O second Iao, who shinest by night,
who art the ruler of the secret mysteries of son and father, first prince of death,
and portion of the innocent, bearing now my own beard as symbol, I am ready to
pass through your realm, having strengthened him who is born of you by the
living word. Grace be with me; father, let it be with me." They next come to
Sabaoth, to whom they think the following should be addressed: "O governor of
the fifth realm, powerful Sabaoth, defender of the law of your creatures, who are
liberated by your grace through the help of a more powerful Pentad, admit me,
seeing the faultless symbol of their art, preserved by the stamp of an image, a
body liberated by a Pentad. Let grace be with me, O father, let grace be with
me." And after Sabaoth they come to Astaphæus, to whom they believe the
following prayer should be offered: "O Astaphæus, ruler of the third gate,
overseer of the first principle of water, look upon me as one of your initiated,
admit me who am purified with the spirit of a virgin, you who sees the essence of
the world. Let grace be with me, O father, let grace be with me." After him
comes Aloæus, who is to be thus addressed: "O Aloæus, governor of the second
gate, let me pass, seeing I bring to you the symbol of your mother, a grace which
is hidden by the powers of the realms. Let grace be with me, O father, let it be
with me." And last of all they name Horæus, and think that the following prayer
ought to be offered to him: "You who fearlessly leaped over the rampart of fire,
O Horæus, who obtained the government of the first gate, let me pass, seeing
you behold the symbol of your own power, sculptured on the figure of the tree of
life, and formed after this image, in the likeness of innocence. Let grace be with
me, O father, let grace be with me."
 Chapter 32
The supposed great learning of Celsus, which is composed, however, rather
of curious trifles and silly talk than anything else, has made us touch upon these
topics, from a wish to show to every one who peruses his treatise and our reply,
that we have no lack of information on those subjects, from which he takes
occasion to calumniate the Christians, who neither are acquainted with, nor
concern themselves about, such matters. For we, too, desired both to learn and
set forth these things, in order that sorcerers might not, under pretext of knowing
more than we, delude those who are easily carried away by the glitter of names.
And I could have given many more illustrations to show that we are acquainted
with the opinions of these deluders, and that we disown them, as being alien to
ours, and impious, and not in harmony with the doctrines of true Christians, of
which we are ready to make confession even to the death. It must be noticed,
too, that those who have drawn up this array of fictions, have, from neither
understanding magic, nor discriminating the meaning of holy Scripture, thrown
everything into confusion; seeing that they have borrowed from magic the names
of Ialdabaoth, and Astaphæus, and Horæus, and from the Hebrew Scriptures him
who is termed in Hebrew Iao or Jah, and Sabaoth, and Adonæus, and Eloæus.
Now the names taken from the Scriptures are names of one and the same God;
which, not being understood by the enemies of God, as even themselves
acknowledge, led to their imagining that Iao was a different God, and Sabaoth
another, and Adonæus, whom the Scriptures term Adonai, a third besides, and
that Eloæus, whom the prophets name in Hebrew Eloi, was also different
 Chapter 33
Celsus next relates other fables, to the effect that "certain persons return to
the shapes of the archontics, so that some are called lions, others bulls, others
dragons, or eagles, or bears, or dogs." We found also in the diagram which we
possessed, and which Celsus called the "square pattern," the statements made by
these unhappy beings concerning the gates of Paradise. The flaming sword was
depicted as the diameter of a flaming circle, and as if mounting guard over the
tree of knowledge and of life. Celsus, however, either would not or could not
repeat the harangues which, according to the fables of these impious individuals,
are represented as spoken at each of the gates by those who pass through them;
but this we have done in order to show to Celsus and those who read his treatise,
that we know the depth of these unhallowed mysteries, and that they are far
removed from the worship which Christians offer up to God.
 Chapter 34
After finishing the foregoing, and those analogous matters which we
ourselves have added, Celsus continues as follows: "They continue to heap
together one thing after another—discourses of prophets, and circles upon
circles, and effluents from an earthly church, and from circumcision; and a
power flowing from one Prunicos, a virgin and a living soul; and a heaven slain
in order to live, and an earth slaughtered by the sword, and many put to death
that they may live, and death ceasing in the world, when the sin of the world is
dead; and, again, a narrow way, and gates that open spontaneously. And in all
their writings (is mention made) of the tree of life, and a resurrection of the flesh
by means of the 'tree,' because, I imagine, their teacher was nailed to a cross,
and was a carpenter by craft; so that if he had chanced to have been cast from a
precipice, or thrust into a pit, or suffocated by hanging, or had been a leather-
cutter, or stone-cutter, or worker in iron, there would have been (invented) a
precipice of life beyond the heavens, or a pit of resurrection, or a cord of
immortality, or a blessed stone, or an iron of love, or a sacred leather! Now
what old woman would not be ashamed to utter such things in a whisper, even
when making stories to lull an infant to sleep?" In using such language as this,
Celsus appears to me to confuse together matters which he has imperfectly
heard. For it seems likely that, even supposing that he had heard a few words
traceable to some existing heresy, he did not clearly understand the meaning
intended to be conveyed; but heaping the words together, he wished to show
before those who knew nothing either of our opinions or of those of the heretics,
that he was acquainted with all the doctrines of the Christians. And this is
evident also from the foregoing words.
 Chapter 35
It is our practice, indeed, to make use of the words of the prophets, who
demonstrate that Jesus is the Christ predicted by them, and who show from the
prophetic writings the events in the Gospels regarding Jesus have been fulfilled.
But when Celsus speaks of "circles upon circles," (he perhaps borrowed the
expression) from the aforementioned heresy, which includes in one circle (which
they call the soul of all things, and Leviathan) the seven circles of archontic
demons, or perhaps it arises from misunderstanding the preacher, when he says:
"The wind goes in a circle of circles, and returns again upon its circles." The
expression, too, "effluents of an earthly church and of circumcision," was
probably taken from the fact that the church on earth was called by some an
effluent from a heavenly church and a better world; and that the circumcision
described in the law was a symbol of the circumcision performed there, in a
certain place set apart for purification. The adherents of Valentinus, moreover, in
keeping with their system of error, give the name of Prunicos to a certain kind of
wisdom, of which they would have the woman afflicted with the twelve years'
issue of blood to be the symbol; so that Celsus, who confuses together all sorts
of opinions— Greek, Barbarian, and Heretical— having heard of her, asserted
that it was a power flowing forth from one Prunicos, a virgin. The "living soul,"
again, is perhaps mysteriously referred by some of the followers of Valentinus to
the being whom they term the psychic creator of the world; or perhaps, in
contradistinction to a "dead" soul, the "living" soul is termed by some, not
inelegantly, the soul of "him who is saved." I know nothing, however, of a
"heaven which is said to be slain," or of an "earth slaughtered by the sword," or
of many persons slain in order that they might live; for it is not unlikely that
these were coined by Celsus out of his own brain.
 Chapter 36
We would say, moreover, that death ceases in the world when the sin of the
world dies, referring the saying to the mystical words of the apostle, which run
as follows: "When He shall have put all enemies under His feet, then the last
enemy that shall be destroyed is death." And also: "When this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,
Death is swallowed up in victory." The "strait descent," again, may perhaps be
referred by those who hold the doctrine of transmigration of souls to that view of
things. And it is not incredible that the gates which are said to open
spontaneously are referred obscurely by some to the words, "Open to me the
gates of righteousness, that I may go into them, and praise the Lord; this gate of
the Lord, into it the righteous shall enter;" and again, to what is said in the ninth
psalm, "You that liftest me up from the gates of death, that I may show forth all
Your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion." The Scripture further gives the
name of "gates of death" to those sins which lead to destruction, as it terms, on
the contrary, good actions the "gates of Zion." So also "the gates of
righteousness," which is an equivalent expression to "the gates of virtue," and
these are ready to be opened to him who follows after virtuous pursuits. The
subject of the "tree of life" will be more appropriately explained when we
interpret the statements in the book of Genesis regarding the paradise planted by
God. Celsus, moreover, has often mocked at the subject of a resurrection,— a
doctrine which he did not comprehend; and on the present occasion, not satisfied
with what he has formerly said, he adds, "And there is said to be a resurrection
of the flesh by means of the tree;" not understanding, I think, the symbolic
expression, that "through the tree came death, and through the tree comes life,"
because death was in Adam, and life in Christ. He next scoffs at the "tree,"
assailing it on two grounds, and saying, "For this reason is the tree introduced,
either because our teacher was nailed to a cross, or because he was a carpenter
by trade;" not observing that the tree of life is mentioned in the Mosaic writings,
and being blind also to this, that in none of the Gospels current in the Churches
is Jesus Himself ever described as being a carpenter.
 Chapter 37
Celsus, moreover, thinks that we have invented this "tree of life" to give an
allegorical meaning to the cross; and in consequence of his error upon this point,
he adds: "If he had happened to be cast down a precipice, or shoved into a pit,
or suffocated by hanging, there would have been invented a precipice of life far
beyond the heavens, or a pit of resurrection, or a cord of immortality." And
again: "If the 'tree of life' were an invention, because he— Jesus— (is reported)
to have been a carpenter, it would follow that if he had been a leather-cutter,
something would have been said about holy leather; or had he been a stone-
cutter, about a blessed stone; or if a worker in iron, about an iron of love." Now,
who does not see at once the paltry nature of his charge, in thus calumniating
men whom he professed to convert on the ground of their being deceived? And
after these remarks, he goes on to speak in a way quite in harmony with the tone
of those who have invented the fictions of lion-like, and ass-headed, and serpent-
like ruling angels, and other similar absurdities, but which does not affect those
who belong to the Church. Of a truth, even a drunken old woman would be
ashamed to chaunt or whisper to an infant, in order to lull him to sleep, any such
fables as those have done who invented the beings with asses' heads, and the
harangues, so to speak, which are delivered at each of the gates. But Celsus is
not acquainted with the doctrines of the members of the Church, which very few
have been able to comprehend, even of those who have devoted all their lives, in
conformity with the command of Jesus, to the searching of the Scriptures, and
have laboured to investigate the meaning of the sacred books, to a greater degree
than Greek philosophers in their efforts to attain a so-called wisdom.
 Chapter 38
Our noble (friend), moreover, not satisfied with the objections which he has
drawn from the diagram, desires, in order to strengthen his accusations against
us, who have nothing in common with it, to introduce certain other charges,
which he adduces from the same (heretics), but yet as if they were from a
different source. His words are: "And that is not the least of their marvels, for
there are between the upper circles— those that are above the heavens— certain
inscriptions of which they give the interpretation, and among others two words
especially, 'a greater and a less,' which they refer to Father and Son." Now, in
the diagram referred to, we found the greater and the lesser circle, upon the
diameter of which was inscribed "Father and Son;" and between the greater
circle (in which the lesser was contained) and another composed of two circles—
the outer one of which was yellow, and the inner blue—a barrier inscribed in the
shape of a hatchet. And above it, a short circle, close to the greater of the two
former, having the inscription "Love;" and lower down, one touching the same
circle, with the word "Life." And on the second circle, which was intertwined
with and included two other circles, another figure, like a rhomboid, (entitled)
"The foresight of wisdom." And within their point of common section was "The
nature of wisdom." And above their point of common section was a circle, on
which was inscribed "Knowledge;" and lower down another, on which was the
inscription, "Understanding." We have introduced these matters into our reply to
Celsus, to show to our readers that we know better than he, and not by mere
report, those things, even although we also disapprove of them. Moreover, if
those who pride themselves upon such matters profess also a kind of magic and
sorcery,— which, in their opinion, is the summit of wisdom—we, on the other
hand, make no affirmation about it, seeing we never have discovered anything of
the kind. Let Celsus, however, who has been already often convicted of false
witness and irrational accusations, see whether he is not guilty of falsehood in
these also, or whether he has not extracted and introduced into his treatise,
statements taken from the writings of those who are foreigners and strangers to
our Christian faith.
 Chapter 39
In the next place, speaking of those who employ the arts of magic and
sorcery, and who invoke the barbarous names of demons, he remarks that such
persons act like those who, in reference to the same things, perform marvels
before those who are ignorant that the names of demons among the Greeks are
different from what they are among the Scythians. He then quotes a passage
from Herodotus, stating that "Apollo is called Gongosyrus by the Scythians;
Poseidon, Thagimasada; Aphrodite, Argimpasan; Hestia, Tabiti." Now, he who
has the capacity can inquire whether in these matters Celsus and Herodotus are
not both wrong; for the Scythians do not understand the same thing as the
Greeks, in what relates to those beings which are deemed to be gods. For how is
it credible that Apollo should be called Gongosyrus by the Scythians? I do not
suppose that Gongosyrus, when transferred into the Greek language, yields the
same etymology as Apollo; or that Apollo, in the dialect of the Scythians, has the
signification of Gongosyrus. Nor has any such assertion hitherto been made
regarding the other names, for the Greeks took occasion from different
circumstances and etymologies to give to those who are by them deemed gods
the names which they bear; and the Scythians, again, from another set of
circumstances; and the same also was the case with the Persians, or Indians, or
Ethiopians, or Libyans, or with those who delight to bestow names (from fancy),
and who do not abide by the just and pure idea of the Creator of all things.
Enough, however, has been said by us in the preceding pages, where we wished
to demonstrate that Sabaoth and Zeus were not the same deity, and where also
we made some remarks, derived from the holy Scriptures, regarding the different
dialects. We willingly, then, pass by these points, on which Celsus would make
us repeat ourselves. In the next place, again, mixing up together matters which
belong to magic and sorcery, and referring them perhaps to no one—because of
the non-existence of any who practise magic under pretence of a worship of this
character,— and yet, perhaps, having in view some who do employ such
practices in the presence of the simple (that they may have the appearance of
acting by divine power), he adds: "What need to number up all those who have
taught methods of purification, or expiatory hymns, or spells for averting evil, or
(the making of) images, or resemblances of demons, or the various sorts of
antidotes against poison (to be found) in clothes, or in numbers, or stones, or
plants, or roots, or generally in all kinds of things?" In respect to these matters,
reason does not require us to offer any defence, since we are not liable in the
slightest degree to suspicions of such a nature.
 Chapter 40
After these things, Celsus appears to me to act like those who, in their
intense hatred of the Christians, maintain, in the presence of those who are
utterly ignorant of the Christian faith, that they have actually ascertained that
Christians devour the flesh of infants, and give themselves without restraint to
sexual intercourse with their women. Now, as these statements have been
condemned as falsehoods invented against the Christians, and this admission
made by the multitude and those altogether aliens to our faith; so would the
following statements of Celsus be found to be calumnies invented against the
Christians, where he says that "he has seen in the hands of certain presbyters
belonging to our faith barbarous books, containing the names and marvellous
doings of demons;" asserting further, that "these presbyters of our faith professed
to do no good, but all that was calculated to injure human beings." Would,
indeed, that all that is said by Celsus against the Christians was of such a nature
as to be refuted by the multitude, who have ascertained by experience that such
things are untrue, seeing that most of them have lived as neighbours with the
Christians, and have not even heard of the existence of any such alleged
practices!
 Chapter 41
In the next place, as if he had forgotten that it was his object to write
against the Christians, he says that, "having become acquainted with one
Dionysius, an Egyptian musician, the latter told him, with respect to magic arts,
that it was only over the uneducated and men of corrupt morals that they had
any power, while on philosophers they were unable to produce any effect,
because they were careful to observe a healthy manner of life." If, now, it had
been our purpose to treat of magic, we could have added a few remarks in
addition to what we have already said on this topic; but since it is only the more
important matters which we have to notice in answer to Celsus, we shall say of
magic, that any one who chooses to inquire whether philosophers were ever led
captive by it or not, can read what has been written by Moiragenes regarding the
memoirs of the magician and philosopher Apollonius of Tyana, in which this
individual, who is not a Christian, but a philosopher, asserts that some
philosophers of no mean note were won over by the magic power possessed by
Apollonius, and resorted to him as a sorcerer; and among these, I think, he
especially mentioned Euphrates and a certain Epicurean. Now we , on the other
hand, affirm, and have learned by experience, that they who worship the God of
all things in conformity with the Christianity which comes by Jesus, and who
live according to His Gospel, using night and day, continuously and becomingly,
the prescribed prayers, are not carried away either by magic or demons. For
verily "the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him, and
delivers them" from all evil; and the angels of the little ones in the Church, who
are appointed to watch over them, are said always to behold the face of their
Father who is in heaven, whatever be the meaning of "face" or of "behold."
 Chapter 42
After these matters, Celsus brings the following charges against us from
another quarter: "Certain most impious errors," he says, "are committed by
them, due to their extreme ignorance, in which they have wandered away from
the meaning of the divine enigmas, creating an adversary to God, the devil, and
naming him in the Hebrew tongue, Satan. Now, of a truth, such statements are
altogether of mortal invention, and not even proper to be repeated, viz., that the
mighty God, in His desire to confer good upon men, has yet one counterworking
Him, and is helpless. The Son of God, it follows, is vanquished by the devil; and
being punished by him, teaches us also to despise the punishments which he
inflicts, telling us beforehand that Satan, after appearing to men as He Himself
had done, will exhibit great and marvellous works, claiming for himself the glory
of God, but that those who wish to keep him at a distance ought to pay no
attention to these works of Satan, but to place their faith in Him alone. Such
statements are manifestly the words of a deluder, planning and manœuvring
against those who are opposed to his views, and who rank themselves against
them." In the next place, desiring to point out the "enigmas," our mistakes
regarding which lead to the introduction of our views concerning Satan, he
continues: "The ancients allude obscurely to a certain war among the gods,
Heraclitus speaking thus of it: 'If one must say that there is a general war and
discord, and that all things are done and administered in strife.' Pherecydes,
again, who is much older than Heraclitus, relates a myth of one army drawn up
in hostile array against another, and names Kronos as the leader of the one, and
Ophioneus of the other, and recounts their challenges and struggles, and
mentions that agreements were entered into between them, to the end that
whichever party should fall into the ocean should be held as vanquished, while
those who had expelled and conquered them should have possession of heaven.
The mysteries relating to the Titans and Giants also had some such (symbolic)
meaning, as well as the Egyptian mysteries of Typhon, and Horus, and Osiris."
After having made such statements, and not having got over the difficulty as to
the way in which these accounts contain a higher view of things, while our
accounts are erroneous copies of them, he continues his abuse of us, remarking
that "these are not like the stories which are related of a devil, or demon, or, as
he remarks with more truth, of a man who is an impostor, who wishes to
establish an opposite doctrine." And in the same way he understands Homer, as
if he referred obscurely to matters similar to those mentioned by Heraclitus, and
Pherecydes, and the originators of the mysteries about the Titans and Giants, in
those words which Hephæstus addresses to Hera as follows:—

Once in your cause I felt his matchless might,

Hurled headlong downward from the ethereal height.

And in those of Zeus to Hera:—

Have you forgot, when, bound and fix'd on high,

From the vast concave of the spangled sky,
I hung you trembling in a golden chain,
And all the raging gods opposed in vain?
Headlong I hurled them from the Olympian hall,
Stunn'd in the whirl, and breathless with the fall.

Interpreting, moreover, the words of Homer, he adds: "The words of Zeus

addressed to Hera are the words of God addressed to matter; and the words
addressed to matter obscurely signify that the matter which at the beginning was
in a state of discord (with God), was taken by Him, and bound together and
arranged under laws, which may be analogically compared to chains; and that
by way of chastising the demons who create disorder in it, he hurls them down
headlong to this lower world." These words of Homer, he alleges, were so
understood by Pherecydes, when he said that beneath that region is the region of
Tartarus, which is guarded by the Harpies and Tempest, daughters of Boreas,
and to which Zeus banishes any one of the gods who becomes disorderly. With
the same ideas also are closely connected the peplos of Athena, which is beheld
by all in the procession of the Panathenæa . For it is manifest from this, he
continues, that a motherless and unsullied demon has the mastery over the daring
of the Giants. While accepting, moreover, the fictions of the Greeks, he
continues to heap against us such accusations as the following, viz., that "the Son
of God is punished by the devil, and teaches us that we also, when punished by
him, ought to endure it. Now these statements are altogether ridiculous. For it is
the devil, I think, who ought rather to be punished, and those human beings who
are calumniated by him ought not to be threatened with chastisement."
 Chapter 43
Mark now, whether he who charges us with having committed errors of the
most impious kind, and with having wandered away from the (true meaning) of
the divine enigmas, is not himself clearly in error, from not observing that in the
writings of Moses, which are much older not merely than Heraclitus and
Pherecydes, but even than Homer, mention is made of this wicked one, and of
his having fallen from heaven. For the serpent — from whom the Ophioneus
spoken of by Pherecydes is derived— having become the cause of man's
expulsion from the divine Paradise, obscurely shadows forth something similar,
having deceived the woman by a promise of divinity and of greater blessings;
and her example is said to have been followed also by the man. And, further,
who else could the destroying angel mentioned in the Exodus of Moses be, than
he who was the author of destruction to them that obeyed him, and did not
withstand his wicked deeds, nor struggle against them? Moreover (the goat),
which in the book of Leviticus is sent away (into the wilderness), and which in
the Hebrew language is named Azazel, was none other than this; and it was
necessary to send it away into the desert, and to treat it as an expiatory sacrifice,
because on it the lot fell. For all who belong to the "worse" part, on account of
their wickedness, being opposed to those who are God's heritage, are deserted by
God. Nay, with respect to the sons of Belial in the book of Judges, whose sons
are they said to be, save his, on account of their wickedness? And besides all
these instances, in the book of Job, which is older even than Moses himself, the
devil is distinctly described as presenting himself before God, and asking for
power against Job, that he might involve him in trials of the most painful kind;
the first of which consisted in the loss of all his goods and of his children, and
the second in afflicting the whole body of Job with the so-called disease of
elephantiasis. I pass by what might be quoted from the Gospels regarding the
devil who tempted the Saviour, that I may not appear to quote in reply to Celsus
from more recent writings on this question. In the last (chapter) also of Job, in
which the Lord utters to Job amid tempest and clouds what is recorded in the
book which bears his name, there are not a few things referring to the serpent. I
have not yet mentioned the passages in Ezekiel, where he speaks, as it were, of
Pharaoh, or Nebuchadnezzar, or the prince of Tyre; or those in Isaiah, where
lament is made for the king of Babylon, from which not a little might be learned
concerning evil, as to the nature of its origin and generation, and as to how it
derived its existence from some who had lost their wings, and who had followed
him who was the first to lose his own.
 Chapter 44
For it is impossible that the good which is the result of accident, or of
communication, should be like that good which comes by nature; and yet the
former will never be lost by him who, so to speak, partakes of the "living" bread
with a view to his own preservation. But if it should fail any one, it must be
through his own fault, in being slothful to partake of this "living bread" and
"genuine drink," by means of which the wings, nourished and watered, are fitted
for their purpose, even according to the saying of Solomon, the wisest of men,
concerning the truly rich man, that "he made to himself wings like an eagle, and
returns to the house of his patron." For it became God, who knows how to turn
to proper account even those who in their wickedness have apostatized from
Him, to place wickedness of this sort in some part of the universe, and to appoint
a training-school of virtue, wherein those must exercise themselves who would
desire to recover in a "lawful manner" the possession (which they had lost); in
order that being tested, like gold in the fire, by the wickedness of these, and
having exerted themselves to the utmost to prevent anything base injuring their
rational nature, they may appear deserving of an ascent to divine things, and may
be elevated by the Word to the blessedness which is above all things, and so to
speak, to the very summit of goodness. Now he who in the Hebrew language is
named Satan, and by some Satanas— as being more in conformity with the
genius of the Greek language— signifies, when translated into Greek,
"adversary." But every one who prefers vice and a vicious life, is (because
acting in a manner contrary to virtue) Satanas, that is, an "adversary" to the Son
of God, who is righteousness, and truth, and wisdom. With more propriety,
however, is he called "adversary," who was the first among those that were
living a peaceful and happy life to lose his wings, and to fall from blessedness;
he who, according to Ezekiel, walked faultlessly in all his ways, "until iniquity
was found in him," and who being the "seal of resemblance" and the "crown of
beauty" in the paradise of God, being filled as it were with good things, fell into
destruction, in accordance with the word which said to him in a mystic sense:
"You have fallen into destruction, and shall not abide for ever." We have
ventured somewhat rashly to make these few remarks, although in so doing we
have added nothing of importance to this treatise. If any one, however, who has
leisure for the examination of the sacred writings, should collect together from
all sources and form into one body of doctrine what is recorded concerning the
origin of evil, and the manner of its dissolution, he would see that the views of
Moses and the prophets regarding Satan had not been even dreamed of either by
Celsus or any one of those whose soul had been dragged down, and torn away
from God, and from right views of Him, and from His word, by this wicked
demon.
 Chapter 45
But since Celsus rejects the statements concerning Antichrist, as it is
termed, having neither read what is said of him in the book of Daniel nor in the
writings of Paul, nor what the Saviour in the Gospels has predicted about his
coming, we must make a few remarks upon this subject also; because, "as faces
do not resemble faces," so also neither do men's "hearts" resemble one another.
It is certain, then, that there will be diversities among the hearts of men—those
which are inclined to virtue not being all modelled and shaped towards it in the
same or like degree; while others, through neglect of virtue, rush to the opposite
extreme. And among the latter are some in whom evil is deeply engrained, and
others in whom it is less deeply rooted. Where is the absurdity, then, in holding
that there exist among men, so to speak, two extremes, — the one of virtue, and
the other of its opposite; so that the perfection of virtue dwells in the man who
realizes the ideal given in Jesus, from whom there flowed to the human race so
great a conversion, and healing, and amelioration, while the opposite extreme is
in the man who embodies the notion of him that is named Antichrist? For God,
comprehending all things by means of His foreknowledge, and foreseeing what
consequences would result from both of these, wished to make these known to
mankind by His prophets, that those who understand their words might be
familiarized with the good, and be on their guard against its opposite. It was
proper, moreover, that the one of these extremes, and the best of the two, should
be styled the Son of God, on account of His pre-eminence; and the other, who is
diametrically opposite, be termed the son of the wicked demon, and of Satan,
and of the devil. And, in the next place, since evil is specially characterized by
its diffusion, and attains its greatest height when it simulates the appearance of
the good, for that reason are signs, and marvels, and lying miracles found to
accompany evil, through the co-operation of its father the devil. For, far
surpassing the help which these demons give to jugglers (who deceive men for
the basest of purposes), is the aid which the devil himself affords in order to
deceive the human race. Paul, indeed, speaks of him who is called Antichrist,
describing, though with a certain reserve, both the manner, and time, and cause
of his coming to the human race. And notice whether his language on this
subject is not most becoming, and undeserving of being treated with even the
slightest degree of ridicule.
 Chapter 46
It is thus that the apostle expresses himself: "We beseech you, brethren, by
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him,
that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by word, nor by
spirit, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no man
deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come , except there come a
falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who
opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped;
so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not
remember that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now you
know what withholds, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of
iniquity does already work: only he who now lets will let , until he be taken out
of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of
His coming: even him , whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all
power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the
truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong
delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who
believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." To explain each
particular here referred to does not belong to our present purpose. The prophecy
also regarding Antichrist is stated in the book of Daniel, and is fitted to make an
intelligent and candid reader admire the words as truly divine and prophetic; for
in them are mentioned the things relating to the coming kingdom, beginning
with the times of Daniel, and continuing to the destruction of the world. And any
one who chooses may read it. Observe, however, whether the prophecy
regarding Antichrist be not as follows: "And at the latter time of their kingdom,
when their sins are coming to the full, there shall arise a king, bold in
countenance, and understanding riddles. And his power shall be great, and he
shall destroy wonderfully, and prosper, and practise; and shall destroy mighty
men, and the holy people. And the yoke of his chain shall prosper: there is craft
in his hand, and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by craft shall destroy
many; and he shall stand up for the destruction of many, and shall crush them as
eggs in his hand." What is stated by Paul in the words quoted from him, where
he says, "so that he sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God," is
in Daniel referred to in the following fashion: "And on the temple shall be the
abomination of desolations, and at the end of the time an end shall be put to the
desolation." So many, out of a greater number of passages, have I thought it
right to adduce, that the hearer may understand in some slight degree the
meaning of holy Scripture, when it gives us information concerning the devil
and Antichrist; and being satisfied with what we have quoted for this purpose, let
us look at another of the charges of Celsus, and reply to it as we best may.
 Chapter 47
Celsus, after what has been said, goes on as follows: "I can tell how the
very thing occurred, viz., that they should call him 'Son of God.' Men of ancient
times termed this world, as being born of God, both his child and his son. Both
the one and other 'Son of God,' then, greatly resembled each other." He is
therefore of opinion that we employed the expression "Son of God," having
perverted what is said of the world, as being born of God, and being His "Son,"
and "a God." For he was unable so to consider the times of Moses and the
prophets, as to see that the Jewish prophets predicted generally that there was a
"Son of God" long before the Greeks and those men of ancient time of whom
Celsus speaks. Nay, he would not even quote the passage in the letters of Plato,
to which we referred in the preceding pages, concerning Him who so beautifully
arranged this world, as being the Son of God; lest he too should be compelled by
Plato, whom he often mentions with respect, to admit that the architect of this
world is the Son of God, and that His Father is the first God and Sovereign Ruler
over all things. Nor is it at all wonderful if we maintain that the soul of Jesus is
made one with so great a Son of God through the highest union with Him, being
no longer in a state of separation from Him. For the sacred language of holy
Scripture knows of other things also, which, although "dual" in their own nature,
are considered to be, and really are, "one" in respect to one another. It is said of
husband and wife, "They are no longer two, but one flesh;" and of the perfect
man, and of him who is joined to the true Lord, Word, and Wisdom, and Truth,
that "he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit." And if he who "is joined to the
Lord is one spirit," who has been joined to the Lord, the Very Word, and
Wisdom, and Truth, and Righteousness, in a more intimate union, or even in a
manner at all approaching to it than the soul of Jesus? And if this be so, then the
soul of Jesus and God the Word— the first-born of every creature— are no
longer two, (but one).
 Chapter 48
In the next place, when the philosophers of the Porch, who assert that the
virtue of God and man is the same, maintain that the God who is over all things
is not happier than their wise man, but that the happiness of both is equal, Celsus
neither ridicules nor scoffs at their opinion. If, however, holy Scripture says that
the perfect man is joined to and made one with the Very Word by means of
virtue, so that we infer that the soul of Jesus is not separated from the first-born
of all creation, he laughs at Jesus being called "Son of God," not observing what
is said of Him with a secret and mystical signification in the holy Scriptures. But
that we may win over to the reception of our views those who are willing to
accept the inferences which flow from our doctrines, and to be benefited thereby,
we say that the holy Scriptures declare the body of Christ, animated by the Son
of God, to be the whole Church of God, and the members of this body—
considered as a whole— to consist of those who are believers; since, as a soul
vivifies and moves the body, which of itself has not the natural power of motion
like a living being, so the Word, arousing and moving the whole body, the
Church, to befitting action, awakens, moreover, each individual member
belonging to the Church, so that they do nothing apart from the Word. Since all
this, then, follows by a train of reasoning not to be depreciated, where is the
difficulty in maintaining that, as the soul of Jesus is joined in a perfect and
inconceivable manner with the very Word, so the person of Jesus, generally
speaking, is not separated from the only-begotten and first-born of all creation,
and is not a different being from Him? But enough here on this subject.
 Chapter 49
Let us notice now what follows, where, expressing in a single word his
opinion regarding the Mosaic cosmogony, without offering, however, a single
argument in its support, he finds fault with it, saying: "Moreover, their
cosmogony is extremely silly." Now, if he had produced some credible proofs of
its silly character, we should have endeavoured to answer them; but it does not
appear to me reasonable that I should be called upon to demonstrate, in answer
to his mere assertion , that it is not "silly." If any one, however, wishes to see the
reasons which led us to accept the Mosaic account, and the arguments by which
it may be defended, he may read what we have written upon Genesis, from the
beginning of the book up to the passage, "And this is the book of the generation
of men," where we have tried to show from the holy Scriptures themselves what
the "heaven" was which was created in the beginning; and what the "earth," and
the "invisible part of the earth," and that which was "without form;" and what
the "deep" was, and the "darkness" that was upon it; and what the "water" was,
and the "Spirit of God" which was "borne over it;" and what the "light" which
was created, and what the "firmament," as distinct from the "heaven" which was
created in the beginning; and so on with the other subjects that follow. Celsus
has also expressed his opinion that the narrative of the creation of man is
"exceedingly silly," without stating any proofs, or endeavouring to answer our
arguments; for he had no evidence, in my judgment, which was fitted to
overthrow the statement that "man has been made in the image of God." He does
not even understand the meaning of the "Paradise" that was planted by God, and
of the life which man first led in it; and of that which resulted from accident,
when man was cast forth on account of his sin, and was settled opposite the
Paradise of delight. Now, as he asserts that these are silly statements, let him
turn his attention not merely to each one of them (in general), but to this in
particular, "He placed the cherubim, and the flaming sword, which turned every
way, to keep the way of the tree of life," and say whether Moses wrote these
words with no serious object in view, but in the spirit of the writers of the old
Comedy, who have sportively related that "Prœtus slew Bellerophon," and that
"Pegasus came from Arcadia." Now their object was to create laughter in
composing such stories; whereas it is incredible that he who left behind him laws
for a whole nation, regarding which he wished to persuade his subjects that they
were given by God, should have written words so little to the purpose, and have
said without any meaning, "He placed the cherubim, and the flaming sword,
which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life," or made any other
statement regarding the creation of man, which is the subject of philosophic
investigation by the Hebrew sages.
 Chapter 50
In the next place, Celsus, after heaping together, simply as mere assertions,
the varying opinions of some of the ancients regarding the world, and the origin
of man, alleges that "Moses and the prophets, who have left to us our books, not
knowing at all what the nature of the world is, and of man, have woven together
a web of sheer nonsense." If he had shown, now, how it appeared to him that the
holy Scriptures contained "sheer nonsense," we should have tried to demolish
the arguments which appeared to him to establish their nonsensical character;
but on the present occasion, following his own example, we also sportively give
it as our opinion that Celsus, knowing nothing at all about the nature of the
meaning and language of the prophets, composed a work which contained "sheer
nonsense," and boastfully gave it the title of a "true discourse." And since he
makes the statements about the "days of creation" ground of accusation—as if he
understood them clearly and correctly, some of which elapsed before the
creation of light and heaven, and sun, and moon, and stars, and some of them
after the creation of these—we shall only make this observation, that Moses
must then have forgotten that he had said a little before, "that in six days the
creation of the world had been finished," and that in consequence of this act of
forgetfulness he subjoins to these words the following: "This is the book of the
creation of man, in the day when God made the heaven and the earth!" But it is
not in the least credible, that after what he had said respecting the six days,
Moses should immediately add, without a special meaning, the words, "in the
day that God made the heavens and the earth;" and if any one thinks that these
words may be referred to the statement, "In the beginning God made the heaven
and the earth," let him observe that before the words, "Let there be light, and
there was light," and these, "God called the light day," it has been stated that "in
the beginning God made the heaven and the earth."
 Chapter 51
On the present occasion, however, it is not our object to enter into an
explanation of the subject of intelligent and sensible beings, nor of the manner in
which the different kinds of days were allotted to both sorts, nor to investigate
the details which belong to the subject, for we should need whole treatises for
the exposition of the Mosaic cosmogony; and that work we had already
performed, to the best of our ability, a considerable time before the
commencement of this answer to Celsus, when we discussed with such measure
of capacity as we then possessed the question of the Mosaic cosmogony of the
six days. We must keep in mind, however, that the Word promises to the
righteous through the mouth of Isaiah, that days will come when not the sun, but
the Lord Himself, will be to them an everlasting light, and God will be their
glory. And it is from misunderstanding, I think, some pestilent heresy which
gave an erroneous interpretation to the words, "Let there be light," as if they
were the expression of a wish merely on the part of the Creator, that Celsus made
the remark: "The Creator did not borrow light from above, like those persons
who kindle their lamps at those of their neighbours." Misunderstanding,
moreover, another impious heresy, he has said: "If, indeed, there did exist an
accursed god opposed to the great God, who did this contrary to his approval,
why did he lend him the light?" So far are we from offering a defence of such
puerilities, that we desire, on the contrary, distinctly to arraign the statements of
these heretics as erroneous, and to undertake to refute, not those of their opinions
with which we are unacquainted , as Celsus does, but those of which we have
attained an accurate knowledge, derived in part from the statements of their own
adherents, and partly from a careful perusal of their writings.
 Chapter 52
Celsus proceeds as follows: "With regard to the origin of the world and its
destruction, whether it is to be regarded as uncreated and indestructible, or as
created indeed, but not destructible, or the reverse, I at present say nothing." For
this reason we too say nothing on these points, as the work in hand does not
require it. Nor do we allege that the Spirit of the universal God mingled itself in
things here below as in things alien to itself, as might appear from the
expression, "The Spirit of God moved upon the water;" nor do we assert that
certain wicked devices directed against His Spirit, as if by a different creator
from the great God, and which were tolerated by the Supreme Divinity, needed
to be completely frustrated. And, accordingly, I have nothing further to say to
those who utter such absurdities; nor to Celsus, who does not refute them with
ability. For he ought either not to have mentioned such matters at all, or else, in
keeping with that character for philanthropy which he assumes, have carefully
set them forth, and then endeavoured to rebut these impious assertions. Nor have
we ever heard that the great God, after giving his spirit to the creator, demands it
back again. Proceeding next foolishly to assail these impious assertions, he asks:
"What god gives anything with the intention of demanding it back? For it is the
mark of a needy person to demand back (what he has given), whereas God
stands in need of nothing." To this he adds, as if saying something clever against
certain parties: "Why, when he lent (his spirit), was he ignorant that he was
lending it to an evil being?" He asks, further: "Why does he pass without notice a
wicked creator who was counterworking his purposes?"
 Chapter 53
In the next place, mixing up together various heresies, and not observing
that some statements are the utterances of one heretical sect, and others of a
different one, he brings forward the objections which we raised against Marcion.
And, probably, having heard them from some paltry and ignorant individuals, he
assails the very arguments which combat them, but not in a way that shows
much intelligence. Quoting then our arguments against Marcion, and not
observing that it is against Marcion that he is speaking, he asks: "Why does he
send secretly, and destroy the works which he has created? Why does he secretly
employ force, and persuasion, and deceit? Why does he allure those who, as you
assert, have been condemned or accused by him, and carry them away like a
slave-dealer? Why does he teach them to steal away from their Lord? Why to
flee from their father? Why does he claim them for himself against the father's
will? Why does he profess to be the father of strange children?" To these
questions he subjoins the following remark, as if by way of expressing his
surprise: "Venerable, indeed, is the god who desires to be the father of those
sinners who are condemned by another (god), and of the needy, and, as
themselves say, of the very offscourings (of men), and who is unable to capture
and punish his messenger, who escaped from him!" After this, as if addressing us
who acknowledge that this world is not the work of a different and strange god,
he continues in the following strain: "If these are his works, how is it that God
created evil? And how is it that he cannot persuade and admonish (men)? And
how is it that he repents on account of the ingratitude and wickedness of men?
He finds fault, moreover, with his own handwork, and hates, and threatens, and
destroys his own offspring? Whither can he transport them out of this world,
which he himself has made?" Now it does not appear to me that by these remarks
he makes clear what "evil" is; and although there have been among the Greeks
many sects who differ as to the nature of good and evil, he hastily concludes, as
if it were a consequence of our maintaining that this world also is a work of the
universal God, that in our judgment God is the author of evil. Let it be, however,
regarding evil as it may— whether created by God or not— it nevertheless
follows only as a result when you compare the principal design. And I am
greatly surprised if the inference regarding God's authorship of evil, which he
thinks follows from our maintaining that this world also is the work of the
universal God, does not follow too from his own statements. For one might say
to Celsus: "If these are His works, how is it that God created evil? And how is it
that He cannot persuade and admonish men?" It is indeed the greatest error in
reasoning to accuse those who are of different opinions of holding unsound
doctrines, when the accuser himself is much more liable to the same charge with
regard to his own.
 Chapter 54
Let us see, then, briefly what holy Scripture has to say regarding good and
evil, and what answer we are to return to the questions, "How is it that God
created evil?" and, "How is He incapable of persuading and admonishing men?"
Now, according to holy Scripture, properly speaking, virtues and virtuous
actions are good, as, properly speaking, the reverse of these are evil. We shall be
satisfied with quoting on the present occasion some verses from the thirty-fourth
Psalm, to the following effect: "They that seek the Lord shall not want any good
thing. Come, you children, hearken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord
. What man is he that desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil,
and do good." Now, the injunctions to "depart from evil, and to do good," do not
refer either to corporeal evils or corporeal blessings, as they are termed by
some, nor to external things at all, but to blessings and evils of a spiritual kind;
since he who departs from such evils, and performs such virtuous actions, will,
as one who desires the true life, come to the enjoyment of it; and as one loving to
see "good days," in which the word of righteousness will be the Sun, he will see
them, God taking him away from this "present evil world," and from those evil
days concerning which Paul said: "Redeeming the time, because the days are
evil."
 Chapter 55
Passages, indeed, might be found where corporeal and external (benefits)
are improperly called "good," — those things, viz., which contribute to the
natural life, while those which do the reverse are termed "evil." It is in this sense
that Job says to his wife: "If we have received good at the hand of the Lord, shall
we not also receive evil!" Since, then, there is found in the sacred Scriptures, in a
certain passage, this statement put into the mouth of God, "I make peace, and
create evil;" and again another, where it is said of Him that "evil came down
from the Lord to the gate of Jerusalem, the noise of chariots and horsemen," —
passages which have disturbed many readers of Scripture, who are unable to see
what Scripture means by "good" and "evil," — it is probable that Celsus, being
perplexed thereby, gave utterance to the question, "How is it that God created
evil?" or, perhaps, having heard some one discussing the matters relating to it in
an ignorant manner, he made this statement which we have noticed. We, on the
other hand, maintain that "evil," or "wickedness," and the actions which proceed
from it, were not created by God. For if God created that which is really evil,
how was it possible that the proclamation regarding (the last) judgment should
be confidently announced, which informs us that the wicked are to be punished
for their evil deeds in proportion to the amount of their wickedness, while those
who have lived a virtuous life, or performed virtuous actions, will be in the
enjoyment of blessedness, and will receive rewards from God? I am well aware
that those who would daringly assert that these evils were created by God will
quote certain expressions of Scripture (in their support), because we are not able
to show one consistent series of passages; for although Scripture (generally)
blames the wicked and approves of the righteous, it nevertheless contains some
statements which, although comparatively few in number, seem to disturb the
minds of ignorant readers of holy Scripture. I have not, however, deemed it
appropriate to my present treatise to quote on the present occasion those
discordant statements, which are many in number, and their explanations, which
would require a long array of proofs. Evils, then, if those be meant which are
properly so called, were not created by God; but some, although few in
comparison with the order of the whole world, have resulted from His principal
works, as there follow from the chief works of the carpenter such things as spiral
shavings and sawdust, or as architects might appear to be the cause of the
rubbish which lies around their buildings in the form of the filth which drops
from the stones and the plaster.
 Chapter 56
If we speak, however, of what are called "corporeal" and "external" evils—
which are improperly so termed—then it may be granted that there are occasions
when some of these have been called into existence by God, in order that by
their means the conversion of certain individuals might be effected. And what
absurdity would follow from such a course? For as, if we should hear those
sufferings improperly termed "evils" which are inflicted by fathers, and
instructors, and pedagogues upon those who are under their care, or upon
patients who are operated upon or cauterized by the surgeons in order to effect a
cure, we were to say that a father was ill-treating his son, or pedagogues and
instructors their pupils, or physicians their patients, no blame would be laid upon
the operators or chastisers; so, in the same way, if God is said to bring upon men
such evils for the conversion and cure of those who need this discipline, there
would be no absurdity in the view, nor would "evils come down from the Lord
upon the gates of Jerusalem," — which evils consist of the punishments inflicted
upon the Israelites by their enemies with a view to their conversion; nor would
one visit "with a rod the transgressions of those who forsake the law of the Lord,
and their iniquities with stripes;" nor could it be said, "You have coals of fire to
set upon them; they shall be to you a help." In the same way also we explain the
expressions, "I, who make peace, and create evil;" for He calls into existence
"corporeal" or "external" evils, while purifying and training those who would
not be disciplined by the word and sound doctrine. This, then, is our answer to
the question, "How is it that God created evil?"
 Chapter 57
With respect to the question, "How is he incapable of persuading and
admonishing men?" it has been already stated that, if such an objection were
really a ground of charge, then the objection of Celsus might be brought against
those who accept the doctrine of providence. Any one might answer the charge
that God is incapable of admonishing men; for He conveys His admonitions
throughout the whole of Scripture, and by means of those persons who, through
God's gracious appointment, are the instructors of His hearers. Unless, indeed,
some peculiar meaning be understood to attach to the word "admonish," as if it
signified both to penetrate into the mind of the person admonished, and to make
him hear the words of his instructor, which is contrary to the usual meaning of
the word. To the objection, "How is he incapable of persuading?" — which also
might be brought against all who believe in providence—we have to make the
following remarks. Since the expression "to be persuaded" belongs to those
words which are termed, so to speak, "reciprocal" (compare the phrase "to shave
a man," when he makes an effort to submit himself to the barber ), there is for
this reason needed not merely the effort of him who persuades, but also the
submission, so to speak, which is to be yielded to the persuader, or the
acceptance of what is said by him. And therefore it must not be said that it is
because God is incapable of persuading men that they are not persuaded, but
because they will not accept the faithful words of God. And if one were to apply
this expression to men who are the "artificers of persuasion," he would not be
wrong; for it is possible for a man who has thoroughly learned the principles of
rhetoric, and who employs them properly, to do his utmost to persuade, and yet
appear to fail, because he cannot overcome the will of him who ought to yield to
his persuasive arts. Moreover, that persuasion does not come from God, although
persuasive words may be uttered by him, is distinctly taught by Paul, when he
says: "This persuasion comes not of him that calls you." Such also is the view
indicated by these words: "If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good
of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, a sword shall devour you." For that one
may (really) desire what is addressed to him by one who admonishes, and may
become deserving of those promises of God which he hears, it is necessary to
secure the will of the hearer, and his inclination to what is addressed to him. And
therefore it appears to me, that in the book of Deuteronomy the following words
are uttered with peculiar emphasis: "And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your
God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways,
and to love Him, and to keep His commandments?"
 Chapter 58
There is next to be answered the following query: "And how is it that he
repents when men become ungrateful and wicked; and finds fault with his own
handwork, and hates, and threatens, and destroys his own offspring?" Now
Celsus here calumniates and falsities what is written in the book of Genesis to
the following effect: "And the Lord God, seeing that the wickedness of men upon
the earth was increasing, and that every one in his heart carefully meditated to
do evil continually, was grieved He had made man upon the earth. And God
meditated in His heart, and said, I will destroy man, whom I have made, from
the face of the earth, both man and beast, and creeping thing, and fowl of the
air, because I am grieved that I made them;" quoting words which are not
written in Scripture, as if they conveyed the meaning of what was actually
written. For there is no mention in these words of the repentance of God, nor of
His blaming and hating His own handwork. And if there is the appearance of
God threatening the catastrophe of the deluge, and thus destroying His own
children in it, we have to answer that, as the soul of man is immortal, the
supposed threatening has for its object the conversion of the hearers, while the
destruction of men by the flood is a purification of the earth, as certain among
the Greek philosophers of no mean repute have indicated by the expression:
"When the gods purify the earth." And with respect to the transference to God of
those anthropopathic phrases, some remarks have been already made by us in the
preceding pages.
 Chapter 59
Celsus, in the next place, suspecting, or perhaps seeing clearly enough, the
answer which might be returned by those who defend the destruction of men by
the deluge, continues: "But if he does not destroy his own offspring, whither does
he convey them out of this world which he himself created?" To this we reply,
that God by no means removes out of the whole world, consisting of heaven and
earth, those who suffered death by the deluge, but removes them from a life in
the flesh, and, having set them free from their bodies, liberates them at the same
time from an existence upon earth, which in many parts of Scripture it is usual to
call the "world." In the Gospel according to John especially, we may frequently
find the regions of earth termed "world," as in the passage, "He was the true
Light, which lightens every man that comes into the 'world;'" as also in this, "In
the world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world." If, then, we understand by "removing out of the world" a transference
from "regions on earth," there is nothing absurd in the expression. If, on the
contrary, the system of things which consists of heaven and earth be termed
"world," then those who perished in the deluge are by no means removed out of
the so-called "world." And yet, indeed, if we have regard to the words, "Looking
not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;" and also
to these, "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made," — we might say
that he who dwells amid the "invisible" things, and what are called generally
"things not seen," is gone out of the world, the Word having removed him hence,
and transported him to the heavenly regions, in order to behold all beautiful
things.
 Chapter 60
But after this investigation of his assertions, as if his object were to swell
his book by many words, he repeats, in different language, the same charges
which we have examined a little ago, saying: "By far the most silly thing is the
distribution of the creation of the world over certain days, before days existed :
for, as the heaven was not yet created, nor the foundation of the earth yet laid,
nor the sun yet revolving, how could there be days ?" Now, what difference is
there between these words and the following: "Moreover, taking and looking at
these things from the beginning, would it not be absurd in the first and greatest
God to issue the command, Let this (first thing) come into existence, and this
second thing, and this (third); and after accomplishing so much on the first day,
to do so much more again on the second, and third, and fourth, and fifth, and
sixth?" We answered to the best of our ability this objection to God's
"commanding this first, second, and third thing to be created," when we quoted
the words, "He said, and it was done; He commanded, and all things stood fast;"
remarking that the immediate Creator, and, as it were, very Maker of the world
was the Word, the Son of God; while the Father of the Word, by commanding
His own Son— the Word— to create the world, is primarily Creator. And with
regard to the creation of the light upon the first day, and of the firmament upon
the second, and of the gathering together of the waters that are under the heaven
into their several reservoirs on the third (the earth thus causing to sprout forth
those (fruits) which are under the control of nature alone ), and of the (great)
lights and stars upon the fourth, and of aquatic animals upon the fifth, and of
land animals and man upon the sixth, we have treated to the best of our ability in
our notes upon Genesis, as well as in the foregoing pages, when we found fault
with those who, taking the words in their apparent signification, said that the
time of six days was occupied in the creation of the world, and quoted the words:
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were
created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens."
 Chapter 61
Again, not understanding the meaning of the words, "And God ended on the
sixth day His works which He had made, and ceased on the seventh day from all
His works which He had made: and God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed
it, because on it He had ceased from all His works which He had begun to
make;" and imagining the expression, "He ceased on the seventh day," to be the
same as this, "He rested on the seventh day," he makes the remark: "After this,
indeed, he is weary, like a very bad workman, who stands in need of rest to
refresh himself!" For he knows nothing of the day of the Sabbath and rest of
God, which follows the completion of the world's creation, and which lasts
during the duration of the world, and in which all those will keep festival with
God who have done all their works in their six days, and who, because they have
omitted none of their duties, will ascend to the contemplation (of celestial
things), and to the assembly of righteous and blessed beings. In the next place, as
if either the Scriptures made such a statement, or as if we ourselves so spoke of
God as having rested from fatigue, he continues: "It is not in keeping with the
fitness of things that the first God should feel fatigue, or work with His hands, or
give forth commands." Celsus says, that it is not in keeping with the fitness of
things that the first God should feel fatigue. Now we would say that neither does
God the Word feel fatigue, nor any of those beings who belong to a better and
diviner order of things, because the sensation of fatigue is peculiar to those who
are in the body. You can examine whether this is true of those who possess a
body of any kind, or of those who have an earthly body, or one a little better
than this. But "neither is it consistent with the fitness of things that the first God
should work with His own hands." If you understand the words "work with His
own hands" literally , then neither are they applicable to the second God, nor to
any other being partaking of divinity. But suppose that they are spoken in an
improper and figurative sense, so that we may translate the following
expressions, "And the firmament shows forth His handywork," and "the heavens
are the work of Your hands," and any other similar phrases, in a figurative
manner, so far as respects the "hands" and "limbs" of Deity, where is the
absurdity in the words, "God thus working with His own hands?" And as there is
no absurdity in God thus working, so neither is there in His issuing "commands;"
so that what is done at His bidding should be beautiful and praiseworthy,
because it was God who commanded it to be performed.
 Chapter 62
Celsus, again, having perhaps misunderstood the words, "For the mouth of
the Lord has spoken it," or perhaps because some ignorant individuals had rashly
ventured upon the explanation of such things, and not understanding, moreover,
on what principles parts called after the names of the bodily members are
assigned to the attributes of God, asserts: "He has neither mouth nor voice."
Truly, indeed, God can have no voice, if the voice is a concussion of the air, or a
stroke on the air, or a species of air, or any other definition which may be given
to the voice by those who are skilled in such matters; but what is called the
"voice of God" is said to be seen as "God's voice" by the people in the passage,
"And all the people saw the voice of God;" the word "saw" being taken,
agreeably to the custom of Scripture, in a spiritual sense. Moreover, he alleges
that "God possesses nothing else of which we have any knowledge;" but of what
things we have knowledge he gives no indication. If he means "limbs," we agree
with him, understanding the things "of which we have knowledge" to be those
called corporeal, and pretty generally so termed. But if we are to understand the
words "of which we have knowledge" in a universal sense, then there are many
things of which we have knowledge, (and which may be attributed to God); for
He possesses virtue, and blessedness, and divinity. If we, however, put a higher
meaning upon the words, "of which we have knowledge," since all that we know
is less than God, there is no absurdity in our also admitting that God possesses
none of those things "of which we have knowledge." For the attributes which
belong to God are far superior to all things with which not merely the nature of
man is acquainted, but even that of those who have risen far above it. And if he
had read the writings of the prophets, David on the one hand saying, "But You
are the same," and Malachi on the other, "I am (the Lord), and change not," he
would have observed that none of us assert that there is any change in God,
either in act or thought. For abiding the same, He administers mutable things
according to their nature, and His word elects to undertake their administration.
 Chapter 63
Celsus, not observing the difference between " after the image of God" and
"God's image," next asserts that the "first-born of every creature" is the image of
God—the very word and truth, and also the very wisdom, being the image of His
goodness, while man has been created after the image of God; moreover, that
every man whose head is Christ is the image and glory of God—and further, not
observing to which of the characteristics of humanity the expression "after the
image of God" belongs, and that it consists in a nature which never had nor
longer has "the old man with his deeds," being called "after the image of Him
who created it," from its not possessing these qualities,— he maintains: "Neither
did He make man His image; for God is not such an one, nor like any other
species of (visible) being." Is it possible to suppose that the element which is
"after the image of God" should exist in the inferior part— I mean the body— of
a compound being like man, because Celsus has explained that to be made after
the image of God? For if that which is "after the image of God" be in the body
only, the better part, the soul, has been deprived of that which is "after His
image," and this (distinction) exists in the corruptible body—an assertion which
is made by none of us. But if that which is "after the image of God" be in both
together , then God must necessarily be a compound being, and consist, as it
were, of soul and body, in order that the element which is "after God's image,"
the better part, may be in the soul; while the inferior part, and that which "is
according to the body," may be in the body—an assertion, again, which is made
by none of us. It remains, therefore, that that which is "after the image of God"
must be understood to be in our "inner man," which is also renewed, and whose
nature it is to be "after the image of Him who created it," when a man becomes
"perfect," as "our Father in heaven is perfect," and hears the command, "Be
holy, for I the Lord your God am holy," and learning the precept, "Be followers
of God," receives into his virtuous soul the traits of God's image. The body,
moreover, of him who possesses such a soul is a temple of God; and in the soul
God dwells, because it has been made after His image.
 Chapter 64
Celsus, again, brings together a number of statements, which he gives as
admissions on our part, but which no intelligent Christian would allow. For not
one of us asserts that "God partakes of form or colour." Nor does He even
partake of "motion," because He stands firm, and His nature is permanent, and
He invites the righteous man also to do the same, saying: "But as for you, stand
here by Me." And if certain expressions indicate a kind of motion, as it were, on
His part, such as this, "They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the
garden in the cool of the day," we must understand them in this way, that it is by
sinners that God is understood as moving, or as we understand the "sleep" of
God, which is taken in a figurative sense, or His "anger," or any other similar
attribute. But "God does not partake even of substance." For He is partaken of
(by others) rather than that Himself partakes of them, and He is partaken of by
those who have the Spirit of God. Our Saviour, also, does not partake of
righteousness; but being Himself "righteousness," He is partaken of by the
righteous. A discussion about "substance" would be protracted and difficult, and
especially if it were a question whether that which is permanent and immaterial
be "substance" properly so called, so that it would be found that God is beyond
"substance," communicating of His "substance," by means of office and power,
to those to whom He communicates Himself by His Word, as He does to the
Word Himself; or even if He is "substance," yet He is said be in His nature
"invisible," in these words respecting our Saviour, who is said to be "the image
of the invisible God," while from the term "invisible" it is indicated that He is
"immaterial." It is also a question for investigation, whether the "only-begotten"
and "first-born of every creature" is to be called "substance of substances," and
"idea of ideas," and the "principle of all things," while above all there is His
Father and God.
 Chapter 65
Celsus proceeds to say of God that "of Him are all things," abandoning (in
so speaking), I know not how, all his principles; while our Paul declares, that "of
Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things," showing that He is the
beginning of the substance of all things by the words "of Him," and the bond of
their subsistence by the expression "through Him," and their final end by the
terms "to Him." Of a truth, God is of nothing. But when Celsus adds, that "He is
not to be reached by word," I make a distinction, and say that if he means the
word that is in us — whether the word conceived in the mind, or the word that is
uttered — I, too, admit that God is not to be reached by word. If, however, we
attend to the passage, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God," we are of opinion that God is to be reached by
this Word, and is comprehended not by Him only, but by any one whatever to
whom He may reveal the Father; and thus we shall prove the falsity of the
assertion of Celsus, when he says, "Neither is God to be reached by word." The
statement, moreover, that "He cannot be expressed by name," requires to be
taken with a distinction. If he means, indeed, that there is no word or sign that
can represent the attributes of God, the statement is true, since there are many
qualities which cannot be indicated by words. Who, for example, could describe
in words the difference between the quality of sweetness in a palm and that in a
fig? And who could distinguish and set forth in words the peculiar qualities of
each individual thing? It is no wonder, then, if in this way God cannot be
described by name. But if you take the phrase to mean that it is possible to
represent by words something of God's attributes, in order to lead the hearer by
the hand, as it were, and so enable him to comprehend something of God, so far
as attainable by human nature, then there is no absurdity in saying that "He can
be described by name." And we make a similar distinction with regard to the
expression, "for He has undergone no suffering that can be conveyed by words."
It is true that the Deity is beyond all suffering. And so much on this point.
 Chapter 66
Let us look also at his next statement, in which he introduces, as it were, a
certain person, who, after hearing what has been said, expresses himself in the
following manner, "How, then, shall I know God? And how shall I learn the way
that leads to Him? And how will you show Him to me? Because now, indeed, you
throw darkness before my eyes, and I see nothing distinctly." He then answers,
as it were, the individual who is thus perplexed, and thinks that he assigns the
reason why darkness has been poured upon the eyes of him who uttered the
foregoing words, when he asserts that "those whom one would lead forth out of
darkness into the brightness of light, being unable to withstand its splendours,
have their power of vision affected and injured, and so imagine that they are
smitten with blindness." In answer to this, we would say that all those indeed sit
in darkness, and are rooted in it, who fix their gaze upon the evil handiwork of
painters, and moulders and sculptors, and who will not look upwards, and ascend
in thought from all visible and sensible things, to the Creator of all things, who is
light; while, on the other hand, every one is in light who has followed the
radiance of the Word, who has shown in consequence of what ignorance, and
impiety, and want of knowledge of divine things these objects were worshipped
instead of God, and who has conducted the soul of him who desires to be saved
towards the uncreated God, who is over all. For "the people that sat in darkness
— the Gentiles— saw a great light, and to them who sat in the region and
shadow of death light is sprung up," — the God Jesus. No Christian, then, would
give Celsus, or any accuser of the divine Word, the answer, "How shall I know
God?" for each one of them knows God according to his capacity. And no one
asks, "How shall I learn the way which leads to Him?" because he has heard
Him who says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life," and has tasted, in the
course of the journey, the happiness which results from it. And not a single
Christian would say to Celsus, "How will you show me God?"
 Chapter 67
The remark, indeed, was true which Celsus made, that any one, on hearing
his words, would answer, seeing that his words are words of darkness, "You
pour darkness before my eyes." Celsus verily, and those like him, do desire to
pour darkness before our eyes: we, however, by means of the light of the Word,
disperse the darkness of their impious opinions. The Christian, indeed, could
retort on Celsus, who says nothing that is distinct or true, "I see nothing that is
distinct among all your statements." It is not, therefore, "out of darkness" into
"the brightness of light" that Celsus leads us forth: he wishes, on the contrary, to
transport us from light into darkness, making the darkness light and the light
darkness, and exposing himself to the woe well described by the prophet Isaiah
in the following manner: "Woe unto them that put darkness for light, and light
for darkness." But we, the eyes of whose soul have been opened by the Word,
and who see the difference between light and darkness, prefer by all means to
take our stand "in the light," and will have nothing to do with darkness at all.
The true light, moreover, being endued with life, knows to whom his full
splendours are to be manifested, and to whom his light; for he does not display
his brilliancy on account of the still existing weakness in the eyes of the
recipient. And if we must speak at all of "sight being affected and injured," what
other eyes shall we say are in this condition, than his who is involved in
ignorance of God, and who is prevented by his passions from seeing the truth?
Christians, however, by no means consider that they are blinded by the words of
Celsus, or any other who is opposed to the worship of God. But let those who
perceive that they are blinded by following multitudes who are in error, and
tribes of those who keep festivals to demons, draw near to the Word, who can
bestow the gift of sight, in order that, like those poor and blind who had thrown
themselves down by the wayside, and who were healed by Jesus because they
said to Him, "Son of David, have mercy upon me," they too may receive mercy
and recover their eyesight, fresh and beautiful, as the Word of God can create it.
 Chapter 68
Accordingly, if Celsus were to ask us how we think we know God, and how
we shall be saved by Him, we would answer that the Word of God, which
entered into those who seek Him, or who accept Him when He appears, is able
to make known and to reveal the Father, who was not seen (by any one) before
the appearance of the Word. And who else is able to save and conduct the soul
of man to the God of all things, save God the Word, who, "being in the
beginning with God," became flesh for the sake of those who had cleaved to the
flesh, and had become as flesh, that He might be received by those who could
not behold Him, inasmuch as He was the Word, and was with God, and was
God? And discoursing in human form, and announcing Himself as flesh, He
calls to Himself those who are flesh, that He may in the first place cause them to
be transformed according to the Word that was made flesh, and afterwards may
lead them upwards to behold Him as He was before He became flesh; so that
they, receiving the benefit, and ascending from their great introduction to Him,
which was according to the flesh, say, "Even if we have known Christ after the
flesh, yet henceforth know we Him no more." Therefore He became flesh, and
having become flesh, "He tabernacled among us," not dwelling without us; and
after tabernacling and dwelling within us, He did not continue in the form in
which He first presented Himself, but caused us to ascend to the lofty mountain
of His word, and showed us His own glorious form, and the splendour of His
garments; and not His own form alone, but that also of the spiritual law, which is
Moses, seen in glory along with Jesus. He showed to us, moreover, all prophecy,
which did not perish even after His incarnation, but was received up into heaven,
and whose symbol was Elijah. And he who beheld these things could say, "We
beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth." Celsus, then, has exhibited considerable ignorance in the imaginary
answer to his question which he puts into our mouth, "How we think we can
know God? And how we know we shall be saved by Him?" for our answer is
what we have just stated.
 Chapter 69
Celsus, however, asserts that the answer which we give is based upon a
probable conjecture, admitting that he describes our answer in the following
terms: "Since God is great and difficult to see, He put His own Spirit into a body
that resembled ours, and sent it down to us, that we might be enabled to hear
Him and become acquainted with Him." But the God and Father of all things is
not the only being that is great in our judgment; for He has imparted (a share) of
Himself and His greatness to His Only-begotten and First-born of every creature,
in order that He, being the image of the invisible God, might preserve, even in
His greatness, the image of the Father. For it was not possible that there could
exist a well-proportioned, so to speak, and beautiful image of the invisible God,
which did not at the same time preserve the image of His greatness. God,
moreover, is in our judgment invisible, because He is not a body, while He can
be seen by those who see with the heart, that is, the understanding; not indeed
with any kind of heart, but with one which is pure. For it is inconsistent with the
fitness of things that a polluted heart should look upon God; for that must be
itself pure which would worthily behold that which is pure. Let it be granted,
indeed, that God is "difficult to see," yet He is not the only being who is so; for
His Only-begotten also is "difficult to see." For God the Word is "difficult to
see," and so also is His wisdom, by which God created all things. For who is
capable of seeing the wisdom which is displayed in each individual part of the
whole system of things, and by which God created every individual thing? It was
not, then, because God was "difficult to see" that He sent God His Son to be an
object "easy to be seen." And because Celsus does not understand this, he has
represented us as saying, "Because God was 'difficult to see,' He put His own
Spirit in a body resembling ours, and sent it down to us, that we might be
enabled to hear Him and become acquainted with Him." Now, as we have
stated, the Son also is "difficult to see," because He is God the Word, through
whom all things were made, and who "tabernacled among us."
 Chapter 70
If Celsus, indeed, had understood our teaching regarding the Spirit of God,
and had known that "as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons
of God," he would not have returned to himself the answer which he represents
as coming from us, that "God put His own Spirit into a body, and sent it down to
us;" for God is perpetually bestowing of His own Spirit to those who are capable
of receiving it, although it is not by way of division and separation that He
dwells in (the hearts of) the deserving. Nor is the Spirit, in our opinion, a "body,"
any more than fire is a "body," which God is said to be in the passage, "Our God
is a consuming fire." For all these are figurative expressions, employed to denote
the nature of "intelligent beings" by means of familiar and corporeal terms. In
the same way, too, if sins are called "wood, and straw, and stubble," we shall not
maintain that sins are corporeal; and if blessings are termed "gold, and silver,
and precious stones," we shall not maintain that blessings are "corporeal;" so
also, if God be said to be a fire that consumes wood, and straw, and stubble, and
all substance of sin, we shall not understand Him to be a "body," so neither do
we understand Him to be a body if He should be called "fire." In this way, if
God be called "spirit," we do not mean that He is a "body." For it is the custom
of Scripture to give to "intelligent beings" the names of "spirits" and "spiritual
things," by way of distinction from those which are the objects of "sense;" as
when Paul says, "But our sufficiency is of God; who has also made us able
ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter
kills, but the spirit gives life," where by the "letter" he means that "exposition of
Scripture which is apparent to the senses," while by the "spirit" that which is the
object of the "understanding." It is the same, too, with the expression, "God is a
Spirit." And because the prescriptions of the law were obeyed both by
Samaritans and Jews in a corporeal and literal manner, our Saviour said to the
Samaritan woman, "The hour is coming, when neither in Jerusalem, nor in this
mountain, shall you worship the Father. God is a Spirit; and they that worship
Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." And by these words He taught
men that God must be worshipped not in the flesh, and with fleshly sacrifices,
but in the spirit. And He will be understood to be a Spirit in proportion as the
worship rendered to Him is rendered in spirit, and with understanding. It is not,
however, with images that we are to worship the Father, but "in truth," which
"came by Jesus Christ," after the giving of the law by Moses. For when we turn
to the Lord (and the Lord is a Spirit ), He takes away the veil which lies upon the
heart when Moses is read.
 Chapter 71
Celsus accordingly, as not understanding the doctrine relating to the Spirit
of God ( "for the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned" ), weaves together (such a web) as pleases himself,
imagining that we, in calling God a Spirit, differ in no respect in this particular
from the Stoics among the Greeks, who maintain that "God is a Spirit, diffused
through all things, and containing all things within Himself." Now the
superintendence and providence of God does extend through all things, but not
in the way that spirit does, according to the Stoics. Providence indeed contains
all things that are its objects, and comprehends them all, but not as a containing
body includes its contents, because they also are "body," but as a divine power
does it comprehend what it contains. According to the philosophers of the Porch,
indeed, who assert that principles are "corporeal," and who on that account
make all things perishable, and who venture even to make the God of all things
capable of perishing, the very Word of God, who descends even to the lowest of
mankind, would be— did it not appear to them to be too gross an incongruity —
nothing else than a "corporeal" spirit; whereas, in our opinion—who endeavour
to demonstrate that the rational soul is superior to all "corporeal" nature, and
that it is an invisible substance, and incorporeal,— God the Word, by whom all
things were made, who came, in order that all things might be made by the
Word, not to men only, but to what are deemed the very lowest of things, under
the dominion of nature alone, would be no body. The Stoics, then, may consign
all things to destruction by fire; we, however, know of no incorporeal substance
that is destructible by fire, nor (do we believe) that the soul of man, or the
substance of "angels," or of "thrones," or dominions, or "principalities," or
"powers," can be dissolved by fire.
 Chapter 72
It is therefore in vain that Celsus asserts, as one who knows not the nature
of the Spirit of God, that "as the Son of God, who existed in a human body, is a
Spirit, this very Son of God would not be immortal." He next becomes confused
in his statements, as if there were some of us who did not admit that God is a
Spirit, but maintain that only with regard to His Son, and he thinks that he can
answer us by saying that there "is no kind of spirit which lasts for ever." This is
much the same as if, when we term God a "consuming fire," he were to say that
there "is no kind of fire which lasts for ever;" not observing the sense in which
we say that our God is a fire, and what the things are which He consumes, viz.,
sins, and wickedness. For it becomes a God of goodness, after each individual
has shown, by his efforts, what kind of combatant he has been, to consume vice
by the fire of His chastisements. He proceeds, in the next place, to assume what
we do not maintain, that "God must necessarily have given up the ghost;" from
which also it follows that Jesus could not have risen again with His body. For
God would not have received back the spirit which He had surrendered after it
had been stained by contact with the body. It is foolish, however, for us to
answer statements as ours which were never made by us.
 Chapter 73
He proceeds to repeat himself, and after saying a great deal which he had
said before, and ridiculing the birth of God from a virgin—to which we have
already replied as we best could—he adds the following: "If God had wished to
send down His Spirit from Himself, what need was there to breathe it into the
womb of a woman? For as one who knew already how to form men, He could
also have fashioned a body for this person, without casting His own Spirit into
so much pollution; and in this way He would not have been received with
incredulity, if He had derived His existence immediately from above." He had
made these remarks, because he knows not the pure and virgin birth,
unaccompanied by any corruption, of that body which was to minister to the
salvation of men. For, quoting the sayings of the Stoics, and affecting not to
know the doctrine about "things indifferent," he thinks that the divine nature was
cast amid pollution, and was stained either by being in the body of a woman,
until a body was formed around it, or by assuming a body. And in this he acts
like those who imagine that the sun's rays are polluted by dung and by foul-
smelling bodies, and do not remain pure amid such things. If, however,
according to the view of Celsus, the body of Jesus had been fashioned without
generation, those who beheld the body would at once have believed that it had
not been formed by generation; and yet an object, when seen, does not at the
same time indicate the nature of that from which it has derived its origin. For
example, suppose that there were some honey (placed before one) which had not
been manufactured by bees, no one could tell from the taste or sight that it was
not their workmanship, because the honey which comes from bees does not
make known its origin by the senses, but experience alone can tell that it does
not proceed from them. In the same way, too, experience teaches that wine
comes from the vine, for taste does not enable us to distinguish (the wine) which
comes from the vine. In the same manner, therefore, the visible body does not
make known the manner of its existence. And you will be induced to accept this
view, by (regarding) the heavenly bodies, whose existence and splendour we
perceive as we gaze at them; and yet, I presume, their appearance does not
suggest to us whether they are created or uncreated; and accordingly different
opinions have existed on these points. And yet those who say that they are
created are not agreed as to the manner of their creation, for their appearance
does not suggest it, although the force of reason may have discovered that they
are created, and how their creation was effected.
 Chapter 74
After this he returns to the subject of Marcion's opinions (having already
spoken frequently of them), and states some of them correctly, while others he
has misunderstood; these, however, it is not necessary for us to answer or refute.
Again, after this he brings forward the various arguments that may be urged on
Marcion's behalf, and also against him, enumerating what the opinions are which
exonerate him from the charges, and what expose him to them; and when he
desires to support the statement which declares that Jesus has been the subject of
prophecy—in order to found a charge against Marcion and his followers—he
distinctly asks, "How could he, who was punished in such a manner, be shown to
be God's Son, unless these things had been predicted of him?" He next proceeds
to jest, and, as his custom is, to pour ridicule upon the subject, introducing "two
sons of God, one the son of the Creator, and the other the son of Marcion's God;
and he portrays their single combats, saying that the Theomachies of the Fathers
are like the battles between quails; or that the Fathers, becoming useless
through age, and falling into their dotage do not meddle at all with one another,
but leave their sons to fight it out." The remark which he made formerly we will
turn against himself: "What old woman would not be ashamed to lull a child to
sleep with such stories as he has inserted in the work which he entitles A True
Discourse ? For when he ought seriously to apply himself to argument, he leaves
serious argument aside, and betakes himself to jesting and buffoonery,
imagining that he is writing mimes or scoffing verses; not observing that such a
method of procedure defeats his purpose, which is to make us abandon
Christianity and give in our adherence to his opinions, which, perhaps, had they
been stated with some degree of gravity, would have appeared more likely to
convince, whereas since he continues to ridicule, and scoff, and play the buffoon,
we answer that it is because he has no argument of weight (for such he neither
had, nor could understand) that he has betaken himself to such drivelling."
 Chapter 75
To the preceding remarks he adds the following: "Since a divine Spirit
inhabited the body (of Jesus), it must certainly have been different from that of
other beings, in respect of grandeur, or beauty, or strength, or voice, or
impressiveness, or persuasiveness. For it is impossible that He, to whom was
imparted some divine quality beyond other beings, should not differ from others;
whereas this person did not differ in any respect from another, but was, as they
report, little, and ill-favoured, and ignoble." Now it is evident by these words,
that when Celsus wishes to bring a charge against Jesus, he adduces the sacred
writings, as one who believed them to be writings apparently fitted to afford a
handle for a charge against Him; but wherever, in the same writings, statements
would appear to be made opposed to those charges which are adduced, he
pretends not even to know them! There are, indeed, admitted to be recorded
some statements respecting the body of Jesus having been "ill-favoured;" not,
however, "ignoble," as has been stated, nor is there any certain evidence that he
was "little." The language of Isaiah runs as follows, who prophesied regarding
Him that He would come and visit the multitude, not in comeliness of form, nor
in any surpassing beauty: "Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom was
the arm of the Lord revealed? He made announcement before Him, as a child, as
a root in a thirsty ground. He has no form nor glory, and we beheld Him, and He
had no form nor beauty; but His form was without honour, and inferior to that of
the sons of men." These passages, then, Celsus listened to, because he thought
they were of use to him in bringing a charge against Jesus; but he paid no
attention to the words of the forty-fifth Psalm, and why it is then said, "Gird
Your sword upon Your thigh, O most mighty, with Your comeliness and beauty;
and continue, and prosper, and reign."
 Chapter 76
Let it be supposed, however, that he had not read the prophecy, or that he
had read it, but had been drawn away by those who misinterpreted it as not being
spoken of Jesus Christ. What has he to say of the Gospel, in the narratives of
which Jesus ascended up into a high mountain, and was transfigured before the
disciples, and was seen in glory, when both Moses and Elias, "being seen in
glory, spoke of the decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem?" or
when the prophet says, "We beheld Him, and He had no form nor beauty," etc.?
And Celsus accepts this prophecy as referring to Jesus, being blinded in so
accepting it, and not seeing that it is a great proof that the Jesus who appeared to
be "without form" was the Son of God, that His very appearance should have
been made the subject of prophecy many years before His birth. But if another
prophet speak of His comeliness and beauty, he will no longer accept the
prophecy as referring to Christ! And if it were to be clearly ascertained from the
Gospels that "He had no form nor beauty, but that His appearance was without
honour, and inferior to that of the sons of men," it might be said that it was not
with reference to the prophetic writings, but to the Gospels, that Celsus made his
remarks. But now, as neither the Gospels nor the apostolic writings indicate that
"He had no form nor beauty," it is evident that we must accept the declaration of
the prophets as true of Christ, and this will prevent the charge against Jesus from
being advanced.
 Chapter 77
But again, how did he who said, "Since a divine Spirit inhabited the body
(of Jesus), it must certainly have been different from that of other beings in
respect of grandeur, or voice, or strength, or impressiveness, or persuasiveness,"
not observe the changing relation of His body according to the capacity of the
spectators (and therefore its corresponding utility), inasmuch as it appeared to
each one of such a nature as it was requisite for him to behold it? Moreover it is
not a subject of wonder that the matter, which is by nature susceptible of being
altered and changed, and of being transformed into anything which the Creator
chooses, and is capable of receiving all the qualities which the Artificer desires,
should at one time possess a quality, agreeably to which it is said, "He had no
form nor beauty," and at another, one so glorious, and majestic, and marvellous,
that the spectators of such surpassing loveliness— three disciples who had
ascended (the mount) with Jesus— should fall upon their faces. He will say,
however, that these are inventions, and in no respect different from myths, as are
also the other marvels related of Jesus; which objection we have answered at
greater length in what has gone before. But there is also something mystical in
this doctrine, which announces that the varying appearances of Jesus are to be
referred to the nature of the divine Word, who does not show Himself in the
same manner to the multitude as He does to those who are capable of following
Him to the high mountain which we have mentioned; for to those who still
remain below, and are not yet prepared to ascend, the Word "has neither form
nor beauty," because to such persons His form is "without honour," and inferior
to the words given forth by men, which are figuratively termed "sons of men."
For we might say that the words of philosophers— who are "sons of men" —
appear far more beautiful than the Word of God, who is proclaimed to the
multitude, and who also exhibits (what is called) the "foolishness of preaching,"
and on account of this apparent "foolishness of preaching" those who look at this
alone say, "We saw Him; but He had no form nor beauty." To those, indeed, who
have received power to follow Him, in order that they may attend Him even
when He ascends to the "lofty mount," He has a diviner appearance, which they
behold, if there happens to be (among them) a Peter, who has received within
himself the edifice of the Church based upon the Word, and who has gained such
a habit (of goodness) that none of the gates of Hades will prevail against him,
having been exalted by the Word from the gates of death, that he may "publish
the praises of God in the gates of the daughter of Sion," and any others who have
derived their birth from impressive preaching, and who are not at all inferior to
"sons of thunder." But how can Celsus and the enemies of the divine Word, and
those who have not examined the doctrines of Christianity in the spirit of truth,
know the meaning of the different appearances of Jesus? And I refer also to the
different stages of His life, and to any actions performed by Him before His
sufferings, and after His resurrection from the dead.
 Chapter 78
Celsus next makes certain observations of the following nature: "Again, if
God, like Jupiter in the comedy, should, on awaking from a lengthened slumber,
desire to rescue the human race from evil, why did He send this Spirit of which
you speak into one corner (of the earth)? He ought to have breathed it alike into
many bodies, and have sent them out into all the world. Now the comic poet, to
cause laughter in the theatre, wrote that Jupiter, after awakening, dispatched
Mercury to the Athenians and Lacedæmonians; but do not you think that you
have made the Son of God more ridiculous in sending Him to the Jews?"
Observe in such language as this the irreverent character of Celsus, who, unlike
a philosopher, takes the writer of a comedy, whose business is to cause laughter,
and compares our God, the Creator of all things, to the being who, as represented
in the play, on awaking, dispatches Mercury (on an errand)! We stated, indeed,
in what precedes, that it was not as if awakening from a lengthened slumber that
God sent Jesus to the human race, who has now, for good reasons, fulfilled the
economy of His incarnation, but who has always conferred benefits upon the
human race. For no noble deed has ever been performed among men, where the
divine Word did not visit the souls of those who were capable, although for a
little time, of admitting such operations of the divine Word. Moreover, the
advent of Jesus apparently to one corner (of the earth) was founded on good
reasons, since it was necessary that He who was the subject of prophecy should
make His appearance among those who had become acquainted with the
doctrine of one God, and who perused the writings of His prophets, and who had
come to know the announcement of Christ, and that He should come to them at a
time when the Word was about to be diffused from one corner over the whole
world.
 Chapter 79
And therefore there was no need that there should everywhere exist many
bodies, and many spirits like Jesus, in order that the whole world of men might
be enlightened by the Word of God. For the one Word was enough, having
arisen as the "Sun of righteousness," to send forth from Judea His coming rays
into the soul of all who were willing to receive Him. But if any one desires to see
many bodies filled with a divine Spirit, similar to the one Christ, ministering to
the salvation of men everywhere, let him take note of those who teach the
Gospel of Jesus in all lands in soundness of doctrine and uprightness of life, and
who are themselves termed "christs" by the holy Scriptures, in the passage,
"Touch not Mine anointed, and do not My prophets any harm." For as we have
heard that Antichrist comes, and yet have learned that there are many antichrists
in the world, in the same way, knowing that Christ has come, we see that, owing
to Him, there are many christs in the world, who, like Him, have loved
righteousness and hated iniquity, and therefore God, the God of Christ, anointed
them also with the "oil of gladness." But inasmuch as He loved righteousness
and hated iniquity above those who were His partners, He also obtained the first-
fruits of His anointing, and, if we must so term it, the entire unction of the oil of
gladness; while they who were His partners shared also in His unction, in
proportion to their individual capacity. Therefore, since Christ is the Head of the
Church, so that Christ and the Church form one body, the ointment descended
from the head to the beard of Aaron—the symbols of the perfect man—and this
ointment in its descent reached to the very skirt of his garment. This is my
answer to the irreverent language of Celsus when he says, "He ought to have
breathed (His Spirit) alike into many bodies, and have sent it forth into all the
world." The comic poet, indeed, to cause laughter, has represented Jupiter asleep
and awaking from slumber, and dispatching Mercury to the Greeks; but the
Word, knowing that the nature of God is unaffected by sleep, may teach us that
God administers in due season, and as right reason demands, the affairs of the
world. It is not, however, a matter of surprise that, owing to the greatness and
incomprehensibility of the divine judgments, ignorant persons should make
mistakes, and Celsus among them. There is therefore nothing ridiculous in the
Son of God having been sent to the Jews, among whom the prophets had
appeared, in order that, making a commencement among them in a bodily shape,
He might arise with might and power upon a world of souls, which no longer
desired to remain deserted by God.
 Chapter 80
After this, it seemed proper to Celsus to term the Chaldeans a most
divinely-inspired nation from the very earliest times, from whom the delusive
system of astrology has spread abroad among men. Nay, he ranks the Magi also
in the same category, from whom the art of magic derived its name and has been
transmitted to other nations, to the corruption and destruction of those who
employ it. In the preceding part of this work, (we mentioned) that, in the opinion
even of Celsus, the Egyptians also were guilty of error, because they had indeed
solemn enclosures around what they considered their temples, while within them
there was nothing save apes, or crocodiles, or goats, or asps, or some other
animal; but on the present occasion it pleases him to speak of the Egyptian
people too as most divinely inspired, and that, too, from the earliest times—
perhaps because they made war upon the Jews from an early date. The Persians,
moreover, who marry their own mothers, and have intercourse with their own
daughters, are, in the opinion of Celsus, an inspired race; nay, even the Indians
are so, some of whom, in the preceding, he mentioned as eaters of human flesh.
To the Jews, however, especially those of ancient times, who employ none of
these practices, he did not merely refuse the name of inspired, but declared that
they would immediately perish. And this prediction he uttered respecting them,
as being doubtless endued with prophetic power, not observing that the whole
history of the Jews, and their ancient and venerable polity, were administered by
God; and that it is by their fall that salvation has come to the Gentiles, and that
"their fall is the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the
Gentiles," until the fullness of the Gentiles come, that after that the whole of
Israel, whom Celsus does not know, may be saved.
 Chapter 81
I do not understand, however, how he should say of God, that although
"knowing all things, He was not aware of this, that He was sending His Son
among wicked men, who were both to be guilty of sin, and to inflict punishment
upon Him." Certainly he appears, in the present instance, to have forgotten that
all the sufferings which Jesus was to undergo were foreseen by the Spirit of God,
and foretold by His prophets; from which it does not follow that "God did not
know that He was sending His Son among wicked and sinful men, who were also
to inflict punishment upon Him." He immediately adds, however, that "our
defence on this point is that all these things were predicted." But as our sixth
book has now attained sufficient dimensions, we shall stop here, and begin, God
willing, the argument of the seventh, in which we shall consider the reasons
which he thinks furnish an answer to our statement, that everything regarding
Jesus was foretold by the prophets; and as these are numerous, and require to be
answered at length, we wished neither to cut the subject short, in consequence of
the size of the present book, nor, in order to avoid doing so, to swell this sixth
book beyond its proper proportions.
 Contra Celsus, Book VII
Chapter 1

In the six former books we have endeavoured, reverend brother Ambrosius,

according to our ability to meet the charges brought by Celsus against the
Christians, and have as far as possible passed over nothing without first
subjecting it to a full and close examination. And now, while we enter upon the
seventh book, we call upon God through Jesus Christ, whom Celsus accuses,
that He who is the truth of God would shed light into our hearts and scatter the
darkness of error, in accordance with that saying of the prophet which we now
offer as our prayer, "Destroy them by Your truth." For it is evidently the words
and reasonings opposed to the truth that God destroys by His truth; so that when
these are destroyed, all who are delivered from deception may go on with the
prophet to say, "I will freely sacrifice unto You," and may offer to the Most High
a reasonable and smokeless sacrifice.
 Chapter 2
Celsus now sets himself to combat the views of those who say that the
Jewish prophets foretold events which happened in the life of Christ Jesus. At
the outset let us refer to a notion he has, that those who assume the existence of
another God besides the God of the Jews have no ground on which to answer his
objections; while we who recognise the same God rely for our defence on the
prophecies which were delivered concerning Jesus Christ. His words are: "Let us
see how they can raise a defence. To those who admit another God, no defence
is possible; and they who recognise the same God will always fall back upon the
same reason, 'This and that must have happened.' And why? 'Because it had
been predicted long before.'" To this we answer, that the arguments recently
raised by Celsus against Jesus and Christians were so utterly feeble, that they
might easily be overthrown even by those who are impious enough to bring in
another God. Indeed, were it not dangerous to give to the weak any excuse for
embracing false notions, we could furnish the answer ourselves, and show
Celsus how unfounded is his opinion, that those who admit another God are not
in a position to meet his arguments. However, let us for the present confine
ourselves to a defence of the prophets, in continuation of what we have said on
the subject before.
 Chapter 3
Celsus goes on to say of us: "They set no value on the oracles of the
Pythian priestess, of the priests of Dodona, of Clarus, of Branchidæ, of Jupiter
Ammon, and of a multitude of others; although under their guidance we may say
that colonies were sent forth, and the whole world peopled. But those sayings
which were uttered or not uttered in Judea, after the manner of that country, as
indeed they are still delivered among the people of Phœnicia and Palestine—
these they look upon as marvellous sayings, and unchangeably true." In regard
to the oracles here enumerated, we reply that it would be possible for us to
gather from the writings of Aristotle and the Peripatetic school not a few things
to overthrow the authority of the Pythian and the other oracles. From Epicurus
also, and his followers, we could quote passages to show that even among the
Greeks themselves there were some who utterly discredited the oracles which
were recognised and admired throughout the whole of Greece. But let it be
granted that the responses delivered by the Pythian and other oracles were not
the utterances of false men who pretended to a divine inspiration; and let us see
if, after all, we cannot convince any sincere inquirers that there is no necessity to
attribute these oracular responses to any divinities, but that, on the other hand,
they may be traced to wicked demons— to spirits which are at enmity with the
human race, and which in this way wish to hinder the soul from rising upwards,
from following the path of virtue, and from returning to God in sincere piety. It
is said of the Pythian priestess, whose oracle seems to have been the most
celebrated, that when she sat down at the mouth of the Castalian cave, the
prophetic Spirit of Apollo entered her private parts; and when she was filled with
it, she gave utterance to responses which are regarded with awe as divine truths.
Judge by this whether that spirit does not show its profane and impure nature, by
choosing to enter the soul of the prophetess not through the more becoming
medium of the bodily pores which are both open and invisible, but by means of
what no modest man would ever see or speak of. And this occurs not once or
twice, which would be more permissible, but as often as she was believed to
receive inspiration from Apollo. Moreover, it is not the part of a divine spirit to
drive the prophetess into such a state of ecstasy and madness that she loses
control of herself. For he who is under the influence of the Divine Spirit ought to
be the first to receive the beneficial effects; and these ought not to be first
enjoyed by the persons who consult the oracle about the concerns of natural or
civil life, or for purposes of temporal gain or interest; and, moreover, that should
be the time of clearest perception, when a person is in close intercourse with the
Deity.
 Chapter 4
Accordingly, we can show from an examination of the sacred Scriptures,
that the Jewish prophets, who were enlightened as far as was necessary for their
prophetic work by the Spirit of God, were the first to enjoy the benefit of the
inspiration; and by the contact— if I may so say— of the Holy Spirit they
became clearer in mind, and their souls were filled with a brighter light. And the
body no longer served as a hindrance to a virtuous life; for to that which we call
"the lust of the flesh" it was deadened. For we are persuaded that the Divine
Spirit "mortifies the deeds of the body," and destroys that enmity against God
which the carnal passions serve to excite. If, then, the Pythian priestess is beside
herself when she prophesies, what spirit must that be which fills her mind and
clouds her judgment with darkness, unless it be of the same order with those
demons which many Christians cast out of persons possessed with them? And
this, we may observe, they do without the use of any curious arts of magic, or
incantations, but merely by prayer and simple adjurations which the plainest
person can use. Because for the most part it is unlettered persons who perform
this work; thus making manifest the grace which is in the word of Christ, and the
despicable weakness of demons, which, in order to be overcome and driven out
of the bodies and souls of men, do not require the power and wisdom of those
who are mighty in argument, and most learned in matters of faith.
 Chapter 5
Moreover, if it is believed not only among Christians and Jews, but also by
many others among the Greeks and Barbarians, that the human soul lives and
subsists after its separation from the body; and if reason supports the idea that
pure souls which are not weighed down with sin as with a weight of lead ascend
on high to the region of purer and more ethereal bodies, leaving here below their
grosser bodies along with their impurities; whereas souls that are polluted and
dragged down to the earth by their sins, so that they are unable even to breathe
upwards, wander hither and there, at some times about sepulchres, where they
appear as the apparitions of shadowy spirits, at others among other objects on the
ground—if this is so, what are we to think of those spirits that are attached for
entire ages, as I may say, to particular dwellings and places, whether by a sort of
magical force or by their own natural wickedness? Are we not compelled by
reason to set down as evil such spirits as employ the power of prophesying— a
power in itself neither good nor bad— for the purpose of deceiving men, and
thus turn them away from God, and from the purity of His service? It is
moreover evident that this is their character, when we add that they delight in the
blood of victims, and in the smoke odour of sacrifices, and that they feed their
bodies on these, and that they take pleasure in such haunts as these, as though
they sought in them the sustenance of their lives; in this resembling those
depraved men who despise the purity of a life apart from the senses, and who
have no inclination except for the pleasures of the body, and for that earthly and
bodily life in which these pleasures are found. If the Delphian Apollo were a
god, as the Greeks suppose, would he not rather have chosen as his prophet some
wise man? Or if such an one was not to be found, then one who was
endeavouring to become wise? How came he not to prefer a man to a woman for
the utterance of his prophesies? And if he preferred the latter sex, as though he
could only find pleasure in the breast of a woman, why did he not choose among
women a virgin to interpret his will?
women a virgin to interpret his will?
 Chapter 6
But no; the Pythian, so much admired among the Greeks, judged no wise
man, nay, no man at all, worthy of the divine possession, as they call it. And
among women he did not choose a virgin, or one recommended by her wisdom,
or by her attainments in philosophy; but he selects a common woman. Perhaps
the better class of men were too good to become the subjects of the inspiration.
Besides, if he were a god, he should have employed his prophetic power as a
bait, so to speak, with which he might draw men to a change of life, and to the
practice of virtue. But history nowhere makes mention of anything of the kind.
For if the oracle did call Socrates the wisest of all men, it takes from the value of
that eulogy by what is said in regard to Euripides and Sophocles. The words are:
—

Sophocles is wise, and Euripides is wiser,

But wiser than all men is Socrates.

As, then, he gives the designation "wise" to the tragic poets, it is not on
account of his philosophy that he holds up Socrates to veneration, or because of
his love of truth and virtue. It is poor praise of Socrates to say that he prefers him
to men who for a paltry reward compete upon the stage, and who by their
representations excite the spectators at one time to tears and grief, and at another
to unseemly laughter (for such is the intention of the satyric drama). And
perhaps it was not so much in regard to his philosophy that he called Socrates
the wisest of all men, as on account of the victims which he sacrificed to him
and the other demons. For it seems that the demons pay more regard in
distributing their favours to the sacrifices which are offered them than to deeds
of virtue. Accordingly, Homer, the best of the poets, who describes what usually
took place, when, wishing to show us what most influenced the demons to grant
an answer to the wishes of their votaries, introduces Chryses, who, for a few
garlands and the thighs of bulls and goats, obtained an answer to his prayers for
his daughter Chryseis, so that the Greeks were driven by a pestilence to restore
her back to him. And I remember reading in the book of a certain Pythagorean,
when writing on the hidden meanings in that poet, that the prayer of Chryses to
Apollo, and the plague which Apollo afterwards sent upon the Greeks, are proofs
that Homer knew of certain evil demons who delight in the smoke of sacrifices,
and who, to reward those who offer them, grant in answer to their prayers the
destruction of others. "He," that is, Jupiter, "who rules over wintry Dodona,
where his prophets have ever unwashed feet, and sleep upon the ground," has
rejected the male sex, and, as Celsus observes, employs the women of Dodona
for the prophetic office. Granting that there are oracles similar to these, as that at
Clarus, another in Branchidæ, another in the temple of Jupiter Ammon, or
anywhere else; yet how shall it be proved that these are gods, and not demons?
 Chapter 7
In regard to the prophets among the Jews, some of them were wise men
before they became divinely inspired prophets, while others became wise by the
illumination which their minds received when divinely inspired. They were
selected by Divine Providence to receive the Divine Spirit, and to be the
depositaries of His holy oracles, on the ground of their leading a life of almost
unapproachable excellence, intrepid, noble, unmoved by danger or death. For
reason teaches that such ought to be the character of the prophets of the Most
High, in comparison with which the firmness of Antisthenes, Crates, and
Diogenes will seem but as child's play. It was therefore for their firm adherence
to truth, and their faithfulness in the reproof of the wicked, that "they were
stoned; they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they
wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted,
tormented; they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of
the earth, of whom the world was not worthy:" for they looked always to God
and to His blessings, which, being invisible, and not to be perceived by the
senses, are eternal. We have the history of the life of each of the prophets; but it
will be enough at present to direct attention to the life of Moses, whose
prophecies are contained in the law; to that of Jeremiah, as it is given in the book
which bears his name; to that of Isaiah, who with unexampled austerity walked
naked and barefooted for the space of three years. Read and consider the severe
life of those children, Daniel and his companions, how they abstained from
flesh, and lived on water and pulse. Or if you will go back to more remote times,
think of the life of Noah, who prophesied; and of Isaac, who gave his son a
prophetic blessing; or of Jacob, who addressed each of his twelve sons,
beginning with "Come, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days."
These, and a multitude of others, prophesying on behalf of God, foretold events
relating to Jesus Christ. We therefore for this reason set at nought the oracles of
the Pythian priestess, or those delivered at Dodona, at Clarus, at Branchidæ, at
the temple of Jupiter Ammon, or by a multitude of other so-called prophets;
while we regard with reverent awe the Jewish prophets: for we see that the
noble, earnest, and devout lives of these men were worthy of the inspiration of
the Divine Spirit, whose wonderful effects were widely different from the
divination of demons.
 Chapter 8
I do not know what led Celsus, when saying, "But what things were spoken
or not spoken in the land of Judea, according to the custom of the country," to
use the words "or not spoken," as though implying that he was incredulous, and
that he suspected that those things which were written were never spoken. In
fact, he is unacquainted with these times; and he does not know that those
prophets who foretold the coming of Christ, predicted a multitude of other
events many years beforehand. He adds, with the view of casting a slight upon
the ancient prophets, that "they prophesied in the same way as we find them still
doing among the inhabitants of Phœnicia and Palestine." But he does not tell us
whether he refers to persons who are of different principles from those of the
Jews and Christians, or to persons whose prophecies are of the same character as
those of the Jewish prophets. However it be, his statement is false, taken in
either way. For never have any of those who have not embraced our faith done
any thing approaching to what was done by the ancient prophets; and in more
recent times, since the coming of Christ, no prophets have arisen among the
Jews, who have confessedly been abandoned by the Holy Spirit on account of
their impiety towards God, and towards Him of whom their prophets spoke.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit gave signs of His presence at the beginning of Christ's
ministry, and after His ascension He gave still more; but since that time these
signs have diminished, although there are still traces of His presence in a few
who have had their souls purified by the Gospel, and their actions regulated by
its influence. "For the holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from
thoughts that are without understanding." [ Wisdom 1:5 ]
 Chapter 9
But as Celsus promises to give an account of the manner in which
prophecies are delivered in Phœnicia and Palestine, speaking as though it were a
matter with which he had a full and personal acquaintance, let us see what he has
to say on the subject. First he lays it down that there are several kinds of
prophecies, but he does not specify what they are; indeed, he could not do so,
and the statement is a piece of pure ostentation. However, let us see what he
considers the most perfect kind of prophecy among these nations. "There are
many," he says, "who, although of no name, with the greatest facility and on the
slightest occasion, whether within or without temples, assume the motions and
gestures of inspired persons; while others do it in cities or among armies, for the
purpose of attracting attention and exciting surprise. These are accustomed to
say, each for himself, 'I am God; I am the Son of God; or, I am the Divine Spirit;
I have come because the world is perishing, and you, O men, are perishing for
your iniquities. But I wish to save you, and you shall see me returning again with
heavenly power. Blessed is he who now does me homage. On all the rest I will
send down eternal fire, both on cities and on countries. And those who know not
the punishments which await them shall repent and grieve in vain; while those
who are faithful to me I will preserve eternally.'" Then he goes on to say: "To
these promises are added strange, fanatical, and quite unintelligible words, of
which no rational person can find the meaning: for so dark are they, as to have
no meaning at all; but they give occasion to every fool or impostor to apply them
to suit his own purposes."
 Chapter 10
But if he were dealing honestly in his accusations, he ought to have given
the exact terms of the prophecies, whether those in which the speaker is
introduced as claiming to be God Almighty, or those in which the Son of God
speaks, or finally those under the name of the Holy Spirit. For thus he might
have endeavoured to overthrow these assertions, and have shown that there was
no divine inspiration in those words which urged men to forsake their sins,
which condemned the past and foretold the future. For the prophecies were
recorded and preserved by men living at the time, that those who came after
might read and admire them as the oracles of God, and that they might profit not
only by the warnings and admonitions, but also by the predictions, which, being
shown by events to have proceeded from the Spirit of God, bind men to the
practice of piety as set forth in the law and the prophets. The prophets have
therefore, as God commanded them, declared with all plainness those things
which it was desirable that the hearers should understand at once for the
regulation of their conduct; while in regard to deeper and more mysterious
subjects, which lay beyond the reach of the common understanding, they set
them forth in the form of enigmas and allegories, or of what are called dark
sayings, parables, or similitudes. And this plan they have followed, that those
who are ready to shun no labour and spare no pains in their endeavours after
truth and virtue might search into their meaning, and having found it, might
apply it as reason requires. But Celsus, ever vigorous in his denunciations, as
though he were angry at his inability to understand the language of the prophets,
scoffs at them thus: "To these grand promises are added strange, fanatical, and
quite unintelligible words, of which no rational person can find the meaning; for
so dark are they as to have no meaning at all; but they give occasion to every
fool or impostor to apply them so as to suit his own purposes." This statement of
Celsus seems ingeniously designed to dissuade readers from attempting any
inquiry or careful search into their meaning. And in this he is not unlike certain
persons, who said to a man whom a prophet had visited to announce future
events, "Wherefore came this mad fellow to you?"
 Chapter 11
I am convinced, indeed, that much better arguments could be adduced than
any I have been able to bring forward, to show the falsehood of these allegations
of Celsus, and to set forth the divine inspiration of the prophecies; but we have
according to our ability, in our commentaries on Isaiah, Ezekiel, and some of the
twelve minor prophets, explained literally and in detail what he calls "those
fanatical and utterly unintelligible passages." And if God give us grace in the
time that He appoints for us, to advance in the knowledge of His word, we shall
continue our investigation into the parts which remain, or into such at least as we
are able to make plain. And other persons of intelligence who wish to study
Scripture may also find out its meaning for themselves; for although there are
many places in which the meaning is not obvious, yet there are none where, as
Celsus affirms, "there is no sense at all." Neither is it true that "any fool or
impostor can explain the passages so as to make them suit his own purposes."
For it belongs only to those who are wise in the truth of Christ (and to all them it
does belong) to unfold the connection and meaning of even the obscure parts of
prophecy, "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," and interpreting each
passage according to the usage of Scripture writers. And Celsus is not to be
believed when he says that he has heard such men prophesy; for no prophets
bearing any resemblance to the ancient prophets have appeared in the time of
Celsus. If there had been any, those who heard and admired them would have
followed the example of the ancients, and have recorded the prophecies in
writing. And it seems quite clear that Celsus is speaking falsely, when he says
that "those prophets whom he had heard, on being pressed by him, confessed
their true motives, and acknowledged that the ambiguous words they used really
meant nothing." He ought to have given the names of those whom he says he
had heard, if he had any to give, so that those who were competent to judge
might decide whether his allegations were true or false.
 Chapter 12
He thinks, besides, that those who support the cause of Christ by a
reference to the writings of the prophets can give no proper answer in regard to
statements in them which attribute to God that which is wicked, shameful, or
impure; and assuming that no answer can be given, he proceeds to draw a whole
train of inferences, none of which can be allowed. But he ought to know that
those who wish to live according to the teaching of sacred Scripture understand
the saying, "The knowledge of the unwise is as talk without sense," [ Sirach
21:18 ] and have learned "to be ready always to give an answer to every one that
asks us a reason for the hope that is in us." And they are not satisfied with
affirming that such and such things have been predicted; but they endeavour to
remove any apparent inconsistencies, and to show that, so far from there being
anything evil, shameful, or impure in these predictions, everything is worthy of
being received by those who understand the sacred Scriptures. But Celsus ought
to have adduced from the prophets examples of what he thought bad, or
shameful, or impure, if he saw any such passages; for then his argument would
have had much more force, and would have furthered his purpose much better.
He gives no instances, however, but contents himself with loudly asserting the
false charge that these things are to be found in Scripture. There is no reason,
then, for us to defend ourselves against groundless charges, which are but empty
sounds, or to take the trouble of showing that in the writings of the prophets
there is nothing evil, shameful, impure, or abominable.
 Chapter 13
And there is no truth in the statement of Celsus, that "God does the most
shameless deeds, or suffers the most shameless sufferings," or that "He favours
the commission of evil;" for whatever he may say, no such things have ever been
foretold. He ought to have cited from the prophets the passages in which God is
represented as favouring evil, or as doing and enduring the most shameless
deeds, and not to have sought without foundation to prejudice the minds of his
readers. The prophets, indeed, foretold what Christ should suffer, and set forth
the reason why He should suffer. God therefore also knew what Christ would
suffer; but where has he learned that those things which the Christ of God should
suffer were most base and dishonourable? He goes on to explain what those
most shameful and degrading things were which Christ suffered, in these words:
"For what better was it for God to eat the flesh of sheep, or to drink vinegar and
gall, than to feed on filth?" But God, according to us, did not eat the flesh of
sheep; and while it may seem that Jesus ate, He did so only as possessing a body.
But in regard to the vinegar and gall mentioned in the prophecy, "They gave me
also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink," we have
already referred to this point; and as Celsus compels us to recur to it again, we
would only say further, that those who resist the word of truth do ever offer to
Christ the Son of God the gall of their own wickedness, and the vinegar of their
evil inclinations; but though He tastes of it, yet He will not drink it.
 Chapter 14
In the next place, wishing to shake the faith of those who believe in Jesus
on the ground of the prophecies which were delivered in regard to Him, Celsus
says: "But pray, if the prophets foretold that the great God— not to put it more
harshly— would become a slave, or become sick or die; would there be therefore
any necessity that God should die, or suffer sickness, or become a slave, simply
because such things had been foretold? Must he die in order to prove his
divinity? But the prophets never would utter predictions so wicked and impious.
We need not therefore inquire whether a thing has been predicted or not, but
whether the thing is honourable in itself, and worthy of God. In that which is evil
and base, although it seemed that all men in the world had foretold it in a fit of
madness, we must not believe. How then can the pious mind admit that those
things which are said to have happened to him, could have happened to one who
is God?" From this it is plain that Celsus feels the argument from prophecy to be
very effective for convincing those to whom Christ is preached; but he seems to
endeavour to overthrow it by an opposite probability, namely, "that the question
is not whether the prophets uttered these predictions or not." But if he wished to
reason justly and without evasion, he ought rather to have said, "We must show
that these things were never predicted, or that those things which were predicted
of Christ have never been fulfilled in him," and in that way he would have
established the position which he holds. In that way it would have been made
plain what those prophecies are which we apply to Jesus, and how Celsus could
justify himself in asserting that that application was false. And we should thus
have seen whether he fairly disproved all that we bring from the prophets in
behalf of Jesus, or whether he himself is convicted of a shameless endeavour to
resist the plainest truths by violent assertions.
 Chapter 15
After assuming that some things were foretold which are impossible in
themselves, and inconsistent with the character of God, he says: "If these things
were predicted of the Most High God, are we bound to believe them of God
simply because they were predicted?" And thus he thinks he proves, that
although the prophets may have foretold truly such things of the Son of God, yet
it is impossible for us to believe in those prophecies declaring that He would do
or suffer such things. To this our answer is that the supposition is absurd, for it
combines two lines of reasoning which are opposed to each other, and therefore
mutually destructive. This may be shown as follows. The one argument is: "If
any true prophets of the Most High say that God will become a slave, or suffer
sickness, or die, these things will come to God; for it is impossible that the
prophets of the great God should utter lies." The other is: "If even true prophets
of the Most High God say that these same things shall come to pass, seeing that
these things foretold are by the nature of things impossible, the prophecies are
not true, and therefore those things which have been foretold will not happen to
God." When, then, we find two processes of reasoning in both of which the
major premiss is the same, leading to two contradictory conclusions, we use the
form of argument called "the theorem of two propositions," to prove that the
major premiss is false, which in the case before us is this, "that the prophets
have foretold that the great God should become a slave, suffer sickness, or die."
We conclude, then, that the prophets never foretold such things; and the
argument is formally expressed as follows: 1st, Of two things, if the first is true,
the second is true; 2d, if the first is true, the second is not true, therefore the first
is not true. The concrete example which the Stoics give to illustrate this form of
argument is the following: 1st, If you know that you are dead, you are dead; 2d,
if you know that you are dead, you are not dead. And the conclusion is— "you
do not know that you are dead." These propositions are worked out as follows: If
you know that you are dead, that which you know is certain; therefore you are
dead. Again, if you know that you are dead, your death is an object of
knowledge; but as the dead know nothing, your knowing this proves that you are
not dead. Accordingly, by joining the two arguments together, you arrive at the
conclusion— "you do not know that you are dead." Now the hypothesis of
Celsus which we have given above is much of the same kind.
 Chapter 16
But besides, the prophecies which he introduces into his argument are very
different from what the prophets actually foretold of Jesus Christ. For the
prophecies do not foretell that God will be crucified, when they say of Him who
should suffer, "We beheld Him, and He had no form or comeliness; but His form
was dishonoured and marred more than the sons of men; He was a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Observe, then, how distinctly they say that
it was a man who should endure these human sufferings. And Jesus Himself,
who knew perfectly that one who was to die must be a man, said to His accusers:
"But now you seek to kill Me, a man that has spoken unto you the truth which I
heard of God." And if in that man as He appeared among men there was
something divine, namely the only-begotten Son of God, the first-born of all
creation, one who said of Himself, "I am the truth," "I am the life," "I am the
door," "I am the way," "I am the living bread which came down from heaven," of
this Being and His nature we must judge and reason in a way quite different
from that in which we judge of the man who was seen in Jesus Christ.
Accordingly, you will find no Christian, however simple he may be, and
however little versed in critical studies, who would say that He who died was
"the truth," "the life," "the way," "the living bread which came down from
heaven," "the resurrection;" for it was He who appeared to us in the form of the
man Jesus, who taught us, saying, "I am the resurrection." There is no one
among us, I say, so extravagant as to affirm "the Life died," "the Resurrection
died." The supposition of Celsus would have some foundation if we were to say
that it had been foretold by the prophets that death would befall God the Word,
the Truth, the Life, the Resurrection, or any other name which is assumed by the
Son of God.
 Chapter 17
In one point alone is Celsus correct in his statements on this subject. It is
that in which he says: "The prophets would not foretell this, because it involves
that which is wicked and impious," — namely, that the great God should become
a slave or suffer death. But that which is predicted by the prophets is worthy of
God, that He who is the brightness and express image of the divine nature should
come into the world with the holy human soul which was to animate the body of
Jesus, to sow the seed of His word, which might bring all who received and
cherished it into union with the Most High God, and which would lead to perfect
blessedness all those who felt within them the power of God the Word, who was
to be in the body and soul of a man. He was to be in it indeed, but not in such a
way as to confine therein all the rays of His glory; and we are not to suppose that
the light of Him who is God the Word is shed forth in no other way than in this.
If, then, we consider Jesus in relation to the divinity that was in Him, the things
which He did in this capacity present nothing to offend our ideas of God,
nothing but what is holy; and if we consider Him as man, distinguished beyond
all other men by an intimate communion with the Eternal Word, with absolute
Wisdom, He suffered as one who was wise and perfect, whatever it behooved
Him to suffer who did all for the good of the human race, yea, even for the good
of all intelligent beings. And there is nothing absurd in a man having died, and in
His death being not only an example of death endured for the sake of piety, but
also the first blow in the conflict which is to overthrow the power of that evil
spirit the devil, who had obtained dominion over the whole world. For we have
signs and pledges of the destruction of his empire, in those who through the
coming of Christ are everywhere escaping from the power of demons, and who,
after their deliverance from this bondage in which they were held, consecrate
themselves to God, and earnestly devote themselves day by day to advancement
in a life of piety.
 Chapter 18
Celsus adds: "Will they not besides make this reflection? If the prophets of
the God of the Jews foretold that he who should come into the world would be
the Son of this same God, how could he command them through Moses to gather
wealth, to extend their dominion, to fill the earth, to put their enemies of every
age to the sword, and to destroy them utterly, which indeed he himself did— as
Moses says— threatening them, moreover, that if they did not obey his
commands, he would treat them as his avowed enemies; while, on the other
hand, his Son, the man of Nazareth, promulgated laws quite opposed to these,
declaring that no one can come to the Father who loves power, or riches, or
glory; that men ought not to be more careful in providing food than the ravens;
that they were to be less concerned about their raiment than the lilies; that to
him who has given them one blow, they should offer to receive another? Whether
is it Moses or Jesus who teaches falsely? Did the Father, when he sent Jesus,
forget the commands which he had given to Moses? Or did he change his mind,
condemn his own laws, and send forth a messenger with counter instructions?"
Celsus, with all his boasts of universal knowledge, has here fallen into the most
vulgar of errors, in supposing that in the law and the prophets there is not a
meaning deeper than that afforded by a literal rendering of the words. He does
not see how manifestly incredible it is that worldly riches should be promised to
those who lead upright lives, when it is a matter of common observation that the
best of men have lived in extreme poverty. Indeed, the prophets themselves, who
for the purity of their lives received the Divine Spirit, "wandered about in
sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented: they wandered in
deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." For, as the
Psalmist, says, "many are the afflictions of the righteous." If Celsus had read the
writings of Moses, he would, I daresay, have supposed that when it is said to him
who kept the law, "You shall lend unto many nations, and you yourself shall not
borrow," the promise is made to the just man, that his temporal riches should be
so abundant, that he would be able to lend not only to the Jews, not only to two
or three nations, but "to many nations." What, then, must have been the wealth
which the just man received according to the law for his righteousness, if he
could lend to many nations? And must we not suppose also, in accordance with
this interpretation, that the just man would never borrow anything? For it is
written, "and you shall yourself borrow nothing." Did then that nation remain for
so long a period attached to the religion which was taught by Moses, while,
according to the supposition of Celsus, they saw themselves so grievously
deceived by that lawgiver? For nowhere is it said of any one that he was so rich
as to lend to many nations. It is not to be believed that they would have fought so
zealously in defence of a law whose promises had proved glaringly false, if they
understood them in the sense which Celsus gives to them. And if any one should
say that the sins which are recorded to have been committed by the people are a
proof that they despised the law, doubtless from the feeling that they had been
deceived by it, we may reply that we have only to read the history of the times in
order to find it shown that the whole people, after having done that which was
evil in the sight of the Lord, returned afterwards to their duty, and to the religion
prescribed by the law.
 Chapter 19
Now if these words in the law, "You shall have dominion over many
nations, and no one shall rule over you," were simply a promise to them of
dominion, and if they contain no deeper meaning than this, then it is certain that
the people would have had still stronger grounds for despising the promises of
the law. Celsus brings forward another passage, although he changes the terms
of it, where it is said that the whole earth shall be filled with the Hebrew race;
which indeed, according to the testimony of history, did actually happen after the
coming of Christ, although rather as a result of God's anger, if I may so say, than
of His blessing. As to the promise made to the Jews that they should slay their
enemies, it may be answered that any one who examines carefully into the
meaning of this passage will find himself unable to interpret it literally. It is
sufficient at present to refer to the manner in which in the Psalms the just man is
represented as saying, among other things, "Every morning will I destroy the
wicked of the land; that I may cut off all workers of iniquity from the city of
Jehovah." Judge, then, from the words and spirit of the speaker, whether it is
conceivable that, after having in the preceding part of the Psalm, as any one may
read for himself, uttered the noblest thoughts and purposes, he should in the
sequel, according to the literal rendering of his words, say that in the morning,
and at no other period of the day, he would destroy all sinners from the earth,
and leave none of them alive, and that he would slay every one in Jerusalem who
did iniquity. And there are many similar expressions to be found in the law, as
this, for example: "We left not anything alive."
 Chapter 20
Celsus adds, that it was foretold to the Jews, that if they did not obey the
law, they would be treated in the same way as they treated their enemies; and
then he quotes from the teaching of Christ some precepts which he considers
contrary to those of the law, and uses that as an argument against us. But before
proceeding to this point, we must speak of that which precedes. We hold, then,
that the law has a twofold sense,— the one literal, the other spiritual,— as has
been shown by some before us. Of the first or literal sense it is said, not by us,
but by God, speaking in one of the prophets, that "the statutes are not good, and
the judgments not good;" whereas, taken in a spiritual sense, the same prophet
makes God say that "His statutes are good, and His judgments good." Yet
evidently the prophet is not saying things which are contradictory of each other.
Paul in like manner says, that "the letter kills, and the spirit gives life," meaning
by "the letter" the literal sense, and by "the spirit" the spiritual sense of
Scripture. We may therefore find in Paul, as well as in the prophet, apparent
contradictions. Indeed, if Ezekiel says in one place, "I gave them commandments
which were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live," and in
another, "I gave them good commandments and judgments, which if a man shall
do, he shall live by them," Paul in like manner, when he wishes to disparage the
law taken literally, says, "If the ministration of death, written and engraven in
stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold
the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done
away; how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?" But when
in another place he wishes to praise and recommend the law, he calls it
"spiritual," and says, "We know that the law is spiritual;" and, "Wherefore the
law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good."
 Chapter 21
When, then, the letter of the law promises riches to the just, Celsus may
follow the letter which kills, and understand it of worldly riches, which blind
men; but we say that it refers to those riches which enlighten the eyes, and which
enrich a man "in all utterance and in all knowledge." And in this sense we
"charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust
in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;
that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate." For, as Solomon says, "riches" are the true good, which "are the
ransom of the life of a man;" but the poverty which is the opposite of these
riches is destructive, for by it "the poor cannot bear rebuke." And what has been
said of riches applies to dominion, in regard to which it is said, "The just man
shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight." Now if riches are to
be taken in the sense we have just explained, consider if it is not according to
God's promise that he who is rich in all utterance, in all knowledge, in all
wisdom, in all good works, may not out of these treasures of utterance, of
wisdom, and of knowledge, lend to many nations. It was thus that Paul lent to all
the nations that he visited, "carrying the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem, and
round about unto Illyricum." And as the divine knowledge was given to him by
revelation, and his mind was illumined by the Divine Word, he himself therefore
needed to borrow from no one, and required not the ministry to any man to teach
him the word of truth. Thus, as it had been written, "You shall have dominion
over many nations, and they shall not have dominion over you," he ruled over
the Gentiles whom he brought under the teaching of Jesus Christ; and he never
"gave place by subjection to men, no, not for an hour," as being himself mightier
than they. And thus also he "filled the earth."
 Chapter 22
If I must now explain how the just man "slays his enemies," and prevails
everywhere, it is to be observed that, when he says, "Every morning will I
destroy the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all workers of iniquity from the
city of Jehovah," by "the land" he means the flesh whose lusts are at enmity with
God; and by "the city of Jehovah" he designates his own soul, in which was the
temple of God, containing the true idea and conception of God, which makes it
to be admired by all who look upon it. As soon, then, as the rays of the Sun of
righteousness shine into his soul, feeling strengthened and invigorated by their
influence, he sets himself to destroy all the lusts of the flesh, which are called
"the wicked of the land," and drives out of that city of the Lord which is in his
soul all thoughts which work iniquity, and all suggestions which are opposed to
the truth. And in this way also the just give up to destruction all their enemies,
which are their vices, so that they do not spare even the children, that is, the
early beginnings and promptings of evil. In this sense also we understand the
language of the 137th Psalm: "O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed;
happy shall he be that rewards you as you have served us: happy shall he be that
takes and dashes your little ones against the stones." For "the little ones" of
Babylon (which signifies confusion) are those troublesome sinful thoughts
which arise in the soul and he who subdues them by striking, as it were, their
heads against the firm and solid strength of reason and truth, is the man who
"dashes the little ones against the stones;" and he is therefore truly blessed. God
may therefore have commanded men to destroy all their vices utterly, even at
their birth, without having enjoined anything contrary to the teaching of Christ;
and He may Himself have destroyed before the eyes of those who were "Jews
inwardly" all the offspring of evil as His enemies. And, in like manner, those
who disobey the law and word of God may well be compared to His enemies led
astray by sin; and they may well be said to suffer the same fate as they deserve
who have proved traitors to the truth of God.
 Chapter 23
From what has been said, it is clear then that Jesus, "the man of Nazareth,"
did not promulgate laws opposed to those just considered in regard to riches,
when He said, "It is hard for the rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;"
whether we take the word "rich" in its simplest sense, as referring to the man
whose mind is distracted by his wealth, and, as it were, entangled with thorns, so
that he brings forth no spiritual fruit; or whether it is the man who is rich in the
sense of abounding in false notions, of whom it is written in the Proverbs,
"Better is the poor man who is just, than the rich man who is false." Perhaps it is
the following passages which have led Celsus to suppose that Jesus forbids
ambition to His disciples: "Whoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant
of all;" "The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them," and "they
that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors." But there is nothing
here inconsistent with the promise, "You shall rule over many nations, and they
shall not rule over you," especially after the explanation which we have given of
these words. Celsus next throws in an expression in regard to wisdom, as though
he thought that, according to the teaching of Christ, no wise man could come to
the Father. But we would ask in what sense he speaks of a wise man. For if he
means one who is wise in "the wisdom of this world," as it is called, "which is
foolishness with God," then we would agree with him in saying that access to the
Father is denied to one who is wise in that sense. But if by wisdom any one
means Christ, who is "the power and wisdom of God," far from such a wise man
being refused access to the Father, we hold that he who is adorned by the Holy
Spirit with that gift which is called "the word of wisdom," far excels all those
who have not received the same grace.
 Chapter 24
The pursuit of human glory, we maintain, is forbidden not only by the
teaching of Jesus, but also by the Old Testament. Accordingly we find one of the
prophets, when imprecating upon himself certain punishments for the
commission of certain sins, includes among the punishments this one of earthly
glory. He says, "O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my
hands; if I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, rather,
I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy;) let the enemy persecute
my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and set my
glory up on high ." And these precepts of our Lord, "Take no thought what you
shall eat, or what you shall drink. Behold the fowls of the air, or behold the
ravens: for they sow not, neither do they reap; yet your heavenly Father feeds
them. How much better are you than they! And why do you take thought for
raiment? Consider the lilies of the field;" — these precepts, and those which
follow, are not inconsistent with the promised blessings of the law, which
teaches that the just "shall eat their bread to the full;" nor with that saying of
Solomon, "The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the
wicked shall want." For we must consider the food promised in the law as the
food of the soul, which is to satisfy not both parts of man's nature, but the soul
only. And the words of the Gospel, although probably containing a deeper
meaning, may yet be taken in their more simple and obvious sense, as teaching
us not to be disturbed with anxieties about our food and clothing, but, while
living in plainness, and desiring only what is needful, to put our trust in the
providence of God.
 Chapter 25
Celsus then extracts from the Gospel the precept, "To him who strikes you
once, you shall offer yourself to be struck again," although without giving any
passage from the Old Testament which he considers opposed to it. On the one
hand, we know that "it was said to them in old time, An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth;" and on the other, we have read, "I say unto you, Whoever
shall smite you on the one cheek, turn to him the other also." But as there is
reason to believe that Celsus produces the objections which he has heard from
those who wish to make a difference between the God of the Gospel and the God
of the law, we must say in reply, that this precept, "Whosoever shall strike you
on the one cheek, turn to him the other," is not unknown in the older Scriptures.
For thus, in the Lamentations of Jeremiah, it is said, "It is good for a man that he
bear the yoke in his youth: he sits alone, and keeps silence, because he has
borne it upon him. He gives his cheek to him that smites him; he is filled full with
reproach." There is no discrepancy, then, between the God of the Gospel and the
God of the law, even when we take literally the precept regarding the blow on
the face. So, then, we infer that neither "Jesus nor Moses has taught falsely."
The Father in sending Jesus did not "forget the commands which He had given to
Moses:" He did not "change His mind, condemn His own laws, and send by His
messenger counter instructions."
 Chapter 26
However, if we must refer briefly to the difference between the constitution
which was given to the Jews of old by Moses, and that which the Christians,
under the direction of Christ's teaching, wish now to establish, we would observe
that it must be impossible for the legislation of Moses, taken literally, to
harmonize with the calling of the Gentiles, and with their subjection to the
Roman government; and on the other hand, it would be impossible for the Jews
to preserve their civil economy unchanged, supposing that they should embrace
the Gospel. For Christians could not slay their enemies, or condemn to be burned
or stoned, as Moses commands, those who had broken the law, and were
therefore condemned as deserving of these punishments; since the Jews
themselves, however desirous of carrying out their law, are not able to inflict
these punishments. But in the case of the ancient Jews, who had a land and a
form of government of their own, to take from them the right of making war
upon their enemies, of fighting for their country, of putting to death or otherwise
punishing adulterers, murderers, or others who were guilty of similar crimes,
would be to subject them to sudden and utter destruction whenever the enemy
fell upon them; for their very laws would in that case restrain them, and prevent
them from resisting the enemy. And that same providence which of old gave the
law, and has now given the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not wishing the Jewish state
to continue longer, has destroyed their city and their temple: it has abolished the
worship which was offered to God in that temple by the sacrifice of victims, and
other ceremonies which He had prescribed. And as it has destroyed these things,
not wishing that they should longer continue, in like manner it has extended day
by day the Christian religion, so that it is now preached everywhere with
boldness, and that in spite of the numerous obstacles which oppose the spread of
Christ's teaching in the world. But since it was the purpose of God that the
nations should receive the benefits of Christ's teaching, all the devices of men
against Christians have been brought to nought; for the more that kings, and
against Christians have been brought to nought; for the more that kings, and
rulers, and peoples have persecuted them everywhere, the more have they
increased in number and grown in strength.
 Chapter 27
After this Celsus relates at length opinions which he ascribes to us, but
which we do not hold, regarding the Divine Being, to the effect that "he is
corporeal in his nature, and possesses a body like a man." As he undertakes to
refute opinions which are none of ours, it would be needless to give either the
opinions themselves or their refutation. Indeed, if we did hold those views of
God which he ascribes to us, and which he opposes, we would be bound to quote
his words, to adduce our own arguments, and to refute his. But if he brings
forward opinions which he has either heard from no one, or if it be assumed that
he has heard them, it must have been from those who are very simple and
ignorant of the meaning of Scripture, then we need not undertake so superfluous
a task as that of refuting them. For the Scriptures plainly speak of God as of a
being without body. Hence it is said, "No man has seen God at any time;" and
the First-born of all creation is called "the image of the invisible God," which is
the same as if it were said that He is incorporeal. However, we have already said
something on the nature of God while examining into the meaning of the words,
"God is a Spirit, and they who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in
truth."
 Chapter 28
After thus misrepresenting our views of the nature of God, Celsus goes on
to ask of us "where we hope to go after death;" and he makes our answer to be,
"to another land better than this." On this he comments as follows: "The divine
men of a former age have spoken of a happy life reserved for the souls of the
blessed. Some designated it 'the isles of the blest,' and others 'the Elysian plain,'
so called because they were there to be delivered from their present evils. Thus
Homer says: 'But the gods shall send you to the Elysian plain, on the borders of
the earth, where they lead a most quiet life.' Plato also, who believed in the
immortality of the soul, distinctly gives the name 'land' to the place where it is
sent. 'The extent of it,' says he, 'is immense, and we only occupy a small portion
of it, from the Phasis to the Pillars of Hercules, where we dwell along the shores
of the sea, as grasshoppers and frogs beside a marsh. But there are many other
places inhabited in like manner by other men. For there are in different parts of
the earth cavities, varying in form and in magnitude, into which run water, and
clouds, and air. But that land which is pure lies in the pure region of heaven.'"
Celsus therefore supposes that what we say of a land which is much better and
more excellent than this, has been borrowed from certain ancient writers whom
he styles "divine," and chiefly from Plato, who in his Phædon discourses on the
pure land lying in a pure heaven. But he does not see that Moses, who is much
older than the Greek literature, introduces God as promising to those who lived
according to His law the holy land, which is "a good land and a large, a land
flowing with milk and honey;" which promise is not to be understood to refer, as
some suppose, to that part of the earth which we call Judea; for it, however good
it may be, still forms part of the earth, which was originally cursed for the
transgression of Adam. For these words, "Cursed shall the ground be for what
you have done; with grief, that is, with labour, shall you eat of the fruit of it all
the days of your life," were spoken of the whole earth, the fruit of which every
man who died in Adam eats with sorrow or labour all the days of his life. And as
all the earth has been cursed, it brings forth thorns and briers all the days of the
life of those who in Adam were driven out of paradise; and in the sweat of his
face every man eats bread until he returns to the ground from which he was
taken. For the full exposition of all that is contained in this passage much might
be said; but we have confined ourselves to these few words at present, which are
intended to remove the idea, that what is said of the good land promised by God
to the righteous, refers to the land of Judea.
 Chapter 29
If, then, the whole earth has been cursed in the deeds of Adam and of those
who died in him, it is plain that all parts of the earth share in the curse, and
among others the land of Judea; so that the words, a good land and a large, a
land flowing with milk and honey, cannot apply to it, although we may say of it,
that both Judea and Jerusalem were the shadow and figure of that pure land,
goodly and large, in the pure region of heaven, in which is the heavenly
Jerusalem. And it is in reference to this Jerusalem that the apostle spoke, as one
who, "being risen with Christ, and seeking those things which are above," had
found a truth which formed no part of the Jewish mythology. "You have come,"
says he, "unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." And in order to be
assured that our explanation of "the good and large land" of Moses is not
contrary to the intention of the Divine Spirit, we have only to read in all the
prophets what they say of those who, after having left Jerusalem, and wandered
astray from it, should afterwards return and be settled in the place which is
called the habitation and city of God, as in the words, "His dwelling is in the
holy place;" and, "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our
God, in the mountain of His holiness, beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole
earth." It is enough at present to quote the words of the thirty-seventh Psalm,
which speaks thus of the land of the righteous, "Those that wait upon the Lord
they shall inherit the earth;" and a little after, "But the meek shall inherit the
earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace;" and again,
"Those who bless Him shall inherit the earth;" and, "The righteous shall inherit
the land, and dwell therein for ever." And consider whether it is not evident to
intelligent readers that the following words from this same Psalm refer to the
pure land in the pure heaven: "Wait on the Lord, and keep His way; and He shall
exalt you to inherit the land."
 Chapter 30
It seems to me also that the fancy of Plato, that those stones which we call
precious stones derive their lustre from a reflection, as it were, of the stones in
that better land, is taken from the words of Isaiah in describing the city of God,
"I will make your battlements of jasper, your stones shall be crystal, and your
borders of precious stones;" and, "I will lay your foundations with sapphires."
Those who hold in greatest reverence the teaching of Plato, explain this myth of
his as an allegory. And the prophecies from which, as we conjecture, Plato has
borrowed, will be explained by those who, leading a godly life like that of the
prophets, devote all their time to the study of the sacred Scriptures, to those who
are qualified to learn by purity of life, and their desire to advance in divine
knowledge. For our part, our purpose has been simply to say that what we affirm
of that sacred land has not been taken from Plato or any of the Greeks, but that
they rather— living as they did not only after Moses, who was the oldest, but
even after most of the prophets— borrowed from them, and in so doing either
misunderstood their obscure intimations on such subjects, or else endeavoured,
in their allusions to the better land, to imitate those portions of Scripture which
had fallen into their hands. Haggai expressly makes a distinction between the
earth and the dry land, meaning by the latter the land in which we live. He says:
"Yet once, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the dry land, and the
sea."
 Chapter 31
Referring to the passage in the Phædon of Plato, Celsus says: "It is not easy
for every one to understand the meaning of Plato's words, when he says that on
account of our weakness and slowness we are unable to reach the highest region
of the air; but that if our nature were capable of so sublime a contemplation, we
would then be able to understand that that is the true heaven, and that the true
light." As Celsus has deferred to another opportunity the explanation of Plato's
idea, we also think that it does not fall within our purpose at present to enter into
any full description of that holy and good land, and of the city of God which is in
it; but reserve the consideration of it for our Commentary on the Prophets,
having already in part, according to our power, treated of the city of God in our
remarks on Psalm 46 and Psalm 48. The writings of Moses and the prophets—
the most ancient of all books— teach us that all things here on earth which are in
common use among men, have other things corresponding to them in name
which are alone real. Thus, for instance, there is the true light, and another
heaven beyond the firmament, and a Sun of righteousness other than the sun we
see. In a word, to distinguish those things from the objects of sense, which have
no true reality, they say of God that "His works are truth;" thus making a
distinction between the works of God and the works of God's hands, which latter
are of an inferior sort. Accordingly, God in Isaiah complains of men, that "they
regard not the works of the Lord, nor consider the operation of His hands." But
enough on this point.
 Chapter 32
Celsus next assails the doctrine of the resurrection, which is a high and
difficult doctrine, and one which more than others requires a high and advanced
degree of wisdom to set forth how worthy it is of God; and how sublime a truth
it is which teaches us that there is a seminal principle lodged in that which
Scripture speaks of as the "tabernacle" of the soul, in which the righteous "do
groan, being burdened, not for that they would be unclothed, but clothed upon."
Celsus ridicules this doctrine because he does not understand it, and because he
has learned it from ignorant persons, who were unable to support it on any
reasonable grounds. It will be profitable, therefore, that in addition to what we
have said above, we should make this one remark. Our teaching on the subject of
the resurrection is not, as Celsus imagines, derived from anything that we have
heard on the doctrine of metempsychosis; but we know that the soul, which is
immaterial and invisible in its nature, exists in no material place, without having
a body suited to the nature of that place. Accordingly, it at one time puts off one
body which was necessary before, but which is no longer adequate in its changed
state, and it exchanges it for a second; and at another time it assumes another in
addition to the former, which is needed as a better covering, suited to the purer
ethereal regions of heaven. When it comes into the world at birth, it casts off the
integuments which it needed in the womb; and before doing this, it puts on
another body suited for its life upon earth. Then, again, as there is "a tabernacle"
and "an earthly house" which is in some sort necessary for this tabernacle,
Scripture teaches us that "the earthly house of this tabernacle shall be
dissolved," but that the tabernacle shall "be clothed upon with a house not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens." The men of God say also that "the
corruptible shall put on incorruption," which is a different thing from "the
incorruptible;" and "the mortal shall put on immortality," which is different
from "the immortal." Indeed, what "wisdom" is to "the wise," and "justice" to
"the just," and "peace" to "the peaceable," the same relation does "incorruption"
hold to "the incorruptible," and "immortality" to "the immortal." Behold, then, to
what a prospect Scripture encourages us to look, when it speaks to us of being
clothed with incorruption and immortality, which are, as it were, vestments
which will not suffer those who are covered with them to come to corruption or
death. Thus far I have taken the liberty of referring to this subject, in answer to
one who assails the doctrine of the resurrection without understanding it, and
who, simply because he knew nothing about it, made it the object of contempt
and ridicule.
 Chapter 33
As Celsus supposes that we uphold the doctrine of the resurrection in order
that we may see and know God, he thus follows out his notions on the subject:
"After they have been utterly refuted and vanquished, they still, as if regardless
of all objections, come back again to the same question, 'How then shall we see
and know God? How shall we go to Him?'" Let any, however, who are disposed
to hear us observe, that if we have need of a body for other purposes, as for
occupying a material locality to which this body must be adapted, and if on that
account the "tabernacle" is clothed in the way we have shown, we have no need
of a body in order to know God. For that which sees God is not the eye of the
body; it is the mind which is made in the image of the Creator, and which God
has in His providence rendered capable of that knowledge. To see God belongs
to the pure heart, out of which no longer proceed "evil thoughts, murders,
adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, the evil eye," or any
other evil thing. Wherefore it is said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God." But as the strength of our will is not sufficient to procure the
perfectly pure heart, and as we need that God should create it, he therefore who
prays as he ought, offers this petition to God, "Create in me a clean heart, O
God."
 Chapter 34
And we do not ask the question, "How shall we go to God?" as though we
thought that God existed in some place. God is of too excellent a nature for any
place: He holds all things in His power, and is Himself not confined by anything
whatever. The precept, therefore, "You shall walk after the Lord your God," does
not command a bodily approach to God; neither does the prophet refer to
physical nearness to God, when he says in his prayer, "My soul follows hard
after You." Celsus therefore misrepresents us, when he says that we expect to see
God with our bodily eyes, to hear Him with our ears, and to touch Him sensibly
with our hands. We know that the holy Scriptures make mention of eyes, of ears,
and of hands, which have nothing but the name in common with the bodily
organs; and what is more wonderful, they speak of a diviner sense, which is very
different from the senses as commonly spoken of. For when the prophet says,
"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law," or, "the
commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes," or, "Lighten my eyes,
lest I sleep the sleep of death," no one is so foolish as to suppose that the eyes of
the body behold the wonders of the divine law, or that the law of the Lord gives
light to the bodily eyes, or that the sleep of death falls on the eyes of the body.
When our Saviour says, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear," any one will
understand that the ears spoken of are of a diviner kind. When it is said that the
word of the Lord was "in the hand" of Jeremiah or of some other prophet; or
when the expression is used, "the law by the hand of Moses," or, "I sought the
Lord with my hands, and was not deceived," — no one is so foolish as not to see
that the word "hands" is taken figuratively, as when John says, "Our hands have
handled the Word of life." And if you wish further to learn from the sacred
writings that there is a diviner sense than the senses of the body, you have only
to hear what Solomon says, "You shall find a divine sense."
 Chapter 35
Seeking God, then, in this way, we have no need to visit the oracles of
Trophonius, of Amphiaraus, and of Mopsus, to which Celsus would send us,
assuring us that we would there "see the gods in human form, appearing to us
with all distinctness, and without illusion." For we know that these are demons,
feeding on the blood, and smoke, and odour of victims, and shut up by their base
desires in prisons, which the Greeks call temples of the gods, but which we
know are only the dwellings of deceitful demons. To this Celsus maliciously
adds, in regard to these gods which, according to him, are in human form, "they
do not show themselves for once, or at intervals, like him who has deceived men,
but they are ever open to intercourse with those who desire it." From this
remark, it would seem that Celsus supposes that the appearance of Christ to His
disciples after His resurrection was like that of a spectre flitting before their
eyes; whereas these gods, as he calls them, in human shape always present
themselves to those who desire it. But how is it possible that a phantom which,
as he describes it, flew past to deceive the beholders, could produce such effects
after it had passed away, and could so turn the hearts of men as to lead them to
regulate their actions according to the will of God, as in view of being hereafter
judged by Him? And how could a phantom drive away demons, and show other
indisputable evidences of power, and that not in any one place, like these so-
called gods in human form, but making its divine power felt through the whole
world, in drawing and congregating together all who are found disposed to lead a
good and noble life?
 Chapter 36
After these remarks of Celsus, which we have endeavoured to answer as we
could, he goes on to say, speaking of us: "Again they will ask, 'How can we know
God, unless by the perception of the senses? For how otherwise than through the
senses are we able to gain any knowledge?'" To this he replies: "This is not the
language of a man; it comes not from the soul, but from the flesh. Let them
hearken to us, if such a spiritless and carnal race are able to do so: if, instead of
exercising the senses, you look upwards with the soul; if, turning away the eye of
the body, you open the eye of the mind, thus and thus only will you be able to see
God. And if you seek one to be your guide along this way, you must shun all
deceivers and jugglers, who will introduce you to phantoms. Otherwise you will
be acting the most ridiculous part, if, while you pronounce imprecations upon
those others that are recognised as gods, treating them as idols, you yet do
homage to a more wretched idol than any of these, which indeed is not even an
idol or a phantom, but a dead man, and you seek a father like to him." The first
remark which we have to make on this passage is in regard to his use of
personification, by which he makes us defend in this way the doctrine of the
resurrection. This figure of speech is properly employed when the character and
sentiments of the person introduced are faithfully preserved; but it is an abuse of
the figure when these do not agree with the character and opinions of the
speaker. Thus we should justly condemn a man who put into the mouths of
barbarians, slaves, or uneducated people the language of philosophy; because we
know that the philosophy belonged to the author, and not to such persons, who
could not know anything of philosophy. And in like manner we should condemn
a man for introducing persons who are represented as wise and well versed in
divine knowledge, and should make them give expression to language which
could only come out of the mouths of those who are ignorant or under the
influence of vulgar passions. Hence Homer is admired, among other things, for
preserving a consistency of character in his heroes, as in Nestor, Ulysses,
Diomede, Agamemnon, Telemachus, Penelope, and the rest. Euripides, on the
contrary, was assailed in the comedies of Aristophanes as a frivolous talker,
often putting into the mouth of a barbarian woman, a wretched slave, the wise
maxims which he had learned from Anaxagoras or some other philosophers.
 Chapter 37
Now if this is a true account of what constitutes the right and the wrong use
of personification, have we not grounds for holding Celsus up to ridicule for thus
ascribing to Christians words which they never uttered? For if those whom he
represents as speaking are the unlearned, how is it possible that such persons
could distinguish between "sense" and "reason," between "objects of sense" and
"objects of the reason?" To argue in this way, they would require to have studied
under the Stoics, who deny all intellectual existences, and maintain that all that
we apprehend is apprehended through the senses, and that all knowledge comes
through the senses. But if, on the other hand, he puts these words into the mouth
of philosophers who search carefully into the meaning of Christian doctrines, the
statements in question do not agree with their character and principles. For no
one who has learned that God is invisible, and that certain of His works are
invisible, that is to say, apprehended by the reason, can say, as if to justify his
faith in a resurrection, "How can they know God, except by the perception of the
senses?" or, "How otherwise than through the senses can they gain any
knowledge?" For it is not in any secret writings, perused only by a few wise
men, but in such as are most widely diffused and most commonly known among
the people, that these words are written: "The invisible things of God from the
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made." From whence it is to be inferred, that though men who live upon the
earth have to begin with the use of the senses upon sensible objects, in order to
go on from them to a knowledge of the nature of things intellectual, yet their
knowledge must not stop short with the objects of sense. And thus, while
Christians would not say that it is impossible to have a knowledge of intellectual
objects without the senses, but rather that the senses supply the first means of
obtaining knowledge, they might well ask the question, "Who can gain any
knowledge without the senses?" without deserving the abuse of Celsus, when he
adds, "This is not the language of a man; it comes not from the soul, but from the
flesh."
 Chapter 38
Since we hold that the great God is in essence simple, invisible, and
incorporeal, Himself pure intelligence, or something transcending intelligence
and existence, we can never say that God is apprehended by any other means
than through the intelligence which is formed in His image, though now, in the
words of Paul, "we see in a glass obscurely, but then face to face." And if we use
the expression "face to face," let no one pervert its meaning; but let it be
explained by this passage, "Beholding with open face the glory of the Lord, we
are changed into the same image, from glory to glory," which shows that we do
not use the word in this connection to mean the visible face, but take it
figuratively, in the same way as we have shown that the eyes, the ears, and the
other parts of the body are employed. And it is certain that a man— I mean a
soul using a body, otherwise called "the inner man," or simply "the soul" —
would answer, not as Celsus makes us answer, but as the man of God himself
teaches. It is certain also that a Christian will not make use of "the language of
the flesh," having learned as he has "to mortify the deeds of the body" by the
spirit, and "to bear about in his body the dying of Jesus;" and "mortify your
members which are on the earth," and with a true knowledge of these words,
"My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh," and again,
"They that are in the flesh cannot please God," he strives in every way to live no
longer according to the flesh, but only according to the Spirit.
 Chapter 39
Now let us hear what it is that he invites us to learn, that we may ascertain
from him how we are to know God, although he thinks that his words are beyond
the capacity of all Christians. "Let them hear," says he, "if they are able to do
so." We have then to consider what the philosopher wishes us to hear from him.
But instead of instructing us as he ought, he abuses us; and while he should have
shown his goodwill to those whom he addresses at the outset of his discourse, he
stigmatizes as "a cowardly race" men who would rather die than abjure
Christianity even by a word, and who are ready to suffer every form of torture,
or any kind of death. He also applies to us that epithet "carnal" or "flesh-
indulging," "although," as we are wont to say, "we have known Christ after the
flesh, yet now henceforth we know Him no more," and although we are so ready
to lay down our lives for the cause of religion, that no philosopher could lay
aside his robes more readily. He then addresses to us these words: "If, instead of
exercising your senses, you look upwards with the soul; if, turning away the eye
of the body, you open the eye of the mind, thus and thus only you will be able to
see God." He is not aware that this reference to the two eyes, the eye of the body
and the eye of the mind, which he has borrowed from the Greeks, was in use
among our own writers; for Moses, in his account of the creation of the world,
introduces man before his transgression as both seeing and not seeing: seeing,
when it is said of the woman, "The woman saw that the tree was good for food,
and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise;"
and again not seeing, as when he introduces the serpent saying to the woman, as
if she and her husband had been blind, "God knows that on the day that you eat
thereof your eyes shall be opened;" and also when it is said, "They ate, and the
eyes of both of them were opened." The eyes of sense were then opened, which
they had done well to keep shut, that they might not be distracted, and hindered
from seeing with the eyes of the mind; and it was those eyes of the mind which
in consequence of sin, as I imagine, were then closed, with which they had up to
that time enjoyed the delight of beholding God and His paradise. This twofold
kind of vision in us was familiar to our Saviour, who says, "For judgment I have
come into this world, that they which see not, might see, and that they which see
might be made blind," — meaning, by the eyes that see not, the eyes of the mind,
which are enlightened by His teaching; and the eyes which see are the eyes of
sense, which His words do render blind, in order that the soul may look without
distraction upon proper objects. All true Christians therefore have the eye of the
mind sharpened, and the eye of sense closed; so that each one, according to the
degree in which his better eye is quickened, and the eye of sense darkened, sees
and knows the Supreme God, and His Son, who is the Word, Wisdom, and so
forth.
 Chapter 40
Next to the remarks of Celsus on which we have already commented, come
others which he addresses to all Christians, but which, if applicable to any, ought
to be addressed to persons whose doctrines differ entirely from those taught by
Jesus. For it is the Ophians who, as we have before shown, have utterly
renounced Jesus, and perhaps some others of similar opinions who are "the
impostors and jugglers, leading men away to idols and phantoms;" and it is they
who with miserable pains learn off the names of the heavenly doorkeepers.
These words are therefore quite inappropriate as addressed to Christians: "If you
seek one to be your guide along this way, you must shun all deceivers and
jugglers, who will introduce you to phantoms." And, as though quite unaware
that these impostors entirely agree with him, and are not behind him in speaking
ill of Jesus and His religion, he thus continues, confounding us with them:
"otherwise you will be acting the most ridiculous part, if, while you pronounce
imprecations upon those other recognised gods, treating them as idols, you yet
do homage to a more wretched idol than any of these, which indeed is not even
an idol or a phantom, but a dead man, and you seek a father like to himself."
That he is ignorant of the wide difference between our opinions and those of the
inventors of these fables, and that he imagines the charges which he makes
against them applicable to us, is evident from the following passage: "For the
sake of such a monstrous delusion, and in support of those wonderful advisers,
and those wonderful words which you address to the lion, to the amphibious
creature, to the creature in the form of an ass, and to others, for the sake of
those divine doorkeepers whose names you commit to memory with such pains,
in such a cause as this you suffer cruel tortures, and perish at the stake." Surely,
then, he is unaware that none of those who regard beings in the form of an ass, a
lion, or an amphibious animal, as the doorkeepers or guides on the way to
heaven, ever expose themselves to death in defence of that which they think the
truth. That excess of zeal, if it may be so called, which leads us for the sake of
religion to submit to every kind of death, and to perish at the stake, is ascribed
by Celsus to those who endure no such sufferings; and he reproaches us who
suffer crucifixion for our faith, with believing in fabulous creatures— in the lion,
the amphibious animal, and other such monsters. If we reject all these fables, it
is not out of deference to Celsus, for we have never at any time held any such
fancies; but it is in accordance with the teaching of Jesus that we oppose all such
notions, and will not allow to Michael, or to any others that have been referred
to, a form and figure of that sort.
 Chapter 41
But let us consider who those persons are whose guidance Celsus would
have us to follow, so that we may not be in want of guides who are
recommended both by their antiquity and sanctity. He refers us to divinely
inspired poets, as he calls them, to wise men and philosophers, without
mentioning their names; so that, after promising to point out those who should
guide us, he simply hands us over in a general way to divinely inspired poets,
wise men, and philosophers. If he had specified their names in particular, we
should have felt ourselves bound to show him that he wished to give us as guides
men who were blinded to the truth, and who must therefore lead us into error; or
that if not wholly blinded, yet they are in error in many matters of belief. But
whether Orpheus, Parmenides, Empedocles, or even Homer himself, and Hesiod,
are the persons whom he means by "inspired poets," let any one show how those
who follow their guidance walk in a better way, or lead a more excellent life,
than those who, being taught in the school of Jesus Christ, have rejected all
images and statues, and even all Jewish superstition, that they may look upward
through the Word of God to the one God, who is the Father of the Word. Who,
then, are those wise men and philosophers from whom Celsus would have us to
learn so many divine truths, and for whom we are to give up Moses the servant
of God, the prophets of the Creator of the world, who have spoken so many
things by a truly divine inspiration, and even Him who has given light and taught
the way of piety to the whole human race, so that no one can reproach Him if he
remains without a share in the knowledge of His mysteries? Such, indeed, was
the abounding love which He had for men, that He gave to the more learned a
theology capable of raising the soul far above all earthly things; while with no
less consideration He comes down to the weaker capacities of ignorant men, of
simple women, of slaves, and, in short, of all those who from Jesus alone could
have received that help for the better regulation of their lives which is supplied
by his instructions in regard to the Divine Being, adapted to their wants and
capacities.
 Chapter 42
Celsus next refers us to Plato as to a more effective teacher of theological
truth, and quotes the following passage from the Timæus : "It is a hard matter to
find out the Maker and Father of this universe; and after having found Him, it is
impossible to make Him known to all." To which he himself adds this remark:
"You perceive, then, how divine men seek after the way of truth, and how well
Plato knew that it was impossible for all men to walk in it. But as wise men have
found it for the express purpose of being able to convey to us some notion of Him
who is the first, the unspeakable Being—a notion, namely; which may represent
Him to us through the medium of other objects—they endeavour either by
synthesis, which is the combining of various qualities, or by analysis, which is
the separation and setting aside of some qualities, or finally by analogy—in
these ways, I say, they endeavour to set before us that which it is impossible to
express in words. I should therefore be surprised if you could follow in that
course, since you are so completely wedded to the flesh as to be incapable of
seeing ought but what is impure." These words of Plato are noble and admirable;
but see if Scripture does not give us an example of a regard for mankind still
greater in God the Word, who was "in the beginning with God," and "who was
made flesh," in order that He might reveal to all men truths which, according to
Plato, it would be impossible to make known to all men, even after he had found
them himself. Plato may say that "it is a hard thing to find out the Creator and
Father of this universe;" by which language he implies that it is not wholly
beyond the power of human nature to attain to such a knowledge as is either
worthy of God, or if not, is far beyond that which is commonly attained
(although if it were true that Plato or any other of the Greeks had found God,
they would never have given homage and worship, or ascribed the name of God,
to any other than to Him: they would have abandoned all others, and would not
have associated with this great God objects which can have nothing in common
with Him). For ourselves, we maintain that human nature is in no way able to
seek after God, or to attain a clear knowledge of Him without the help of Him
whom it seeks. He makes Himself known to those who, after doing all that their
powers will allow, confess that they need help from Him, who discovers Himself
to those whom He approves, in so far as it is possible for man and the soul still
dwelling in the body to know God.
 Chapter 43
Observe that when Plato says, that "after having found out the Creator and
Father of the universe, it is impossible to make Him known to all men," he does
not speak of Him as unspeakable, and as incapable of being expressed in words.
On the contrary, he implies that He may be spoken of, and that there are a few to
whom He may be made known. But Celsus, as if forgetting the language which
he had just quoted from Plato, immediately gives God the name of "the
unspeakable." He says: "since the wise men have found out this way, in order to
be able to give us some idea of the First of Beings, who is unspeakable." For
ourselves, we hold that not God alone is unspeakable, but other things also
which are inferior to Him. Such are the things which Paul labours to express
when he says, "I heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to
utter," where the word "heard" is used in the sense of "understood;" as in the
passage, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." We also hold that it is a hard
matter to see the Creator and Father of the universe; but it is possible to see Him
in the way thus referred to, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see
God;" and not only so, but also in the sense of the words of Him "who is the
image of the invisible God;" "He who has seen Me has seen the Father who sent
Me." No sensible person could suppose that these last words were spoken in
reference to His bodily presence, which was open to the view of all; otherwise
all those who said, "Crucify him, crucify him," and Pilate, who had power over
the humanity of Jesus, were among those who saw God the Father, which is
absurd. Moreover, that these words, "He that has seen Me, has seen the Father
who sent Me," are not to be taken in their grosser sense, is plain from the answer
which He gave to Philip, "Have I been so long time with you, and yet do you not
know Me, Philip?" after Philip had asked, "Show us the Father, and it suffices
us." He, then, who perceives how these words, "The Word was made flesh," are
to be understood of the only-begotten Son of God, the first-born of all creation,
will also understand how, in seeing the image of the invisible God, we see "the
Creator and Father of the universe."
 Chapter 44
Celsus supposes that we may arrive at a knowledge of God either by
combining or separating certain things after the methods which mathematicians
call synthesis and analysis, or again by analogy, which is employed by them
also, and that in this way we may as it were gain admission to the chief good.
But when the Word of God says, "No man knows the Father but the Son, and he
to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him," He declares that no one can know God
but by the help of divine grace coming from above, with a certain divine
inspiration. Indeed, it is reasonable to suppose that the knowledge of God is
beyond the reach of human nature, and hence the many errors into which men
have fallen in their views of God. It is, then, through the goodness and love of
God to mankind, and by a marvellous exercise of divine grace to those whom He
saw in His foreknowledge, and knew that they would walk worthy of Him who
had made Himself known to them, and that they would never swerve from a
faithful attachment to His service, although they were condemned to death or
held up to ridicule by those who, in ignorance of what true religion is, give that
name to what deserves to be called anything rather than religion. God doubtless
saw the pride and arrogance of those who, with contempt for all others, boast of
their knowledge of God, and of their profound acquaintance with divine things
obtained from philosophy, but who still, not less even than the most ignorant,
run after their images, and temples, and famous mysteries; and seeing this, He
"has chosen the foolish things of this world" — the simplest of Christians, who
lead, however, a life of greater moderation and purity than many philosophers—
"to confound the wise," who are not ashamed to address inanimate things as gods
or images of the gods. For what reasonable man can refrain from smiling when
he sees that one who has learned from philosophy such profound and noble
sentiments about God or the gods, turns straightway to images and offers to them
his prayers, or imagines that by gazing upon these material things he can ascend
from the visible symbol to that which is spiritual and immaterial. But a
Christian, even of the common people, is assured that every place forms part of
the universe, and that the whole universe is God's temple. In whatever part of the
world he is, he prays; but he rises above the universe, "shutting the eyes of sense,
and raising upwards the eyes of the soul." And he stops not at the vault of
heaven; but passing in thought beyond the heavens, under the guidance of the
Spirit of God, and having thus as it had gone beyond the visible universe, he
offers prayers to God. But he prays for no trivial blessings, for he has learned
from Jesus to seek for nothing small or mean, that is, sensible objects, but to ask
only for what is great and truly divine; and these things God grants to us, to lead
us to that blessedness which is found only with Him through His Son, the Word,
who is God.
 Chapter 45
But let us see further what the things are which he proposes to teach us, if
indeed we can comprehend them, since he speaks of us as being "utterly wedded
to the flesh;" although if we live well, and in accordance with the teaching of
Jesus, we hear this said of us: "You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the
Spirit of God dwells in you." He says also that we look upon nothing that is pure,
although our endeavour is to keep even our thoughts free from all defilement of
sin, and although in prayer we say, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and
renew a right spirit within me," so that we may behold Him with that "pure
heart" to which alone is granted the privilege of seeing Him. This, then, is what
he proposes for our instruction: "Things are either intelligible , which we call
substance— being; or visible , which we call becoming : with the former is truth;
from the latter arises error. Truth is the object of knowledge; truth and error
form opinion. Intelligible objects are known by the reason, visible objects by the
eyes; the action of the reason is called intelligent perception, that of the eyes
vision. As, then, among visible things the sun is neither the eye nor vision, but
that which enables the eye to see, and renders vision possible, and in
consequence of it visible things are seen, all sensible things exist and itself is
rendered visible; so among things intelligible, that which is neither reason, nor
intelligent perception, nor knowledge, is yet the cause which enables the reason
to know, which renders intelligent perception possible; and in consequence of it
knowledge arises, all things intelligible, truth itself and substance have their
existence; and itself, which is above all these things, becomes in some ineffable
way intelligible. These things are offered to the consideration of the intelligent;
and if even you can understand any of them, it is well. And if you think that a
Divine Spirit has descended from God to announce divine things to men, it is
doubtless this same Spirit that reveals these truths, and it was under the same
influence that men of old made known many important truths. But if you cannot
comprehend these things, then keep silence; do not expose your own ignorance,
and do not accuse of blindness those who see, or of lameness those who run,
while you yourselves are utterly lamed and mutilated in mind, and lead a merely
animal life— the life of the body, which is the dead part of our nature."
 Chapter 46
We are careful not to oppose fair arguments even if they proceed from
those who are not of our faith; we strive not to be captious, or to seek to
overthrow any sound reasonings. But here we have to reply to those who slander
the character of persons wishing to do their best in the service of God, who
accepts the faith which the meanest place in Him, as well as the more refined
and intelligent piety of the learned; seeing that both alike address to the Creator
of the world their prayers and thanksgivings through the High Priest who has set
before men the nature of pure religion. We say, then, that those who are
stigmatized as "lamed and mutilated in spirit," as "living only for the sake of the
body which is dead," are persons whose endeavour it is to say with sincerity:
"For though we live in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh; for the
weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God." It is for those
who throw out such vile accusations against men who desire to be God's
servants, to beware lest, by the calumnies which they cast upon others who strive
to live well, they "lame" their own souls, and "mutilate" the inner man, by
severing from it that justice and moderation of mind which the Creator has
planted in the nature of all His rational creatures. As for those, however, who,
along with other lessons given by the Divine Word, have learned and practised
this, "when reviled to bless, when persecuted to endure, when defamed to
entreat," they may be said to be walking in spirit in the ways of uprightness, to
be purifying and setting in order the whole soul. They distinguish— and to them
the distinction is not one of words merely— between "substance," or that which
is, and that which is "becoming;" between things apprehended by reason, and
things apprehended by sense; and they connect truth with the one, and avoid the
errors arising out of the other; looking, as they have been taught, not at the
things "becoming" or phenomenal, which are seen, and therefore temporary, but
at better things than these, whether we call them "substance," or "spiritual"
things, as being apprehended by reason, or "invisible," because they lie out of the
reach of the senses. The disciples of Jesus regard these phenomenal things only
that they may use them as steps to ascend to the knowledge of the things of
reason. For "the invisible things of God," that is, the objects of the reason, "from
the creation of the world are clearly seen" by the reason, "being understood by
the things that are made." And when they have risen from the created things of
this world to the invisible things of God, they do not stay there; but after they
have sufficiently exercised their minds upon these, and have understood their
nature, they ascend to "the eternal power of God," in a word, to His divinity. For
they know that God, in His love to men, has "manifested" His truth, and "that
which is known of Him," not only to those who devote themselves to His service,
but also to some who are far removed from the purity of worship and service
which He requires; and that some of those who by the providence of God had
attained a knowledge of these truths, were yet doing things unworthy of that
knowledge, and "holding the truth in unrighteousness," and who are unable to
find any excuse before God after the knowledge of such great truths which He
has given them.
 Chapter 47
For Scripture testifies, in regard to those who have a knowledge of those
things of which Celsus speaks, and who profess a philosophy founded on these
principles, that they, "when they knew God, glorified Him not as God, neither
were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations;" and notwithstanding the
bright light of knowledge with which God had enlightened them, "their foolish
heart" was carried away, and became "darkened." Thus we may see how those
who accounted themselves wise gave proofs of great folly, when, after such
grand arguments delivered in the schools on God and on things apprehended by
the reason, they "changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made
like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping
things." As, then, they lived in a way unworthy of the knowledge which they had
received from God, His providence leaving them to themselves, they were given
"up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts to dishonour their own
bodies," in shamelessness and licentiousness, because they "changed the truth of
God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator."
 Chapter 48
But those who are despised for their ignorance, and set down as fools and
abject slaves, no sooner commit themselves to God's guidance by accepting the
teaching of Jesus, than, so far from defiling themselves by licentious indulgence
or the gratification of shameless passion, they in many cases, like perfect priests,
for whom such pleasures have no charm, keep themselves in act and in thought
in a state of virgin purity. The Athenians have one hierophant, who, not having
confidence in his power to restrain his passions within the limits he prescribed
for himself, determined to check them at their seat by the application of
hemlock; and thus he was accounted pure, and fit for the celebration of religious
worship among the Athenians. But among Christians may be found men who
have no need of hemlock to fit them for the pure service of God, and for whom
the Word in place of hemlock is able to drive all evil desires from their thoughts,
so that they may present their prayers to the Divine Being. And attached to the
other so-called gods are a select number of virgins, who are guarded by men, or
it may be not guarded (for that is not the point in question at present), and who
are supposed to live in purity for the honour of the god they serve. But among
Christians, those who maintain a perpetual virginity do so for no human honours,
for no fee or reward, from no motive of vainglory; but "as they choose to retain
God in their knowledge," they are preserved by God in a spirit well-pleasing to
Him, and in the discharge of every duty, being filled with all righteousness and
goodness.
 Chapter 49
What I have now said, then, is offered not for the purpose of cavilling with
any right opinions or sound doctrines held even by Greeks, but with the desire of
showing that the same things, and indeed much better and diviner things than
these, have been said by those divine men, the prophets of God and the apostles
of Jesus. These truths are fully investigated by all who wish to attain a perfect
knowledge of Christianity, and who know that "the mouth of the righteous
speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of judgment; the law of his God is in his
heart." But even in regard to those who, either from deficiency or knowledge or
want of inclination, or from not having Jesus to lead them to a rational view of
religion, have not gone into these deep questions, we find that they believe in the
Most High God, and in His Only-begotten Son, the Word and God, and that they
often exhibit in their character a high degree of gravity, of purity, and integrity;
while those who call themselves wise have despised these virtues, and have
wallowed in the filth of sodomy, in lawless lust, "men with men working that
which is unseemly."
 Chapter 50
Celsus has not explained how error accompanies the "becoming," or
product of generation; nor has he expressed himself with sufficient clearness to
enable us to compare his ideas with ours, and to pass judgment on them. But the
prophets, who have given some wise suggestions on the subject of things
produced by generation, tell us that a sacrifice for sin was offered even for new-
born infants, as not being free from sin. They say, "I was shapen in iniquity, and
in sin did my mother conceive me;" also, "They are estranged from the womb;"
which is followed by the singular expression, "They go astray as soon as they
are born, speaking lies." Besides, our wise men have such a contempt for all
sensible objects, that sometimes they speak of all material things as vanity: thus,
"For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him
that subjected the same in hope;" at other times as vanity of vanities, "Vanity of
vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity." Who has given so severe an estimate
of the life of the human soul here on earth, as he who says: "Verily every man at
his best estate is altogether vanity?" He does not hesitate at all as to the
difference between the present life of the soul and that which it is to lead
hereafter. He does not say, "Who knows if to die is not to live, and if to live is not
death" But he boldly proclaims the truth, and says, "Our soul is bowed down to
the dust;" and, "You have brought me into the dust of death;" and similarly,
"Who will deliver me from the body of this death?" also, "Who will change the
body of our humiliation." It is a prophet also who says, "You have brought us
down in a place of affliction;" meaning by the "place of affliction" this earthly
region, to which Adam, that is to say, man, came after he was driven out of
paradise for sin. Observe also how well the different life of the soul here and
hereafter has been recognised by him who says, "Now we see in a glass,
obscurely, but then face to face;" and, "Whilst we are in our home in the body,
we are away from our home in the Lord;" wherefore "we are well content to go
from our home in the body, and to come to our home with the Lord."
 Chapter 51
But what need is there to quote any more passages against Celsus, in order
to prove that his words contain nothing which was not said long before among
themselves, since that has been sufficiently established by what we have said? It
seems that what follows has some reference to this: "If you think that a Divine
Spirit has descended from God to announce divine things to men, it is doubtless
this same Spirit that reveals these truths; and it was under the same influence
that men of old made known many important truths." But he does not know how
great is the difference between those things and the clear and certain teaching of
those who say to us, "Your incorruptible spirit is in all things, wherefore God
chastens them little by little that offend;" and of those who, among their other
instructions, teach us that words, "Receive the Holy Ghost," refer to a degree of
spiritual influence higher than that in the passage, "You shall be baptized with
the Holy Ghost not many days hence." But it is a difficult matter, even after
much careful consideration, to perceive the difference between those who have
received a knowledge of the truth and a notion of God at different intervals and
for short periods of time, and those who are more fully inspired by God, who
have constant communion with Him, and are always led by His Spirit. Had
Celsus set himself to understand this, he would not have reproached as with
ignorance, or forbidden us to characterize as "blind" those who believe that
religion shows itself in such products of man's mechanical art as images. For
every one who sees with the eyes of his soul serves the Divine Being in no other
way than in that which leads him ever to have regard to the Creator of all, to
address his prayers to Him alone, and to do all things as in the sight of God, who
sees us altogether, even to our thoughts. Our earnest desire then is both to see for
ourselves, and to be leaders of the blind, to bring them to the Word of God, that
He may take away from their minds the blindness of ignorance. And if our
actions are worthy of Him who taught His disciples, "You are the light of the
world," and of the Word, who says, "The light shines in darkness," then we shall
be light to those who are in darkness; we shall give wisdom to those who are
without it, and we shall instruct the ignorant.
 Chapter 52
And let not Celsus be angry if we describe as lame and mutilated in soul
those who run to the temples as to places having a real sacredness and who
cannot see that no mere mechanical work of man can be truly sacred. Those
whose piety is grounded on the teaching of Jesus also run until they come to the
end of their course, when they can say in all truth and confidence: "I have fought
a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness." And each of us runs "not as
uncertain," and he so fights with evil "not as one beating the air," but as against
those who are subject to "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now
works in the children of disobedience." Celsus may indeed say of us that we
"live with the body which is a dead thing;" but we have learned, "If you live after
the flesh, you shall die; but if you by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,
you shall live;" and, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Would that we might convince him by our actions that he did us wrong, when he
said that we "live with the body which is dead!"
 Chapter 53
After these remarks of Celsus, which we have done our best to refute, he
goes on to address us thus: "Seeing you are so eager for some novelty, how much
better it would have been if you had chosen as the object of your zealous homage
some one of those who died a glorious death, and whose divinity might have
received the support of some myth to perpetuate his memory! Why, if you were
not satisfied with Hercules or Æsculapius, and other heroes of antiquity, you
had Orpheus, who was confessedly a divinely inspired man, who died a violent
death. But perhaps some others have taken him up before you. You may then
take Anaxarchus, who, when cast into a mortar, and beaten most barbarously,
showed a noble contempt for his suffering, and said, 'Beat, beat the shell of
Anaxarchus, for himself you do not beat,'— a speech surely of a spirit truly
divine. But others were before you in following his interpretation of the laws of
nature. Might you not, then, take Epictetus, who, when his master was twisting
his leg, said, smiling and. unmoved, 'You will break my leg;' and when it was
broken, he added, 'Did I not tell you that you would break it?' What saying equal
to these did your god utter under suffering? If you had said even of the Sibyl,
whose authority some of you acknowledge, that she was a child of God, you
would have said something more reasonable. But you have had the presumption
to include in her writings many impious things, and set up as a god one who
ended a most infamous life by a most miserable death. How much more suitable
than he would have been Jonah in the whale's belly, or Daniel delivered from
the wild beasts, or any of a still more portentous kind!"
 Chapter 54
But since he sends us to Hercules, let him repeat to us any of his sayings,
and let him justify his shameful subjection to Omphale. Let him show that divine
honours should be paid to one who, like a highway robber, carries off a farmer's
ox by force, and afterwards devours it, amusing himself meanwhile with the
curses of the owner; in memory of which even to this day sacrifices offered to
the demon of Hercules are accompanied with curses. Again he proposes
Æsculapius to us, as if to oblige us to repeat what we have said already; but we
forbear. In regard to Orpheus, what does he admire in him to make him assert
that, by common consent, he was regarded as a divinely inspired man, and lived
a noble life? I am greatly deceived if it is not the desire which Celsus has to
oppose us and put down Jesus that leads him to sound forth the praises of
Orpheus; and whether, when he made himself acquainted with his impious fables
about the gods, he did not cast them aside as deserving, even more than the
poems of Homer, to be excluded from a well-ordered state. For, indeed, Orpheus
says much worse things than Homer of those whom they call gods. Noble,
indeed, it was in Anaxarchus to say to Aristocreon, tyrant of Cyprus, "Beat on,
beat the shell of Anaxarchus," but it is the one admirable incident in the life of
Anaxarchus known to the Greeks; and although, on the strength of that, some
like Celsus might deservedly honour the man for his courage, yet to look up to
Anaxarchus as a god is not consistent with reason. He also directs us to
Epictetus, whose firmness is justly admired, although his saying when his leg
was broken by his master is not to be compared with the marvellous acts and
words of Jesus which Celsus refuses to believe; and these words were
accompanied by such a divine power, that even to this day they convert not only
some of the more ignorant and simple, but many also of the most enlightened of
men.
 Chapter 55
When, to his enumeration of those to whom he would send us, he adds,
"What saying equal to these did your god utter under sufferings?" we would
reply, that the silence of Jesus under scourgings, and amidst all His sufferings,
spoke more for His firmness and submission than all that was said by the Greeks
when beset by calamity. Perhaps Celsus may believe what was recorded with all
sincerity by trustworthy men, who, while giving a truthful account of all the
wonders performed by Jesus, specify among these the silence which He
preserved when subjected to scourgings; showing the same singular meekness
under the insults which were heaped upon Him, when they put upon Him the
purple robe, and set the crown of thorns upon His head, and when they put in His
hand a reed in place of a sceptre: no unworthy or angry word escaped Him
against those who subjected Him to such outrages. Since, then, He received the
scourgings with silent firmness, and bore with meekness all the insults of those
who outraged Him, it cannot be said, as is said by some, that it was in cowardly
weakness that He uttered the words: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." The prayer which seems to
be contained in these words for the removal of what He calls "the cup" bears a
sense which we have elsewhere examined and set forth at large. But taking it in
its more obvious sense, consider if it be not a prayer offered to God with all
piety. For no man naturally regards anything which may befall him as necessary
and inevitable; though he may submit to what is not inevitable, if occasion
requires. Besides, these words, "nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will," are
not the language of one who yielded to necessity, but of one who was contented
with what was befalling Him, and who submitted with reverence to the
arrangements of Providence.
 Chapter 56
Celsus then adds, for what reason I know not, that instead of calling Jesus
the Son of God, we had better have given that honour to the Sibyl, in whose
books he maintains we have interpolated many impious statements, though he
does not mention what those interpolations are. He might have proved his
assertion by producing some older copies which are free from the interpolations
which he attributes to us; but he does not do so even to justify his statement that
these passages are of an impious character. Moreover, he again speaks of the life
of Jesus as "a most infamous life," as he has done before, not once or twice, but
many times, although he does not stay to specify any of the actions of His life
which he thinks most infamous. He seems to think that he may in this way make
assertions without proving them, and rail against one of whom he knows
nothing. Had he set himself to show what sort of infamy he found in the actions
of Jesus, we should have repelled the several charges brought against Him. Jesus
did indeed meet with a most sad death; but the same might be said of Socrates,
and of Anaxarchus, whom he had just mentioned, and a multitude of others. If
the death of Jesus was a miserable one, was not that of the others so too? And if
their death was not miserable, can it be said that the death of Jesus was? You see
from this, then, that the object of Celsus is to vilify the character of Jesus; and I
can only suppose that he is driven to it by some spirit akin to those whose power
has been broken and vanquished by Jesus, and which now finds itself deprived
of the smoke and blood on which it lived, while deceiving those who sought for
God here upon earth in images, instead of looking up to the true God, the
Governor of all things.
 Chapter 57
After this, as though his object was to swell the size of his book, he advises
us "to choose Jonah rather than Jesus as our God;" thus setting Jonah, who
preached repentance to the single city of Nineveh, before Jesus, who has
preached repentance to the whole world, and with much greater results. He
would have us to regard as God a man who, by a strange miracle, passed three
days and three nights in the whale's belly; and he is unwilling that He who
submitted to death for the sake of men, He to whom God bore testimony through
the prophets, and who has done great things in heaven and earth, should receive
on that ground honour second only to that which is given to the Most High God.
Moreover, Jonah was swallowed by the whale for refusing to preach as God had
commanded him; while Jesus suffered death for men after He had given the
instructions which God wished Him to give. Still further, he adds that Daniel
rescued from the lions is more worthy of our adoration than Jesus, who subdued
the fierceness of every opposing power, and gave to us "authority to tread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." Finally, having no
other names to offer us, he adds, "and others of a still more monstrous kind,"
thus casting a slight upon both Jonah and Daniel, for the spirit which is in Celsus
cannot speak well of the righteous.
 Chapter 58
Let us now consider what follows. "They have also," says he, "a precept to
this effect, that we ought not to avenge ourselves on one who injures us, or, as he
expresses it, 'Whosoever shall strike you on the one cheek, turn to him the other
also.' This is an ancient saying, which had been admirably expressed long
before, and which they have only reported in a coarser way. For Plato
introduces Socrates conversing with Crito as follows: 'Must we never do
injustice to any?' 'Certainly not.' 'And since we must never do injustice, must we
not return injustice for an injustice that has been done to us, as most people
think?' 'It seems to me that we should not.' 'But tell me, Crito, may we do evil to
any one or not?' 'Certainly not, O Socrates.' 'Well, is it just, as is commonly said,
for one who has suffered wrong to do wrong in return, or is it unjust?' 'It is
unjust. Yes; for to do harm to a man is the same as to do him injustice.' 'You
speak truly. We must then not do injustice in return for injustice, nor must we do
evil to any one, whatever evil we may have suffered from him.' Thus Plato
speaks; and he adds, 'Consider, then, whether you are at one with me, and
whether, starting from this principle, we may not come to the conclusion that it
is never right to do injustice, even in return for an injustice which has been
received; or whether, on the other hand, you differ from me, and do not admit
the principle from which we started. That has always been my opinion, and is so
still.' Such are the sentiments of Plato, and indeed they were held by divine men
before his time. But let this suffice as one example of the way in which this and
other truths have been borrowed and corrupted. Any one who wishes can easily
by searching find more of them."
 Chapter 59
When Celsus here or elsewhere finds himself unable to dispute the truth of
what we say, but avers that the same things were said by the Greeks, our answer
is, that if the doctrine be sound, and the effect of it good, whether it was made
known to the Greeks by Plato or any of the wise men of Greece, or whether it
was delivered to the Jews by Moses or any of the prophets, or whether it was
given to the Christians in the recorded teaching of Jesus Christ, or in the
instructions of His apostles, that does not affect the value of the truth
communicated. It is no objection to the principles of Jews or Christians, that the
same things were also said by the Greeks, especially if it be proved that the
writings of the Jews are older than those of the Greeks. And further, we are not
to imagine that a truth adorned with the graces of Grecian speech is necessarily
better than the same when expressed in the more humble and unpretending
language used by Jews and Christians, although indeed the language of the Jews,
in which the prophets wrote the books which have come down to us, has a grace
of expression peculiar to the genius of the Hebrew tongue. And even if we were
required to show that the same doctrines have been better expressed among the
Jewish prophets or in Christian writings, however paradoxical it may seem, we
are prepared to prove this by an illustration taken from different kinds of food,
and from the different modes of preparing them. Suppose that a kind of food
which is wholesome and nutritious has been prepared and seasoned in such a
way as to be fit, not for the simple tastes of peasants and poor labourers, but for
those only who are rich and dainty in their tastes. Suppose, again, that that same
food is prepared not to suit the tastes of the more delicate, but for the peasants,
the poor labourers, and the common people generally, in short, so that myriads
of persons might eat of it. Now if, according to the supposition, the food
prepared in the one way promotes the health of those only who are styled the
better classes, while none of the others could taste it, whereas when prepared in
the other way it promoted the health of great multitudes of men, which shall we
the other way it promoted the health of great multitudes of men, which shall we
esteem as most contributing to the public welfare—those who prepare food for
persons of mark, or those who prepare it for the multitudes?— taking for granted
that in both cases the food is equally wholesome and nourishing; while it is
evident that the welfare of mankind and the common good are promoted better
by that physician who attends to the health of the many, than by one who
confines his attention to a few.
 Chapter 60
Now, after understanding this illustration, we have to apply it to the
qualities of spiritual food with which the rational part of man is nourished. See,
then, if Plato and the wise men among the Greeks, in the beautiful things they
say, are not like those physicians who confine their attentions to what are called
the better classes of society, and despise the multitude; whereas the prophets
among the Jews, and the disciples of Jesus, who despise mere elegances of style,
and what is called in Scripture "the wisdom of men," "the wisdom according to
the flesh," which delights in what is obscure, resemble those who study to
provide the most wholesome food for the largest number of persons. For this
purpose they adapt their language and style to the capacities of the common
people, and avoid whatever would seem foreign to them, lest by the introduction
of strange forms of expression they should produce a distaste for their teaching.
Indeed, if the true use of spiritual food, to keep up the figure, is to produce in
him who partakes of it the virtues of patience and gentleness, must that discourse
not be better prepared when it produces patience and gentleness in multitudes, or
makes them grow in these virtues, than that which confines its effects to a select
few, supposing that it does really make them gentle and patient? If a Greek
wished by wholesome instruction to benefit people who understood only
Egyptian or Syriac, the first thing that he would do would be to learn their
language; and he would rather pass for a Barbarian among the Greeks, by
speaking as the Egyptians or Syrians, in order to be useful to them, than always
remain Greek, and be without the means of helping them. In the same way the
divine nature, having the purpose of instructing not only those who are reputed
to be learned in the literature of Greece, but also the rest of mankind,
accommodated itself to the capacities of the simple multitudes whom it
addressed. It seeks to win the attention of the more ignorant by the use of
language which is familiar to them, so that they may easily be induced, after
their first introduction, to strive after an acquaintance with the deeper truths
which lie hidden in Scripture. For even the ordinary reader of Scripture may see
that it contains many things which are too deep to be apprehended at first; but
these are understood by such as devote themselves to a careful study of the
divine word, and they become plain to them in proportion to the pains and zeal
which they expend upon its investigation.
 Chapter 61
From these remarks it is evident, that when Jesus said "coarsely," as Celsus
terms it, "To him who shall strike you on the one cheek, turn the other also; and
if any man be minded to sue you at the law, and take away your coat, let him
have your cloak also," He expressed Himself in such a way as to make the
precept have more practical effect than the words of Plato in the Crito ; for the
latter is so far from being intelligible to ordinary persons, that even those have a
difficulty in understanding him, who have been brought up in the schools of
learning, and have been initiated into the famous philosophy of Greece. It may
also be observed, that the precept enjoining patience under injuries is in no way
corrupted or degraded by the plain and simple language which our Lord
employs, but that in this, as in other cases, it is a mere calumny against our
religion which he utters when he says: "But let this suffice as one example of the
way in which this and other truths have been borrowed and corrupted. Any one
who wishes can easily by searching find more of them."
 Chapter 62
Let us now see what follows. "Let us pass on," says he, "to another point.
They cannot tolerate temples, altars, or images. In this they are like the
Scythians, the nomadic tribes of Libya, the Seres who worship no god, and some
other of the most barbarous and impious nations in the world. That the Persians
hold the same notions is shown by Herodotus in these words: 'I know that among
the Persians it is considered unlawful to erect images, altars, or temples; but
they charge those with folly who do so, because, as I conjecture, they do not, like
the Greeks, suppose the gods to be of the nature of men.' Heraclitus also says in
one place: 'Persons who address prayers to these images act like those who
speak to the walls, without knowing who the gods or the heroes are.' And what
wiser lesson have they to teach us than Heraclitus? He certainly plainly enough
implies that it is a foolish thing for a man to offer prayers to images, while he
knows not who the gods and heroes are. This is the opinion of Heraclitus; but as
for them, they go further, and despise without exception all images. If they
merely mean that the stone, wood, brass, or gold which has been wrought by this
or that workman cannot be a god, they are ridiculous with their wisdom. For
who, unless he be utterly childish in his simplicity, can take these for gods, and
not for offerings consecrated to the service of the gods, or images representing
them? But if we are not to regard these as representing the Divine Being, seeing
that God has a different form, as the Persians concur with them in saying, then
let them take care that they do not contradict themselves; for they say that God
made man His own image, and that He gave him a form like to Himself.
However, they will admit that these images, whether they are like or not, are
made and dedicated to the honour of certain beings. But they will hold that the
beings to whom they are dedicated are not gods, but demons, and that a
worshipper of God ought not to worship demons."
 Chapter 63
To this our answer is, that if the Scythians, the nomadic tribes of Libya, the
Seres, who according to Celsus have no god, if those other most barbarous and
impious nations in the world, and if the Persians even cannot bear the sight of
temples, altars, and images, it does not follow because we cannot suffer them
any more than they, that the grounds on which we object to them are the same as
theirs. We must inquire into the principles on which the objection to temples and
images is founded, in order that we may approve of those who object on sound
principles, and condemn those whose principles are false. For one and the same
thing may be done for different reasons. For example, the philosophers who
follow Zeno of Citium abstain from committing adultery, the followers of
Epicurus do so too, as well as others again who do so on no philosophical
principles; but observe what different reasons determine the conduct of these
different classes. The first consider the interests of society, and hold it to be
forbidden by nature that a man who is a reasonable being should corrupt a
woman whom the laws have already given to another, and should thus break up
the household of another man. The Epicureans do not reason in this way; but if
they abstain from adultery, it is because, regarding pleasure as the chief end of
man, they perceive that one who gives himself up to adultery, encounters for the
sake of this one pleasure a multitude of obstacles to pleasure, such as
imprisonment, exile, and death itself. They often, indeed, run considerable risk at
the outset, while watching for the departure from the house of the master and
those in his interest. So that, supposing it possible for a man to commit adultery,
and escape the knowledge of the husband, of his servants, and of others whose
esteem he would forfeit, then the Epicurean would yield to the commission of
the crime for the sake of pleasure. The man of no philosophical system, again,
who abstains from adultery when the opportunity comes to him, does so
generally from dread of the law and its penalties, and not for the sake of
enjoying a greater number of other pleasures. You see, then, that an act which
enjoying a greater number of other pleasures. You see, then, that an act which
passes for being one and the same— namely, abstinence from adultery— is not
the same, but differs in different men according to the motives which actuate it:
one man refraining for sound reasons, another for such bad and impious ones as
those of the Epicurean, and the common person of whom we have spoken.
 Chapter 64
As, then, this act of self-restraint, which in appearance is one and the same,
is found in fact to be different in different persons, according to the principles
and motives which lead to it; so in the same way with those who cannot allow in
the worship of the Divine Being altars, or temples, or images. The Scythians, the
Nomadic Libyans, the godless Seres, and the Persians, agree in this with the
Christians and Jews, but they are actuated by very different principles. For none
of these former abhor altars and images on the ground that they are afraid of
degrading the worship of God, and reducing it to the worship of material things
wrought by the hands of men. Neither do they object to them from a belief that
the demons choose certain forms and places, whether because they are detained
there by virtue of certain charms, or because for some other possible reason they
have selected these haunts, where they may pursue their criminal pleasures, in
partaking of the smoke of sacrificial victims. But Christians and Jews have
regard to this command, "You shall fear the Lord your God, and serve Him
alone;" and this other, "You shall have no other gods before Me: you shall not
make unto you any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you
shall not bow down yourself to them, nor serve them;" and again, "You shall
worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." It is in consideration
of these and many other such commands, that they not only avoid temples,
altars, and images, but are ready to suffer death when it is necessary, rather than
debase by any such impiety the conception which they have of the Most High
God.
 Chapter 65
In regard to the Persians, we have already said that though they do not build
temples, yet they worship the sun and the other works of God. This is forbidden
to us, for we have been taught not to worship the creature instead of the Creator,
but to know that "the creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the liberty of the glory of the children of God;" and "the earnest expectation
of the creation is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God;" and "the
creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who
made it subject, in hope." We believe, therefore, that things "under the bondage
of corruption," and "subject to vanity," which remain in this condition "in hope"
of a better state, ought not in our worship to hold the place of God, the all-
sufficient, and of His Son, the First-born of all creation. Let this suffice, in
addition to what we have already said of the Persians, who abhor altars and
images, but who serve the creature instead of the Creator. As to the passage
quoted by Celsus from Heraclitus, the purport of which he represents as being,
"that it is childish folly for one to offer prayers to images, while he knows not
who the gods and heroes are," we may reply that it is easy to know that God and
the Only-begotten Son of God, and those whom God has honoured with the title
of God, and who partake of His divine nature, are very different from all the
gods of the nations which are demons; but it is not possible at the same time to
know God and to address prayers to images.
 Chapter 66
And the charge of folly applies not only to those who offer prayers to
images, but also to such as pretend to do so in compliance with the example of
the multitude: and to this class belong the Peripatetic philosophers and the
followers of Epicurus and Democritus. For there is no falsehood or pretence in
the soul which is possessed with true piety towards God. Another reason also
why we abstain from doing honour to images, is that we may give no support to
the notion that the images are gods. It is on this ground that we condemn Celsus,
and all others who, while admitting that they are not gods, yet, with the
reputation of being wise men, render to them what passes for homage. In this
way they lead into sin the multitude who follow their example, and who worship
these images not simply out of deference to custom, but from a belief into which
they have fallen that they are true gods, and that those are not to be listened to
who hold that the objects of their worship are not true gods. Celsus, indeed, says
that "they do not take them for gods, but only as offerings dedicated to the gods."
But he does not prove that they are not rather dedicated to men than, as he says,
to the honour of the gods themselves; for it is clear that they are the offerings of
men who were in error in their views of the Divine Being. Moreover, we do not
imagine that these images are representations of God, for they cannot represent a
being who is invisible and incorporeal. But as Celsus supposes that we fall into a
contradiction, while on the one hand we say that God has not a human form, and
on the other we profess to believe that God made man the image of Himself, and
created man the image of God; our answer is the same as has been given already,
that we hold the resemblance to God to be preserved in the reasonable soul,
which is formed to virtue, although Celsus, who does not see the difference
between "being the image of God," and "being created after the image of God,"
pretends that we said, "God made man His own image, and gave him a form like
to His own." But this also has been examined before.
 Chapter 67
His next remark upon the Christians is: "They will admit that these images,
whether they are like or not, are made and dedicated to the honour of certain
beings; but they will hold that the beings to whom they are dedicated are not
gods, but demons, and that a worshipper of God ought not to worship demons."
If he had been acquainted with the nature of demons, and with their several
operations, whether led on to them by the conjurations of those who are skilled
in the art, or urged on by their own inclination to act according to their power
and inclination; if, I say, he had thoroughly understood this subject, which is
both wide in extent and difficult for human comprehension, he would not have
condemned us for saying that those who worship the Supreme Being should not
serve demons. For ourselves, so far are we from wishing to serve demons, that
by the use of prayers and other means which we learn from Scripture, we drive
them out of the souls of men, out of places where they have established
themselves, and even sometimes from the bodies of animals; for even these
creatures often suffer from injuries inflicted upon them by demons.
 Chapter 68
After all that we have already said concerning Jesus, it would be a useless
repetition for us to answer these words of Celsus: "It is easy to convict them of
worshipping not a god, not even demons, but a dead person." Leaving, then, this
objection for the reason assigned, let us pass on to what follows: "In the first
place, I would ask why we are not to serve demons? Is it not true that all things
are ordered according to God's will, and that His providence governs all things?
Is not everything which happens in the universe, whether it be the work of God,
of angels, of other demons, or of heroes, regulated by the law of the Most High
God? Have these not had assigned them various departments of which they were
severally deemed worthy? Is it not just, therefore, that he who worships God
should serve those also to whom God has assigned such power? Yet it is
impossible, he says, for a man to serve many masters." Observe here again how
he settles at once a number of questions which require considerable research,
and a profound acquaintance with what is most mysterious in the government of
the universe. For we must inquire into the meaning of the statement, that "all
things are ordered according to God's will," and ascertain whether sins are or
are not included among the things which God orders. For if God's government
extends to sins not only in men, but also in demons and in any other spiritual
beings who are capable of sin, it is for those who speak in this manner to see
how inconvenient is the expression that "all things are ordered by the will of
God." For it follows from it that all sins and all their consequences are ordered
by the will of God, which is a different thing from saying that they come to pass
with God's permission. For if we take the word "ordered" in its proper
signification, and say that "all the results of sin were ordered," then it is evident
that all things are ordered according to God's will, and that all, therefore, who do
evil do not offend against His government. And the same distinction holds in
regard to "providence." When we say that "the providence of God regulates all
things," we utter a great truth if we attribute to that providence nothing but what
is just and right. But if we ascribe to the providence of God all things
whatsoever, however unjust they may be, then it is no longer true that the
providence of God regulates all things, unless we refer directly to God's
providence things which flow as results from His arrangements. Celsus
maintains also, that "whatever happens in the universe, whether it be the work of
God, of angels, of other demons, or of heroes, is regulated by the law of the Most
High God." But this also is incorrect; for we cannot say that transgressors follow
the law of God when they transgress; and Scripture declares that it is not only
wicked men who are transgressors, but also wicked demons and wicked angels.
 Chapter 69
And it is not we alone who speak of wicked demons, but almost all who
acknowledge the existence of demons. Thus, then, it is not true that all observe
the law of the Most High; for all who fall away from the divine law, whether
through heedlessness, or through depravity and vice, or through ignorance of
what is right, all such do not keep the law of God, but, to use a new phrase
which we find in Scripture, "the law of sin." I say, then, that in the opinion of
most of those who believe in the existence of demons, some of them are wicked;
and these, instead of keeping the law of God, offend against it. But, according to
our belief, it is true of all demons, that they were not demons originally, but they
became so in departing from the true way; so that the name "demons" is given to
those beings who have fallen away from God. Accordingly, those who worship
God must not serve demons. We may also learn the true nature of demons if we
consider the practice of those who call upon them by charms to prevent certain
things, or for many other purposes. For this is the method they adopt, in order by
means of incantations and magical arts to invoke the demons, and induce them to
further their wishes. Wherefore, the worship of all demons would be inconsistent
in us who worship the Supreme God; and the service of demons is the service of
so-called gods, for "all the gods of the heathen are demons." The same thing also
appears from the fact that the dedication of the most famous of the so-called
sacred places, whether temples or statues, was accompanied by curious magical
incantations, which were performed by those who zealously served the demons
with magical arts. Hence we are determined to avoid the worship of demons
even as we would avoid death; and we hold that the worship, which is supposed
among the Greeks to be rendered to gods at the altars, and images, and temples,
is in reality offered to demons.
 Chapter 70
His next remark was, "Have not these inferior powers had assigned to them
by God different departments, according as each was deemed worthy?" But this
is a question which requires a very profound knowledge. For we must determine
whether the Word of God, who governs all things, has appointed wicked demons
for certain employments, in the same way as in states executioners are
appointed, and other officers with cruel but needful duties to discharge; or
whether as among robbers, who infest desert places, it is customary for them to
choose out of their number one who may be their leader—so the demons, who
are scattered as it were in troops in different parts of the earth, have chosen for
themselves a chief under whose command they may plunder and pillage the
souls of men. To explain this fully, and to justify the conduct of the Christians in
refusing homage to any object except the Most High God, and the First-born of
all creation, who is His Word and God, we must quote this from Scripture, "All
that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear
them;" and again, "The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy;" and other similar passages, as, "Behold, I have given you authority to
tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and
nothing shall by any means hurt you;" and again, "You shall tread upon the lion
and adder: the young lion and the dragon shall you trample under feet." But of
these things Celsus knew nothing, or he would not have made use of language
like this: "Is not everything which happens in the universe, whether it be the
work of God, of angels, of other demons, or of heroes, regulated by the law of
the Most High God? Have these not had assigned to them various departments
of which they were severally deemed worthy? Is it not just, therefore, that he
who serves God should serve those also to whom God has assigned such
power?" To which he adds, "It is impossible, they say, for a man to serve many
masters." This last point we must postpone to the next book; for this, which is
the seventh book which we have written in answer to the treatise of Celsus, is
already of sufficient length.
 Contra Celsus, Book VIII
Chapter 1

Having completed seven books, I now propose to begin the eighth. And
may God and His Only-begotten Son the Word be with us, to enable us
effectively to refute the falsehoods which Celsus has published under the
delusive title of A True Discourse , and at the same time to unfold the truths of
Christianity with such fullness as our purpose requires. And as Paul said, "We
are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us," so would we
in the same spirit and language earnestly desire to be ambassadors for Christ to
men, even as the Word of God beseeches them to the love of Himself, seeking to
win over to righteousness, truth, and the other virtues, those who, until they
receive the doctrines of Jesus Christ, live in darkness about God and in
ignorance of their Creator. Again, then, I would say, may God bestow upon us
His pure and true Word, even "the Lord strong and mighty in battle" against sin.
We must now proceed to state the next objection of Celsus, and afterwards to
answer it.
 Chapter 2
In a passage previously quoted Celsus asks us why we do not worship
demons, and to his remarks on demons we gave such an answer as seemed to us
in accordance with the divine word. After having put this question for the
purpose of leading us to the worship of demons, he represents us as answering
that it is impossible to serve many masters. "This," he goes on to say, "is the
language of sedition, and is only used by those who separate themselves and
stand aloof from all human society. Those who speak in this way ascribe," as he
supposes, "their own feelings and passions to God. It does hold true among men,
that he who is in the service of one master cannot well serve another, because
the service which he renders to the one interferes with that which he owes to the
other; and no one, therefore, who has already engaged himself to the service of
one, must accept that of another. And, in like manner, it is impossible to serve at
the same time heroes or demons of different natures. But in regard to God, who
is subject to no suffering or loss, it is," he thinks, "absurd to be on our guard
against serving more gods, as though we had to do with demi-gods, or other
spirits of that sort." He says also, "He who serves many gods does that which is
pleasing to the Most High, because he honours that which belongs to Him." And
he adds, "It is indeed wrong to give honour to any to whom God has not given
honour." "Wherefore," he says, "in honouring and worshipping all belonging to
God, we will not displease Him to whom they all belong."
 Chapter 3
Before proceeding to the next point, it may be well for us to see whether we
do not accept with approval the saying, "No man can serve two masters," with
the addition, "for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other," and further, "You cannot serve God and
mammon." The defence of this passage will lead us to a deeper and more
searching inquiry into the meaning and application of the words "gods" and
"lords." Divine Scripture teaches us that there is "a great Lord above all gods."
And by this name "gods" we are not to understand the objects of heathen
worship (for we know that "all the gods of the heathen are demons" ), but the
gods mentioned by the prophets as forming an assembly, whom God "judges,"
and to each of whom He assigns his proper work. For "God stands in the
assembly of the gods: He judges among the gods." For "God is Lord of gods,"
who by His Son "has called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going
down thereof." We are also commanded to "give thanks to the God of gods."
Moreover, we are taught that "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
Nor are these the only passages to this effect; but there are very many others.
 Chapter 4
The sacred Scriptures teach us to think, in like manner, of the Lord of lords.
For they say in one place, "Give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy
endures for ever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy endures for
ever;" and in another, "God is King of kings, and Lord of lords." For Scripture
distinguishes between those gods which are such only in name and those which
are truly gods, whether they are called by that name or not; and the same is true
in regard to the use of the word "lords." To this effect Paul says, "For though
there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there are gods
many, and lords many." But as the God of gods calls whom He pleases through
Jesus to his inheritance, "from the east and from the west," and the Christ of God
thus shows His superiority to all rulers by entering into their several provinces,
and summoning men out of them to be subject to Himself, Paul therefore, with
this in view, goes on to say, "But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom
are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by
Him;" adding, as if with a deep sense of the marvellous and mysterious nature of
the doctrine, "Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge." When he says,
"To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things; and one Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom are all things," by "us" he means himself and all those
who have risen up to the supreme God of gods and to the supreme Lord of lords.
Now he has risen to the supreme God who gives Him an entire and undivided
worship through His Son— the word and wisdom of God made manifest in
Jesus. For it is the Son alone who leads to God those who are striving, by the
purity of their thoughts, words, and deeds, to come near to God the Creator of
the universe. I think, therefore, that the prince of this world, who "transforms
himself into an angel of light," was referring to this and such like statements in
the words, "Him follows a host of gods and demons, arranged in eleven bands."
Speaking of himself and the philosophers, he says, "We are of the party of
Jupiter; others belong to other demons."
 Chapter 5
Whilst there are thus many gods and lords, whereof some are such in
reality, and others are such only in name, we strive to rise not only above those
whom the nations of the earth worship as gods, but also beyond those spoken of
as gods in Scripture, of whom they are wholly ignorant who are strangers to the
covenants of God given by Moses and by our Saviour Jesus, and who have no
part in the promises which He has made to us through them. That man rises
above all demon-worship who does nothing that is pleasing to demons; and he
rises to a blessedness beyond that of those whom Paul calls "gods," if he is
enabled, like them, or in any way he may, "to look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are unseen." And he who considers that "the
earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of
God, not willingly, but by reason of him who subjected the same in hope," while
he praises the creature, and sees how "it shall be freed altogether from the
bondage of corruption, and restored to the glorious liberty of the children of
God," — such a one cannot be induced to combine with the service of God the
service of any other, or to serve two masters. There is therefore nothing seditious
or factious in the language of those who hold these views, and who refuse to
serve more masters than one. To them Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Lord, who
Himself instructs them, in order that when fully instructed He may form them
into a kingdom worthy of God, and present them to God the Father. But indeed
they do in a sense separate themselves and stand aloof from those who are aliens
from the commonwealth of God and strangers to His covenants, in order that
they may live as citizens of heaven, "coming to the living God, and to the city of
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the
general assembly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven."
 Chapter 6
But when we refuse to serve any other than God through His word and
wisdom, we do so, not as though we would thereby be doing any harm or injury
to God, in the same way as injury would be done to a man by his servant
entering into the service of another, but we fear that we ourselves should suffer
harm by depriving ourselves of our portion in God, through which we live in the
participation of the divine blessedness, and are imbued with that excellent spirit
of adoption which in the sons of the heavenly Father cries, not with words, but
with deep effect in the inmost heart, "Abba, Father." The Lacedæmonian
ambassadors, when brought before the king of Persia, refused to prostrate
themselves before him, when the attendants endeavoured to compel them to do
so, out of respect for that which alone had authority and lordship over them,
namely, the law of Lycurgus. But they who have a much greater and diviner
embassy in "being ambassadors for Christ" should not worship any ruler among
Persians, or Greeks or Egyptians, or of any nation whatever, even although their
officers and ministers, demons and angels of the devil, should seek to compel
them to do so, and should urge them to set at nought a law which is mightier
than all the laws upon earth. For the Lord of those who are "ambassadors for
Christ" is Christ Himself, whose ambassadors they are, and who is "the Word,
who was in the beginning, was with God, and was God."
 Chapter 7
But when Celsus speaks of heroes and demons, he starts a deeper question
than he is aware of. For after the statement which he made in regard to service
among men, that "the first master is injured when any of his servants wishes at
the same time to serve another," he adds, that "the same holds true of heroes,
and other demons of that kind." Now we must inquire of him what nature he
thinks those heroes and demons possess of whom he affirms that he who serves
one hero may not serve another, and he who serves one demon may not serve
another, as though the former hero or demon would be injured in the same way
as men are injured when they who serve them first afterwards give themselves to
the service of others. Let him also state what loss he supposes those heroes or
demons will suffer. For he will be driven either to plunge into endless
absurdities, and first repeat, then retract his previous statements; or else to
abandon his frivolous conjectures, and confess that he understands nothing of the
nature of heroes and demons. And in regard to his statement, that men suffer
injury when the servant of one man enters the service of a second master, the
question arises: "What is the nature of the injury which is done to the former
master by a servant who, while serving him, wishes at the same time to serve
another?"
 Chapter 8
For if he answers, as one who is unlearned and ignorant of philosophy, that
the injury sustained is one which regards things that are outside of us, it will be
plainly manifest that he knows nothing of that famous saying of Socrates,
"Anytus and Melitus may kill me, but they cannot injure me; for it is impossible
that the better should ever be injured by the worse." But if by injury he means a
wicked impulse or an evil habit, it is plain that no injury of this kind would
befall the wise, by one man serving two wise men in different places. If this
sense does not suit his purpose, it is evident that his endeavours are vain to
weaken the authority of the passage, "No man can serve two masters;" for these
words can be perfectly true only when they refer to the service which we render
to the Most High through His Son, who leads us to God. And we will not serve
God as though He stood in need of our service, or as though He would be made
unhappy if we ceased to serve Him; but we do it because we are ourselves
benefited by the service of God, and because we are freed from griefs and
troubles by serving the Most High God through His only-begotten Son, the
Word and Wisdom.
 Chapter 9
And observe the recklessness of that expression, "For if you worship any
other of the things in the universe," as though he would have us believe that we
are led by our service of God to the worship of any other things which belong to
God, without any injury to ourselves. But, as if feeling his error, he corrects the
words, "If you worship any other of the things in the universe," by adding, "We
may honour none, however, except those to whom that right has been given by
God." And we would put to Celsus this question in regard to those who are
honoured as gods, as demons, or as heroes: "Now, sir, can you prove that the
right to be honoured has been given to these by God, and that it has not arisen
from the ignorance and folly of men who in their wanderings have fallen away
from Him to whom alone worship and service are properly due? You said a little
ago, O Celsus, that Antinous, the favourite of Adrian, is honoured; but surely
you will not say that the right to be worshipped as a god was given to him by the
God of the universe? And so of the others, we ask proof that the right to be
worshipped was given to them by the Most High God." But if the same question
is put to us in regard to the worship of Jesus, we will show that the right to be
honoured was given to Him by God, "that all may honour the Son, even as they
honour the Father." For all the prophecies which preceded His birth were
preparations for His worship. And the wonders which He wrought— through no
magical art, as Celsus supposes, but by a divine power, which was foretold by
the prophets— have served as a testimony from God in behalf of the worship of
Christ. He who honours the Son, who is the Word and Reason, acts in nowise
contrary to reason, and gains for himself great good; he who honours Him, who
is the Truth, becomes better by honouring truth: and this we may say of
honouring wisdom, righteousness, and all the other names by which the sacred
Scriptures are wont to designate the Son of God.
 Chapter 10
But that the honour which we pay to the Son of God, as well as that which
we render to God the Father, consists of an upright course of life, is plainly
taught us by the passage, "You that makest your boast of the law, through
breaking the law do you dishonour God?" and also, "Of how much sorer
punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under
foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he
was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"
For if he who transgresses the law dishonours God by his transgression, and he
who treads under foot the word treads under foot the Son of God, it is evident
that he who keeps the law honours God, and that the worshipper of God is he
whose life is regulated by the principles and precepts of the divine word. Had
Celsus known who they are who are God's people, and that they alone are wise
—and who they are who are strangers to God, and that these are all the wicked
who have no desire to give themselves to virtue, he would have considered
before he gave expression to the words, "How can he who honours any of those
whom God acknowledges as His own be displeasing to God, to whom they all
belong?"
 Chapter 11
He adds, "And indeed he who, when speaking of God, asserts that there is
only one who may be called Lord, speaks impiously, for he divides the kingdom
of God, and raises a sedition therein, implying that there are separate factions in
the divine kingdom, and that there exists one who is His enemy." He might speak
after this fashion, if he could prove by conclusive arguments that those who are
worshipped as gods by the heathens are truly gods, and not merely evil spirits,
which are supposed to haunt statues and temples and altars. But we desire not
only to understand the nature of that divine kingdom of which we are continually
speaking and writing, but also ourselves to be of those who are under the rule of
God alone, so that the kingdom of God may be ours. Celsus, however, who
teaches us to worship many gods, ought in consistency not to speak of "the
kingdom of God," but of "the kingdom of the gods." There are therefore no
factions in the kingdom of God, nor is there any god who is an adversary to Him,
although there are some who, like the Giants and Titans, in their wickedness
wish to contend with God in company with Celsus, and those who declare war
against Him who has by innumerable proofs established the claims of Jesus, and
against Him who, as the Word, did, for the salvation of our race, show Himself
before all the world in such a form as each was able to receive Him.
 Chapter 12
In what follows, some may imagine that he says something plausible
against us. "If," says he, "these people worshipped one God alone, and no other,
they would perhaps have some valid argument against the worship of others. But
they pay excessive reverence to one who has but lately appeared among men,
and they think it no offense against God if they worship also His servant." To
this we reply, that if Celsus had known that saying, "I and My Father are one,"
and the words used in prayer by the Son of God, "As You and I are one," he
would not have supposed that we worship any other besides Him who is the
Supreme God. "For," says He, "My Father is in Me, and I in Him." And if any
should from these words be afraid of our going over to the side of those who
deny that the Father and the Son are two persons, let him weigh that passage,
"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul," that
he may understand the meaning of the saying, "I and My Father are one." We
worship one God, the Father and the Son, therefore, as we have explained; and
our argument against the worship of other gods still continues valid. And we do
not "reverence beyond measure one who has but lately appeared," as though He
did not exist before; for we believe Himself when He says, "Before Abraham
was, I am." Again He says, "I am the truth;" and surely none of us is so simple
as to suppose that truth did not exist before the time when Christ appeared. We
worship, therefore, the Father of truth, and the Son, who is the truth; and these,
while they are two, considered as persons or subsistences, are one in unity of
thought, in harmony and in identity of will. So entirely are they one, that he who
has seen the Son, "who is the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of
His person," has seen in Him who is the image of God, God Himself.
 Chapter 13
He further supposes, that "because we join along with the worship of God
the worship of His Son, it follows that, in our view, not only God, but also the
servants of God, are to be worshipped." If he had meant this to apply to those
who are truly the servants of God, after His only-begotten Son,— to Gabriel and
Michael, and the other angels and archangels, and if he had said of these that
they ought to be worshipped,— if also he had clearly defined the meaning of the
word "worship," and the duties of the worshippers,— we might perhaps have
brought forward such thoughts as have occurred to us on so important a subject.
But as he reckons among the servants of God the demons which are worshipped
by the heathen, he cannot induce us, on the plea of consistency, to worship such
as are declared by the word to be servants of the evil one, the prince of this
world, who leads astray from God as many as he can. We decline, therefore,
altogether to worship and serve those whom other men worship, for the reason
that they are not servants of God. For if we had been taught to regard them as
servants of the Most High, we would not have called them demons. Accordingly,
we worship with all our power the one God, and His only Son, the Word and the
Image of God, by prayers and supplications; and we offer our petitions to the
God of the universe through His only-begotten Son. To the Son we first present
them, and beseech Him, as "the propitiation for our sins," and our High Priest, to
offer our desires, and sacrifices, and prayers, to the Most High. Our faith,
therefore, is directed to God through His Son, who strengthens it in us; and
Celsus can never show that the Son of God is the cause of any sedition or
disloyalty in the kingdom of God. We honour the Father when we admire His
Son, the Word, and Wisdom, and Truth, and Righteousness, and all that He who
is the Son of so great a Father is said in Scripture to be. So much on this point.
 Chapter 14
Again Celsus proceeds: "If you should tell them that Jesus is not the Son of
God, but that God is the Father of all, and that He alone ought to be truly
worshipped, they would not consent to discontinue their worship of him who is
their leader in the sedition. And they call him Son of God, not out of any extreme
reverence for God, but from an extreme desire to extol Jesus Christ." We,
however, have learned who the Son of God is, and know that He is "the
brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person," and "the breath of
the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty;"
moreover, "the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the
power of God, and the image of His goodness." We know, therefore, that He is
the Son of God, and that God is His father. And there is nothing extravagant or
unbecoming the character of God in the doctrine that He should have begotten
such an only Son; and no one will persuade us that such a one is not a Son of the
unbegotten God and Father. If Celsus has heard something of certain persons
holding that the Son of God is not the Son of the Creator of the universe, that is a
matter which lies between him and the supporters of such an opinion. Jesus is,
then, not the leader of any seditious movement, but the promoter of peace. For
He said to His disciples, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you;" and
as He knew that it would be men of the world, and not men of God, who would
wage war against us, he added, "Not as the world gives peace, do I give peace
unto you." And even although we are oppressed in the world, we have
confidence in Him who said, "In the world you shall have tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have overcome the world." And it is He whom we call Son of God
— Son of that God, namely, whom, to quote the words of Celsus, "we most
highly reverence;" and He is the Son who has been most highly exalted by the
Father. Grant that there may be some individuals among the multitudes of
believers who are not in entire agreement with us, and who incautiously assert
that the Saviour is the Most High God; however, we do not hold with them, but
rather believe Him when He says, "The Father who sent Me is greater than I."
We would not therefore make Him whom we call Father inferior— as Celsus
accuses us of doing— to the Son of God.
 Chapter 15
Celsus goes on to say: "That I may give a true representation of their faith,
I will use their own words, as given in what is called A Heavenly Dialogue : 'If
the Son is mightier than God, and the Son of man is Lord over Him, who else
than the Son can be Lord over that God who is the ruler over all things? How
comes it, that while so many go about the well, no one goes down into it? Why
are you afraid when you have gone so far on the way? Answer: You are
mistaken, for I lack neither courage nor weapons.' Is it not evident, then, that
their views are precisely such as I have described them to be? They suppose that
another God, who is above the heavens, is the Father of him whom with one
accord they honour, that they may honour this Son of man alone, whom they
exalt under the form and name of the great God, and whom they assert to be
stronger than God, who rules the world, and that he rules over Him. And hence
that maxim of theirs, 'It is impossible to serve two masters,' is maintained for the
purpose of keeping up the party who are on the side of this Lord." Here, again,
Celsus quotes opinions from some most obscure sect of heretics, and ascribes
them to all Christians. I call it "a most obscure sect;" for although we have often
contended with heretics, yet we are unable to discover from what set of opinions
he has taken this passage, if indeed he has quoted it from any author, and has not
rather concocted it himself, or added it as an inference of his own. For we who
say that the visible world is under the government to Him who created all things,
do thereby declare that the Son is not mightier than the Father, but inferior to
Him. And this belief we ground on the saying of Jesus Himself, "The Father
who sent Me is greater than I." And none of us is so insane as to affirm that the
Son of man is Lord over God. But when we regard the Saviour as God the Word,
and Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Truth, we certainly do say that He has
dominion over all things which have been subjected to Him in this capacity, but
not that His dominion extends over the God and Father who is Ruler over all.
Besides, as the Word rules over none against their will, there are still wicked
beings— not only men, but also angels, and all demons— over whom we say
that in a sense He does not rule, since they do not yield Him a willing obedience;
but, in another sense of the word, He rules even over them, in the same way as
we say that man rules over the irrational animals,— not by persuasion, but as
one who tames and subdues lions and beasts of burden. Nevertheless, he leaves
no means untried to persuade even those who are still disobedient to submit to
His authority. So far as we are concerned, therefore, we deny the truth of that
which Celsus quotes as one of our sayings, "Who else than He can be Lord over
Him who is God over all?"
 Chapter 16
The remaining part of the extract given by Celsus seems to have been taken
from some other form of heresy, and the whole jumbled together in strange
confusion: "How is it, that while so many go about the well, no one goes down
into it? Why do you shrink with fear when you have gone so far on the way?
Answer: You are mistaken, for I lack neither courage nor weapons." We who
belong to the Church which takes its name from Christ, assert that none of these
statements are true. For he seems to have made them simply that they might
harmonize with what he had said before; but they have no reference to us. For it
is a principle with us, not to worship any god whom we merely "suppose" to
exist, but Him alone who is the Creator of this universe, and of all things besides
which are unseen by the eye of sense. These remarks of Celsus may apply to
those who go on another road and tread other paths from us—men who deny the
Creator, and make to themselves another god under a new form, having nothing
but the name of God, whom they esteem higher than the Creator; and with these
may be joined any that there may be who say that the Son is greater than the God
who rules all things. In reference to the precept that we ought not to serve two
masters, we have already shown what appears to us the principle contained in it,
when we proved that no sedition or disloyalty could be charged against the
followers of Jesus their Lord, who confess that they reject every other lord, and
serve Him alone who is the Son and Word of God.
 Chapter 17
Celsus then proceeds to say that "we shrink from raising altars, statues, and
temples; and this," he thinks, "has been agreed upon among us as the badge or
distinctive mark of a secret and forbidden society." He does not perceive that we
regard the spirit of every good man as an altar from which arises an incense
which is truly and spiritually sweet-smelling, namely, the prayers ascending
from a pure conscience. Therefore it is said by John in the Revelation, "The
odours are the prayers of saints;" and by the Psalmist, "Let my prayer come up
before You as incense." And the statues and gifts which are fit offerings to God
are the work of no common mechanics, but are wrought and fashioned in us by
the Word of God, to wit, the virtues in which we imitate "the First-born of all
creation," who has set us an example of justice, of temperance, of courage, of
wisdom, of piety, and of the other virtues. In all those, then, who plant and
cultivate within their souls, according to the divine word, temperance, justice,
wisdom, piety, and other virtues, these excellences are their statues they raise, in
which we are persuaded that it is becoming for us to honour the model and
prototype of all statues: "the image of the invisible God," God the Only-begotten.
And again, they who "put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new
man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that has created
him," in taking upon them the image of Him who has created them, do raise
within themselves a statue like to what the Most High God Himself desires. And
as among statuaries there are some who are marvellously perfect in their art, as
for example Pheidias and Polycleitus, and among painters, Zeuxis and Apelles,
while others make inferior statues, and others, again, are inferior to the second-
rate artists,— so that, taking all together, there is a wide difference in the
execution of statues and pictures—in the same way there are some who form
images of the Most High in a better manner and with a more perfect skill; so that
there is no comparison even between the Olympian Jupiter of Pheidias and the
man who has been fashioned according to the image of God the Creator. But by
far the most excellent of all these throughout the whole creation is that image in
our Saviour who said, "My Father is in Me."
 Chapter 18
And every one who imitates Him according to his ability, does by this very
endeavour raise a statue according to the image of the Creator, for in the
contemplation of God with a pure heart they become imitators of Him. And, in
general, we see that all Christians strive to raise altars and statues as we have
described them and these not of a lifeless and senseless kind and not to receive
greedy spirits intent upon lifeless things, but to be filled with the Spirit of God
who dwells in the images of virtue of which we have spoken, and takes His
abode in the soul which is conformed to the image of the Creator. Thus the Spirit
of Christ dwells in those who bear, so to say, a resemblance in form and feature
to Himself. And the Word of God, wishing to set this clearly before us,
represents God as promising to the righteous, "I will dwell in them, and walk
among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." And the
Saviour says, "If any man hear My words, and do them, I and My Father will
come to him, and make Our abode with him." Let any one, therefore, who
chooses compare the altars which I have described with those spoken of by
Celsus, and the images in the souls of those who worship the Most High God
with the statues of Pheidias, Polycleitus, and such like, and he will clearly
perceive, that while the latter are lifeless things, and subject to the ravages of
time, the former abide in the immortal spirit as long as the reasonable soul
wishes to preserve them.
 Chapter 19
And if, further, temples are to be compared with temples, that we may
prove to those who accept the opinions of Celsus that we do not object to the
erection of temples suited to the images and altars of which we have spoken, but
that we do refuse to build lifeless temples to the Giver of all life, let any one who
chooses learn how we are taught, that our bodies are the temple of God, and that
if any one by lust or sin defiles the temple of God, he will himself be destroyed,
as acting impiously towards the true temple. Of all the temples spoken of in this
sense, the best and most excellent was the pure and holy body of our Saviour
Jesus Christ. When He knew that wicked men might aim at the destruction of the
temple of God in Him, but that their purposes of destruction would not prevail
against the divine power which had built that temple, He says to them, "Destroy
this temple, and in three days I will raise it again....This He said of the temple of
His body." And in other parts of holy Scripture where it speaks of the mystery of
the resurrection to those whose ears are divinely opened, it says that the temple
which has been destroyed shall be built up again of living and most precious
stones, thereby giving us to understand that each of those who are led by the
word of God to strive together in the duties of piety, will be a precious stone in
the one great temple of God. Accordingly, Peter says, "You also, as lively stones,
are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ;" and Paul also says, "Being built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ our Lord being the chief
cornerstone." And there is a similar hidden allusion in this passage in Isaiah,
which is addressed to Jerusalem: "Behold, I will lay your stones with carbuncles,
and lay your foundations with sapphires. And I will make your battlements of
jasper, and your gates of crystal, and all your borders of pleasant stones. And
all your children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of
your children. In righteousness shall you be established."
 Chapter 20
There are, then, among the righteous some who are carbuncles, others
sapphires, others jaspers, and others crystals, and thus there is among the
righteous every kind of choice and precious stone. As to the spiritual meaning of
the different stones—what is their nature, and to what kind of soul the name of
each precious stone especially applies—we cannot at present stay to examine.
We have only felt it necessary to show thus briefly what we understand by
temples, and what the one Temple of God built of precious stones truly means.
For as if in some cities a dispute should arise as to which had the finest temples,
those who thought their own were the best would do their utmost to show the
excellence of their own temples and the inferiority of the others—in like manner,
when they reproach us for not deeming it necessary to worship the Divine Being
by raising lifeless temples, we set before them our temples, and show to such at
least as are not blind and senseless, like their senseless gods, that there is no
comparison between our statues and the statues of the heathen, nor between our
altars, with what we may call the incense ascending from them, and the heathen
altars, with the fat and blood of the victims; nor, finally, between the temples of
senseless gods, admired by senseless men, who have no divine faculty for
perceiving God, and the temples, statues, and altars which are worthy of God. It
is not therefore true that we object to building altars, statues, and temples,
because we have agreed to make this the badge of a secret and forbidden society;
but we do so, because we have learned from Jesus Christ the true way of serving
God, and we shrink from whatever, under a pretence of piety, leads to utter
impiety those who abandon the way marked out for us by Jesus Christ. For it is
He who alone is the way of piety, as He truly said, "I am the way, the truth, the
life."
 Chapter 21
Let us see what Celsus further says of God, and how he urges us to the use
of those things which are properly called idol offerings, or, still better, offerings
to demons, although, in his ignorance of what true sanctity is, and what
sacrifices are well-pleasing to God, he call them "holy sacrifices." His words are,
God is the God of all alike; He is good, He stands in need of nothing, and He is
without jealousy. What, then, is there to hinder those who are most devoted to
His service from taking part in public feasts. I cannot see the connection which
he fancies between God's being good, and independent, and free from jealousy,
and His devoted servants taking part in public feasts. I confess, indeed, that from
the fact that God is good, and without want of anything, and free from jealousy,
it would follow as a consequence that we might take part in public feasts, if it
were proved that the public feasts had nothing wrong in them, and were
grounded upon true views of the character of God, so that they resulted naturally
from a devout service of God. If, however, the so-called public festivals can in
no way be shown to accord with the service of God, but may on the contrary be
proved to have been devised by men when occasion offered to commemorate
some human events, or to set forth certain qualities of water or earth, or the fruits
of the earth—in that case, it is clear that those who wish to offer an enlightened
worship to the Divine Being will act according to sound reason, and not take part
in the public feasts. For "to keep a feast," as one of the wise men of Greece has
well said, "is nothing else than to do one's duty;" and that man truly celebrates a
feast who does his duty and prays always, offering up continually bloodless
sacrifices in prayer to God. That therefore seems to me a most noble saying of
Paul, "You observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you,
lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain."
 Chapter 22
If it be objected to us on this subject that we ourselves are accustomed to
observe certain days, as for example the Lord's day, the Preparation, the
Passover, or Pentecost, I have to answer, that to the perfect Christian, who is
ever in his thoughts, words, and deeds serving his natural Lord, God the Word,
all his days are the Lord's, and he is always keeping the Lord's day. He also who
is unceasingly preparing himself for the true life, and abstaining from the
pleasures of this life which lead astray so many—who is not indulging the lust of
the flesh, but "keeping under his body, and bringing it into subjection," — such
a one is always keeping Preparation-day. Again, he who considers that "Christ
our Passover was sacrificed for us," and that it is his duty to keep the feast by
eating of the flesh of the Word, never ceases to keep the paschal feast; for the
pascha means a "passover," and he is ever striving in all his thoughts, words,
and deeds, to pass over from the things of this life to God, and is hastening
towards the city of God. And, finally, he who can truly say, "We are risen with
Christ," and "He has exalted us, and made us to sit with Him in heavenly places
in Christ," is always living in the season of Pentecost; and most of all, when
going up to the upper chamber, like the apostles of Jesus, he gives himself to
supplication and prayer, that he may become worthy of receiving "the mighty
wind rushing from heaven," which is powerful to destroy sin and its fruits among
men, and worthy of having some share of the tongue of fire which God sends.
 Chapter 23
But the majority of those who are accounted believers are not of this
advanced class; but from being either unable or unwilling to keep every day in
this manner, they require some sensible memorials to prevent spiritual things
from passing altogether away from their minds. It is to this practice of setting
apart some days distinct from others, that Paul seems to me to refer in the
expression, "part of the feast;" and by these words he indicates that a life in
accordance with the divine word consists not "in a part of the feast," but in one
entire and never ceasing festival. Again, compare the festivals, observed among
us as these have been described above, with the public feasts of Celsus and the
heathen, and say if the former are not much more sacred observances than those
feasts in which the lust of the flesh runs riot, and leads to drunkenness and
debauchery. It would be too long for us at present to show why we are required
by the law of God to keep its festivals by eating "the bread of affliction," or
"unleavened with bitter herbs," or why it says, "Humble your souls," and such
like. For it is impossible for man, who is a compound being, in which "the flesh
lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh," to keep the feast with
his whole nature; for either he keeps the feast with his spirit and afflicts the
body, which through the lust of the flesh is unfit to keep it along with the spirit,
or else he keeps it with the body, and the spirit is unable to share in it. But we
have for the present said enough on the subject of feasts.
 Chapter 24
Let us now see on what grounds Celsus urges us to make use of the idol
offerings and the public sacrifices in the public feasts. His words are, "If these
idols are nothing, what harm will there be in taking part in the feast? On the
other hand, if they are demons, it is certain that they too are God's creatures,
and that we must believe in them, sacrifice to them according to the laws, and
pray to them that they may be propitious." In reference to this statement, it
would be profitable for us to take up and clearly explain the whole passage of
the first Epistle to the Corinthians, in which Paul treats of offerings to idols. The
apostle draws from the fact that "an idol is nothing in the world," the
consequence that it is injurious to use things offered to idols; and he shows to
those who have ears to hear on such subjects, that he who partakes of things
offered to idols is worse than a murderer, for he destroys his own brethren, for
whom Christ died. And further, he maintains that the sacrifices are made to
demons; and from that he proceeds to show that those who join the table of
demons become associated with the demons; and he concludes that a man cannot
both be a partaker of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. But since
it would require a whole treatise to set forth fully all that is contained on this
subject in the Epistle to the Corinthians, we shall content ourselves with this
brief statement of the argument; for it will be evident to any one who carefully
considers what has been said, that even if idols are nothing, nevertheless it is an
awful thing to join in idol festivals. And even supposing that there are such
beings as demons to whom the sacrifices are offered, it has been clearly shown
that we are forbidden to take part in these festivals, when we know the
difference between the table of the Lord and the table of demons. And knowing
this, we endeavour as much as we can to be always partakers of the Lord's table,
and beware to the utmost of joining at any time the table of demons.
 Chapter 25
Celsus says that "the demons belong to God, and are therefore to be
believed, to be sacrificed to according to laws, and to be prayed to that they may
be propitious." Those who are disposed to learn, must know that the word of
God nowhere says of evil things that they belong to God, for it judges them
unworthy of such a Lord. Accordingly, it is not all men who bear the name of
"men of God," but only those who are worthy of God—such as Moses and Elias,
and any others who are so called, or such as resemble those who are so called in
Scripture. In the same way, all angels are not said to be angels of God, but only
those that are blessed: those that have fallen away into sin are called "angels of
the devil," just as bad men are called "men of sin," "sons of perdition," or "sons
of iniquity." Since, then, among men some are good and others bad, and the
former are said to be God's and the latter the devil's, so among angels some are
angels of God, and others angels of the devil. But among demons there is no
such distinction, for all are said to be wicked. We do not therefore hesitate to say
that Celsus is false when he says, "If they are demons, it is evident that they must
also belong to God." He must either show that this distinction of good and bad
among angels and men has no foundation, or else that a similar distinction may
be shown to hold among demons. If that is impossible, it is plain that demons do
not belong to God; for their prince is not God, but, as holy Scripture says,
"Beelzebub."
 Chapter 26
And we are not to believe in demons, although Celsus urges us to do so; but
if we are to obey God, we must die, or endure anything, sooner than obey
demons. In the same way, we are not to propitiate demons; for it is impossible to
propitiate beings that are wicked and that seek the injury of men. Besides, what
are the laws in accordance with which Celsus would have us propitiate the
demons? For if he means laws enacted in states, he must show that they are in
agreement with the divine laws. But if that cannot be done, as the laws of many
states are quite inconsistent with each other, these laws, therefore, must of
necessity either be no laws at all in the proper sense of the word, or else the
enactments of wicked men; and these we must not obey, for "we must obey God
rather than men." Away, then, with this counsel, which Celsus gives us, to offer
prayer to demons: it is not to be listened to for a moment; for our duty is to pray
to the Most High God alone, and to the Only-begotten, the First-born of the
whole creation, and to ask Him as our High Priest to present the prayers which
ascend to Him from us, to His God and our God, to His Father and the Father of
those who direct their lives according to His word. And as we would have no
desire to enjoy the favour of those men who wish us to follow their wicked lives,
and who give us their favour only on condition that we choose nothing opposed
to their wishes, because their favour would make us enemies of God, who cannot
be pleased with those who have such men for their friends—in the same way
those who are acquainted with the nature, the purposes, and the wickedness of
demons, can never wish to obtain their favour.
 Chapter 27
And Christians have nothing to fear, even if demons should not be well-
disposed to them; for they are protected by the Supreme God, who is well
pleased with their piety, and who sets His divine angels to watch over those who
are worthy of such guardianship, so that they can suffer nothing from demons.
He who by his piety possesses the favour of the Most High, who has accepted
the guidance of Jesus, the "Angel of the great counsel," being well contented
with the favour of God through Christ Jesus, may say with confidence that he
has nothing to suffer from the whole host of demons. "The Lord is my light and
my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom
shall I be afraid? Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not
fear." So much, then, in reply to those statements of Celsus: "If they are demons,
they too evidently belong to God, and they are to be believed, to be sacrificed to
according to the laws, and prayers are to be offered to them that they may be
propitious."
 Chapter 28
We shall now proceed to the next statement of Celsus, and examine it with
care: "If in obedience to the traditions of their fathers they abstain from such
victims, they must also abstain from all animal food, in accordance with the
opinions of Pythagoras, who thus showed his respect for the soul and its bodily
organs. But if, as they say, they abstain that they may not eat along with demons,
I admire their wisdom, in having at length discovered, that whenever they eat
they eat with demons, although they only refuse to do so when they are looking
upon a slain victim; for when they eat bread, or drink wine, or taste fruits, do
they not receive these things, as well as the water they drink and the air they
breathe, from certain demons, to whom have been assigned these different
provinces of nature?" Here I would observe that I cannot see how those whom
he speaks of as abstaining from certain victims, in accordance with the traditions
of their fathers, are consequently bound to abstain from the flesh of all animals.
We do not indeed deny that the divine word does seem to command something
similar to this, when to raise us to a higher and purer life it says, "It is good
neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby your brother
stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak;" and again, "Destroy not him with
your meat, for whom Christ died;" and again, "If meat make my brother to
offend, I will eat no flesh while the world stands, lest I make my brother to
offend."
 Chapter 29
But it is to be observed that the Jews, who claim for themselves a correct
understanding of the law of Moses, carefully restrict their food to such things as
are accounted clean, and abstain from those that are unclean. They also do not
use in their food the blood of an animal nor the flesh of an animal torn by wild
beasts, and some other things which it would take too long for us at present to
detail. But Jesus, wishing to lead all men by His teaching to the pure worship
and service of God, and anxious not to throw any hindrance in the way of many
who might be benefited by Christianity, through the imposition of a burdensome
code of rules in regard to food, has laid it down, that "not that which goes into
the mouth defiles a man, but that which comes out of the mouth; for whatsoever
enters in at the mouth goes into the belly, and is cast out into the draught. But
those things which proceed out of the mouth are evil thoughts when spoken,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Paul also
says, "Meat commends us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better;
neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." Wherefore, as there is some obscurity
about this matter, without some explanation is given, it seemed good to the
apostles of Jesus and the elders assembled together at Antioch, and also, as they
themselves say, to the Holy Spirit, to write a letter to the Gentile believers,
forbidding them to partake of those things from which alone they say it is
necessary to abstain, namely, "things offered to idols, things strangled, and
blood."
 Chapter 30
For that which is offered to idols is sacrificed to demons, and a man of God
must not join the table of demons. As to things strangled, we are forbidden by
Scripture to partake of them, because the blood is still in them; and blood,
especially the odour arising from blood, is said to be the food of demons.
Perhaps, then, if we were to eat of strangled animals, we might have such spirits
feeding along with us. And the reason which forbids the use of strangled animals
for food is also applicable to the use of blood. And it may not be amiss, as
bearing on this point, to recall a beautiful saying in the writings of Sextus, which
is known to most Christians: "The eating of animals," says he, "is a matter of
indifference; but to abstain from them is more agreeable to reason." It is not,
therefore, simply an account of some traditions of our fathers that we refrain
from eating victims offered to those called gods or heroes or demons, but for
other reasons, some of which I have here mentioned. It is not to be supposed,
however, that we are to abstain from the flesh of animals in the same way as we
are bound to abstain from all race and wickedness: we are indeed to abstain not
only from the flesh of animals, but from all other kinds of food, if we cannot
partake of them without incurring evil, and the consequences of evil. For we are
to avoid eating for gluttony, or for the mere gratification of the appetite, without
regard to the health and sustenance of the body. We do not believe that souls
pass from one body to another, and that they may descend so low as to enter the
bodies of the brutes. If we abstain at times from eating the flesh of animals, it is
evidently, therefore, not for the same reason as Pythagoras; for it is the
reasonable soul alone that we honour, and we commit its bodily organs with due
honours to the grave. For it is not right that the dwelling-place of the rational
soul should be cast aside anywhere without honour, like the carcasses of brute
beasts; and so much the more when we believe that the respect paid to the body
redounds to the honour of the person who received from God a soul which has
nobly employed the organs of the body in which it resided. In regard to the
question, "How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come?" we
have already answered it briefly, as our purpose required.
 Chapter 31
Celsus afterwards states what is adduced by Jews and Christians alike in
defence of abstinence from idol sacrifices, namely, that it is wrong for those who
have dedicated themselves to the Most High God to eat with demons. What he
brings forward against this view, we have already seen. In our opinion, a man
can only be said to eat and drink with demons when he eats the flesh of what are
called sacred victims, and when he drinks the wine poured out to the honour of
the demons. But Celsus thinks that we cannot eat bread or drink wine in any way
whatever, or taste fruits, or even take a draught of water, without eating and
drinking with demons. He adds also, that the air which we breathe is received
from demons, and that not an animal can breathe without receiving the air from
the demons who are set over the air. If any one wishes to defend this statement
of Celsus, let him show that it is not the divine angels of god, but demons, the
whole race of whom are bad, that have been appointed to communicate all those
blessings which have been mentioned. We indeed also maintain with regard not
only to the fruits of the earth, but to every flowing stream and every breath of air
that the ground brings forth those things which are said to grow up naturally,—
that the water springs in fountains, and refreshes the earth with running streams
—that the air is kept pure, and supports the life of those who breathe it, only in
consequence of the agency and control of certain beings whom we may call
invisible husbandmen and guardians; but we deny that those invisible agents are
demons. And if we might speak boldly, we would say that if demons have any
share at all in these things, to them belong famine, blasting of the vine and fruit
trees, pestilence among men and beasts: all these are the proper occupations of
demons, who in the capacity of public executioners receive power at certain
times to carry out the divine judgments, for the restoration of those who have
plunged headlong into wickedness, or for the trial and discipline of the souls of
the wise. For those who through all their afflictions preserve their piety pure and
unimpaired, show their true character to all spectators, whether visible or
unimpaired, show their true character to all spectators, whether visible or
invisible, who behold them; while those who are otherwise minded, yet conceal
their wickedness, when they have their true character exposed by misfortunes,
become manifest to themselves as well as to those whom we may also call
spectators.
 Chapter 32
The Psalmist bears witness that divine justice employs certain evil angels to
inflict calamities upon men: "He cast upon them the fierceness of His anger,
wrath, and indignation, and trouble, sent by evil angels." Whether demons ever
go beyond this when they are suffered to do what they are ever ready, though
through the restraint put upon them they are not always able to do, is a question
to be solved by that man who can conceive, in so far as human nature will allow,
how it accords with the divine justice, that such multitudes of human souls are
separated from the body while walking in the paths which lead to certain death.
"For the judgments of God are so great," that a soul which is still clothed with a
mortal body cannot comprehend them; "and they cannot be expressed: therefore
by unnurtured souls" they are not in any measure to be understood. And hence,
too, rash spirits, by their ignorance in these matters, and by recklessly setting
themselves against the Divine Being, multiply impious objections against
providence. It is not from demons, then, that men receive any of those things
which meet the necessities of life, and least of all ourselves, who have been
taught to make a proper use of these things. And they who partake of grain and
wine, and the fruits of trees, of water and of air, do not feed with demons, but
rather do they feast with divine angels, who are appointed for this purpose, and
who are as it were invited to the table of the pious man, who hearkens to the
precept of the word, which says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God." And again, in another place it is written, "Do all
things in the name of God." When, therefore, we eat and drink and breathe to the
glory of God, and act in all things according to what is right, we feast with no
demons, but with divine angels: "For every creature is good, and nothing to be
refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of
God and prayer." But it could not be good, and it could not be sanctified, if these
things were, as Celsus supposes, entrusted to the charge of demons.
 Chapter 33
From this it is evident that we have already met the next statement of
Celsus, which is as follows: "We must either not live, and indeed not come into
this life at all, or we must do so on condition that we give thanks and first-fruits
and prayers to demons, who have been set over the things of this world: and that
we must do as long as we live, that they may prove good and kind." We must
surely live, and we must live according to the word of God, as far as we are
enabled to do so. And we are thus enabled to live, when, "whether we eat or
drink, we do all to the glory of God;" and we are not to refuse to enjoy those
things which have been created for our use, but must receive them with
thanksgiving to the Creator. And it is under these conditions, and not such as
have been imagined by Celsus, that we have been brought into life by God; and
we are not placed under demons, but we are under the government of the Most
High God, through Him who has brought us to God— Jesus Christ. It is not
according to the law of God that any demon has had a share in worldly affairs,
but it was by their own lawlessness that they perhaps sought out for themselves
places destitute of the knowledge of God and of the divine life, or places where
there are many enemies of God. Perhaps also, as being fit to rule over and punish
them, they have been set by the Word, who governs all things, to rule over those
who subjected themselves to evil and not to God. For this reason, then, let
Celsus, as one who knows not God, give thank-offerings to demons. But we give
thanks to the Creator of all, and, along with thanksgiving and prayer for the
blessings we have received, we also eat the bread presented to us; and this bread
becomes by prayer a sacred body, which sanctifies those who sincerely partake
of it.
 Chapter 34
Celsus would also have us to offer first-fruits to demons. But we would
offer them to Him who said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding
seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon
the earth." And to Him to whom we offer first-fruits we also send up our
prayers, "having a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God," and "we hold fast this profession" as long as we live; for we find
God and His only-begotten Son, manifested to us in Jesus, to be gracious and
kind to us. And if we would wish to have besides a great number of beings who
shall ever prove friendly to us, we are taught that "thousand thousands stood
before Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand ministered unto Him." And
these, regarding all as their relations and friends who imitate their piety towards
God, and in prayer call upon Him with sincerity, work along with them for their
salvation, appear unto them, deem it their office and duty to attend to them, and
as if by common agreement they visit with all manner of kindness and
deliverance those who pray to God, to whom they themselves also pray: "For
they are all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs
of salvation." Let the learned Greeks say that the human soul at its birth is placed
under the charge of demons: Jesus has taught us not to despise even the little
ones in His Church, saying, "Their angels do always behold the face of My
Father which is in heaven." And the prophet says, "The angel of the Lord
encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them." We do not, then,
deny that there are many demons upon earth, but we maintain that they exist and
exercise power among the wicked, as a punishment of their wickedness. But they
have no power over those who "have put on the whole armour of God," who
have received strength to "withstand the wiles of the devil," and who are ever
engaged in contests with them, knowing that "we wrestle not against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
 Chapter 35
Now let us consider another saying of Celsus, which is as follows: "The
satrap of a Persian or Roman monarch, or ruler or general or governor, yea,
even those who fill lower offices of trust or service in the state, would be able to
do great injury to those who despised them; and will the satraps and ministers of
earth and air be insulted with impunity?" Observe now how he introduces
servants of the Most High— rulers, generals, governors, and those filling lower
offices of trust and service— as, after the manner of men, inflicting injury upon
those who insult them. For he does not consider that a wise man would not wish
to do harm to any, but would strive to the utmost of his power to change and
amend them; unless, indeed, it be that those whom Celsus makes servants and
rulers appointed by the Most High are behind Lycurgus, the lawgiver of the
Lacedæmonians, or Zeno of Citium. For when Lycurgus had had his eye put out
by a man, he got the offender into his power; but instead of taking revenge upon
him, he ceased not to use all his arts of persuasion until he induced him to
become a philosopher. And Zeno, on the occasion of some one saying, "Let me
perish rather than not have my revenge on you," answered him, "But rather let
me perish if I do not make a friend of you." And I am not yet speaking of those
whose characters have been formed by the teaching of Jesus, and who have
heard the words, "Love your enemies, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for He
makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and
on the unjust." And in the prophetical writings the righteous man says, "O Lord
my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have returned
evil to those who have done evil to me, let me fall helpless under mine enemies:
let my enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life
upon the earth."
 Chapter 36
But the angels, who are the true rulers and generals and ministers of God,
do not, as Celsus supposes, "injure those who offend them;" and if certain
demons, whom Celsus had in mind, do inflict evils, they show that they are
wicked, and that they have received no office of the kind from God. And they
even do injury to those who are under them, and who have acknowledged them
as their masters; and accordingly, as it would seem that those who break through
the regulations which prevail in any country in regard to matters of food, suffer
for it if they are under the demons of that place, while those who are not under
them, and have not submitted to their power, are free from all harm, and bid
defiance to such spirits; although if, in ignorance of certain things, they have
come under the power of other demons, they may suffer punishment from them.
But the Christian— the true Christian, I mean— who has submitted to God alone
and His Word, will suffer nothing from demons, for He is mightier than demons.
And the Christian will suffer nothing, for "the angel of the Lord will encamp
about them that fear Him, and will deliver them," and his "angel," who "always
beholds the face of his Father in heaven," offers up his prayers through the one
High Priest to the God of all, and also joins his own prayers with those of the
man who is committed to his keeping. Let not, then, Celsus try to scare us with
threats of mischief from demons, for we despise them. And the demons, when
despised, can do no harm to those who are under the protection of Him who can
alone help all who deserve His aid; and He does no less than set His own angels
over His devout servants, so that none of the hostile angels, nor even he who is
called "the prince of this world," can effect anything against those who have
given themselves to God.
 Chapter 37
In the next place, Celsus forgets that he is addressing Christians, who pray
to God alone through Jesus; and mixing up other notions with theirs, he absurdly
attributes them all to Christians. "If," says he, "they who are addressed are
called upon by barbarous names, they will have power, but no longer will they
have any if they are addressed in Greek or Latin." Let him, then, state plainly
whom we call upon for help by barbarous names. Any one will be convinced
that this is a false charge which Celsus brings against us, when he considers that
Christians in prayer do not even use the precise names which divine Scripture
applies to God; but the Greeks use Greek names, the Romans Latin names, and
every one prays and sings praises to God as he best can, in his mother tongue.
For the Lord of all the languages of the earth hears those who pray to Him in
each different tongue, hearing, if I may so say, but one voice, expressing itself in
different dialects. For the Most High is not as one of those who select one
language, Barbarian or Greek, knowing nothing of any other, and caring nothing
for those who speak in other tongues.
 Chapter 38
He next represents Christians as saying what he never heard from any
Christian; or if he did, it must have been from one of the most ignorant and
lawless of the people. "Behold," they are made to say, "I go up to a statue of
Jupiter or Apollo, or some other god: I revile it, and beat it, yet it takes no
vengeance on me." He is not aware that among the prohibitions of the divine law
is this, "You shall not revile the gods," and this is intended to prevent the
formation of the habit of reviling any one whatever; for we have been taught,
"Bless, and curse not," and it is said that "revilers shall not inherit the kingdom
of God." And who among us is so foolish as to speak in the way Celsus
describes, and to fail to see that such contemptuous language can be of no avail
for removing prevailing notions about the gods? For it is matter of observation
that there are men who utterly deny the existence of a God or of an overruling
providence, and who by their impious and destructive teaching have founded
sects among those who are called philosophers, and yet neither they themselves,
nor those who have embraced their opinions, have suffered any of those things
which mankind generally account evils: they are both strong in body and rich in
possessions. And yet if we ask what loss they have sustained, we shall find that
they have suffered the most certain injury. For what greater injury can befall a
man than that he should be unable amidst the order of the world to see Him who
has made it? And what sorer affliction can come to any one than that blindness
of mind which prevents him from seeing the Creator and Father of every soul?
 Chapter 39
After putting such words into our mouth, and maliciously charging
Christians with sentiments which they never held, he then proceeds to give to
this supposed expression of Christian feeling an answer, which is indeed more a
mockery than an answer, when he says, "Do you not see, good sir, that even your
own demon is not only reviled, but banished from every land and sea, and you
yourself, who are as it were an image dedicated to him, are bound and led to
punishment, and fastened to the stake, while your demon— or, as you call him,
'the Son of God'— takes no vengeance on the evil-doer?" This answer would be
admissible if we employed such language as he ascribes to us; although even
then he would have no right to call the Son of God a demon. For as we hold that
all demons are evil, He who turns so many men to God is in our view no demon,
but God the Word, and the Son of God. And I know not how Celsus has so far
forgotten himself as to call Jesus Christ a demon, when he nowhere alludes to
the existence of any evil demons. And finally, as to the punishments threatened
against the ungodly, these will come upon them after they have refused all
remedies, and have been, as we may say, visited with an incurable malady of
sinfulness.
 Chapter 40
Such is our doctrine of punishment; and the inculcation of this doctrine
turns many from their sins. But let us see, on the other hand, what is the response
given on this subject by the priest of Jupiter or Apollo of whom Celsus speaks. It
is this: "The mills of the gods grind slowly." Another describes punishment as
reaching "to children's children, and to those who came after them." How much
better are those words of Scripture: "The fathers shall not be put to death for the
children, nor the children for the fathers. Every man shall be put to death for his
own sin." And again, "Every man that eats the sour grape, his teeth shall be set
on edge." And, "The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall
the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be
upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him." If any shall say
that the response, "To children's children, and to those who come after them,"
corresponds with that passage, "Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me," let him
learn from Ezekiel that this language is not to be taken literally; for he reproves
those who say, "Our fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are
set on edge," and then he adds, "As I live, says the Lord, every one shall die for
his own sin." As to the proper meaning of the figurative language about sins
being visited unto the third and fourth generation, we cannot at present stay to
explain.
 Chapter 41
He then goes on to rail against us after the manner of old wives. "You," says
he, "mock and revile the statues of our gods; but if you had reviled Bacchus or
Hercules in person, you would not perhaps have done so with impunity. But
those who crucified your God when present among men, suffered nothing for it,
either at the time or during the whole of their lives. And what new thing has
there happened since then to make us believe that he was not an impostor, but
the Son of God? And forsooth, he who sent his Son with certain instructions for
mankind, allowed him to be thus cruelly treated, and his instructions to perish
with him, without ever during all this long time showing the slightest concern.
What father was ever so inhuman? Perhaps, indeed, you may say that he
suffered so much, because it was his wish to bear what came to him. But it is
open to those whom you maliciously revile, to adopt the same language, and say
that they wish to be reviled, and therefore they bear it with patience; for it is best
to deal equally with both sides—although these (gods) severely punish the
scorner, so that he must either flee and hide himself, or be taken and perish."
Now to these statements I would answer that we revile no one, for we believe
that "revilers will not inherit the kingdom of God." And we read, "Bless them
that curse you; bless, and curse not;" also, "Being reviled, we bless." And even
although the abuse which we pour upon another may seem to have some excuse
in the wrong which we have received from him, yet such abuse is not allowed by
the word of God. And how much more ought we to abstain from reviling others,
when we consider what a great folly it is! And it is equally foolish to apply
abusive language to stone or gold or silver, turned into what is supposed to be
the form of God by those who have no knowledge of God. Accordingly, we
throw ridicule not upon lifeless images, but upon those only who worship them.
Moreover, if certain demons reside in certain images, and one of them passes for
Bacchus, another for Hercules, we do not vilify them: for, on the one hand, it
would be useless; and, on the other, it does not become one who is meek, and
peaceful, and gentle in spirit, and who has learned that no one among men or
demons is to be reviled, however wicked he may be.
 Chapter 42
There is an inconsistency into which, strangely enough, Celsus has fallen
unawares. Those demons or gods whom he extolled a little before, he now shows
to be in fact the vilest of creatures, punishing more for their own revenge than
for the improvement of those who revile them. His words are, "If you had reviled
Bacchus or Hercules when present in person, you would not have escaped with
impunity." How any one can hear without being present in person, I leave any
one who will to explain; as also those other questions, "Why he is sometimes
present, and sometimes absent?" and, "What is the business which takes demons
away from place to place?" Again, when he says, "Those who crucified your
God himself, suffered no harm for doing so," he supposes that it is the body of
Jesus extended on the cross and slain, and not His divine nature, that we call
God; and that it was as God that Jesus was crucified and slain. As we have
already dwelt at length on the sufferings which Jesus suffered as a man, we shall
purposely say no more here, that we may not repeat what we have said already.
But when he goes on to say that "those who inflicted death upon Jesus suffered
nothing afterwards through so long a time," we must inform him, as well as all
who are disposed to learn the truth, that the city in which the Jewish people
called for the crucifixion of Jesus with shouts of "Crucify him, crucify him,"
preferring to have the robber set free, who had been cast into prison for sedition
and murder, and Jesus, who had been delivered through envy, to be crucified—
that this city not long afterwards was attacked, and, after a long siege, was
utterly overthrown and laid waste; for God judged the inhabitants of that place
unworthy of living together the life of citizens. And yet, though it may seem an
incredible thing to say, God spared this people in delivering them to their
enemies; for He saw that they were incurably averse to any amendment, and
were daily sinking deeper and deeper into evil. And all this befell them, because
the blood of Jesus was shed at their instigation and on their land; and the land
was no longer able to bear those who were guilty of so fearful a crime against
Jesus.
 Chapter 43
Some new thing, then, has come to pass since the time that Jesus suffered—
that, I mean, which has happened to the city, to the whole nation, and in the
sudden and general rise of a Christian community. And that, too, is a new thing,
that those who were strangers to the covenants of God, with no part in His
promises, and far from the truth, have by a divine power been enabled to
embrace the truth. These things were not the work of an impostor, but were the
work of God, who sent His Word, Jesus Christ, to make known His purposes.
The sufferings and death which Jesus endured with such fortitude and meekness,
show the cruelty and injustice of those who inflicted them, but they did not
destroy the announcement of the purposes of God; indeed, if we may so say,
they served rather to make them known. For Jesus Himself taught us this when
He said, "Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides by itself
alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit." Jesus, then, who is this grain of
wheat, died, and brought forth much fruit. And the Father is ever looking
forward for the results of the death of the grain of wheat, both those which are
arising now, and those which shall arise hereafter. The Father of Jesus is
therefore a tender and loving Father, though "He spared not His own Son, but
delivered Him up" as His lamb "for us all," that so "the Lamb of God," by dying
for all men, might "take away the sin of the world." It was not by compulsion,
therefore, but willingly, that He bore the reproaches of those who reviled Him.
Then Celsus, returning to those who apply abusive language to images, says: "Of
those whom you load with insults, you may in like manner say that they
voluntarily submit to such treatment, and therefore they bear insults with
patience; for it is best to deal equally with both sides. Yet these severely punish
the scorner, so that he must either flee and hide himself, or be taken and perish."
It is not, then, because Christians cast insults upon demons that they incur their
revenge, but because they drive them away out of the images, and from the
bodies and souls of men. And here, although Celsus perceives it not, he has on
this subject spoken something like the truth; for it is true that the souls of those
who condemn Christians, and betray them, and rejoice in persecuting them, are
filled with wicked demons.
 Chapter 44
But when the souls of those who die for the Christian faith depart from the
body with great glory, they destroy the power of the demons, and frustrate their
designs against men. Wherefore I imagine, that as the demons have learned from
experience that they are defeated and overpowered by the martyrs for the truth,
they are afraid to have recourse again to violence. And thus, until they forget the
defeats they have sustained, it is probable that the world will be at peace with the
Christians. But when they recover their power, and, with eyes blinded by sin,
wish again to take their revenge on Christians, and persecute them, then again
they will be defeated, and then again the souls of the godly, who lay down their
lives for the cause of godliness, shall utterly destroy the army of the wicked one.
And as the demons perceive that those who meet death victoriously for the sake
of religion destroy their authority, while those who give way under their
sufferings, and deny the faith, come under their power, I imagine that at times
they feel a deep interest in Christians when on their trial, and keenly strive to
gain them over to their side, feeling as they do that their confession is torture to
them, and their denial is a relief and encouragement to them. And traces of the
same feeling may be seen in the demeanour of the judges; for they are greatly
distressed at seeing those who bear outrage and torture with patience, but are
greatly elated when a Christian gives way under it. Yet it is from no feeling of
humanity that this arises. They see well, that, while "the tongues" of those who
are overpowered by the tortures "may take the oath, the mind has not sworn."
And this may serve as an answer to the remark of Celsus: "But they severely
punish one who reviles them, so that he must either flee and hide himself, or be
taken and perish." If a Christian ever flees away, it is not from fear, but in
obedience to the command of his Master, that so he may preserve himself, and
employ his strength for the benefit of others.
 Chapter 45
Let us see what Celsus next goes on to say. It is as follows: "What need is
there to collect all the oracular responses, which have been delivered with a
divine voice by priests and priestesses, as well as by others, whether men or
women, who were under a divine influence?— all the wonderful things that have
been heard issuing from the inner sanctuary?— all the revelations that have
been made to those who consulted the sacrificial victims?— and all the
knowledge that has been conveyed to men by other signs and prodigies? To
some the gods have appeared in visible forms. The world is full of such
instances. How many cities have been built in obedience to commands received
from oracles; how often, in the same way, delivered from disease and famine! Or
again, how many cities, from disregard or forgetfulness of these oracles, have
perished miserably! How many colonies have been established and made to
flourish by following their orders! How many princes and private persons have,
from this cause, had prosperity or adversity! How many who mourned over their
childlessness, have obtained the blessing they asked for! How many have turned
away from themselves the anger of demons! How many who were maimed in
their limbs, have had them restored! And again, how many have met with
summary punishment for showing want of reverence to the temples— some being
instantly seized with madness, others openly confessing their crimes, others
having put an end to their lives, and others having become the victims of
incurable maladies! Yea, some have been slain by a terrible voice issuing from
the inner sanctuary." I know not how it comes that Celsus brings forward these
as undoubted facts, while at the same time he treats as mere fables the wonders
which are recorded and handed down to us as having happened among the Jews,
or as having been performed by Jesus and His disciples. For why may not our
accounts be true, and those of Celsus fables and fictions? At least, these latter
were not believed by the followers of Democritus, Epicurus, and Aristotle,
although perhaps these Grecian sects would have been convinced by the
evidence in support of our miracles, if Moses or any of the prophets who
wrought these wonders, or Jesus Christ Himself, had come in their way.
 Chapter 46
It is related of the priestess of Apollo, that she at times allowed herself to be
influenced in her answers by bribes; but our prophets were admired for their
plain truthfulness, not only by their contemporaries, but also by those who lived
in later times. For through the commands pronounced by the prophets cities were
founded, men were cured, and plagues were stayed. Indeed, the whole Jewish
race went out as a colony from Egypt to Palestine, in accordance with the divine
oracles. They also, when they followed the commands of God, were prosperous;
when they departed from them, they suffered reverses. What need is there to
quote all the princes and private persons in Scripture history who fared well or ill
according as they obeyed or despised the words of the prophets? If we refer to
those who were unhappy because they were childless, but who, after offering
prayers to the Creator of all, became fathers and mothers, let any one read the
accounts of Abraham and Sarah, to whom at an advanced age was born Isaac,
the father of the whole Jewish nation: and there are other instances of the same
thing. Let him also read the account of Hezekiah, who not only recovered from
his sickness, according to the prediction of Isaiah, but was also bold enough to
say, "Afterwards I shall beget children, who shall declare Your righteousness."
And in the fourth book of Kings we read that the prophet Elisha made known to
a woman who had received him hospitably, that by the grace of God she should
have a son; and through the prayers of Elisha she became a mother. The maimed
were cured by Jesus in great numbers. And the books of the Maccabees relate
what punishments were inflicted upon those who dared to profane the Jewish
service in the temple at Jerusalem.
 Chapter 47
But the Greeks will say that these accounts are fabulous, although two
whole nations are witnesses to their truth. But why may we not consider the
accounts of the Greeks as fabulous rather than those? Perhaps some one,
however, wishing not to appear blindly to accept his own statements and reject
those of others, would conclude, after a close examination of the matter, that the
wonders mentioned by the Greeks were performed by certain demons; those
among the Jews by prophets or by angels, or by God through the means of
angels; and those recorded by Christians by Jesus Himself, or by His power
working in His apostles. Let us, then, compare all these accounts together; let us
examine into the aim and purpose of those who performed them; and let us
inquire what effect was produced upon the persons on whose account these acts
of kindness were performed, whether beneficial or hurtful, or neither the one nor
the other. The ancient Jewish people, before they sinned against God, and were
for their great wickedness cast off by Him, must evidently have been a people of
great wisdom. But Christians, who have in so wonderful a manner formed
themselves into a community, appear at first to have been more induced by
miracles than by exhortations to forsake the institutions of their fathers, and to
adopt others which were quite strange to them. And indeed, if we were to reason
from what is probable as to the first formation of the Christian society, we
should say that it is incredible that the apostles of Jesus Christ, who were
unlettered men of humble life, could have been emboldened to preach Christian
truth to men by anything else than the power which was conferred upon them,
and the grace which accompanied their words and rendered them effective; and
those who heard them would not have renounced the old-established usages of
their fathers, and been induced to adopt notions so different from those in which
they had been brought up, unless they had been moved by some extraordinary
power, and by the force of miraculous events.
 Chapter 48
In the next place, Celsus, after referring to the enthusiasm with which men
will contend unto death rather than abjure Christianity, adds strangely enough
some remarks, in which he wishes to show that our doctrines are similar to those
delivered by the priests at the celebration of the heathen mysteries. He says,
"Just as you, good sir, believe in eternal punishments, so also do the priests who
interpret and initiate into the sacred mysteries. The same punishments with
which you threaten others, they threaten you. Now it is worthy of examination,
which of the two is more firmly established as true; for both parties contend with
equal assurance that the truth is on their side. But if we require proofs, the
priests of the heathen gods produce many that are clear and convincing, partly
from wonders performed by demons, and partly from the answers given by
oracles, and various other modes of divination." He would, then, have us believe
that we and the interpreters of the mysteries equally teach the doctrine of eternal
punishment, and that it is a matter for inquiry on which side of the two the truth
lies. Now I should say that the truth lies with those who are able to induce their
hearers to live as men who are convinced of the truth of what they have heard.
But Jews and Christians have been thus affected by the doctrines they hold about
what we speak of as the world to come, and the rewards of the righteous, and the
punishments of the wicked. Let Celsus then, or any one who will, show us who
have been moved in this way in regard to eternal punishments by the teaching of
heathen priests and mystagogues. For surely the purpose of him who brought to
light this doctrine was not only to reason upon the subject of punishments, and to
strike men with terror of them, but to induce those who heard the truth to strive
with all their might against those sins which are the causes of punishment. And
those who study the prophecies with care, and are not content with a cursory
perusal of the predictions contained in them, will find them such as to convince
the intelligent and sincere reader that the Spirit of God was in those men, and
that with their writings there is nothing in all the works of demons, responses of
oracles, or sayings of soothsayers, for one moment to be compared.
 Chapter 49
Let us see in what terms Celsus next addresses us: "Besides, is it not most
absurd and inconsistent in you, on the one hand, to make so much of the body as
you do— to expect that the same body will rise again, as though it were the best
and most precious part of us; and yet, on the other, to expose it to such tortures
as though it were worthless? But men who hold such notions, and are so
attached to the body, are not worthy of being reasoned with; for in this and in
other respects they show themselves to be gross, impure, and bent upon revolting
without any reason from the common belief. But I shall direct my discourse to
those who hope for the enjoyment of eternal life with God by means of the soul
or mind, whether they choose to call it a spiritual substance, an intelligent spirit,
holy and blessed, or a living soul, or the heavenly and indestructible offspring of
a divine and incorporeal nature, or by whatever name they designate the
spiritual nature of man. And they are rightly persuaded that those who live well
shall be blessed, and the unrighteous shall all suffer everlasting punishments.
And from this doctrine neither they nor any other should ever swerve." Now, as
he has often already reproached us for our opinions on the resurrection, and as
we have on these occasions defended our opinions in what seemed to us a
reasonable way, we do not intend, at each repetition of the one objection, to go
into a repetition of our defence. Celsus makes an unfounded charge against us
when he ascribes to us the opinion that "there is nothing in our complex nature
better or more precious than the body;" for we hold that far beyond all bodies is
the soul, and especially the reasonable soul; for it is the soul, and not the body,
which bears the likeness of the Creator. For, according to us, God is not
corporeal, unless we fall into the absurd errors of the followers of Zeno and
Chrysippus.
 Chapter 50
But since he reproaches us with too great an anxiety about the body, let him
know that when that feeling is a wrong one we do not share in it, and when it is
indifferent we only long for that which God has promised to the righteous. But
Celsus considers that we are inconsistent with ourselves when we count the body
worthy of honour from God, and therefore hope for its resurrection, and yet at
the same time expose it to tortures as though it were not worthy of honour. But
surely it is not without honour for the body to suffer for the sake of godliness,
and to choose afflictions on account of virtue: the dishonourable thing would be
for it to waste its powers in vicious indulgence. For the divine word says: "What
is an honourable seed? The seed of man. What is a dishonourable seed? The
seed of man." Moreover, Celsus thinks that he ought not to reason with those
who hope for the good of the body, as they are unreasonably intent upon an
object which can never satisfy their expectations. He also calls them gross and
impure men, bent upon creating needless dissensions. But surely he ought, as
one of superior humanity, to assist even the rude and depraved. For society does
not exclude from its pale the coarse and uncultivated, as it does the irrational
animals, but our Creator made us on the same common level with all mankind. It
is not an undignified thing, therefore, to reason even with the coarse and
unrefined, and to try to bring them as far as possible to a higher state of
refinement— to bring the impure to the highest practicable degree of purity— to
bring the unreasoning multitude to reason, and the diseased in mind to spiritual
health.
 Chapter 51
In the next place, he expresses his approval of those who "hope that eternal
life shall be enjoyed with God by the soul or mind, or, as it is variously called,
the spiritual nature, the reasonable soul, intelligent, holy, and blessed;" and he
allows the soundness of the doctrine, "that those who had a good life shall be
happy, and the unrighteous shall suffer eternal punishments." And yet I wonder
at what follows, more than at anything that Celsus has ever said; for he adds,
"And from this doctrine let not them or any one ever swerve." For certainly in
writing against Christians, the very essence of whose faith is God, and the
promises made by Christ to the righteous, and His warnings of punishment
awaiting the wicked, he must see that, if a Christian were brought to renounce
Christianity by his arguments against it, it is beyond doubt that, along with his
Christian faith, he would cast off the very doctrine from which he says that no
Christian and no man should ever swerve. But I think Celsus has been far
surpassed in consideration for his fellow-men by Chrysippus in his treatise, On
the Subjugation of the Passions . For when he sought to apply remedies to the
affections and passions which oppress and distract the human spirit, after
employing such arguments as seemed to himself to be strong, he did not shrink
from using in the second and third place others which he did not himself approve
of. "For," says he, "if it were held by any one that there are three kinds of good,
we must seek to regulate the passions in accordance with that supposition; and
we must not too curiously inquire into the opinions held by a person at the time
that he is under the influence of passion, lest, if we delay too long for the
purpose of overthrowing the opinions by which the mind is possessed, the
opportunity for curing the passion may pass away." And he adds, "Thus,
supposing that pleasure were the highest good, or that he was of that opinion
whose mind was under the dominion of passion, we should not the less give him
help, and show that, even on the principle that pleasure is the highest and final
good of man, all passion is disallowed." And Celsus, in like manner, after having
embraced the doctrine, "that the righteous shall be blessed, and the wicked shall
suffer eternal punishments," should have followed out his subject; and, after
having advanced what seemed to him the chief argument, he should have
proceeded to prove and enforce by further reasons the truth that the unjust shall
surely suffer eternal punishment, and those who lead a good life shall be blessed.
 Chapter 52
For we who have been persuaded by many, yea by innumerable, arguments
to lead a Christian life, are especially anxious to bring all men as far as possible
to receive the whole system of Christian truth; but when we meet with persons
who are prejudiced by the calumnies thrown out against Christians, and who,
from a notion that Christians are an impious people, will not listen to any who
offer to instruct them in the principles of the divine word, then, on the common
principles of humanity, we endeavour to the best of our ability to convince them
of the doctrine of the punishment of the wicked, and to induce even those who
are unwilling to become Christians to accept that truth. And we are thus anxious
to persuade them of the rewards of right living, when we see that many things
which we teach about a healthy moral life are also taught by the enemies of our
faith. For you will find that they have not entirely lost the common notions of
right and wrong, of good and evil. Let all men, therefore, when they look upon
the universe, observe the constant revolution of the unerring stars, the converse
motion of the planets, the constitution of the atmosphere, and its adaptation to
the necessities of the animals, and especially of man, with all the innumerable
contrivances for the well-being of mankind; and then, after thus considering the
order of the universe, let them beware of doing ought which is displeasing to the
Creator of this universe, of the soul and its intelligent principle; and let them rest
assured that punishment shall be inflicted on the wicked, and rewards shall be
bestowed upon the righteous, by Him who deals with every one as he deserves,
and who will proportion His rewards to the good that each has done, and to the
account of himself that he is able to give. And let all men know that the good
shall be advanced to a higher state, and that the wicked shall be delivered over to
sufferings and torments, in punishment of their licentiousness and depravity,
their cowardice, timidity, and all their follies.
 Chapter 53
Having said so much on this subject, let us proceed to another statement of
Celsus: "Since men are born united to a body, whether to suit the order of the
universe, or that they may in that way suffer the punishment of sin; or because
the soul is oppressed by certain passions until it is purged from these at the
appointed period of time,— for, according to Empedocles, all mankind must be
banished from the abodes of the blessed for 30,000 periods of time,— we must
therefore believe that they are entrusted to certain beings as keepers of this
prison-house." You will observe that Celsus, in these remarks, speaks of such
weighty matters in the language of doubtful human conjecture. He adds also
various opinions as to the origin of man, and shows considerable reluctance to
set down any of these opinions as false. When he had once come to the
conclusion neither indiscriminately to accept nor recklessly to reject the opinions
held by the ancients, would it not have been in accordance with that same rule of
judging, if, when he found himself not disposed to believe the doctrines taught
by the Jewish prophets and by Jesus, at any rate to have held them as matters
open to inquiry? And should he not have considered whether it is very probable
that a people who faithfully served the Most High God, and who ofttimes
encountered numberless dangers, and even death, rather than sacrifice the
honour of God, and what they believed to be the revelations of His will, should
have been wholly overlooked by God? Should it not rather be thought probable
that people who despised the efforts of human art to represent the Divine Being,
but strove rather to rise in thought to the knowledge of the Most High, should
have been favoured with some revelation from Himself? Besides, he ought to
have considered that the common Father and Creator of all, who sees and hears
all things, and who duly esteems the intention of every man who seeks Him and
desires to serve Him, will grant unto these also some of the benefits of His rule,
and will give them an enlargement of that knowledge of Himself which He has
once bestowed upon them. If this had been remembered by Celsus and the others
who hate Moses and the Jewish prophets, and Jesus, and His faithful disciples,
who endured so much for the sake of His word, they would not thus have reviled
Moses, and the prophets, and Jesus, and His apostles; and they would not have
singled out for their contempt the Jews beyond all the nations of the earth, and
said they were worse even than the Egyptians,— a people who, either from
superstition or some other form of delusion, went as far as they could in
degrading the Divine Being to the level of brute beasts. And we invite inquiry,
not as though we wished to lead any to doubt regarding the truths of Christianity,
but in order to show that it would be better for those who in every way revile the
doctrines of Christianity, at any rate to suspend their judgment, and not so rashly
to state about Jesus and His apostles such things as they do not know, and as
they cannot prove, either by what the Stoics call "apprehensive perception," or
by any other methods used by different sects of philosophers as criteria of truth.
 Chapter 54
When Celsus adds, "We must therefore believe that men are entrusted to
certain beings who are the keepers of this prison-house," our answer is, that the
souls of those who are called by Jeremiah "prisoners of the earth," when eager
in the pursuit of virtue, are even in this life delivered from the bondage of evil;
for Jesus declared this, as was foretold long before His advent by the prophet
Isaiah, when he said that "the prisoners would go forth, and they that were in
darkness would show themselves." And Jesus Himself, as Isaiah also foretold of
Him, arose as "a light to them that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,"
so that we may therefore say, "Let us break their bands asunder, and cast their
cords from us." If Celsus, and those who like him are opposed to us, had been
able to sound the depths of the Gospel narratives, they would not have
counselled us to put our confidence in those beings whom they call "the keepers
of the prison-house." It is written in the Gospel that a woman was bowed
together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus beheld her, and
perceived from what cause she was bowed together, he said, "Ought not this
daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be
loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" And how many others are still
bowed down and bound by Satan, who hinders them from looking up at all, and
who would have us to look down also! And no one can raise them up, except the
Word, that came by Jesus Christ, and that aforetime inspired the prophets. And
Jesus came to release those who were under the dominion of the devil; and,
speaking of him, He said with that depth of meaning which characterized His
words, "Now is the prince of this world judged." We are, then, indulging in no
baseless calumnies against demons, but are condemning their agency upon earth
as destructive to mankind, and show that, under cover of oracles and bodily
cures, and such other means, they are seeking to separate from God the soul
which has descended to this "body of humiliation;" and those who feel this
humiliation exclaim, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death?" It is not in vain, therefore, that we expose our bodies to be
beaten and tortured; for surely it is not in vain for a man to submit to such
sufferings, if by that means he may avoid bestowing the name of gods on those
earthly spirits that unite with their worshippers to bring him to destruction.
Indeed, we think it both reasonable in itself and well-pleasing to God, to suffer
pain for the sake of virtue, to undergo torture for the sake of piety, and even to
suffer death for the sake of holiness; for "precious in the sight of God is the
death of His saints;" and we maintain that to overcome the love of life is to
enjoy a great good. But when Celsus compares us to notorious criminals, who
justly suffer punishment for their crimes, and does not shrink from placing so
laudable a purpose as that which we set before us upon the same level with the
obstinacy of criminals, he makes himself the brother and companion of those
who accounted Jesus among criminals, fulfilling the Scripture, which says, "He
was numbered with transgressors."
 Chapter 55
Celsus goes on to say: "They must make their choice between two
alternatives. If they refuse to render due service to the gods, and to respect those
who are set over this service, let them not come to manhood, or marry wives, or
have children, or indeed take any share in the affairs of life; but let them depart
hence with all speed, and leave no posterity behind them, that such a race may
become extinct from the face of the earth. Or, on the other hand, if they will take
wives, and bring up children, and taste of the fruits of the earth, and partake of
all the blessings of life, and bear its appointed sorrows (for nature herself has
allotted sorrows to all men; for sorrows must exist, and earth is the only place
for them), then must they discharge the duties of life until they are released from
its bonds, and render due honour to those beings who control the affairs of this
life, if they would not show themselves ungrateful to them. For it would be unjust
in them, after receiving the good things which they dispense, to pay them no
tribute in return." To this we reply, that there appears to us to be no good reason
for our leaving this world, except when piety and virtue require it; as when, for
example, those who are set as judges, and think that they have power over our
lives, place before us the alternative either to live in violation of the commands
of Jesus, or to die if we continue obedient to them. But God has allowed us to
marry, because all are not fit for the higher, that is, the perfectly pure life; and
God would have us to bring up all our children, and not to destroy any of the
offspring given us by His providence. And this does not conflict with our
purpose not to obey the demons that are on the earth; for, "being armed with the
whole armour of God, we stand" as athletes of piety against the race of demons
that plot against us.
 Chapter 56
Although, therefore, Celsus would, in his own words, "drive us with all
haste out of life," so that "such a race may become extinct from the earth;" yet
we, along with those who worship the Creator, will live according to the laws of
God, never consenting to obey the laws of sin. We will marry if we wish, and
bring up the children given to us in marriage; and if need be, we will not only
partake of the blessings of life, but bear its appointed sorrows as a trial to our
souls. For in this way is divine Scripture accustomed to speak of human
afflictions, by which, as gold is tried in the fire, so the spirit of man is tried, and
is found to be worthy either of condemnation or of praise. For those things
which Celsus calls evils we are therefore prepared, and are ready to say, "Try
me, O Lord, and prove me; purge my reins and my heart." For "no one will be
crowned," unless here upon earth, with this body of humiliation, "he strive
lawfully." Further, we do not pay honours supposed to be due to those whom
Celsus speaks of as being set over the affairs of the world. For we worship the
Lord our God, and Him only do we serve, and desire to be followers of Christ,
who, when the devil said to Him, "All these things will I give you if you will fall
down and worship me," answered him by the words, "You shall worship the
Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." Wherefore we do not render the
honour supposed to be due to those who, according to Celsus, are set over the
affairs of this world; for "no man can serve two masters," and we "cannot serve
God and mammon," whether this name be applied to one or more. Moreover, if
any one "by transgressing the law dishonours the lawgiver," it seems clear to us
that if the two laws, the law of God and the law of mammon, are completely
opposed to each other, it is better for us by transgressing the law of mammon to
dishonour mammon, that we may honour God by keeping His law, than by
transgressing the law of God to dishonour God, that by obeying the law of
mammon we may honour mammon.
 Chapter 57
Celsus supposes that men "discharge the duties of life until they are
loosened from its bonds," when, in accordance with commonly received
customs, they offer sacrifices to each of the gods recognised in the state; and he
fails to perceive the true duty which is fulfilled by an earnest piety. For we say
that he truly discharges the duties of life who is ever mindful who is his Creator,
and what things are agreeable to Him, and who acts in all things so that he may
please God. Again, Celsus wishes us to be thankful to these demons, imagining
that we owe them thank-offerings. But we, while recognising the duty of
thankfulness, maintain that we show no ingratitude by refusing to give thanks to
beings who do us no good, but who rather set themselves against us when we
neither sacrifice to them nor worship them. We are much more concerned lest
we should be ungrateful to God, who has loaded us with His benefits, whose
workmanship we are, who cares for us in whatever condition we may be, and
who has given us hopes of things beyond this present life. And we have a
symbol of gratitude to God in the bread which we call the Eucharist. Besides, as
we have shown before, the demons have not the control of those things which
have been created for our use; we commit no wrong, therefore, when we partake
of created things, and yet refuse to offer sacrifices to beings who have no
concern with them. Moreover, as we know that it is not demons, but angels, who
have been set over the fruits of the earth, and over the birth of animals, it is the
latter that we praise and bless, as having been appointed by God over the things
needful for our race; yet even to them we will not give the honour which is due
to God. For this would not be pleasing to God, nor would it be any pleasure to
the angels themselves to whom these things have been committed. Indeed, they
are much more pleased if we refrain from offering sacrifices to them than if we
offer them; for they have no desire for the sacrificial odours which rise from the
earth.
 Chapter 58
Celsus goes on to say: "Let any one inquire of the Egyptians, and he will
find that everything, even to the most insignificant, is committed to the care of a
certain demon. The body of man is divided into thirty-six parts, and as many
demons of the air are appointed to the care of it, each having charge of a
different part, although others make the number much larger. All these demons
have in the language of that country distinct names; as Chnoumen,
Chnachoumen, Cnat, Sicat, Biou, Erou, Erebiou, Ramanor, Reianoor, and other
such Egyptian names. Moreover, they call upon them, and are cured of diseases
of particular parts of the body. What, then, is there to prevent a man from giving
honour to these or to others, if he would rather be in health than be sick, rather
have prosperity than adversity, and be freed as much as possible from all
plagues and troubles?" In this way, Celsus seeks to degrade our souls to the
worship of demons, under the assumption that they have possession of our
bodies, and that each one has power over a separate member. And he wishes us
on this ground to put confidence in these demons of which he speaks, and to
serve them, in order that we may be in health rather than be sick, have prosperity
rather than adversity, and may as far as possible escape all plagues and troubles.
The honour of the Most High God, which cannot be divided or shared with
another, is so lightly esteemed by him, that he cannot believe in the ability of
God, if called upon and highly honoured, to give to those who serve Him a
power by which they may be defended from the assaults directed by demons
against the righteous. For he has never beheld the efficacy of those words, "in
the name of Jesus," when uttered by the truly faithful, to deliver not a few from
demons and demoniacal possessions and other plagues.
 Chapter 59
Probably those who embrace the views of Celsus will smile at us when we
say, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, of things on
earth, and of things under the earth, and every tongue" is brought to "confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." But although they may
ridicule such a statement, yet they will receive much more convincing arguments
in support of it than Celsus brings in behalf of Chnoumen, Chnachoumen, Cnat,
Sicat, and the rest of the Egyptian catalogue, whom he mentions as being called
upon, and as healing the diseases of different parts of the human body. And
observe how, while seeking to turn us away from our faith in the God of all
through Jesus Christ, he exhorts us for the welfare of our bodies to faith in six-
and-thirty barbarous demons, whom the Egyptian magi alone call upon in some
unknown way, and promise us in return great benefits. According to Celsus,
then, it would be better for us now to give ourselves up to magic and sorcery
than to embrace Christianity, and to put our faith in an innumerable multitude of
demons than in the almighty, living, self-revealing God, who has manifested
Himself by Him who by His great power has spread the true principles of
holiness among all men throughout the world; yea, I may add without
exaggeration, He has given this knowledge to all beings everywhere possessed
of reason, and needing deliverance from the plague and corruption of sin.
 Chapter 60
Celsus, however, suspecting that the tendency of such teaching as he here
gives is to lead to magic, and dreading that harm may arise from these
statements, adds: "Care, however, must be taken lest any one, by familiarizing
his mind with these matters, should become too much engrossed with them, and
lest, through an excessive regard for the body, he should have his mind turned
away from higher things, and allow them to pass into oblivion. For perhaps we
ought not to despise the opinion of those wise men who say that most of the
earth-demons are taken up with carnal indulgence, blood, odours, sweet sounds,
and other such sensual things; and therefore they are unable to do more than
heal the body, or foretell the fortunes of men and cities, and do other such things
as relate to this mortal life." If there is, then, such a dangerous tendency in this
direction, as even the enemy of the truth of God confesses, how much better is it
to avoid all danger of giving ourselves too much up to the power of such
demons, and of becoming turned aside from higher things, and suffering them to
pass into oblivion through an excessive attention to the body; by entrusting
ourselves to the Supreme God through Jesus Christ, who has given us such
instruction, and asking of Him all help, and the guardianship of holy and good
angels, to defend us from the earth-spirits intent on lust, and blood, and
sacrificial odours, and strange sounds, and other sensual things! For even, by the
confession of Celsus, they can do nothing more than cure the body. But, indeed,
I would say that it is not clear that these demons, however much they are
reverenced, can even cure the body. But in seeking recovery from disease, a man
must either follow the more ordinary and simple method, and have recourse to
medical art; or if he would go beyond the common methods adopted by men, he
must rise to the higher and better way of seeking the blessing of Him who is God
over all, through piety and prayers.
 Chapter 61
For consider with yourself which disposition of mind will be more
acceptable to the Most High, whose power is supreme and universal, and who
directs all for the welfare of mankind in body, and in mind, and in outward
things—whether that of the man who gives himself up to God in all things, or
that of the man who is curiously inquisitive about the names of demons, their
powers and agency, the incantations, the herbs proper to them, and the stones
with the inscriptions graven on them, corresponding symbolically or otherwise
to their traditional shapes? It is plain even to the least intelligent, that the
disposition of the man who is simpleminded and not given to curious inquiries,
but in all things devoted to the divine will, will be most pleasing to God, and to
all those who are like God; but that of the man who, for the sake of bodily
health, of bodily enjoyment, and outward prosperity, busies himself about the
names of demons, and inquires by what incantations he shall appease them, will
be condemned by God as bad and impious, and more agreeable to the nature of
demons than of men, and will be given over to be torn and otherwise tormented
by demons. For it is probable that they, as being wicked creatures, and, as Celsus
confesses, addicted to blood, sacrificial odours, sweet sounds, and such like, will
not keep their most solemn promises to those who supply them with these things.
For if others invoke their aid against the persons who have already called upon
them, and purchase their favour with a larger supply of blood, and odours, and
such offerings as they require, they will take part against those who yesterday
sacrificed and presented pleasant offerings to them.
 Chapter 62
In a former passage, Celsus had spoken at length on the subject of oracles,
and had referred us to their answers as being the voice of the gods; but now he
makes amends, and confesses that "those who foretell the fortunes of men and
cities, and concern themselves about mortal affairs, are earth-spirits, who are
given up to fleshly lust, blood, odours, sweet sounds, and other such things, and
who are unable to rise above these sensual objects." Perhaps, when we opposed
the theological teaching of Celsus in regard to oracles, and the honour done to
those called gods, some one might suspect us of impiety when we alleged that
these were stratagems of demoniacal powers, to draw men away to carnal
indulgence. But any who entertained this suspicion against us, may now believe
that the statements put forth by Christians were well-founded, when they see the
above passage from the writings of one who is a professed adversary of
Christianity, but who now at length writes as one who has been overcome by the
spirit of truth. Although, therefore, Celsus says that "we must offer sacrifices to
them, in so far as they are profitable to us, for to offer them indiscriminately is
not allowed by reason," yet we are not to offer sacrifices to demons addicted to
blood and odours; nor is the Divine Being to be profaned in our minds, by being
brought down to the level of wicked demons. If Celsus had carefully weighed
the meaning of the word "profitable," and had considered that the truest profit
lies in virtue and in virtuous action, he would not have applied the phrase "as far
as it is profitable" to the service of such demons, as he has acknowledged them
to be. If, then, health of body and success in life were to come to us on condition
of our serving such demons, we should prefer sickness and misfortune
accompanied with the consciousness of our being truly devoted to the will of
God. For this is preferable to being mortally diseased in mind, and wretched
through being separate and outcasts from God, though healthy in body and
abounding in earthly prosperity. And we would rather go for help to one who
seeks nothing whatever but the well-being of men and of all rational creatures,
than to those who delight in blood and sacrificial odours.
 Chapter 63
After having said so much of the demons, and of their fondness for blood
and the odour of sacrifices, Celsus adds, as though wishing to retract the charge
he had made: "The more just opinion is, that demons desire nothing and need
nothing, but that they take pleasure in those who discharge towards them offices
of piety." If Celsus believed this to be true, he should have said so, instead of
making his previous statements. But, indeed, human nature is never utterly
forsaken by God and His only-begotten Son, the Truth. Wherefore even Celsus
spoke the truth when he made the demons take pleasure in the blood and smoke
of victims; although, by the force of his own evil nature, he falls back into his
errors, and compares demons with men who rigorously discharge every duty,
even to those who show no gratitude; while to those who are grateful they
abound in acts of kindness. Here Celsus appears to me to get into confusion. At
one time his judgment is darkened by the influence of demons, and at another he
recovers from their deluding power, and gets some glimpses of the truth. For
again he adds: "We must never in any way lose our hold of God, whether by day
or by night, whether in public or in secret, whether in word or in deed, but in
whatever we do, or abstain from doing." That is, as I understand it, whatever we
do in public, in all our actions, in all our words, "let the soul be constantly fixed
upon God." And yet again, as though, after struggling in argument against the
insane inspirations of demons, he were completely overcome by them, he adds:
"If this is the case, what harm is there in gaining the favour of the rulers of the
earth, whether of a nature different from ours, or human princes and kings? For
these have gained their dignity through the instrumentality of demons." In a
former part, Celsus did his utmost to debase our souls to the worship of demons;
and now he wishes us to seek the favour of kings and princes, of whom, as the
world and all history are full of them, I do not consider it necessary to quote
examples.
 Chapter 64
There is therefore One whose favour we should seek, and to whom we
ought to pray that He would be gracious to us— the Most High God, whose
favour is gained by piety and the practice of every virtue. And if he would have
us to seek the favour of others after the Most High God, let him consider that, as
the motion of the shadow follows that of the body which casts it, so in like
manner it follows, that when we have the favour of God, we have also the good-
will of all angels and spirits who are friends of God. For they know who are
worthy of the divine approval, and they are not only well disposed to them, but
they co-operate with them in their endeavours to please God: they seek His
favour on their behalf; with their prayers they join their own prayers and
intercessions for them. We may indeed boldly say, that men who aspire after
better things have, when they pray to God, tens of thousands of sacred powers
upon their side. These, even when not asked, pray with them, they bring succour
to our mortal race, and if I may so say, take up arms alongside of it: for they see
demons warring and fighting most keenly against the salvation of those who
devote themselves to God, and despise the hostility of demons; they see them
savage in their hatred of the man who refuses to serve them with the blood and
fumes of sacrifices, but rather strives in every way, by word and deed, to be in
peace and union with the Most High through Jesus, who put to flight multitudes
of demons when He went about "healing," and delivering "all who were
oppressed by the devil."
 Chapter 65
Moreover, we are to despise ingratiating ourselves with kings or any other
men, not only if their favour is to be won by murders, licentiousness, or deeds of
cruelty, but even if it involves impiety towards God, or any servile expressions
of flattery and obsequiousness, which things are unworthy of brave and high-
principled men, who aim at joining with their other virtues that highest of
virtues, patience and fortitude. But while we do nothing which is contrary to the
law and word of God, we are not so mad as to stir up against us the wrath of
kings and princes, which will bring upon us sufferings and tortures, or even
death. For we read: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there
is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever
therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God." These words we have
in our exposition of the Epistle to the Romans, to the best of our ability,
explained at length, and with various applications; but for the present we have
taken them in their more obvious and generally received acceptation, to meet the
saying of Celsus, that "it is not without the power of demons that kings have
been raised to their regal dignity." Here much might be said on the constitution
of kings and rulers, for the subject is a wide one, embracing such rulers as reign
cruelly and tyrannically, and such as make the kingly office the means of
indulging in luxury and sinful pleasures. We shall therefore, for the present, pass
over the full consideration of this subject. We will, however, never swear by "the
fortune of the king," nor by ought else that is considered equivalent to God. For
if the word "fortune" is nothing but an expression for the uncertain course of
events, as some say, although they seem not to be agreed, we do not swear by
that as God which has no existence, as though it did really exist and was able to
do something, lest we should bind ourselves by an oath to things which have no
existence. If, on the other hand (as is thought by others, who say that to swear by
the fortune of the king of the Romans is to swear by his demon), what is called
the fortune of the king is in the power of demons, then in that case we must die
sooner than swear by a wicked and treacherous demon, that ofttimes sins along
with the man of whom it gains possession, and sins even more than he.
 Chapter 66
Then Celsus, following the example of those who are under the influence of
demons— at one time recovering, at another relapsing, as though he were again
becoming sensible— says: "If, however, any worshipper of God should be
ordered to do anything impious, or to say anything base, such a command
should in no way be regarded; but we must encounter all kinds of torment, or
submit to any kind of death, rather than say or even think anything unworthy of
God." Again, however, from ignorance of our principles, and in entire confusion
of thought, he says: "But if any one commands you to celebrate the sun, or to
sing a joyful triumphal song in praise of Minerva, you will by celebrating their
praises seem to render the higher praise to God; for piety, in extending to all
things, becomes more perfect." To this our answer is, that we do not wait for any
command to celebrate the praises of the sun; for we have been taught to speak
well not only of those creatures that are obedient to the will of God, but even of
our enemies. We therefore praise the sun as the glorious workmanship of God,
which obeys His laws and hearkens to the call, "Praise the Lord, sun and moon,"
and with all your powers show forth the praises of the Father and Creator of all.
Minerva, however, whom Celsus classes with the sun, is the subject of various
Grecian myths, whether these contain any hidden meaning or not. They say that
Minerva sprang fully armed from the brain of Jupiter; that when she was pursued
by Vulcan, she fled from him to preserve her honour; and that from the seed
which fell to the ground in the heat of Vulcan's passion, there grew a child whom
Minerva brought up and called Erichthonius,

That owed his nurture to the blue-eyed maid,

But from the teeming furrow took his birth,
The mighty offspring of the foodful earth.

It is therefore evident, that if we admit Minerva the daughter of Jupiter, we

must also admit many fables and fictions which can be allowed by no one who
discards fables and seeks after truth.
 Chapter 67
And to regard these myths in a figurative sense, and consider Minerva as
representing prudence, let any one show what were the actual facts of her
history, upon which this allegory is based. For, supposing honour was given to
Minerva as having been a woman of ancient times, by those who instituted
mysteries and ceremonies for their followers, and who wished her name to be
celebrated as that of a goddess, much more are we forbidden to pay divine
honours to Minerva, if we are not permitted to worship so glorious an object as
the sun, although we may celebrate its glory. Celsus, indeed, says that "we seem
to do the greater honour to the great God when we sing hymns in honour of the
sun and Minerva;" but we know it to be the opposite of that. For we sing hymns
to the Most High alone, and His Only-begotten, who is the Word and God; and
we praise God and His Only-begotten, as do also the sun, the moon, the stars,
and all the host of heaven. For these all form a divine chorus, and unite with the
just among men in celebrating the praises of the Most High God and His Only-
begotten. We have already said that we must not swear by a human king, or by
what is called "the fortune of the king." It is therefore unnecessary for us again to
refute these statements: "If you are commanded to swear by a human king, there
is nothing wrong in that. For to him has been given whatever there is upon
earth; and whatever you receive in this life, you receive from him." We deny,
however, that all things which are on the earth have been given to the king, or
that whatever we receive in this life we receive from him. For whatever we
receive rightly and honourably we receive from God, and by His providence, as
ripe fruits, and "grain which strengthens man's heart, and the pleasant vine, and
wine which rejoices the heart of man." And moreover, the fruit of the olive-tree,
to make his face to shine, we have from the providence of God.
 Chapter 68
Celsus goes on to say: "We must not disobey the ancient writer, who said
long ago, 'Let one be king, whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed;'" and adds:
"If you set aside this maxim, you will deservedly suffer for it at the hands of the
king. For if all were to do the same as you, there would be nothing to prevent his
being left in utter solitude and desertion, and the affairs of the earth would fall
into the hands of the wildest and most lawless barbarians; and then there would
no longer remain among men any of the glory of your religion or of the true
wisdom." If, then, "there shall be one lord, one king," he must be, not the man
"whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed," but the man to whom He gave the
power, who "removes kings and sets up kings," and who "raises up the useful
man in time of need upon earth." [ Sirach 10:4 ] For kings are not appointed by
that son of Saturn, who, according to Grecian fable, hurled his father from his
throne, and sent him down to Tartarus (whatever interpretation may be given to
this allegory), but by God, who governs all things, and who wisely arranges
whatever belongs to the appointment of kings. We therefore do set aside the
maxim contained in the line,

"Whom the son of crafty Saturn appointed;"

for we know that no god or father of a god ever devises anything crooked or
crafty. But we are far from setting aside the notion of a providence, and of things
happening directly or indirectly through the agency of providence. And the king
will not "inflict deserved punishment" upon us, if we say that not the son of
crafty Saturn gave him his kingdom, but He who "removes and sets up kings."
And would that all were to follow my example in rejecting the maxim of Homer,
maintaining the divine origin of the kingdom, and observing the precept to
honour the king! In these circumstances the king will not "be left in utter
solitude and desertion," neither will "the affairs of the world fall into the hands
of the most impious and wild barbarians." For if, in the words of Celsus, "they
do as I do," then it is evident that even the barbarians, when they yield obedience
to the word of God, will become most obedient to the law, and most humane;
and every form of worship will be destroyed except the religion of Christ, which
will alone prevail. And indeed it will one day triumph, as its principles take
possession of the minds of men more and more every day.
 Chapter 69
Celsus, then, as if not observing that he was saying anything inconsistent
with the words he had just used, "if all were to do the same as you," adds: "You
surely do not say that if the Romans were, in compliance with your wish, to
neglect their customary duties to gods and men, and were to worship the Most
High, or whatever you please to call him, that he will come down and fight for
them, so that they shall need no other help than his. For this same God, as
yourselves say, promised of old this and much more to those who served him,
and see in what way he has helped them and you! They, in place of being
masters of the whole world, are left with not so much as a patch of ground or a
home; and as for you, if any of you transgresses even in secret, he is sought out
and punished with death." As the question started is, "What would happen if the
Romans were persuaded to adopt the principles of the Christians, to despise the
duties paid to the recognised gods and to men, and to worship the Most High?"
this is my answer to the question. We say that "if two" of us "shall agree on
earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of the
Father" of the just, "which is in heaven;" for God rejoices in the agreement of
rational beings, and turns away from discord. And what are we to expect, if not
only a very few agree, as at present, but the whole of the empire of Rome? For
they will pray to the Word, who of old said to the Hebrews, when they were
pursued by the Egyptians, "The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your
peace;" and if they all unite in prayer with one accord, they will be able to put to
flight far more enemies than those who were discomfited by the prayer of Moses
when he cried to the Lord, and of those who prayed with him. Now, if what God
promised to those who keep His law has not come to pass, the reason of its
nonfulfilment is not to be ascribed to the unfaithfulness of God. But He had
made the fulfilment of His promises to depend on certain conditions—namely,
that they should observe and live according to His law; and if the Jews have not
a plot of ground nor a habitation left to them, although they had received these
conditional promises, the entire blame is to be laid upon their crimes, and
especially upon their guilt in the treatment of Jesus.
 Chapter 70
But if all the Romans, according to the supposition of Celsus, embrace the
Christian faith, they will, when they pray, overcome their enemies; or rather,
they will not war at all, being guarded by that divine power which promised to
save five entire cities for the sake of fifty just persons. For men of God are
assuredly the salt of the earth: they preserve the order of the world; and society
is held together as long as the salt is uncorrupted: for "if the salt have lost its
savour, it is neither fit for the land nor for the dunghill; but it shall be cast out,
and trodden under foot of men. He that has ears, let him hear" the meaning of
these words. When God gives to the tempter permission to persecute us, then we
suffer persecution; and when God wishes us to be free from suffering, even in
the midst of a world that hates us, we enjoy a wonderful peace, trusting in the
protection of Him who said, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
And truly He has overcome the world. Wherefore the world prevails only so
long as it is the pleasure of Him who received from the Father power to
overcome the world; and from His victory we take courage. Should He even
wish us again to contend and struggle for our religion, let the enemy come
against us, and we will say to them, "I can do all things, through Christ Jesus
our Lord, which strengthens me." For of "two sparrows which are sold for a
farthing," as the Scripture says, "not one of them falls on the ground without our
Father in heaven." And so completely does the Divine Providence embrace all
things, that not even the hairs of our head fail to be numbered by Him.
 Chapter 71
Celsus again, as is usual with him, gets confused, and attributes to us things
which none of us have ever written. His words are: "Surely it is intolerable for
you to say, that if our present rulers, on embracing your opinions, are taken by
the enemy, you will still be able to persuade those who rule after them; and after
these have been taken you will persuade their successors and so on, until at
length, when all who have yielded to your persuasion have been taken, some
prudent ruler shall arise, with a foresight of what is impending, and he will
destroy you all utterly before he himself perishes." There is no need of any
answer to these allegations: for none of us says of our present rulers, that if they
embrace our opinions, and are taken by the enemy, we shall be able to persuade
their successors; and when these are taken, those who come after them, and so
on in succession. But on what does he ground the assertion, that when a
succession of those who have yielded to our persuasion have been taken because
they did not drive back the enemy, some prudent ruler shall arise, with a
foresight of what is impending, who shall utterly destroy us? But here he seems
to me to delight in inventing and uttering the wildest nonsense.
 Chapter 72
Afterwards he says: "If it were possible," implying at the same time that he
thought it most desirable, "that all the inhabitants of Asia, Europe, and Libya,
Greeks and Barbarians, all to the uttermost ends of the earth, were to come
under one law;" but judging this quite impossible, he adds, "Any one who thinks
this possible, knows nothing." It would require careful consideration and
lengthened argument to prove that it is not only possible, but that it will surely
come to pass, that all who are endowed with reason shall come under one law.
However, if we must refer to this subject, it will be with great brevity. The
Stoics, indeed, hold that, when the strongest of the elements prevails, all things
shall be turned into fire. But our belief is, that the Word shall prevail over the
entire rational creation, and change every soul into His own perfection; in which
state every one, by the mere exercise of his power, will choose what he desires,
and obtain what he chooses. For although, in the diseases and wounds of the
body, there are some which no medical skill can cure, yet we hold that in the
mind there is no evil so strong that it may not be overcome by the Supreme
Word and God. For stronger than all the evils in the soul is the Word, and the
healing power that dwells in Him; and this healing He applies, according to the
will of God, to every man. The consummation of all things is the destruction of
evil, although as to the question whether it shall be so destroyed that it can never
anywhere arise again, it is beyond our present purpose to say. Many things are
said obscurely in the prophecies on the total destruction of evil, and the
restoration to righteousness of every soul; but it will be enough for our present
purpose to quote the following passage from Zephaniah: "Prepare and rise
early; all the gleanings of their vineyards are destroyed. Therefore wait upon
Me, says the Lord, on the day that I rise up for a testimony; for My
determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kings, to pour
upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger: for all the earth shall be
devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure
language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with
one consent. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My suppliants, even the
daughter of My dispersed, shall bring My offering. In that day shall you not be
ashamed for all your doings, wherein you have transgressed against Me: for
then I will take away out of the midst of you them that rejoice in your pride; and
you shall no more be haughty because of My holy mountain. I will also leave in
the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of
the Lord . The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither
shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down,
and none shall make them afraid." I leave it to those who are able, after a careful
study of the whole subject, to unfold the meaning of this prophecy, and
especially to inquire into the signification of the words, "When the whole earth is
destroyed, there will be turned upon the peoples a language according to their
race," as things were before the confusion of tongues. Let them also carefully
consider the promise, that all shall call upon the name of the Lord, and serve
Him with one consent; also that all contemptuous reproach shall be taken away,
and there shall be no longer any injustice, or vain speech, or a deceitful tongue.
And thus much it seemed needful for me to say briefly, and without entering into
elaborate details, in answer to the remark of Celsus, that he considered any
agreement between the inhabitants of Asia, Europe, and Libya, as well Greeks as
Barbarians, was impossible. And perhaps such a result would indeed be
impossible to those who are still in the body, but not to those who are released
from it.
 Chapter 73
In the next place, Celsus urges us "to help the king with all our might, and
to labour with him in the maintenance of justice, to fight for him; and if he
requires it, to fight under him, or lead an army along with him." To this our
answer is, that we do, when occasion requires, give help to kings, and that, so to
say, a divine help, "putting on the whole armour of God." And this we do in
obedience to the injunction of the apostle, "I exhort, therefore, that first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
for kings, and for all that are in authority;" and the more any one excels in piety,
the more effective help does he render to kings, even more than is given by
soldiers, who go forth to fight and slay as many of the enemy as they can. And to
those enemies of our faith who require us to bear arms for the commonwealth,
and to slay men, we can reply: "Do not those who are priests at certain shrines,
and those who attend on certain gods, as you account them, keep their hands
free from blood, that they may with hands unstained and free from human blood
offer the appointed sacrifices to your gods; and even when war is upon you, you
never enlist the priests in the army. If that, then, is a laudable custom, how much
more so, that while others are engaged in battle, these too should engage as the
priests and ministers of God, keeping their hands pure, and wrestling in prayers
to God on behalf of those who are fighting in a righteous cause, and for the king
who reigns righteously, that whatever is opposed to those who act righteously
may be destroyed!" And as we by our prayers vanquish all demons who stir up
war, and lead to the violation of oaths, and disturb the peace, we in this way are
much more helpful to the kings than those who go into the field to fight for
them. And we do take our part in public affairs, when along with righteous
prayers we join self-denying exercises and meditations, which teach us to
despise pleasures, and not to be led away by them. And none fight better for the
king than we do. We do not indeed fight under him, although he require it; but
we fight on his behalf, forming a special army— an army of piety— by offering
our prayers to God.
 Chapter 74
And if Celsus would have us to lead armies in defence of our country, let
him know that we do this too, and that not for the purpose of being seen by men,
or of vainglory. For "in secret," and in our own hearts, there are prayers which
ascend as from priests in behalf of our fellow citizens. And Christians are
benefactors of their country more than others. For they train up citizens, and
inculcate piety to the Supreme Being; and they promote those whose lives in the
smallest cities have been good and worthy, to a divine and heavenly city, to
whom it may be said, "You have been faithful in the smallest city, come into a
great one," where "God stands in the assembly of the gods, and judges the gods
in the midst;" and He reckons you among them, if you no more "die as a man, or
fall as one of the princes."
 Chapter 75
Celsus also urges us to "take office in the government of the country, if that
is required for the maintenance of the laws and the support of religion." But we
recognise in each state the existence of another national organization, founded
by the Word of God, and we exhort those who are mighty in word and of
blameless life to rule over Churches. Those who are ambitious of ruling we
reject; but we constrain those who, through excess of modesty, are not easily
induced to take a public charge in the Church of God. And those who rule over
us well are under the constraining influence of the great King, whom we believe
to be the Son of God, God the Word. And if those who govern in the Church,
and are called rulers of the divine nation— that is, the Church— rule well, they
rule in accordance with the divine commands, and never suffer themselves to be
led astray by worldly policy. And it is not for the purpose of escaping public
duties that Christians decline public offices, but that they may reserve
themselves for a diviner and more necessary service in the Church of God— for
the salvation of men. And this service is at once necessary and right. They take
charge of all— of those that are within, that they may day by day lead better
lives, and of those that are without, that they may come to abound in holy words
and in deeds of piety; and that, while thus worshipping God truly, and training
up as many as they can in the same way, they may be filled with the word of
God and the law of God, and thus be united with the Supreme God through His
Son the Word, Wisdom, Truth, and Righteousness, who unites to God all who
are resolved to conform their lives in all things to the law of God.
 Chapter 76
You have here, reverend Ambrosius, the conclusion of what we have been
enabled to accomplish by the power given to us in obedience to your command.
In eight books we have embraced all that we considered it proper to say in reply
to that book of Celsus which he entitles A True Discourse . And now it remains
for the readers of his discourse and of my reply to judge which of the two
breathes most of the Spirit of the true God, of piety towards Him, and of that
truth which leads men by sound doctrines to the noblest life. You must know,
however, that Celsus had promised another treatise as a sequel to this one, in
which he engaged to supply practical rules of living to those who felt disposed to
embrace his opinions. If, then, he has not fulfilled his promise of writing a
second book, we may well be contented with these eight books which we have
written in answer to his discourse. But if he has begun and finished that second
book, pray obtain it and send it to us, that we may answer it as the Father of truth
may give us ability, and either overthrow the false teaching that may be in it, or,
laying aside all jealousy, we may testify our approval of whatever truth it may
contain.
[Glory Be to You, Our God; Glory Be to You.]
 Letter to Gregory
When and to whom the Learning derived from Philosophy may
be of Service for the Exposition of the Holy Scriptures; with a lively
Personal Appeal.
This letter to Gregory, afterwards bishop of Cæsarea, and called
Thaumaturgus, was preserved in the Philocalia, or collection of extracts from
Origen's works drawn up by Gregory of Nyssa and Basil of Cæsarea. It is printed
by Delarue and Lommatzsch in the forefront of their editions of the works. It
forms a good preface to the commentaries, as it shows how Origen considered
the study of Scripture to be the highest of all studies, and how he regarded
scientific learning, in which he was himself a master, as merely preparatory for
this supreme learning. Dräseke has shown that it was written about 235, when
Origen, after having had Gregory as his pupil at Cæsarea for some years, had
fled before the persecution under Maximinus Thrax to Cappadocia; while
Gregory, to judge from the tenor of this Epistle, had gone to Egypt. The
Panegyric on Origen, pronounced by Gregory at Cæsarea about 239, when the
school had reassembled there after the persecution, shows that the master's
solicitude for his pupil's true advancement was not disappointed.

1. Gregory is Urged to Apply His Gentile Learning to

the Study of Scripture
All hail to you in God, most excellent and reverend Sir, son Gregory, from
Origen. A natural quickness of understanding is fitted, as you are well aware, if
it be diligently exercised, to produce a work which may bring its owner so far as
is possible, if I may so express myself, to the consummation of the art the which
he desires to practise, and your natural aptitude is sufficient to make you a
consummate Roman lawyer and a Greek philosopher too of the most famous
consummate Roman lawyer and a Greek philosopher too of the most famous
schools. But my desire for you has been that you should direct the whole force of
your intelligence to Christianity as your end, and that in the way of production.
And I would wish that you should take with you on the one hand those parts of
the philosophy of the Greeks which are fit, as it were, to serve as general or
preparatory studies for Christianity, and on the other hand so much of Geometry
and Astronomy as may be helpful for the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
The children of the philosophers speak of geometry and music and grammar and
rhetoric and astronomy as being ancillary to philosophy; and in the same way we
might speak of philosophy itself as being ancillary to Christianity.

2. This Procedure is Typified by the Story of the

Spoiling of the Egyptians
It is something of this sort perhaps that is enigmatically indicated in the
directions God is represented in the Book of Exodus as giving to the children of
Israel. They are directed to beg from their neighbours and from those dwelling in
their tents vessels of silver and of gold, and raiment; thus they are to spoil the
Egyptians, and to obtain materials for making the things they are told to provide
in connection with the worship of God. For out of the things of which the
children of Israel spoiled the Egyptians the furniture of the Holy of Holies was
made, the ark with its cover, and the cherubim and the mercy-seat and the gold
jar in which the manna, that bread of angels, was stored. These probably were
made from the finest of the gold of the Egyptians, and from a second quality,
perhaps, the solid golden candlestick which stood near the inner veil, and the
lamps on it, and the golden table on which stood the showbread, and between
these two the golden altar of incense. And if there was gold of a third and of a
fourth quality, the sacred vessels were made of it. And of the Egyptian silver,
too, other things were made; for it was from their sojourn in Egypt that the
children of Israel derived the great advantage of being supplied with such a
quantity of precious materials for the use of the service of God. Out of the
Egyptian raiment probably were made all those requisites named in Scripture in
embroidered work; the embroiderers working with the wisdom of God, such
garments for such purposes, to produce the hangings and the inner and outer
courts. This is not a suitable opportunity to enlarge on such a theme or to show
in how many ways the children of Israel found those things useful which they
got from the Egyptians. The Egyptians had not made a proper use of them; but
the Hebrews used them, for the wisdom of God was with them, for religious
purposes. Holy Scripture knows, however, that it was an evil thing to descend
from the land of the children of Israel into Egypt; and in this a great truth is
wrapped up. For some it is of evil that they should dwell with the Egyptians, that
is to say, with the learning of the world, after they have been enrolled in the law
of God and in the Israelite worship of Him. Ader the Edomite, as long as he was
in the land of Israel and did not taste the bread of the Egyptians, made no idols;
but when he fled from the wise Solomon and went down into Egypt, as one who
had fled from the wisdom of God he became connected with Pharaoh, marrying
the sister of his wife, and begetting a son who was brought up among the sons of
Pharaoh. Therefore, though he did go back to the land of Israel, he came back to
it to bring division into the people of God, and to cause them to say to the golden
calf, "These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of
Egypt." I have learned by experience and can tell you that there are few who
have taken of the useful things of Egypt and come out of it, and have then
prepared what is required for the service of God; but Ader the Edomite on the
other hand has many a brother. I mean those who, founding on some piece of
Greek learning, have brought forth heretical ideas, and have as it were made
golden calves in Bethel, which is, being interpreted, the house of God. This
appears to me to be intended to convey that such persons set up their own
images in the Scriptures in which the Word of God dwells, and which therefore
are tropically called Bethel. The other image is said in the word to have been set
up in Dan. Now the borders of Dan are at the extremities and are contiguous to
the country of the heathens, as is plainly recorded in the Book of Jesus, son of
Nave. Some of these images, then, are close to the borders of the heathen, which
the brothers, as we showed, of Ader have devised.

3. Personal Appeal
Do you then, sir, my son, study first of all the divine Scriptures. Study them
I say. For we require to study the divine writings deeply, lest we should speak of
them faster than we think; and while you study these divine works with a
believing and God-pleasing intention, knock at that which is closed in them, and
it shall be opened to you by the porter, of whom Jesus says, [ John 10:3 ] "To
him the porter opens." While you attend to this divine reading seek aright and
with unwavering faith in God the hidden sense which is present in most passages
of the divine Scriptures. And do not be content with knocking and seeking, for
what is most necessary for understanding divine things is prayer, and in urging
us to this the Saviour says not only, [ Matthew 7:7 ] "Knock, and it shall be
opened to you," and "Seek, and you shall find," but also "Ask, and it shall be
given you." So much I have ventured on account of my fatherly love to you.
Whether I have ventured well or not, God knows, and His Christ, and he who
has part of the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. May you partake in these;
may you have an always increasing share of them, so that you may be able to say
not only, "We are partakers of Christ," [ Hebrews 3:14 ] but also "We are
partakers of God."
 Commentary on the Gospel of John
(Book I)
1. How Christians are the Spiritual Israel.

That people which was called of old the people of God was divided into
twelve tribes, and over and above the other tribes it had the levitical order, which
itself again carried on the service of God in various priestly and levitical
suborders. In the same manner, it appears to me that the whole people of Christ,
when we regard it in the aspect of the hidden man of the heart, [ Romans 2:29 ]
that people which is called "Jew inwardly," and is circumcised in the spirit, has
in a more mystic way the characteristics of the tribes. This may be more plainly
gathered from John in his Apocalyse, though the other prophets also do not by
any means conceal the state of matters from those who have the faculty of
hearing them. John speaks as follows: [ Revelation 7:2-5 ] "And I saw another
angel ascending from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God, and he
cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth
and the sea, saying, Hurt not either the earth, or the sea, or the trees, till we
have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number
of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand who were sealed,
out of every tribe of the children of Israel; of the tribe of Juda were sealed
twelve thousand, of the tribe of Roubem twelve thousand." And he mentioned
each of the tribes singly, with the exception of Dan. Then, some way further on,
[ Revelation 14:1-5 ] he continues: "And I saw, and behold the Lamb standing on
Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name
and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from
heaven as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder. And the
voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps; and
they sing a new song before the throne and before the four beasts and the elders,
and no one could learn the song but the hundred and forty-four thousand who
had been purchased from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb whithersover
He goes. These were purchased from among men, a first fruits to God and to the
Lamb; and in their mouth was found no lie, for they are without blemish." Now
this is said in John with reference to those who have believed in Christ, for they
also, even if their bodily descent cannot be traced to the seed of the Patriarchs,
are yet gathered out of the tribes. That this is so we may conclude from what is
further said about them: "Hurt not," he says, "the earth, nor the sea, nor the
trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard
the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed
from every tribe of the children of Israel."

2. The 144,000 Sealed in the Apocalypse are Converts

to Christ from the Gentile World.
These, then, who are sealed on their foreheads [ Revelation 7:3-4 ] from
every tribe of the children of Israel, are a hundred and forty-four thousand in
number; and these hundred and forty-four thousand are afterwards said in John
to have the name of the Lamb and of His Father written on their foreheads, and
to be virgins, not having defiled themselves with women. What else could the
seal be which is on their foreheads but the name of the Lamb and the name of
His Father? In both passages their foreheads are said to have the seal; in one the
seal is spoken of, in the other it appears to contain the letters forming the name
of the Lamb, and the name of His Father. Now these taken from the tribes are, as
we showed before, the same persons as the virgins. But the number of believers
is small who belong to Israel according to the flesh; one might venture to assert
that they would not nearly make up the number of a hundred and forty-four
thousand. It is clear, therefore, that the hundred and forty-four thousand who
have not defiled themselves with women must be made up of those who have
come to the divine word out of the Gentile world. In this way the truth of the
statement may be upheld that the first fruits of each tribe are its virgins. For the
passage goes on: "These were brought from among men to be a first fruits to
God and to the Lamb; and in their mouth was found no guile, for they are
without blemish." The statement about the hundred and forty-four thousand no
doubt admits of mystical interpretation; but it is unnecessary at this point, and
would divert us from our purpose, to compare with it those passages of the
prophets in which the same lesson is taught regarding those who are called from
among the Gentiles.

3. In the Spiritual Israel the High-Priests are Those

Who Devote Themselves to the Study of Scripture.
But what is the bearing of all this for us? So you will ask when you read
these words, Ambrosius, you who are truly a man of God, a man in Christ, and
who seekest to be not a man only, but a spiritual man. [ 1 Corinthians 2:14 ] The
bearing is this. Those of the tribes offer to God, through the levites and priests,
tithes and first fruits; not everything which they possess do they regard as tithe
or first fruit. The levites and priests, on the other hand, have no possessions but
tithes and first fruits; yet they also in turn offer tithes to God through the high-
priests, and, I believe, first fruits too. The same is the case with those who
approach Christian studies. Most of us devote most of our time to the things of
this life, and dedicate to God only a few special acts, thus resembling those
members of the tribes who had but few transactions with the priest, and
discharged their religious duties with no great expense of time. But those who
devote themselves to the divine word and have no other employment but the
service of God may not unnaturally, allowing for the difference of occupation in
the two cases, be called our levites and priests. And those who fulfil a more
distinguished office than their kinsmen will perhaps be high-priests, according to
the order of Aaron, not that of Melchisedek. Here some one may object that it is
somewhat too bold to apply the name of high-priests to men, when Jesus
Himself is spoken of in many a prophetic passage as the one great priest, as [
Hebrews 4:14 ] "We have a great high-priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus, the Son of God." But to this we reply that the Apostle clearly
defined his meaning, and declared the prophet to have said about the Christ,
"You are a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedek," and not
according to the order of Aaron. We say accordingly that men can be high-
priests according to the order of Aaron, but according to the order of
Melchisedek only the Christ of God.

4. The Study of the Gospels is the First Fruits Offered

by These Priests of Christianity.
Now our whole activity is devoted to God, and our whole life, since we are
bent on progress in divine things. If, then, it be our desire to have the whole of
those first fruits spoken of above which are made up of the many first fruits, if
we are not mistaken in this view, in what must our first fruits consist, after the
bodily separation we have undergone from each other, but in the study of the
Gospel? For we may venture to say that the Gospel is the first fruits of all the
Scriptures. Where, then, could be the first fruits of our activity, since the time
when we came to Alexandria, but in the first fruits of the Scriptures? It must not
be forgotten, however, that the first fruits are not the same as the first growth.
For the first fruits are offered after all the fruits (are ripe), but the first growth
before them all. Now of the Scriptures which are current and are believed to be
divine in all the churches, one would not be wrong in saying that the first growth
is the law of Moses, but the first fruits the Gospel. For it was after all the fruits
of the prophets who prophesied till the Lord Jesus, that the perfect word shot
forth.

5. All Scripture is Gospel; But the Gospels are

 5. All Scripture is Gospel; But the Gospels are
Distinguished Above Other Scriptures.
Here, however, some one may object, appealing to the notion just put
forward of the unfolding of the first fruits last, and may say that the Acts and the
letters of the Apostles came after the Gospels, and that this destroys our
argument to the effect that the Gospel is the first fruits of all Scripture. To this
we must reply that it is the conviction of men who are wise in Christ, who have
profited by those epistles which are current, and who see them to be vouched for
by the testimonies deposited in the law and the prophets, that the apostolic
writings are to be pronounced wise and worthy of belief, and that they have great
authority, but that they are not on the same level with that "Thus says the Lord
Almighty." [ 2 Corinthians 6:18 ] Consider on this point the language of St. Paul.
When he declares that [ 2 Timothy 3:16 ] "Every Scripture is inspired of God
and profitable," does he include his own writings? Or does he not include his
dictum, [ 1 Corinthians 7:12 ] "I say, and not the Lord," and [ 1 Corinthians 7:17
] "So I ordain in all the churches," and [ 2 Timothy 3:11 ] "What things I
suffered at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra," and similar things which he writes in
virtue of his own authority, and which do not quite possess the character of
words flowing from divine inspiration. Must we also show that the old Scripture
is not Gospel, since it does not point out the Coming One, but only foretells Him
and heralds His coming at a future time; but that all the new Scripture is the
Gospel. It not only says as in the beginning of the Gospel, [ John 1:29 ] "Behold
the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world;" it also contains many
praises of Him, and many of His teachings, on whose account the Gospel is a
Gospel. Again, if God set in the Church [ Ephesians 4:11 ] apostles and prophets
and evangelists (gospellers), pastors and teachers, we must first enquire what
was the office of the evangelist, and mark that it is not only to narrate how the
Saviour cured a man who was blind from his birth, [ John 9:1 ] or raised up a
dead man who was already stinking, [ John 11:39 ] or to state what extraordinary
works he wrought; and the office of the evangelist being thus defined, we shall
not hesitate to find Gospel in such discourse also as is not narrative but hortatory
and intended to strengthen belief in the mission of Jesus; and thus we shall arrive
at the position that whatever was written by the Apostles is Gospel. As to this
second definition, it might be objected that the Epistles are not entitled "Gospel,"
and that we are wrong in applying the name of Gospel to the whole of the New
Testament. But to this we answer that it happens not unfrequently in Scripture
when two or more persons or things are named by the same name, the name
attaches itself most significantly to one of those things or persons. Thus the
Saviour says, [ Matthew 23:8-9 ] "Call no man Master upon the earth;" while
the Apostle says that Masters have been appointed in the Church. These latter
accordingly will not be Masters in the strict sense of the dictum of the Gospel. In
the same way the Gospel in the Epistles will not extend to every word of them,
when it is compared with the narrative of Jesus' actions and sufferings and
discourses. No: the Gospel is the first fruits of all Scripture, and to these first
fruits of the Scriptures we devote the first fruits of all those actions of ours
which we trust to see turn out as we desire.

6. The Fourfold Gospel. John's the First Fruits of the

Four. Qualifications Necessary for Interpreting It.
Now the Gospels are four. These four are, as it were, the elements of the
faith of the Church, out of which elements the whole world which is reconciled
to God in Christ is put together; as Paul says, [ 2 Corinthians 5:19 ] "God was in
Christ, reconciling the world to Himself;" of which world Jesus bore the sin; for
it is of the world of the Church that the word is written, [ John 1:29 ] "Behold the
Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world." The Gospels then being
four, I deem the first fruits of the Gospels to be that which you have enjoined me
to search into according to my powers, the Gospel of John, that which speaks of
him whose genealogy had already been set forth, but which begins to speak of
him at a point before he had any genealogy. For Matthew, writing for the
Hebrews who looked for Him who was to come of the line of Abraham and of
David, says: [ Matthew 1:1 ] "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son
of David, the son of Abraham." And Mark, knowing what he writes, narrates the
beginning of the Gospel; we may perhaps find what he aims at in John; in the
beginning the Word, God the Word. But Luke, though he says at the beginning
of Acts, "The former treatise did I make about all that Jesus began to do and to
teach," yet leaves to him who lay on Jesus' breast the greatest and completest
discourses about Jesus. For none of these plainly declared His Godhead, as John
does when he makes Him say, "I am the light of the world," "I am the way and
the truth and the life," "I am the resurrection," "I am the door," "I am the good
shepherd;" and in the Apocalypse, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the
beginning and the end, the first and the last." We may therefore make bold to
say that the Gospels are the first fruits of all the Scriptures, but that of the
Gospels that of John is the first fruits. No one can apprehend the meaning of it
except he have lain on Jesus' breast and received from Jesus Mary to be his
mother also. Such an one must he become who is to be another John, and to have
shown to him, like John, by Jesus Himself Jesus as He is. For if Mary, as those
declare who with sound mind extol her, had no other son but Jesus, and yet Jesus
says to His mother, "Woman, behold your son," [ John 19:26 ] and not "Behold
you have this son also," then He virtually said to her, "Lo, this is Jesus, whom
you bore." Is it not the case that every one who is perfect lives himself no longer,
[ Galatians 2:20 ] but Christ lives in him; and if Christ lives in him, then it is said
of him to Mary, "Behold your son Christ." What a mind, then, must we have to
enable us to interpret in a worthy manner this work, though it be committed to
the earthly treasure-house of common speech, of writing which any passer-by
can read, and which can be heard when read aloud by any one who lends to it his
bodily ears? What shall we say of this work? He who is accurately to apprehend
what it contains should be able to say with truth, "We have the mind of Christ,
that we may know those things which are bestowed on us by God." It is possible
to quote one of Paul's sayings in support of the contention that the whole of the
New Testament is Gospel. He writes in a certain place: [ Romans 2:16 ]
"According to my Gospel." Now we have no written work of Paul which is
commonly called a Gospel. But all that he preached and said was the Gospel;
and what he preached and said he was also in the habit of writing, and what he
wrote was therefore Gospel. But if what Paul wrote was Gospel, it follows that
what Peter wrote was also Gospel, and in a word all that was said or written to
perpetuate the knowledge of Christ's sojourn on earth, and to prepare for His
second coming, or to bring it about as a present reality in those souls which were
willing to receive the Word of God as He stood at the door and knocked and
sought to come into them.

7. What Good Things are Announced in the Gospels.

But it is time we should inquire what is the meaning of the designation
"Gospel," and why these books have this title. Now the Gospel is a discourse
containing a promise of things which naturally, and on account of the benefits
they bring, rejoice the hearer as soon as the promise is heard and believed. Nor is
such a discourse any the less a Gospel that we define it with reference to the
position of the hearer. A Gospel is either a word which implies the actual
presence to the believer of something that is good, or a word promising the
arrival of a good which is expected. Now all these definitions apply to those
books which are named Gospels. For each of the Gospels is a collection of
announcements which are useful to him who believes them and does not
misinterpret them; it brings him a benefit and naturally makes him glad because
it tells of the sojourn with men, on account of men, and for their salvation, of the
firstborn of all creation, [ Colossians 1:15 ] Christ Jesus. And again each Gospel
tells of the sojourn of the good Father in the Son with those minded to receive
Him, as is plain to every believer; and moreover by these books a good is
announced which had been formerly expected, as is by no means hard to see. For
John the Baptist spoke in the name almost of the whole people when he sent to
Jesus and asked, [ Matthew 11:3 ] "Are you He that should come or do we look
for another?" For to the people the Messiah was an expected good, which the
prophets had foretold, and they all alike, though under the law and the prophets,
fixed their hopes on Him, as the Samaritan woman bears witness when she says:
[ John 4:25 ] "I know that the Messiah comes, who is called Christ; when He
comes He will tell us all things." Simon and Cleopas too, when talking to each
other about all that had happened to Jesus Christ Himself, then risen, though
they did not know that He had risen from the dead, speak thus, [ Luke 24:18-21 ]
"Do you sojourn alone in Jerusalem, and know not the things which have taken
place there in these days? And when he said what things? They answered, The
things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet, mighty in deed and
in word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers
delivered Him up to be sentenced to death and crucified Him. But we hoped that
it was He which should redeem Israel." Again, Andrew the brother of Simon
Peter found his own brother Simon and said to him, [ John 1:42 ] "We have
found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, Christ." And a little further on
Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, [ John 1:46 ] "We have found Him of
whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph, from
Nazareth."

8. How the Gospels Cause the Other Books of

Scripture Also to Be Gospel.
Now an objection might be raised to our first definition, because it would
embrace books which are not entitled Gospels. For the law and the prophets also
are to our eyes books containing the promise of things which, from the benefit
they will confer on him, naturally rejoice the hearer as soon as he takes in the
message. To this it may be said that before the sojourn of Christ, the law and the
prophets, since He had not come who interpreted the mysteries they contained,
did not convey such a promise as belongs to our definition of the Gospel; but the
Saviour, when He sojourned with men and caused the Gospel to appear in bodily
form, by the Gospel caused all things to appear as Gospel. Here I would not
think it beside the purpose to quote the example of Him who...a few things...and
yet all. For when he had taken away the veil which was present in the law and
the prophets, and by His divinity had proved the sons of men that the Godhead
was at work, He opened the way for all those who desired it to be disciples of
His wisdom, and to understand what things were true and real in the law of
Moses, of which things those of old worshipped the type and the shadow, and
what things were real of the things narrated in the histories which "happened to
them in the way of type," [ 1 Corinthians 10:11 ] but these things "were written
for our sakes, upon whom the ends of the ages have come." With whomsoever,
then, Christ has sojourned, he worships God neither at Jerusalem nor on the
mountain of the Samaritans; he knows that God is a spirit, and worships Him
spiritually, in spirit and in truth; no longer by type does he worship the Father
and Maker of all. Before that Gospel, therefore, which came into being by the
sojourning of Christ, none of the older works was a Gospel. But the Gospel,
which is the new covenant, having delivered us from the oldness of the letter,
lights up for us, by the light of knowledge, the newness of the spirit, a thing
which never grows old, which has its home in the New Testament, but is also
present in all the Scriptures. It was fitting, therefore, that that Gospel, which
enables us to find the Gospel present, even in the Old Testament, should itself
receive, in a special sense, the name of Gospel.

9. The Somatic and the Spiritual Gospel.

We must not, however, forget that the sojourning of Christ with men took
place before His bodily sojourn, in an intellectual fashion, to those who were
more perfect and not children, and were not under pedagogues and governors. In
their minds they saw the fullness of the time to be at hand— the patriarchs, and
Moses the servant, and the prophets who beheld the glory of Christ. And as
before His manifest and bodily coming He came to those who were perfect, so
also, after His coming has been announced to all, to those who are still children,
since they are under pedagogues and governors and have not yet arrived at the
fullness of the time, forerunners of Christ have come to sojourn, discourses (
logoi ) suited for minds still in their childhood, and rightly, therefore, termed
pedagogues. But the Son Himself, the glorified God, the Word, has not yet
come; He waits for the preparation which must take place on the part of men of
God who are to admit His deity. And this, too, we must bear in mind, that as the
law contains a shadow of good things to come, which are indicated by that law
which is announced according to truth, so the Gospel also teaches a shadow of
the mysteries of Christ, the Gospel which is thought to be capable of being
understood by any one. What John calls the eternal Gospel, and what may
properly be called the spiritual Gospel, presents clearly to those who have the
will to understand, all matters concerning the very Son of God, both the
mysteries presented by His discourses and those matters of which His acts were
the enigmas. In accordance with this we may conclude that, as it is with Him
who is a Jew outwardly and circumcised in the flesh, so it is with the Christian
and with baptism. Paul and Peter were, at an earlier period, Jews outwardly and
circumcised, but later they received from Christ that they should be so in secret,
too; so that outwardly they were Jews for the sake of the salvation of many, and
by an economy they not only confessed in words that they were Jews, but
showed it by their actions. And the same is to be said about their Christianity. As
Paul could not benefit those who were Jews according to the flesh, without,
when reason shows it to be necessary, circumcising Timothy, and when it
appears the natural course getting himself shaved and making a vow, and, in a
word, being to the Jews a Jew that he might gain the Jews— so also it is not
possible for one who is responsible for the good of many to operate as he should
by means of that Christianity only which is in secret. That will never enable him
to improve those who are following the external Christianity, or to lead them on
to better and higher things. We must, therefore, be Christians both somatically
and spiritually, and where there is a call for the somatic (bodily) Gospel, in
which a man says to those who are carnal that he knows nothing but Jesus Christ
and Him crucified, so we must do. But should we find those who are perfected in
the spirit, and bear fruit in it, and are enamoured of the heavenly wisdom, these
must be made to partake of that Word which, after it was made flesh, rose again
to what it was in the beginning, with God.

10. How Jesus Himself is the Gospel.

The foregoing inquiry into the nature of the Gospel cannot be regarded as
useless; it has enabled us to see what distinction there is between a sensible
Gospel and an intellectual and spiritual one. What we have now to do is to
transform the sensible Gospel into a spiritual one.
For what would the narrative of the sensible Gospel amount to if it were not
developed to a spiritual one? It would be of little account or none; any one can
read it and assure himself of the facts it tells— no more. But our whole energy is
now to be directed to the effort to penetrate to the deep things of the meaning of
the Gospel and to search out the truth that is in it when divested of types. Now
what the Gospels say is to be regarded in the light of promises of good things;
and we must say that the good things the Apostles announce in this Gospel are
simply Jesus. One good thing which they are said to announce is the
resurrection; but the resurrection is in a manner Jesus, for Jesus says: [ John
11:25 ] "I am the resurrection." Jesus preaches to the poor those things which
are laid up for the saints, calling them to the divine promises. And the holy
Scriptures bear witness to the Gospel announcements made by the Apostles and
to that made by our Saviour. David says of the Apostles, perhaps also of the
evangelists: "The Lord shall give the word to those that preach with great
power; the King of the powers of the beloved;" teaching at the same time that it
is not skilfully composed discourse, nor the mode of delivery, nor well practised
eloquence that produces conviction, but the communication of divine power.
Hence also Paul says: "I will know not the word that is puffed up, but the power;
for the kingdom of God is not in word but in power." And in another passage: [ 1
Corinthians 2:4 ] "And my word and my preaching were not persuasive words of
wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." To this power Simon
and Cleophas bear witness when they say: [ Luke 24:32 ] "Was not our heart
burning within us by the way, as he opened to us the Scriptures?" And the
Apostles, since the quantity of the power is great which God supplies to the
speakers, had great power, according to the word of David: "The Lord will give
the word to the preachers with great power." Isaiah too says: "How beautiful are
the feet of them that proclaim good tidings;" he sees how beautiful and how
opportune was the announcement of the Apostles who walked in Him who said,
"I am the way," and praises the feet of those who walk in the intellectual way of
Christ Jesus, and through that door go in to God. They announce good tidings,
those whose feet are beautiful, namely, Jesus.

11. Jesus is All Good Things; Hence the Gospel is

Manifold.
Let no one wonder if we have understood Jesus to be announced in the
Gospel under a plurality of names of good things. If we look at the things by the
names of which the Son of God is called, we shall understand how many good
things Jesus is, whom those preach whose feet are beautiful. One good thing is
life; but Jesus is the life. Another good thing is the light of the world, when it is
true light, and the light of men; and all these things the Son of God is said to be.
And another good thing which one may conceive to be in addition to life or light
is the truth. And a fourth in addition to time is the way which leads to the truth.
And all these things our Saviour teaches that He is, when He says: [ John 14:6 ]
"I am the way and the truth and the life." Ah, is not that good, to shake off earth
and mortality, and to rise again, obtaining this boon from the Lord, since He is
the resurrection, as He says: [ John 11:25 ] "I am the resurrection." But the door
also is a good, through which one enters into the highest blessedness. Now
Christ says: [ John 10:9 ] "I am the door." And what need is there to speak of
wisdom, which "the Lord created [ Proverbs 8:22 ] the first principle of His
ways, for His works," in whom the father of her rejoiced, delighting in her
manifold intellectual beauty, seen by the eyes of the mind alone, and provoking
him to love who discerns her divine and heavenly charm? A good indeed is the
wisdom of God, proclaimed along with the other good foresaid by those whose
feet are beautiful. And the power of God is the eighth good we enumerate, which
is Christ. Nor must we omit to mention the Word, who is God after the Father of
all. For this also is a good, less than no other. Happy, then, are those who accept
these goods and receive them from those who announce the good tidings of
them, those whose feet are beautiful. Indeed even one of the Corinthians to
whom Paul declared that he knew nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
should he learn Him who for our sakes became man, and so receive Him, he
would become identified with the beginning of the good things we have spoken
of; by the man Jesus he would be made a man of God, and by His death he
would die to sin. For "Christ, [ Romans 6:10 ] in that He died, died unto sin
once." But from His life, since "in that He lives, He lives unto God," every one
who is conformed to His resurrection receives that living to God. But who will
deny that righteousness, essential righteousness, is a good, and essential
sanctification, and essential redemption? And these things those preach who
preach Jesus, saying [ 1 Corinthians 1:30 ] that He is made to be of God
righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Hence we shall have writings
about Him without number, showing that Jesus is a multitude of goods; for from
the things which can scarcely be numbered and which have been written we may
make some conjecture of those things which actually exist in Him in whom "it
pleased God that the whole fullness of the Godhead should dwell bodily," and
which are not contained in writings. Why should I say, "are not contained in
writings" ? For John speaks of the whole world in this connection, and says: [
John 21:25 ] "I suppose that not even the world itself would contain the books
which would be written." Now to say that the Apostles preach the Saviour is to
say that they preach these good things. For this is He who received from the
good Father that He Himself should be these good things, so that each man
receiving from Jesus the thing or things he is capable of receiving may enjoy
good things. But the Apostles, whose feet were beautiful, and those imitators of
them who sought to preach the good tidings, could not have done so had not
Jesus Himself first preached the good tidings to them, as Isaiah says: [ Isaiah
52:6 ] "I myself that speak am here, as the opportunity on the mountains, as the
feet of one preaching tidings of peace, as one preaching good things; for I will
make My salvation to be heard, saying, God shall reign over you, O Zion!" For
what are the mountains on which the speaker declares that He Himself is present,
but those who are less than none of the highest and the greatest of the earth? And
these must be sought by the able ministers of the New Covenant, in order that
they may observe the injunction which says: [ Isaiah 40:9 ] Go up into a high
mountain, you that preachest good tidings to Zion; you that preachest good
tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Now it is not wonderful if
to those who are to preach good tidings Jesus Himself preaches good tidings of
good things, which are no other than Himself; for the Son of God preaches the
good tidings of Himself to those who cannot come to know Him through others.
And He who goes up into the mountains and preaches good things to them,
being Himself instructed by His good Father, [ Matthew 5:45 ] who "makes His
sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the
unjust," He does not despise those who are poor in soul. To them He preaches
good tidings, as He Himself bears witness to us when He takes Isaiah and reads:
"The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to preach good
tidings to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and sight
to the blind. For closing the book He handed it to the minister and sat down. And
when the eyes of all were fastened upon Him, He said, This day is this Scripture
fulfilled in your ears."
 12. The Gospel Contains the Ill Deeds Also Which
Were Done to Jesus.
It ought not to be forgotten that in such a Gospel as this there is embraced
every good deed which was done to Jesus; as, for example, the story of the
woman who had been a sinner and had repented, and who, having experienced a
genuine recovery from her evil state, had grace to pour her ointment over Jesus
so that every one in the house smelt the sweet savour. Hence, too, the words,
"Wherever this Gospel shall be preached among all the nations, there also this
that she has done shall be spoken of, for a memorial of her." And it is clear that
whatever is done to the disciples of Jesus is done to Him. Pointing to those of
them who met with kind treatment, He says to those who were kind to them, [
Matthew 25:40 ] "What ye did to these, you did to Me." So that every good deed
we do to our neighbours is entered in the Gospel, that Gospel which is written on
the heavenly tablets and read by all who are worthy of the knowledge of the
whole of things. But on the other side, too, there is a part of the Gospel which is
for the condemnation of the doers of the ill deeds which have been done to Jesus.
The treachery of Judas and the shouts of the wicked crowd when it said, [ John
19:6, 15 ] "Away with such a one from the earth," and "Crucify Him, crucify
Him," the mockings of those who crowned Him with thorns, and everything of
that kind, is included in the Gospels. And as a consequence of this we see that
every one who betrays the disciples of Jesus is reckoned as betraying Jesus
Himself. To Saul, [ Acts 9:4-5 ] when still a persecutor it is said, "Saul Saul, why
do you persecute Me?" and, "I am Jesus whom you persecute." There are those
who still have thorns with which they crown and dishonour Jesus, those, namely,
who are choked by the cares, and riches, and pleasures of life, and though they
have received the word of God, do not bring it to perfection. [ Luke 8:14 ] We
must beware, therefore, lest we also, as crowning Jesus with thorns of our own,
should be entered in the Gospel and read of in this character by those who learn
the Jesus, who is in all and is present in all rational and holy lives, learn how He
is anointed with ointment, is entertained, is glorified, or how, on the other side,
He is dishonoured, and mocked, and beaten. All this had to be said; it is part of
our demonstration that our good actions, and also the sins of those who stumble,
are embodied in the Gospel, either to everlasting life or to reproach and
everlasting shame.

13. The Angels Also are Evangelists.

Now if there are those among men who are honoured with the ministry of
evangelists, and if Jesus Himself brings tidings of good things, and preaches the
Gospel to the poor, surely those messengers who were made spirits by God,
those who are a flame of fire, ministers of the Father of all, cannot have been
excluded from being evangelists also. Hence an angel standing over the
shepherds made a bright light to shine round about them, and said: [ Luke 2:10-
11 ] "Fear not; behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
the people; for there is born to you, this day, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord,
in the city of David." And at a time when there was no knowledge among men of
the mystery of the Gospel, those who were greater than men and inhabitants of
heaven, the army of God, praised God, saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will among men." And having said this, the angels go away
from the shepherds into heaven, leaving us to gather how the joy preached to us
through the birth of Jesus Christ is glory in the highest to God; they humbled
themselves even to the ground, and then returned to their place of rest, to glorify
God in the highest through Jesus Christ. But the angels also wonder at the peace
which is to be brought about on account of Jesus on the earth, that seat of war,
on which Lucifer, star of the morning, fell from heaven, to be warred against and
destroyed by Jesus.

14. The Old Testament, Typified by John, is the

Beginning of the Gospel.
 Beginning of the Gospel.
In addition to what we have said, there is also this to be considered about
the Gospel, that in the first instance it is that of Christ Jesus, the head of the
whole body of the saved; as Mark says, [ Mark 1:1 ] "The beginning of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ." Then also it is the Gospel of the Apostles; whence Paul
[ Romans 2:16 ] says, "According to my Gospel." But the beginning of the
Gospel— for in respect of its extent it has a beginning, a continuation, a middle,
and an end— is nothing but the whole Old Testament. John is, in this respect, a
type of the Old Testament, or, if we regard the connection of the New Testament
with the Old, John represents the termination of the Old. For the same Mark
says: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in Isaiah the
prophet, Behold I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your
way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight." And here I must wonder how the dissentients can
connect the two Testaments with two different Gods. These words, were there no
others, are enough to convict them of their error. For how can John be the
beginning of the Gospel if they suppose he belongs to a different God, if he
belongs to the demiurge, and, as they hold, is not acquainted with the new deity?
And the angels are not entrusted with but one evangelical ministry, and that a
short one, not only with that addressed to the shepherds. For at the end an
exalted and flying angel, having the Gospel, will preach it to every nation, for
the good Father has not entirely deserted those who have fallen away from Him.
John, son of Zebedee, says in his Apocalypse: [ Revelation 14:6-7 ] "And I saw
an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the Eternal Gospel, to preach it to
those who dwell upon the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and
people, saying, with a loud voice, Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of
His judgment has come, and worship Him that made the heaven, and the earth,
and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

15. The Gospel is in the Old Testament, and Indeed in

15. The Gospel is in the Old Testament, and Indeed in
the Whole Universe. Prayer for Aid to Understand the
Mystical Sense of the Work in Hand.
As, then, we have shown that the beginning of the Gospel, according to one
interpretation, is the whole Old Testament, and is signified by the person of
John, we shall add, lest this should be called a mere unsupported assertion, what
is said in the Acts about the eunuch of the queen of the Ethiopians and Philip.
Philip, it is said, began at the passage of Isaiah: "He was led as a lamb to the
slaughter, and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb," and so preached to him the
Lord Jesus. How can he begin with the prophet and preach Jesus, if Isaiah was
not a part of the beginning of the Gospel? From this we may derive a proof of
the assertion made at the outset, that every divine Scripture is Gospel. If he who
preaches the Gospel preaches good things, and all those who spoke before the
sojourn of Jesus in the flesh preach Christ, who is as we saw good things, then
the words spoken by all of them alike are in a sense a part of the Gospel. And
when the Gospel is said to be declared throughout the whole world, we infer that
it is actually preached in the whole world, not, that is to say, in this earthly
district only, but in the whole system of heaven and earth, or from heaven and
earth. And why should we discuss any further what the Gospel is? What we have
said is enough. Besides the passages we have adduced, passages by no means
inept or unsuited for our purpose—much to the same effect might be collected
from the Scriptures, so that it is clearly seen what is the glory of the good things
in Jesus Christ shed forth by the Gospel, the Gospel ministered by men and
angels, and, I believe, also by authorities and powers, [ Ephesians 1:21 ] and
thrones and dominions, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in the world to come, and indeed even by Christ Himself. Here, then, let us
bring to a close what has to be said before proceeding to read the work itself.
And now let us ask God to assist us through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit, so
that we may be able to unfold the mystical sense which is treasured up in the
words before us.

16. Meaning of "Beginning." (1) in Space.

" In the beginning was the Word. " [ John 1:1 ] It is not only the Greeks
who consider the word "beginning" to have many meanings. Let any one collect
the Scripture passages in which the word occurs, and with a view to an accurate
interpretation of it note what it stands for in each passage, and he will find that
the word has many meanings in sacred discourse also. We speak of a beginning
in reference to a transition. Here it has to do with a road and with length. This
appears in the saying: [ Proverbs 16:5 ] "The beginning of a good way is to do
justice." For since the good way is long, there have first to be considered in
reference to it the question connected with action, and this side is presented in
the words "to do justice;" the contemplative side comes up for consideration
afterwards. In the latter the end of it comes to rest at last in the so-called
restoration of all things, since no enemy is left them to fight against, if that be
true which is said: [ 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 ] "For He must reign until He have
placed His enemies under His feet. But the last enemy to be destroyed is death."
For then but one activity will be left for those who have come to God on account
of His word which is with Him, that, namely, of knowing God, so that, being
found by the knowledge of the Father, they may all be His Son, as now no one
but the Son knows the Father. For should any one enquire carefully at what time
those are to know the Father to whom He who knows the Father reveals Him,
and should he consider how a man now sees only through a glass and in a riddle,
never having learned to know as he ought to know, he would be justified in
saying that no one, no apostle even, and no prophet had known the Father, but
when he became one with Him as a son and a father are one. And if any one says
that it is a digression which has led us to this point, our consideration of that one
meaning of the word beginning, we must show that the digression is necessary
and useful for the end we have in view. For if we speak of a beginning in the
case of a transition, and of a way and its length, and if we are told that the
beginning of a good way is to do justice, then it concerns us to know in what
manner every good way has for its beginning to do justice, and how after such
beginning it arrives at contemplation, and in what manner it thus arrives at
contemplation.

17. (2) in Time. The Beginning of Creation.

Again, there is a beginning in a matter of origin, as might appear in the
saying: [ Genesis 1:1 ] "In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth."
This meaning, however, appears more plainly in the Book of Job in the passage:
[ Job 40:19 ] "This is the beginning of God's creation, made for His angels to
mock at." One would suppose that the heavens and the earth were made first, of
all that was made at the creation of the world. But the second passage suggests a
better view, namely, that as many beings were framed with a body, the first
made of these was the creature called dragon, but called in another passage [ Job
3:8 ] the great whale (leviathan) which the Lord tamed. We must ask about this;
whether, when the saints were living a blessed life apart from matter and from
any body, the dragon, falling from the pure life, became fit to be bound in matter
and in a body, so that the Lord could say, speaking through storm and clouds,
"This is the beginning of the creation of God, made for His angels to mock at." It
is possible, however, that the dragon is not positively the beginning of the
creation of the Lord, but that there were many creatures made with a body for
the angels to mock, and that the dragon was the first of these, while others could
subsist in a body without such reproach. But it is not so. For the soul of the sun
is placed in a body, and the whole creation, of which the Apostle says: "The
whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now," and perhaps the
following is about the same: "The creation was made subject to vanity, not
willingly, but on account of Him who subjected it for hope;" so that bodies might
be in vanity, and doing the things of the body, as he who is in the body must..
..One who is in the body does the things of the body, though unwillingly.
Wherefore the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but he who
does unwillingly the things of the body does what he does for the sake of hope,
as if we should say that Paul desired to remain in the flesh, not willingly, but on
account of hope. For though he thought it better [ Philippians 1:23 ] to be
dissolved and to be with Christ, it was not unreasonable that he should wish to
remain in the flesh for the sake of the benefit to others and of advancement in the
things hoped for, not only by him, but also by those benefited by him. This
meaning of the term "beginning," as of origin, will serve us also in the passage
in which Wisdom speaks in the Proverbs. "God," we read, "created me the
beginning of His ways, for His works." Here the term could be interpreted as in
the first application we spoke of, that of a way: "The Lord," it says, "created me
the beginning of His ways." One might assert, and with reason, that God Himself
is the beginning of all things, and might go on to say, as is plain, that the Father
is the beginning of the Son; and the demiurge the beginning of the works of the
demiurge, and that God in a word is the beginning of all that exists. This view is
supported by our: "In the beginning was the Word." In the Word one may see the
Son, and because He is in the Father He may be said to be in the beginning.

18. (3) of Substance.

In the third place a beginning may be that out of which a thing comes, the
underlying matter from which things are formed. This, however, is the view of
those who hold matter itself to be uncreated, a view which we believers cannot
share, since we believe God to have made the things that are out of the things
which are not, as the mother of the seven martyrs in the Maccabees teaches, [2
Maccabbees 7:28] and as the angel of repentance in the Shepherd inculcated.

19. (4) of Type and Copy.

 In addition to these meanings there is that in which we speak of an arche,
according to form; thus if the firstborn of every creature [ Colossians 1:15 ] is
the image of the invisible God, then the Father is his arche. In the same way
Christ is the arche of those who are made according to the image of God. For if
men are according to the image, but the image according to the Father; in the
first case the Father is the arche of Christ, and in the other Christ is the arche of
men, and men are made, not according to that of which he is the image, but
according to the image. With this example our passage will agree: "In the arche
was the Word."

20. (5) of Elements and What is Formed from Them.

There is also an arche in a matter of learning, as when we say that the
letters are the arche of grammar. The Apostle accordingly says: [ Hebrews 5:12 ]
"When by reason of the time you ought to be teachers, you have need again that
some one teach you what are the elements of the arche of the oracles of God."
Now the arche spoken of in connection with learning is twofold; first in respect
of its nature, secondly in its relation to us; as we might say of Christ, that by
nature His arche is deity, but that in relation to us who cannot, for its very
greatness, command the whole truth about Him, His arche is His manhood, as
He is preached to babes, "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." In this view, then,
Christ is the arche of learning in His own nature, because He is the wisdom and
power of God; but for us, the Word was made flesh, that He might tabernacle
among us who could only thus at first receive Him. And perhaps this is the
reason why He is not only the firstborn of all creation, but is also designated the
man, Adam. For Paul says He is Adam: [ 1 Corinthians 15:45 ] "The last Adam
was made a life-giving spirit."

21. (6) of Design and Execution.

Again we speak of the arche of an action, in which there is a design which
 Again we speak of the arche of an action, in which there is a design which
appears after the beginning. It may be considered whether wisdom is to be
regarded as the arche of the works of God because it is in this way the principle
of them.

22. The Word Was in the Beginning, I.e., in Wisdom,

Which Contained All Things in Idea, Before They
Existed. Christ's Character as Wisdom is Prior to His
Other Characters.
So many meanings occur to us at once of the word arche. We have now to
ask which of them we should adopt for our text, "In the beginning was the
Word." It is plain that we may at once dismiss the meaning which connects it
with transition or with a road and its length. Nor, it is pretty plain, will the
meaning connected with an origin serve our purpose. One might, however, think
of the sense in which it points to the author, to that which brings about the effect,
if, as we read, "God commanded and they were created." For Christ is, in a
manner, the demiurge, to whom the Father says, "Let there be light," and "Let
there be a firmament." But Christ is demiurge as a beginning (arche), inasmuch
as He is wisdom. It is in virtue of His being wisdom that He is called arche. For
Wisdom says in Solomon: [ Proverbs 8:22 ] "God created me the beginning of
His ways, for His works," so that the Word might be in an arche, namely, in
wisdom. Considered in relation to the structure of contemplation and thoughts
about the whole of things, it is regarded as wisdom; but in relation to that side of
the objects of thought, in which reasonable beings apprehend them, it is
considered as the Word. And there is no wonder, since, as we have said before,
the Saviour is many good things, if He comprises in Himself thoughts of the first
order, and of the second, and of the third. This is what John suggested when he
said about the Word: [ John 1:3-4 ] "That which was made was life in Him." Life
then came in the Word. And on the one side the Word is no other than the Christ,
the Word, He who was with the Father, by whom all things were made; while,
on the other side, the Life is no other than the Son of God, who says: [ John 14:6
] "I am the way and the truth and the life." As, then, life came into being in the
Word, so the Word in the arche. Consider, however, if we are at liberty to take
this meaning of arche for our text: "In the beginning was the Word," so as to
obtain the meaning that all things came into being according to wisdom and
according to the models of the system which are present in his thoughts. For I
consider that as a house or a ship is built and fashioned in accordance with the
sketches of the builder or designer, the house or the ship having their beginning
(arche) in the sketches and reckonings in his mind, so all things came into being
in accordance with the designs of what was to be, clearly laid down by God in
wisdom. And we should add that having created, so to speak, ensouled wisdom,
He left her to hand over, from the types which were in her, to things existing and
to matter, the actual emergence of them, their moulding and their forms[. ] But I
consider, if it be permitted to say this, that the beginning (arche) of real existence
was the Son of God, saying: [ Revelation 22:13 ] "I am the beginning and the
end, the [Α] and the [Ω], the first and the last." We must, however, remember
that He is not the arche in respect of every name which is applied to Him. For
how can He be the beginning in respect of His being life, when life came in the
Word, and the Word is manifestly the arche of life? It is also tolerably evident
that He cannot be the arche in respect of His being the firstborn from the dead.
And if we go through all His titles carefully we find that He is the arche only in
respect of His being wisdom. Not even as the Word is He the arche, for the
Word was in the arche. And so one might venture to say that wisdom is anterior
to all the thoughts that are expressed in the titles of the firstborn of every
creature. Now God is altogether one and simple; but our Saviour, for many
reasons, since God [ Romans 3:25 ] set Him forth a propitiation and a first fruits
of the whole creation, is made many things, or perhaps all these things; the
whole creation, so far as capable of redemption, stands in need of Him. And,
hence, He is made the light of men, because men, being darkened by
wickedness, need the light that shines in darkness, and is not overtaken by the
darkness; had not men been in darkness, He would not have become the light of
men. The same thing may be observed in respect of His being the firstborn of the
dead. For supposing the woman had not been deceived, and Adam had not
fallen, and man created for incorruption had obtained it, then He would not have
descended into the grave, nor would He have died, there being no sin, nor would
His love of men have required that He should die, and if He had not died, He
could not have been the firstborn of the dead. We may also ask whether He
would ever have become a shepherd, had man not been thrown together with the
beasts which are devoid of reason, and made like to them. For if God saves man
and beasts, He saves those beasts which He does save, by giving them a
shepherd, since they cannot have a king. Thus if we collect the titles of Jesus, the
question arises which of them were conferred on Him later, and would never
have assumed such importance if the saints had begun and had also persevered
in blessedness. Perhaps Wisdom would be the only remaining one, or perhaps
the Word would remain too, or perhaps the Life, or perhaps the Truth, not the
others, which He took for our sake. And happy indeed are those who in their
need for the Son of God have yet become such persons as not to need Him in His
character as a physician healing the sick, nor in that of a shepherd, nor in that of
redemption, but only in His characters as wisdom, as the word and
righteousness, or if there be any other title suitable for those who are so perfect
as to receive Him in His fairest characters. So much for the phrase "In the
beginning."

23. The Title "Word" Is to Be Interpreted by the Same

Method as the Other Titles of Christ. The Word of
God is Not a Mere Attribute of God, But a Separate
Person. What is Meant When He is Called the Word.
Let us consider, however, a little more carefully what is the Word which is
in the beginning. I am often led to wonder when I consider the things that are
said about Christ, even by those who are in earnest in their belief in Him.
Though there is a countless number of names which can be applied to our
Saviour, they omit the most of them, and if they should remember them, they
declare that these titles are not to be understood in their proper sense, but
tropically. But when they come to the title Logos (Word), and repeat that Christ
alone is the Word of God, they are not consistent, and do not, as in the case of
the other titles, search out what is behind the meaning of the term "Word." I
wonder at the stupidity of the general run of Christians in this matter. I do not
mince matters; it is nothing but stupidity. The Son of God says in one passage, "I
am the light of the world," and in another, "I am the resurrection," and again, "I
am the way and the truth and the life." It is also written, "I am the door," and we
have the saying, "I am the good shepherd," and when the woman of Samaria
says, "We know the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ; when He comes, He
will tell us all things," Jesus answers, "I that speak unto you am He." Again,
when He washed the disciples' feet, He declared Himself in these words [ John
13:13 ] to be their Master and Lord: "You call Me Master and Lord, and you say
well, for so I am." He also distinctly announces Himself as the Son of God, when
He says, [ John 10:36 ] "He whom the Father sanctified and sent unto the world,
to Him do you say, You blaspheme, because I said, I am the Son of God?" and [
John 17:1 ] "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son also may
glorify You." We also find Him declaring Himself to be a king, as when He
answers Pilate's question, [ John 18:33, 36 ] "Are You the King of the Jews?" by
saying, "My kingdom is not of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, then
would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is
My kingdom not from hence." We have also read the words, "I am the true vine
and My Father is the husbandman," and again, "I am the vine, you are the
branches." Add to these testimonies also the saying, "I am the bread of life, that
came down from heaven and gives life to the world." These texts will suffice for
the present, which we have picked up out of the storehouse of the Gospels, and
in all of which He claims to be the Son of God. But in the Apocalypse of John,
too, He says, [ Revelation 1:18 ] "I am the first and the last, and the living One,
and I was dead. Behold, I am alive for evermore." And again, [ Revelation 22:13
] "I am the [Α] and the [Ω], and the first and the last, the beginning and the
end." The careful student of the sacred books, moreover, may gather not a few
similar passages from the prophets, as where He calls Himself [ Isaiah 49:2 ] a
chosen shaft, and a servant of God, and a light of the Gentiles. [ Isaiah 49:6 ]
Isaiah also says, "From my mother's womb has He called me by my name, and
He made my mouth as a sharp sword, and under the shadow of His hand did He
hide me, and He said to me, You are My servant, O Israel, and in you will I be
glorified." And a little farther on: "And my God shall be my strength, and He
said to me, This is a great thing for you to be called My servant, to set up the
tribes of Jacob and to turn again the diaspora of Israel. Behold I have set you
for a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the end of the
earth." And in Jeremiah too [ Jeremiah 11:19 ] He likens Himself to a lamb, as
thus: "I was as a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter." These and other
similar sayings He applies to Himself. In addition to these one might collect in
the Gospels and the Apostles and in the prophets a countless number of titles
which are applied to the Son of God, as the writers of the Gospels set forth their
own views of what He is, or the Apostles extol Him out of what they had
learned, or the prophets proclaim in advance His coming advent and announce
the things concerning Him under various names. Thus John calls Him the Lamb
of God, saying, [ John 1:29 ] "Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the
sins of the world," and in these words he declares Him as a man, [ John 1:30-31 ]
"This is He about whom I said, that there comes after me a man who is there
before me; for He was before me." And in his Catholic Epistle John says that He
is a Paraclete for our souls with the Father, as thus: "And if any one sin, we have
a Paraclete with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous," and he adds that He is a
propitiation for our sins, and similarly Paul says He is a propitiation: "Whom
God set forth as a propitiation through faith in His blood, on account of
forgiveness of the forepast sins, in the forbearance of God." According to Paul,
too, He is declared to be the wisdom and the power of God, as in the Epistle to
the Corinthians: "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." It is added
that He is also sanctification and redemption: "He was made to us of God," he
says, "wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." But he
also teaches us, writing to the Hebrews, that Christ is a High-Priest: [ Hebrews
4:14 ] "Having, therefore, a great High-Priest, who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession." And the prophets
have other names for Him besides these. Jacob in his blessing of his sons [
Genesis 49:10 ] says, "Judah, your brethren shall extol you; your hands are on
the necks of your enemies. A lion's cub is Judah, from a shoot, my son, are you
sprung up; you have lain down and slept as a lion; who shall awaken him?" We
cannot now linger over these phrases, to show that what is said of Judah applies
to Christ. What may be quoted against this view, viz., "A ruler shall not part
from Judah nor a leader from his loins, until He come for whom it is reserved;"
this can better be cleared up on another occasion. But Isaiah knows Christ to be
spoken of under the names of Jacob and Israel, when he says, [ Isaiah 42:1-4 ]
"Jacob is my servant, I will help Him; Israel is my elect, my soul has accepted
Him. He shall declare judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive nor cry,
neither shall any one hear His voice on the streets. A bruised rod shall He not
break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He bring forth judgment from
victory, and in His name shall the nations hope." That it is Christ about whom
such prophecies are made, Matthew shows in his Gospel, where he quotes from
memory and says: "That the saying might be fulfilled, He shall not strive nor
cry," etc. David also is called Christ, as where Ezekiel in his prophecy to the
shepherds adds as from the mouth of God: [ Ezekiel 34:23 ] "I will raise up
David my servant, who shall be their shepherd." For it is not the patriarch David
who is to rise and be the shepherd of the saints, but Christ. Isaiah also called
Christ the rod and the flower: [ Isaiah 11:1-3 ] "There shall come forth a rod out
of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall spring out of this root, and the spirit of
God shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and of might, the spirit of knowledge and of godliness, and He shall be
full of the spirit of the fear of the Lord." And in the Psalms our Lord is called the
stone, as follows: "The stone which the builders rejected is made the head of the
corner. It is from the Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes." And the Gospel
shows, as also does Luke in the Acts, that the stone is no other than Christ; the
Gospel as follows: [ Matthew 21:42, 44 ] "Have ye never read, the stone which
the builders rejected is made the head of the corner. Whosoever falls on this
stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as
dust." And Luke writes in Acts: [ Acts 4:11 ] "This is the stone, which was set at
naught of you the builders, which has become the head of the corner." And one
of the names applied to the Saviour is that which He Himself does not utter, but
which John records—the Word who was in the beginning with God, God the
Word. And it is worth our while to fix our attention for a moment on those
scholars who omit consideration of most of the great names we have mentioned
and regard this as the most important one. As to the former titles, they look for
any account of them that any one may offer, but in the case of this one they
proceed differently and ask, What is the Son of God when called the Word? The
passage they employ most is that in the Psalms, "My heart has produced a good
Word;" and they imagine the Son of God to be the utterance of the Father
deposited, as it were, in syllables, and accordingly they do not allow Him, if we
examine them farther, any independent hypostasis, nor are they clear about His
essence. I do not mean that they confuse its qualities, but the fact of His having
an essence of His own. For no one can understand how that which is said to be
"Word" can be a Son. And such an animated Word, not being a separate entity
from the Father, and accordingly as it, having no subsistence. is not a Son, or if
he is a Son, let them say that God the Word is a separate being and has an
essence of His own. We insist, therefore, that as in the case of each of the titles
spoken of above we turn from the title to the concept it suggests and apply it and
demonstrate how the Son of God is suitably described by it, the same course
must be followed when we find Him called the Word. What caprice it is, in all
these cases, not to stand upon the term employed, but to enquire in what sense
Christ is to be understood to be the door, and in what way the vine, and why He
is the way; but in the one case of His being called the Word, to follow a different
course. To add to the authority, therefore, of what we have to say on the
question, how the Son of God is the Word, we must begin with those names of
which we spoke first as being applied to Him. This, we cannot deny, will seem
to some to be superfluous and a digression, but the thoughtful reader will not
think it useless to ask as to the concepts for which the titles are used; to observe
these matters will clear the way for what is coming. And once we have entered
upon the theology concerning the Saviour, as we seek with what diligence we
can and find the various things that are taught about Him, we shall necessarily
understand more about Him not only in His character as the Word, but in His
other characters also.

24. Christ as Light; How He, and How His Disciples

are the Light of the World.
He said, then, that He was the light of the world; and we have to examine,
along with this title, those which are parallel to it; and, indeed, are thought by
some to be not merely parallel, but identical with it. He is the true light, and the
light of the Gentiles. In the opening of the Gospel now before us He is the light
of men: "That which was made," [ John 1:3-5 ] it says, "was life in Him, and the
life was the light of men; and the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did
not overtake it." A little further on, in the same passage, He is called the true
light: [ John 1:9 ] "The true light, which lightens every man, was coming into the
world." In Isaiah, He is the light of the Gentiles, as we said before. "Behold, [
Isaiah 49:6 ] I have set You for a light of the Gentiles, that You should be for
salvation to the end of the earth." Now the sensible light of the world is the sun,
and after it comes very worthily the moon, and the same title may be applied to
the stars; but those lights of the world are said in Moses to have come into
existence on the fourth day, and as they shed light on the things on the earth,
they are not the true light. But the Saviour shines on creatures which have
intellect and sovereign reason, that their minds may behold their proper objects
of vision, and so he is the light of the intellectual world, that is to say, of the
reasonable souls which are in the sensible world, and if there be any beings
beyond these in the world from which He declares Himself to be our Saviour. He
is, indeed, the most determining and distinguished part of that world, and, as we
may say, the sun who makes the great day of the Lord. In view of this day He
says to those who partake of His light, "Work [ John 9:4-5 ] while it is day; the
night comes when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light
of the world." Then He says to His disciples, "You are the light of the world,"
and "Let your light shine before men." Thus we see the Church, the bride, to
present an analogy to the moon and stars, and the disciples have a light, which is
their own or borrowed from the true sun, so that they are able to illuminate those
who have no command of any spring of light in themselves. We may say that
Paul and Peter are the light of the world, and that those of their disciples who are
enlightened themselves, but are not able to enlighten others, are the world of
which the Apostles were the light. But the Saviour, being the light of the world,
illuminates not bodies, but by His incorporeal power the incorporeal intellect, to
the end that each of us, enlightened as by the sun, may be able to discern the rest
of the things of the mind. And as when the sun is shining the moon and the stars
lose their power of giving light, so those who are irradiated by Christ and receive
His beams have no need of the ministering apostles and prophets— we must
have courage to declare this truth— nor of the angels; I will add that they have
no need even of the greater powers when they are disciples of that firstborn light.
To those who do not receive the solar beams of Christ, the ministering saints do
afford an illumination much less than the former; this illumination is as much as
those persons can receive, and it completely fills them. Christ, again, the light of
the world, is the true light as distinguished from the light of sense; nothing that is
sensible is true. Yet though the sensible is other than the true, it does not follow
that the sensible is false, for the sensible may have an analogy with the
intellectual, and not everything that is not true can correctly be called false. Now
I ask whether the light of the world is the same thing with the light of men, and I
conceive that a higher power of light is intended by the former phrase than by
the latter, for the world in one sense is not only men. Paul shows that the world
is something more than men when he writes to the Corinthians in his first
Epistle: [ 1 Corinthians 4:9 ] "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to
angels, and to men." In one sense, too, it may be considered, the world is the
creation which is being delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty
of the glory of the children of God, whose earnest expectation is waiting for the
manifestation of the sons of God. We also draw attention to the comparison
which may be drawn between the statement, "I am the light of the world," and
the words addressed to the disciples, "You are the light of the world." Some
suppose that the genuine disciples of Jesus are greater than other creatures, some
seeking the reason of this in the natural growth of these disciples, others
inferring it from their harder struggle. For those beings which are in flesh and
blood have greater labours and a life more full of dangers than those which are
in an ethereal body, and the lights of heaven might not, if they had put on bodies
of earth, have accomplished this life of ours free from danger and from error.
Those who incline to this argument may appeal to those texts of Scripture which
say the most exalted things about men, and to the fact that the Gospel is
addressed directly to men; not so much is said about the creation, or, as we
understand it, about the world. We read, [ John 17:21 ] "As I and Thou are one,
that they also may be one in Us," and "Where I am, there will also My servant
be." These sayings, plainly, are about men; while about the creation it is said that
it is delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the
children of God. It might be added that not even when it is delivered will it take
part in the glory of the sons of God. Nor will those who hold this view forget
that the firstborn of every creature, honouring man above all else, became man,
and that it was not any of the constellations existing in the sky, but one of
another order, appointed for this purpose and in the service of the knowledge of
Jesus, that was made to be the Star of the East, whether it was like the other stars
or perchance better than they, to be the sign of Him who is the most excellent of
all. And if the boasting of the saints is in their tribulations, since [ Romans 5:3-5
] "tribulation works patience, and patience probation, and probation hope, and
hope makes not ashamed," then the afflicted creation cannot have the like
patience with man, nor the like probation, nor the like hope, but another degree
of these, since [ Romans 8:20 ] "the creation was made subject to vanity, not
willingly, but on account of Him who subjected it, for hope." Now he who
shrinks from conferring such great attributes on man will turn to another
direction and say that the creature being subjected to vanity groans and suffers
greater affliction than those who groan in this tabernacle, for has she not suffered
for the utmost extent of time in her service of vanity— nay, many times as long
as man? For why does she do this not willingly, but that it is against her nature to
be subject to vanity, and not to have the best arrangement of her life, that which
she shall receive when she is set free, when the world is destroyed and released
even from the vanity of bodies. Here, however, we may appear to be stretching
too far, and aiming at more than the question now before us requires. We may
return, therefore, to the point from which we set out, and ask for what reason the
Saviour is called the light of the world, the true light, and the light of men. Now
we saw that He is called the true light with reference to the sensible light of the
world, and that the light of the world is the same thing as the light of men, or that
we may at least enquire whether they are the same. This discussion is not
superfluous. Some students do not take anything at all out of the statement that
the Saviour is the Word; and it is important for us to assure ourselves that we are
not chargeable with caprice in fixing our attention on that notion. If it admits of
being taken in a metaphorical sense we ought not to take it literally. When we
apply the mystical and allegorical method to the expression "light of the world"
and the many analogous terms mentioned above, we should surely do so with
this expression also.

25. Christ as the Resurrection.

Now He is called the light of men and the true light and the light of the
word, because He brightens and irradiates the higher parts of men, or, in a word,
of all reasonable beings. And similarly it is from and because of the energy with
which He causes the old deadness to be put aside and that which is par
excellence life to be put on, so that those who have truly received Him rise again
from the dead, that He is called the resurrection. And this He does not only at the
moment at which a man says, [ Romans 6:4 ] "We are buried with Christ
through baptism and have risen again with Him," but much rather when a man,
having laid off all about him that belongs to death, walks in the newness of life
which belongs to Him, the Son, while here. We always [ 2 Corinthians 4:10 ]
"carry about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus," and thus we reap the vast
advantage, "that the life of the Lord Jesus might be made manifest in our
bodies."

26. Christ as the Way.

But that progress too, which is in wisdom and which is found by those who
seek their salvation in it to do for them what they require both in respect of
exposition of truth in the divine word and in respect of conduct according to true
righteousness, it lets us understand how Christ is the way. In this way we have to
take nothing with us, [ Matthew 10:10 ] neither wallet nor coat; we must travel
without even a stick, nor must we have shoes on our feet. For this road is itself
sufficient for all the supplies of our journey; and every one who walks on it
wants nothing. He is clad with a garment which is fit for one who is setting out
in response to an invitation to a wedding; and on this road he cannot meet
anything that can annoy him. "No one," Solomon says, [ Proverbs 30:19 ] "can
find out the way of a serpent upon a rock." I would add, or that of any other
beast. Hence there is no need of a staff on this road, on which there is no trace of
any hostile creature, and the hardness of which, whence also it is called rock (
petra ), makes it incapable of harbouring anything hurtful.

27. Christ as the Truth.

Further, the Only-begotten is the truth, because He embraces in Himself
according to the Father's will the whole reason of all things, and that with perfect
clearness, and being the truth communicates to each creature in proportion to its
worthiness. And should any one enquire whether all that the Father knows,
according to the depth of His riches and His wisdom and His knowledge, is
known to our Saviour also, and should he, imagining that he will thereby glorify
the Father, show that some things known to the Father are unknown to the Son,
although He might have had an equal share of the apprehensions of the
unbegotten God, we must remind him that it is from His being the truth that He
is Saviour, and add that if He is the truth complete, then there is nothing true
which He does not know; truth must not limp for the want of the things which,
according to those persons, are known to the Father only. Or else let it be shown
that some things are known to which the name of truth does not apply, but which
are above the truth.

28. Christ as Life.

It is clear also that the principle of that life which is pure and unmixed with
any other element, resides in Him who is the firstborn of all creation, taking
from which those who have a share in Christ live the life which is true life, while
all those who are thought to live apart from this, as they have not the true light,
have not the true life either.

29. Christ as the Door and as the Shepherd.

 29. Christ as the Door and as the Shepherd.
But as one cannot be in the Father or with the Father except by ascending
from below upwards and coming first to the divinity of the Son, through which
one may be led by the hand and brought to the blessedness of the Father
Himself, so the Saviour has the inscription "The Door." And as He is a lover of
men, and approves the impulse of human souls to better things, even of those
who do not hasten to reason (the Logos), but like sheep have a weakness and
gentleness apart from all accuracy and reason, so He is the Shepherd. For the
Lord saves men and beasts, and Israel and Juda are sowed with the seed not of
men only but also of beasts. [ Jeremiah 31:27 ]

30. Christ as Anointed (Christ) and as King.

In addition to these titles we must consider at the outset of our work that of
Christ, and we must also consider that of King, and compare these two so as to
find out the difference between them. Now it is said in the forty-fourth Psalm,
"You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, whence You are anointed
(Christ) above Your fellows." His loving righteousness and hating iniquity were
thus added claims in Him; His anointing was not contemporary with His being
nor inherited by Him from the first. Anointing is a symbol of entering on the
kingship, and sometimes also on the priesthood; and must we therefore conclude
that the kingship of the Son of God is not inherited nor congenital to Him? But
how is it conceivable that the Firstborn of all creation was not a king and became
a king afterwards because He loved righteousness, when, moreover, He Himself
was righteousness? We cannot fail to see that it is as a man that He is Christ, in
respect of His soul, which was human and liable to be troubled and sore vexed,
but that He is conceived as king in respect of the divine in Him. I find support
for this in the seventy-first Psalm, which says, "Give the king Your judgment, O
God, and Your righteousness to the king's Son, to judge Your people in
righteousness and Your poor in judgment." This Psalm, though addressed to
Solomon, is evidently a prophecy of Christ, and it is worth while to ask to what
king the prophecy desires judgment to be given by God, and to what king's Son,
and what king's righteousness is spoken of. I conceive, then, that what is called
the King is the leading nature of the Firstborn of all creation, to which judgment
is given on account of its eminence; and that the man whom He assumed,
formed and moulded by that nature, according to righteousness, is the King's
Son. I am the more led to think that this is so, because the two beings are here
brought together in one sentence, and are spoken of as if they were not two but
one. For the Saviour made both one, [ Ephesians 2:14 ] that is, He made them
according to the prototype of the two which had been made one in Himself
before all things. The two I refer to human nature, since each man's soul is
mixed with the Holy Spirit, and each of those who are saved is thus made
spiritual. Now as there are some to whom Christ is a shepherd, as we said before,
because of their meek and composed nature, though they are less guided by
reason; so there are those to whom He is a king, those, namely, who are led in
their approach to religion rather by the reasonable part of their nature. And
among those who are under a king there are differences; some experience his
rule in a more mystic and hidden and more divine way, others in a less perfect
fashion. I should say that those who, led by reason, apart from all agencies of
sense, have beheld incorporeal things, the things which Paul speaks of as
"invisible," or "not seen," that they are ruled by the leading nature of the Only-
begotten, but that those who have only advanced as far as the reason which is
conversant with sensible things, and on account of these glorify their Maker, that
these also are governed by the Word, by Christ. No offense need be taken at our
distinguishing these notions in the Saviour; we draw the same distinctions in His
substance.

31. Christ as Teacher and Master.

It is plain to all how our Lord is a teacher and an interpreter for those who
are striving towards godliness, and on the other hand a master of those servants
who have the spirit of bondage to fear, [ Romans 8:15 ] who make progress and
hasten towards wisdom, and are found worthy to possess it. For "the servant
knows not what the master wills," since he is no longer his master, but has
become his friend. The Lord Himself teaches this, for He says to hearers who
were still servants: [ John 13:13 ] "You call Me Master and Lord, and you say
well, for so I am," but in another passage, [ John 15:15 ] "I call you no longer
servants, for the servant knows not what is the will of his master, but I call you
friends," because [ Luke 22:28 ] "you have continued with Me in all My
temptations." They, then, who live according to fear, which God exacts from
those who are not good servants, as we read in Malachi, "If I am a Master, where
is My fear?" are servants of a master who is called their Saviour.

32. Christ as Son.

None of these testimonies, however, sets forth distinctly the Saviour's
exalted birth; but when the words are addressed to Him, "You are My Son, this
day have I begotten You," this is spoken to Him by God, with whom all time is
today, for there is no evening with God, as I consider, and there is no morning,
nothing but time that stretches out, along with His unbeginning and unseen life.
The day is today with Him in which the Son was begotten, and thus the
beginning of His birth is not found, as neither is the day of it.

33. Christ the True Vine, and as Bread.

To what we have said must be added how the Son is the true vine. Those
will have no difficulty in apprehending this who understand, in a manner worthy
of the prophetic grace, the saying: "Wine makes glad the heart of man." For if
the heart be the intellectual part, and what rejoices it is the Word most pleasant
of all to drink which takes us off human things, makes us feel ourselves inspired,
and intoxicates us with an intoxication which is not irrational but divine, that, I
conceive, with which Joseph made his brethren merry, [ Genesis 43:34 ] then it
is very clear how He who brings wine thus to rejoice the heart of man is the true
vine. He is the true vine, because the grapes He bears are the truth, the disciples
are His branches, and they, also, bring forth the truth as their fruit. It is
somewhat difficult to show the difference between the vine and bread, for He
says, not only that He is the vine, but that He is the bread of life. May it be that
as bread nourishes and makes strong, and is said to strengthen the heart of man,
but wine, on the contrary, pleases and rejoices and melts him, so ethical studies,
bringing life to him who learns them and reduces them to practice, are the bread
of life, but cannot properly be called the fruit of the vine, while secret and
mystical speculations, rejoicing the heart and causing those to feel inspired who
take them in, delighting in the Lord, and who desire not only to be nourished but
to be made happy, are called the juice of the true vine, because they flow from it.

34. Christ as the First and the Last; He is Also What

Lies Between These.
Further, we have to ask in what sense He is called in the Apocalypse the
First and the Last, and how, in His character as the First, He is not the same as
the Alpha and the beginning, while in His character as the Last He is not the
same as the Omega and the end. It appears to me, then, that the reasonable
beings which exist are characterized by many forms, and that some of them are
the first, some the second, some the third, and so on to the last. To pronounce
exactly, however, which is the first, what kind of a being the second is, which
may truly be designated third, and to carry this out to the end of the series, this is
not a task for man, but transcends our nature. We shall yet venture, such as we
are, to stand still a little at this point, and to make some observations on the
matter. There are some gods of whom God is god, as we hear in prophecy,
"Thank ye the God of gods," and "The God of gods has spoken, and called the
earth." Now God, according to the Gospel, [ Matthew 20:2 ] "is not the God of
the dead but of the living." Those gods, then, are living of whom God is god.
The Apostle, too, writing to the Corinthians, says: [ 1 Corinthians 8:5 ] "As there
are gods many and lords many," and so we have spoken of these gods as really
existing. Now there are, besides the gods of whom God is god, certain others,
who are called thrones, and others called dominions, lordships, also, and powers
in addition to these. The phrase, [ Ephesians 1:21 ] "above every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come," leads us to
believe that there are yet others besides these which are less familiar to us; one
kind of these the Hebrews called Sabai, from which Sabaoth was formed, who is
their ruler, and is none other than God. Add to all these the reasonable being
who is mortal, man. Now the God of all things made first in honour some race of
reasonable beings; this I consider to be those who are called gods, and the
second order, let us say, for the present, are the thrones, and the third,
undoubtedly, the dominions. And thus we come down in order to the last
reasonable race, which, perhaps, cannot be any other than man. The Saviour
accordingly became, in a diviner way than Paul, all things to all, that He might
either gain all or perfect them; it is clear that to men He became a man, and to
the angels an angel. As for His becoming man no believer has any doubt, but as
to His becoming an angel, we shall find reason for believing it was so, if we
observe carefully the appearances and the words of the angels, in some of which
the powers of the angels seem to belong to Him. In several passages angels
speak in such a way as to suggest this, as when "the angel of the Lord appeared
in a flame of fire. And he said, I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of
Jacob." But Isaiah also says: [ Isaiah 9:6 ] "His name is called Angel of Great
Counsel." The Saviour, then, is the first and the last, not that He is not what lies
between, but the extremities are named to show that He became all things.
Consider, however, whether the last is man, or the things said to be under the
earth, of which are the demons, all of them or some. We must ask, too, about
those things which the Saviour became which He speaks of through the prophet
David, "And I became as a man without any to help him, free among the dead."
His birth from the Virgin and His life so admirably lived showed Him to be
more than man, and it was the same among the dead. He was the only free
person there, and His soul was not left in hell. Thus, then, He is the first and the
last. Again, if there be letters of God, as such there are, by reading which the
saints may say they have read what is written on the tablets of heaven, these
letters, by which heavenly things are to be read, are the notions, divided into
small parts, into [Α] and so on to [Ω], the Son of God. Again, He is the
beginning and the end, but He is this not in all His aspects equally. For He is the
beginning, as the Proverbs teach us, inasmuch as He is wisdom; it is written:
"The Lord founded Me in the beginning of His ways, for His works." In the
respect of His being the Logos He is not the beginning. "The Word was in the
beginning." Thus in His aspects one comes first and is the beginning, and there
is a second after the beginning, and a third, and so on to the end, as if He had
said, I am the beginning. inasmuch as I am wisdom, and the second, perhaps,
inasmuch as I am invisible, and the third in that I am life, for "what was made
was life in Him." One who was qualified to examine and to discern the sense of
Scripture might, no doubt, find many members of the series; I cannot say if he
could find them all. "The beginning and the end" is a phrase we usually apply to
a thing that is a completed unity; the beginning of a house is its foundation and
the end the parapet. We cannot but think of this figure, since Christ is the stone
which is the head of the corner, to the great unity of the body of the saved. For
Christ the only-begotten Son is all and in all, He is as the beginning in the man
He assumed, He is present as the end in the last of the saints, and He is also in
those between, or else He is present as the beginning in Adam, as the end in His
life on earth, according to the saying: "The last Adam was made a quickening
spirit." This saying harmonizes well with the interpretation we have given of the
first and the last.

35. Christ as the Living and the Dead.

 In what has been said about the first and the last, and about the beginning
and the end, we have referred these words at one point to the different forms of
reasonable beings, at another to the different conceptions of the Son of God.
Thus we have gained a distinction between the first and the beginning, and
between the last and the end, and also the distinctive meaning of [Α] and [Ω] . It
is not hard to see why he is called [ Revelation 1:17-18 ] "the Living and the
Dead," and after being dead He that is alive for evermore. For since we were not
helped by His original life, sunk as we were in sin, He came down into our
deadness in order that, He having died to sin, we, [ 2 Corinthians 4:10 ] bearing
about in our body the dying of Jesus. might then receive that life of His which is
for evermore. For those who always carry about in their body the dying of Jesus
shall obtain the life of Jesus also, manifested in their bodies.

36. Christ as a Sword.

The texts of the New Testament, which we have discussed, are things said
by Himself about Himself. Isaiah, however, He said [ Isaiah 49:2-3 ] that His
mouth had been set by His Father as a sharp sword, and that He was hidden
under the shadow of His hand, made like to a chosen shaft and kept close in the
Father's quiver, called His servant by the God of all things, and Israel, and Light
of the Gentiles. The mouth of the Son of God is a sharp sword, for [ Hebrews
4:12 ] "The word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, and piercing to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow,
and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart." And indeed He came
not to bring peace on the earth, that is, to corporeal and sensible things, but a
sword, and to cut through, if I may say so, the disastrous friendship of soul and
body, so that the soul, committing herself to the spirit which was against the
flesh, may enter into friendship with God. Hence, according to the prophetic
word, He made His mouth as a sword, as a sharp sword. Can any one behold so
many wounded by the divine love, like her in the Song of Songs, who
complained that she was wounded: [ Song of Songs 2:5 ] "I am wounded with
love," and find the dart that wounded so many souls for the love of God, in any
but Him who said, "He has made Me as a chosen shaft."

37. Christ as a Servant, as the Lamb of God, and as

the Man Whom John Did Not Know.
Again, let any one consider how Jesus was to His disciples, not as He who
sits at meat, but as He who serves, and how though the Son of God He took on
Him the form of a servant for the sake of the freedom of those who were
enslaved in sin, and he will be at no loss to account for the Father's saying to
Him: "You are My servant," and a little further on: "It is a great thing that you
should be called My servant." For we do not hesitate to say that the goodness of
Christ appears in a greater and more divine light, and more according to the
image of the Father, because [ Philippians 2:6, 8 ] "He humbled Himself,
becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," than if He had
judged it a thing to be grasped to be equal with God, and had shrunk from
becoming a servant for the salvation of the world. Hence He says, [ Isaiah 49:5-6
] desiring to teach us that in accepting this state of servitude He had received a
great gift from His Father: "And My God shall be My strength. And He said to
Me, It is a great thing for You to be called My servant." For if He had not
become a servant, He would not have raised up the tribes of Jacob, nor have
turned the heart of the diaspora of Israel, and neither would He have become a
light of the Gentiles to be for salvation to the ends of the earth. And it is no great
thing for Him to become a servant, even if it is called a great thing by His
Father, for this is in comparison with His being called with an innocent sheep
and with a lamb. For the Lamb of God became like an innocent sheep being led
to the slaughter, that He may take away the sin of the world. He who supplies
reason ([λογος]) to all is made like a lamb which is dumb before her shearer, that
we might be purified by His death, which is given as a sort of medicine against
the opposing power, and also against the sin of those who open their minds to
the truth. For the death of Christ reduced to impotence those powers which war
against the human race, and it set free from sin by a power beyond our words the
life of each believer. Since, then, He takes away sin until every enemy shall be
destroyed and death last of all, in order that the whole world may be free from
sin, therefore John points to Him and says: [ John 1:29 ] "Behold the Lamb of
God which takes away the sin of the world." It is not said that He will take it
away in the future, nor that He is at present taking it, nor that He has taken it, but
is not taking it away now. His taking away sin is still going on, He is taking it
away from every individual in the world, till sin be taken away from the whole
world, and the Saviour deliver the kingdom prepared and completed to the
Father, a kingdom in which no sin is left at all, and which, therefore, is ready to
accept the Father as its king, and which on the other hand is waiting to receive
all God has to bestow, fully, and in every part, at that time when the saying [ 1
Corinthians 5:28 ] is fulfilled, "That God may be all in all." Further, we hear of a
man who is said to be coming after John, who was made before him and was
before him. This is to teach us that the man also of the Son of God, the man who
was mixed with His divinity, was older than His birth from Mary. John says he
does not know this man, but must he not have known Him when he leapt for joy
when yet a babe unborn in Elisabeth's womb, as soon as the voice of Mary's
salutation sounded in the ears of the wife of Zacharias? Consider, therefore, if
the words "I know Him not" may have reference to the period before the bodily
existence. Though he did not know Him before He assumed His body, yet he
knew Him when yet in his mother's womb, and perhaps he is here learning
something new about Him beyond what was known to him before, namely, that
on whomsoever the Holy Spirit shall descend and abide on him, that is he who is
to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He knew him from his mother's
womb, but not all about Him. He did not know perhaps that this is He who
baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire, when he saw the Spirit descending
and abiding on Him. Yet that He was indeed a man, and the first man, John did
not know.

38. Christ as Paraclete, as Propitiation, and as the

Power of God.
But none of the names we have mentioned expresses His representation of
us with the Father, as He pleads for human nature, and makes atonement for it;
the Paraclete, and the propitiation, and the atonement. He has the name Paraclete
in the Epistle of John: [ 1 John 2:1-2 ] "If any man sin, we have a Paraclete with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." And He is said in the same epistle to be
the atonement for our sins. Similarly, in the Epistle to the Romans, He is called a
propitiation: "Whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith." Of this
proportion there was a type in the inmost part of the temple, the Holy of Holies,
namely, the golden mercy-seat placed upon the two cherubim. But how could He
ever be the Paraclete, and the atonement, and the propitiation without the power
of God, which makes an end of our weakness, flows over the souls of believers,
and is administered by Jesus, who indeed is prior to it and Himself the power of
God, who enables a man to say: [ Philippians 4:13 ] "I can do all things through
Jesus Christ who strengthens me." Whence we know that Simon Magus, who
gave himself the title of "The power of God, which is called great," was
consigned to perdition and destruction, he and his money with him. We, on the
contrary, who confess Christ as the true power of God, believe that we share
with Him, inasmuch as He is that power, all things in which any energy resides.

39. Christ as Wisdom and Sanctification and

Redemption.
We must not, however, pass over in silence that He is of right the wisdom
of God, and hence is called by that name. For the wisdom of the God and Father
of all things does not apprehend His substance in mere visions, like the
phantasms of human thoughts. Whoever is able to conceive a bodiless existence
of manifold speculations which extend to the rationale of existing things, living
and, as it were, ensouled, he will see how well the Wisdom of God which is
above every creature speaks of herself, when she says: [ Proverbs 8:22 ] "God
created me the beginning of His ways, for His works." By this creating act the
whole creation was enabled to exist, not being unreceptive of that divine wisdom
according to which it was brought into being; for God, according to the prophet
David, made all things in wisdom. But many things came into being by the help
of wisdom, which do not lay hold of that by which they were created: and few
things indeed there are which lay hold not only of that wisdom which concerns
themselves, but of that which has to do with many things besides, namely, of
Christ who is the whole of wisdom. But each of the sages, in proportion as he
embraces wisdom, partakes to that extent of Christ, in that He is wisdom; just as
every one who is greatly gifted with power, in proportion as he has power, in
that proportion also has a share in Christ, inasmuch as He is power. The same is
to be thought about sanctification and redemption; for Jesus Himself is made
sanctification to us and redemption. Each of us is sanctified with that
sanctification, and redeemed with that redemption. Consider, moreover, if the
words "to us," added by the Apostle, have any special force. Christ, he says,
"was made to us of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption." In other passages, he speaks about Christ as being wisdom, without
any such qualification, and of His being power, saying that Christ is the power of
God and the wisdom of God, though we might have conceived that He was not
the wisdom of God or the power of God, absolutely, but only for us. Now, in
respect of wisdom and power, we have both forms of the statement, the relative
and the absolute; but in respect of sanctification and redemption, this is not the
case. Consider, therefore, since [ Hebrews 2:11 ] "He that sanctifies and they
that are sanctified are all of one," whether the Father is the sanctification of Him
who is our sanctification, as, Christ being our head, God is His head. But Christ
is our redemption because we had become prisoners and needed ransoming. I do
not enquire as to His own redemption, for though He was tempted in all things as
we are, He was without sin, and His enemies never reduced Him to captivity.

40. Christ as Righteousness; As the Demiurge, the

Agent of the Good God, and as High-Priest.
Having expiscated the "to us" and the "absolutely" — sanctification and
redemption being "to us" and not absolute, wisdom and redemption both to us
and absolute— we must not omit to enquire into the position of righteousness in
the same passage. That Christ is righteousness relatively to us appears clearly
from the words: "Who was made to us of God wisdom and righteousness and
sanctification and redemption." And if we do not find Him to be righteousness
absolutely as He is the wisdom and the power of God absolutely, then we must
enquire whether to Christ Himself, as the Father is sanctification, so the Father is
also righteousness. There is, we know, no unrighteousness with God; [ John 7:18
] He is a righteous and holy Lord, [ Revelation 16:5, 7 ] and His judgments are
in righteousness, and being righteous, He orders all things righteously.
The heretics drew a distinction for purposes of their own between the just
and the good. They did not make the matter very clear, but they considered that
the demiurge was just, while the Father of Christ was good. That distinction
may, I think, if carefully examined, be applied to the Father and the Son; the Son
being righteousness, and having received power [ John 5:27 ] to execute
judgment, because He is the Son of Man and will judge the world in
righteousness, but the Father doing good to those who have been disciplined by
the righteousness of the Son. This is after the kingdom of the Son; then the
Father will manifest in His works His name the Good, when God becomes all in
all. And perhaps by His righteousness the Saviour prepares everything at the fit
times, and by His word, by His ordering, by His chastisements, and, if I may use
such an expression, by His spiritual healing aids, disposes all things to receive at
the end the goodness of the Father. It was from His sense of that goodness that
He answered him who addressed the Only-begotten with the words "Good
Master," [ Hebrews 2:9 ] and said, "Why do you call Me good? None is good but
one, God, the Father." This we have treated of elsewhere, especially in dealing
with the question of the greater than the demiurge; Christ we have taken to be
the demiurge, and the Father the greater than He. Such great things, then, He is,
the Paraclete, the atonement, the propitiation, the sympathizer with our
weaknesses, who was tempted in all human things, as we are, without sin; and in
consequence He is a great High-Priest, having offered Himself as the sacrifice
which is offered once for all, and not for men only but for every rational
creature. For without God He tasted death for every one. In some copies of the
Epistle to the Hebrews the words are "by the grace of God." Now, whether He
tasted death for every one without God, He died not for men only but for all
other intellectual beings too, or whether He tasted death for every one by the
grace of God, He died for all without God, for by the grace of God He tasted
death for every one. It would surely be absurd to say that He tasted death for
human sins and not for any other being besides man which had fallen into sin, as
for example for the stars. For not even the stars are clean in the eyes of God, as
we read in Job, [ Job 25:5 ] "The stars are not clean in His sight," unless this is
to be regarded as a hyperbole. Hence he is a great High-Priest, since He restores
all things to His Father's kingdom, and arranges that whatever defects exist in
each part of creation shall be filled up so as to be full of the glory of the Father.
This High-Priest is called, from some other notion of him than those we have
noticed, Judas, that those who are Jews secretly [ Romans 2:29 ] may take the
name of Jew not from Judah, son of Jacob, but from Him, since they are His
brethren, and praise Him for the freedom they have attained. For it is He who
sets them free, saving them from their enemies on whose backs He lays His hand
to subdue them. When He has put under His feet the opposing power, and is
alone in presence of His Father, then He is Jacob and Israel; and thus as we are
made light by Him, since He is the light of the world, so we are made Jacob
since He is called Jacob, and Israel since He is called Israel.
 41. Christ as the Rod, the Flower, the Stone.
Now He receives the kingdom from the king whom the children of Israel
appointed, beginning the monarchy not at the divine command and without even
consulting God. He therefore fights the battles of the Lord and so prepares peace
for His Son, His people, and this perhaps is the reason why He is called David.
Then He is called a rod; [ Isaiah 11:1 ] such He is to those who need a harder
and severer discipline, and have not submitted to the love and gentleness of God.
On this account, if He is a rod, He has to "go forth;" He does not remain in
Himself, but appears to go beyond His earlier state. Going forth, then, and
becoming a rod, He does not remain a rod, but after the rod He becomes a flower
that rises up, and after being a rod He is made known as a flower to those who,
by His being a rod, have met with visitation. For "God will visit their iniquities
with a rod," that is, Christ. But "His mercy He will not take from him," for He
will have mercy on him, for on whom the Son has mercy the Father has mercy
also. An interpretation may be given which makes Him a rod and a flower in
respect of different persons, a rod to those who have need of chastisement, a
flower to those who are being saved; but I prefer the account of the matter given
above. We must add here, however, that, perhaps, looking to the end, if Christ is
a rod to any man He is also a flower to him, while it is not the case that he who
receives Him as a flower must also know Him as a rod. And yet as one flower is
more perfect than another and plants are said to flower, even though they bring
forth no perfect fruit, so the perfect receive that of Christ which transcends the
flower. Those, on the other hand, who have known Him as a rod will partake
along with it, not in His perfection, but in the flower which comes before the
fruit. Last of all, before we come to the word Logos, Christ was a stone, set at
naught by the builders but placed on the head of the corner, for the living stones
are built up as on a foundation on the other stones of the Apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself our Lord being the chief corner-stone, because He is a part
of the building made of living stones in the land of the living; therefore He is
called a stone. All this we have said to show how capricious and baseless is the
procedure of those who, when so many names are given to Christ, take the mere
appellation "the Word," without enquiring, as in the case of His other titles, in
what sense it is used; surely they ought to ask what is meant when it is said of
the Son of God that He was the Word, and God, and that He was in the
beginning with the Father, and that all things were made by Him.

42. Of the Various Ways in Which Christ is the Logos.

As, then, from His activity in enlightening the world whose light He is,
Christ is named the Light of the World, and as from His making those who
sincerely attach themselves to Him put away their deadness and rise again and
put on newness of life, He is called the Resurrection, so from an activity of
another kind He is called Shepherd and Teacher, King and Chosen Shaft, and
Servant, and in addition to these Paraclete and Atonement and Propitiation. And
after the same fashion He is also called the Logos, because He takes away from
us all that is irrational, and makes us truly reasonable, so that we do all things,
even to eating and drinking, to the glory of God, and discharge by the Logos to
the glory of God both the commoner functions of life and those which belong to
a more advanced stage. For if, by having part in Him, we are raised up and
enlightened, herded also it may be and ruled over, then it is clear that we become
in a divine manner reasonable, when He drives away from us what in us is
irrational and dead, since He is the Logos (reason) and the Resurrection.
Consider, however, whether all men have in some way part in Him in His
character as Logos. On this point the Apostle teaches us that He is to be sought
not outside the seeker, and that those find Him in themselves who set their heart
on doing so; "Say not [ Romans 10:6-8 ] in your heart, Who shall ascend into
heaven? That is to bring Christ down; or, Who shall descend into the abyss?
That is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what says the Scripture? The Word
is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart," as if Christ Himself were the
same thing as the Word said to be sought after. But when the Lord Himself says
[ John 15:22 ] "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin;
but now they have no cloak for their sin," the only sense we can find in His
words is that the Logos Himself says that those are not chargeable with sin to
whom He (reason) has not fully come, but that those, if they sin, are guilty who,
having had part in Him, act contrary to the ideas by which He declares His full
presence in us. Only when thus read is the saying true: "If I had not come and
spoken to them, they had not had sin." Should the words be applied, as many are
of opinion that they should, to the visible Christ, then how is it true that those
had no sin to whom He did not come? In that case all who lived before the
advent of the Saviour will be free from sin, since Jesus, as seen in flesh, had not
yet come. And more— all those to whom He has never been preached will have
no sin, and if they have no sin, then it is clear they are not liable to judgment.
But the Logos in man, in which we have said that our whole race had part, is
spoken of in two senses; first, in that of the filling up of ideas which takes place,
prodigies excepted, in every one who passes beyond the age of boyhood, but
secondly, in that of the consummation, which takes place only in the perfect. The
words, therefore, "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have
had sin, but now they have no cloak for their sin," are to be understood in the
former sense; but the words, [ John 10:8 ] "All that ever came before me are
thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not hear them," in the latter. For before
the consummation of reason comes, there is nothing in man but what is
blameworthy; all is imperfect and defective, and can by no means command the
obedience of those irrational elements in us which are tropically spoken of as
sheep. And perhaps the former meaning is to be recognized in the words "The
Logos was made flesh," but the second in "The Logos was God." We must
accordingly look at what there is to be seen in human affairs between the saying,
"The Word (reason) was made flesh" and "The Word was God." When the Word
was made flesh can we say that it was to some extent broken up and thinned out,
and can we say that it recovered from that point onward till it became again what
it was at first, God the Word, the Word with the Father; the Word whose glory
John saw, the verily only-begotten, as from the Father. But the Son may also be
the Logos (Word), because He reports the secret things of His Father who is
intellect in the same way as the Son who is called the Word. For as with us the
word is a messenger of those things which the mind perceives, so the Word of
God, knowing the Father, since no created being can approach Him without a
guide, reveals the Father whom He knows. For no one knows the Father save the
Son, [ Matthew 11:27 ] and he to whomsoever the Son reveals Him, and
inasmuch as He is the Word He is the Messenger of Great Counsel, [ Isaiah 9:5-
6 ] who has the government upon His shoulders; for He entered on His kingdom
by enduring the cross. In the Apocalypse, moreover, the Faithful and True (the
Word), is said to sit on a white horse, the epithets indicating, I consider, the
clearness of the voice with which the Word of truth speaks to us when He
sojourns among us. This is scarcely the place to show how the word "horse" is
often used in passages spoken for our encouragement in sacred learning. I only
cite two of these: "A horse is deceitful for safety," and "Some trust in chariots
and some in horses, but we will rejoice in the name of the Lord our God." Nor
must we leave unnoticed a passage in the forty-fourth Psalm, frequently quoted
by many writers as if they understood it: "My heart has belched forth a good
word, I speak my works to the King." Suppose it is God the Father who speaks
thus; what is His heart, that the good word should appear in accordance with His
heart? If, as these writers suppose, the Word (Logos) needs no interpretation,
then the heart is to be taken in the natural sense too. But it is quite absurd to
suppose God's heart to be a part of Him as ours is of our body. We must remind
such writers that as when the hand of God is spoken of, and His arm and His
finger, we do not read the words literally but enquire in what sound sense we
may take them so as to be worthy of God, so His heart is to be understood of His
rational power, by which He disposes all things, and His word of that which
announces what is in this heart of His. But who is it that announces the counsel
of the Father to those of His creatures who are worthy and who have risen above
themselves, who but the Saviour? That "belched forth" is not, perhaps, without
significance; a hundred other terms might have been employed; "My heart has
produced a good word," it might have been said, or "My heart has spoken a
good word." But in belching, some wind that was hidden makes its way out to
the world, and so it may be that the Father gives out views of truth not
continuously, but as it were after the fashion of belching, and the word has the
character of the things thus produced, and is called, therefore, the image of the
invisible God. We may enter our agreement, therefore, with the ordinary
acceptation of these words, and take them to be spoken by the Father. It is not,
however, a matter of course, that it is God Himself who announces these things.
Why should it not be a prophet? Filled with the Spirit and unable to contain
himself, he brings forth a word about his prophecy concerning Christ: "My heart
has belched forth a good word, I speak my works to the King, my pen is the
tongue of a ready writer. Excellent in beauty is He beyond the sons of men."
Then to the Christ Himself: "Grace is poured out on Your lips." If the Father
were the speaker, how could He go on after the words, "Grace is poured out on
your lips," to say, "Therefore God has blessed you for ever," and a little further
on, "Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above
your fellows." Some of those who wish to make the Father the speaker may
appeal to the words, "Hear, O daughter, and behold and incline your ear, and
forget your people and your father." The prophet, it may be said, could not
address the Church in the words, "Hear, O daughter." It is not difficult,
however, to show that changes of person occur frequently in the Psalms, so that
these words, "Hear, O daughter," might be from the Father, in this passage,
though the Psalm as a whole is not. To our discussion of the Word we may here
add the passage, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens founded, and all the
power of them by the breath of His mouth." Some refer this to the Saviour and
the Holy Spirit. The passage, however, does not necessarily imply any more than
that the heavens were founded by the reason (logos) of God, as when we say that
a house is built by the plan (logos) of the architect, or a ship by the plan (logos)
of the shipbuilder. In the same way the heavens were founded (made solid) by
the Word of God, for they are of a more divine substance, which on this account
is called solid; it has little fluidity for the most part, nor is it easily melted like
other parts of the world, and specially the lower parts. On account of this
difference the heavens are said in a special manner to be constituted by the Word
of God.
The saying then stands, first, "In the beginning was the Logos;" we are to
place that full in our view; but the testimonies we cited from the Proverbs led us
to place wisdom first, and to think of wisdom as preceding the Word which
announces her. We must observe, then, that the Logos is in the beginning, that is,
in wisdom, always. Its being in wisdom, which is called the beginning, does not
prevent it from being with God and from being God, and it is not simply with
God, but is in the beginning, in wisdom, with God. For he goes on: "He was in
the beginning with God." He might have said, "He was with God;" but as He was
in the beginning, so He was with God in the beginning, and "All things were
made by Him," being in the beginning, for God made all things, as David tells
us, in wisdom. And to let us understand that the Word has His own definite place
and sphere as one who has life in Himself (and is a distinct person), we must
also speak about powers, not about power. "Thus says the Lord of powers, (A.V.
hosts)" we frequently read; there are certain creatures, rational and divine, which
are called powers: and of these Christ was the highest and best, and is called not
only the wisdom of God but also His power. As, then, there are several powers
of God, each of them in its own form, and the Saviour is different from these, so
also Christ, even if that which is Logos in us is not in respect of form outside of
us, will be understood from our discussion up to this point to be the Logos, who
has His being in the beginning, in wisdom. This for the present may suffice, on
the word: "In the beginning was the Logos."
 Commentary on the Gospel of John
(Book II)
1

" And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. " In the preceding
section, my revered brother Ambrosius, brother formed according to the Gospel,
we have discussed, as far as is at present in our power, what the Gospel is, and
what is the beginning in which the Word was, and what the Word is which was
in the beginning. We now come to consider the next point in the work before us,
How the Word was with God. To this end it will be of service to remember that
what is called the Word came to certain persons; as "The Word of the Lord [
Hosea 1:1 ] which came to Hosea, the son of Beeri," and "The Word [ Isaiah 2:1
] which came to Isaiah, the son of Amos, concerning Judah and concerning
Jerusalem," and "The Word which came to Jeremiah [ Jeremiah 14:1 ]
concerning the drought." We must enquire how this Word came to Hosea, and
how it came also to Isaiah the son of Amos, and again to Jeremiah concerning
the drought; the comparison may enable us to find out how the Word was with
God. The generality will simply look at what the prophets said, as if that were
the Word of the Lord or the Word, that came to them. May it not be, however,
that as we say that this person comes to that, so the Son, the Word, of whom we
are now theologizing, came to Hosea, sent to him by the Father; historically, that
is to say, to the son of Beeri, the prophet Hosea, but mystically to him who is
saved, for Hosea means, etymologically, Saved ; and to the son of Beeri, which
etymologically means wells, since every one who is saved becomes a son of that
spring which gushes forth out of the depths, the wisdom of God. And it is
nowise marvellous that the saint should be a son of wells. From his brave deeds
he is often called a son, whether, from his works shining before men, of light, or
from his possessing the peace of God which passes all understanding, of peace,
or, once more, from the help which wisdom brings him, a child of wisdom; for
wisdom, [ Matthew 11:19 ] it says, is justified of her children. Thus he who by
the divine spirit searches all things, and even the deep things of God, so that he
can exclaim, [ Romans 11:33 ] "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and
the knowledge of God!" he can be a son of wells, to whom the Word of the Lord
comes. Similarly the Word comes also to Isaiah, teaching the things which are
coming upon Judæa and Jerusalem in the last days; and so also it comes to
Jeremiah lifted up by a divine elation. For Iao means etymologically lifting up,
elation. Now the Word comes to men who formerly could not receive the advent
of the Son of God who is the Word; but to God it does not come, as if it had not
been with Him before. The Word was always with the Father; and so it is said,
"And the Word was with God." He did not come to God, and this same word
"was" is used of the Word because He was in the beginning at the same time
when He was with God, neither being separated from the beginning nor being
bereft of His Father. And again, neither did He come to be in the beginning after
He had not been in it, nor did He come to be with God after not having been
with Him. For before all time and the remotest age the Word was in the
beginning, and the Word was with God. Thus to find out what is meant by the
phrase, "The Word was with God," we have adduced the words used about the
prophets, how He came to Hosea, to Isaiah, to Jeremiah, and we have noticed the
difference, by no means accidental, between "became" and "was." We have to
add that in His coming to the prophets He illuminates the prophets with the light
of knowledge, causing them to see things which had been before them, but
which they had not understood till then. With God, however, He is God, just
because He is with Him. And perhaps it was because he saw some such order in
the Logos, that John did not place the clause "The Word was God" before the
clause "The Word was with God." The series in which he places his different
sentences does not prevent the force of each axiom from being separately and
fully seen. One axiom is, "In the beginning was the Word," a second, "The Word
was with God," and then comes, "And the Word was God." The arrangement of
the sentences might be thought to indicate an order; we have first "In the
beginning was the Word," then, "And the Word was with God," and thirdly, "And
the Word was God," so that it might be seen that the Word being with God
makes Him God.

2. In What Way the Logos is God. Errors to Be

Avoided on This Question.
We next notice John's use of the article in these sentences. He does not
write without care in this respect, nor is he unfamiliar with the niceties of the
Greek tongue. In some cases he uses the article, and in some he omits it. He adds
the article to the Logos, but to the name of God he adds it sometimes only. He
uses the article, when the name of God refers to the uncreated cause of all things,
and omits it when the Logos is named God. Does the same difference which we
observe between God with the article and God without it prevail also between
the Logos with it and without it? We must enquire into this. As the God who is
over all is God with the article not without it, so "the Logos" is the source of that
reason (Logos) which dwells in every reasonable creature; the reason which is in
each creature is not, like the former called par excellence The Logos. Now there
are many who are sincerely concerned about religion, and who fall here into
great perplexity. They are afraid that they may be proclaiming two Gods, and
their fear drives them into doctrines which are false and wicked. Either they
deny that the Son has a distinct nature of His own besides that of the Father, and
make Him whom they call the Son to be God all but the name, or they deny the
divinity of the Son, giving Him a separate existence of His own, and making His
sphere of essence fall outside that of the Father, so that they are separable from
each other. To such persons we have to say that God on the one hand is Very
God (Autotheos, God of Himself); and so the Saviour says in His prayer to the
Father, [ John 17:3 ] "That they may know You the only true God;" but that all
beyond the Very God is made God by participation in His divinity, and is not to
be called simply God (with the article), but rather God (without article). And
thus the first-born of all creation, who is the first to be with God, and to attract to
Himself divinity, is a being of more exalted rank than the other gods beside Him,
of whom God is the God, as it is written, "The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken
and called the earth." It was by the offices of the first-born that they became
gods, for He drew from God in generous measure that they should be made gods,
and He communicated it to them according to His own bounty. The true God,
then, is "The God," and those who are formed after Him are gods, images, as it
were, of Him the prototype. But the archetypal image, again, of all these images
is the Word of God, who was in the beginning, and who by being with God is at
all times God, not possessing that of Himself, but by His being with the Father,
and not continuing to be God, if we should think of this, except by remaining
always in uninterrupted contemplation of the depths of the Father.

3. Various Relations of the Logos to Men.

Now it is possible that some may dislike what we have said representing the
Father as the one true God, but admitting other beings besides the true God, who
have become gods by having a share of God. They may fear that the glory of
Him who surpasses all creation may be lowered to the level of those other beings
called gods. We drew this distinction between Him and them that we showed
God the Word to be to all the other gods the minister of their divinity. To this we
must add, in order to obviate objections, that the reason which is in every
reasonable creature occupied the same relation to the reason who was in the
beginning with God, and is God the Word, as God the Word occupies to God. As
the Father who is Very God and the True God is to His image and to the images
of His image— men are said to be according to the image, not to be images of
God— so He, the Word, is to the reason (word) in every man. Each fills the
place of a fountain— the Father is the fountain of divinity, the Son of reason. As,
then, there are many gods, but to us there is but one God the Father, and many
Lords, but to us there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, so there are many [Λόγοι], but
we, for our part, pray that that one [Λόγος] may be with us who was in the
beginning and was with God, God the Logos. For whoever does not receive this
Logos who was in the beginning with God, or attach himself to Him as He
appeared in flesh, or take part in some of those who had part in this Logos, or
whoever having had part in Him falls away from Him again, he will have his
portion in what is called most opposite to reason. What we have drawn out from
the truths with which we started will now be clear enough. First, we spoke about
God and the Word of God, and of Gods, either, that is, beings who partake in
deity or beings who are called Gods and are not. And again of the Logos of God
and of the Logos of God made flesh, and of logoi, or beings which partake in
some way of the Logos, of second logoi or of third, thought to be logoi, in
addition to that Logos that was before them all, but not really so. Irrational
Reasons these may be styled; beings are spoken of who are said to be Gods but
are not, and one might place beside these Gods who are no Gods, Reasons which
are no Reasons. Now the God of the universe is the God of the elect, and in a
much greater degree of the Saviours of the elect; then He is the God of these
beings who are truly Gods, and then He is the God, in a word, of the living and
not of the dead. But God the Logos is the God, perhaps, of those who attribute
everything to Him and who consider Him to be their Father. Now the sun and the
moon and the stars were connected, according to the accounts of men of old
times, with beings who were not worthy to have the God of gods counted their
God. To this opinion they were led by a passage in Deuteronomy which is
somewhat on this wise: "Lest when you lift up your eyes to heaven, and see the
sun and the moon and the whole host of heaven, you wander away and worship
them and serve them which the Lord your God has appointed to all the peoples.
But to you the Lord your God has not so given them." But how did God appoint
the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven to all the nations, if He did not
give them in the same way to Israel also, to the end that those who could not rise
to the realm of intellect, might be inclined by gods of sense to consider about the
Godhead, and might of their own free will connect themselves with these and so
be kept from falling away to idols and demons? Is it not the case that some have
for their God the God of the universe, while a second class, after these, attach
themselves to the Son of God, His Christ, and a third class worship the sun and
the moon and all the host of heaven, wandering, it is true, from God, but with a
far different and a better wandering than that of those who invoke as gods the
works of men's hands, silver and gold—works of human skill. Last of all are
those who devote themselves to the beings which are called gods but are no
gods. In the same way, now, some have faith in that Reason which was in the
beginning and was with God and was God; so did Hosea and Isaiah and
Jeremiah and others who declared that the Word of the Lord, or the Logos, had
come to them. A second class are those who know nothing but Jesus Christ and
Him crucified, considering that the Word made flesh is the whole Word, and
knowing only Christ after the flesh. Such is the great multitude of those who are
counted believers. A third class give themselves to logoi (discourses) having
some part in the Logos which they consider superior to all other reason: these are
they who follow the honourable and distinguished philosophical schools among
the Greeks. A fourth class besides these are they who put their trust in corrupt
and godless discourses, doing away with Providence, which is so manifest and
almost visible, and who recognize another end for man to follow than the good.
It may appear to some that we have wandered from our theme, but to my
thinking the view we have reached of four things connected with the name of
God and four things connected with the Logos comes in very well at this point.
There was God with the article and God without the article, then there were gods
in two orders, at the summit of the higher order of whom is God the Word,
transcended Himself by the God of the universe. And, again, there was the
Logos with the article and the Logos without the article, corresponding to God
absolutely and a god; and the Logoi in two ranks. And some men are connected
with the Father, being part of Him, and next to these, those whom our argument
now brings into clearer light, those who have come to the Saviour and take their
stand entirely in Him. And third are those of whom we spoke before, who reckon
the sun and the moon and the stars to be gods, and take their stand by them. And
in the fourth and last place those who submit to soulless and dead idols. To all
this we find analogies in what concerns the Logos. Some are adorned with the
Word Himself; some with what is next to Him and appears to be the very
original Logos Himself, those, namely, who know nothing but Jesus Christ and
Him crucified, and who behold the Word as flesh. And the third class, as we
described them a little before. Why should I speak of those who are thought to
be in the Logos, but have fallen away, not only from the good itself, but from the
very traces of it and from those who have a part in it?

4. That the Logos is One, Not Many. Of the Word,

Faithful and True, and of His White Horse.
" He was in the beginning with God. " By his three foregoing propositions
the Evangelist has made us acquainted with three orders, and he now sums up
the three in one, saying, "This (Logos) was in the beginning with God." In the
first premiss we learned where the Logos was: He was in the beginning; then we
learned with whom He was, with God; and then who He was, that He was God.
He now points out by this word "He," the Word who is God, and gathers up into
a fourth proposition the three which went before, "In the beginning was the
Word," "The Word was with God," and "The Word was God." Now he says, He,
this (Word) was in the beginning with God. The term beginning may be taken of
the beginning of the world, so that we may learn from what is said that the Word
was older than the things which were made from the beginning. For if "in the
beginning God created heaven and earth," but "He" was in the beginning, then
the Logos is manifestly older than those things which were made at the
beginning, older not only than the firmament and the dry land, but than the
heavens and earth. Now some one might ask, and not unreasonably, why it is not
said, "In the beginning was the Word of God, and the Word of God was with
God, and the Word of God was God." But he who asked such a question could
be shown to be taking for granted that there are a plurality of logoi, differing
perhaps from each other in kind, one being the word of God, another perhaps the
word of angels, a third of men, and so on with the other logoi. Now, if this were
so with the Logos, the case would be the same with wisdom and with
righteousness. But it would be absurd that there should be a number of things
equally to be called "The Word;" and the same would apply to wisdom and to
righteousness. We shall be driven to confess that we ought not to look for a
plurality of logoi, or of wisdom, or of righteousness, if we look at the case of
truth. Any one will confess that there is only one truth; it could never be said in
this case that there is one truth of God, and another of the angels, and another of
man—it lies in the nature of things that the truth about anything is one. Now, if
truth be one, it is clear that the preparation of it and its demonstration, which is
wisdom, must in reason be conceived as one, since what is regarded as wisdom
cannot justly claim that title where truth, which is one, is absent from its grasp.
But if truth is one and wisdom one, then Reason (Logos) also, which announces
truth and makes truth simple and manifest to those who are fitted to receive it,
will be one. This we say, by no means denying that truth and wisdom and reason
are of God, but we wish to indicate the purpose of the omission in this passage
of the words "of God," and of the form of the statement, "In the beginning the
Logos was with God." The same John in the Apocalypse gives Him His name
with the addition "of God," where he says: [ Revelation 19:11-16 ] "And I saw
heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He that sat thereon called
Faithful and True; and in righteousness does He judge and make war. And His
eyes are as a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems, and He has a
name written which no one knows but He Himself. And He is arrayed in a
garment sprinkled with blood, and His name is called Word of God. And His
armies in heaven followed Him on white horses, clothed in pure fine linen. And
out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the
nations, and He shall rule them with a rod of iron, and He treads the winepress
of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His garment and
on His thigh a name written: King of kings, and Lord of lords." In this passage
Logos is necessarily spoken of absolutely without the article, and also with the
addition Logos of God; had the first not been the case (i.e., had the article been
given) we might have been led to take up the meaning wrongly, and so to depart
from the truth about the Logos. For if it had been called simply Logos, and had
not been said to be the Logos of God, then we would not be clearly informed
that the Logos is the Logos of God. And, again, had it been called Logos of God
but not said to be Logos absolutely, then we might imagine many logoi,
according to the constitution of each of the rational beings which exist; then we
might assume a number of logoi properly so called. Again, in his description in
the Apocalypse of the Logos of God, the Apostle and Evangelist (and the
Apocalypse entitles him to be styled a prophet, too) says he saw the Word of
God in the opened heaven, and that He was riding on a white horse. Now we
must consider what he means to convey when he speaks of heaven being opened
and of the white horse, and of the Word of God riding on the white horse, and
also what is meant by saying that the Word of God is Faithful and True, and that
in righteousness He judges and makes war. All this will greatly advance our
study on the subject of the Word of God. Now I conceive heaven to have been
shut against the ungodly, and those who bear the image of the earthly, and to
have been opened to the righteous and those adorned with the image of the
heavenly. For to the former, being below and still dwelling in the flesh, the
better things are closed, since they cannot understand them and have neither
power nor will to see their beauty, looking down as they do and not striving to
look up. But to the excellent, or those who have their commonwealth in heaven,
[ Philippians 3:20 ] he opens, with the key of David, the things in heavenly
places and discloses them to their view, and makes all clear to them by riding on
his horse. These words also have their meaning; the horse is white because it is
the nature of higher knowledge ([γνῶσις]) to be clear and white and full of light.
And on the white horse sits He who is called Faithful, seated more firmly, and so
to speak more royally, on words which cannot be set aside, words which run
sharply and more swiftly than any horse, and overhear in their rushing course
every so-called word that simulates the Word, and every so-called truth that
simulates the Truth. He who sits on the white horse is called Faithful, not
because of the faith He cherishes, but of that which He inspires, because He is
worthy of faith. Now the Lord Jehovah, according to Moses, [ Deuteronomy
32:4 ] is Faithful and True. He is true also in respect of His relation to shadow,
type, and image; for such is the Word who is in the opened heaven, for He is not
on earth as He is in heaven; on earth He is made flesh and speaks through
shadow, type, and image. The multitude, therefore, of those who are reputed to
believe are disciples of the shadow of the Word, not of the true Word of God
which is in the opened heaven. Hence Jeremiah says, [ Lamentations 4:20 ] "The
Spirit of our face is Christ the Lord, of whom we said, In His shadow shall we
live among the nations." Thus the Word of God who is called Faithful is also
called True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war; since He has
received from God the faculty of judging in very righteousness and very
judgment, and of apportioning its due to every existing creature. For none of
those who have some portion of righteousness and of the faculty of judgment
can receive on his soul such copies and impressions of righteousness and
judgment as to come short in no point of absolute righteousness and absolute
justice, just as no painter of a picture can communicate to the representation all
the qualities of the original. This, I conceive, is the reason why David says,
"Before You shall no living being be justified." He does not say, no man, or no
angel, but no living being, since even if any being partakes of life and has
altogether put off mortality, not even then can it be justified in comparison of
You, who art, as it were, Life itself. Nor is it possible that one who partakes of
life and is therefore called living, should become life itself, or that one who
partakes of righteousness and, therefore, is called righteous should become equal
to righteousness itself. Now it is the function of the Word of God, not only to
judge in righteousness, but also to make war in righteousness, that by making
war on His enemies by reason and righteousness, so that what is irrational and
wicked is destroyed, He may dwell in the soul of him who, for his salvation, so
to speak, has become captive to Christ, and may justify that soul and cast out
from her all adversaries. We shall, however, obtain a better view of this war
which the Word carries on if we remember that He is an ambassador for the
truth, while there is another who pretends to be the Word and is not, and one
who calls herself the truth and is not, but a lie. Then the Word, arming Himself
against the lie, slays it with the breath of His mouth and brings it to naught by
the manifestation of His coming. [ 2 Thessalonians 2:8 ] And consider whether
these words of the Apostle to the Thessalonians may be understood in an
intellectual sense. For what is that which is destroyed by the breath of the mouth
of Christ, Christ being the Word and Truth and Wisdom, but the lie? And what is
that which is brought to naught by the manifestation of Christ's coming, Christ
being conceived as wisdom and reason, what but that which announces itself as
wisdom, when in reality it is one of those things with which God deals as the
Apostle describes, [ 1 Corinthians 3:19 ] "He takes the wise, those who are not
wise with the true wisdom, in their own craftiness" ? To what he says of the rider
on the white horse, John adds the wonderful statement: "His eyes are like a
flame of fire." For as the flame of fire is bright and illuminating, but at the same
time fiery and destructive of material things, so, if I may so say, are the eyes of
the Logos with which He sees, and every one who has part in Him; they have not
only the inherent quality of laying hold of the things of the mind, but also that of
consuming and putting away those conceptions which are more material and
gross, since whatever is in any way false flees from the directness and lightness
of truth. It is in a very natural order that after speaking of Him who judges in
righteousness and makes war in accordance with His righteous judgments, and
then after His warring of His giving light, the writer goes on to say, "On His
head are many diadems." For had the lie been one, and of one form only, against
which the True and Faithful Word contended, and for conquering which, He was
crowned, then one crown alone would naturally have been given Him for the
victory. As it is, however, as the lies are many which profess the truth and for
warring against which the Word is crowned, the diadems are many which
surround the head of the conqueror of them all. As He has overcome every
revolting power many diadems mark His victory. Then after the diadems He is
said to have a name written which no one knows but He Himself. For there are
some things which are known to the Word alone; for the beings which come into
existence after Him have a poorer nature than His, and none of them is able to
behold all that He apprehends. And perhaps it is the case that only those who
have part in that Word know the things which are kept from the knowledge of
those who do not partake of Him. Now, in John's vision, the Word of God as He
rides on the white horse is not naked: He is clothed with a garment sprinkled
with blood, for the Word who was made flesh and therefore died is surrounded
with marks of the fact that His blood was poured out upon the earth, when the
soldier pierced His side. For of that passion, even should it be our lot some day
to come to that highest and supreme contemplation of the Logos, we shall not
lose all memory, nor shall we forget the truth that our admission was brought
about by His sojourning in our body. This Word of God is followed by the
heavenly armies one and all; they follow the Word as their leader, and imitate
Him in all things, and chiefly in having mounted, they also, white horses. To him
that understands, this secret is open. And as sorrow and grief and wailing fled
away at the end of things, so also, I suppose, did obscurity and doubt, all the
mysteries of God's wisdom being precisely and clearly opened. Look also at the
white horses of the followers of the Word and at the white and pure linen with
which they were clothed. As linen comes out of the earth, may not those linen
garments stand for the dialects on the earth in which those voices are clothed
which make clear announcements of things? We have dealt at some length with
the statements found in the Apocalypse about the Word of God; it is important
for us to know clearly about Him.

5. He (This One) Was in the Beginning with God.

 5. He (This One) Was in the Beginning with God.
To those who fail to distinguish with care the different propositions of the
context the Evangelist may appear to be repeating himself. "He was in the
beginning with God" may seem to add nothing to "And the Word was with God."
We must observe more carefully. In the statement "The Word was with God" we
are not told anything of the when or the where; that is added in the fourth axiom.
There are four axioms, or, as some call them, propositions, the fourth being "He
was in the beginning with God." Now "The Word was with God" is not the same
thing as "He was," etc.; for here we are told, not only that He was with God, but
when and where He was so: "He was in the beginning with God." The "He," too,
used as it is for a demonstration, will be considered to refer to the Word, or by a
less careful enquirer, to God. What was noted before is now summed up in this
designation "He," the notion of the Logos and that of God; and as the argument
proceeds the different notions are collected in one; for the notion God is not
included in the notion Logos, nor the notion Logos in that of God. And perhaps
the proposition before us is a summing up in one of the three which have
preceded. Taking the statement that the Word was in the beginning, we have not
yet learned that He was with God, and taking the statement that the Word was
with God it is not yet clear to us that He was with God in the beginning; and
taking the statement that the Word was God, it has neither been shown that He
was in the beginning, nor that He was with God.
Now when the Evangelist says, "He was in the beginning with God," if we
apply the pronoun "He" to the Word and to God (as He is God) and consider that
"in the beginning" is conjoined with it, and "with God" added to it, then there is
nothing left of the three propositions that is not summed up and brought together
in this one. And as "in the beginning" has been said twice, we may consider if
there are not two lessons we may learn. First, that the Word was in the
beginning, as if He was by Himself and not with any one, and secondly, that He
was in the beginning with God. And I consider that there is nothing untrue in
saying of Him both that He was in the beginning, and in the beginning with God,
for neither was He with God alone, since He was also in the beginning, nor was
He in the beginning alone and not with God, since "He was in the beginning with
God."

6. How the Word is the Maker of All Things, and

Even the Holy Spirit Was Made Through Him.
" All things were made through Him. " The "through whom" is never found
in the first place but always in the second, as in the Epistle to the Romans, [
Romans 1:1-5 ] "Paul a servant of Christ Jesus, a called Apostle, separated to
the Gospel of God which He promised before by His prophets in Holy
Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to
the flesh, determined the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection of the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we
received grace and apostleship, for obedience of the faith among all the nations,
for His name's sake." For God promised aforehand by the prophets His own
Gospel, the prophets being His ministers, and having their word to speak about
Him "through whom." And again God gave grace and apostleship to Paul and to
the others for the obedience of the faith among all the nations, and this He gave
them through Jesus Christ the Saviour, for the "through whom" belonged to Him.
And the Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Hebrews: "At the end of the days
He spoke to us in His Son, whom He made the heir of all things, 'through whom'
also He made the ages," showing us that God made the ages through His Son,
the "through whom" belonging, when the ages were being made, to the Only-
begotten. Thus, if all things were made, as in this passage also, through the
Logos, then they were not made by the Logos, but by a stronger and greater than
He. And who else could this be but the Father? Now if, as we have seen, all
things were made through Him, we have to enquire if the Holy Spirit also was
made through Him. It appears to me that those who hold the Holy Spirit to be
created, and who also admit that "all things were made through Him," must
necessarily assume that the Holy Spirit was made through the Logos, the Logos
accordingly being older than He. And he who shrinks from allowing the Holy
Spirit to have been made through Christ must, if he admits the truth of the
statements of this Gospel, assume the Spirit to be uncreated. There is a third
resource besides these two (that of allowing the Spirit to have been made by the
Word, and that of regarding it as uncreated), namely, to assert that the Holy
Spirit has no essence of His own beyond the Father and the Son. But on further
thought one may perhaps see reason to consider that the Son is second beside the
Father, He being the same as the Father, while manifestly a distinction is drawn
between the Spirit and the Son in the passage, [ Matthew 12:32 ] "Whosoever
shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him, but
whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, he shall not have
forgiveness, either in this world or in the world to come." We consider,
therefore, that there are three hypostases, the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit; and at the same time we believe nothing to be uncreated but the Father.
We therefore, as the more pious and the truer course, admit that all things were
made by the Logos, and that the Holy Spirit is the most excellent and the first in
order of all that was made by the Father through Christ. And this, perhaps, is the
reason why the Spirit is not said to be God's own Son. The Only-begotten only is
by nature and from the beginning a Son, and the Holy Spirit seems to have need
of the Son, to minister to Him His essence, so as to enable Him not only to exist,
but to be wise and reasonable and just, and all that we must think of Him as
being. All this He has by participation of the character of Christ, of which we
have spoken above. And I consider that the Holy Spirit supplies to those who,
through Him and through participation in Him, are called saints, the material of
the gifts, which come from God; so that the said material of the gifts is made
powerful by God, is ministered by Christ, and owes its actual existence in men to
the Holy Spirit. I am led to this view of the charisms by the words of Paul which
he writes somewhere, [ 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 ] "There are diversities of gifts but
the same Spirit, and diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord. And there
are diversities of workings, but it is the same God that works all in all." The
statement that all things were made by Him, and its seeming corollary, that the
Spirit must have been called into being by the Word, may certainly raise some
difficulty. There are some passages in which the Spirit is placed above Christ; in
Isaiah, for example, Christ declares that He is sent, not by the Father only, but
also by the Holy Spirit. "Now the Lord has sent Me," He says, [ Isaiah 48:16 ]
"and His Spirit," and in the Gospel He declares that there is forgiveness for the
sin committed against Himself, but that for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
there is no forgiveness, either in this age or in the age to come. What is the
reason of this? Is it because the Holy Spirit is of more value than Christ that the
sin against Him cannot be forgiven? May it not rather be that all rational beings
have part in Christ, and that forgiveness is extended to them when they repent of
their sins, while only those have part in the Holy Spirit who have been found
worthy of it, and that there cannot well be any forgiveness for those who fall
away to evil in spite of such great and powerful cooperation, and who defeat the
counsels of the Spirit who is in them. When we find the Lord saying, as He does
in Isaiah, that He is sent by the Father and by His Spirit, we have to point out
here also that the Spirit is not originally superior to the Saviour, but that the
Saviour takes a lower place than He in order to carry out the plan which has been
made that the Son of God should become man. Should any one stumble at our
saying that the Saviour in becoming man was made lower than the Holy Spirit,
we ask him to consider the words used in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where
Jesus is shown by Paul to have been made less than the angels on account of the
suffering of death. "We behold Him," he says, "who has been made a little lower
than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and
honour." And this, too, has doubtless to be added, that the creation, in order to
be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and not least of all the human race,
required the introduction into human nature of a happy and divine power, which
should set right what was wrong upon the earth, and that this action fell to the
share, as it were, of the Holy Spirit; but the Spirit, unable to support such a task,
puts forward the Saviour as the only one able to endure such a conflict. The
Father therefore, the principal, sends the Son, but the Holy Spirit also sends Him
and directs Him to go before, promising to descend, when the time comes, to the
Son of God, and to work with Him for the salvation of men. This He did, when,
in a bodily shape like a dove, He flew to Him after the baptism. He remained on
Him, and did not pass Him by, as He might have done with men not able
continuously to bear His glory. Thus John, when explaining how he knew who
Christ was, spoke not only of the descent of the Spirit on Jesus, but also of its
remaining upon him. For it is written that John said: [ John 1:32 ] "He who sent
me to baptize said, On whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending and
abiding upon Him, the same is He that baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with
fire." It is not said only, "On whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending,"
for the Spirit no doubt descended on others too, but "descending and abiding on
Him." Our examination of this point has been somewhat extended, since we
were anxious to make it clear that if all things were made by Him, then the Spirit
also was made through the Word, and is seen to be one of the "all things" which
are inferior to their Maker. This view is too firmly settled to be disturbed by a
few words which may be adduced to the opposite effect. If any one should lend
credence to the Gospel according to the Hebrews, where the Saviour Himself
says, "My mother, the Holy Spirit took me just now by one of my hairs and
carried me off to the great mount Tabor," he will have to face the difficulty of
explaining how the Holy Spirit can be the mother of Christ when it was itself
brought into existence through the Word. But neither the passage nor this
difficulty is hard to explain. For if he who does the will of the Father in heaven [
Matthew 12:50 ] is Christ's brother and sister and mother, and if the name of
brother of Christ may be applied, not only to the race of men, but to beings of
diviner rank than they, then there is nothing absurd in the Holy Spirit's being His
mother, every one being His mother who does the will of the Father in heaven.
On the words, "All things were made by Him," there is still one point to be
examined. The "word" is, as a notion, from "life," and yet we read, "What was
made in the Word was life, and the life was the light of men." Now as all things
were made through Him, was the life made through Him, which is the light of
men, and the other notions under which the Saviour is presented to us? Or must
we take the "all things were made by Him" subject to the exception of the things
which are in Himself? The latter course appears to be the preferable one. For
supposing we should concede that the life which is the light of men was made
through Him, since it said that the life "was made" the light of men, what are we
to say about wisdom, which is conceived as being prior to the Word? That,
therefore, which is about the Word (His relations or conditions) was not made by
the Word, and the result is that, with the exception of the notions under which
Christ is presented, all things were made through the Word of God, the Father
making them in wisdom. "In wisdom have You made them all," it says, not
through , but in wisdom.

7. Of Things Not Made Through the Logos.

Let us see, however, why the words are added, "And without Him was not
anything (Gr. even one thing) made." Some might think it superfluous to add to
the words "All things were made through Him," the phrase "Without Him was
not anything made." For if everything whatsoever was made through the Logos,
then nothing was made without Him. Yet it does not follow from the proposition
that without the Logos nothing was made, that all things were made through the
Logos. It is possible that though nothing was made without the Logos, all things
were made, not through the Logos only, but some things by Him. We must,
therefore, make ourselves sure in what sense the "all things" is to be understood,
and in what sense the "nothing." For, without a clear preliminary definition of
these terms, it might be maintained that, if all things were made through the
Logos, and evil is a part of all things, then the whole matter of sin, and
everything that is wicked, that these also were made through the Logos. But this
we must regard as false. There is nothing absurd in thinking that creatures were
made through the Logos, and also that men's brave deeds have been done
through Him, and all the useful acts of those who are now in bliss; but with the
sins and misfortunes of men it is otherwise. Now some have held that since evil
is not based in the constitution of things— for it did not exist at the beginning
and at the end it will have ceased— that, therefore, the evils of which we spoke
are the Nothing; and as some of the Greeks say that genera and forms, such as
the (general) animal and the man, belong to the category of Nothings, so it has
been supposed that all that is not of God is Nothing, and has not even obtained
through the Word the subsistence it appears to have. We ask whether it is
possible to show from Scripture in any convincing way that this is so. As for the
meanings of the word "Nothing" and "Not-being," they would appear to be
synonymous, for Nothing can be spoken of as Not-being, and the Not-being can
be described as Nothing. The Apostle, however, appears to count the things
which are not, not among those which have no existence whatever, but rather
among things which are evil. To him the Not-being is evil; "God," he says, [
Romans 4:17 ] "called the things that are not as things that are." And
Mardochæus, too, in the Esther of the Septuagint, calls the enemies of Israel
"those that are not," saying, [ Esther 4:22 ] "Deliver not Your sceptre, O Lord, to
those that are not." We may also notice how evil men, on account of their
wickedness, are said not to be, from the name ascribed to God in Exodus: [
Exodus 3:14-15 ] "For the Lord said to Moses, I am, that is My name." The good
God says this with respect of us also who pray that we may be part of His
congregation. The Saviour praises him, saying, [ Mark 10:18 ] "None is good but
one, God the Father." The good, then, is the same as He who is. Over against
good is evil or wickedness, and over against Him who is that which is not,
whence it follows that evil and wickedness are that which is not. This, perhaps,
is what has led some to affirm that the devil is not created by God. In respect that
he is the devil he is not the work of God, but he who is the devil is a created
being, and as there is no other creator but our God, he is a work of God. It is as if
we should say that a murderer is not a work of God, while we may say that in
respect he is a man, God made him. His being as a man he received from God;
we do not assert that he received from God his being as a murderer. All, then,
who have part in Him who is, and the saints have part in Him, may properly be
called Beings; but those who have given up their part in the Being, by depriving
themselves of Being, have become Not-beings. But we said when entering on
this discussion, that Not-being and Nothing are synonymous, and hence those
who are not beings are Nothing, and all evil is nothing, since it is Not-being, and
thus since they are called Not-being came into existence without the Logos, not
being numbered among the all things which were made through Him. Thus we
have shown, so far as our powers admit, what are the "all things" which were
made through the Logos, and what came into existence without Him, since at no
time is it Being, and it is, therefore, called "Nothing."

8. Heracleon's View that the Logos is Not the Agent of

Creation.
It was, I consider, a violent and unwarranted procedure which was adopted
by Heracleon, the friend, as it is said, of Valentinus, in discussing this sentence:
"All things were made through Him." He excepted the whole world and all that it
contains, excluding, as far as his hypothesis goes, from the "all things" what is
best in the world and its contents. For he says that the æon (age), and the things
in it, were not made by the Logos; he considers them to have come into
existence before the Logos. He deals with the statement, "Without Him was
nothing made," with some degree of audacity, nor is he afraid of the warning: [
Proverbs 30:6 ] "Add not to His words, lest He find you out and you prove a
liar," for to the "Nothing" he adds: "Of what is in the world and the creation."
And as his statements on the passage are obviously very much forced and in the
face of the evidence, for what he considers divine is excluded from the all, and
what he regards as purely evil is, that and nothing else, the all things, we need
not waste our time in rebutting what is, on the face of it, absurd, when, without
any warrant from Scripture, he adds to the words, "Without Him was nothing
made," the further words, "Of what is in the earth and the creation." In this
proposal, which has no inner probability to recommend it, he is asking us, in
fact, to trust him as we do the prophets, or the Apostles, who had authority and
were not responsible to men for the writings belonging to man's salvation, which
they handed to those about them and to those who should come after. He had,
also, a private interpretation of his own of the words: "All things were made
through Him," when he said that it was the Logos who caused the demiurge to
make the world, not, however, the Logos from whom or by whom, but Him
through whom, taking the written words in a different sense from that of
common parlance. For, if the truth of the matter was as he considers, then the
writer ought to have said that all things were made through the demiurge by the
Word, and not through the Word by the demiurge. We accept the "through
whom," as it is usually understood, and have brought evidence in support of our
interpretation, while he not only puts forward a new rendering of his own,
unsupported by the divine Scripture, but appears even to scorn the truth and
shamelessly and openly oppose it. For he says: "It was not the Logos who made
all things, as under another who was the operating agent," taking the "through
whom" in this sense, "but another made them, the Logos Himself being the
operating agent." This is not a suitable occasion for the proof that it was not the
demiurge who became the servant of the Logos and made the world; but that the
Logos became the servant of the demiurge and formed the world. For, according
to the prophet David, "God spoke and they came into being, He commanded and
they were created." For the unbegotten God commanded the first-born of all
creation, [ Colossians 1:15-16 ] and they were created, not only the world and
what is therein, but also all other things, whether thrones or dominions or
principalities or powers, for all things were made through Him and unto Him,
and He is before all things.

9. That the Logos Present in Us is Not Responsible for

9. That the Logos Present in Us is Not Responsible for
Our Sins.
One point more on the words: "Without Him was not anything made." The
question about evil must receive adequate discussion; what was said of it has
not, it is true, a very likely appearance, and yet it appears to me that it ought not
to be simply overlooked. The question is whether evil, also, was made through
the Logos, taking the Logos, now be it well noted, in the sense of that reason
which is in every one, as thus brought into being by the reason which was from
the beginning. The Apostle says: [ Romans 7:8-9 ] "Without the law sin was
dead," and adds, "But when the commandment came sin revived," and so teaches
generally about sin that it has no power before the law and the commandment
(but the Logos is, in a sense, law and commandment), and there would be no sin
were there no law, for, [ Romans 5:13 ] "sin is not imputed where there is no
law." And, again, there would be no sin but for the Logos, for "if I had not come
and spoken unto them," Christ says, [ John 15:22 ] "they had not had sin." For
every excuse is taken away from one who wants to make excuse for his sin, if,
though the Word is in him and shows him what he ought to do, he does not obey
it. It seems, then, that all things, the worse things not excepted, were made by the
Logos, and without Him, taking the nothing here in its simpler sense, was
nothing made. Nor must we blame the Logos if all things were made by Him,
and without Him nothing was made, any more than we blame the master who
has showed the pupil his duty, when the instruction has been such as to leave the
pupil, should he sin, no excuse or room to say that he erred through ignorance.
This appears the more plainly when we consider that master and pupil are
inseparable. For as master and pupil are correlatives, and belong together, so the
Logos is present in the nature of reasonable beings as such, always suggesting
what they ought to do, even should we pay no heed to his commands, but devote
ourselves to pleasure and allow his best counsels to pass by us unregarded. As
the eye is a servant given us for the best purposes, and yet we use it to see things
on which it is wrong for us to look, and as we make a wrong use of our hearing
when we spend our time in listening to singing competitions and to other
forbidden sounds, so we outrage the Logos who is in us, and use Him otherwise
than as we ought, when we make Him assist in our transgressions. For He is
present with those who sin, for their condemnation, and He condemns the man
who does not prefer Him to everything else. Hence we find it written: [ John
12:48 ] "The word which I have spoken unto you, the same shall judge you."
That is as if He should say: "I, the Word, who am always lifting up my voice in
you, I, myself, will judge you, and no refuge or excuse will then be left you." This
interpretation, however, may appear somewhat strained, as we have taken the
Word in one sense to be the Word in the beginning, who was with God, God the
Word, and have now taken it in another sense, speaking of it, not only in
reference to the principal works of creation, as in the words, "All things were
made through Him," but as related to all the acts of reasonable beings, this last
being the Logos (reason), without whose presence none of our sins are
committed. The question arises whether the Logos in us is to be pronounced the
same being as that which was in the beginning and was with God, God the
Word. The Apostle, certainly, does not appear to make the Logos in us a
different being from the Logos who was in the beginning with God. "Say not in
your heart," he says, [ Romans 10:6-8 ] "who shall go up into heaven; that is to
bring Christ down, or who shall go down into the abyss; that is to bring Christ
up from the dead. But what says the Scripture? The Logos is very near you, in
your mouth and in your heart."

10. "That Which Was Made Was Life in Him, and the
Life Was the Light of Men." This Involves the Paradox
that What Does Not Derive Life from the Logos Does
Not Live at All.
The Greeks have certain apothegms, called paradoxes, in which the wisdom
of their sages is presented at its highest, and some proof, or what appears to be
proof, is given. Thus it is said that the wise man alone, and that every wise man,
is a priest, because the wise man alone and every wise man possesses knowledge
as to the service of God. Again, that the wise man alone and that every wise man
is free and has received from the divine law authority to do what he himself is
minded to do, and this authority they call lawful power of decision. Why should
we say more about these so-called paradoxes? Much discussion is devoted to
them, and they call for a comparison of the sense of Scripture with the doctrine
thus conveyed. so that we may be in a position to determine where religious
doctrine agrees with them and where it differs from them. This has been
suggested to us by our study of the words, "That which was made was life in
Him;" for it appears possible to follow the words of Scripture here and to make
out a number of things which partake of the character of the paradoxes and are
even more paradoxical than these sentences of the Greeks. If we consider the
Logos in the beginning, who was with God, God the Word, we shall perhaps be
able to declare that only he who partakes of this being, considered in this
character, is to be pronounced reasonable ( "logical" ), and thus we should
demonstrate that the saint alone is reasonable. Again, if we apprehend that life
has come in the Logos, he, namely, who said, "I am the life," then we shall say
that no one is alive who is outside the faith of Christ, that all are dead who are
not living to God, that their life is life to sin, and therefore, if I may so express
myself, a life of death. Consider however, whether the divine Scriptures do not
in many places teach this; as where the Saviour says, [ Mark 12:26 ] "Or have ye
not read that which was spoken at the bush, I am the God of Abraham and the
God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. He is not God of the dead but of the living."
And "Before You shall no living being be justified." But why need we speak
about God Himself or the Saviour? For it is disputed to which of them the voice
belongs which says in the prophets, [ Numbers 14:28 ] "As I live, says the Lord."

11. How No One is Righteous or Can Truly Be Said to

Live in Comparison with God.
 Live in Comparison with God.
First let us look at the words, "He is not the God of the dead but of the
living." That is equivalent to saying that He is not the God of sinners but of
saints. For it was a great gift to the Patriarchs that God in place of His own name
should add their name to His own designation as God, as Paul says, [ Hebrews
11:16 ] "Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God." He is the God,
therefore, of the fathers and of all the saints; it might be hard to find a passage to
the effect that God is the God of any of the wicked. If, then, He is the God of the
saints, and is said to be the God of the living, then the saints are the living and
the living are saints; neither is there any saint outside the living, nor when any
one is called living is the further implication absent that in addition to his having
life he is a holy one. Near akin to this is the lesson to be drawn from the saying,
"I shall be well pleasing to the Lord in the land of the living." The good pleasure
of the Lord, he appears to say, is in the ranks of the saints, or in the place of the
saints, and it is there that he hopes to be. No one pleases God well who has not
entered the rank of the saints, or the place of the saints; and to that place every
one must come who has assumed beforehand, as it were in this life, the shadow
and image of true God-pleasing. The passage which declares that before God no
living being shall be justified shows that in comparison with God and the
righteousness that is in Him none, even of the most finished saints, will be
justified. We might take a parable from another quarter and say that no candle
can give light before the sun, not that the candle will not give light, only it will
not when the sun outshines it. In the same way every "living" will be justified,
only not before God, when it is compared with those who are below and who are
in the power of darkness. To them the light of the saints will shine. Here,
perhaps, we have the key to the meaning of that verse: [ Matthew 5:16 ] "Let
your light shine before men." He does not say, Let your light shine before God;
had he said so he would have given a commandment impossible of fulfilment, as
if he had bidden those lights which have souls to let their light shine before the
sun. It is not only, therefore, the ordinary mass of the living who will not be
justified before God, but even those among the living who are distinguished
above the rest, or, to put it more truly, the whole righteousness of the living will
not be justified before God, as compared with the righteousness of God, as if I
were to call together all the lights which shine on the earth by night, and to say
that they could not give light in comparison with the rays of the sun. We rise
from these considerations to a higher level when we take the words before our
minds, "I live, says the Lord." Life, in the full sense of the word, especially after
what we have been saying on the subject, belongs perhaps to God and none but
Him. Is this the reason why the Apostle, after speaking of the supreme
excellency of the life of God and being led to the highest expression about it,
says about God (showing in this a true understanding of that saying, "I live, says
the Lord" ); "who only has immortality." [ 1 Timothy 4:16 ] No living being
besides God has life free from change and variation. Why should we be in
further doubt? Even Christ did not share the Father's immortality; for He "tasted
death for every man."

12. Is the Saviour All that He Is, to All?

We have thus enquired as to the life of God, and the life which is Christ,
and the living who are in a place by themselves, and have seen how the living
are not justified before God, and we have noticed the cognate statement, "Who
alone has immortality." We may now take up the assumption which may appear
to be involved in this, namely, that whatever being is gifted with reason does not
possess blessedness as a part of its essence, or as an inseparable part of its
nature. For if blessedness and the highest life were an inseparable characteristic
of reasonable being, how could it be truly said of God that He only has
immortality? We should therefore remark, that the Saviour is some things, not to
Himself but to others, and some things both to Himself and others, and we must
enquire if there are some things which He is to Himself and to no other. Clearly
it is to others that He is a Shepherd, not a shepherd like those among men who
make gain out of their occupation; unless the benefit conferred on the sheep
might be regarded, on account of His love to men, as a benefit to Himself also.
Similarly it is to others that He is the Way and the Door, and, as all will admit,
the Rod. To Himself and to others He is Wisdom and perhaps also Reason
(Logos). It may be asked whether, as He has in Himself a system of
speculations, inasmuch as He is wisdom, there are some of those speculations
which cannot be received by any nature that is begotten, but His own, and which
He knows for Himself only. Nor should the reverence we owe to the Holy Spirit
keep us from seeking to answer this question. For the Holy Spirit Himself
receives instruction, as is clear from what is said about the Paraclete and the
Holy Spirit, [ John 16:14-15 ] "He shall take of mine and shall declare it to you."
Does He, then, from these instructions, take in everything that the Son, gazing at
the Father from the first, Himself knows? That would require further
consideration. And if the Saviour is some things to others, and some things it
may be to Himself, and to no other, or to one only, or to few, then we ask, in so
far as He is the life which came in the Logos, whether he is life to Himself and
to others, or to others, and if to others, to what others. And are life and the light
of men the same thing, for the text says, "That which was made was life in Him
and the life was the light of men." But the light of men is the light only of some,
not of all, rational creatures; the word "men" which is added shows this. But He
is the light of men, and so He is the life of those whose light he is also. And
inasmuch as He is life He may be called the Saviour, not for Himself but to be
life to others, whose light also He is. And this life comes to the Logos and is
inseparable from Him, once it has come to Him. But the Logos, who cleanses the
soul, must have been in the soul first; it is after Him and the cleansing that
proceeds from Him, when all that is dead or weak in her has been taken away,
that pure life comes to every one who has made himself a fit dwelling for the
Logos, considered as God.

13. How the Life in the Logos Comes After the

 13. How the Life in the Logos Comes After the
Beginning.
Here, we must carefully observe, we have two things which are one, and we
have to define the difference between them. First, what is before us in The Word
in the beginning , then what is implied in The Life in the Word . The Word was
not made in the beginning; there was no time when the beginning was devoid of
the Word, and hence it is said, "In the beginning was the Word." Of life, on the
other hand, we read, not that it was as the Word, but that it was made; if at least
it be the case that the life is the light of men. For when man was not yet, there
was no light of men; for the light of men is conceived only in relation to men.
And let no one annoy us with the objection that we have put this under the
category of time, though it be the order of the things themselves, that make them
first and second and so on, and even though there should have been no time
when the things placed by the Logos third and fourth were not in existence. As,
then, all things were made by Him, not all things were by Him, and as without
Him was nothing made , not, without Him nothing was , so what was made in
Him, not what was in Him, was life. And, again, not what was made in the
beginning was the Word, but what was in the beginning was the Word. Some of
the copies, it is true, have a reading which is not devoid of probability, "What
was made is life in Him." But if life is the same thing as the light of men, then no
one who is in darkness is living, and none of the living is in darkness; but every
one who is alive is also in light, and every one who is in light is living, so that
not he only who is living, but every one who is living, is a son of light; and he
who is a son of light is he whose work shines before men.

14. How the Natures of Men are Not So Fixed from

the First, But that They May Pass from Darkness to
Light.
 We have been discussing certain things which are opposite, and what has
been said of them may serve to suggest what has been omitted. We are speaking
of life and the light of men, and the opposite to life is death; the opposite to the
light of men, the darkness of men. It is therefore plain that he who is in the
darkness of men is in death, and that he who works the works of death is
nowhere but in darkness. But he who is mindful of God, if we consider what it is
to be mindful of Him, is not in death, according to the saying, "In death there is
no one who remembers You." Are the darkness of men, and death, such as they
are by nature? On this point we have another passage, [ Ephesians 5:8 ] "We
were once darkness, but now light in the Lord," even if we be now in the fullest
sense saints and spiritual persons. Thus he who was once darkness has become,
like Paul, capable of being light in the Lord. Some consider that some natures
are spiritual from the first, such as those of Paul and the holy Apostles; but I
scarcely see how to reconcile with such a view, what the above text tells us, that
the spiritual person was once darkness and afterwards became light. For if the
spiritual was once darkness what can the earthy have been? But if it is true that
darkness became light, as in the text, how is it unreasonable to suppose that all
darkness is capable of becoming light? Had not Paul said, "We were once in
darkness, but now are we light in the Lord," and thus implied of those whom
they consider to be naturally lost, that they were darkness, or are darkness still,
the hypothesis about the different natures might have been admissible. But Paul
distinctly says that he had once been darkness but was now light in the Lord,
which implies the possibility that darkness should turn into light. But he who
perceives the possibility of a change on each side for the better or for the worse,
will not find it hard to gain an insight into every darkness of men, or into that
death which consists in the darkness of men.

15. Heracleon's View that the Lord Brought Life Only

to the Spiritual. Refutation of This.
 Heracleon adopts a somewhat violent course when he arrives at this
passage, "What was made in Him was life." Instead of the "In Him" of the text he
understands "to those men who are spiritual," as if he considered the Logos and
the spiritual to be identical, though this he does not plainly say; and then he
proceeds to give, as it were, an account of the origin of the matter and says, "He
(the Logos) provided them with their first form at their birth, carrying further
and making manifest what had been sown by another, into form and into
illumination and into an outline of its own." He did not observe how Paul speaks
of the spiritual, [ 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 ] and how he refrains from saying that
they are men. "A natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God, for
they are foolishness to him; but the spiritual judges all things." We maintain that
it was not without a meaning that he did not add the word men to the word
spiritual . Spiritual is something better than man, for man receives his form
either in soul, or in body, or in both together, not in what is more divine than
these, namely, in spirit; and it is after he has come to have a prevailing share of
this that he is called "spiritual." Moreover, in bringing forward such a hypothesis
as this, he furnishes not even the pretence of a proof, and shows himself unable
to reach even a moderate degree of plausibility for his argument on the subject.
So much, then, for him.

16. The Life May Be the Light of Others Besides.

Let us suggest another question, namely, whether the life was the light of
men only, and not of every being as well that is in blessedness. For if the life
were the same thing as the light of men, and if the light of Christ were for men
alone, then the life also would be only for men. But such a view is both foolish
and impious, since the other Scriptures testify against this interpretation and
declare that, when we are somewhat more advanced, we shall be equal to the
angels. [ Matthew 22:30 ] The question is to be solved on the principle that when
a predicate is applied to certain persons, it is not to be at once taken to apply to
them alone. Thus, when the light of men is spoken of, it is not the light of men
only; had that been the meaning, a word would have been added to express it;
the life, it would have read, was the light of men only. For it is possible for the
light of men to be the light of others besides men, just as it is possible that
certain animals and certain plants may form the food of men, and that the same
animals and plants should be the food of other creatures too. That is an example
from common life; it is fitting that another analogy should be adduced from the
inspired books. Now the question here before us, is why the light of men should
not be the light of other creatures also, and we have seen that to speak of the
light of men by no means excludes the possibility that the light may be that of
other beings besides man, whether inferior to him or like him. Now a name is
given to God; He is said to be the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.
He, then, who infers from the saying, "The life was the light of men," that the
light is for no other than for men, ought also to conclude that the God of
Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob is the God of no one else
but these three patriarchs. But He is also the God of Elijah, [ 2 Kings 2:14 ] and,
as Judith says, [ Judith 9:2 ] of her father Simeon, and the God of the Hebrews.
By analogy of reasoning, then, if nothing prevents Him from being the God of
others, nothing prevents the light of men from being the light of others besides
men.

17. The Higher Powers are Men; And Christ is Their

Light Also.
Another, again, appeals to the text, "Let us make man according to our
image and likeness, [ Genesis 1:26 ]" and maintains that whatever is made
according to God's image and likeness is man. To support this, numberless
instances are adduced to show that in Scripture "man" and "angel" are used
indifferently, and that the same subject is entitled both angel and man. This is
true of the three who were entertained by Abraham, and of the two who came to
Sodom; in the whole course of Scripture, persons are styled sometimes men,
sometimes angels. Those who hold this view will say that since persons are
styled angels who are manifestly men, as when Zechariah says, "The messenger
of the Lord, I am with you, says the Lord Almighty," and as it is written of John
the Baptist, "Behold I send My messenger before your face," the angels
(messengers) of God are so called on account of their office, and are not here
called men on account of their nature. It confirms this view that the names
applied to the higher powers are not those of species of living beings, but those
of the orders, assigned by God to this and to that reasonable being. "Throne" is
not a species of living being, nor "dominion," nor "principality," nor "power" ;
these are names of the businesses to which those clothed with the names have
been appointed; the subjects themselves are nothing but men, but the subject has
come to be a throne, or a dominion, or a principality, or a power. In Joshua, the
son of Nun, we read that in Jericho there appeared to Joshua a man who said, "I
am captain of the Lord's host, now am I come." The outcome of this is that the
light of men must be held to be the same as the light of every being endowed
with reason; for every reasonable being is man, since it is according to the image
and likeness of God. It is spoken of in three different ways, "the light of men,"
and simply "the light," and "the true light." It is the light of men either, as we
showed before, because there is nothing to prevent us from regarding it as the
light of other beings besides men, or because all beings endowed with reason are
called men because they are made in the image of God.

18. How God Also is Light, But in a Different Way;

And How Life Came Before Light.
The Saviour is here called simply light. But in the Catholic Epistle of this
same John we read that God is light. This, it has been maintained, furnishes a
proof that the Son is not in substance different from the Father. Another student,
however, looking into the matter more closely and with a sounder judgment, will
say that the light which shines in darkness and is not overtaken by it, is not the
same as the light in which there is no darkness at all. The light which shines in
darkness comes upon this darkness, as it were, and is pursued by it, and, in spite
of attempts made upon it, is not overtaken. But the light in which there is no
darkness at all neither shines on darkness, nor is at first pursued by it, so as to
prove victor and to have it recorded that it was not overtaken by its pursuer. The
third designation was "the true light." But in proportion as God, since He is the
Father of truth, is more and greater than truth, and since He is the Father of
wisdom is greater and more excellent than wisdom, in the same proportion He is
more than the true light. We may learn, perhaps, in a more suggestive manner,
how the Father and the Son are two lights, from David, who says in the thirty-
fifth Psalm, "In Your light we shall see light." This same light of men which
shines in darkness, the true light, is called, further on in the Gospel, the light of
the world; Jesus says, "I am the light of the world." Nor must we omit to notice
that whereas the passage might very well have run, "That which was made was
in Him the light of men, and the light of men was life," he chose the opposite
order. He puts life before the light of men, even if life and the light of men are
the same thing; in thinking of those who have part in life, though that life is also
the light of men, we are to come first to the fact that they are living the divine
life spoken of before; then we come to their enlightenment. For life must come
first if the living person is to be enlightened; it would not be a good arrangement
to speak of the illumination of one not yet conceived as living, and to make life
come after the illumination. For though "life" and "the light" of men are the
same thing, the notions are taken separately. This light of men is also called, by
Isaiah, "the light of the Gentiles," where he says, [ Isaiah 42:6 ] "Behold I have
set You for a covenant of the generation, for a light of the Gentiles;" and David,
placing his confidence in this light, says in the twenty-sixth Psalm, "The Lord is
my illumination and my Saviour; whom shall I fear?"

19. The Life Here Spoken of is the Higher Life, that of

Reason.
 Reason.
As for those who make up a mythology about the æons and arrange them in
syzygies (yokes or pairs), and who consider the Logos and Life to have been
emitted by Intellect and Truth, it may not be beside the point to state the
following difficulties. How can life, in their system, the yokefellow of the Word,
derive his origin from his yokefellow? For "what was made in Him," he says,
evidently referring to the Word, mentioned immediately before, "was life." Will
they tell us how life, the yokefellow, as they say, of the Word, came into being
in the Word, and how life rather than the Word is the light of men. It would be
quite natural if men of reasonable minds, who are perplexed with such questions
and find the point we have raised hard to dispose of, should turn round upon us
and invite us to discuss the reason why it is not the Word that is said to be the
light of men, but life which originated in the Word. To such an enquiry we shall
reply that the life here spoken of is not that which is common to rational beings
and to beings without reason, but that life which is added to us upon the
completion of reason in us, our share in that life, being derived from the first
reason (Logos). It is when we turn away from the life which is life in appearance
only, not in truth, and when we yearn to be filled with the true life, that we are
made partakers of it, and when it has arisen in us it becomes the foundation of
the light of the higher knowledge (gnosis). With some it may be that this life is
only potentially and not actually light, with those who do not strive to search out
the things of the higher knowledge, while with others it is actually light. With
these it clearly is so who act on Paul's injunction, "Seek earnestly the best gifts;"
and among the greatest gifts is that which all are enjoined to seek, namely, the
word of wisdom, and it is followed by the word of knowledge. This wisdom and
this knowledge lie side by side; into the difference between them this is not a
fitting occasion to enquire.

20. Different Kinds of Light; And of Darkness.

 "And the light shines in darkness and the darkness has not overtaken it."
We are still enquiring about the light of men, since it is what was spoken of in
the preceding verse, and also, I consider, about darkness, which is named as its
adversary, the darkness also being, if the definition of it is correct, that of men.
The light of men is a generic notion covering two special things; and with the
darkness of men it is the same. He who has gained the light of men and shares its
beams will do the work of light and know in the higher sense, being illuminated
by the light of the higher knowledge. And we must recognize the analogous case
of those on the other side, and of their evil actions, and of that which is thought
to be but is not really knowledge, since those who exercise it have the reason
(Logos) not of light but of darkness. And because the sacred word knows the
things which produce light, Isaiah says: "Because Your commandments are a
light upon the earth," and David says in the Psalm, "The precept of the Lord is
clear, enlightening the eyes." But since in addition to the commandments and the
precepts there is a light of higher knowledge, we read in one of the twelve
(prophets), [ Hosea 10:12 ] "Sow to yourselves for righteousness, reap to
yourselves for the fruit of life, make light for yourselves the light of knowledge."
There is a further light of knowledge in addition to the commandments, and so
we read, "Make light for yourselves," not simply light, but what light?— the
light of knowledge. For if any light that a man kindles for himself were a light of
knowledge, then the added words, "Make light for yourselves, the light of
knowledge," would have no meaning. And again that darkness is brought upon
men by their evil deeds, we learn from John himself, when he says in his epistle,
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do
not the truth," and again, "He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is
in darkness even until now," and again, "He that hates his brother is in darkness,
and walks in darkness, and knows not whither he goes, because darkness has
blinded his eyes." Walking in darkness signifies evil conduct, and to hate one's
brother, is not that to fall away from that which is properly called knowledge?
But he also who is ignorant of divine things walks in darkness, just because of
that ignorance; as David says, "They knew not, they understood not, they walk in
darkness." Consider, however, this passage, [ 1 John 1:5 ] "God is light and in
Him is no darkness," and see if the reason for this saying is not that darkness is
not one, being either two, because there are two kinds of it, or many, because it
is taken distributively, individually with reference to the many evil actions and
the many false doctrines; so that there are many darknesses, not one of which is
in God. The saying of the Saviour could not be spoken of the Holy One, "You
are the light of the world;" for the Holy One is light of the world (absolute, not
particular), and there is not in Him any darkness.

21. Christ is Not, Like God, Quite Free from

Darkness: Since He Bore Our Sins.
Now some one will ask how this statement that there is no darkness in Him
can be regarded as a thing peculiar to Him, when we consider that the Saviour
also was quite without sin. Could it not be said of Him also that "He is light, and
that there is no darkness in Him" ? The difference between the two cases has
been partly set forth above. We will now, however, go a step further than we did
before, and add, that if God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin for us, [ 2
Corinthians 5:21 ] then it could not be said of Him that there was no darkness in
Him. For if Jesus was in the likeness [ Romans 8:3 ] of the flesh of sin and for
sin, and condemned sin by taking upon Him the likeness of the flesh of sin, then
it cannot be said of Him, absolutely and directly, that there was no darkness in
Him. We may add that "He [ Matthew 8:17 ] took our infirmities and bare our
sicknesses," both infirmities of the soul and sicknesses of the hidden man of our
heart. On account of these infirmities and sicknesses which He bore away from
us, He declares His soul to be sorrowful and sore troubled, [ Matthew 26:38 ]
and He is said in Zechariah to have put on filthy garments, [ Zechariah 3:4 ]
which, when He was about to take them off, are said to be sins. "Behold, it is
said, I have taken away your sins." Because He had taken on Himself the sins of
the people of those who believed in Him, he uses many such expressions as
these: "Far from my salvation are the words of my transgressions," and "You
know my foolishness, and my sins were not hid from You." And let no one
suppose that we say this from any lack of piety towards the Christ of God; for as
the Father alone has immortality and our Lord took upon Himself, for His love
to men, the death He died for us, so to the Father alone the words apply, "In Him
is no darkness," since Christ took upon Himself, for His goodwill towards men,
our darknesses. This He did, that by His power He might destroy our death and
remove the darkness which is in our soul, so that the saying in Isaiah might be
fulfilled, "The people that sat in darkness saw a great light." This light, which
came into being in the Logos, and is also life, shines in the darkness of our souls,
and it has come where the rulers of this darkness carry on their struggle with the
race of men and strive to subdue to darkness those who do not stand firm with all
their power; that they might be enlightened the light has come so far, and that
they might be called sons of light. And shining in darkness this light is pursued
by the darkness, but not overtaken.

22. How the Darkness Failed to Overtake the Light.

Should any one consider that we are adding something that is not written,
namely, the pursuit of the light by the darkness, let him reflect that unless the
darkness had pursued the light the words, "The darkness did not overtake it,"
would have no meaning. John writes for those who have wit to see what is
omitted and to supply it as the context requires, and so he wrote, "The darkness
did not overtake it." If it did not overtake it, it must first have pursued it, and that
the darkness did pursue the light is clear from what the Saviour suffered, and
those also who received His teachings, His own children, when darkness was
doing what it could against the sons of light and was minded to drive light away
from men. But since, if God be for us, [ Romans 8:31 ] no one, however that
way minded, can be against us, the more they humbled themselves the more they
grew, and they prevailed exceedingly. In two ways the darkness did not overtake
the light. Either it was left far behind and was itself so slow, while the light was
in its course so sharp and swift, that it was not even able to keep following it, or
if the light sought to lay a snare for the darkness, and waited for it in pursuance
of the plan it had formed, then darkness, coming near the light, was brought to
an end. In either case the darkness did not overtake the light.

23. There is a Divine Darkness Which is Not Evil, and

Which Ultimately Becomes Light.
In connection with this subject it is necessary for us to point out that
darkness is not to be understood, every time it is mentioned, in a bad sense;
Scripture speaks of it sometimes in a good sense. The heterodox have failed to
observe this distinction, and have accordingly adopted most shameful doctrines
about the Maker of the world, and have indeed revolted from Him, and addicted
themselves to fictions and myths. We must, therefore, show how and when the
name of darkness is taken in a good sense. Darkness and clouds and tempest are
said in Exodus to be round about God, and in the seventeenth Psalm, "He made
darkness His secret place, His tent round about Him, dark water in clouds of the
air." Indeed, if one considers the multitude of speculation and knowledge about
God, beyond the power of human nature to take in, beyond the power, perhaps,
of all originated beings except Christ and the Holy Spirit, then one may know
how God is surrounded with darkness, because the discourse is hid in ignorance
which would be required to tell in what darkness He has made His hiding-place
when He arranged that the things concerning Him should be unknown and
beyond the grasp of knowledge. Should any one be staggered by these
expositions, he may be reconciled to them both by the "dark sayings" and by the
"treasures of darkness," hidden, invisible, which are given to Christ by God. In
nowise different, I consider, are the treasures of darkness which are hid in Christ,
from what is spoken of in the text, "God made darkness His secret place," and
(the saint) "shall understand parable and dark saying." [ Proverbs 1:6 ] And
consider if we have here the reason of the Saviour's saying to His disciples,
"What you have heard in darkness, speak ye in the light." The mysteries
committed to them in secret and where few could hear, hard to be known and
obscure, He bids them, when enlightened and therefore said to be in the light, to
make known to every one who is made light. I might add a still stranger feature
of this darkness which is praised, namely, that it hastens to the light and
overtakes it, and so at last, after having been unknown as darkness, undergoes
for him who does not see its power such a change that he comes to know it and
to declare that what was formerly known to him as darkness has now become
light.

24. John the Baptist Was Sent. From Where? His Soul
Was Sent from a Higher Region.
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." [ John 1:6 ] He
who is sent is sent from somewhere to somewhere; and the careful student will,
therefore, enquire from what quarter John was sent, and whither. The "whither"
is quite plain on the face of the story; he was sent to Israel, and to those who
were willing to hear him when he was staying in the wilderness of Judæa and
baptizing by the banks of the Jordan. According to the deeper sense, however, he
was sent into the world, the world being understood as this earthly place where
men are; and the careful student will have this in view in enquiring from where
John was sent. Examining the words more closely, he will perhaps declare that
as it is written of Adam, [ Genesis 3:23 ] "And the Lord sent him forth out of the
Paradise of pleasure to till the earth, out of which he was taken," so also John
was sent, either from heaven or from Paradise, or from some other quarter to this
place on the earth. He was sent that he might bear witness of the light. There is,
however, an objection to this interpretation, which is not to be lightly dismissed.
It is written in Isaiah: "Whom shall I send, and who will go to the people?" The
prophet answers: "Here am I—send me." He, then, who objects to that rendering
of our passage which appears to be the deeper may say that Isaiah was sent not
to this world from another place, but after having seen "the Lord sitting on a
throne high and lifted up," was sent to the people, to say, "Hearing, you shall
hear and shall not understand," and so on; and that in the same manner John, the
beginning of his mission not being narrated, is sent after the analogy of the
mission of Isaiah, to baptize, [ Luke 1:17 ] and to make ready for the Lord a
people prepared for Him, and to bear witness of the light. So much we have said
of the first sense; and now we adduce certain solutions which help to confirm the
deeper meaning about John. In the same passage it is added, "He came for
witness, to bear witness of the light." Now, if he came, where did he come from?
To those who find it difficult to follow us, we point to what John says afterwards
of having seen the Holy Spirit as a dove descending on the Saviour. "He that
sent me," he says, [ John 1:33 ] "to baptize with water, He said unto me, Upon
whomsoever you shall see the Holy Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, the
same is He that baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire." When did He send
him and give him this injunction? The answer to this question will probably be
that when He sent him to begin to baptize, then He who was dealing with him
uttered this word. But a more convincing argument for the view that John was
sent from another region when he entered into the body, the one object of his
entry into this life being that he should bear witness of the truth, may be drawn
from the narrative of his birth. Gabriel, when announcing to Zacharias the birth
of John, and to Mary the advent of our Saviour among men, says: That John is to
be "filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb." And we have also
the saying, "For behold, when the voice of your salutation came into mine ears,
the babe leaped in my womb for joy." He who sedulously guards himself in his
dealings with Scripture against forced, or casual, or capricious procedure, must
necessarily assume that John's soul was older than his body, and subsisted by
itself before it was sent on the ministry of the witness of the light. Nor must we
overlook the text, "This is Elijah which is to come." [ Matthew 11:14 ] For if that
general doctrine of the soul is to be received, namely, that it is not sown at the
same time with the body, but is before it, and is then, for various causes, clothed
with flesh and blood; then the words "sent from God" will not appear to be
applicable to John alone. The most evil of all, the man of sin, the son of
perdition, is said by Paul to be sent by God: [ 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 ] "God
sends them a working of error that they should believe a lie; that they all might
be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." But
our present question may, perhaps, be solved in this way, that as every man is a
man of God, simply because God created him, but not every man is called a man
of God, but only he who has devoted himself to God, such as Elijah and those
who are called men of God in the Scriptures, thus every man might be said in
ordinary language to be sent from God, but in the absolute sense no one is to be
spoken of in this way who has not entered this life for a divine ministry and in
the service of the salvation of mankind. We do not find it said of any one but the
saints that he is sent by God. It is said of Isaiah as we showed before; it is also
said of Jeremiah, "To whomsoever I shall send you you shall go" ; [ Jeremiah 1:7
] and it is said of Ezekiel, [ Ezekiel 2:3 ] "I send you to nations that are
rebellious and have not believed in Me." The examples, however, do not
expressly speak of a mission from the region outside life into life, and as it is a
mission into life that we are enquiring about, they may seem to have little
bearing on our subject. But there is nothing absurd in our transferring the
argument derived from them to our question. They tell us that it is only the
saints, and we were speaking of them, whom God is said to send, and in this
sense they may be applied to the case of those who are sent into this life.

25. Argument from the Prayer of Joseph, to Show that

the Baptist May Have Been an Angel Who Became a
Man.
As we are now engaged with what is said of John, and are asking about his
mission, I may take the opportunity to state the view which I entertain about
him. We have read this prophecy about him, "Behold, I send My messenger
(angel) before Your face, who shall prepare Your way before You;" and at this
we ask if it can be one of the holy angels who is sent down on this ministry as
forerunner of our Saviour. No wonder if, when the first-born of all creation was
assuming a human body, some of them should have been filled with love to man
and become admirers and followers of Christ, and thought it good to minister to
his kindness towards man by having a body like that of men. And who would not
be moved at the thought of his leaping for joy when yet in the belly, surpassing
as he did the common nature of man? Should the piece entitled "The prayer of
Joseph," one of the apocryphal works current among the Hebrews, be thought
worthy of credence, this dogma will be found in it clearly expressed. Those at
the beginning, it is represented, having some marked distinction beyond men,
and being much greater than other souls, because they were angels, they have
come down to human nature. Thus Jacob says: "I, Jacob, who speak to you, and
Israel, I am an angel of God, a ruling spirit, and Abraham and Isaac were
created before every work of God; and I am Jacob, called Jacob by men, but my
name is Israel, called Israel by God, a man seeing God, because I am the first-
born of every creature which God caused to live." And he adds: "When I was
coming from Mesopotamia of Syria, Uriel, the angel of God, came forth, and
said, I have come down to the earth and made my dwelling among men, and I am
called Jacob by name. He was angry with me and fought with me and wrestled
against me, saying that his name and the name of Him who is before every angel
should be before my name. And I told him his name and how great he was
among the sons of God; Are you not Uriel my eighth, and I am Israel and
archangel of the power of the Lord and a chief captain among the sons of God?
Am not I Israel, the first minister in the sight of God, and I invoked my God by
the inextinguishable name?" It is likely that this was really said by Jacob, and
was therefore written down, and that there is also a deeper meaning in what we
are told, "He supplanted his brother in the womb." Consider whether the
celebrated question about Jacob and Esau has a solution. We read, [ Romans
9:11-14 ] The children being not yet born, neither having done anything good or
bad, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but
of him that calls, it was said, "The elder shall serve the younger." Even as it is
written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." What shall we say, then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid. If, then, when they were not yet born,
and had not done anything either good or evil, in order that God's purpose
according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls, if at such a
period this was said, how if we do not go back to the works done before this life,
can it be said that there is no unrighteousness with God when the elder serves the
younger and is hated (by God) before he has done anything worthy of slavery or
of hatred? We have made something of a digression in introducing this story
about Jacob and appealing to a writing which we cannot well treat with
contempt; but it certainly adds weight to our argument about John, to the effect
that as Isaiah's voice declares [ Isaiah 40:3 ] he is an angel who assumed a body
for the sake of bearing witness to the light. So much about John considered as a
man.

26. John is Voice, Jesus is Speech. Relation of These

Two to Each Other.
Now we know voice and speech to be different things. The voice can be
produced without any meaning and with no speech in it, and similarly speech
can be reported to the mind without voice, as when we make mental excursions,
within ourselves. And thus the Saviour is, in one view of Him, speech, and John
differs from Him; for as the Saviour is speech, John is voice. John himself
invites me to take this view of him, for to those who asked who he was, he
answered, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the
Lord! Make His paths straight!" This explains, perhaps, how it was that
Zacharias lost his voice at the birth of the voice which points out the Word of
God, and only recovered it when the voice, forerunner of the Word, was born. A
voice must be perceived with the ears if the mind is afterwards to receive the
speech which the voice indicates. Hence, John is, in point of his birth, a little
older than Christ, for our voice comes to us before our speech. But John also
points to Christ; for speech is brought forward by the voice. And Christ is
baptized by John, though John declares himself to have need to be baptized by
Christ; for with men speech is purified by voice, though the natural way is that
speech should purify the voice which indicates it. In a word, when John points
out Christ, it is man pointing out God, the Saviour incorporeal, the voice
pointing out the Word.

27. Significance of the Names of John and of His

Parents.
The force that is in names may be applied in many matters, and it may be
worth our while to ask at this point what is the significance of the names John
and Zacharias. The relatives wish, as the giving of a name is a thing not to be
lightly disposed of, to call the child Zacharias, and are surprised that Elisabeth
should want him to be called John. Zacharias then writes, "His name is John,"
and is at once freed from his troublesome silence. On examining the names,
then, we find "Joannes" to be "Joa" without the "nes." The New Testament
gives Hebrew names a Greek form and treats them as Greek words; Jacob is
changed into Jacobus, Symeon into Simon, and Joannes is the same as Joa.
Zacharias is said to be memory, and Elisabeth "oath of my God," or "strength of
my God." John then came into the world from grace of God (=Joa=Joannes), and
his parents were Memory (about God) and the Oath of our God, about the
fathers. Thus was he born to make ready for the Lord a people fit for Him, at the
end of the Covenant now grown old, which is the end of the Sabbatic period.
Hence it is not possible that the rest after the Sabbath should have come into
existence from the seventh of our God; on the contrary, it is our Saviour who,
after the pattern of His own rest, caused us to be made in the likeness of His
death, and hence also of His resurrection.

28. The Prophets Bore Witness to Christ and Foretold

Many Things Concerning Him.
"He came for a witness that He might bear witness of the light, that all
through Him might believe." [ John 1:7 ] Some of the dissenters from the
Church's doctrine, men who profess to believe in Christ, have desired another
being, as indeed their system requires, besides the Creator, and hence cannot
allow His coming to the world to have been foretold by the prophets. They
therefore endeavour to get rid of the testimonies of the prophets about Christ,
and say that the Son of God has no need of witnesses, but that He brings with
Him His own evidence, partly in the sound words full of power which He
proclaimed and partly in the wonderful works He did, which were sufficient at
once to convince any one whatever. Then they say: If Moses is believed on
account of his word and his works, and has no need of any witnesses to
announce him beforehand, and if the prophets were received, every one of them,
by these people, as messengers from God, how should not one who is much
greater than Moses and the prophets accomplish His mission and benefit the
human race, without prophets to bear witness about Him? They regard it as
superfluous that He should have been foretold by the prophets, since the
prophets were concerned, as these opponents would say, that those who believed
in Christ should not receive Him as a new God, and therefore did what they
could to bring them to that same God whom Moses and the prophets taught
before Jesus. To this we must say that as there are many causes which may lead
men to believe, since men who are not moved by one argument may be by
another, so God is able to provide for men a number of occasions, any of which
may cause their minds to open to the truth that God, who is over all, has taken on
Himself human nature. It is manifest to all, how some are brought by the
prophetic writings to the admiration of Christ. They are astounded at the voices
of so many prophets before Him, which establish the place of His birth, the
country of His upbringing, the power of His teaching, His working of wonderful
works, and His human passion brought to a close by His resurrection. We must
notice, too, that Christ's stupendous acts of power were able to bring to the faith
those of Christ's own time, but that they lost their demonstrative force with the
lapse of years and began to be regarded as mythical. Greater evidential value
than that of the miracles then performed attaches to the comparison which we
now make between these miracles and the prophecy of them; this makes it
impossible for the student to cast any doubt on the former. The prophetic
testimonies do not declare merely the advent of the Messiah; it is by no means
the case that they teach this and nothing else. They teach a great deal of
theology. The relation of the Father to the Son and of the Son to the Father may
be learned not less from what the prophets announce about Christ, than from the
Apostles narrating the splendours of the Son of God. A parallel case, which we
may venture to adduce, is that of the martyrs, who were honoured by the witness
they bore Him, and by no means conferred any favour on Him by their
witnessing for the Son of God. And how is it if, as many of Christ's true disciples
were honoured by having thus to witness for Him, so the prophets received from
God as their special gift that of understanding about Christ and announcing Him
before, and that they taught not only those living after Christ's advent how they
should regard the Son of God, but those also who lived in the generations before
Him? As he who in these times does not know the Son has not the Father either,
[ 1 John 2:23 ] so also we are to understand it was in these earlier times. Hence
"Abraham rejoiced to see the day of Christ, and he saw it and was glad." [ John
8:56 ] He, therefore, who declares that they are not to testify about Christ is
seeking to deprive the chorus of the prophets of the greatest gift they have; for
what office of equal importance would be left to prophecy, inspired as it is by
the Holy Spirit, if all connection with the economy of our Lord and Master were
taken away from it? For as these have their faith well ordered who approach the
God of the universe through Mediator and High-Priest and Paraclete, and as his
religion is a halting one who does not go in through the door to the Father, so
also in the case of men of old time. Their religion was sanctified and made
acceptable to God by their knowledge and faith and expectation of Christ. For
we have observed that God declares Himself to be a witness and exhorts them all
to declare the same about Christ, and to be imitators of Him, bearing witness of
Him to all who require it. For he says, [ Isaiah 43:10 ] "Be witnesses for Me, and
I am witness, says the Lord God, and My servant whom I have chosen." Now
every one who bears witness to the truth, whether he support it by words or
deeds, or in whatever way, may properly be called a witness (martyr); but it has
come to be the custom of the brotherhood, since they are struck with admiration
of those who have contended to the death for truth and valour, to keep the name
of martyr more properly for those who have borne witness to the mystery of
godliness by shedding their blood for it. The Saviour gives the name of martyr to
every one who bears witness to the truth He declares; thus at the Ascension He
says to His disciples: [ Acts 1:8 ] "You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in
Judæa and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." The leper who
was cleansed [ Matthew 8:4 ] had still to bring the gift which Moses commanded
for a testimony to those who did not believe in the Christ. In the same way the
martyrs bear witness for a testimony to the unbelieving, and so do all the saints
whose deeds shine before men. They spend their life rejoicing in the cross of
Christ and bearing witness to the true light.

29. The Six Testimonies of the Baptist Enumerated.

Jesus' "Come and See." Significance of the Tenth
Hour.
Accordingly John came to bear witness of the light, and in his witness-
bearing he cried, saying, "He that comes after me exists before me; for He was
before me; for of His fullness we have all received and grace for grace, for the
law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one
has seen God at any time; the only-begotten God, who is in the bosom of the
Father, He has declared Him." This whole speech is from the mouth of the
Baptist bearing witness to the Christ. Some take it otherwise, and consider that
the words from "for of His fullness" to "He has declared Him" are from the
writer, John the Apostle. The true state of the case is that John's first testimony
begins, as we said before, "He that comes after me," and ends, "He has declared
Him," and his second testimony is that spoken to the priests and levites sent from
Jerusalem, whom the Jews had sent. To them he confesses and does not deny the
truth, namely, that he is not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet, but "the voice
of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as says
Isaiah the prophet." After this there is another testimony of the same Baptist to
Christ, still teaching His superior nature, which goes forth into the whole world
and enters into reasonable souls. He says, "There stands One among you whom
you know not, even He that comes after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not
worthy to unloose." Consider if, since the heart is in the middle of the whole
body, and the ruling principle in the heart, the saying, "There stands One among
you whom you know not," can be understood of the reason which is in every
man. John's fourth testimony of Christ after these points to His human
sufferings. He says, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the
world. This is He of whom I said, After me comes a man who exists before me,
for He was before me. And I knew Him not, but that He should be made manifest
to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." And the fifth testimony is
recorded in the words, "I beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven,
and it abode upon Him, and I knew Him not, but He that sent me to baptize with
water, He said unto me, Upon whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending
and abiding upon Him, the same is He that baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I
have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God." In the sixth place John
witnesses of Christ to the two disciples: "He looked on Jesus as He walked and
says, Behold the Lamb of God." After this testimony the two disciples who heard
it followed Jesus; and Jesus turned and beheld them following, and says unto
them, "What do you seek?" Perhaps it is not without significance that after six
testimonies John ceases from his witness-bearing and Jesus brings forward in the
seventh place His "What do you seek?" Very becoming in those who have been
helped by John's testimony is the speech in which they address Christ as their
Master, and declare their wish to see the dwelling of the Son of God; for they
say to Him, "Rabbi," which answers to "Master," in our language, "where
dwellest Thou?" And since every one that seeks finds, when John's disciples
seek Jesus' dwelling, Jesus shows it to them, saying, "Come and see." By the
word "Come" He exhorts them perhaps to the practical part of life, while the
"see" is to suggest to them that that speculation which comes in the train of right
conduct will be vouchsafed to those who desire it; in Jesus' dwelling they will
have it. After they had asked where Jesus dwells, and had followed the Master
and had seen, they desired to stay with Him and to spend that day with the Son
of God. Now the number ten is a sacred one, not a few mysteries being indicated
by it; and so we are to understand that the mention of the tenth hour as that at
which these disciples turned in with Jesus, is not without significance. Of these
disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, is one; and he having profited by
this day with Jesus and having found his own brother Simon (perhaps he had not
found him before), told him that he had found the Messiah, which is, being
interpreted, Christ. It is written that "he that seeks finds." Now he had sought
where Jesus dwelt, and had followed Him and looked upon His dwelling; he
stays with the Lord "at the tenth hour," and finds the Son of God, the Word, and
Wisdom, and is ruled by Him as King. That is why he says, "We have found the
Messiah," and this a thing which every one can say who has found this Word of
God and is ruled as by a king, by His Divinity. As a fruit he at once brings his
brother to Christ, and Christ deigned to look upon Simon, that is to say, by
looking at him to visit and enlighten his ruling principle; and Simon by Jesus'
looking at him was enabled to grow strong, so as to earn a new name from that
work of firmness and strength, and to be called Peter.
 30. How John Was a Witness of Christ, and Specially
of "The Light."
It may be asked why we should have gone through all this when the verse
before us is, "He came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light." But it
was necessary to give John's testimonies to the light, and to show the order in
which they took place, and also, in order to show how effective John's testimony
proved, to set forth the help it afforded afterwards to those to whom he bore it.
But before all these testimonies there was an earlier one when the Baptist leaped
in the womb of Elisabeth at the greeting of Mary. That was a testimony to Christ
and attested His divine conception and birth. And what more need I say? John is
everywhere a witness and forerunner of Christ. He anticipates His birth and dies
a little before the death of the Son of God, and thus witnesses not only for those
at the time of the birth, but to those who were expecting the freedom which was
to come for man through the death of Christ. Thus, in all his life, he is a little
before Christ, and everywhere makes ready for the Lord a people prepared for
Him. And John's testimony precedes also the second and diviner coming of
Christ, for we read, [ Matthew 11:14-15 ] "If you will receive it, this is Elijah
which is to come. He that has ears to hear let him hear." Now, there was a
beginning, in which the Word was—and we saw from Proverbs that that
beginning was wisdom—and the Word was in existence, and in the Word life
was made, and the life was the light of men; and all this being so, I ask why the
man who came, sent from God, whose name was John, why he came for witness
to bear witness especially of the light? Why did he not come to bear witness of
the life, or of the Word, or about the beginning, or about any other of the many
aspects in which Christ appears? Consider here the texts, "The people which sat
in darkness saw a great light," and "The light shines in darkness, and the
darkness overtook it not," and consider how those who are in darkness, that is,
men, have need of light. For if the light of men shines in darkness, and there is
no active power in darkness to attain to it, then we must partake of other aspects
of Christ; at present we have no real share of Him at all. For what share have we
of life, we who are still in the body of death, and whose life is hid with Christ in
God? [ Colossians 3:3-4 ] "For when Christ who is our life shall appear, then
shall we also appear with Him in glory." It was not possible, therefore, that he
who came should bear witness about a life which is still hid with Christ in God.
Nor did he come for witness to bear witness of the Word, for we know the Word
who was in the beginning with God and who is God the Word; for the Word was
made flesh on the earth. And though the witness had been, at least apparently,
about the Word, it would in fact have been about the Word made flesh and not
about the word of God. He did not come, therefore, to bear witness of the Word.
And how could there be any witness-bearing about wisdom, to those who, even
if they appear to know something, cannot understand pure truth, but behold it
through a glass and in an enigma? It is likely, however, that before the second
and diviner advent of Christ, John or Elias will come to bear witness about life a
little before Christ our life is made manifest, and that then they will bear witness
about the Word, and offer also their testimony about wisdom. Some inquiry is
necessary whether a testimony such as that of John is to precede each of the
aspects of Christ. So much for the words, "He came for witness, to bear witness
of the light." What we are to understand by the further words, "That all might
believe through Him," may be considered later.
 Commentary on the Gospel of John
(Book IV)
[ Three Leaves from the Beginning .]
1. He who distinguishes in himself voice and meaning and things for which
the meaning stands, will not be offended at rudeness of language if, on enquiry,
he finds the things spoken of to be sound. The more may this be so when we
remember how the holy men acknowledge their speech and their preaching to be
not in persuasion of the wisdom of words, but in demonstration of the Spirit and
of power....
[ Then, after speaking of the rudeness of style of the Gospel, he proceeds :]
2. The Apostles are not unaware that in some things they give offense, and
that in some respects their culture is defective, and they confess themselves [ 2
Corinthians 11:6 ] accordingly to be rude in speech but not in knowledge; for we
must consider that the other Apostles would have said this, too, as well as Paul.
As for the text, [ 2 Corinthians 4:7 ] "But we have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us," we
interpret it in this way. By "treasures" we understand here, as in other passages,
the treasure of knowledge (gnosis) and of hidden wisdom. By "earthen vessels"
we understand the humble diction of the Scriptures, which the Greek might so
readily be led to despise, and in which the excellency of God's power appears so
clearly. The mystery of the truth and the power of the things said were not
hindered by the humble diction from travelling to the ends of the earth, nor from
subduing to the word of Christ, not only the foolish things of the world, but
sometimes its wise things, too. For we see our calling, [ 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 ]
not that no wise man according to the flesh, but that not many wise according to
the flesh. But Paul, in his preaching of the Gospel, is a debtor [ Romans 1:14 ] to
deliver the word not to Barbarians only, but also to Greeks, and not only to the
unwise, who would easily agree with him, but also to the wise. For he was made
sufficient [ 2 Corinthians 3:6 ] by God to be a minister of the New Covenant,
wielding the demonstration of the spirit and of power, so that when the believers
agreed with him their belief should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God. For, perhaps, if the Scripture possessed, like the works the Greeks
admire, elegance and command of diction, then it would be open to suppose that
not the truth of them had laid hold of men, but that the apparent sequence and
splendour of language had carried off the hearers, and had carried them off by
guile.
 Commentary on the Gospel of John
(Book V)
From the Preface

You are not content to fulfil the office, when I am present with you, of a
taskmaster to drive me to labour at theology; even when I am absent you demand
that I should spend most of my time on you and on the task I have to do for you.
I, for my part, am inclined to shrink from toil, and to avoid that danger which
threatens from God those who give themselves to writing on divinity; thus I
would take shelter in Scripture in refraining from making many books. For
Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, "My son, beware of making many books; there is
no end of it, and much study is a weariness of the flesh." For we, except that text
have some hidden meaning which we do not yet perceive, have directly
transgressed the injunction, we have not guarded ourselves against making many
books.
[ Then, after saying that this discussion of but a few sentences of the Gospel
have run to four volumes, he goes on: ]

2. How Scripture Warns Us Against Making Many

Books.
For, to judge by the words of the phrase, "My son, beware of making many
books," two things appear to be indicated by it: first, that we ought not to possess
many books, and then that we ought not to compose many books. If the first is
not the meaning the second must be, and if the second is the meaning the first
does not necessarily follow. In either case we appear to be told that we ought not
to make many books. I might take my stand on this dictum which now confronts
us, and send you the text as an excuse, and I might appeal in support of this
position to the fact that not even the saints found leisure to compose many
books; and thus I might cry off from the bargain we made with each other, and
give up writing what I was to send to you. You, on your side, would no doubt
feel the force of the text I have cited, and might, for the future, excuse me. But
we must treat Scripture conscientiously, and must not congratulate ourselves
because we see the primary meaning of a text, that we understand it altogether. I
do not, therefore, shrink from bringing forward what excuse I think I am able to
offer for myself, and to point out the arguments, which you would certainly use
against me, if I acted contrary to our agreement. And in the first place, the
Sacred History seems to agree with the text in question, inasmuch as none of the
saints composed several works, or set forth his views in a number of books. I
will take up this point: when I proceed to write a number of books, the critic will
remind me that even such a one as Moses left behind him only five books.

3. The Apostles Wrote Little.

But he who was made fit to be a minister of the New Covenant, not of the
letter, but of the spirit, Paul, who fulfilled the Gospel from Jerusalem round
about to Illyricum, [ Romans 15:19 ] did not write epistles to all the churches he
taught, and to those to whom he did write he sent no more than a few lines. And
Peter, on whom the Church of Christ is built, against which the gates of hell
shall not prevail [ Matthew 16:18 ] left only one epistle of acknowledged
genuineness. Suppose we allow that he left a second; for this is doubtful. What
are we to say of him who leaned on Jesus' breast, namely, John, who left one
Gospel, though confessing that he could make so many that the world would not
contain them? But he wrote also the Apocalypse, being commanded to be silent
and not to write the voices of the seven thunders. [ Revelation 10:4 ] But he also
left an epistle of very few lines. Suppose also a second and a third, since not all
pronounce these to be genuine; but the two together do not amount to a hundred
lines.
[ Then, after enumerating the prophets and Apostles, and showing how
each wrote only a little, or not even a little, he goes on: ]

4
I feel myself growing dizzy with all this, and wonder whether, in obeying
you, I have not been obeying God, nor walking in the footsteps of the saints,
unless it be that my too great love to you, and my unwillingness to cause you
any pain, has led me astray and caused me to think of all these excuses. We
started from the words of the preacher, where he says: "My son, beware of
making many books." With this I compare a saying from the Proverbs of the
same Solomon, "In the multitude of words you shall not escape sin; but in
sparing your lips you shall be wise." Here I ask whether speaking many words of
whatever kind is a multitude of words (in the sense of the preacher), even if the
many words a man speaks are sacred and connected with salvation. If this be the
case, and if he who makes use of many salutary words is guilty of "multitude of
words," then Solomon himself did not escape this sin, for "he spoke [ 1 Kings
4:32 ] three thousand proverbs, and five thousand songs, and he spoke of trees
from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springs out of the
wall, he spoke also of beasts and of fowl, and of creeping things and of fishes."
How, I may ask, can any one give any course of instruction, without a multitude
of words, using the phrase in its simplest sense? Does not Wisdom herself say to
those who are perishing, [ Proverbs 1:24 ] "I stretched out my words, and you
heeded not" ? Do we not find Paul, too, extending his discourse from morning to
midnight, [ Acts 20:7-9 ] when Eutychus was borne down with sleep and fell
down, to the dismay of the hearers, who thought he was killed? If, then, the
words are true, "In much speaking you will not escape sin," and if Solomon was
yet not guilty of great sin when he discoursed on the subjects above mentioned,
nor Paul when he prolonged his discourse till midnight, then the question arises,
What is that much speaking which is referred to? And then we may pass on to
consider what are the many books. Now the entire Word of God, who was in the
beginning with God, is not much speaking, is not words ; for the Word is one,
being composed of the many speculations (theoremata), each of which is a part
of the Word in its entirety. Whatever words there be outside of this one, which
promise to give any description and exposition, even though they be words about
truth, none of these, to put it in a somewhat paradoxical way, is Word or Reason,
they are all words or reasons. They are not the monad, far from it; they are not
that which agrees and is one in itself, by their inner divisions and conflicts unity
has departed from them, they have become numbers, perhaps infinite numbers.
We are obliged, therefore, to say that whoever speaks that which is foreign to
religion is using many words, while he who speaks the words of truth, even
should he go over the whole field and omit nothing, is always speaking the one
word. Nor are the saints guilty of much speaking, since they always have the aim
in view which is connected with the one word. It appears, then, that the much
speaking which is condemned is judged to be so rather from the nature of the
views propounded, than from the number of the words pronounced. Let us see if
we cannot conclude in the same way that all the sacred books are one book, but
that those outside are the "many books" of the preacher. The proof of this must
be drawn from Holy Scripture, and it will be most satisfactorily established if I
am able to show that it is not only one book, taking the word now in its
commoner meaning, that we find to be written about Christ. Christ is written
about even in the Pentateuch; He is spoken of in each of the Prophets, and in the
Psalms, and, in a word, as the Saviour Himself says, in all the Scriptures. He
refers us to them all, when He says: [ John 5:39 ] "Search the Scriptures, for in
them ye think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me." And
if He refers us to the Scriptures as testifying of Him, it is not to one that He
sends us, to the exclusion of another, but to all that speak of Him, those which,
in the Psalms, He calls the chapter of the book, saying, "In the chapter of the
book it is written of Me." If any one proposes to take these words, "In the
chapter of the book it is written of Me," literally, and to apply them to this or that
special passage where Christ is spoken of, let him tell us on what principle he
warrants his preference for one book over another. If any one supposes that we
are doing something of this kind ourselves, and applying the words in question
to the book of Psalms, we deny that we do so, and we would urge that in that
case the words should have been, "In this book it is written of Me." But He
speaks of all the books as one chapter, thus summing up in one all that is spoken
of Christ for our instruction. In fact the book was seen by John, [ Revelation 5:1-
5 ] "written within and without, and sealed; and no one could open it to read it,
and to loose the seals thereof, but the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of
David, who has the key of David, [ Revelation 3:7 ] he that opens and none shall
shut, and that shuts and none shall open." For the book here spoken of means
the whole of Scripture; and it is written within (lit. in front), on account of the
meaning which is obvious, and on the back, on account of its remoter and
spiritual sense. Observe, in addition to this, if a proof that the sacred writings are
one book, and those of an opposite character many, may not be found in the fact
that there is one book of the living from which those who have proved unworthy
to be in it are blotted out, as it is written: "Let them be blotted out of the book of
the living," while of those who are to undergo the judgment, there are books in
the plural, as Daniel says: [ Daniel 7:10 ] "The judgment was set, and the books
were opened." But Moses also bears witness to the unity of the sacred book,
when he says: [ Exodus 32:32 ] "If Thou forgive the people their sins, forgive,
but if not, then wipe me out of the book which You have written." The passage in
Isaiah, too, I read in the same way. It is not peculiar to his prophecy that the
words of the book should be sealed, and should neither be read by him who does
not know letters, because he is ignorant of letters, nor by him who is learned,
because the book is sealed. This is true of every writing, for every written work
needs the reason (Logos) which closed it to open it. "He shall shut, and none
shall open," [ Isaiah 22:22 ] and when He opens no one can cast doubt on the
interpretation He brings. Hence it is said that He shall open and no man shall
shut. I infer a similar lesson from the book spoken of in Ezekiel, in which was
written lamentation, and a song, and woe. For the whole book is full of the woe
of the lost, and the song of the saved, and the lamentation of those between these
two. And John, too, when he speaks of his eating the one roll, [ Revelation 10:9-
10 ] in which both front and back were written on, means the whole of Scripture,
one book which is, at first, most sweet when one begins, as it were, to chew it,
but bitter in the revelation of himself which it makes to the conscience of each
one who knows it. I will add to the proof of this an apostolic saying which has
been quite misunderstood by the disciples of Marcion, who, therefore, set the
Gospels at naught. The Apostle says: [ Romans 2:16 ] "According to my Gospel
in Christ Jesus;" he does not speak of Gospels in the plural, and, hence, they
argue that as the Apostle only speaks of one Gospel in the singular, there was
only one in existence. But they fail to see that, as He is one of whom all the
evangelists write, so the Gospel, though written by several hands, is, in effect,
one. And, in fact, the Gospel, though written by four, is one. From these
considerations, then, we learn what the one book is, and what the many books,
and what I am now concerned about is, not the quantity I may write, but the
effect of what I say, lest, if I fail in this point, and set forth anything against the
truth itself, even in one of my writings, I should prove to have transgressed the
commandment, and to be a writer of "many books." Yet I see the heterodox
assailing the holy Church of God in these days, under the pretence of higher
wisdom, and bringing forward works in many volumes in which they offer
expositions of the evangelical and apostolic writings, and I fear that if I should
be silent and should not put before our members the saving and true doctrines,
these teachers might get a hold of curious souls, which, in the absence of
wholesome nourishment, might go after food that is forbidden, and, in fact,
unclean and horrible. It appears to me, therefore, to be necessary that one who is
able to represent in a genuine manner the doctrine of the Church, and to refute
those dealers in knowledge, falsely so-called, should take his stand against
historical fictions, and oppose to them the true and lofty evangelical message in
which the agreement of the doctrines, found both in the so-called Old Testament
and in the so-called New, appears so plainly and fully. You yourself felt at one
time the lack of good representatives of the better cause, and were impatient of a
faith which was at issue with reason and absurd, and you then, for the love you
bore to the Lord, gave yourself to composition from which, however, in the
exercise of the judgment with which you are endowed, you afterwards desisted.
This is the defence which I think admits of being made for those who have the
faculty of speaking and writing. But I am also pleading my own cause, as I now
devote myself with what boldness I may to the work of exposition; for it may be
that I am not endowed with that habit and disposition which he ought to have
who is fitted by God to be a minister of the New Covenant, not of the letter but
of the spirit.
 Commentary on the Gospel of John
(Book VI)
1. The Work is Taken Up After a Violent Interruption, Which
Has Driven the Writer from Alexandria. He Addresses Himself to
It Again, with Thanks for His Deliverance, and Prayer for
Guidance.

When a house is being built which is to be made as strong as possible, the

building takes place in fine weather and in calm, so that nothing may hinder the
structure from acquiring the needed solidity. And thus it turns out so strong and
stable that it is able to withstand the rush of the flood, and the dashing of the
river, and all the agencies accompanying a storm which are apt to find out what
is rotten in a building and to show what parts of it have been properly put
together. And more particularly should that house which is capable of sheltering
the speculations of truth, the house of reason, as it were, in promise or in letters,
be built at a time when God can add His free co-operation to the projector of so
noble a work, when the soul is quiet and in the enjoyment of that peace which
passes all understanding, when she is turned away from all disturbance and not
buffeted by any billows. This, it appears to me, was well understood by the
servants of the prophetic spirit and the ministers of the Gospel message; they
made themselves worthy to receive that peace which is in secret from Him who
ever gives it to them that are worthy and who said, [ John 14:27 ] "Peace I leave
with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives give I unto you." And
look if some similar lesson is not taught under the surface with regard to David
and Solomon in the narrative about the temple. David, who fought the wars of
the Lord and stood firm against many enemies, his own and those of Israel,
desired to build a temple for God. But God, through Nathan, prevents him from
doing so, and Nathan says to him, [ 1 Chronicles 22:8-9 ] "You shall not build
me an house, because you are a man of blood." But Solomon, on the other hand,
saw God in a dream, and in a dream received wisdom, for the reality of the
vision was kept for him who said, "Behold a greater than Solomon is here." The
time was one of the profoundest peace, so that it was possible for every man to
rest under his own vine and his own fig-tree, and Solomon's very name was
significant of the peace which was in his days, for Solomon means peaceful; and
so he was at liberty to build the famous temple of God. About the time of Ezra,
also, when "truth conquers wine and the hostile king and women," the temple of
God is restored again. All this is said by way of apology to you, reverend
Ambrosius. It is at your sacred encouragement that I have made up my mind to
build up in writing the tower of the Gospel; and I have therefore sate down to
count the cost, [ Luke 14:28 ] if I have sufficient to finish it, lest I should be
mocked by the beholders, because I laid the foundation but was not able to finish
the work. The result of my counting, it is true, has been that I do not possess
what is required to finish it; yet I have put my trust in God, who enriches us [ 1
Corinthians 1:5 ] with all wisdom and all knowledge. If we strive to keep His
spiritual laws we believe that He does enrich us; He will supply what is
necessary so that we shall get on with our building, and shall even come to the
parapet of the structure. That parapet it is which keeps from falling those who go
up on the house of the Word; for people only fall off those houses which have no
parapet, so that the buildings themselves are to blame for their fall and for their
death. We proceeded as far as the fifth volume in spite of the obstacles presented
by the storm in Alexandria, and spoke what was given us to speak, for Jesus
rebuked the winds and the waves of the sea. We emerged from the storm, we
were brought out of Egypt, that God delivering us who led His people forth from
there. Then, when the enemy assailed us with all bitterness by his new writings,
so directly hostile to the Gospel, and stirred up against us all the winds of
wickedness in Egypt, I felt that reason called me rather to stand fast for the
conflict, and to save the higher part in me, lest evil counsels should succeed in
directing the storm so as to overwhelm my soul, rather to do this than to finish
my work at an unsuitable season, before my mind had recovered its calm.
Indeed, the ready writers who usually attended me brought my work to a stand
by failing to appear to take down my words. But now that the many fiery darts
directed against me have lost their edge, for God extinguished them, and my soul
has grown accustomed to the dispensation sent me for the sake of the heavenly
word, and has learned from necessity to disregard the snares of my enemies, it is
as if a great calm had settled on me, and I defer no longer the continuation of this
work. I pray that God will be with me, and will speak as a teacher in the porch of
my soul, so that the building I have begun of the exposition of the Gospel of
John may arrive at completion. May God hear my prayer and grant that the body
of the whole work may now be brought together, and that no interruption may
intervene which might prevent me from following the sequence of Scripture.
And be assured that it is with great readiness that I now make this second
beginning and enter on my sixth volume, because what I wrote before at
Alexandria has not, I know not by what chance, been brought with me. I feared I
might neglect this work, if I were not engaged on it at once, and therefore
thought it better to make use of this present time and begin without delay the
part which remains. I am not certain if the part formerly written will come to
light, and would be very unwilling to waste time in waiting to see if it does.
Enough of preamble, let us now attend to our text.

2. How the Prophets and Holy Men of the Old

Testament Knew the Things of Christ.
"And this is the witness of John." [ John 1:19 ] This is the second recorded
testimony of John the Baptist to Christ. The first begins with "This was He of
whom I said, He that comes after me," and goes down to "The only-begotten Son
of God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared him." Heracleon
supposes the words, "No one has seen God at any time," etc., to have been
spoken, not by the Baptist, but by the disciple. But in this he is not sound. He
himself allows the words, "Of his fullness we all received, and grace for grace;
for the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ," to
have been spoken by the Baptist. And does it not follow that the person who
received of the fullness of Christ, and a second grace in addition to that he had
before, and who declared the law to have been given by Moses, but grace and
truth to have come through Jesus Christ, is it not clear that this is the person who
understood, from what he received from the fullness of Christ, how "no one has
seen God at any time," and how "the only-begotten who is in the bosom of the
Father" had delivered the declaration about God to him and to all those who had
received of His fullness? He was not declaring here for the first time Him that is
in the bosom of the Father, as if there had never before been any one fit to
receive what he told His Apostles. Does he not teach us that he was before
Abraham, and that Abraham rejoiced and was glad to see his day? The words
"Of his fullness all we received," and "Grace for grace," show, as we have
already made clear, that the prophets also received their gift from the fullness of
Christ and received a second grace in place of that they had before; for they also,
led by the Spirit, advanced from the introduction they had in types to the vision
of truth. Hence not all the prophets, but many of them, [ Matthew 13:17 ] desired
to see the things, which the Apostles saw. For if there was a difference among
the prophets, those who were perfect and more distinguished of them did not
desire to see what the Apostles saw, but actually beheld them, while those who
rose less fully than these to the height of the Word were filled with longing for
the things which the Apostles knew through Christ. The word "saw" we have not
taken in a physical sense, and the word "heard" we have taken to refer to a
spiritual communication; only he who has ears is prepared to hear the words of
Jesus— a thing which does not happen too frequently. There is the further point,
that the saints before the bodily advent of Jesus had an advantage over most
believers in their insight into the mysteries of divinity, since the Word of God
was their teacher before He became flesh, for He was always working, in
imitation of His Father, of whom He says, "My father works hitherto." On this
point we may adduce the words He addresses to the Sadducees, who do not
believe the doctrine of the resurrection. "Have you not read," He says, [ Mark
12:20 ] "what is said by God at the Bush, I am the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
If, then, God is not ashamed to be called the God of these men, and if they are
counted by Christ among the living, and if all believers are sons of Abraham, [
Romans 4:11 ] since all the Gentiles are blessed with faithful Abraham, who is
appointed by God to be a father of the Gentiles, can we hesitate to admit that
those living persons made acquaintance with the learning of living men, and
were taught by Christ who was born before the daystar, before He became flesh?
And for this cause they lived, because they had part in Him who said, "I am the
life," and as the heirs of so great promises received the vision, not only of angels,
but of God in Christ. For they saw, it may be, the image of the invisible God,
since he who has seen the Son has seen the Father, and so they are recorded to
have known God, and to have heard God's words worthily, and, therefore, to
have seen God and heard Him. Now, I consider that those who are fully and
really sons of Abraham are sons of his actions, spiritually understood, and of the
knowledge which was made manifest to him. What he knew and what he did
appears again in those who are his sons, as the Scripture teaches those who have
ears to hear, [ John 8:39 ] "If you were the children of Abraham, you would do
the works of Abraham." And if it is a true proverb [ Proverbs 16:23 ] which says,
"A wise man will understand that which proceeds from his own mouth, and on
his lips he will bear prudence," then we must at once repudiate some things
which have been said about the prophets, as if they were not wise men, and did
not understand what proceeded from their own mouths. We must believe what is
good and true about the prophets, that they were sages, that they did understand
what proceeded from their mouths, and that they bore prudence on their lips. It is
clear indeed that Moses understood in his mind the truth (real meaning) of the
law, and the higher interpretations of the stories recorded in his books. Joshua,
too, understood the meaning of the allotment of the land after the destruction of
the nine and twenty kings, and could see better than we can the realities of which
his achievements were the shadows. It is clear, too, that Isaiah saw the mystery
of Him who sat upon the throne, and of the two seraphim, and of the veiling of
their faces and their feet, and of their wings, and of the altar and of the tongs.
Ezekiel, too, understood the true significance of the cherubim and of their
goings, and of the firmament that was above them, and of Him that sat on the
throne, than all which what could be loftier or more splendid? I need not enter
into more particulars; the point I aim at establishing is clear enough already,
namely, that those who were made perfect in earlier generations knew not less
than the Apostles did of what Christ revealed to them, since the same teacher
was with them as He who revealed to the Apostles the unspeakable mysteries of
godliness. I will add but a few points, and then leave it to the reader to judge and
to form what views he pleases on this subject. Paul says in his Epistle to the
Romans, [ Romans 16:25 ] "Now, to him who is able to establish you according
to my Gospel, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in
silence through times eternal, but is now made manifest by the prophetic
Scriptures and the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ." For if the mystery
concealed of old is made manifest to the Apostles through the prophetic
writings, and if the prophets, being wise men, understood what proceeded from
their own mouths, then the prophets knew what was made manifest to the
Apostles. But to many it was not revealed, as Paul says, [ Ephesians 3:5 ] "In
other generations it was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been
revealed unto His holy Apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the Gentiles are
fellow-heirs and members of the same body." Here an objection may be raised by
those who do not share the view we have propounded; and it becomes of
importance to define what is meant by the word "revealed." It is capable of two
meanings: firstly, that the thing in question is understood, but secondly, if a
prophecy is spoken of, that it is accomplished. Now, the fact that the Gentiles
were to be fellow-heirs and members of the same body, and partakers of the
promise, was known to the prophets to this extent, that they knew the Gentiles
were to fellow-heirs and members of the same body, and partakers of the
promise in Christ. When this should be, and why, and what Gentiles were
spoken of, and how, though strangers from the covenants, and aliens to the
promises, they were yet to be members of one body and sharers of the blessings;
all this was known to the prophets, being revealed to them. But the things
prophesied belong to the future, and are not revealed to those who know them,
but do not witness their fulfilment, as they are to those who have the event
before their eyes. And this was the position of the Apostles. Thus, I conceive,
they knew the events no more than the fathers and the prophets did; and yet it is
truly said of them that "what to other generations was not revealed was now
revealed to the Apostles and prophets, that the Gentiles were fellow-heirs and
members of the same body, and partakers in the promise of Christ." For, in
addition to knowing these mysteries, they saw the power at work in the
accomplished fact. The passage, "Many prophets and righteous men desired to
see the things ye see and did not see them; and to hear the things ye hear and did
not hear them," may be interpreted in the same way. They also desired to see the
mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, and of His coming down to carry
out the design of His suffering for the salvation of many, actually put in
operation. This may be illustrated from another quarter. Suppose one of the
Apostles to have understood the "unspeakable words which it is not lawful for a
man to utter," [ 2 Corinthians 12:4 ] but not to witness the glorious bodily
appearing of Jesus to the faithful. which is promised, although He desired to see
it and suppose another had not only not marked and seen what that Apostle
marked and saw, but had a much feebler grasp of the divine hope, and yet is
present at the second coming of our Saviour, which the Apostle, as in the parallel
above, had desired, but had not seen. We shall not err from the truth if we say
that both of these have seen what the Apostle, or indeed the Apostles, desired to
see, and yet that they are not on that account to be deemed wiser or more blessed
than the Apostles. In the same way, also, the Apostles are not to be deemed
wiser than the fathers, or than Moses and the prophets, than those in fact who,
for their virtue, were found worthy of epiphanies and of divine manifestations
and of revelations of mysteries.

3. "Grace and Truth Came Through Jesus Christ."

These Words Belong to the Baptist, Not the
Evangelist. What the Baptist Testifies by Them.
We have lingered rather long over these discussions, but there is a reason
for it. There are many who, under the pretence of glorifying the advent of Christ,
declare the Apostles to be wiser than the fathers or the prophets; and of these
teachers some have invented a greater God for the later period, while some, not
venturing so far, but moved, according to their own account of the matter, by the
difficulty connected with doctrine, cancel the whole of the gift conferred by God
on the fathers and the prophets, through Christ, through whom all things were
made. If all things were made through Him, clearly so must the splendid
revelations have been which were made to the fathers and prophets, and became
to them the symbols of the sacred mysteries of religion. Now the true soldiers of
Christ must always be prepared to do battle for the truth, and must never, so far
as lies with them, allow false convictions to creep in. We must not, therefore,
neglect this matter. It may be said that John's earlier testimony to Christ is to be
found in the words, "He who comes after me exists before me, for He was before
me," and that the words, "For of His fullness we all received, and grace for
grace," are in the mouth of John the disciple. Now, we must show this
exposition to be a forced one, and one which does violence to the context; it is
rather a strong proceeding to suppose the speech of the Baptist to be so suddenly
and, as it were, inopportunely interrupted by that of the disciple, and it is quite
apparent to any one who can judge, in whatever small degree, of a context, that
the speech goes on continuously after the words, "This is He of whom I spoke,
He that comes after me exists before me, for He was before me." The Baptist
brings a proof that Jesus existed before him because He was before him, since
He is the first-born of all creation; he says, "For of His fullness all we received."
That is the reason why he says, "He exists before me, for He was before me."
That is how I know that He is first and in higher honour with the Father, since of
His fullness both I and the prophets before me received the more divine
prophetic grace instead of the grace we received at His hands before in respect of
our election. That is why I say, "He exists before me, for He was before me,"
because we know what we have received from His fullness; namely, that the law
was given through Moses, not by Moses, while grace and truth not only were
given but came into existence through Jesus Christ. For His God and Father both
gave the law through Moses, and made grace and truth through Jesus Christ, that
grace and truth which came to man. If we give a reasonable interpretation to the
words, "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ," we shall not be alarmed at
the possible discrepancy with them of that other saying, "I am the way and the
truth and the life." If it is Jesus who says, "I am the truth," then how does the
truth come through Jesus Christ, since no one comes into existence through
himself? We must recognize that this very truth, the essential truth, which is
prototypal, so to speak, of that truth which exists in souls endowed with reason,
that truth from which, as it were, images are impressed on those who care for
truth, was not made through Jesus Christ, nor indeed through any one, but by
God—just as the Word was not made through any one which was in the
beginning with the Father;— and as wisdom which God created the beginning of
His ways was not made through any one, so the truth also was not made through
any one. That truth, however, which is with men came through Jesus Christ, as
the truth in Paul and the Apostles came through Jesus Christ. And it is no
wonder, since truth is one, that many truths should flow from that one. The
prophet David certainly knew many truths, as he says, "The Lord searches out
truths," for the Father of truth searches out not the one truth but the many
through which those are saved who possess them. And as with the one truth and
many truths, so also with righteousness and righteousnesses. For the very
essential righteousness is Christ, "Who was made to us of God wisdom and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption." But from that righteousness is
formed the righteousness which is in each individual, so that there are in the
saved many righteousnesses, whence also it is written, "For the Lord is
righteous, and He loved righteousnesses." This is the reading in the exact copies,
and in the other versions besides the Septuagint, and in the Hebrew. Consider if
the other things which Christ is said to be in a unity admit of being multiplied in
the same way and spoken of in the plural. For example, Christ is our life as the
Saviour Himself says, [ John 14:6 ] "I am the way and the truth and the life."
The Apostle, too, says, [ Colossians 3:4 ] "When Christ our life shall appear,
then shall you also appear with Him in glory." And in the Psalms again we find,
"Your mercy is better than life;" for it is on account of Christ who is life in every
one that there are many lives. This, perhaps, is also the key to the passage, [ 2
Corinthians 13:3 ] "If you seek a proof of the Christ that speaks in me." For
Christ is found in every saint, and so from the one Christ there come to be many
Christs, imitators of Him and formed after Him who is the image of God;
whence God says through the prophet, "Touch not my Christs." Thus we have
explained in passing the passage which we appeared to have omitted from our
exposition, viz.: "Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ;" and we have also
shown that the words belong to John the Baptist and form part of his testimony
to the Son of God.

4. John Denies that He is Elijah or "The" Prophet.

Yet He Was "A" Prophet.
Now let us consider John's second testimony. Jews from Jerusalem, [ John
1:19-21 ] kindred to John the Baptist, since he also belonged to a priestly race,
send priests and levites to ask John who he is. In saying, "I am not the Christ,"
he made a confession of the truth. The words are not, as one might suppose, a
negation; for it is no negation to say, in the honour of Christ, that one is not
Christ. The priests and levites sent from Jerusalem, having there heard in the
first place that he is not the expected Messiah, put a question about the second
great personage whom they expected, namely, Elijah, whether John were he, and
he says he is not Elijah, and by his "I am not" makes a second confession of the
truth. And, as many prophets had appeared in Israel, and one in particular was
looked for according to the prophecy of Moses, who said, [ Deuteronomy 18:15
] "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren, like me,
him shall you hear; and it shall come to pass that every soul that shall not hear
that prophet shall be destroyed from among the people," they, therefore, ask a
third question, not whether he is a prophet, but whether he is the prophet. Now,
they did not apply this name to the Christ, but supposed the prophet to be a
second figure beside the Christ. But John, on the contrary, who knew that He
whose forerunner he was was both the Christ and the prophet thus foretold,
answered "No;" whereas, if they had asked if he was a prophet, he would have
answered "Yes;" [ John 1:25 ] for he was not unconscious that he was a prophet.
In all these answers John's second testimony to Christ was not yet completed; he
had still to give his questioners the answer they were to take back to those who
sent them, and to declare himself in the terms of the prophecy of Isaiah, which
says, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the
Lord."

5. There Were Two Embassies to John the Baptist;

The Different Characters of These.
Here the enquiry suggests itself whether the second testimony is concluded,
and whether there is a third, addressed to those who were sent from the
Pharisees. They wished to know why he baptized, if he was neither the Christ,
nor Elijah, nor the prophet; and he said: "I baptize with water; but there stands
one among you whom you know not, He that comes after me, the latchet of
whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose." Is this a third testimony, or is this
which they were to report to the Pharisees a part of the second? As far as the
words allow me to conjecture I should say that the word to the emissaries of the
Pharisees was a third testimony. It is to be observed, however, that the first
testimony asserts the divinity of the Saviour, while the second disposes of the
suspicion of those who were in doubt whether John could be the Christ, and the
third declares one who was already present with men although they saw Him
not, and whose coming was no longer in the future. Before going on to the
subsequent testimonies in which he points out Christ and witnesses to Him, let
us look at the second and third, word for word, and let us, in the first place,
observe that there are two embassies to the Baptist, one "from Jerusalem" from
the Jews, who send priests and levites, to ask him, "Who are you?" the second
sent by the Pharisees, who were in doubt about the answer which had been made
to the priests and levites. Observe how what is said by the first envoys is in
keeping with the character of priests and levites, and shows gentleness and a
willingness to learn. "Who are you?" they say, and "What then? Are you
Elijah?" and "Are you that prophet?" and then, "Who are you, that we may give
an answer to them that sent us? What do you say of yourself?" There is nothing
harsh or arrogant in the enquiries of these men; everything agrees well with the
character of true and careful servants of God; and they raise no difficulties about
the replies made to them. Those, on the contrary, who are sent from the
Pharisees assail the Baptist, as it were, with arrogant and unsympathetic words:
"Why then do you baptize if you be not the Christ nor Elijah nor the prophet?"
This mission is sent scarcely for the sake of information, as in the former case of
the priests and levites, but rather to debar the Baptist from baptizing, as if it were
thought that no one was entitled to baptize but Christ and Elijah and the prophet.
The student who desires to understand the Scripture must always proceed in this
careful way; he must ask with regard to each speech, who is the speaker and on
what occasion it was spoken. Thus only can we discern how speech harmonizes
with the character of the speaker, as it does all through the sacred books.

6. Messianic Discussion with John the Baptist.

 6. Messianic Discussion with John the Baptist.
Then the Jews sent priests and levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are
you? And he confessed and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ. [
John 1:19-20 ] What legates should have been sent from the Jews to John, and
where should they have been sent from? Should they not have been men held to
stand by the election of God above their fellows, and should they not have come
from that place which was chosen out of the whole of the earth, though it is all
called good, from Jerusalem where was the temple of God? With such honour,
then, do they enquire of John. In the case of Christ nothing of this sort is
reported to have been done by the Jews; but what the Jews do to John, John does
to Christ, sending his own disciples to ask him, [ Matthew 11:3 ] "Are you He
that should come, or do we look for another?" John confesses to those sent to
him, and denies not, and he afterwards declares, "I am the voice of one crying in
the wilderness;" but Christ, as having a greater testimony than John the Baptist,
makes His answer by words and deeds, saying, "Go and tell John those things
which you do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the
lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the poor have the Gospel preached to
them." On this passage I shall, if God permit, enlarge in its proper place. Here,
however, it might be asked reasonably enough why John gives such an answer to
the question put to him. The priests and levites do not ask him, "Are you the
Christ?" but "Who are you?" and the Baptist's reply to this question should have
been, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." The proper reply to the
question, "Are you the Christ?" is, "I am not the Christ;" and to the question,
"Who are you?" — "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." To this we may
say that he probably discerned in the question of the priests and levites a
cautious reverence, which led them to hint the idea in their minds that he who
was baptizing might be the Christ, but withheld them from openly saying so,
which might have been presumptuous. He quite naturally, therefore, proceeds in
the first place to remove any false impressions they might have taken up about
him, and declares publicly the true state of the matter, "I am not the Christ."
Their second question, and also their third, show that they had conceived some
such surmise about him. They supposed that he might be that second in honour
to whom their hopes pointed, namely, Elijah, who held with them the next
position after Christ; and so when John had answered, "I am not the Christ," they
asked, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." They wish to
know, in the third place, if he is the prophet, and on his answer, "No," they have
no longer any name to give the personage whose advent they expected, and they
say, "Who are you, then, that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What
do you say of yourself?" Their meaning is: "You are not, you say, any of those
personages whose advent Israel hopes and expects, and who you are, to baptize
as you do, we do not know; tell us, therefore, so that we may report to those who
sent us to get light upon this point." We add, as it has some bearing on the
context, that the people were moved by the thought that the period of Christ's
advent was near. It was in a manner imminent in the years from the birth of
Jesus and a little before, down to the publication of the preaching. Hence it was,
in all likelihood, that as the scribes and lawyers had deduced the time from Holy
Scripture and were expecting the Coming One, the idea was taken up by
Theudas, who came forward as the Messiah and brought together a considerable
multitude, and after him by the famous Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing.
[ Acts 5:36-37 ] Thus the coming of the Messiah was more warmly expected and
discussed, and it was natural enough for the Jews to send priests and levites from
Jerusalem to John, to ask him, "Who are you?" and learn if he professed to be
the Christ.

7. Of the Birth of John, and of His Alleged Identity

with Elijah. Of the Doctrine of Transcorporation.
"And [ John 1:21 ] they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he
said, I am not." No one can fail to remember in this connection what Jesus says
of John, [ Matthew 11:14 ] "If you will receive it, this is Elijah which is to
come." How, then, does John come to say to those who ask him, "Are you
Elijah?" — "I am not." And how can it be true at the same time that John is
Elijah who is to come, according to the words of Malachi, [ Malachi 4:5-6 ]
"And behold I send unto you Elijah the Tishbite, before the great and notable
day of the Lord come, who shall restore the heart of the father to the son, and
the heart of a man to his neighbour, lest I come, and utterly smite the earth." The
words of the angel of the Lord, too, who appeared to Zacharias, as he stood at
the right hand of the altar of incense, are somewhat to the same effect as the
prophecy of Malachi: "And [ Luke 1:13 ] your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a
son, and you shall call his name John." And a little further on: [ Luke 1:17 ]
"And he shall go before His face in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the
just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for Him." As for the first
point, one might say that John did not know that he was Elijah. This will be the
explanation of those who find in our passage a support for their doctrine of
transcorporation, as if the soul clothed itself in a fresh body and did not quite
remember its former lives. These thinkers will also point out that some of the
Jews assented to this doctrine when they spoke about the Saviour as if He was
one of the old prophets, and had risen not from the tomb but from His birth. His
mother Mary was well known, and Joseph the carpenter was supposed to be His
father, and it could readily be supposed that He was one of the old prophets risen
from the dead. The same person will adduce the text in Genesis, "I will destroy
the whole resurrection," and will thereby reduce those who give themselves to
finding in Scripture solutions of false probabilities to a great difficulty in respect
of this doctrine. Another, however, a churchman, who repudiates the doctrine of
transcorporation as a false one, and does not admit that the soul of John ever was
Elijah, may appeal to the above-quoted words of the angel, and point out that it
is not the soul of Elijah that is spoken of at John's birth, but the spirit and power
of Elijah. "He shall go before him," it is said, "in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children." Now it can be shown from
thousands of texts that the spirit is a different thing from the soul, and that what
is called the power is a different thing from both the soul and the spirit. On these
points I cannot now enlarge; this work must not be unduly expanded. To
establish the fact that power is different from spirit, it will be enough to cite the
text, [ Luke 1:35 ] "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow you." As for the spirits of the prophets, these are given
to them by God, and are spoken of as being in a manner their property (slaves),
as "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets," [ 1 Corinthians 14:32
] and "The spirit of Elijah rested upon Elisha." [ 2 Kings 2:15 ] Thus, it is said,
there is nothing absurd in supposing that John, "in the spirit and power of
Elijah," turned the hearts of the fathers to the children, and that it was on account
of this spirit that he was called "Elijah who was to come." And to reinforce this
view it may be argued that if the God of the universe identified Himself with His
saints to such an extent as to be called the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac
and the God of Jacob, much more might the Holy Spirit so identify Himself with
the prophets as to be called their spirit, so that when the spirit is spoken of it
might be the spirit of Elijah or the spirit of Isaiah. Our churchman, to go on with
his views, may further say that those who supposed Jesus to be one of the
prophets risen from the dead were probably misled, partly by the doctrine above
mentioned, and partly by supposing Him to be one of the prophets, and that as
for this misconception that He was one of the prophets, these persons probably
fell into their error from not knowing about Jesus' supposed father and actual
mother, and considering that He had risen from the tombs. As for the text in
Genesis about the resurrection, the churchman will rejoin with a text to an
opposite effect, "God has raised up for me another seed in place of Abel whom
Cain slew;" [ Genesis 4:25 ] showing that the resurrection occurs in Genesis. As
for the first difficulty which was raised, our churchman will meet the view of the
believers in transcorporation by saying that John is no doubt, in a certain sense,
as he has already shown, Elijah who is to come; and that the reason why he met
the enquiry of the priests and levites with "I am not," was that he divined the
object they had in view in making it. For the enquiry laid before John by the
priests and levites was not intended to bring out whether the same spirit was in
both, but whether John was that very Elijah who was taken up, and who now
appeared according to the expectation of the Jews without being born (for the
emissaries, perhaps, did not know about John's birth); and to such all enquiry he
naturally answered, "I am not;" for he who was called John was not Elijah who
was taken up, and had not changed his body for his present appearance. Our first
scholar, whose view of transcorporation we have seen based upon our passage,
may go on with a close examination of the text, and urge against his antagonist,
that if John was the son of such a man as the priest Zacharias, and if he was born
when his parents were both aged, contrary to all human expectation, then it is not
likely that so many Jews at Jerusalem would be so ignorant about him, or that
the priests and levites whom they sent would not be acquainted with the facts of
his birth. Does not Luke declare [ Luke 1:65 ] that "fear came upon all those
who lived round about," — clearly round about Zacharias and Elisabeth— and
that "all these things were noised abroad throughout the whole hill country of
Judæa" ? And if John's birth from Zacharias was a matter of common
knowledge, and the Jews of Jerusalem yet sent priests and levites to ask, "Are
you Elijah?" then it is clear that in saying this they assumed the doctrine of
transcorporation to be true, and that it was a current doctrine of their country,
and not foreign to their secret teaching. John therefore says, I am not Elijah,
because he does not know about his own former life. These thinkers,
accordingly, entertain an opinion which is by no means to be despised. Our
churchman, however, may return to the charge, and ask if it is worthy of a
prophet, who is enlightened by the Holy Spirit, who is predicted by Isaiah, and
whose birth was foretold before it took place by so great an angel, one who has
received of the fullness of Christ, who shares in such a grace, who knows truth
to have come through Jesus Christ, and has taught such deep things about God
and about the only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, is it worthy of
such a one to lie, or even to hesitate, out of ignorance of what he was. For with
respect to what was obscure, he ought to have refrained from confessing, and to
have neither affirmed nor denied the proposition put before him. If the doctrine
in question really was widely current, ought not John to have hesitated to
pronounce upon it, lest his soul had actually been in Elijah? And here our
churchman will appeal to history, and will bid his antagonists ask experts of the
secret doctrines of the Hebrews, if they do really entertain such a belief. For if it
should appear that they do not, then the argument based on that supposition is
shown to be quite baseless. Our churchman, however, is still free to have
recourse to the solution given before, and to insist that attention be paid to the
meaning with which the question was put. For if, as I showed, the senders knew
John to be the child of Zacharias and Elisabeth, and if the messengers still more,
being men of priestly race, could not possibly be ignorant of the remarkable
manner in which their kinsman Zacharias had received his son, then what could
be the meaning of their question, "Are you Elijah?" Had they not read that Elijah
had been taken up into heaven, and did they not expect him to appear? Then, as
they expect Elijah to come at the consummation before Christ, and Christ to
follow him, perhaps their question was meant less in a literal than in a tropical
sense: Are you he who announces beforehand the word which is to come before
Christ, at the consummation? To this he very properly answers, "I am not." The
adversary, however, tries to show that the priests could not be ignorant that the
birth of John had taken place in so remarkable a manner, because "all these
things had been much spoken of in the hill country of Judæa;" and the
churchman has to meet this. He does so by showing that a similar mistake was
widely current about the Saviour Himself; for "some said that He was John the
Baptist, others Elijah, others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [ Matthew 16:13-
14 ] So the disciples told the Lord when He was in the parts of Cæsarea Philippi,
and questioned them on that subject. And Herod, too, said, [ Mark 6:16 ] "John
whom I beheaded, he is risen from the dead;" so that he appears not to have
known what was said about Christ, as reported in the Gospel, [ Matthew 13:55 ]
"Is not this the son of the carpenter, is not His mother called Mary, and His
brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they
not all with us?" Thus in the case of the Saviour, while many knew of His birth
from Mary, others were under a mistake about Him; and so in the case of John,
there is no wonder if, while some knew of his birth from Zacharias, others were
in doubt whether the expected Elijah had appeared in him or not. There was not
more room for doubt about John, whether he was Elijah, than about the Saviour,
whether He was John. Of the two, the question of the outward form of Elijah
could be disposed of from the words of Scripture, though not from actual
observation, for we read, [ 2 Kings 1:8 ] "He was a hairy man, and girt with a
leather girdle about his loins." John's outward appearance, on the contrary, was
well known, and was not like that of Jesus; and yet there were those who
surmised that John had risen from the dead, and taken the name of Jesus. As for
the change of name, a thing which reminds us of mysteries, I do not know how
the Hebrews came to tell about Phinehas, son of Eleazar, who admittedly
prolonged his life to the time of many of the judges, as we read in the Book of
Judges, [ Judges 20:28 ] to tell about him what I now mention. They say that he
was Elijah, because he had been promised immortality (in Numbers [ Numbers
25:12 ]), on account of the covenant of peace granted to him because he was
jealous with a divine jealousy, and in a passion of anger pierced the Midianitish
woman and the Israelite, and stayed the wrath of God as it is called, as it is
written, "Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, has turned my wrath
away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among
them." No wonder, then, if those who conceived Phinehas and Elijah to be the
same person, whether they judged soundly in this or not, for that is not now the
question, considered John and Jesus also to be the same. This, then, they
doubted, and desired to know if John and Elijah were the same. At another time
than this, the point would certainly call for a careful enquiry, and the argument
would have to be well weighed as to the essence of the soul, as to the principle
of her composition, and as to her entering into this body of earth. We should also
have to enquire into the distributions of the life of each soul, and as to her
departure from this life, and whether it is possible for her to enter into a second
life in a body or not, and whether that takes place at the same period, and after
the same arrangement in each case, or not; and whether she enters the same
body, or a different one, and if the same, whether the subject remains the same
while the qualities are changed, or if both subject and qualities remain the same,
and if the soul will always make use of the same body or will change it. Along
with these questions, it would also be necessary to ask what transcorporation is,
and how it differs from incorporation, and if he who holds transcorporation must
necessarily hold the world to be eternal. The views of these scholars must also
be taken into account, who consider that, according to the Scriptures, the soul is
sown along with the body, and the consequences of such a view must also be
looked at. In fact the subject of the soul is a wide one, and hard to be unravelled,
and it has to be picked out of scattered expressions of Scripture. It requires,
therefore, separate treatment. The brief consideration we have been led to give to
the problem in connection with Elijah and John may now suffice; we go on to
what follows in the Gospel.

8. John is a Prophet, But Not the Prophet.

"Are you that prophet? And he answered No." [ John 1:21 ] If the law and
the prophets were until John, [ Luke 16:16 ] what can we say that John was but a
prophet? His father Zacharias, indeed, says, filled with the Holy Ghost and
prophesying, [ Luke 1:76 ] "And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the
Highest, for you shall go before the Lord to prepare His ways." (One might
indeed get past this passage by laying stress on the word called: he is to be
called, he is not said to be, a prophet.) And still more weighty is it that the
Saviour said to those who considered John to be a prophet, [ Matthew 11:9 ]
"But what went ye out to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a
prophet." The words, Yea, I say unto you, manifestly affirm that John is a
prophet, and that is nowhere denied afterwards. If, then, he is said by the Saviour
to be not only a prophet but "more than a prophet," how is it that when the
priests and levites come and ask him, "Are you the Prophet?" he answers No!
On this we must remark that it is not the same thing to say, "Are you the
Prophet?" and "Are you a prophet?" The distinction between the two
expressions has already been observed, when we asked what was the difference
between the God and God, and between the Logos and Logos. Now it is written
in Deuteronomy, "A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like me;
Him shall you hear, and it shall be that every soul that will not hear that prophet
shall be cut off from among His people." There was, therefore, an expectation of
one particular prophet having a resemblance to Moses in mediating between God
and the people and receiving a new covenant from God to give to those who
accepted his teaching; and in the case of each of the prophets, the people of
Israel recognized that he was not the person of whom Moses spoke. As, then,
they doubted about John, whether he were not the Christ, [ Luke 3:15 ] so they
doubted whether he could not be the prophet. And there is no wonder that those
who doubted about John whether he were the Christ, did not understand that the
Christ and the prophet are the same person; their doubt as to John necessarily
implied that they were not clear on this point. Now the difference between "the
prophet" and "a prophet" has escaped the observation of most students; this is
the case with Heracleon, who says, in these very words: "As, then, John
confessed that he was not the Christ, and not even a prophet, nor Elijah." If he
interpreted the words before us in such a way, he ought to have examined the
various passages to see whether in saying that he is not a prophet nor Elijah he is
or is not saying what is true. He devotes no attention, however, to these
passages, and in his remaining commentaries he passes over such points without
any enquiry. In the sequel, too, his remarks, of which we shall have to speak
directly, are very scanty, and do not testify to careful study.

9. John I. 22.
 "They said therefore unto him, Who are you? That we may give an answer
to them that sent us. What do you say of yourself?" This speech of the emissaries
amounts to the following: We had a surmise what you were and came to learn if
it was so, but now we know that you are not that. It remains for us, therefore, to
hear your account of yourself, so that we may report your answer to those who
sent us.

10. Of the Voice John the Baptist is.

"He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the
way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet." As He who is peculiarly the Son of
God, being no other than the Logos, yet makes use of Logos (reason)— for He
was the Logos in the beginning, and was with God, the Logos of God— so John,
the servant of that Logos, being, if we take the Scripture to mean what it says, no
other than a voice, yet uses his voice to point to the Logos. He, then,
understanding in this way the prophecy about himself spoken by Isaiah the
prophet, says he is a voice, not crying in the wilderness, but "of one crying in the
wilderness," of Him, namely, who stood and cried, [ John 7:37 ] "If any man
thirst, let him come unto Me and drink." He it was, too, who said, [ Luke 3:4 ]
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be
filled and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and all the crooked
shall be made straight." For as we read in Exodus that God said to Moses,
"Behold I have given you for a God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be
your prophet;" so we are to understand— the cases are at least analogous if not
altogether similar— it is with the Word in the beginning, who is God, and with
John. For John's voice points to that word and demonstrates it. It is therefore a
very appropriate punishment that falls on Zacharias on his saying to the angel, [
Luke 1:18 ] "Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife well
stricken in years." For his want of faith with regard to the birth of the voice, he is
himself deprived of his voice, as the angel Gabriel says to him, "Behold, you
shall be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things shall come to
pass, because you have not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their
season." And afterwards when he had "asked for a writing tablet and written,
His name is John; and they all marvelled," he recovered his voice; for "his
mouth was opened immediately and his tongue, and he spoke, blessing God." We
discussed above how it is to be understood that the Logos is the Son of God, and
went over the ideas connected with that; and a similar sequence of ideas is to be
observed at this point. John came for a witness; he was a man sent from God to
bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe; he was that
voice, then, we are to understand, which alone was fitted worthily to announce
the Logos. We shall understand this aright if we call to mind what was adduced
in our exposition of the texts: "That all might believe through Him," and "This is
he of whom it is written, Behold I send My messenger before your face, who
shall prepare your way before you." [ Matthew 11:10 ] There is fitness, too, in
his being said to be the voice, not of one saying in the wilderness, but of one
crying in the wilderness. He who cries, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord," also
says it; but he might say it without crying it. But he cries and shouts it, that even
those may hear who are at a distance from the speaker, and that even the deaf
may understand the greatness of the tidings, since it is announced in a great
voice; and he thus brings help, both to those who have departed from God and to
those who have lost the acuteness of their hearing. This, too, was the reason why
"Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and
drink." Hence, too, [ John 1:15 ] "John bears witness of Him, and cried, saying,"
"Hence also God commands Isaiah to cry, with the voice of one saying, Cry. And
I said, What shall I cry?" The physical voice we use in prayer need not be great
nor startling; even should we not lift up any great cry or shout, God will yet hear
us. He says to Moses, [ Exodus 14:15 ] "Why do you cry unto Me?" when Moses
had not cried audibly at all. It is not recorded in Exodus that he did so; but
Moses had cried mightily to God in prayer with that voice which is heard by
God alone. Hence David also says, "With my voice I cried unto the Lord, and He
heard me." And one who cries in the desert has need of a voice, that the soul
which is deprived of God and deserted of truth— and what more dreadful desert
is there than a soul deserted of God and of all virtue, since it still goes crookedly
and needs instruction— may be exhorted to make straight the way of the Lord.
And that way is made straight by the man who, far from copying the serpent's
crooked journey; while he who is of the contrary disposition perverts his way.
Hence the rebuke directed to a man of this kind and to all who resemble him,
"Why pervert ye the right ways of the Lord?" [ Acts 13:10 ]

11. Of the Way of the Lord, How It is Narrow, and

How Jesus is the Way.
Now the way of the Lord is made straight in two fashions. First, in the way
of contemplation, when thought is made clear in truth without any mixture of
falsehood; and then in the way of conduct, after the sound contemplation of what
ought to be done, when action is produced which harmonizes with sound theory
of conduct. And that we may the more clearly understand the text, "Make
straight the way of the Lord," it will be well to compare with it what is said in
the Proverbs, "Depart not, either to the right hand or to the left." For he who
deviates in either direction has given up keeping his path straight, and is no
longer worthy of regard, since he has gone apart from the straightness of the
journey, for "the Lord is righteous, and loves righteousness, and His face
beholds straightness." Hence he who is the object of regard, and receives the
benefit that comes from this oversight, says, "The light of Your countenance was
shown upon us, O Lord." Let us stand, then, as Jeremiah [ Jeremiah 4:16 ]
exhorts, upon the ways, and let us see and ask after the ancient ways of the Lord,
and let us see which is the good way, and walk in it. Thus did the Apostles stand
and ask for the ancient ways of the Lord; they asked the Patriarchs and the
Prophets, enquiring into their writings, and when they came to understand these
writings they saw the good way, namely, Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the way,"
and they walked in it. For it is a good way that leads the good man to the good
father, the man who, from the good treasure of his heart, brings forth good
things, and who is a good and faithful servant. This way is narrow, indeed, for
the many cannot bear to walk in it and are lovers of their flesh; but it is also
hard-pressed by those who use violence [ Matthew 11:12 ] to walk in it, for it is
not called afflicting, but afflicted. For that way which is a living way, and feels
the qualities of those who tread it, is pressed and afflicted, when he travels on it
who has not taken off his shoes from off his feet, [ Exodus 3:5 ] nor truly
realized that the place on which he stands. or indeed treads, is holy ground. And
it will lead to Him who is the life, and who says, "I am the life." For the Saviour,
in whom all virtues are combined, has many aspects. To him who, though by no
means near the end, is yet advancing, He is the way; to him who has put off all
that is dead He is the life. He who travels on this way is told to take nothing with
him on it, since it provides bread and all that is necessary for life, enemies are
powerless on it, and he needs no staff, and since it is holy, he needs no shoes.

12. Heracleon's View of the Voice, and of John the

Baptist.
The words, however, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness," etc.,
may be taken as equivalent to "I am He of whom the 'voice in the wilderness' is
written." Then John would be the person crying, and his voice would be that
crying in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord." Heracleon,
discussing John and the prophets, says, somewhat slanderously, that "the Word
is the Saviour; the voice, that in the wilderness which John interpreted; the
sound is the whole prophetic order." To this we may reply by reminding him of
the text, [ 1 Corinthians 14:8 ] "If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall
prepare himself for the battle," and that which says that though a man have
knowledge of mysteries, or have prophecy but wants love, he is a sounding or a
tinkling cymbal. [ 1 Corinthians 13:1 ] If the prophetic voice be nothing but
sound, how does our Lord come to refer us to it as where He says, [ John 5:39 ]
"Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are
they which bear witness," and [ John 5:46 ] "If you believed Moses, you would
believe Me," and "Well did Isaiah prophesy concerning you, saying, This people
honours me with their lips" ? I do not know if any one can reasonably admit that
the Saviour thus spoke in praise of an uncertain sound, or that there is any
preparation to be had from the Scriptures to which we are referred as from the
voice of a trumpet, for our war against opposing powers, should their sound give
an uncertain voice. If the prophets had not love, and if that is why they were
sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, then how does the Lord send us to their
sound, as these writers will have it, as if we could get help from that? He asserts,
indeed, that a voice, when well fitted to speech, becomes speech, as if one
should say that a woman is turned into a man; and the assertion is not supported
by argument. And, as if he were in a position to put forth a dogma on the subject
and to get on in this way, he declares that sound can be changed in a similar way
into voice, and the voice, which is changed into speech, he says, is in the
position of a disciple, while sound passing into voice is in that of a slave. If he
had taken any kind of trouble to establish these points we should have had to
devote some attention to refuting them; but as it is, the bare denial is sufficient
refutation. There was a point some way back which we deferred taking up, that,
namely, of the motive of John's speeches. We may now take it up. The Saviour,
according to Heracleon, calls him both a prophet and Elijah, but he himself
denies that he is either of these. When the Saviour, Heracleon says, calls him a
prophet and Elijah, He is speaking not of John himself, but of his surroundings;
but when He calls him greater than the prophets and than those who are born of
women, then He is describing the character of John himself. When John, on the
other hand, is asked about himself, his answers relate to himself, not to his
surroundings. This we have examined as carefully as possible, comparing each
of the terms in question with the statements of Heracleon, lest he should not
have expressed himself quite accurately. For how it comes that the statements
that he is Elijah and that he is a prophet apply to those about him, but the
statement that he is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, to himself, no
attempt whatever is made to show. Heracleon only gives an illustration, namely,
this: His surroundings were, so to speak, his clothes, and other than himself, and
when he was asked about his clothes, if he were his clothes, he could not answer
"Yes." Now that his being Elijah, who was to come, was his clothes, is scarcely
consistent, so far as I can see, with Heracleon's views; it might consist, perhaps,
with the exposition we ourselves gave of the words, "In the spirit and power of
Elijah;" it might, in a sense, be said that this spirit of Elijah is equivalent to the
soul of John. He then goes on to try to determine why those who were sent by
the Jews to question John were priests and levites, and he answers by no means
badly, that it was incumbent on such persons, being devoted to the service of
God, to busy themselves and to make enquiries about such matters. When he
goes on, however, to say that it was "because John was of the levitical tribe,"
this is less well considered. We raised the question ourselves above, and saw that
if the Jews who were sent knew John's birth, it was not open to them to ask if he
was Elijah. Then, again, in dealing with the question, "Are you the prophet?"
Heracleon does not regard the addition of the article as having any special force,
and says, "They asked him if he were a prophet, wishing to know this more
general fact." Again, not Heracleon alone, but, so far as I am informed, all those
who diverge from our views, as if they had not been able to deal with a trifling
ambiguity and to draw the proper distinction, suppose John to be greater than
Elijah and than all the prophets. The words are, "Of those born of women there is
none greater than John;" but this admits of two meanings, that John is greater
than they all, or again, that some of them are equal to him. For though many of
the prophets were equal to him, still it might be true in respect of the grace
bestowed on him, that none of them was greater than he. He regards it as
confirming the view that John was greater, that "he is predicted by Isaiah;" for
no other of all those who uttered prophecies was held worthy by God of this
distinction. This, however, is a venturesome statement and implies some
disrespect of what is called the Old Testament, and total disregard of the fact that
Elijah himself was the subject of prophecy. For Elijah is prophesied by Malachi,
who says, "Behold, I send unto you Elijah, the Tishbite, who shall restore the
heart of the father to the son." Josiah, too, as we read in third Kings, [ 1 Kings
13:2 ] was predicted by name by the prophet who came out of Judah; for he said,
Jeroboam also being present at the altar, "Thus says the Lord, Behold a son is
born to David, his name is Josiah." There are some also who say that Samson
was predicted by Jacob, when he said, [ Genesis 49:16 ] "Dan shall judge his
own people, he is as one tribe in Israel," for Samson who judged Israel was of
the tribe of Dan. So much by way of evidence of the rashness of the statement
that John alone was the subject of prophecy, made by Heracleon in his attempted
explanation of the words, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness."

13. John I. 24, 25. Of the Baptism of John, that of

Elijah, and that of Christ.
And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and
said unto him, [ John 1:24-25 ] "Why do you baptize then, if you are not the
Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" Those who sent from Jerusalem the priests
and levites who asked John these questions, having learned who John was not,
and who he was, preserve a decent silence, as if tacitly assenting and indicating
that they accepted what was said, and saw that baptism was suited to a voice
crying in the wilderness for the preparing of the way of the Lord. But the
Pharisees being, as their name indicates, a divided and seditious set of people,
show that they do not agree with the Jews of the metropolis and with the
ministers of the service of God, the priests and levites. They send envoys who
deal in rebukes, and so far as their power extends debar him from baptizing;
their envoys ask, Why do you baptize, then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah,
nor the prophet? And if we were to stitch together into one statement what is
written in the various Gospels, we should say that at this time they spoke as is
here reported, but that at a later time, when they wished to received baptism,
they heard the address of John: [ Matthew 3:7-8 ] "Generations of vipers, who
has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits
worthy of repentance." This is what the Baptist says in Matthew, when he sees
many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, without, it is clear,
having the fruits of repentance, and pharisaically boasting in themselves that
they had Abraham for their father. For this they are rebuked by John, who has
the zeal of Elijah according to the communication of the Holy Spirit. For that is a
rebuking word, "Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our
father," and that is the word of a teacher, when he speaks of those who for their
stony hearts are called unbelieving stones, and says that by the power of God
these stones may be changed into children of Abraham; for they were present to
the eyes of the prophet and did not shrink from his divine glance. Hence his
words: "I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to
Abraham." And since they came to his baptism without having done fruits meet
for repentance, he says to them most appropriately, "Already is the axe laid to
the root of the tree; every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and
cast into the fire." This is as much as to say to them: Since you have come to
baptism without having done fruits meet for repentance, you are a tree that does
not bring forth good fruit and which has to be cut down by the most sharp and
piercing axe of the Word which is living and powerful and sharper than every
two-edged sword. The estimation in which the Pharisees held themselves is also
set forth by Luke in the passage: [ Luke 18:10-11 ] "Two men went up to the
temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a publican. And the Pharisee
stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank You that I am not as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican." The result of this
speech is that the publican goes down to his house justified rather than the
Pharisee, and the lesson is drawn, that every one who exalts himself is abased.
They came, then, in the character in which the Saviour's reproving words
described them, as hypocrites to John's baptism, nor does it escape the Baptist's
observation that they have the poison of vipers under their tongue and the poison
of asps, for "the poison of asps is under their tongue." The figure of serpents
rightly indicates their temper, and it is plainly revealed in their better question:
"Why do you baptize then, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the
prophet?" To these I would fain reply, if it be the case that the Christ and Elijah
and the prophet baptize, but that the voice crying in the wilderness has no
authority to do so, "Most harshly, my friends, do you question the messenger
sent before the face of Christ to prepare His way before Him. The mysteries
which belong to this point are all hidden to you; for Jesus being, whether you
will or not, the Christ, did not Himself baptize but His disciples, He who was
Himself the prophet. And how have you come to believe that Elijah who is to
come will baptize?" He did not baptize the logs upon the altar in the times of
Ahab, though they needed such a bath to be burned up, what time the Lord
appeared in fire. No, he commands the priests to do this for him, and that not
only once; for he says, "Do it a second time," upon which they did it a second
time, and "Do it a third time," and they did it a third time. If, then, he did not at
that time himself baptize but left the work to others, how was he to baptize at the
time spoken of by Malachi? Christ, then, does not baptize with water, but His
disciples. He reserves for Himself to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Now Heracleon accepts the speech of the Pharisees as distinctly implying that
the office of baptizing belonged to the Christ and Elijah and to every prophet, for
he uses these words, "Whose office alone it is to baptize." He is refuted by what
we have just said, and especially by the consideration that he takes the word
"prophet" in a general sense; for he cannot show that any of the prophets
baptized. He adds, not incorrectly, that the Pharisees put the question from
malice, and not from a desire to learn.

14. Comparison of the Statements of the Four

Evangelists Respecting John the Baptist, the
 Prophecies Regarding Him, His Addresses to the
Multitude and to the Pharisees, Etc.
We deem it necessary to compare with the expression of the passage we are
considering the similar expressions found elsewhere in the Gospels. This we
shall continue to do point by point to the end of this work, so that terms which
appear to disagree may be shown to be in harmony, and that the peculiar
meanings present in each may be explained. This we shall do in the present
passage. The words, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight
the way of the Lord," are placed by John, who was a disciple, in the mouth of the
Baptist. In Mark, on the other hand, the same words are recorded at the
beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in accordance with the Scripture of
Isaiah, as thus: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as it is written in
Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send My messenger before your face, who shall
prepare your way before you. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare
ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." Now the words, "Make straight
the way of the Lord," added by John, are not found in the prophet. Perhaps John
was seeking to compress the "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the
paths of our God," and so wrote, "Make straight the way of the Lord;" while
Mark combined two prophecies spoken by two different prophets in different
places, and made one prophecy out of them, "As it is written in Isaiah the
prophet, Behold I send My messenger before your face, who shall prepare your
way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight." The words, "The voice of one crying in the
wilderness," are written immediately after the narrative of Hezekiah's recovery
from his sickness, [ Isaiah 40:3 ] while the words, "Behold I send My messenger
before your face," are written by Malachi. What John does here, abbreviating the
text he quotes, we find done by Mark also at another point. For while the words
of the prophet are, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of
our God," Mark writes, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths
straight." And John practises a similar abbreviation in the text, "Behold I send
My messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you," when
he does not add the words "before you," as in the original. Coming now to the
statement, "They were sent from the Pharisees and they asked Him," [ John 1:24
] we have been led by our examination of the passage to prefix the enquiry of the
Pharisees— which Matthew does not mention— to the occurrence recorded in
Matthew, when John saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his
baptism, and said to them, "You generations of vipers," etc. For the natural
sequence is that they should first enquire and then come. And we have to
observe how, when Matthew reports that there went out to John Jerusalem and
all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, to be baptized by him in
Jordan, confessing their sins, it was not these people who heard from the Baptist
any word of rebuke or refutation, but only those many Pharisees and Sadducees
whom he saw coming. They it was who were greeted with the address, "You
offspring of vipers," etc. [ Matthew 3:7 ] Mark, again, does not record any words
of reproof as having been used by John to those who came to him, being all the
country of Judæa and all of them of Jerusalem, who were baptized by him in the
Jordan and confessed their sins. This is because Mark does not mention the
Pharisees and Sadducees as having come to John. A further circumstance which
we must mention is that both Matthew and Mark state that, in the one case, all
Jerusalem and all Judæa, and the whole region round about Jordan, in the other,
the whole land of Judæa and all they of Jerusalem, were baptized, confessing
their sins; but when Matthew introduces the Pharisees and Sadducees as coming
to the baptism, he does not say that they confessed their sins, and this might very
likely and very naturally be the reason why they were addressed as "offspring of
vipers." Do not suppose, reader, that there is anything improper in our adducing
in our discussion of the question of those who were sent from the Pharisees and
put questions to John, the parallel passages from the other Gospels too. For if we
have indicated the proper connection between the enquiry of the Pharisees,
recorded by the disciple John, and their baptism which is found in Matthew, we
could scarcely avoid inquiring into the passages in question, nor recording the
observations made on them. Luke, like Mark, remembers the passage, "The voice
of one crying in the wilderness," but he for his part treats it as follows: [ Luke
3:2 ] "The word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
And he came into all the region round about Jordan preaching the baptism of
repentance unto remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of
Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way
of the Lord, make His paths straight." Luke, however, added the continuation of
the prophecy: "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be
brought low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough ways smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." He writes, like Mark, "Make His
ways straight;" curtailing, as we saw before, the text, "Make straight the ways of
our God." In the phrase, "And all the crooked shall become straight," he leaves
out the "all," and the word "straight" he converts from a plural into a singular.
Instead of the phrase, moreover, "The rough land into a plain," he gives, "The
rough ways into smooth ways," and he leaves out "And the glory of the Lord
shall be revealed," and gives what follows, "And all flesh shall see the salvation
of God." These observations are of use as showing how the evangelists are
accustomed to abbreviate the sayings of the prophets. It has also to be observed
that the speech, "Offspring of vipers," etc., is said by Matthew to have been
spoken to the Pharisees and Sadducees when coming to baptism, they being a
different set of people from those who confessed their sins, and to whom no
words of this kind were spoken. With Luke, on the contrary, these words were
addressed to the multitudes who came out to be baptized by John, and there were
not two divisions of those who were baptized, as we found in Matthew. But
Matthew, as the careful observer will see, does not speak of the multitudes in the
way of praise, and he probably means the Baptist's address, Offspring of vipers,
etc., to be understood as addressed to them also. Another point is, that to the
Pharisees and Sadducees he says, "Bring forth a fruit," in the singular, "worthy
of repentance," but to the multitudes he uses the plural, "Bring forth fruits
worthy of repentance." Perhaps the Pharisees are required to yield the special
fruit of repentance, which is no other than the Son and faith in Him, while the
multitudes, who have not even a beginning of good things, are asked for all the
fruits of repentance, and so the plural is used to them. Further, it is said to the
Pharisees, "Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our
father." For the multitudes now have a beginning, appearing as they do to be
introduced into the divine Word, and to approach the truth; and thus they begin
to say within themselves, "We have Abraham for our father." The Pharisees, on
the contrary, are not beginning to this, but have long held it to be so. But both
classes see John point to the stones aforesaid and declare that even from these
children can be raised up to Abraham, rising up out of unconsciousness and
deadness. And observe how it is said to the Pharisees, [ Matthew 3:10 ]
according to the word of the prophet, [ Hosea 10:13 ] "You have eaten false
fruit," and they have false fruit— "Every tree which brings not forth good fruit is
hewn down and cast into the fire," while to the multitudes which do not bear
fruit at all, [ Luke 3:9 ] "Every tree which brings not forth fruit is hewn down."
For that which has no fruit at all has not good fruit, and, therefore, it is worthy to
be hewn down. But that which bears fruit has by no means good fruit, whence it
also calls for the axe to lay it low. But, if we look more closely into this about
the fruit, we shall find that it is impossible that that which has just begun to be
cultivated, even should it not prove fruitless, should bear the first good fruits.
The husbandman is content that the tree just coming into cultivation should bear
him at first such fruits as it may; afterwards, when he has pruned and trained it
according to his art, he will receive, not the fruits it chanced to bear at first, but
good fruits. The law itself favours this interpretation, for it says [ Deuteronomy
19:23 ] that the planter is to wait for three years, having the trees pruned and not
eating the fruit of them. "Three years," it says, "the fruit shall be unpurified to
you, and shall not be eaten, but in the fourth year all the fruit shall be holy, for
giving praise unto the Lord." This explains how the word "good" is omitted from
the address to the multitudes, "Every tree, therefore, which bears not fruit is
hewn down and cast into the fire." The tree which goes on bearing such fruit as it
did at first, is a tree which does not bear good fruit, and is, therefore, cut down,
and cast into the fire, since, when the three years have passed and the fourth
comes round, it does not bear good fruit, for praise unto the Lord. In thus
adducing the passages from the other Gospels I may appear to be digressing, but
I cannot think it useless, or without bearing on our present subject. For the
Pharisees send to John, after the priests and levites who came from Jerusalem,
men who came to ask him who he was, and enquire, Why do you baptize then, if
you be not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet? After making this enquiry they
straightway come for baptism, as Matthew records, and then they hear words
suited to their quackery and hypocrisy. But the words addressed to them were
very similar to those spoken to the multitudes, and hence the necessity to look
carefully at both speeches, and to compare them together. It was while we were
so engaged that various points arose in the sequence of the matter, which we had
to consider. To what has been said we must add the following. We find mention
made in John of two orders of persons sending: the one, that of the Jews from
Jerusalem sending priests and levites; the other, that of the Pharisees who want
to know why he baptizes. And we found that, after the enquiry, the Pharisees
present themselves for baptism. May it not be that the Jews, who had sent the
earlier mission from Jerusalem, received John's words before those who sent the
second mission, namely, the Pharisees, and hence arrived before them? For
Jerusalem and all Judæa, and, in consequence, the whole region round about
Jordan, were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins; or,
as Mark says, "There went out to him the whole land of Judæa, and all they of
Jerusalem, and were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins."
Now, neither does Matthew introduce the Pharisees and Sadducees, to whom the
words, "Offspring of vipers," etc., are addressed; nor does Luke introduce the
multitudes who meet with the same rebuke, as confessing their sins. And the
question may be raised how, if the whole city of Jerusalem, and the whole of
Judæa, and the whole region round about Jordan, were baptized of John in
Jordan, the Saviour could say, [ Matthew 11:13 ] "John the Baptist came neither
eating nor drinking, and you say he has a devil;" and how could He say to those
who asked Him, [ Matthew 21:23 ] "By what authority do you do these things? I
also will ask you one word, which if you tell me, I also will tell you by what
authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or
of men? And they reason, and say, If we shall say, From heaven, He will say,
Why did ye not believe him?" The solution of the difficulty is this. The Pharisees,
addressed by John, as we saw before, with his "Offspring of vipers," etc., came
to the baptism, without believing in him, probably because they feared the
multitudes, and, with their accustomed hypocrisy towards them, deemed it right
to undergo the washing, so as not to appear hostile to those who did so. Their
belief was, then, that he derived his baptism from men, and not from heaven,
but, on account of the multitude, lest they should be stoned, they are afraid to say
what they think. Thus there is no contradiction between the Saviour's speech to
the Pharisees and the narratives in the Gospels about the multitudes who
frequented John's baptism. It was part of the effrontery of the Pharisees that they
declared John to have a devil, as, also, that they declared Jesus to have
performed His wonderful works by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils.

15. How the Baptist Answers the Question of the

Pharisees and Exalts the Nature of Christ. Of the
Shoe-Latchet Which He is Unable to Untie.
John [ John 1:26 ] answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but in the
midst of you stands one whom you know not, even He who comes after me, the
latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose." Heracleon considers that
John's answers to those sent by the Pharisees refer not to what they asked, but to
what he wished, not observing that he accuses the prophet of a want of manners,
by making him, when asked about one thing, answer about another; for this is a
fault to be guarded against in conversation. We assert, on the contrary, that the
reply accurately takes up the question. It is asked, "Why do you baptize then, if
you are not the Christ?" And what other answer could be given to this than to
show that his baptism was in its nature a bodily thing? I, he says, "baptize with
water;" this is his answer to, "Why do you baptize." And to the second part of
their question, "If you are not the Christ," he answers by exalting the superior
nature of Christ, that He has such virtue as to be invisible in His deity, though
present to every man and extending over the whole universe. This is what is
indicated in the words, "There stands one among you." The Pharisees, moreover,
though expecting the advent of Christ, saw nothing in Him of such a nature as
John speaks of; they believed Him to be simply a perfect and holy man. John,
therefore, rebukes their ignorance of His superiority, and adds to the words,
"There stands one among you," the clause, "whom you know not." And, lest any
one should suppose the invisible One who extends to every man, or, indeed, to
the whole world, to be a different person from Him who became man, and
appeared upon the earth and conversed with men, he adds to the words, "There
stands one among you whom you know not," the further words, "Who comes
after me," that is, He who is to be manifested after me. By whose surpassing
excellence he well understood that his own nature was far surpassed, though
some doubted whether he might be the Christ; and, therefore, desiring to show
how far he is from attaining to the greatness of the Christ, that no one should
think of him beyond what he sees or hears of him, he goes on: "The latchet of
whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose." By which he conveys, as in a riddle,
that he is not fit to solve and to explain the argument about Christ's assuming a
human body, an argument tied up and hidden (like a shoe-tie) to those who do
not understand it—so as to say anything worthy of such an advent, compressed,
as it was, into so short a space.

16. Comparison of John's Testimony to Jesus in the

Different Gospels.
 It may not be out of place, as we are examining the text, "I baptize with
water," to compare the parallel utterances of the evangelists with this of John.
Matthew reports that the Baptist, when he saw many of the Pharisees and
Sadducees coming to his baptism, after the words of rebuke which we have
already studied, went on: [ Matthew 3:11 ] "I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance; but He that comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not
worthy to bear; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." This
agrees with the words in John, in which the Baptist declares himself to those sent
by the Pharisees, on the subject of his baptizing with water. Mark, again, says, [
Mark 1:6-7 ] "John preached, saying, There comes after me He that is mightier
than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I
baptized you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." And
Luke says [ Luke 3:16 ] that, as the people were in expectation, and all were
reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ,
John answered them all, saying, "I indeed baptize you with water; but there
comes one mightier than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose; He
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire."

17. Of the Testimony of John to Jesus in Matthew's

Gospel,
These, then, are the parallel passages of the four; let us try to see as clearly
as we can what is the purport of each and wherein they differ from each other.
And we will begin with Matthew, who is reported by tradition to have published
his Gospel before the others, to the Hebrews, those, namely, of the circumcision
who believed. I, he says, baptize you with water unto repentance, purifying you,
as it were, and turning you away from evil courses and calling you to
repentance; for I have come to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for
Him, and by my baptism of repentance to prepare the ground for Him who is to
come after me, and who will thus benefit you much more effectively and
powerfully than my strength could. For His baptism is not that of the body only;
He fills the penitent with the Holy Ghost, and His diviner fire does away with
everything material and consumes everything that is earthy, not only from him
who admits it to his life, but even from him who hears of it from those who have
it. So much stronger than I is He who is coming after me, that I am not able to
bear even the outskirts of the powers round Him which are furthest from Him
(they are not open and exposed, so that any one could see them), nor even to
bear those who support them. I know not of which I should speak. Should I
speak of my own great weakness, which is not able to bear even these things
about Christ which in comparison with the greater things in Him are least, or
should I speak of His transcendent Deity, greater than all the world? If I who
have received such grace, as to be thought worthy of prophecy predicting my
arrival in this human life, in the words, "The voice of one crying in the
wilderness," and "Behold I send my messenger before your face;" if I whose
birth Gabriel who stands before God announced to my father so advanced in
years, so much against his expectation, I at whose name Zacharias recovered his
voice and was enabled to use it to prophesy, I to whom my Lord bears witness
that among them that are born of women there is none greater than I, I am not
able so much as to bear His shoes! And if not His shoes, what can be said about
His garments? Who is so great as to be able to guard His coat? Who can suppose
that He can understand the meaning contained in His tunic which is without
seam from the top because it is woven throughout? It is to be observed that while
the four represent John as declaring himself to have come to baptize with water,
Matthew alone adds the words "to repentance," teaching that the benefit of
baptism is connected with the intention of the baptized person; to him who
repents it is salutary, but to him who comes to it without repentance it will turn
to greater condemnation. And here we must note that as the wonderful works
done by the Saviour in the cures He wrought, which are symbolic of those who
at any time are set free by the word of God from any sickness or disease, though
they were done to the body and brought a bodily relief, yet also called those who
were benefited by them to an exercise of faith, so the washing with water which
is symbolic of the soul cleansing herself from every stain of wickedness, is no
less in itself to him who yields himself to the divine power of the invocation of
the Adorable Trinity, the beginning and source of divine gifts; for "there are
diversities of gifts." This view receives confirmation from the narrative recorded
in the Acts of the Apostles, which shows the Spirit to have descended so
manifestly on those who receive baptism, after the water had prepared the way
for him in those who properly approached the rite. Simon Magus, astonished at
what he saw, desired to receive from Peter this gift, but though it was a good
thing he desired, he thought to attain it by the mammon of unrighteousness. We
next remark in passing that the baptism of John was inferior to the baptism of
Jesus which was given through His disciples. Those persons in the Acts [ Acts
19:2 ] who were baptized to John's baptism and who had not heard if there was
any Holy Ghost are baptized over again by the Apostle. Regeneration did not
take place with John, but with Jesus through His disciples it does so, and what is
called the laver of regeneration takes place with renewal of the Spirit; for the
Spirit now comes in addition since it comes from God and is over and above the
water and does not come to all after the water. So far, then, our examination of
the statements in the Gospel according to Matthew.

18. Of the Testimony in Mark. What is Meant by the

Saviour's Shoes and by Untying His Shoe-Latchets.
Now let us consider what is stated by Mark. Mark's account of John's
preaching agrees with the other. The words are, "There comes after me He that is
mightier than I," which amounts to the same thing as "He that comes after me is
mightier than I." There is a difference, however, in what follows, "The latchets
of His shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and untie." For it is one thing to bear
a person's shoes—they must, it is evident, have been untied already from the feet
of the wearer,— and it is another thing to stoop down and untie the latchet of his
shoes. And it follows, since believers cannot think that either of the Evangelists
made any mistake or misrepresentation, that the Baptist must have made these
two utterances at different times and have meant them to express different
things. It is not the case, as some suppose. that the reports refer to the same
incident and turned out differently because of a looseness of memory as to some
of the facts or words. Now it is a great thing to bear the shoes of Jesus, a great
thing to stoop down to the bodily features of His mission, to that which took
place in some lower region, so as to contemplate His image in the lower sphere,
and to untie each difficulty connected with the mystery of His incarnation, such
being as it were His shoe-latchets. For the fetter of obscurity is one as the key of
knowledge also is one; not even He who is greatest among those born of women
is sufficient of Himself to loose such things or to open them, for He who tied and
locked at first, He also grants to whom He will to loose His shoe-latchet and to
unlock what He has shut. If the passage about the shoes has a mystic meaning
we ought not to scorn to consider it. Now I consider that the inhumanisation
when the Son of God assumes flesh and bones is one of His shoes, and that the
other is the descent to Hades, whatever that Hades be, and the journey with the
Spirit to the prison. As to the descent into Hades, we read in the sixteenth Psalm,
"You will not leave my soul in Hades," and as for the journey in prison with the
Spirit we read in Peter in his Catholic Epistle, [ 1 Peter 3:18-20 ] "Put to death,"
he says, "in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit; in which also He went and
preached unto the spirits in prison, which at one time were disobedient, when
the long-suffering of God once waited in the days of Noah while the ark was a
preparing." He, then, who is able worthily to set forth the meaning of these two
journeys is able to untie the latchet of the shoes of Jesus; he, bending down in
his mind and going with Jesus as He goes down into Hades, and descending
from heaven and the mysteries of Christ's deity to the advent He of necessity
made with us when He took on man (as His shoes). Now He who put on man
also put on the dead, for [ Romans 14:9 ] "for this end Jesus both died and
revived, that He might be Lord both of dead and living." This is why He put on
both living and dead, that is, the inhabitants of the earth and those of Hades, that
He might be the Lord of both dead and living. Who, then, is able to stoop down
and untie the latchet of such shoes, and having untied them not to let them drop,
but by the second faculty he has received to take them up and bear them, by
bearing the meaning of them in his memory?

19. Luke and John Suggest that One May Loose the
Shoe-Latchets of the Logos Without Stooping Down.
We must not, however, omit to ask how it comes that Luke and John give
the speech without the phrase "to stoop down." He, perhaps, who stoops down
may be held to unloose in the sense which we have stated. On the other hand, it
may be that one who fixes his eyes on the height of the exaltation of the Logos,
may find the loosing of those shoes which when one is seeking them seem to be
bound, so that He also looses those shoes which are separable from the Logos,
and beholds the Logos divested of inferior things, as He is, the Son of God.

20. The Difference Between Not Being "Sufficient"

And Not Being "Worthy."
John records that the Baptist said he was not worthy, Mark that he was not
sufficient, and these two are not the same. One who was not worthy might yet be
sufficient, and one who was worthy might not be sufficient. For even if it be the
case that gifts are bestowed to profit withal and not merely according to the
proportion of faith, yet it would seem to be the part of a God who loves men and
who sees before what harm must come from the rise of self-opinion or conceit,
not to bestow sufficiency even on the worthy. But it belongs to the goodness of
God by conferring bounties to conquer the object of His bounty, taking in
advance him who is destined to be worthy, and adorning him even before he
becomes worthy with sufficiency, so that after his sufficiency he may come to be
worthy; he is not first to be worthy and then to anticipate the giver and take His
gifts before the time and so arrive at being sufficient. Now with the three the
Baptist says he is not sufficient, while in John he says he is not worthy. But it
may be that he who formerly declared that he was not sufficient became
sufficient afterwards, even though perhaps he was not worthy, or again that
while he was saying he was not worthy, and was in fact not worthy, he arrived at
being worthy, unless one should say that human nature can never come to
perform worthily this loosing or this bearing, and that John, therefore, says truly
that he never became sufficient to loose the latchets of the Saviour's shoes, nor
worthy of it either. However much we take into our minds there are still left
things not yet understood; for, as we read in the wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach,
[ Sirach 18:7 ] "When a man has done, then he begins, and when he leaves off,
then he shall be doubtful."

21. The Fourth Gospel Speaks of Only One Shoe, the

Others of Both. The Significance of This.
As to the shoes, too, which are spoken of in the three Gospels, we have a
question to consider; we must compare them with the single shoe named by the
disciple John. "I am not worthy," we read there, "to untie the latchet of His
shoe." Perhaps he was conquered by the grace of God, and received the gift of
doing that which of himself he would not have been worthy to do, of untying,
namely, the latchet of one of the shoes, namely, after he had seen the Saviour's
sojourn among men, of which he bears witness. But he did not know the things
which were to follow, namely, whether Jesus was to come to that place also, to
which he was to go after being beheaded in prison, or whether he was to look for
another; and hence he alludes enigmatically to that doubt which was afterwards
cleared up to us, and says, "I am not worthy to untie His shoe-latchet." If any
one considers this to be a superfluous speculation, he can combine in one the
speech about the shoes and that about the shoe, as if John said, I am by no means
worthy to loose His shoestring, not even at the beginning, the string of one of
His shoes. Or the following may be a way to combine what is said in the Four. If
John understands about Jesus' sojourn here, but is in doubt about the future, then
he says with perfect truth that he is not worthy to loose the latchet of His shoes;
for though he loosed that of one shoe, he did not loose both. And on the other
hand, what he says about the latchet of the shoe is quite true also; since as we
saw he is still in doubt whether Jesus is He that was to come, or whether another
is to be looked for, in that other region.

22. How the Word Stands in the Midst of Men

Without Being Known of Them.
As for the saying, "There stands one among you whom you know not," we
are led by it to consider the Son of God, the Word, by whom all things were
made, since He exists in substance throughout the underlying nature of things,
being the same as wisdom. For He permeated, from the beginning, all creation,
so that what is made at any time should be made through Him, and that it might
be always true of anything soever, that "All things were made by Him, and
without Him was not anything made that was made;" and this saying also, "By
wisdom did you make them all." Now, if He permeates all creation, then He is
also in those questioners who ask, "Why do you baptize, if you are not the Christ,
nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" In the midst of them stands the Word, who is the
same and steadfast, being everywhere established by the Father. Or the words,
"There stands among you," may be understood to say, In the midst of you men,
because you are reasonable beings, stands He who is proved by Scripture to be
the sovereign principle in the midst of every body, and so to be present in your
heart. Those, therefore, who have the Word in the midst of them, but who do not
consider His nature, nor from what spring and principle He came, nor how He
gave them the nature they have, these, while having Him in the midst of them,
know Him not. But John knew Him: for the words, "Whom you know not," used
in reproach to the Pharisees, show that he well knew the Word whom they did
not know. And the Baptist, therefore, knowing Him, saw Him coming after
himself, who was now in the midst of them, that is to say, dwelling after him and
the teaching he gave in his baptism, in those who, according to reason (or the
Word), submitted to that purifying rite. The word "after," however, has not the
same meaning here as it has when Jesus commands us to come "after" Him; for
in this case we are bidden to go after Him, so that, treading in His steps, we may
come to the Father; but in the other case, the meaning is that after the teachings
of John (since "He came in order that all men through Him might believe" ), the
Word dwells with those who have prepared themselves, purified as they are by
the lesser words for the perfect Word. Firstly, then, stands the Father, being
without any turning or change; and then stands also His Word, always carrying
on His work of salvation, and even when He is in the midst of men, not
comprehended, and not even seen. He stands, also, teaching, and inviting all to
drink from His abundant spring, for [ John 7:37 ] "Jesus stood and cried, saying,
If any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink."

23. Heracleon's View of This Utterance of John the

Baptist, and Interpretation of the Shoe of Jesus.
But Heracleon declares the words, "There stands one among you," to be
equivalent to "He is already here, and He is in the world and in men, and He is
already manifest to you all." By this He does away with the meaning which is
also present in the words, that the Word had permeated the whole world. For we
must say to him, When is He not present, and when is He not in the world? Does
not this Gospel say, "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and
the world knew Him not." And this is why those to whom the Logos is He
"whom you know not," do not know Him: they have never gone out of the world,
but the world does not know Him. But at what time did He cease to be among
men? Was He not in Isaiah, when He said, [ Isaiah 61:1 ] "The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because He has anointed me," and [ Isaiah 65:1 ] "I became manifest
to those who sought me not." Let them say, too, if He was not in David when he
said, not from himself, "But I was established by Him a king in Zion His holy
hill," and the other words spoken in the Psalms in the person of Christ. And why
should I go over the details of this proof, truly they are hard to be numbered,
when I can show quite clearly that He was always in men? And that is enough to
show Heracleon's interpretation of "There stands in the midst of you," to be
unsound, when he says it is equivalent to "He is already here, and He is in the
world and in men." We are disposed to agree with him when he says that the
words, "Who comes after me," show John to be the forerunner of Christ, for he is
in fact a kind of servant running before his master. The words, however, "Whose
shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose," receive much too simple an
interpretation when it is said that "in these words the Baptist confesses that he is
not worthy even of the least honourable ministration to Christ." After this
interpretation he adds, not without sense, "I am not worthy that for my sake He
should come down from His greatness and should take flesh as His footgear,
concerning which I am not able to give any explanation or description, nor to
unloose the arrangement of it." In understanding the world by his shoe,
Heracleon shows some largeness of mind, but immediately after he verges on
impiety in declaring that all this is to be understood of that person whom John
here has in his mind. For he considers that it is the demiurge of the world who
confesses by these words that he is a lesser person than the Christ; and this is the
height of impiety. For the Father who sent Him, He who is the God of the living
as Jesus Himself testifies, of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, and He who is
greater than heaven and earth for the reason that He is the Maker of them, He
also alone is good and is greater than He who was sent by Him. And even if, as
we said, Heracleon's idea was a lofty one, that the whole world was the shoe of
Jesus, yet I think we ought not to agree with him. For how can it be harmonized
with such a view, that "Heaven is My throne and the earth My footstool," a
testimony which Jesus accepts as said of the Father? [ Matthew 5:34-35 ] "Swear
not by heaven," He says, "for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is the
footstool of His feet." How, if he takes the whole world to be the shoe of Jesus,
can he also accept the text, [ Jeremiah 23:24 ] "Do not I fill heaven and earth?"
says the Lord. It is also worth while to enquire, whether as the Word and
wisdom permeated the whole world, and as the Father was in the Son, the words
are to be understood as above or in this way, that He who first of all was girded
about with the whole creation, in addition to the Son's being in Him, granted to
the Saviour, as being second after Him and being God the Word, to pervade the
whole creation. To those who have it in them to take note of the uninterrupted
movement of the great heaven, how it carries with it from East to West so great a
multitude of stars, to them most of all it will seem needful to enquire what that
force is, how great and of what nature, which is present in the whole world. For
to pronounce that force to be other than the Father and the Son, that perhaps
might be inconsistent with piety.

24. The Name of the Place Where John Baptized is

Not Bethany, as in Most Copies, But Bethabara. Proof
of This. Similarly "Gergesa" Should Be Read for
"Gerasa," In the Story of the Swine. Attention is to Be
Paid to the Proper Names in Scripture, Which are
Often Written Inaccurately, and are of Importance
for Interpretation.
"These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was
baptizing." [ John 1:28 ] We are aware of the reading which is found in almost
all the copies, "These things were done in Bethany." This appears, moreover, to
have been the reading at an earlier time; and in Heracleon we read "Bethany."
We are convinced, however, that we should not read "Bethany," but
"Bethabara." We have visited the places to enquire as to the footsteps of Jesus
and His disciples, and of the prophets. Now, Bethany, as the same evangelist
tells us, was the town of Lazarus, and of Martha and Mary; it is fifteen stadia
from Jerusalem, and the river Jordan is about a hundred and eighty stadia distant
from it. Nor is there any other place of the same name in the neighbourhood of
the Jordan, but they say that Bethabara is pointed out on the banks of the Jordan,
and that John is said to have baptized there. The etymology of the name, too,
corresponds with the baptism of him who made ready for the Lord a people
prepared for Him; for it yields the meaning "House of preparation," while
Bethany means "House of obedience." Where else was it fitting that he should
baptize, who was sent as a messenger before the face of the Christ, to prepare
His way before Him, but at the House of preparation? And what more fitting
home for Mary, who chose the good part, [ Luke 10:41, 43 ] which was not
taken away from her, and for Martha, who was cumbered for the reception of
Jesus, and for their brother, who is called the friend of the Saviour, than
Bethany, the House of obedience? Thus we see that he who aims at a complete
understanding of the Holy Scriptures must not neglect the careful examination of
the proper names in it. In the matter of proper names the Greek copies are often
incorrect, and in the Gospels one might be misled by their authority. The
transaction about the swine, which were driven down a steep place by the
demons and drowned in the sea, is said to have taken place in the country of the
Gerasenes. Now, Gerasa is a town of Arabia, and has near it neither sea nor lake.
And the Evangelists would not have made a statement so obviously and
demonstrably false; for they were men who informed themselves carefully of all
matters connected with Judæa. But in a few copies we have found, "into the
country of the Gadarenes;" and, on this reading, it is to be stated that Gadara is a
town of Judæa, in the neighbourhood of which are the well-known hot springs,
and that there is no lake there with overhanging banks, nor any sea. But Gergesa,
from which the name Gergesenes is taken, is an old town in the neighbourhood
of the lake now called Tiberias, and on the edge of it there is a steep place
abutting on the lake, from which it is pointed out that the swine were cast down
by the demons. Now, the meaning of Gergesa is "dwelling of the casters-out,"
and it contains a prophetic reference to the conduct towards the Saviour of the
citizens of those places, who "besought Him to depart out of their coasts." The
same inaccuracy with regard to proper names is also to be observed in many
passages of the law and the prophets, as we have been at pains to learn from the
Hebrews, comparing our own copies with theirs which have the confirmation of
the versions, never subjected to corruption, of Aquila and Theodotion and
Symmachus. We add a few instances to encourage students to pay more
attention to such points. One of the sons of Levi, the first, is called Geson in
most copies, instead of Gerson. His name is the same as that of the first-born of
Moses; [ Exodus 2:22 ] it was given appropriately in each case, both children
being born, because of the sojourn in Egypt, in a strange land. The second son of
Juda, [ Genesis 38:4 ] again, has with us the name Annan, but with the Hebrews
Onan, "their labour." Once more, in the departures of the children of Israel in
Numbers, we find, "They departed from Sochoth and pitched in Buthan;" but the
Hebrew, instead of Buthan, reads Aiman. And why should I add more points like
these, when any one who desires it can examine into the proper names and find
out for himself how they stand? The place-names of Scripture are specially to be
suspected where many of them occur in a catalogue, as in the account of the
partition of the country in Joshua, and in the first Book of Chronicles from the
beginning down to, say, the passage about Dan, and similarly in Ezra. Names are
not to be neglected, since indications may be gathered from them which help in
the interpretation of the passages where they occur. We cannot, however, leave
our proper subject to examine in this place into the philosophy of names.

25. Jordan Means "Their Going Down." Spiritual

Meanings and Application of This.
Let us look at the words of the Gospel now before us. "Jordan" means
"their going down." The name "Jared" is etymologically akin to it, if I may say
so; it also yields the meaning "going down;" for Jared was born to Maleleel, as it
is written in the Book of Enoch— if any one cares to accept that book as sacred
— in the days when the sons of God came down to the daughters of men. Under
this descent some have supposed that there is an enigmatical reference to the
descent of souls into bodies, taking the phrase "daughters of men" as a tropical
expression for this earthly tabernacle. Should this be so, what river will "their
going down" be, to which one must come to be purified, a river going down, not
with its own descent, but "theirs," that, namely, of men, what but our Saviour
who separates those who received their lots from Moses from those who
obtained their own portions through Jesus (Joshua)? His current, flowing in the
descending stream, makes glad, as we find in the Psalms, the city of God, not the
visible Jerusalem— for it has no river beside it— but the blameless Church of
God, built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus our Lord
being the chief corner-stone. Under the Jordan, accordingly, we have to
understand the Word of God who became flesh and tabernacled among us, Jesus
who gives us as our inheritance the humanity which He assumed, for that is the
head corner-stone, which being taken up into the deity of the Son of God, is
washed by being so assumed, and then receives into itself the pure and guileless
dove of the Spirit, bound to it and no longer able to fly away from it. For "Upon
whomsoever," we read, "you shall see the Spirit descending and abiding upon
Him, the same is He that baptizes with the Holy Spirit." Hence, he who receives
the Spirit abiding on Jesus Himself is able to baptize those who come to him in
that abiding Spirit. But John baptizes beyond Jordan, in the regions verging on
the outside of Judæa, in Bethabara, being the forerunner of Him who came to
call not the righteous but sinners, and who taught that the whole have no need of
a physician, but they that are sick. For it is for forgiveness of sins that this
washing is given.

26. The Story of Israel Crossing Jordan Under Joshua

is Typical of Christian Things, and is Written for Our
Instruction.
 Instruction.
Now, it may very well be that some one not versed in the various aspects of
the Saviour may stumble at the interpretation given above of the Jordan; because
John says, "I baptize with water, but He that comes after me is stronger than I;
He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit." To this we reply that, as the Word of
God in His character as something to be drunk is to one set of men water, and to
another wine, making glad the heart of man, and to others blood, since it is said,
[ John 6:53 ] "Unless you drink My blood, you have no life in you," and as in His
character as food He is variously conceived as living bread or as flesh, so also
He, the same person, is baptism of water, and baptism of Holy Spirit and of fire,
and to some, also, of blood. It is of His last baptism, as some hold, that He
speaks in the words, [ Luke 12:50 ] "I have a baptism to be baptized with, and
how am I straitened till it be accomplished?" And it agrees with this that the
disciple John speaks in his Epistle [ 1 John 5:8 ] of the Spirit, and the water, and
the blood, as being one. And again He declares Himself to be the way and the
door, but clearly He is not the door to those to whom He is the way, and He is no
longer the way to those to whom He is the door. All those, then, who are being
initiated in the beginning of the oracles of God, and come to the voice of him
who cries in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord," the voice
which sounds beyond Jordan at the house of preparation, let them prepare
themselves so that they may be in a state to receive the spiritual word, brought
home to them by the enlightenment of the Spirit. As we are now, as our subject
requires, bringing together all that relates to the Jordan, let us look at the "river."
God, by Moses, carried the people through the Red Sea, making the water a wall
for them on the right hand and on the left, and by Joshua He carried them
through Jordan. Now, Paul deals with this Scripture, and his warfare is not
according to the flesh of it, for he knew that the law is spiritual in a spiritual
sense. And he shows us that he understood what is said about the passage of the
Red Sea; for he says in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, "I would not,
brethren, have you ignorant, how that our fathers were all under the cloud, and
all passed through the sea, and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in
the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual
drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was
Christ." In the spirit of this passage let us also pray that we may receive from
God to understand the spiritual meaning of Joshua's passage through Jordan. Of
it, also, Paul would have said, "I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that all
our fathers went through Jordan, and were all baptized into Jesus in the spirit
and in the river." And Joshua, who succeeded Moses, was a type of Jesus Christ,
who succeeds the dispensation through the law, and replaces it by the preaching
of the Gospel. And even if those Paul speaks of were baptized in the cloud and
in the sea, there is something harsh and salt in their baptism. They are still in fear
of their enemies, and crying to the Lord and to Moses, saying, [ Exodus 14:11 ]
"Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you brought us forth to slay us in
the wilderness? Why have you dealt thus with us, to bring us forth out of Egypt?"
But the baptism to Joshua, which takes place in quite sweet and drinkable water,
is in many ways superior to that earlier one, religion having by this time grown
clearer and assuming a becoming order. For the ark of the covenant of the Lord
our God is carried in procession by the priests and levites, the people following
the ministers of God, it, also, accepting the law of holiness. For Joshua says to
the people, [ Joshua 3:5 ] "Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow; the Lord will
do wonders among you." And he commands the priests to go before the people
with the ark of the covenant, wherein is plainly showed forth the mystery of the
Father's economy about the Son, which is highly exalted by Him who gave the
Son this office; "That at the name of Jesus [ Philippians 2:9-11 ] every knee
should bow, of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of
God the Father." This is pointed out by what we find in the book called Joshua,
"In that day I will begin to exalt you before the children of Israel." And we hear
our Lord Jesus saying to the children of Israel, [ Joshua 3:9-10 ] "Come hither
and hear the words of the Lord your God. Hereby you shall know that the living
God is in (among) you;" for when we are baptized to Jesus, we know that the
living God is in us. And, in the former case, they kept the passover in Egypt, and
then began their journey, but with Joshua, after crossing Jordan on the tenth day
of the first month they pitched their camp in Galgala; for a sheep had to be
procured before invitations could be issued to the banquet after Joshua's baptism.
Then the children of Israel, since the children of those who came out of Egypt
had not received circumcision, were circumcised by Joshua with a very sharp
stone; the Lord declares that He takes away the reproach of Egypt on the day of
Joshua's baptism, when Joshua purified the children of Israel. For it is written: [
Joshua 5:9 ] "And the Lord said to Joshua, the son of Nun, This day have I taken
away the reproach of Egypt from off you." Then the children of Israel kept the
passover on the fourteenth day of the month, with much greater gladness than in
Egypt, for they ate unleavened bread of the grain of the holy land, and fresh food
better than manna. For when they received the land of promise God did not
entertain them with scantier food, nor when such a one as Joshua was their
leader do they get inferior bread. This will be plain to him who thinks of the true
holy land and of the Jerusalem above. Hence it is written in this same Gospel:
Your fathers ate bread in the wilderness, and are dead; he that eats of this bread
shall live for ever. For the manna, though it was given by God, yet was bread of
travel, bread supplied to those still under discipline, well fitted for those who
were under tutors and governors. And the new bread Joshua managed to get
from grain they cut in the country, in the land of promise, others having laboured
and his disciples reaping—that was bread more full of life, distributed as it was
to those who, for their perfection, were able to receive the inheritance of their
fathers. Hence, he who is still under discipline to that bread may receive death as
far as it is concerned, but he who has attained to the bread that follows that,
eating it, shall live for ever. All this has been added, not, I conceive, without
appropriateness, to our study of the baptism at the Jordan, administered by John
at Bethabara.
 27. Of Elijah and Elisha Crossing the Jordan.
Another point which we must not fail to notice is that when Elijah was
about to be taken up in a whirlwind, as if to heaven, [ 2 Kings 2:8, 11 ] he took
his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the water, which was divided
hither and there, and they went over both of them, that is, he and Elisha. His
baptism in the Jordan made him fitter to be taken up, for, as we showed before,
Paul gives the name of baptism to such a remarkable passage through the water.
And through this same Jordan Elisha receives, through Elijah, the gift he desired,
saying, "Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." What enabled him to
receive this gift of the spirit of Elijah was, perhaps, that he had passed through
Jordan twice, once with Elijah, and the second time, when, after receiving the
mantle of Elijah, he smote the water and said, "Where is the God of Elijah, even
He? And he smote the waters, and they were divided hither and there."

28. Naaman the Syrian and the Jordan. No Other

Stream Has the Same Healing Power.
Should any one object to the expression "He smote the water," on account
of the conclusion we arrived at above with respect to the Jordan, that it is a type
of the Word who descended for us our descending, we rejoin that with the
Apostle the rock is plainly said to be Christ, and that it is smitten twice with the
rod, so that the people may drink of the spiritual rock which follows them. The
"smiting" in this new difficulty is that of those who are fond of suggesting
something that contradicts the conclusion even before they have learned what
the question is which is in hand. From such God sets us free, since, on the one
hand, He gives us to drink when we are thirsty, and on the other He prepares for
us, in the immense and trackless deep, a road to pass over, namely, by the
dividing of His Word, since it is by the reason which distinguishes (divides) that
most things are made plain to us. But that we may receive the right interpretation
about this Jordan, so good to drink, so full of grace, it may be of use to compare
the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian from his leprosy, and what is said of the
rivers of religion of the enemies of Israel. It is recorded of Naaman [ 2 Kings
5:9-10 ] that he came with horse and chariot, and stood at the door of the house
of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash seven times in
the Jordan, and your flesh shall come again unto you, and you shall be
cleansed." Then Naaman is angry; he does not see that our Jordan is the cleanser
of those who are impure from leprosy, from that impurity, and their restorer to
health; it is the Jordan that does this, and not the prophet; the office of the
prophet is to direct to the healing agency. Naaman then says, not understanding
the great mystery of the Jordan, "Behold, I said that he will certainly come out to
me, and will call upon the name of the Lord his God, and lay his hand upon the
place, and restore the leper." For to put his hand on the leprosy [ Matthew 8:2-3
] and cleanse it is a work belonging to our Lord Jesus only; for when the leper
appealed to Him with faith, saying, "If You will You can make me clean," He not
only said, "I will, be clean," but in addition to the word He touched him, and he
was cleansed from his leprosy. Naaman, then, is still in error, and does not see
how far inferior other rivers are to the Jordan for the cure of the suffering; he
extols the rivers of Damascus, Arbana, and Pharpha, saying, "Are not Arbana
and Pharpha, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Shall I
not wash in them and be clean?" For as none is good but one, God the Father, so
among rivers none is good but the Jordan, nor able to cleanse from his leprosy
him who with faith washes his soul in Jesus. And this, I suppose, is the reason
why the Israelites are recorded to have wept when they sat by the rivers of
Babylon and remembered Zion; those who are carried captive, on account of
their wickedness, when they taste other waters after sacred Jordan, are led to
remember with longing their own river of salvation. Therefore it is said of the
rivers of Babylon, "There we sat down," clearly because they were unable to
stand, "and wept." And Jeremiah rebukes those who wish to drink the waters of
Egypt, and desert the water which comes down from heaven, and is named from
its so coming down— namely, the Jordan. He says, "What have you to do with
the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Geon, and to drink the water of the
river," or, as it is in the Hebrew, "to drink the water of Sion." Of which water we
have now to speak.

29. The River of Egypt and Its Dragon, Contrasted

with the Jordan.
But that the Spirit in the inspired Scriptures is not speaking mainly of rivers
to be seen with the eyes, may be gathered from Ezekiel's prophecies against
Pharaoh, king of Egypt: "Behold I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the
great dragon, seated in the midst of rivers, who sayest, Mine are the rivers, and I
made them. And I will put traps in your jaws, and I will make the fishes of the
river to stick to your fins, and I will bring you up from the midst of your river,
and all the fish of the river, and I will cast you down quickly and all the fish of
the river; you shall fall upon the face of your land, and you shall not be gathered
together, and you shall not be adorned." For what real bodily dragon has ever
been reported as having been seen in the material river of Egypt? But consider if
the river of Egypt be not the dwelling of the dragon who is our enemy, who was
not even able to kill the child Moses. But as the dragon is in the river of Egypt,
so is God in the river which makes glad the city of God; for the Father is in the
Son. Hence those who come to wash themselves in Him put away the reproach
of Egypt, and become more fit to be restored. They are cleansed from that
foulest leprosy, receive a double portion of spiritual gifts, and are made ready to
receive the Holy Spirit, since the spiritual dove does not light on any other
stream. Thus we have considered in a way more worthy of the sacred subject the
Jordan and the purification that is in it, and Jesus being washed in it, and the
house of preparation. Let us, then, draw from the river as much help as we
require.
 30. Of What John Learned from Jesus When Mary
Visited Elisabeth in the Hill Country.
"The next day John sees Jesus coming unto him." [ John 1:29 ] The mother
of Jesus had formerly, as soon as she conceived, stayed with the mother of John,
also at that time with child, and the Former then communicated to the Formed
with some exactness His own image, and caused him to be conformed to His
glory. And from this outward similarity it came that with those who did not
distinguish between the image itself and that which was according to the image,
John was thought to be Christ [ Luke 3:14 ] and Jesus was supposed [ Matthew
14:2 ] to be John risen from the dead. So now Jesus, after the testimonies of John
to Him which we have examined, is Himself seen by the Baptist coming to him.
It is to be noticed that on the former occasion, when the voice of Mary's
salutation came to the ears of Elisabeth, the babe John leaped in the womb of his
mother, who then received the Holy Spirit, as it were, from the ground. For it
came to pass, we read, [ Luke 1:41-42 ] "when Elisabeth heard the salutation of
Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy
Spirit, and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry and said," etc. On this
occasion, similarly, John sees Jesus coming to him and says, "Behold the Lamb
of God which takes away the sin of the world." For with regard to matters of
great moment one is first instructed by hearing and afterwards one sees them
with one's own eyes. That John was helped to the shape he was to wear by the
Lord who, still in the process of formation and in His mother's womb,
approached Elisabeth, will be clear to any one who has grasped our proof that
John is a voice but that Jesus is the Word, for when Elisabeth was filled with the
Holy Spirit at the salutation of Mary there was a great voice in her, as the words
themselves bear; for they say, "And she spoke out with a loud voice." Elisabeth,
it is plain, did this, "and she spoke." For the voice of Mary's salutation coming to
the ears of Elisabeth filled John with itself; hence John leaps, and his mother
becomes, as it were, the mouth of her son and a prophetess, crying out with a
loud voice and saying, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit
of your womb." Now we see clearly how it was with Mary's hasty journey to the
hill country, and her entrance into the house of Zacharias, and the greeting with
which she salutes Elisabeth; it was that she might communicate some of the
power she derived from Him she had conceived, to John, yet in his mother's
womb, and that John too might communicate to his mother some of the
prophetic grace which had come to him, that all these things were done. And
most rightly was it in the hill country that these transactions took place, since no
great thing can be entertained by those who are low and may be thence called
valleys. Here, then, after the testimonies of John,— the first, when he cried and
spoke about His deity; the second, addressed to the priests and levites who were
sent by the Jews from Jerusalem; and the third, in answer to the sharper
questions of those from the Pharisees—Jesus is seen by the witness-bearer
coming to him while he is still advancing and growing better. This advance and
improvement is symbolically indicated in the phrase, "On the morrow." For
Jesus came in the consequent illumination, as it were, and on the day after what
had preceded, not only known as standing in the midst even of those who knew
Him not, but now plainly seen advancing to him who had formerly made such
declarations about Him. On the first day the testimonies take place, and on the
second Jesus comes to John. On the third John, standing with two of his disciples
and looking upon Jesus as He walked, said, "Behold the Lamb of God," thus
urging those who were there to follow the Son of God. On the fourth day, too,
He was minded to go forth into Galilee, and He who came forth to seek that
which was lost finds Philip and says to him, "Follow Me." And on that day, after
the fourth, which is the sixth from the beginning of those we have enumerated,
the marriage takes place in Cana of Galilee, which we shall have to consider
when we get to the passage. Note this, too, that Mary being the greater comes to
Elisabeth, who is the less, and the Son of God comes to the Baptist; which
should encourage us to render help without delay to those who are in a lower
position, and to cultivate for ourselves a moderate station.
 31. Of the Conversation Between John and Jesus at
the Baptism, Recorded by Matthew Only.
John the disciple does not tell us where the Saviour comes from to John the
Baptist, but we learn this from Matthew, who writes: "Then comes Jesus from
Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized of him." And Mark adds the place in
Galilee; he says, "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from
Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in Jordan." Luke does not
mention the place Jesus came from, but on the other hand he tells us what we do
not learn from the others, that immediately after the baptism, as He was coming
up, heaven was opened to Him, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily
form like a dove. Again, it is Matthew alone who tells us of John's preventing
the Lord, saying to the Saviour, "I have need to be baptized by You, and You
come to me?" None of the others added this after Matthew, so that they might
not be saying just the same as he. And what the Lord rejoined, "Suffer it now, for
thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness," this also Matthew alone recorded.

32. John Calls Jesus a "Lamb." Why Does He Name

This Animal Specially? Of the Typology of the
Sacrifices, Generally.
"And he says, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the
world." [ John 1:29 ] There were five animals which were brought to the altar,
three that walk and two that fly; and it seems to be worth asking why John calls
the Saviour a lamb and not any of these other creatures, and why, when each of
the animals that walk is offered of three kinds he used for the sheep-kind the
term "lamb." The five animals are as follows: the bullock, the sheep, the goat,
the turtle-dove, the pigeon. And of the walking animals these are the three kinds
— bullock, ox, calf; ram, sheep, lamb; he-goat, goat, kid. Of the flying animals,
of pigeons we only hear of two young ones; of turtle doves only of a pair. He,
then, who would accurately understand the spiritual rationale of the sacrifices
must enquire of what heavenly things these were the pattern and the shadow, and
also for what end the sacrifice of each victim is prescribed, and he must specially
collect the points connected with the lamb. Now that the principle of the
sacrifice must be apprehended with reference to certain heavenly mysteries,
appears from the words of the Apostle, who somewhere says, "Who serve a
pattern and shadow of heavenly things," and again, "It was necessary that the
patterns of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the
heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these." Now to find out all
the particulars of these and to state in its relation to them that sacrifice of the
spiritual law which took place in Jesus Christ (a truth greater than human nature
can comprehend)— to do this belongs to no other than the perfect man, [
Hebrews 5:14 ] who, by reason of use, has his senses exercised to discern good
and evil, and who is able to say, from a truth-loving disposition, [ 1 Corinthians
2:6 ] "We speak wisdom among them that are perfect." Of these things truly and
things like these, we can say, [ Exodus 29:38-44 ] "Which none of the rulers of
this world knew."

33. A Lamb Was Offered at the Morning and Evening

Sacrifice. Significance of This.
Now we find the lamb offered in the continual (daily) sacrifice. Thus it is
written, [ Exodus 29:38-44 ] "This is that which you shall offer upon the altar;
two lambs of the first year day by day continually, for a continual sacrifice. The
one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at
even, and a tenth part of fine flour mingled with beaten oil, the fourth part of a
hin; and for a drink-offering the fourth part of a bin of wine to the first lamb.
And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, according to the first sacrifice
and according to its drink-offering. You shall offer a sweet savour, an offering to
the Lord, a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of
tent of witness before the Lord, where I will make myself known to you, to speak
unto you. And I will appoint you for the children of Israel, and I will be
sanctified in my glory, and with sanctification I will sanctify the tent of witness."
But what other continual sacrifice can there be to the man of reason in the world
of mind, but the Word growing to maturity, the Word who is symbolically called
a lamb and who is offered as soon as the soul receives illumination. This would
be the continual sacrifice of the morning, and it is offered again when the
sojourn of the mind with divine things comes to an end. For it cannot maintain
for ever its intercourse with higher things, seeing that the soul is appointed to be
yoked together with the body which is of earth and heavy.

34. The Morning and Evening Sacrifices of the Saint

in His Life of Thought.
But if any one asks what the saint is to do in the time between morning and
evening, let him follow what takes place in the cultus and infer from it the
principle he asks for. In that case the priests begin their offerings with the
continual sacrifice, and before they come to the continuous one of the evening
they offer the other sacrifices which the law prescribes, as, for example, that for
transgression, or that for involuntary offenses, or that connected with a prayer
for salvation, or that of jealousy, or that of the Sabbath, or of the new moon, and
so on, which it would take too long to mention. So we, beginning our oblation
with the discourse of that type which is Christ, can go on to discourse about
many other most useful things. And drawing to a close still in the things of
Christ, we come, as it were, to evening and night, when we arrive at the bodily
features of His manifestation.

35. Jesus is a Lamb in Respect of His Human Nature.

 If we enquire further into the significance of Jesus being pointed out by
John, when he says, "This is the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the
world," we may take our stand at the dispensation of the bodily advent of the
Son of God in human life, and in that case we shall conceive the lamb to be no
other than the man. For the man "was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a
lamb, dumb before his shearers," [ Isaiah 53:7 ] saying, "I was as like a gentle
lamb led to the slaughter." [ Jeremiah 11:19 ] Hence, too, in the Apocalypse a
lamb is seen, standing as if slain. This slain lamb has been made, according to
certain hidden reasons, a purification of the whole world, for which, according to
the Father's love to man, He submitted to death, purchasing us back by His own
blood from him who had got us into his power, sold under sin. And He who led
this lamb to the slaughter was God in man, the great High-Priest, as he shows by
the words: [ John 10:18 ] "No one takes My life away from Me, but I lay it down
of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."

36. Of the Death of the Martyrs Considered as a

Sacrifice, and in What Way It Operates to the Benefit
of Others.
Akin to this sacrifice are the others of which the sacrifices of the law are
symbols, and another kind of sacrifice also appears to me to be of the same
nature; namely, the shedding of the blood of the noble martyrs, whom the
disciple John saw, for this is not without significance, standing beside the
heavenly altar. "Who is wise, [ Hosea 14:10 ] and he shall understand these
things, prudent, and he shall know them?" It is a matter of higher speculation to
consider even slightly the rationale of those sacrifices which cleanse those for
whom they are offered. Jephthah's sacrifice of his daughter should receive
attention; it was by vowing it that he conquered the children of Ammon, and the
victim approved his vow, for when her father said, [ Judges 11:35 ] "I have
opened my mouth unto the Lord against you," she answered, "If you have opened
your mouth unto the Lord against me, do that which you have vowed." The story
suggests that the being must be a very cruel one to whom such sacrifices are
offered for the salvation of men; and we require some breadth of mind and some
ability to solve the difficulties raised against Providence, to be able to account
for such things and to see that they are mysteries and exceed our human nature.
Then we shall say, [ Wisdom 17:1 ] "Great are the judgments of God, and hard
to be described; for this cause untutored souls have gone astray." Among the
Gentiles, too, it is recorded that many a one, when pestilential disease broke out
in his country, offered himself a victim for the public good. That this was the
case the faithful Clement assumes, on the faith of the narratives, to whom Paul
bears witness when he says, [ Philippians 4:3 ] "With Clement also, and the
others, my fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life." If there is
anything in these narratives that appears incongruous to one who is minded to
carp at mysteries revealed to few, the same difficulty attaches to the office that
was laid on the martyrs, for it was God's will that we should rather endure all the
dreadful reproaches connected with confessing Him as God, than escape for a
short time from such sufferings (which men count evil) by allowing ourselves by
our words to conform to the will of the enemies of the truth. We are, therefore,
led to believe that the powers of evil do suffer defeat by the death of the holy
martyrs; as if their patience, their confession, even unto death, and their zeal for
piety blunted the edge of the onset of evil powers against the sufferer, and their
might being thus dulled and exhausted, many others of those whom they had
conquered raised their heads and were set free from the weight with which the
evil powers formerly oppressed and injured them. And even the martyrs
themselves are no longer involved in suffering, even though those agents which
formerly wrought ill to others are not exhausted; for he who has offered such a
sacrifice overcomes the power which opposed him, as I may show by an
illustration which is suited to this subject. He who destroys a poisonous animal,
or lulls it to sleep with charms, or by any means deprives it of its venom, he does
good to many who would otherwise have suffered from that animal had it not
been destroyed, or charmed, or emptied of its venom. Moreover, if one of those
who were formerly bitten should come to know of this, and should be cured of
his malady and look upon the death of that which injured him, or tread on it, or
touch it when dead, or taste a part of it, then he, who was formerly a sufferer,
would owe cure and benefit to the destroyer of the poisonous animal. In some
such way must we suppose the death of the most holy martyrs to operate, many
receiving benefit from it by an influence we cannot describe.

37. Of the Effects of the Death of Christ, of His

Triumph After It, and of the Removal by His Death of
the Sins of Men.
We have lingered over this subject of the martyrs and over the record of
those who died on account of pestilence, because this lets us see the excellence
of Him who was led as a sheep to the slaughter and was dumb as a lamb before
the shearer. For if there is any point in these stories of the Greeks, and if what
we have said of the martyrs is well founded—the Apostles, too, were for the
same reason the filth of the world and the offscouring of all things, [ 1
Corinthians 4:13 ] — what and how great things must be said of the Lamb of
God, who was sacrificed for this very reason, that He might take away the sin
not of a few but of the whole world, for the sake of which also He suffered? If
any one sin, we read, [ 1 John 2:1-2 ] "We have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for
ours only, but for those of the whole world," since He is the Saviour of all men, [
1 Timothy 4:10 ] especially of them that believe, who [ Colossians 2:14-15 ]
blotted out the written bond that was against us by His own blood, and took it
out of the way, so that not even a trace, not even of our blotted-out sins, might
still be found, and nailed it to His cross; who having put off from Himself the
principalities and powers, made a show of them openly, triumphing over them
by His cross. And we are taught to rejoice when we suffer afflictions in the
world, knowing the ground of our rejoicing to be this, that the world has been
conquered and has manifestly been subjected to its conqueror. Hence all the
nations, released from their former rulers, serve Him, because He saved the poor
from his tyrant by His own passion, and the needy who had no helper. This
Saviour, then, having humbled the calumniator by humbling Himself, abides
with the visible sun before His illustrious church, tropically called the moon,
from generation to generation. And having by His passion destroyed His
enemies, He who is strong in battle and a mighty Lord required after His mighty
deeds a purification which could only be given Him by His Father alone; and
this is why He forbids Mary to touch Him, saying, [ John 20:17 ] "Touch Me not,
for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go and tell My disciples, I go to My
Father and your Father, to My God and your God." And when He comes,
loaded with victory and with trophies, with His body which has risen from the
dead—for what other meaning can we see in the words, "I am not yet ascended
to My Father," and "I go unto My Father," — then there are certain powers
which say, Who is this that comes from Edom, red garments from Bosor; this
that is beautiful? [ Isaiah 63:1 ] Then those who escort Him say to those that are
upon the heavenly gates, "Lift up your gates, you rulers, and be lifted up, you
everlasting doors, and the king of glory shall come in." But they ask again,
seeing as it were His right hand red with blood and His whole person covered
with the marks of His valour, "Why are Your garments red, and Your clothes like
the treading of the full winefat when it is trodden?" And to this He answers, "I
have crushed them." For this cause He had need to wash "His robe in wine, and
His garment in the blood of the grape." [ Genesis 49:2 ] For when He had taken
up our infirmities and carried our diseases, and had borne the sin of the whole
world, and had conferred blessings on so many, then, perhaps, He received that
baptism which is greater than any that could ever be conceived among men, and
of which I think He speaks when He says, [ Luke 12:50 ] "I have a baptism to be
baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished?" I enquire here
with boldness and I challenge the ideas put forward by most writers. They say
that the greatest baptism, beyond which no greater can be conceived, is His
passion. But if this be so, why should He say to Mary after it, "Touch Me not" ?
He should rather have offered Himself to her touch, when by His passion He had
received His perfect baptism. But if it was the case, as we said before, that after
all His deeds of valour done against His enemies, He had need to wash "His robe
in wine, His garment in the blood of the grape," then He was on His way up to
the husbandman of the true vine, the Father, so that having washed there and
after having gone up on high, He might lead captivity captive and come down
bearing manifold gifts— the tongues, as of fire, which were divided to the
Apostles, and the holy angels which are to be present with them in each action
and to deliver them. For before these economies they were not yet cleansed and
angels could not dwell with them, for they too perhaps do not desire to be with
those who have not prepared themselves nor been cleansed by Jesus. For it was
of Jesus' benignity alone that He ate and drank with publicans and sinners, and
suffered the penitent woman who was a sinner to wash His feet with her tears,
and went down even to death for the ungodly, counting it not robbery to be equal
with God, and emptied Himself, assuming the form of a servant. And in
accomplishing all this He fulfils rather the will of the Father who gave Him up
for sinners than His own. For the Father is good, but the Saviour is the image of
His goodness; and doing good to the world in all things, since God was in Christ
reconciling the world to Himself, which formerly for its wickedness was all
enemy to Him, He accomplishes His good deeds in order and succession, and
does not all at once take all His enemies for His footstool. For the Father says to
Him, to the Lord of us all, "Sit on My right hand, until I make Your enemies the
footstool of Your feet." And this goes on till the last enemy, Death, is overcome
by Him. And if we consider what is meant by this subjection to Christ and find
an explanation of this mainly from the saying, [ 1 Corinthians 15:26 ] "When all
things shall have been put under Him, then shall the Son Himself be subjected to
Him who put all things under Him," then we shall see how the conception agrees
with the goodness of the God of all, since it is that of the Lamb of God, taking
away the sin of the world. Not all men's sin, however, is taken away by the
Lamb of God, not the sin of those who do not grieve and suffer affliction till it
be taken away. For thorns are not only fixed but deeply rooted in the hand of
every one who is intoxicated by wickedness and has parted with sobriety, as it is
said in the Proverbs, "Thorns grow in the hand of the drunkard," and what pain
they must cause him who has admitted such growth in the substance of his soul,
it is hard even to tell. Who has allowed wickedness to establish itself so deeply
in his soul as to be a ground full of thorns, he must be cut down by the quick and
powerful word of God, which is sharper than a two-edged sword, and which is
more caustic than any fire. To such a soul that fire must be sent which finds out
thorns, and by its divine virtue stands where they are and does not also burn up
the threshing-floors or standing grain. But of the Lamb which takes away the sin
of the world and begins to do so by His own death there are several ways, some
of which are capable of being clearly understood by most, but others are
concealed from most, and are known to those only who are worthy of divine
wisdom. Why should we count up all the ways by which we come to believe
among men? That is a thing which every one living in the body is able to see for
himself. And in the ways in which we believe in these also, sin is taken away; by
afflictions and evil spirits and dangerous diseases and grievous sicknesses. And
who knows what follows after this? So much as we have said was not
unnecessary— we could not neglect the thought which is so clearly connected
with that of the words, "Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the
world," and had therefore to attend somewhat closely to this part of our subject.
This has brought us to see that God convicts some by His wrath and chastens
them by His anger, since His love to men is so great that He will not leave any
without conviction and chastening; so that we should do what in us lies to be
spared such conviction and such chastening by the sorest trials.

38. The World, of Which the Sin is Taken Away, is

Said to Be the Church. Reasons for Not Agreeing with
This Opinion.
 This Opinion.
The reader will do well to consider what was said above and illustrated
from various quarters on the question what is meant in Scripture by the word
"world" ; and I think it proper to repeat this. I am aware that a certain scholar
understands by the world the Church alone, since the Church is the adornment of
the world, and is said to be the light of the world. "You," he says, [ Matthew 5:14
] "are the light of the world." Now, the adornment of the world is the Church,
Christ being her adornment, who is the first light of the world. We must consider
if Christ is said to be the light of the same world as His disciples. When Christ is
the light of the world, perhaps it is meant that He is the light of the Church, but
when His disciples are the light of the world, perhaps they are the light of others
who call on the Lord, others in addition to the Church, as Paul says on this point
in the beginning of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, where he writes, "To the
Church of God, with all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Should
any one consider that the Church is called the light of the world, meaning
thereby of the rest of the race of men, including unbelievers, this may be true if
the assertion is taken prophetically and theologically; but if it is to be taken of
the present, we remind him that the light of a thing illuminates that thing, and
would ask him to show how the remainder of the race is illuminated by the
Church's presence in the world. If those who hold the view in question cannot
show this, then let them consider if our interpretation is not a sound one, that the
light is the Church, and the world those others who call on the Name. The words
which follow the above in Matthew will point out to the careful enquirer the
proper interpretation. "You," it is said, "are the salt of the earth," the rest of
mankind being conceived as the earth, and believers are their salt; it is because
they believe that the earth is preserved. For the end will come if the salt loses its
savour, and ceases to salt and preserve the earth, since it is clear that if iniquity is
multiplied and love waxes cold upon the earth, [ Matthew 24:12 ] as the Saviour
Himself uttered an expression of doubt as to those who would witness His
coming, saying, [ Luke 18:8 ] "When the Son of man comes, shall He find faith
upon the earth?" then the end of the age will come. Supposing, then, the Church
to be called the world, since the Saviour's light shines on it— we have to ask in
connection with the text, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of
the world," whether the world here is to be taken intellectually of the Church,
and the taking away of sin is limited to the Church. In that case what are we to
make of the saying of the same disciple with regard to the Saviour, as the
propitiation for sin? "If any man sin," we read, "we have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for our sins, and
not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world?" Paul's dictum appears
to me to be to the same effect, when he says, [ 1 Timothy 4:10 ] "Who is the
Saviour of all men, especially of the faithful." Again, Heracleon, dealing with
our passage, declares, without any proof or any citation of witnesses to that
effect, that the words, "Lamb of God," are spoken by John as a prophet, but the
words, "who takes away the sin of the world," by John as more than a prophet.
The former expression he considers to be used of His body, but the latter of Him
who was in that body, because the lamb is an imperfect member of the genus
sheep; the same being true of the body as compared with the dweller in it. Had
he meant to attribute perfection to the body he would have spoken of a ram as
about to be sacrificed. After the careful discussions given above, I do not think it
necessary to enter into repetitions on this passage, or to controvert Heracleon's
careless utterances. One point only may be noted, that as the world was scarcely
able to contain Him who had emptied Himself, it required a lamb and not a ram,
that its sin might be taken away.
 Commentary on the Gospel of John
(Book X)
1. Jesus Comes to Capernaum. Statements of the Four Evangelists
Regarding This.

"After this [ John 2:12-25 ] He went down to Capernaum, He and His

mother and His brothers and His disciples; and there they abode not many days.
And the passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and
He found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the
changers of money sitting, and He made a sort of scourge of cords, and cast
them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen, and He poured out the
small money of the changers and overthrew their tables, and to those that sold
the doves He said, Take these things hence; make not My Father's house a house
of merchandize. Then His disciples remembered that it was written, that the zeal
of your house shall eat me up. The Jews therefore answered and said unto Him,
What sign showest Thou unto us, that You do such things? Jesus answered and
said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews
therefore answered, Forty-six years was this temple in building, and will you
raise it up in three days? But He spoke of the temple of His body. When
therefore He rose from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this,
and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus said. Now when He
was at Jerusalem at the passover at the feast, many believed in His name,
beholding His signs which He did. But Jesus Himself did not trust Himself to
them, for that He knew all men, and because He had no need that any should
bear witness concerning man. For He Himself knew what was in man."
The numbers which are recorded in the book of that name obtained a place
in Scripture in accordance with some principle which determines their
proportion to each thing. We ought therefore to enquire whether the book of
Moses which is called Numbers teaches us, should we be able to trace it out, in
some special way, the principle with regard to this matter. This remark I make to
you at the outset of my tenth book, for in many passages of Scripture I have
observed the number ten to have a peculiar privilege, and you may consider
carefully whether the hope is justified that this volume will bring you from God
some special benefit. That this may prove to be the case, we will seek to yield
ourselves as fully as we can to God, who loves to bestow His choicest gifts. The
book begins at the words: "After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His
mother and His brothers and His disciples, and there they abode not many
days." The other three Evangelists say that the Lord, after His conflict with the
devil, departed into Galilee. Matthew and Luke represent that he was first at
Nazara, and then left them and came and dwelt in Capernaum. Matthew and
Mark also state a certain reason why He departed there, namely, that He had
heard that John was cast into prison. The words are as follows: Matthew says,
"Then the devil leaves Him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.
But when He heard that John was delivered up, He departed into Galilee, and
leaving Nazareth He came and dwelt at Capernaum on the seashore in the
borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali;" and
after the quotation from Isaiah: "From that time Jesus began to preach and to
say, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Mark has the following:
"And He was in the desert forty days and forty nights tempted by Satan, and He
was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto Him. But after John
was delivered up Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, that the
time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe in the
Gospel." Then after the narrative about Andrew and Peter and James and John,
Mark writes: "And He entered into Capernaum, and straightway on the Sabbath
He was teaching in the synagogue." Luke has, "And having finished the
temptation the devil departed from Him for a season. And Jesus returned in the
power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a fame went out concerning Him into all the
region round about, and He taught in their synagogues being glorified of all.
And He came to Nazara, where He had been brought up, and He entered as His
custom was into the synagogue on the Sabbath day." Then Luke gives what He
said at Nazara, and how those in the synagogue were enraged at Him and cast
Him out of the city and brought Him to the brow of the hill on which their cities
were built, to cast Him down headlong, and how going through the midst of
them the Lord went His way; and with this he connects the statement, "And He
came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the
Sabbath day."
2. The Discrepancy Between John and the First Three
Gospels at This Part of the Narrative, Literally Read,
the Narratives Cannot Be Harmonized: They Must Be
Interpreted Spiritually.
The truth of these matters must lie in that which is seen by the mind. If the
discrepancy between the Gospels is not solved, we must give up our trust in the
Gospels, as being true and written by a divine spirit, or as records worthy of
credence, for both these characters are held to belong to these works. Those who
accept the four Gospels, and who do not consider that their apparent discrepancy
is to be solved anagogically (by mystical interpretation), will have to clear up the
difficulty, raised above, about the forty days of the temptation, a period for
which no room can be found in any way in John's narrative; and they will also
have to tell us when it was that the Lord came to Capernaum. If it was after the
six days of the period of His baptism, the sixth being that of the marriage at
Cana of Galilee, then it is clear that the temptation never took place, and that He
never was at Nazara, and that John was not yet delivered up. Now, after
Capernaum, where He abode not many days, the passover of the Jews was at
hand, and He went up to Jerusalem, where He cast the sheep and oxen out of the
temple, and poured out the small change of the bankers. In Jerusalem, too, it
appears that Nicodemus, the ruler and Pharisee, first came to Him by night, and
heard what we may read in the Gospel. "After these things, [ John 3:23-26 ]
Jesus came, and His disciples, into the land of Judæa, and there He tarried with
them and baptized, at the same time at which John also was baptizing in Ænon
near Salim, because there were many waters there, and they came and were
baptized; for John was not yet cast into prison." On this occasion, too, there was
a questioning on the part of John's disciples with the Jews about purification, and
they came to John, saying of the Saviour, "Behold, He baptizes, and all come to
Him." They had heard words from the Baptist, the exact tenor of which it is
better to take from Scripture itself. Now, if we ask when Christ was first in
Capernaum, our respondents, if they follow the words of Matthew, and of the
other two, will say, After the temptation, when, "leaving Nazareth, He came and
dwelt in Capernaum by the sea." But how can they show both the statements to
be true, that of Matthew and Mark, that it was because He heard that John was
delivered up that He departed into Galilee, and that of John, found there, after a
number of other transactions, subsequent to His stay at Capernaum, after His
going to Jerusalem, and His journey from there to Judæa, that John was not yet
cast into prison, but was baptizing in Ænon near Salim? There are many other
points on which the careful student of the Gospels will find that their narratives
do not agree; and these we shall place before the reader, according to our power,
as they occur. The student, staggered at the consideration of these things, will
either renounce the attempt to find all the Gospels true, and not venturing to
conclude that all our information about our Lord is untrustworthy, will choose at
random one of them to be his guide; or he will accept the four, and will consider
that their truth is not to be sought for in the outward and material letter.

3. What We are to Think of the Discrepancies

Between the Different Gospels.
We must, however, try to obtain some notion of the intention of the
Evangelists in such matters, and we direct ourselves to this. Suppose there are
several men who, by the spirit, see God, and know His words addressed to His
saints, and His presence which He vouchsafes to them, appearing to them at
chosen times for their advancement. There are several such men, and they are in
different places, and the benefits they receive from above vary in shape and
character. And let these men report, each of them separately, what he sees in
spirit about God and His words, and His appearances to His saints, so that one of
them speaks of God's appearances and words and acts to one righteous man in
such a place, and another about other oracles and great works of the Lord, and a
third of something else than what the former two have dealt with. And let there
third of something else than what the former two have dealt with. And let there
be a fourth, doing with regard to some particular matter something of the same
kind as these three. And let the four agree with each other about something the
Spirit has suggested to them all, and let them also make brief reports of other
matters besides that one; then their narratives will fall out something on this
wise: God appeared to such a one at such a time and in such a place, and did to
him thus and thus; as if He had appeared to him in such a form, and had led him
by the hand to such a place, and then done to him thus and thus. The second will
report that God appeared at the very time of the foresaid occurrences, in a certain
town, to a person who is named, a second person, and in a place far removed
from that of the former account, and he will report a different set of words
spoken at the same time to this second person. And let the same be supposed to
be the case with the third and with the fourth. And let them, as we said, agree,
these witnesses who report true things about God, and about His benefits
conferred on certain men, let them agree with each other in some of the
narratives they report. He, then, who takes the writings of these men for history,
or for a representation of real things by a historical image, and who supposes
God to be within certain limits in space, and to be unable to present to several
persons in different places several visions of Himself at the same time, or to be
making several speeches at the same moment, he will deem it impossible that
our four writers are all speaking truth. To him it is impossible that God, who is
in certain limits in space, could at the same set time be saying one thing to one
man and another to another, and that He should be doing a thing and the opposite
thing as well, and, to put it bluntly, that He should be both sitting and standing,
should one of the writers represent Him as standing at the time, and making a
certain speech in such a place to such a man, while a second writer speaks of
Him as sitting.

4. Scripture Contains Many Contradictions, and

Many Statements Which are Not Literally True, But
Must Be Read Spiritually and Mystically.
 Must Be Read Spiritually and Mystically.
In the case I have supposed where the historians desire to teach us by an
image what they have seen in their mind, their meaning would be found, if the
four were wise, to exhibit no disagreement; and we must understand that with
the four Evangelists it is not otherwise. They made full use for their purpose of
things done by Jesus in the exercise of His wonderful and extraordinary power;
they use in the same way His sayings, and in some places they tack on to their
writing, with language apparently implying things of sense, things made
manifest to them in a purely intellectual way. I do not condemn them if they
even sometimes dealt freely with things which to the eye of history happened
differently, and changed them so as to subserve the mystical aims they had in
view; so as to speak of a thing which happened in a certain place, as if it had
happened in another, or of what took place at a certain time, as if it had taken
place at another time, and to introduce into what was spoken in a certain way
some changes of their own. They proposed to speak the truth where it was
possible both materially and spiritually, and where this was not possible it was
their intention to prefer the spiritual to the material. The spiritual truth was often
preserved, as one might say, in the material falsehood. As, for example, we
might judge of the story of Jacob and Esau. [Genesis xxvii] Jacob says to Isaac,
"I am Esau your firstborn son," and spiritually he spoke the truth, for he already
partook of the rights of the firstborn, which were perishing in his brother, and
clothing himself with the goatskins he assumed the outward semblance of Esau,
and was Esau all but the voice praising God, so that Esau might afterward find a
place to receive a blessing. For if Jacob had not been blessed as Esau, neither
would Esau perhaps have been able to receive a blessing of his own. And Jesus
too is many things, according to the conceptions of Him, of which it is quite
likely that the Evangelists took up different notions; while yet they were in
agreement with each other in the different things they wrote. Statements which
are verbally contrary to each other, are made about our Lord, namely, that He
was descended from David and that He was not descended from David. The
statement is true, "He was descended from David," as the Apostle says, [
Romans 1:3 ] "born of the seed of David according to the flesh," if we apply this
to the bodily part of Him; but the self-same statement is untrue if we understand
His being born of the seed of David of His diviner power; for He was declared to
be the Son of God with power. And for this reason too, perhaps, the sacred
prophecies speak of Him now as a servant, and now as a Son. They call Him a
servant on account of the form of a servant which he wore, and because He was
of the seed of David, but they call Him the Son of God according to His
character as firstborn. Thus it is true to call Him man and to call Him not man;
man, because He was capable of death; not man, on account of His being diviner
than man. Marcion, I suppose, took sound words in a wrong sense, when he
rejected His birth from Mary, and declared that as to His divine nature He was
not born of Mary, and hence made bold to delete from the Gospel the passages
which have this effect. And a like fate seems to have overtaken those who make
away with His humanity and receive His deity alone; and also those opposites of
these who cancel His deity and confess Him as a man to be a holy man, and the
most righteous of all men. And those who hold the doctrine of Dokesis, not
remembering that He humbled Himself even unto death [ Philippians 2:8 ] and
became obedient even to the cross, but only imagining in Him the absence of
suffering, the superiority to all such accidents, they do what they can to deprive
us of the man who is more just than all men, and are left with a figure which
cannot save them, for as by one man came death, so also by one man is the
justification of life. We could not have received such benefit as we have from
the Logos had He not assumed the man, had He remained such as He was from
the beginning with God the Father, and had He not taken up man, the first man
of all, the man more precious than all others, purer than all others and capable of
receiving Him. But after that man we also shall be able to receive Him, to
receive Him so great and of such nature as He was, if we prepare a place in
proportion to Him in our soul. So much I have said of the apparent discrepancies
in the Gospels, and of my desire to have them treated in the way of spiritual
interpretation.

5. Paul Also Makes Contradictory Statements About

Himself, and Acts in Opposite Ways at Different
Times.
On the same passage one may also make use of such an example as that of
Paul, who at one place [ Romans 7:14 ] says that he is carnal, sold under sin, and
thus was not able to judge anything, while in another place he is the spiritual
man who is able to judge all things and himself to be judged by no man. Of the
carnal one are the words, "Not what I would that do I practise, but what I hate
that do I." And he too who was caught up to the third heaven and heard
unspeakable words is a different Paul from him who says, Of such an one I will
glory, but of myself I will not glory. If he becomes [ 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 ] to
the Jews as a Jew that he may gain the Jews, and to those under the law as under
the law that he may gain those under the law, and to them that are without law as
without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that he may
gain those without law, and if to the weak he becomes weak that he may gain the
weak, it is clear that these statements must be examined each by itself, that he
becomes a Jew, and that sometimes he is under the law and at another time
without law, and that sometimes he is weak. Where, for example, he says
something by way of permission [ 1 Corinthians 7:6 ] and not by commandment,
there we may recognize that he is weak; for who, he says, [ 2 Corinthians 11:29 ]
is weak, and I am not weak? When he shaves his head and makes an offering, or
when he circumcises Timothy, [ Acts 16:3 ] he is a Jew; but when he says to the
Athenians, [ Acts 17:23 ] "I found an altar with the inscription, To the unknown
God. That, then, which you worship not knowing it, that declare I unto you,"
and, "As also some of your own poets have said, For we also are His offspring,"
then he becomes to those without the law as without the law, adjuring the least
religious of men to espouse religion, and turning to his own purpose the saying
of the poet, "From Love do we begin; his race are we." And instances might
perhaps be found where, to men not Jews and yet under the law, he is under the
law.

6. Different Accounts of the Call of Peter, and of the

Imprisonment of the Baptist. The Meaning of
"Capernaum."
These examples may be serviceable to illustrate statements not only about
the Saviour, but about the disciples too, for here also there is some discrepancy
of statement. For there is a difference in thought perhaps between Simon who is
found by his own brother Andrew, and who is addressed "You shall be called
Cephas," [ John 1:41 ] and him who is seen by Jesus when walking by the sea of
Galilee, along with his brother, and addressed conjointly with that brother,
"Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men." There was some fitness in
the fact that the writer who goes more to the root of the matter and tells of the
Word becoming flesh, and hence does not record the human generation of the
Word who was in the beginning with God, should not tell us of Simon's being
found at the seashore and called away from there, but of his being found by his
brother who had been staying with Jesus at the tenth hour, and of his receiving
the name Cephas in connection with his being thus found out. If he was seen by
Jesus when walking by the sea of Galilee, it would scarcely be on a later
occasion that he was addressed, "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build
My church." With John again the Pharisees know Jesus to be baptizing with His
disciples, adding this to His other great activities; but the Jesus of the three does
not baptize at all. John the Baptist, too, with the Evangelist of the same name,
goes on a long time without being cast into prison. With Matthew, on the
contrary, he is put in prison almost at the time of the temptation of Jesus, and
this is the occasion of Jesus retiring to Galilee, to avoid being put in prison. But
in John there is nothing at all about John's being put in prison. Who is so wise
and so able as to learn all the things that are recorded about Jesus in the four
Evangelists, and both to understand each incident by itself, and have a connected
view of all His sojournings and words and acts at each place? As for the passage
presently before us, it gives in the order of events that on the sixth day the
Saviour, after the business of the marriage at Cana of Galilee, went down with
His mother and His brothers and His disciples to Capernaum, which means "field
of consolation." For after the feasting and the wine it was fitting that the Saviour
should come to the field of consolation with His mother and His disciples, to
console those whom He was training for disciples and the soul which had
conceived Him by the Holy Ghost, with the fruits which were to stand in that full
field.

7. Why His Brothers are Not Called to the Wedding;

And Why He Abides at Capernaum Not Many Days.
But we must ask why His brothers are not called to the wedding: they were
not there, for it is not said they were; but they go down to Capernaum with Him
and His mother and His disciples. We must also examine why on this occasion
they do not " go in to " Capernaum, nor " go up to ," but "go down to" it.
Consider if we must not understand by His brothers here the powers which went
down along with Him, not called to the wedding according to the explanations
given above, since it is in lower and humbler places than those who are called
disciples of Christ, and in another way, that these brothers receive assistance.
For if His mother is called, then there are some bearing fruit, and even to these
the Lord goes down with the servants and disciples of the Word, to help such
persons, His mother also being with Him. Those indeed who are called
Capernaum appear not to be able to allow Jesus and those who went down with
Him to make a longer stay with them: hence they remain with them not many
days. For the lower field of consolation does not admit the illumination of many
doctrines, but is only capable of a few. To get a clear view of the difference
between those who receive Jesus for longer and for shorter time, we may
compare with this, "They abode there not many days," the words recorded in
Matthew as spoken by Christ when risen from the dead to His disciples who
were being sent out to teach all nations, "Behold, I am with you always, even to
the end of the world." To those who are to know all that human nature can know
while it still is here, is said with emphasis, "I am with you;" and as the rise of
each new day upon the field of contemplation brings more days before the eyes
of the blessed, therefore He says, "All the days till the end of the world." As for
those in Capernaum, on the contrary, to whom they go down as to the more
needy, not only Jesus, but also His mother and His brothers and His disciples
"abode there not many days."

8. How Christ Abides with Believers to the End of the

Age, and Whether He Abides with Them After that
Consummation.
Some may very likely and not unreasonably ask, whether, when all the days
of this age are over, there will no longer be any one to say, "Lo, I am with you,"
with those, namely, who received Him till the fulfilment of the age, for the
"until" seems to indicate a certain limit of time. To this we must say that the
phrase, "I am with you," is not the same as "I am in you." We might say more
properly that the Saviour was not in His disciples but with them, so long as they
had not arrived in their minds at the consummation of the age. But when they see
to be at hand, as far as their effort is concerned, the consummation of the world
which is crucified to them, then Jesus will be no longer with them, but in them,
and they will say, "It is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me," [
Galatians 2:20 ] and "If you seek a proof of Christ that speaks in me." [ 2
Corinthians 13:3 ] In saying this we are keeping for our part also to the ordinary
interpretation which makes the "always" the time down to the consummation of
the age, and are not asking more than is attainable to human nature as it is here.
That interpretation may be adhered to and justice yet be done to the "I." He who
is with His disciples who are sent out to teach all the nations, until the
consummation, may be He who emptied Himself and took the form of a servant,
and yet afterwards may be another in point of state; afterwards He may be such
as He was before He emptied Himself, until all His enemies are made by His
Father the footstool of His feet; and after this, when the Son has delivered up the
kingdom to God and the Father, it may be the Father who says to them, "Behold,
I am with you." But whether it is "all the days" up to that time, or simply "all the
days," or not "all days" but "every day," any one may consider that likes. Our
plan does not allow us at present to digress so far.

9. Heracleon Says that Jesus is Not Stated to Have

Done Anything at Capernaum. But in the Other
Gospels He Does Many Things There.
But Heracleon, dealing with the words, "After this He went down to
Capernaum," declares that they indicate the introduction of another transaction,
and that the word "went down" is not without significance. "Capernaum," he
says, "means these farthest-out parts of the world, these districts of matter, into
which He descended, and because the place was not suitable, he says, He is not
reported either to have done anything or said anything in it." Now if the Lord
had not been reported in the other Gospels either as having done or said anything
at Capernaum, we might perhaps have hesitated whether this view ought or
ought not to be received. But that is far from being the case. Matthew says our
Lord left Nazareth and came and dwelt at Capernaum on the seaside, and that
from that time He began to preach, saying, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand." And Mark, starting in his narrative from the temptation by
the devil, relates that after John was cast into prison, Jesus came into Galilee,
proclaiming the Gospel of God, and after the call of the four fishermen to the
Apostleship, "they enter into Capernaum; and straightway on the Sabbath day
He taught in the synagogue, and they were astonished at His doctrine." And
Mark records an action of Jesus also which took place at Capernaum, for he goes
on to say, "In their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he
cried out, saying, Ah! What have we to do with You, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?
Have You come to destroy us? We know You who You are, the Son of God. And
Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace and come out of him; and the
unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. And
they were all amazed." And at Capernaum Simon's mother-in-law is cured of her
fever. And Mark adds that when evening had come all those were cured who
were sick and who were possessed with demons. Luke's report is very like
Mark's about Capernaum. He says, "And He came to Capernaum, a city of
Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath day, and they were
astonished at His teachings, for His word was with power. And in the synagogue
there was a man having a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a
loud voice, Ah! What have we to do with You, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? Have
You come to destroy us? I know You who You are, the holy one of God. And
Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace and come out of him. Then the
demon having thrown him down in the midst, went out of him, doing him no
harm." And then Luke reports how the Lord rose up from the synagogue and
went into the house of Simon, and rebuked the fever in his mother-in-law, and
cured her of her disease; and after this cure, "when the sun was setting," he says,
"all, as many as had persons sick with various diseases, brought them to Him,
and He laid his hands on each one of them and cured them. And demons also
went out from many, crying and saying, You are the Son of God, and He rebuked
them and suffered them not to speak because they knew that He was the Christ."
We have presented all these statements as to the Saviour's sayings and doings at
Capernaum in order to refute Heracleon's interpretation of our passage, "Hence
He is not said to have done or to have spoken anything there." He must either
give two meanings to Capernaum, and show us his reasons for them, or if he
cannot do this he must give up saying that the Saviour visited any place to no
purpose. We, for our part, should we come to passages where even a comparison
of the other Gospels fails to show that Jesus' visit to this place or that was not
accompanied by any results, will seek with the divine assistance to make it clear
that His coming was not in vain.

10. Significance of Capernaum.

Matthew for his part adds, that when the Lord had entered into Capernaum
the centurion came to him, saying, "My boy is lying in my house sick of the
palsy, grievously tormented," and after telling the Lord some more about him,
received the reply, "Go, and as you have believed, so be it unto you." And
Matthew then gives us the story of Peter's mother-in-law, in close agreement
with the other two. I conceive it to be a creditable piece of work and becoming
to one who is anxious to hear about Christ, to collect from the four Gospels all
that is related about Capernaum, and the discourses spoken, and the works done
there, and how many visits the Lord paid to the place, and how, at one time, He
is said to have gone down to it, and at another to have entered into it, and where
He came from when He did so. If we compare all these points together, we shall
not go astray in the meaning we ascribe to Capernaum. On the one hand, the sick
are healed, and other works of power are done there, and on the other, the
preaching, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, begins there, and
this appears to be a sign, as we showed when entering on this subject, of some
more needy place of consolation, made so perhaps by Jesus, who comforted men
by what He taught and by what He did there, in that place of consolation. For we
know that the names of places agree in their meaning with the things connected
with Jesus; as Gergesa, where the citizens of these parts besought Him to depart
out of their coasts, means, "The dwelling of the casters-out." And this, also, we
have noticed about Capernaum, that not only did the preaching, "Repent ye, for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand," begin there, but that according to the three
Evangelists Jesus performed there His first miracles. None of the three, however,
added to the first wonders which he records as done in Capernaum, that note
attached by John the disciple to the first work of Jesus, "This beginning of His
signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee." For that which was done in Capernaum was
not the beginning of the signs, since the leading sign of the Son of God was good
cheer, and in the light of human experience it is also the most representative of
Him. For the Word of God does not show forth His own beauty so much in
healing the sick, as in His tendering the temperate draught to make glad those
who are in good health and are able to join in the banquet.

11. Why the Passover is Said to Be that of the "Jews."

Its Institution: and the Distinction Between "Feasts of
the Lord" And Feasts Not So Spoken of.
"And the passover of the Jews was at hand." [ John 2:13 ] Inquiring into the
accuracy of the most wise John (on this passage), I put myself the question,
What is indicated by the addition "of the Jews" ? Of what other nation was the
passover a festival? Would it not have been enough to say, "And the passover
was at hand" ? It may, however, be the case that the human passover is one thing
when kept by men not as Scripture intended, and that the divine passover is
another thing, the true passover, observed in spirit and truth by those who
worship God in spirit and in truth; and then the distinction indicated in the text
may be that between the divine passover and that said to be of the Jews. We
should attend to the passover law and observe what the Lord says of it when it is
first mentioned in Scripture. [ Exodus 12:1-3 ] "And the Lord spoke unto Moses
and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month is to you the beginning of
months, it is the first for you among the months of the year. Speak to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, saying, On the tenth of this month shall
every man take a sheep, according to the houses of your families;" then after
some directions in which the word passover does not occur again, he adds, "Thus
shall you eat it, your loins girt and your shoes on your feet, and your staves in
your hands, and you shall eat it with haste. It is the passover of the Lord." He
does not say, "It is your passover." And a little further on He names the festival
again in the same way, "And it shall come to pass, when your sons say to you,
What is this service? And you shall say to them, It is the sacrifice, the passover
of the Lord, how He guarded the houses of the children of Israel." And again, a
little further on, "And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, This is the
law of the passover. No alien shall eat of it." And again in a little, "But if a
proselyte come to you, and keep the passover of the Lord, every male of him
shall be circumcised." Observe that in the law we never find it said, "Your
passover;" but in all the passages quoted the phrase occurs once without any
adjunct, while we have three times "The passover of the Lord." To make sure
that there is such a distinction between the passover of the Lord and the passover
of the Jews, we may consider the way in which Isaiah speaks of the matter: [
Isaiah 1:13 ] "Your new moons and your Sabbaths and your great day I cannot
bear; your fast and your holiday and your new moons and your feasts my soul
hates." The Lord does not call them His own, these observances of sinners (they
are hated of His soul, if such there be); neither the new moons, nor the Sabbaths,
nor the great day, nor the fast, nor the festivals. And in the legislation about the
Sabbath in Exodus, we read, "And Moses said unto them, This is the word which
the Lord spoke, The Sabbath is a holy rest unto the Lord." And a little further on,
"And Moses said, Eat ye; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord." And in
Numbers, before the sacrifices which are offered at each festival, as if all the
festivals came under the law of the continuous and daily sacrifice, we find it
written, "And the Lord spoke unto Moses, Announce to the children of Israel,
and thus shall you say unto them, My gifts, My offerings, My fruits for a smell of
sweet savour, you shall observe to offer unto Me at My festivals. And you shall
say unto them, These are the offerings which you shall offer unto the Lord." The
festival set forth in Scripture He calls His own, not those of the people receiving
the law, He speaks of His gifts, His offerings. A similar way of speaking is that
in Exodus with regard to the people; it is said by God to be His own people,
when it does not sin; but in the section about the calf He abjures it and calls it the
people of Moses. [ Exodus 8:21-23 ] On the one hand, "You shall say to
Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the
wilderness. But if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send against you
and against your servants, and against your people and against your houses, the
dog-fly; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of the dog-fly, and on the
land on which they are, against it will I send them. And I will glorify on that day
the land of Gesem, on which My people are; on it there shall be no dog-fly, that
you may know that I am the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. And I will make a
distinction between My people and your people." To Moses, on the other hand,
He says, [ Exodus 32:7 ] "Go, descend quickly, for your people has transgressed,
which you led out of the land of Egypt." As, then, the people when it does not sin
is the people of God, but when it sins is no longer spoken of as His, thus, also,
the feasts when they are hated by the Lord's soul are said to be feasts of sinners,
but when the law is given regarding them, they are called feasts of the Lord.
Now of these feasts passover is one, which in the passage before us is said to be
that not of the Lord, but of the Jews. In another passage, too, [ Leviticus 23:2 ]
we find it said, "These are the feasts of the Lord, which you shall call chosen,
holy." From the mouth of the Lord Himself, then, we see that there is no
gainsaying our statement on this point. Some one, no doubt, will ask about the
words of the Apostle, where he writes to the Corinthians: [ 1 Corinthians 5:7 ]
"For our Passover also was sacrificed for us, namely, Christ;" he does not say,
"The Passover of the Lord was sacrificed, even Christ." To this we must say,
either that the Apostle simply calls the passover our passover because it was
sacrificed for us, or that every sacrifice which is really the Lord's, and the
passover is one of these, awaits its consummation not in this age nor upon earth,
but in the coming age and in heaven when the kingdom of heaven appears. As
for those feasts, one of the twelve prophets says, [ Hosea 9:5 ] "What will you do
in the days of assembly, and in the days of the feast of the Lord?" But Paul says
in the Epistle to the Hebrews: "But you have come unto Mount Zion, and to the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ten thousands of angels,
the assembly and church of the firstborn, who are written in heaven." And in the
Epistle to the Colossians: "Let no one judge you in meat and in drink, or in
respect of a feast-day or a new moon, or a sabbath-day; which are a shadow of
the things to come."

12. Of the Heavenly Festivals, of Which Those on

Earth are Typical.
Now in what manner, in those heavenly things of which the shadow was
present to the Jews on earth, those will celebrate festivals who have first been
trained by tutors and governors under the true law, until the fullness of the time
should come, namely, above, when we shall be able to receive into ourselves the
perfect measure of the Son of God, this it is the work of that wisdom to make
plain which has been hidden in a mystery; and it also may show to our thought
how the laws about meats are symbols of those things which will there nourish
and strengthen our soul. But it is vain to think that one desiring to work out in
his fancy the great sea of such ideas, even if he wished to show how local
worship is still a pattern and shadow of heavenly things, and that the sacrifices
and the sheep are full of meaning, that he should advance further than the
Apostle, who seeks indeed to lift our minds above earthly views of the law, but
who does not show us to any extent how these things are to be. Even if we look
at the festivals, of which passover is one, from the point of view of the age to
come, we have still to ask how it is that our passover is now sacrificed, namely,
Christ, and not only so, but is to be sacrificed hereafter.

13. Spiritual Meaning of the Passover.

A few points may be added in connection with the doctrines now under
consideration, though it would require a special discussion in many volumes to
treat of all the mystical statements about the law, and specially of those
connected with the festivals, and more particularly still with the passover. The
passover of the Jews consists of a sheep which is sacrificed, each taking a sheep
according to his father's house; and the passover is accompanied by the slaughter
of thousands of rams and goats, in proportion to the number of the houses of the
people. But our Passover is sacrificed for us, namely, Christ. Another feature of
the Jewish festival is unleavened bread; all leaven is made to disappear out of
their houses; but "we keep the feast [ 1 Corinthians 5:8 ] not with the old leaven,
nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of
sincerity and truth." Whether there be any passover and any feast of leaven
beyond the two we have mentioned, is a point we must examine more carefully,
since these serve for a pattern and a shadow of the heavenly ones we spoke of,
and not only such things as food and drink and new moons and sabbaths, but the
festivals also, are a shadow of the things to come. In the first place, when the
Apostle says, "Our passover is sacrificed, Christ," one may feel with regard to
this such doubts as these. If the sheep with the Jews is a type of the sacrifice of
Christ, then one should have been offered and not a multitude, as Christ is one;
or if many sheep were offered it is to follow out the type, as if many Christs
were sacrificed. But not to dwell on this, we may ask how the sheep, which was
the victim, contains an image of Christ, when the sheep was sacrificed by men
who were observing the law, but Christ was put to death by transgressors of the
law, and what application can be found in Christ of the direction, [ Exodus 12:8 ]
"They shall eat the flesh this night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread on
bitter herbs shall they eat," and "Eat not of it raw, nor sodden with water, but
roast with fire; the head with the feet and the entrails; you shall not set any of it
apart till the morning, and a bone thereof you shall not break. But that which is
left thereof till the morning you shall burn." The sentence, "A bone of it you shall
not break," John appears to have made use of in his Gospel, as applying to the
transactions connected with Christ, and connecting with them the occasion
spoken of in the law when those eating the sheep are bidden not to break a bone
of it. He writes as follows: The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the
first, and of the other who was crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus
and saw that He was already dead, they broke not His legs, but one of the
soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and straightway there came out blood and
water. And he that has seen has borne witness and his witness is true, and he
knows that he says truth that you also may believe. And these things took place
that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "A bone of Him you shall not break." There
are a myriad other points besides this in the Apostle's language which would call
for inquiry, both about the passover and the unleavened bread, but they would
have to be dealt with, as we said above, in a special work of great length. At
present we can only give an epitome of them as they bear on the text presently
before us, and aim at a short solution of the principal problem. We call to mind
the words, "This is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world," for it
is said of the passover, [ Exodus 12:5 ] "You shall take it of the lambs or of the
goats." The Evangelist here agrees with Paul, and both are involved in the
difficulties we spoke of above. But on the other hand we have to say that if the
Word became flesh, and the Lord says, [ John 6:53 ] "Unless you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you. He that eats My
flesh and drinks My blood, has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last
day. For My flesh is meat indeed and My blood is drink indeed. He that eats My
flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him," — then the flesh thus
spoken of is that of the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world; and this is the
blood, some of which was to be put on the two side posts of the door, and on the
lintels in the houses, in which we eat the passover. Of the flesh of this Lamb it is
necessary that we should eat in the time of the world, which is night, and the
flesh is to be roast with fire, and eaten with unleavened bread; for the Word of
God is not flesh and flesh only. He says, in fact, Himself, [ John 6:48-50 ] "I am
the bread of life," and "This is the bread of life which came down from heaven,
that a man should eat of it, and not die. I am the bread of life that came down
from heaven; if a man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever." We must not
overlook, however, that by a loose use of words, any food is called bread, as we
read in Moses in Deuteronomy, "Forty days He ate no bread and drank no
water," instead of, He took no food, either wet or dry. I am led to this
observation by John's saying, "And the bread which I will give is My flesh, for
the life of the world." Again, we eat the flesh of the Lamb, with bitter herbs, and
unleavened bread, when we repent of our sins and grieve with the sorrow which
is according to God, a repentance which operates for our salvation, and is not to
be repented of; or when, on account of our trials, we turn to the speculations
which are found to be those of truth, and are nourished by them. We are not,
however, to eat the flesh of the Lamb raw, as those do who are slaves of the
letter, like irrational animals, and those who are enraged at men truly reasonable,
because they desire to understand spiritual things; truly, they share the nature of
savage beasts. But we must strive to convert the rawness of Scripture into well-
cooked food, not letting what is written grow flabby and wet and thin, as those
do who have itching ears, [ 2 Timothy 4:3-4 ] and turn away their ears from the
truth; their methods tend to a loose and flabby conduct of life. But let us be of a
fervent spirit and keep hold of the fiery words given to us of God, such as
Jeremiah received from Him who spoke to him, [ Jeremiah 5:14 ] "Behold, I
have made My words in your mouth like fire," and let us see that the flesh of the
Lamb be well cooked, so that those who partake of it may say, as Christ speaks
in us, "Our heart burned by the way, as He opened to us the Scriptures." [ Luke
24:32 ] Further, if it is our duty to enquire into such a point as the roasting of the
flesh of the Lamb with fire, we must not forget the parallel of what Jeremiah
suffered on account of the words of God, as he says: "And it was as a glowing
fire, burning in my bones, and I am without any strength, and I cannot bear it."
But, in this eating, we must begin at the head, that is to say, at the principal and
the most essential doctrines about heavenly things, and we must end at the feet,
the last branches of learning which enquire as to the final nature in things, or
about more material things, or about things under the earth, or about wicked
spirits and unclean demons. For it may be that the account of these things is not
obvious, like themselves, but is laid away among the mysteries of Scripture, so
that it may be called, tropically, the feet of the Lamb. Nor must we fail to deal
with the entrails, which are within and hidden from us; we must approach the
whole of Scripture as one body, we must not lacerate nor break through the
strong and well-knit connections which exist in the harmony of its whole
composition, as those do who lacerate, so far as they can, the unity of the Spirit
that is in all the Scriptures. But this aforesaid prophecy of the Lamb is to be our
nourishment only during the night of this dark life of ours; what comes after this
life is, as it were, the dawn of day, and why should we leave over till then the
food which can only be useful to us now? But when the night is passed, and the
day which succeeds it is at hand, then we shall have bread to eat which has
nothing to do with the leavened bread of the older and lower state of things, but
is unleavened, and that will serve our turn until that which comes after the
unleavened bread is given us, the manna, which is food for angels rather than
men. Every one of us, then, may sacrifice his lamb in every house of our fathers;
and while one breaks the law, not sacrificing the lamb at all, another may keep
the commandment entirely, offering his sacrifice, and cooking it aright, and not
breaking a bone of it. This, then, in brief, is the interpretation of the Passover
sacrificed for us, which is Christ, in accordance with the view taken of it by the
Apostles, and with the Lamb in the Gospel. For we ought not to suppose that
historical things are types of historical things, and material things of material,
but that material things are typical of spiritual things, and historical things of
intellectual. It is not necessary that our discourse should now ascend to that third
passover which is to be celebrated with myriads of angels in the most perfect and
most blessed exodus; we have already spoken of these things to a greater extent
than the passage demands.

14. In the First Three Gospels the Passover is Spoken

of Only at the Close of the Ministry; In John at the
Beginning. Remarks on This. Heracleon on the
 Beginning. Remarks on This. Heracleon on the
Passover.
We must not, however, fail to enquire into the statement that the passover
of the Jews was at hand, when the Lord was at Capernaum with His mother and
His brothers and His disciples. In the Gospel according to Matthew, after being
left by the devil, and after the angels came and ministered to Him, when He
heard that John was delivered up He withdrew into Galilee, and leaving Nazara
He came and dwelt in Capernaum. Then He began to preach, and chose the four
fishermen for His Apostles, and taught in the synagogues of the whole of Galilee
and healed those who were brought to Him. Then He goes up into the mountain
and speaks the beatitudes and what follows them; and after finishing that
instruction He comes down from the mountain and enters Capernaum a second
time. [Matthew viii] Then He embarked in a ship and crossed over to the other
side to the country of the Gergesenes. On their beseeching Him to depart out of
their coasts He embarked in a ship and crossed over and came to His own city.
Then He wrought certain cures and went about all the cities and the villages,
teaching in their synagogues; after this most of the events of the Gospels take
place, before Matthew indicates the approach of the time of passover. With the
other Evangelists also, after the stay at Capernaum it is long till we come to any
mention of the passover; which may confirm in their opinion those who take the
view about Capernaum which was set forth above. That stay, in the
neighbourhood of the passover of the Jews, is set in a brighter light by that
nearness, both because it was better in itself, and still more because at the
passover of the Jews there are found in the temple those who sell oxen and sheep
and doves. This adds emphasis to the statement that the passover was not that of
the Lord but that of the Jews; the Father's house was made, in the eyes of those
who did not hallow it, a house of merchandise, and the passover of the Lord
became for those who took a low and material view of it a Jewish passover. A
fitter occasion than the present will occur for enquiring as to the time of the
passover, which took place about the spring equinox, and for any other enquiry
which may arise in connection with it. As for Heracleon, he says, "This is the
great festival; for it was a type of the passion of the Saviour; not only was the
lamb put to death, the eating of it afforded relaxation, the killing it pointed to
what of the passion of the Saviour was in this world, and the eating it to the rest
at the marriage." We have given his words, that it may be seen with what a want
of caution and how loosely he proceeds, and with what an absence of
constructive skill even on such a theme as this; and how little regard in
consequence is to be paid to him.

15. Discrepancy of the Gospel Narratives Connected

with the Cleansing of the Temple.
"And Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [ John 2:13-17 ] And He found in the
temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the changers of money
sitting; and He made a scourge of cords, and cast out of the temple the sheep
and the oxen, and poured out the small coin of the changers, and overturned
their tables, and to those who sold the doves He said, Take these things hence;
make not My Father's house a house of merchandise. Then His disciples
remembered that it was written, The zeal of your house shall eat me up." It is to
be noted that John makes this transaction of Jesus with those He found selling
oxen and sheep and doves in the temple His second work; while the other
Evangelists narrate a similar incident almost at the end and in connection with
the story of the passion. Matthew has it thus: [ Matthew 21:10-13 ] "At Jesus'
entry into Jerusalem the whole city was stirred, saying, Who is this? And the
multitudes said, This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus
went into the temple and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple,
and He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that
sold doves. And He says to them, It is written, My house shall be called a house
of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers." Mark has the following: "And they
came to Jerusalem. And having entered into the temple He began to cast out
those that sold and bought in the temple, and the tables of the money-changers
He overthrew and the seats of them that sold doves. And He suffered not that any
should carry a vessel through the temple; and He taught and said unto them, Is it
not written that My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations?
But you have made it a den of robbers." And Luke: [ Luke 19:41-42 ] "And when
he came near, He beheld the city and wept over it, saying that, if you had known
in this day, even you, the things that belong to peace; but now they are hid from
your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when they shall surround you and
shut you in on every side, and shall dash you to the ground and your children,
and they shall not leave in you one stone upon another, because you knew not
the time of your visitation. And He entered into the temple and began to cast out
those that sold, saying to them, It is written, My house shall be a house of
prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers." It is further to be observed that
what is recorded by the three as having taken place in connection with the Lord's
going up to Jerusalem, when He did these things in the temple, is narrated in a
very similar manner by John as taking place long after this, after another visit to
Jerusalem different from this one. We must consider the statements, and in the
first place that of Matthew, where we read: [ Matthew 21:1 ] "When He drew
near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage over against the Mount of Olives, then
Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them, Go ye into the village over against
you, and straightway you shall find an ass tied and a colt with her; loose them
and bring them to Me. And if any man say unto you, What are you doing? You
shall say, The Lord has need of them, and straightway he will send them. But this
was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Say
ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king comes, meek and seated upon an
ass and upon the colt of an ass. And the disciples went and did as Jesus
commanded them; they brought the ass and the foal, and they placed on them
their garments, and He sat thereon. And the most part of the multitude spread
their garments on the road, but the multitudes that went before Him, and they
that followed, cried, Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He that comes in
the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest." After this comes, "And when He
had entered into Jerusalem the whole city was stirred," which we cited above.
Then we have Mark's account: [ Mark 11:1-12 ] "And when they drew near unto
Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, to the Mount of Olives, He sends two of
His disciples and says to them, Go ye into the village over against you. And
straightway as you enter into it you shall find a colt tied, on which no man has
ever sat, loose it and bring it. And if any one say to you, Why do ye this? Say,
Because the Lord has need of him, and straightway he will send him back hither.
And they went and found the colt tied at the door outside on the road, and they
loose him. And some of them that stood there said to them, What do ye, loosing
the colt? And they said to them as Jesus told them, and they let them go. And
they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast on it their garments. But others cut down
branches from the field and spread them in the way. And they that went before
and they that followed cried, Hosanna, blessed is He that comes in the name of
the Lord; blessed be the kingdom that comes, of our father David! Hosanna in
the highest! And He went into Jerusalem to the temple, and looked round about
on all things, and as it was already evening, He went out to Bethany with the
twelve. And on the morrow when they had come forth from Bethany He was
hungry." Then, after the affair of the withered fig tree, "They came to Jerusalem.
And He went into the temple and began to cast out them that sold." Luke
narrates as follows: [ Luke 19:29 ] "And it came to pass, when He drew near to
Bethphage and Bethany at the mount that is called the Mount of Olives, He sent
two of his disciples, saying, Go ye into the village over against you, in which
when you enter, you shall find a colt tied, on which no man ever has sate; loose
him and bring him. And if any man asks you, Why do ye loose him? You shall
say thus, The Lord has need of him. And the disciples went and found as He said
to them. And when they were loosing the colt its owners said to them, Why loose
ye the colt? and they said, Because the Lord has need of him. And they brought
him to Jesus, and they threw their garments on the colt, and set Jesus thereon.
And as He went, they strewed their garments in the way. And when He was
drawing near, being now at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole
multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for
all the mighty works which they had seen, saying, Blessed is the King in the
name of the Lord; peace in heaven and glory in the highest. And some of the
Pharisees from the multitude said unto Him, Master, rebuke Your disciples. And
He answered and said, I say unto you, If these shall hold their peace, the stones
will cry out. And when He drew near He beheld the city and wept over it," and so
on, as we cited above. John, on the contrary, after giving an account nearly
identical with this, as far as, "And Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and He found in
the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep," gives a second account of an
ascent of the Lord to Jerusalem, and then goes on to tell of the supper in Bethany
six days before the passover, at which Martha served and Lazarus was at table.
"On the morrow, [ John 12:12-15 ] a great multitude that had come to the feast,
having heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees
and went forth to meet Him; and they cried, Hosanna, blessed be the King of
Israel in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, having found a young ass, sat thereon,
as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold your King comes, sitting on
the foal of an ass." I have written out long sections from the Gospels, but I have
thought it necessary to do so, in order to exhibit the discrepancy at this part of
our Gospel. Three of the Gospels place these incidents, which we supposed to be
the same as those narrated by John, in connection with one visit of the Lord to
Jerusalem. While John, on the other hand, places them in connection with two
visits which are widely separated from each other and between which were
various journeys of the Lord to other places. I conceive it to be impossible for
those who admit nothing more than the history in their interpretation to show
that these discrepant statements are in harmony with each other. If any one
considers that we have not given a sound exposition, let him write a reasoned
rejoinder to this declaration of ours.

16. The Story of the Purging of the Temple

 16. The Story of the Purging of the Temple
Spiritualized. Taken Literally, It Presents Some Very
Difficult and Unlikely Features.
We shall, however, expound according to the strength that is given to us the
reasons which move us to recognize here a harmony; and in doing so we entreat
Him who gives to every one that asks and strives acutely to enquire, and we
knock that by the keys of higher knowledge the hidden things of Scripture may
be opened to us. And first, let us fix our attention on the words of John,
beginning, "And Jesus went up to Jerusalem." [ John 2:13 ] Now Jerusalem, as
the Lord Himself teaches in the Gospel according to Matthew, [ Matthew 5:35 ]
"is the city of the great King." It does not lie in a depression, or in a low
situation, but is built on a high mountain, and there are mountains round about it,
and the participation of it is to the same place, and there the tribes of the Lord
went up, a testimony for Israel. But that city also is called Jerusalem, to which
none of those upon the earth ascends, nor goes in; but every soul that possesses
by nature some elevation and some acuteness to perceive the things of the mind
is a citizen of that city. And it is possible even for a dweller in Jerusalem to be in
sin (for it is possible for even the acutest minds to sin), should they not turn
round quickly after their sin, when they have lost their power of mind and are on
the point not only of dwelling in one of those strange cities of Judæa, but even of
being inscribed as its citizens. Jesus goes up to Jerusalem, after bringing help to
those in Cana of Galilee, and then going down to Capernaum, that He may do in
Jerusalem the things which are written. He found in the temple, certainly, which
is said to be the house of the Father of the Saviour, that is, in the church or in the
preaching of the ecclesiastical and sound word, some who were making His
Father's house a house of merchandise. And at all times Jesus finds some of this
sort in the temple. For in that which is called the church, which is the house of
the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, [ 1 Timothy 3:15 ] when are
there not some money-changers sitting who need the strokes of the scourge Jesus
made of small cords, and dealers in small coin who require to have their money
poured out and their tables overturned? When are there not those who are
inclined to merchandise, but need to be held to the plough and the oxen, that
having put their hand to it and not turning round to the things behind them, they
may be fit for the kingdom of God? When are there not those who prefer the
mammon of unrighteousness to the sheep which give them the material for their
true adornment? And there are always many who look down on what is sincere
and pure and unmixed with any bitterness or gall, and who, for the sake of
miserable gain, betray the care of those tropically called doves. When, therefore,
the Saviour finds in the temple, the house of His Father, those who are selling
oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting, He drives them
out, using the scourge of small cords which He has made, along with the sheep
and oxen of their trade, and pours out their stock of coin, as not deserving to be
kept together, so little is it worth. He also overturns the tables in the souls of
such as love money, saying even to those who sell doves, "Take these things
hence," that they may no longer traffic in the house of God. But I believe that in
these words He indicated also a deeper truth, and that we may regard these
occurrences as a symbol of the fact that the service of that temple was not any
longer to be carried on by the priests in the way of material sacrifices, and that
the time was coming when the law could no longer be observed, however much
the Jews according to the flesh desired it. For when Jesus casts out the oxen and
sheep, and orders the doves to be taken away, it was because oxen and sheep and
doves were not much longer to be sacrificed there in accordance with Jewish
practices. And possibly the coins which bore the stamp of material things and
not of God were poured out by way of type; because the law which appears so
venerable, with its letter that kills, was, now that Jesus had come and had used
His scourge to the people, to be dissolved and poured out, the sacred office
(episcopate) being transferred to those from the Gentiles who believed, and the
kingdom of God being taken away from the Jews [ Matthew 21:43 ] and given to
a nation bringing forth the fruits of it. But it may also be the case that the natural
temple is the soul skilled in reason, which, because of its inborn reason, is higher
than the body; to which Jesus ascends from Capernaum, the lower-lying place of
less dignity, and in which, before Jesus' discipline is applied to it, are found
tendencies which are earthly and senseless and dangerous, and things which
have the name but not the reality of beauty, and which are driven away by Jesus
with His word plaited out of doctrines of demonstration and of rebuke, to the end
that His Father's house may no longer be a house of merchandize but may
receive, for its own salvation and that of others, that service of God which is
performed in accordance with heavenly and spiritual laws. The ox is symbolic of
earthly things, for he is a husbandman. The sheep, of senseless and brutal things,
because it is more servile than most of the creatures without reason. Of empty
and unstable thoughts, the dove. Of things that are thought good but are not, the
small change. If any one objects to this interpretation of the passage and says
that it is only pure animals that are mentioned in it, we must say that the passage
would otherwise have an unlikely air. The occurence is necessarily related
according to the possibilities of the story. It could not have been narrated that a
herd of any other animals than pure ones had found access to the temple, nor
could any have been sold there but those used for sacrifice. The Evangelist
makes use of the known practice of the merchants at the times of the Jewish
feasts; they did bring in such animals to the outer court; this practice, with a real
occurrence He knew of, were His materials. Any one, however, who cares to do
so may enquire whether it is in agreement with the position held by Jesus in this
world, since He was reputed to be the Son of a carpenter, to venture upon such
an act as to drive out a crowd of merchants from the temple? They had come up
to the feast to sell to a great number of the people, the sheep, several myriads in
number, which they were to sacrifice according to their fathers' houses. To the
richer Jews they had oxen to sell, and there were doves for those who had vowed
such animals, and many no doubt bought these with a view to their good cheer at
the festival. And did not Jesus do an unwarrantable thing when He poured out
the money of the money-changers, which was their own, and overthrew their
tables? And who that received a blow from the scourge of small cords at the
hands of One held in but slight esteem, was driven out of the temple, would not
have attacked Him and raised a cry and avenged himself with his own hand,
especially when there was such a multitude present who might all feel
themselves insulted by Jesus in the same way? To think, moreover, of the Son of
God taking the small cords in His hands and plaiting a scourge out of them for
this driving out from the temple, does it not bespeak audacity and temerity and
even some measure of lawlessness? One refuge remains for the writer who
wishes to defend these things and is minded to treat the occurrence as real
history, namely, to appeal to the divine nature of Jesus, who was able to quench,
when He desired to do so, the rising anger of His foes, by divine grace to get the
better of myriads, and to scatter the devices of tumultuous men; for "the Lord
scatters the counsels of the nations and brings to naught devices of the peoples,
but the counsel of the Lord abides for ever." Thus the occurrence in our passage,
if it really took place, was not second in point of the power it exhibits to any
even of the most marvellous works Christ wrought, and claimed no less by its
divine character the faith of the beholders. One may show it to be a greater work
than that done at Cana of Galilee in the turning of water into wine; for in that
case it was only soulless matter that was changed, but here it was the soul and
will of thousands of men. It is, however, to be observed that at the marriage the
mother of Jesus is said to be there, and Jesus to have been invited and His
disciples, but that no one but Jesus is said to have descended to Capernaum. His
disciples, however, appear afterwards as present with Him; they remembered
that "the zeal of your house shall devour me." And perhaps Jesus was in each of
the disciples as He ascended to Jerusalem, whence it is not said, Jesus went up to
"Jerusalem and His disciples," but He went down to Capernaum, "He and His
mother and His brothers and His disciples."

17. Matthew's Story of the Entry into Jerusalem.

Difficulties Involved in It for Those Who Take It
Literally.
 Literally.
We have now to take into consideration the statements of the other Gospels
on the expulsion from the temple of those who made it a house of merchandise.
Take in the first place what we find in Matthew. On the Lord's entering
Jerusalem, he says, "All the city was stirred, saying, Who is this?" But before
this he has the story of the ass and the foal which were taken by command of the
Lord and found by the two disciples whom he sent from Bethphage into the
village over against them. These two disciples loose the ass which was tied, and
they have orders, if any one says anything to them, to answer that "the Lord has
need of them; and immediately he will send them." By these incidents Matthew
declares that the prophecy was fulfilled which says, "Behold, the King comes,
meek and sitting on an ass and a colt the foal of an ass," which we find in
Zechariah. [ Zechariah 9:9 ] When, then, the disciples went and did as Jesus
commanded them, they brought the ass and the colt, and placed on them, he
says, their own garments, and the Lord sat upon them, clearly on the ass and the
colt. Then "the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way, and
others cut down branches from the trees and strewed them in the way, and the
multitudes that went before and that followed cried, Hosanna to the Son of
David, blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the
highest." Hence it was that when He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was
moved, saying, Who is this? "and the multitudes said," those obviously who
went before Him and who followed Him, to those who were asking who He was,
"This is the prophet Jesus of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus entered into the
temple and cast out all those that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew
the tables of the money-changers and the seats of them that sold doves: and He
says unto them, It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you
make it a den of robbers." Let us ask those who consider that Matthew had
nothing but the history in his mind when he wrote his Gospel, what necessity
there was for two of the disciples to be sent to the village over against
Bethphage, to find an ass tied and its colt with it and to loose them and bring
them? And how did it deserve to be recorded that He sat upon the ass and the
foal and entered into the city? And how does Zechariah prophesy about Christ
when he says, [ Zechariah 9:9 ] "Rejoice greatly, you daughter of Zion, proclaim
it, you daughter of Jerusalem. Behold your king comes unto you, just is He and
bringing salvation, meek and sitting on an ass and a young foal" ? If it be the
case that this prophecy predicts simply the material incident described by the
Evangelists, how can those who stand on the letter maintain that this is so with
regard to the following part also of the prophecy, which runs: "And He shall
destroy chariots from Ephraim and horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of the
warrior shall be destroyed, and a multitude and peace from the Gentiles, and He
shall rule over the waters as far as the sea, and the rivers to the ends of the
earth," etc. It is to be noted, too, that Matthew does not give the words as they
are found in the prophet, for instead of "Rejoice greatly, you daughter of Zion,
proclaim it, you daughter of Jerusalem," he makes it, "Tell ye the daughter of
Zion." He curtails the prophetic utterance by omitting the words, "Just is He and
bringing salvation," then he gives, "meek and sitting," as in the original, but
instead of "on an ass and a young colt," he gives, "on an ass and a colt the foal
of an ass." The Jews, examining into the application of the prophecy to what is
recorded about Jesus, press us in a way we cannot overlook with the enquiry
how Jesus destroyed chariots out of Ephraim and horse from Jerusalem, and how
He destroyed the bow of the enemy and did the other deeds mentioned in the
passage. So much with regard to the prophecy. Our literal interpreters, however,
if there is nothing worthy of the appearance of the Son of God in the ass and the
foal, may perhaps point to the length of the road for an explanation. But, in the
first place, fifteen stades are not a great distance and afford no reasonable
explanation of the matter, and, in the second place, they would have to tell us
how two beasts of burden were needed for so short a journey; "He sat," it is said,
"on them." And then the words: "If any man say anything unto you, say ye that
the Lord has need of them, and straightway he will send them." It does not
appear to me to be worthy of the greatness of the Son's divinity to say that such a
nature as His confessed that it had need of an ass to be loosed from its bonds and
of a foal to come with it; for everything the Son of God has need of should be
great and worthy of His goodness. And then the very great multitude strewing
their garments in the way, while Jesus allows them to do so and does not rebuke
them, as is clear from the words used in another passage, [ Luke 19:40 ] "If these
should hold their peace, the stones will cry out." I do not know if it does not
indicate a certain degree of stupidity on the part of the writer to take delight in
such things, if nothing more is meant by them than what lies on the surface. And
the branches being cut down from the trees and strewn on the road where the
asses go by, surely they are rather a hindrance to Him who is the centre of the
throng than a well-devised reception of Him. The difficulties which met us on
the part of those who were cast out of the temple by Jesus meet us here in a still
greater degree. In the Gospel of John He casts out those who bought, but
Matthew says that He cast out those who sold and those who bought in the
temple. And the buyers would naturally be more numerous than the sellers. We
have to consider if the casting out of buyers and sellers in the temple was not out
of keeping with the reputation of one who was thought to be the Son of a
carpenter, unless, as we said before, it was by a divine power that He subjected
them. The words addressed to them, too, are harsher in the other Evangelists
than in John. For John says that Jesus said to them, "Make not My Father's house
a house of merchandise," while in the others they are rebuked for making the
house of prayer a den of robbers. Now the house of His Father did not admit of
being turned into a den of robbers, though by the acts of sinful men it was
brought to be a house of merchandise. It was not only the house of prayer, but in
fact the house of God, and by force of human neglect it harboured robbers, and
was turned not only into their house but their den— a thing which no skill, either
of architecture or of reason, could make it.

18. The Ass and the Colt are the Old and the New
Testament. Spiritual Meaning of the Various Features
Testament. Spiritual Meaning of the Various Features
of the Story. Differences Between John's Narrative
and that of the Other Evangelists.
Now to see into the real truth of these matters is the part of that true
intelligence which is given to those who can say, [ 1 Corinthians 2:16 ] "But we
have the mind of Christ that we may see those things which are freely given to us
of God;" and doubtless it is beyond our powers. For neither is the ruling
principle in our soul free from agitation, nor are our eyes such as those of the fair
bride of Christ should be, of which the bridegroom says, [ Song of Songs 1:15 ]
"Your eyes are doves," signifying, perhaps, in a riddle, the observant power
which dwells in the spiritual, because the Holy Spirit came like a dove to our
Lord and to the lord in every one. Such as we are, however, we will not delay,
but will feel about the words of life which have been spoken to us and strive to
lay hold of that power in them which flows to him who touches them in faith.
Now Jesus is the word of God which goes into the soul that is called Jerusalem,
riding on the ass freed by the disciples from its bonds. That is to say, on the
simple language of the Old Testament, interpreted by the two disciples who
loose it: in the first place him who applies what is written to the service of the
soul and shows the allegorical sense of it with reference to her, and in the second
place him who brings to light by the things which lie in shadow the good and
true things of the future. But He also rides on the young colt, the New
Testament; for in both alike we find the word of truth which purifies us and
drives away all those thoughts in us which incline to selling and buying. But He
does not come alone to Jerusalem, the soul, nor only with a few companions; for
many things have to enter into us before the word of God which makes us
perfect, and as many things have to come after Him, all, however, hymning and
glorifying Him and placing under Him their ornaments and vestures, so that the
beasts He rides on may not touch the ground, when He who descended out of
heaven is seated on them. But that His bearers, the old and the new words of
Scripture, may be raised yet higher above the ground, branches have to be cut
down from the trees that they may tread on reasonable expositions. But the
multitudes which go before and follow Him may also signify the angelic
ministrations, some of which prepare the way for Him in our souls, and help in
their adorning, while some come after His presence in us, of which we have
often spoken, so that we need not now adduce testimonies about it. And perhaps
it is not without reason that I have likened to an ass the surrounding voices
which conduct the Word Himself to the soul; for it is a beast of burden, and
many are the burdens, heavy the loads, which are brought into view from the
text, especially of the Old Testament, as he can clearly see who observes what is
done in this connection on the part of the Jews. But the foal is not a beast of
burden in the same way as the ass. For though every lead of the latter be heavy
to those who have not in themselves the upbearing and most lightening power of
the Spirit, yet the new word is less heavy than the old. I know some who
interpret the tied-up ass as being believers from the circumcision, who are freed
from many bonds by those who are truly and spiritually instructed in the word;
and the foal they take to be those from the Gentiles, who before they receive the
word of Jesus are free from any control and subject to no yoke in their unbridled
and pleasure-loving existence. The writers I am speaking of do not say who
those are that go before and who those follow after; but there would be no
absurdity in saying that those who went before were like Moses and the
prophets, and those who followed after the holy Apostles. To what Jerusalem all
these go in it is now our business to enquire, and what is the house which has
many sellers and buyers to be driven out by the Son of God. And perhaps the
Jerusalem above to which the Lord is to ascend driving like a charioteer those of
the circumcision and the believers of the Gentiles, while prophets and Apostles
go before Him and follow after Him (or is it the angels who minister to Him, for
they too may be meant by those who go before and those who follow), perhaps it
is that city which before He ascended to it contained the so-called [ Ephesians
6:12 ] "spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places," or the Canaanites and
Hittites and Amorites and the other enemies of the people of God, and in a word,
the foreigners. For in that region, too, it was possible for the prophecy to be
fulfilled which says, [ Isaiah 1:7 ] "Your country is desolate, your cities are
burned with fire, your land, strangers devour it in your presence." For these are
they who defile and turn into a den of robbers, that is, of themselves the
heavenly house of the Father, the holy Jerusalem, the house of prayer; having
spurious money, and giving pence and small change, cheap worthless coinage, to
all who come to them. These are they who, contending with the souls, take from
them what is most precious, robbing them of their better part to return to them
what is worth nothing. But the disciples go and find the ass tied and loose it, for
it cannot have Jesus on account of the covering that is laid upon it by the law. [ 2
Corinthians 3:14 ] And the colt is found with it, both having been lost till Jesus
came; I mean, namely, those of the circumcision and those of the Gentiles who
afterwards believed. But how these are sent back again after Jesus has ascended
to Jerusalem seated upon them, it is somewhat dangerous to say; for there is
something mystical about it, in connection with the change of saints into angels.
After that change they will be sent back, in the age succeeding this one, like the
ministering spirits, [ Hebrews 1:11 ] who are sent to do service for the sake of
them who will thereby inherit salvation. But if the ass and the foal are the old
and the new Scriptures, on which the Word of God rides, it is easy to see how,
after the Word has appeared in them, they are sent back and do not wait after the
Word has entered Jerusalem among those who have cast out all the thoughts of
selling and buying. I consider, too, that it is not without significance that the
place where the ass was found tied, and the foal, was a village, and a village
without a name. For in comparison with the great world in heaven, the whole
earth is a village where the ass is found tied and the colt, and it is simply called
"the village" without any other designation being added to it. From Bethphage
Matthew says the disciples are sent out who are to fetch the ass and the colt; and
Bethphage is a priestly place, the name of which means "House of Jaw-bones."
So much we have said, as our power allowed, on the text of Matthew, reserving
for a further opportunity, when we may be permitted to take up the Gospel of
Matthew by itself, a more complete and accurate discussion of his statements.
Mark and Luke say that the two disciples, acting on their Master's instructions,
found a foal tied, on which no one had ever sat, and that they loosed it and
brought it to the Lord. Mark adds that they found the foal tied at the door,
outside on the road. But who is outside? Those of the Gentiles who were
strangers [ Ephesians 2:12 ] from the covenants, and aliens to the promise of
God; they are on the road, not resting under a roof or a house, bound by their
own sins, and to be loosed by the twofold knowledge spoken of above, of the
friends of Jesus. And the bonds with which the foal was tied, and the sins
committed against the wholesome law and reproved by it—for it is the gate of
life—in respect of it, I say, they were not inside but outside the door, for perhaps
inside the door there cannot be any such bond of wickedness. But there were
some persons standing beside the tied-up foal, as Mark says; those, I suppose,
who had tied it; as Luke records, it was the masters of the foal who said to the
disciples, Why loose ye the foal? For those lords who subjected and bound the
sinner are illegal masters and cannot look the true master in the face when he
frees the foal from its bonds. Thus when the disciples say, "The Lord has need of
him," these wicked masters have nothing to say in reply. The disciples then bring
the foal to Jesus naked, and put their own dress on it, so that the Lord may sit on
the disciples' garments which are on it, at His ease. What is said further will not,
in the light of Matthew's statements, present any difficulty; how [ Mark 11:15 ]
"They come to Jerusalem, and entering into the temple He began to cast out
them that sold and bought in the temple," or how [ Luke 19:41 ] "When He drew
near and beheld the city He wept over it; and entering into the temple He began
to cast out them that sold." For in some of those who have the temple in
themselves He casts out all that sell and buy in the temple; but in others who do
not quite obey the word of God, He only makes a beginning of casting out the
sellers and buyers. There is a third class also besides these, in which He began to
cast out the sellers only, and not also the buyers. With John, on the contrary,
they are all cast out by the scourge woven of small cords, along with the sheep
and the oxen. It should be carefully considered whether it is possible that the
changes of the things described and the discrepancies found in them can be
satisfactorily solved by the anagogic method. Each of the Evangelists ascribes to
the Word different modes of action, which produce in souls of different tempers
not the same effects but yet similar ones. The discrepancy we noticed in respect
of Jesus' journeys to Jerusalem, which the Gospel now in hand reports quite
differently from the other three, as we have expounded their words, cannot be
made good in any other way. John gives statements which are similar to those of
the other three but not the same; instead of branches cut from the trees or stubble
brought from the fields and strewed on the road he says they took branches of
palm trees. He says that much people had come to the feast, and that these went
out to meet Him, crying, "Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord," and
"Blessed is the King of Israel." He also says that it was Jesus Himself who found
the young ass on which Christ sat, and the phrase, young ass, doubtless conveys
some additional meaning, as the small animal afforded a benefit not of men, nor
through men, but through Jesus Christ. John moreover does not, any more than
the others, reproduce the prophetic words exactly; instead of them he gives us
"Fear not, O daughter of Zion; behold your King comes sitting" (instead of
"mounted" ) "on the foal of an ass" (for "on an ass and a young foal" ). The
words "Fear not, daughter of Zion," are not in the prophet at all. But as the
prophetic utterance has been applied by all in this way, let us see if there was not
a necessity that the daughter of Zion should rejoice greatly and that the greater
than she, the daughter of Jerusalem, should not only rejoice greatly but should
also proclaim it when her king was coming to her, just and bringing salvation,
and meek, having mounted an ass and a young colt. Whoever, then, receives
Him will no longer be afraid of those who are armed with the specious
discourses of the heterodox, those chariots of Ephraim said to be destroyed by
the Lord, [ Zechariah 9:10 ] nor the horse, the vain thing for safety, that is the
mad desire which has accustomed itself to the things of sense and which is
injurious to many of those who desire to dwell in Jerusalem and to attend to the
sound word. It is also fitting to rejoice at the destruction by Him who rides on
the ass and the young foal of every hostile dart, since the fiery darts of the
enemy are no longer to prevail over him who has received Jesus to his own
temple. And there will also be a multitude from the Gentiles with peace [
Zechariah 9:9-10 ] at the Saviour's coming to Jerusalem, when He rules over the
waters that He may bruise the head of the dragon on the water, and we shall
tread upon the waves of the sea and to the mouths of all the rivers on the earth.
Mark, however, writing about the foal, reports the Lord to have said, "On which
never man sat;" and he seems to me to hint at the circumstance that those who
afterwards believed had never submitted to the Word before Jesus' coming to
them. For of men, perhaps, no one had ever sate on the foal, but of hearts or of
powers alien to the Word some had sate on it, since in the prophet Isaiah the
wealth of opposing powers is said to be borne on asses and camels. [ Isaiah 30:6
] "In the distress and the affliction," he writes, "the lion and the lion's cub,
whence also the offspring of flying asps, who carried their riches on asses and
camels." The question occurs again, for those who have no mind but for the bare
words, if according to their view the words, "on which never man sat," are not
quite meaningless. For who but a man ever sits on a foal? So much of our views.

19. Various Views of Heracleon on Purging of the

Temple.
Let us see what Heracleon makes of this. He says that the ascent to
Jerusalem signifies the Lord's going up from material things to the spiritual
place, which is a likeness of Jerusalem. And he considers that the words are, "He
found in the temple," and not "in the sanctuary," because the Lord is not to be
understood as instrumental in that call only, which takes place where the spirit is
not. He considers the temple to be the Holy of Holies, into which none but the
High-Priest enters, and there I believe he says that the spiritual go; while the
court of the temple, where the levites also enter, is a symbol of these psychical
ones who are saved, but outside the Pleroma. Then those who are found in the
temple selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers sitting, he
took to represent those who attribute nothing to grace, but regard the entrance of
strangers to the temple as a matter of merchandise and gain, and who minister
the sacrifices for the worship of God, with a view to their own gain and love of
money. And the scourge which Jesus made of small cords and did not receive
from another, he expounds in a way of his own, saying that the scourge is an
image of the power and energy of the Holy Spirit, driving out by His breath
those who are bad. And he declares that the scourge and the linen and the napkin
and other things of such a kind are symbolic of the power and energy of the Holy
Spirit. Then he assumes what is not written, as that the scourge was tied to a
piece of wood, and this wood he takes to be a type of the cross; on this wood the
gamblers, merchants, and all evil was nailed up and done away. In searching into
the act of Jesus, and discussing the composition of the scourge out of two
substances, he romances in an extraordinary way; He did not make it, he says, of
dead leather. He wished to make the Church no longer a den of robbers, but the
house of His Father. We must here say what is most necessary on the divinity, as
referred to in Heracleon's text. If Jesus calls the temple at Jerusalem the house of
His Father, and that temple was made in honour of Him who made heaven and
earth, why are we not at once told that He is the Son of no one else than the
Maker of heaven and earth, that He is the Son of God? To this house of the
Father of Jesus, as being the house of prayer, the Apostles of Christ also, as we
find in their "Acts," are told [ Acts 5:20 ] by the angel to go and to stand there
and preach all the words of this life. But they came to the house of prayer,
through the Beautiful Gate, to pray there, a thing they would not have done had
they not known Him to be the same with the God worshipped by those who had
dedicated that temple. Hence, too, they say, those who obeyed God rather than
men, Peter and the Apostles, "The God [ Acts 5:29-30 ] of our Fathers raised up
Jesus, whom you slew, hanging Him on a tree;" for they know that by no other
God was Jesus raised from the dead but the God of the fathers, whom Jesus also
extols as the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who are not dead but living.
How, too, could the disciples, if the house was not that of the same God with the
God of Christ, have remembered the saying in the sixty-ninth Psalm, "The zeal
of your house shall devour Me;" for thus it is found in the prophet, and not "has
devoured Me." Now Christ is zealous principally for that house of God which is
in each of us; He does not wish that it should be a house of merchandise, nor that
the house of prayer should be a den of robbers; for He is the Son of a jealous
God. We ought to give a liberal interpretation to such utterances of Scripture;
they speak of human things, but in the way of metaphor, to show that God
desires that nothing foreign should be mixed up with His will in the soul of all
men, indeed, but principally of those who are minded to accept the message of
our most divine faith. But we must remember that the sixty-ninth Psalm, which
contains the words, "The zeal of your house shall devour me," and a little further
on, "They gave Me gall for My drink and for My thirst they gave Me vinegar,"
both texts being recorded in the Gospels, that that Psalm is spoken in the person
of the Christ, and nowhere shows any change of person. It shows a great want of
observation on Heracleon's part that he considers the words, "The zeal of your
house shall devour Me," to be spoken in the person of those powers which were
cast out and destroyed by the Saviour; he fails to see the connection of the
prophecy in the Psalm. For if these words are understood as spoken by the
expelled and destroyed powers, it follows that he must take the words, "They
gave Me vinegar to drink," which are a part of the same psalm, to be also spoken
by those powers. What misled him was probably that he could not understand
how the "shall devour Me" could be spoken by Christ, since He did not
appreciate the way in which anthropopathic statements are applied to God and to
Christ.

20. The Temple Which Christ Says He Will Raise Up

is the Church. How the Dry Bones Will Be Made to
Live Again.
 Live Again.
"The Jews then answered and said unto Him, What sign showest Thou unto
us, seeing that You do these things? [ John 2:18-19 ] Jesus answered and said
unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Those of the
body, and those who incline to material things, seem to me to be meant by the
Jews, who, after Jesus has driven out those who make God's house a house of
merchandise, are angry at Him for treating these matters in such a way, and
demand a sign, a sign which will show that the Word, whom they do not receive,
has a right to do such things. The Saviour joins on to His statement about the
temple a statement which is really one with the former, about His own body, and
to the question, What sign do You do, seeing that You do such things? Answers,
"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He could have
exhibited a thousand other signs, but to the question, "Seeing that You do such
things," He could not answer anything else; He fittingly gave the answer about
the sign connected with the temple, and not about signs unconnected with the
temple. Now, both of these two things, the temple and the body of Jesus, appear
to me, in one interpretation at least, to be types of the Church, and to signify that
it is built of living stones, [ 1 Peter 2:5 ] a spiritual house for a holy priesthood,
built [ Ephesians 2:20 ] on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Christ
Jesus being the head corner-stone; and it is, therefore, called a temple. Now,
from the text, [ 1 Corinthians 12:27 ] "You are the body of Christ, and members
each in his part," we see that even though the harmonious fitting of the stones of
the temple appear to be dissolved and scattered, as it is written in the twenty-
second Psalm that all the bones of Christ are, by the plots made against it in
persecutions and afflictions, on the part of those who war against the unity of the
temple in persecutions, yet the temple will be raised again, and the body will rise
again on the third day after the day of evil which threatens it, and the day of
consummation which follows. For the third day will rise on the new heaven and
the new earth, when these bones, the whole house of Israel, [ Ezekiel 37:11 ] will
rise in the great Lord's day, death having been overcome. And thus the
resurrection of the Saviour from the passion of the cross contains the mystery of
the resurrection of the whole body of Christ. But as that material body of Jesus
was sacrificed for Christ, and was buried, and was afterwards raised, so the
whole body of Christ's saints is crucified along with Him, and now lives no
longer; for each of them, like Paul, glories [ Galatians 6:14 ] in nothing but the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which He is crucified to the world, and
the world to Him. Not only, therefore, is it crucified with Christ, and crucified to
the world; it is also buried with Christ, for we were buried with Christ, Paul says.
[ Romans 6:4 ] And then he says, as if enjoying some earnest of the resurrection,
"We rose with Him," because He walks in a certain newness of life, though not
yet risen in that blessed and perfect resurrection which is hoped for. Either, then,
he is now crucified, and afterwards is buried, or he is now buried and taken
down from the cross, and, being now buried, is to rise at some future time. But to
most of us the mystery of the resurrection is a great one, and difficult of
contemplation; it is spoken of in many other passages of Scripture, and is
specially announced in the following passage of Ezekiel: "And the hand of the
Lord was upon me, and He led me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me in the
midst of the plain, and it was full of human bones. And He led me round about
them in a circle, and behold there were very many on the face of the plain, and
behold they were very dry. And He said to me, Son of man, shall these bones
live? And I said, Lord, Lord, You know. And He said to me, Prophesy to these
bones, and you shall say to them, Hear the word of the Lord, you dry bones;"
and a little further on, "And the Lord spoke to me, saying, Son of man, these
bones are the house of Israel. And they say, Our bones have become dry, our
hope is lost, we have breathed our last." For what bones are these which are
addressed, "Hear ye the word of the Lord," as if they heard the word of the
Lord? They belong to the house of Israel, or to the body of Christ, of which the
Lord says, "All My bones are scattered," although the bones of His body were
not scattered, and not even one of them was broken. But when the resurrection
itself takes place of the true and more perfect body of Christ, then those who are
now the members of Christ, for they will then be dry bones, will be brought
together, bone to bone, and fitting to fitting (for none of those who are destitute
of fitting ([ἁρμονία]) will come to the perfect man), to the measure [ Ephesians
4:13 ] of the stature of the fullness of the body of Christ. And then the many
members will be the one body, all of them, though many, becoming members of
one body. But it belongs to God alone to make the distinction of foot and hand
and eye and hearing and smelling, which in one sense fill up the head, but in
another the feet and the rest of the members, and the weaker and humbler ones,
the more and the less honourable. God will temper the body together, and then,
rather than now, He will give to that which lacks the more abundant honour, that
there may be, by no means, any schism in the body, but that the members may
have the same care for one another, and, if any member be well off, all the
members may share in its good things, or if any member be glorified, all the
members may rejoice with it.

21. That the Son Was Raised Up by the Father. The

Charge Brought Against Jesus at His Trial Was Based
on the Incident Now Before Us.
What I have said is not alien to the passage now engaging us, dealing as it
does with the temple and those cast out from it, of which the Saviour says, "The
zeal of your house shall devour Me;" and with the Jews who asked that a sign
should be showed them, and the Saviour's answer to them, in which He
combines the discourse on the temple with that on His own body, and says,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." For from this temple,
which is the body of Christ, everything that is irrational and savours of
merchandise must be driven away, that it may no longer be a house of
merchandise. And this temple must be destroyed by those who plot against the
Word of God, and after its destruction be raised again on that third day which we
discussed above; when the disciples also will remember what He, the Word, said
before the temple of God was destroyed, and will believe, not only their
knowledge but their faith also being then made perfect, and that by the word
which Jesus spoke. And every one who is of this nature, Jesus purifying him, [
John 15:3 ] puts away things that are irrational and things that savour of selling,
to be destroyed on account of the zeal of the Logos that is in Him. But they are
destroyed to be raised again by Jesus, not on the third day, if we attend to the
exact words before us, but "in three days." For the rising again of the temple
takes place on the first day after it has been destroyed and on the second day,
and its resurrection is accomplished in all the three days. Hence a resurrection
both has been and is to be, if indeed we were buried with Christ, and rose with
Him. And since the word, "We rose with Him," does not cover the whole of the
resurrection, "in Christ shall all be made alive, [ 1 Corinthians 15:22-24 ] but
every one in his own order, Christ the first fruits, then they that are Christ's at
His coming, and then the end." It belongs to the resurrection that one should be
on the first day in the paradise of God, [ Luke 23:43 ] and it belongs to the
resurrection when Jesus appears and says, "Touch Me not; for I am not yet
ascended to My Father," [ John 20:17 ] but the perfection of the resurrection was
when He came to the Father. Now there are some who fall into confusion on this
head of the Father and the Son, and we must devote a few words to them. They
quote the text, [ 1 Corinthians 15:15 ] "Yea, and we are found false witnesses for
God, because we testified against God that He raised up Christ, whom He raised
not up," and other similar texts which show the raiser-up to be another person
than He who was raised up; and the text, "Destroy this temple and in three days I
will raise it up," as if it resulted from these that the Son did not differ in number
from the Father, but that both were one, not only in point of substance but in
point of subject, and that the Father and the Son were said to be different in
some of their aspects but not in their hypostases. Against such views we must in
the first place adduce the leading texts which prove the Son to be another than
the Father, and that the Son must of necessity be the son of a Father, and the
Father, the father of a Son. Then we may very properly refer to Christ's
declaration that He cannot do anything but what He sees the Father doing and
saying, [ John 5:19 ] because whatever the Father does that the Son also does in
like manner, and that He had raised the dead, i.e., the body, the Father granting
Him this, who must be said to have been the principal agent in raising up Christ
from the dead. But Heracleon says, "In three days," instead of "On the third
day," not having examined the point (and yet having noted the words "in three"
), that the resurrection is brought about in three days. But he also calls the third
the spiritual day, in which they consider the resurrection of the Church to be
indicated. It follows from this that the first day is to be called the "earthly" day,
and the second the psychical, the resurrection of the Church not having taken
place on them. Now the statements of the false witnesses, recorded in the Gospel
according to Matthew and Mark towards the end of the Gospel, and the
accusation they brought against our Lord Jesus Christ, appear to have reference
to this utterance of His, "Destroy this temple, and I will build it up in three
days." For He was speaking of the temple of His body, but they supposed His
words to refer to the temple of stone, and so they said when accusing Him, "This
man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it up in three
days," or, as Mark has it, "We heard Him say, that I will destroy this temple
made with hands, and in three days I will build up another temple not made with
hands." Here the high-priest stood up and said to Him, "Answerest Thou
nothing? What do these witness against You? But Jesus held His peace." Or, as
Mark says, "And the high-priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus saying,
Answerest Thou nothing? What do these witness against You? But He held His
peace and answered nothing." These words must, I think, necessarily have
reference to the text now before us.

22. The Temple of Solomon Did Not Take Forty-Six

Years to Build. With Regard to that of Ezra We
Cannot Tell How Long It Took. Significance of the
 Cannot Tell How Long It Took. Significance of the
Number Forty-Six.
The Jews therefore said, "Forty and six years was this temple in building, [
John 2:20 ] and will you raise it up in three days?" How the Jews said that the
temple had been forty-six years building, we cannot tell, if we adhere to the
history. For it is written in the third Book of Kings, [ 1 Kings 5:18 ] that they
prepared the stones and the wood three years, and in the fourth year, in the
second month, [ 1 Kings 6:1 ] when Solomon was king over Israel, the king
commanded, and they brought great precious stones for the foundation of the
house, and unhewn stones. And the sons of Solomon and the sons of Hiram
hewed the stones and laid them in the fourth year, and they founded the house of
the Lord in the month Nisan and the second month: in the tenth year in the
month Baal, which was the eighth month, the house was finished according to
the whole count and the whole plan of it. Thus comparing the time of its
completion with the period of building, the building of it occupies less than
eleven years. How, then, do the Jews come to say that the temple was forty-six
years in building? One might, indeed, do violence to the words and make out the
period of forty-six years at all costs, by counting from the time when David,
after planning about the building of the temple, said to Nathan the prophet, [ 2
Samuel 7:2 ] "Behold I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God dwells in
the midst of the tent," for though it is true that he was prevented, as being a man
of blood, from carrying out the building, he seems to have busied himself in
collecting materials for it. In the first Book of Chronicles, [ 1 Chronicles 29:1-5 ]
certainly, David the king says to all the congregation, "Solomon my son, whom
the Lord has chosen, is young and tender, and the work is great, because he is
not to build for man but for the Lord God. According to my whole power I have
prepared for the house of my God, gold, silver, brass, and iron, wood, stones of
Soom, and stones for filling up, and precious stones of many kinds, and all sorts
of precious wood, and a large quantity of Parian marble. And besides this, for
the pleasure I have taken in the house of my God, the gold and the silver I
possess, lo, I have given it for the house of my Lord, to the full; from such
supplies I prepared for the house of the saints, three thousand talents of gold
from Suphir, and seven thousand talents of stamped silver. that the houses of
God may be overlaid with them by the hands of artificers." For David reigned
seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem; [ 1 Kings 2:11 ] so
that if it could be shown that the beginning of the preparations for the temple and
of David's collecting the necessary material, was in the fifth year of his reign,
then, with some forcing, the statement about forty-six years might stand. But
some one else will say that the temple spoken of was not that built by Solomon,
for that it was destroyed at the period of the captivity, but the temple built at the
time of Ezra, [ Ezra 6:1 ] with regard to which the forty-six years can be shown
to be quite accurate. But in this Maccabean period things were very unsettled
with regard to the people and the temple, and I do not know if the temple was
really built in that number of years. Heracleon pays no attention to the history,
but says that in that he was forty-six years preparing the temple, Solomon was an
image of the Saviour. The number six he connects with matter, that is, the image,
and the number forty, which he says is the tetrad, not admitting of combination,
he connects with the inspiration and the seed in the inspiration. Consider if the
forty cannot be taken as due to the four elements of the world arranged in the
building of the temple at the points at issue, and the six to the fact that man was
created on the sixth day.

23. The Temple Spoken of by Christ is the Church.

Application to the Church of the Statements
Regarding the Building of Solomon's Temple, and the
Numbers Stated in that Narrative.
"But He spoke of the temple of His body. [ John 2:21 ] When, therefore, He
was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this, and they
believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said." This refers to the
statement that the body of the Son is His temple. It may be asked whether this is
to be taken in its plain sense, or whether we should try to connect each statement
that is recorded about the temple, with the view we take about the body of Jesus,
whether the body which He received from the Virgin, or that body of Christ
which the Church is said to be, as we are said by the Apostle [ 1 Corinthians
12:27 ] to be all members of His body. One may, on the one hand, suppose it to
be hopeless to get everything that is said about the temple properly connected
with the body, in whatever sense the body be taken, and one may have recourse
to a simpler explanation, and say that the body (in either of these senses) is
called the temple, because as the temple had the glory of God dwelling in it, so
He who was the image and glory of God, the firstborn of every creature, could
rightly be called, in respect of His body or the Church, the temple containing the
image. We, for our part, see it to be a hard task to expound every particular of
what is said about the temple in the third Book of Kings, and far beyond our
powers of language, and we defer it in the meantime, as a thing beyond the scale
of the present work. We also have a strong conviction that in such matters,
which transcend human nature, it must be the work of divine wisdom to make
plain the meaning of inspired Scripture, of that wisdom which is hidden in a
mystery, which none of the rulers of this world knew. We are well aware, too,
that we need the assistance of that excellent Spirit of wisdom, in order to
understand such matters, as they should be understood by ministers of sacred
things; and in this connection we will attempt to describe, as shortly as we may,
our view of what belongs to this subject. The body is the Church, and we learn
from Peter [ 1 Peter 2:5 ] that it is a house of God, built of living stones, a
spiritual house for a holy priesthood. Thus the son of David, who builds this
house, is a type of Christ. He builds it when his wars are at an end, [ 1 Kings 5:3-
5 ] and a period of profound peace has arrived; he builds the temple for the glory
of God in the Jerusalem on earth, so that worship may no longer be celebrated in
a moveable erection like the tabernacle. Let us seek to find in the Church the
truth of each statement made about the temple. If all Christ's enemies are made
the footstool of His feet, [ 1 Corinthians 15:25 ] and Death, the last enemy, is
destroyed, then there will be the most perfect peace. Christ will be Solomon,
which means "Peaceful," [ 1 Chronicles 22:9 ] and the prophecy will find its
fulfilment in Him, which says, "With those who hated peace I was peaceful."
And then each of the living stones will be, according to the work of his life here,
a stone of that temple, one, at the foundation, an apostle or a prophet, bearing
those placed upon him, and another, after those in the foundation, and supported
by the Apostles, will himself, with the Apostles, help to bear those in more need.
One will be a stone of the inmost parts, where the ark is, and the cherubim, and
the mercy-seat; another will be on the outer wall, and another even outside the
outer wall of the levites and priests, a stone of the altar of whole burnt offerings.
And the management and service of these things will be entrusted to holy
powers, angels of God, being, respectively, lordships, thrones, dominions, or
powers; and there will be others subject to these, typified by three thousand six
hundred [ 1 Kings 5:15-18 ] chief officers, who were appointed over the works
of Solomon, and the seventy thousand of those who bore burdens, and the eighty
thousand stone-cutters in the mountain, who wrought in the work, and prepared
the stones and the wood. It is to be remarked that those reported as bearing
burdens are related to the Hebdomad. The quarrymen and stone-cutters, who
make the stones fitted for the temple, have some kinship to the ogdoad. And the
officers, who are six hundred in number, are connected with the perfect number
six multiplied into itself. The preparation of the stones, as they are taken out and
fitted for the building, extends over three years; this appears to me to point
solely to the time of the eternal interval which is akin to the triad. This will come
to pass when peace is consummated after the number of years of the transaction
of the matters connected with the exodus from Egypt, namely, three hundred and
forty, and of what took place in Egypt four hundred and thirty years after the
covenant made by God with Abraham. Thus, from Abraham to the beginning of
the building of the temple, there are two sabbatic numbers, the 700 and the 70;
and at that time, too, our King Christ will command the seventy thousand
burden-bearers not to take any chance stones for the foundation of the temple,
but great stones, precious, unhewn, that they may be hewn, not by any chance
workmen, but by the sons of Solomon; for so we find it written in the third Book
of Kings. Then, too, on account of the profound peace, Hiram, king of Tyre,
cooperates in the building of the temple, and gives his own sons to the sons of
Solomon, to hew, in company with them, the great and precious stones for the
holy place, which, in the fourth year, are placed in the foundation of the house of
the Lord. But in an ogdoad of years the house is finished in the eighth month of
the eighth year after its foundation.

24. The Account of the Building of Solomon's Temple

Contains Serious Difficulties and is to Be Interpreted
Spiritually.
For the sake of those, however, who consider that nothing further than the
narrative itself is meant to be indicated in these words, it may not be unfitting to
introduce at this point some considerations which they can scarcely withstand, to
show that the words ought to be regarded as those of the Spirit, and that the mind
of the Spirit should be sought for in them. Did the sons of the kings really spend
their time in hewing the great and precious stones, and practise a craft so little in
keeping with royal birth? And the number of the burden-bearers and of the
stone-cutters and of the officers, the duration, too, of the period of preparing the
stones and marking them, is all this recorded as it really was? The holy house,
too, was got ready in peace and was to be built for God without hammer or axe
or any iron tool, that there might be no disturbance in the house of God. And
again I would ask those who are in bondage to the letter how it is possible that
there should be eighty thousand stone-cutters and that the house of God should
be built out of hard white stones without the noise of hammer or axe or any iron
tool being heard in His house while the building was going on? Is it not living
stones that are hewn without any noise or tumult somewhere outside the temple,
so that they are brought ready prepared to the place which awaits them in the
building? And there is some sort of an ascent about the temple of God, not with
angles, but with bends of straight lines. For it is written, [ 1 Kings 6:8 ] "And
there was a winding staircase to the middle, and from the middle to the third
floor;" for the staircase in the house of God had to be spiral, thus imitating in its
ascent the circle, which is the most perfect figure. But that this house might be
secure five ties are built in it, [ 1 Kings 6:10 ] as fair as possible, a cubit high,
that on looking up one might see it to be suggested how we rise from sensible
things to the so-called divine perceptions, and so be brought to perceive those
things which are seen only by the mind. But the place of the happier stones
appears to be that called Dabir, where the ark of the covenant of the Lord was,
and, as I may say, the handwriting of God, the tables written with His own
finger. And the whole house is overlaid with gold; "the whole house," we read, [
1 Kings 6:21 ] "he overlaid with gold until all the house was finished." But there
were two cherubim in Dabir, a word which the translators of the Hebrew Bible
into Greek failed to render satisfactorily. Some, failing to do justice to the
language, render it the temple; but it is more sacred than the temple. Now
everything about the house was made golden, for a sign that the mind which is
quite made perfect estimates accurately the things perceived by the intellect. But
it is not given to all to approach and know them; and hence the veil of the court
is erected, since to most of the priests and levites the things in the inmost part of
the temple are not revealed.

25. Further Spiritualizing of Solomon's Temple-

Building.
It is worth while to enquire how, on the one hand, Solomon the king is said
to have built the temple, and on the other the master-builder whom Solomon sent
and fetched, [ 1 Kings 7:13 ] "Hiram of Tyre, the son of a woman who was a
widow; and he was of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a
worker in brass, and filled with wisdom and understanding, to work all works in
brass; and he was brought in to King Solomon and wrought all his works." Here
I ask whether Solomon can be taken for the firstborn of all creation, [ Colossians
1:15 ] and Hiram for the man whom he assumed, from the constraint of men—
for the word Tyrians means "constrainers" — the man who derived his birth
from nature, and being filled with all manner of art and wisdom and
understanding, was brought in to cooperate with the firstborn of all creation, and
to build the temple. In this temple there are also windows, [ 1 Kings 6:4 ] placed
obliquely and out of sight, so that the illumination of the divine light may enter
for salvation, and— why should I go into particulars?— that the body of Christ,
the Church, may be found having the plan of the spiritual house and temple of
God. As I said before, we require that wisdom which is hidden in a mystery, and
which he alone can apprehend who is able to say, "But we have the mind of
Christ," — we require that wisdom to interpret spiritually each detail of what is
said in accordance with the will of Him who caused it to be written. To enter
into these details is not in accordance with our present subject. What has been
said may suffice to let us understand how "He spoke about the temple of His
body."

26. The Promises Addressed to Jerusalem in the

Prophets Refer to the Church, and are Still to Be
Fulfilled.
After all this it is proper to ask whether what is narrated as having taken
place about the temple has ever taken place or ever will take place about the
spiritual house. The argument may seem to pinch in whichever way we take it. If
we say that it is possible that something like what is told about the temple may
take place with regard to the spiritual house, or has already taken place in it, then
those who hear us will, with difficulty, be brought to admit that a change can
take place in such good things as these, firstly, because they do not wish it, and
secondly, because of the incongruity of thinking that such things admit of
change. If, on the other hand, We seek to maintain the unchangeableness of the
good things once given to the saints, then we cannot apply to them what we find
in the history, and we shall seem to be doing what those of the heresies do, who
fail to maintain the unity of the narrative of Scripture from beginning to end. If
we are not to take the view proper to old wives or Jews, of the promises recorded
in the prophets, and especially in Isaiah, if, that is to say, we are to look for their
fulfilment in connection with the Jerusalem on earth, then, as certain remarkable
things connected with the building of the temple and the restoration of the
people from the captivity are spoken of as happening after the captivity and the
destruction of the temple, we must say that we are now the temple and the
people which was carried captive, but is to come up again to Judæa and
Jerusalem, and to be built with the precious stones of Jerusalem. But I cannot tell
if it be possible that, at the revolution of long periods of time, things of the same
nature should take place again, but in a worse way. The prophecies of Isaiah
which we mentioned are the following: [ Isaiah 54:11-14 ] "Behold I prepare for
your stone carbuncle and for your foundation sapphire; and I will make your
battlements jasper, and your gates stones of crystal, and your outer wall choice
stones; and all your sons shall be taught of the Lord, and in great peace shall
your children be, and in righteousness shall you be built." And a little further on,
to the same Jerusalem: [ Isaiah 60:13-20 ] "And the glory of Lebanon shall come
to you with cypress, and pine, and cedar, along with those who will glorify My
holy place. And the sons of them that humbled you and insulted you shall come
to you in fear; and you shall be called the city of the Lord, Sion of holy Israel,
because you were desolate and hated, and there was none to help you. And I will
make you an eternal delight, a joy of generations of generations. And you shall
suck the milk of the Gentiles and shall eat the riches of kings, and you shall
know that I am the Lord that saves you and the God of Israel that chooses you.
And instead of brass I will bring you gold, and instead of iron I will bring you
silver, and for wood I will bring you brass, and for stones iron. And I will
establish your rulers in peace and your overseers in righteousness. And
wickedness shall no more be heard in your land, nor affliction and distress in
your borders, but your walls shall be called salvation and your gates sculpture.
And the sun shall no longer be to you for light by day, nor shall the rising of the
moon give light to you by night, but Christ shall be to you an everlasting light
and your God your glory. For your sun shall no more go down, and your moon
shall not fail, for your Lord shall be to you an everlasting light, and the days of
your mourning shall be fulfilled." These prophecies clearly refer to the age still
to come, and they are addressed to the children of Israel in their captivity, to
whom He was sent and came, who said, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel." [ Matthew 15:24 ] Such things, though they are captives,
they are to receive in their own land; and proselytes also are to come to them at
that time through Christ, and are to fly to them, according to the saying, [ Isaiah
54:15 ] "Behold, proselytes shall come to you through Me, and shall flee to you
for refuge." And if all this is to take place with the captives, then it is plain that
they must be about their temple, and that they must go up there again to be built
up, having become the most precious of stones. For we find with John in his
Apocalyse, [ Revelation 3:12 ] the promise made to him that overcomes, that he
will be a pillar in the temple of God, and will go no more out. All this I have said
with a view to our obtaining a cursory view at least of the matters pertaining to
the temple, and the house of God, and the Church and Jerusalem, which we
cannot now take up systematically. Those, however, who, in their reading of the
prophets, do not shrink from the labour of seeking after their spiritual meaning,
must enquire into these matters with the greatest particularity, and must take
account of every possibility. So far of "the temple of His body."

27. Of the Belief the Disciples Afterwards Attained in

the Words of Jesus.
"When He was raised from the dead, [ John 2:22 ] His disciples
remembered that He spoke this, and they believed the Scripture and the word
which Jesus had said." This tells us that after Jesus' resurrection from the dead
His disciples saw that what He had said about the temple had a higher
application to His passion and His resurrection; they remembered that the words,
"In three days I will raise it up," pointed to the resurrection; "And they believed
the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said." We are not told that they
believed the Scripture or the word which Jesus said, before. For faith in its full
sense is the act of him who accepts with his whole soul what is professed at
baptism. As for the higher sense, as we have already spoken of the resurrection
from the dead of the whole body of the Lord, we have now to note that the
disciples were put in mind by the fulfilment of the Scripture which when they
were in life they had not fully understood; its meaning was now brought under
their eyes and made quite clear to them, and they knew of what heavenly things
it was the pattern and shadow. Then they believed the Scripture who formerly
did not believe it, and believed the word of Jesus which, as the speaker means to
convey, they had not believed before the resurrection. For how can any one be
said in the full sense to believe the Scripture when he does not see in it the mind
of the Holy Spirit, which God would have us to believe rather than the literal
meaning? From this point of view we must say that none of those who walk
according to the flesh believe the spiritual things of the law, of the very
beginnings of which they have no conception. But, they say, those are more
blessed who have not seen and yet believe, than those who have seen and have
believed, and for this they quote the saying to Thomas at the end of the Gospel
of John, "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed." But it is not
said here that those who have not seen and yet have believed are more blessed
than those who have seen and believed. According to their view those after the
Apostles are more blessed than the Apostles; than which nothing can be more
foolish. He who is to be blessed must see in his mind the things which he
believes, and must be able with the Apostles to hear the words spoken to him,
"Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear," [ Matthew
13:16 ] and "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things
which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things which you hear,
and have not heard them." Yet he may be content who only receives the inferior
beatitude, which says: [ John 20:29 ] "Blessed are they who have not seen and
yet have believed." But how much more blessed are those eyes which Jesus calls
blessed for the things which they have seen, than those which have not attained
to such a vision; Simeon is content to take into his arms the salvation of God,
and after seeing it, he says, [ Luke 2:29-30 ] "Now, O Lord, let Your servant
depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation."
We must strive, therefore, as Solomon says, to open our eyes that we may be
satisfied with bread; "Open your eyes," he says, "and be satisfied with bread."
What I have said on the text, "They believe the Scripture and the word which
Jesus had said unto them," may lead us to understand, after discussing the
subject of faith, that the perfection of our faith will be given us at the great
resurrection from the dead of the whole body of Jesus which is His Holy Church.
For what is said about knowledge, "Now I know in part," [ 1 Corinthians 13:12 ]
that, I think, may be said in the same way of every other good; and one of these
others is faith. "Now I believe in part," we may say, "but when that which is
perfect has come, then the faith which is in part will be done away." As with
knowledge, so with faith, that which is through sight is far better, if I may say so,
than that which is through a glass and in an enigma.

28. The Difference Between Believing in the Name of

Jesus and Believing in Jesus Himself.
"Now, when He was in Jerusalem at the passover, during the feast, many
believed in His name, beholding His signs which He did. But He, Jesus, did not
trust Himself to them, because He knew all (men) and because He needed not
that any should testify of man, for he Himself knew what was in man." One might
ask how Jesus did not Himself believe in those of whom we are told that they
believed. To this we must say it was not those who believed in Him that Jesus
did not trust, but those who believed in His name; for believing in His name is a
different thing from believing in Him. He who will not be judged because of his
faith is exempted from the judgment, not for believing in His name, but for
believing in Him; for the Lord says, [ John 3:18 ] "He that believes in Me is not
judged," not, "He who believes in My name is not judged;" the latter believes,
and hence he is not worthy to be condemned already, but he is inferior to the
other who believes in Him. Hence it is that Jesus does not trust Himself to him
who believes in His name. We must, therefore, cleave to Him rather than to His
name, lest after we have done wonders in His name, we should hear these words
addressed to us which He will speak to those who boast of His name alone. [
Matthew 7:21-23 ] With the Apostle Paul [ Philippians 4:13 ] let us seek joyfully
to say, "I can do all things in Christ Jesus strengthening me." We have also to
notice that in a former passage [ John 2:13 ] the Evangelist calls the passover
that of the Jews, while here he does not say that Jesus was at the passover of the
Jews, but at the passover at Jerusalem; and in the former case when the passover
is called that of the Jews, it is not said to be a feast; but here Jesus is recorded to
have been at the feast; when at Jerusalem He was at the passover during the
feast, and many believed, even though only in His name. We ought to notice
certainly that "many" are said to believe, not in Him, but in His name. Now,
those who believe in Him are those who walk in the straight and narrow way, [
Matthew 7:14 ] which leads to life, and which is found by few. It may well be,
however, that many of those who believe in His name will sit down with
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, the Father's house, in
which are many mansions. And it is to be noted that the many who believe in
His name do not believe in the same way as Andrew does, and Peter, and
Nathanael, and Philip. These believe the testimony of John when he says,
"Behold the Lamb of God," or they believe in Christ as found by Andrew, or
Jesus saying to Philip, "Follow Me," or Philip saying, "We have found Him of
whom Moses and the prophets did write, Jesus the Son of Joseph from
Nazareth." Those, on the other hand, of whom we now speak, "believed in His
name, beholding His signs which He did." And as they believe the signs and not
in Him but in His name, Jesus "did not trust Himself to them, because He knew
all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, because He knew what is
in every man."

29. About What Beings Jesus Needed Testimony.

The words, "He needed not that any should testify of man," may fitly be
used to show that the Son of God is able of Himself to see the truth about each
man and is in no need of such testimony as any other could supply. The words,
however, "He had no need that any should testify of man," are not equivalent to
"He had no need of testimony about any being." If we take the word "man" to
include every being who is according to the image of God, or every reasonable
creature, then He will have no need that any should testify to Him of any
reasonable being whatever, since He Himself, by the power given Him by the
Father, knows them all. But if the term "man" be restricted to mortal animated
reasonable beings, then it might be said, on the one hand, that He had need of
testimony respecting the beings above man, and while His knowledge was
adequate with regard to man it did not extend to those other beings. On the other
hand, however, it might be said that He who humbled Himself had no need that
any should testify to Him concerning man, but that He had such need in respect
of beings higher than men.

30. How Jesus Knew the Powers, Better or Worse,

Which Reside in Man.
It may also be asked what signs those many saw Him do who believed on
Him, for it is not recorded that He did any signs at Jerusalem, though some may
have been done which are not recorded. One may, however, consider if what He
did may be called signs, when He made a scourge of small cords, and cast them
all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen, and poured out the changers'
money, and overthrew the tables. As for those who suppose that it was only
about men that He had no need of witnesses, it has to be said that the Evangelist
attributes to Him two things, that He knew all beings, and that He had no need
that any one should testify of man. If He knew all beings, then He knew not only
men but the beings above men, all beings who are without such bodies as ours;
and He knew what was in man, since He was greater than those who reproved
and judged by prophesying, and who brought to the light the secret things of the
hearts of those whom the Spirit suggested to them to be thus dealt with. The
words, "He knew what was in man," could also be taken as referring to the
powers, better or worse, which work in men. For if any one gives place to the
devil, Satan enters into him; thus did Judas give place, and thus did the devil put
it in his heart to betray Jesus, and "after the sop," therefore, "the devil entered
into him." [ John 13:2-27 ] But if any one gives place to God, he becomes
blessed; for blessed is the man whose help is from God, and the ascent is in his
heart from God. You know what is in man, Thou who know all things, O Son of
God. And now that our tenth book has come to be large enough we will here
pause in our theme.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book I)
Concerning the four Gospels which alone are uncontroverted in the Church
of God under heaven, I have learned by tradition that the Gospel according to
Matthew, who was at one time a publican and afterwards an Apostle of Jesus
Christ, was written first; and that he composed it in the Hebrew tongue and
published it for the converts from Judaism. The second written was that
according to Mark, who wrote it according to the instruction of Peter, who, in his
General Epistle, acknowledged him as a son, saying, "The church that is in
Babylon, elect together with you, salutes you; and so does Mark my son." [ 1
Peter 5:13 ] And third, was that according to Luke, the Gospel commended by
Paul, which he composed for the converts from the Gentiles. Last of all, that
according to John.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book II)
The Unity and Harmony of Scripture.

" Blessed are the peacemakers ...." [ Matthew 5:9 ] To the man who is a
peacemaker in either sense there is in the Divine oracles nothing crooked or
perverse, for they are all plain to those who understand. [ Proverbs 8:8-9 ] And
because to such an one there is nothing crooked or perverse, he sees therefore
abundance of peace in all the Scriptures, even in those which seem to be at
conflict, and in contradiction with one another. And likewise he becomes a third
peacemaker as he demonstrates that that which appears to others to be a conflict
in the Scriptures is no conflict, and exhibits their concord and peace, whether of
the Old Scriptures with the New, or of the Law with the Prophets, or of the
Gospels with the Apostolic Scriptures, or of the Apostolic Scriptures with each
other. For, also, according to the Preacher, all the Scriptures are "words of the
wise like goads, and as nails firmly fixed which were given by agreement from
one shepherd;" [ Ecclesiastes 12:11 ] and there is nothing superfluous in them.
But the Word is the one Shepherd of things rational which may have an
appearance of discord to those who have not ears to hear, but are truly at perfect
concord. For as the different chords of the psalter or the lyre, each of which
gives forth a certain sound of its own which seems unlike the sound of another
chord, are thought by a man who is not musical and ignorant of the principle of
musical harmony, to be inharmonious, because of the dissimilarity of the sounds,
so those who are not skilled in hearing the harmony of God in the sacred
Scriptures think that the Old is not in harmony with the New, or the Prophets
with the Law, or the Gospels with one another, or the Apostle with the Gospel,
or with himself, or with the other Apostles. But he who comes instructed in the
music of God, being a man wise in word and deed, and, on this account, like
another David— which is, by interpretation, skilful with the hand— will bring
out the sound of the music of God, having learned from this at the right time to
strike the chords, now the chords of the Law, now the Gospel chords in harmony
with them, and again the Prophetic chords, and, when reason demands it, the
Apostolic chords which are in harmony with the Prophetic, and likewise the
Apostolic with those of the Gospels. For he knows that all the Scripture is the
one perfect and harmonised instrument of God, which from different sounds
gives forth one saving voice to those willing to learn, which stops and restrains
every working of an evil spirit, just as the music of David laid to rest the evil
spirit in Saul, which also was choking him. [ 1 Samuel 16:14 ] You see, then,
that he is in the third place a peacemaker, who sees in accordance with the
Scripture the peace of it all, and implants this peace in those who rightly seek
and make nice distinctions in a genuine spirit.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book X)
1. The Parable of the Tares: the House of Jesus.

" Then He left the multitudes and went into His house, and His disciples
came unto Him saying, Declare to us the parable of the tares of the field. " [
Matthew 13:36 ] When Jesus then is with the multitudes, He is not in His house,
for the multitudes are outside of the house, and it is an act which springs from
His love of men to leave the house and to go away to those who are not able to
come to Him. Now, having discoursed sufficiently to the multitudes in parables,
He sends them away and goes to His own house, where His disciples, who did
not abide with those whom He had sent away, come to Him. And as many as are
more genuine hearers of Jesus first follow Him, then having inquired about His
abode, are permitted to see it, and, having come, see and abide with Him, all for
that day, and perhaps some of them even longer. And, in my opinion, such things
are indicated in the Gospel according to John in these words, "On the morrow
again John was standing and two of his disciples." [ John 1:35 ] And in order to
explain the fact that of those who were permitted to go with Jesus and see His
abode, the one who was more eminent becomes also an Apostle, these words are
added: "One of the two that heard John speak and followed him was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother." [ John 1:40 ] And if then, unlike the multitudes whom
He sends away, we wish to hear Jesus and go to the house and receive something
better than the multitudes, let us become friends of Jesus, so that as His disciples
we may come to Him when He goes into the house, and having come may
inquire about the explanation of the parable, whether of the tares of the field, or
of any other. And in order that it may be more accurately understood what is
represented by the house of Jesus, let some one collect from the Gospels
whatsoever things are spoken about the house of Jesus, and what things were
spoken or done by Him in it; for all the passages collected together will convince
any one who applies himself to this reading that the letters of the Gospel are not
absolutely simple as some suppose, but have become simple to the simple by a
divine concession; but for those who have the will and the power to hear them
more acutely there are concealed things wise and worthy of the Word of God.

2. Exposition of the Parable.

" After these things He answered and said to them, He that sows the good
seed is the Son of man. " [ Matthew 13:37 ] Though we have already, in previous
sections, according to our ability discussed these matters, none the less shall we
now say what is in harmony with them, even if there is reasonable ground for
another explanation. And consider now, if in addition to what we have already
recounted, you can otherwise take the good seed to be the children of the
kingdom, because whatsoever good things are sown in the human soul, these are
the offspring of the kingdom of God and have been sown by God the Word who
was in the beginning with God, [ John 1:2 ] so that wholesome words about
anything are children of the kingdom. But while men are asleep who do not act
according to the command of Jesus, "Watch and pray that you enter not into
temptation," [ Matthew 26:41 ] the devil on the watch sows what are called tares
— that is, evil opinions— over and among what are called by some natural
conceptions, even the good seeds which are from the Word. And according to
this the whole world might be called a field, and not the Church of God only, for
in the whole world the Son of man sowed the good seed, but the wicked one
tares—that is, evil words—which, springing from wickedness, are children of
the evil one. And at the end of things, which is called "the consummation of the
age," there will of necessity be a harvest, in order that the angels of God who
have been appointed for this work may gather up the bad opinions that have
grown upon the soul, and overturning them may give them over to fire which is
said to burn, that they may be consumed. And so the angels and servants of the
Word will gather from all the kingdom of Christ all things that cause a
stumbling-block to souls and reasonings that create iniquity, which they will
scatter and cast into the burning furnace of fire. Then those who become
conscious that they have received the seeds of the evil one in themselves,
because of their having been asleep, shall wail and, as it were, be angry against
themselves; for this is the "gnashing of teeth." [ Matthew 13:42 ] Wherefore,
also, in the Psalms it is said, "They gnashed upon me with their teeth." Then
above all "shall the righteous shine," no longer differently as at the first, but all
"as one sun in the kingdom of their Father." [ Matthew 13:43 ] Then, as if to
indicate that there was indeed a hidden meaning, perhaps, in all that is concerned
with the explanation of the parable, perhaps most of all in the saying, "Then
shall the righteous shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father," the Saviour
adds, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear," [ Matthew 13:43 ] thereby
teaching those who think that in the exposition, the parable has been set forth
with such perfect clearness that it can be understood by the vulgar, that even the
things connected with the interpretation of the parable stand in need of
explanation.

3. The Shining of the Righteous. Its Interpretation.

But as we said above in reference to the words, "Then shall the righteous
shine as the sun," that the righteous will shine not differently as formerly, but as
one sun, we will, of necessity, set forth what appears to us on the point. Daniel,
knowing that the intelligent are the light of the world, and that the multitudes of
the righteous differ in glory, seems to have said this, "And the intelligent shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament, and from among the multitudes of the
righteous as the stars for ever and ever." [ Daniel 12:3 ] And in the passage,
"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory
of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory: so also is the
resurrection of the dead," [ 1 Corinthians 15:41-42 ] the Apostle says the same
thing as Daniel, taking this thought from his prophecy. Some one may inquire
how some speak about the difference of light among the righteous, while the
Saviour on the contrary says, "They shall shine as one sun." I think, then, that at
the beginning of the blessedness enjoyed by those who are being saved (because
those who are not such are not yet purified), the difference connected with the
light of the saved takes place: but when, as we have indicated, he gathers from
the whole kingdom of Christ all things that make men stumble, and the
reasonings that work iniquity are cast into the furnace of fire, and the worse
elements utterly consumed, and, when this takes place, those who received the
words which are the children of the evil one come to self-consciousness, then
shall the righteous having become one light of the sun shine in the kingdom of
their Father. For whom will they shine? For those below them who will enjoy
their light, after the analogy of the sun which now shines for those upon the
earth? For, of course, they will not shine for themselves. But perhaps the saying,
"Let your light shine before men," [ Matthew 5:16 ] can be written "upon the
table of the heart," according to what is said by Solomon, in a threefold way; so
that even now the light of the disciples of Jesus shines before the rest of men,
and after death before the resurrection, and after the resurrection "until all shall
attain unto a full-grown man," [ Ephesians 4:13 ] and all become one sun. Then
shall they shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

4. Concerning the Parable of the Treasure Hidden in

the Field. The Parable Distinguished from the
Similitude.
" Again the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a
man found and hid. " [ Matthew 13:44 ] The former parables He spoke to the
multitudes; but this and the two which follow it, which are not parables but
similitudes in relation to the kingdom of heaven, He seems to have spoken to the
disciples when in the house. In regard to this and the next two, let him who
"gives heed to reading" [ 1 Timothy 4:13 ] inquire whether they are parables at
all. In the case of the latter the Scripture does not hesitate to attach in each case
the name of parable; but in the present case it has not done so; and that naturally.
For if He spoke to the multitudes in parables, and "spoke all these things in
parables, and without a parable spoke nothing to them," [ Matthew 13:34 ] but
on going to the house He discourses not to the multitudes but to the disciples
who came to Him there, manifestly the things spoken in the house were not
parables: for, to them that are without, even to those to whom "it is not given to
know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," [ Matthew 13:11 ] He speaks in
parables. Some one will then say, If they are not really parables, what are they?
Shall we then say in keeping with the diction of the Scripture that they are
similitudes (comparisons)? Now a similitude differs from a parable; for it is
written in Mark, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or in what
parable shall we set it forth?" [ Mark 4:30 ] From this it is plain that there is a
difference between a similitude and a parable. The similitude seems to be
generic, and the parable specific. And perhaps also as the similitude, which is the
highest genus of the parable, contains the parable as one of its species, so it
contains that particular form of similitude which has the same name as the
genus. This is the case with other words as those skilled in the giving of many
names have observed; who say that "impulse" is the highest genus of many
species, as, for example, of "disinclination" and "inclination," and say that, in
the case of the species which has the same name as the genus, "inclination" is
taken in opposition to and in distinction from "disinclination."

5. The Field and the Treasure Interpreted.

And here we must inquire separately as to the field, and separately as to the
treasure hidden in it, and in what way the man who has found this hidden
treasure goes away with joy and sells all that he has in order to buy that field;
and we must also inquire— what are the things which he sells. The field, indeed,
seems to me according to these things to be the Scripture, which was planted
with what is manifest in the words of the history, and the law, and the prophets,
and the rest of the thoughts; for great and varied is the planting of the words in
the whole Scripture; but the treasure hidden in the field is the thoughts concealed
and lying under that which is manifest, "of wisdom hidden in a mystery," "even
Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." [
Colossians 2:3 ] But another might say that the field is that which is verily full,
which the Lord blessed, the Christ of God; but the treasure hidden in it is the
things said to have been "hidden in Christ" by Paul, who says about Christ, "in
whom are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden." The heavenly things,
therefore, even the kingdom of heaven, as in a figure it is written in the
Scriptures— which are the kingdom of heaven, or Christ— Himself the king of
the ages, are the kingdom of heaven which is likened to a treasure hidden in the
field.

6. The Exposition Continued.

And at this point you will inquire, whether the kingdom of heaven is
likened only to the treasure hidden in the field, so that we are to think of the field
as different from the kingdom, or is likened to the whole of this treasure hidden
in the field, so that the kingdom of heaven contains according to the similitude
both the field and the treasure hidden in the field. Now a man who comes to the
field, whether to the Scriptures or to the Christ who is constituted both from
things manifest and from things hidden, finds the hidden treasure of wisdom
whether in Christ or in the Scriptures. For, going round to visit the field and
searching the Scriptures and seeking to understand the Christ, he finds the
treasure in it; and, having found it, he hides it, thinking that it is not without
danger to reveal to everybody the secret meanings of the Scriptures, or the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ. And, having hidden it, he goes
away, working and devising how he shall buy the field, or the Scriptures, that he
may make them his own possession, receiving from the people of God the
oracles of God with which the Jews were first entrusted. [ Romans 3:2 ] And
when the man taught by Christ has bought the field, the kingdom of God which,
according to another parable, is a vineyard, "is taken from them and is given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof," [ Matthew 21:43 ] — to him who in
faith has bought the field, as the fruit of his having sold all that he had, and no
longer keeping by him anything that was formerly his; for they were a source of
evil to him. And you will give the same application, if the field containing the
hidden treasure be Christ, for those who give up all things and follow Him, have,
as it were in another way, sold their possessions, in order that, by having sold
and surrendered them, and having received in their place from God— their
helper— a noble resolution, they may purchase, at great cost worthy of the field,
the field containing the treasure hidden in itself.

7. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price. The

Formation and Difference of Pearls.
" Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a merchant seeking
goodly pearls. " [ Matthew 13:45 ] There are many merchants engaged in many
forms of merchandise, but not to any one of these is the kingdom of heaven like,
but only to him who is seeking goodly pearls, and has found one equal in value
to many, a very costly pearl which he has bought in place of many. I consider it
reasonable, then, to make some inquiry into the nature of the pearl. Be careful
however to note, that Christ did not say, "He sold all the pearls that he had," for
he sold not only those which one seeking goodly pearls had bought, but also
everything which he had, in order to buy that goodly pearl. We find then in those
who write on the subject of stones, with regard to the nature of the pearl, that
some pearls are found by land, and some in the sea. The land pearls are produced
among the Indians only, being fitted for signet-rings and collets and necklaces;
and the sea pearls, which are superior, are found among the same Indians, the
best being produced in the Red Sea. The next best pearls are those taken from
the sea at Britain; and those of the third quality, which are inferior not only to
the first but to the second, are those found at Bosporus off Scythia. Concerning
the Indian pearl these things further are said. They are found in mussels, like in
nature to very large spiral snail-shells; and these are described as in troops
making the sea their pasture-ground, as if under the guidance of some leader,
conspicuous in colour and size, and different from those under him, so that he
has an analogous position to what is called the queen of the bees. And likewise,
in regard to the fishing for the best— that is, those in India— the following is
told. The natives surround with nets a large circle of the shore, and dive down,
exerting themselves to seize that one of them all which is the leader; for they say
that, when this one is captured, the catching of the troop subject to it costs no
trouble, as not one of those in the troop remains stationary, but as if bound by a
thong follows the leader of the troop. It is said also that the formation of the
pearls in India requires periods of time, the creature undergoing many changes
and alterations until it is perfected. And it is further reported that the shell— I
mean, the shell of the animal which bears the pearl— opens and gapes, as it
were, and being opened receives into itself the dew of heaven; when it is filled
with dew pure and untroubled, it becomes illumined and brings forth a large and
well-formed pearl; but if at any time it receives dew darkened, or uneven, or in
winter, it conceives a pearl cloudy and disfigured with spots. And this we also
find that if it be intercepted by lightning when it is on the way towards the
completion of the stone with which it is pregnant, it closes, and, as it were in
terror, scatters and pours forth its offspring, so as to form what are called
"physemata." And sometimes, as if premature, they are born small, and are
somewhat cloudy though well-formed. As compared with the others the Indian
pearl has these features. It is white in colour, like to silver in transparency, and
shines through as with a radiance somewhat greenish yellow, and as a rule is
round in form; it is also of tender skin, and more delicate than it is the nature of a
stone to be; so it is delightful to behold, worthy to be celebrated among the more
notable, as he who wrote on the subject of stones used to say. And this is also a
mark of the best pearl, to be rounded off on the outer surface, very white in
colour, very translucent, and very large in size. So much about the Indian pearl.
But that found in Britain, they say, is of a golden tinge, but somewhat cloudy,
and duller in sparkle. And that which is found in the strait of Bosporus is darker
than that of Britain, and livid, and perfectly dim, soft and small. And that which
is produced in the strait of Bosporus is not found in the "pinna" which is the
pearl-bearing species of shells. but in what are called mussels; and their habitat
— I mean those at Bosporus— is in the marshes. There is also said to be a fourth
class of pearls in Acarnania in the "pinnæ" of oysters. These are not greatly
sought after, but are irregular in form, and perfectly dark and foul in colour; and
there are others also different from these in the same Acarnania which are cast
away on every ground.

8. The Parable Interpreted is the Light of These

Views.
Now, having collected these things out of dissertations about stones, I say
that the Saviour with a knowledge of the difference of pearls, of which some are
in kind goodly and others worthless, said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man
that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls;" [ Matthew 13:45 ] for, if some of the
pearls had not been worthless, it would not have been said, "to a man seeking
goodly pearls." Now among the words of all kinds which profess to announce
truth, and among those who report them, he seeks pearls. And let the prophets
be, so to speak, the mussels which conceive the dew of heaven, and become
pregnant with the word of truth from heaven, the goodly pearls which, according
to the phrase here set forth, the merchantman seeks. And the leader of the pearls,
on the finding of which the rest are found with it, is the very costly pearl, the
Christ of God, the Word which is superior to the precious letters and thoughts in
the law and the prophets, on the finding of which also all the rest are easily
taken. And the Saviour holds converse with all the disciples, as merchant-men
who are not only seeking the goodly pearls but who have found them and
possess them, when He says, "Cast not your pearls before swine." [ Matthew 7:6
] Now it is manifest that these things were said to the disciples from that which
is prefixed to His words, "And seeing the multitudes He went up into the
mountain, and when He had sat down His disciples came unto Him;" [ Matthew
5:1 ] for, in the course of those words, He said, "Give not that which is holy unto
the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine." [ Matthew 7:6 ] Perhaps,
then, he is not a disciple of Christ, who does not possess pearls or the very costly
pearl, the pearls, I mean, which are goodly; not the cloudy, nor the darkened,
such as the words of the heterodox, which are brought forth not at the sunrise,
but at the sunset or in the north, if it is necessary to take also into the comparison
those things on account of which we found a difference in the pearls which are
produced in different places. And perhaps the muddy words and the heresies
which are bound up with works of the flesh, are the darkened pearls, and those
which are produced in the marshes, not goodly pearls.

9. Christ the Pearl of Great Price.

Now you will connect with the man seeking goodly pearls the saying, "Seek
and you shall find," [ Matthew 7:7 ] and this— "Every one that seeks finds." [
Matthew 7:8 ] For what seek ye? Or what does every one that seeks find? I
venture to answer, pearls and the pearl which he possesses, who has given up all
things, and counted them as loss; "for which," says Paul, "I have counted all
things but loss that I may win Christ;" [ Philippians 3:8 ] by "all things" meaning
the goodly pearls, "that I may win Christ," the one very precious pearl. Precious,
then, is a lamp to men in darkness, and there is need of a lamp until the sun rise;
and precious also is the glory in the face of Moses, and of the prophets also, I
think, and a beautiful sight, by which we are introduced so as to be able to see
the glory of Christ, to which the Father bears witness, saying, "This is My
beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased." [ Matthew 3:17 ] But "that which has
been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect by reason of the
glory that surpasses;" [ 2 Corinthians 3:10 ] and there is need to us first of the
glory which admits of being done away, for the sake of the glory which
surpasses; as there is need of the knowledge which is in part, which will be done
away when that which is perfect comes. [ 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 ] Every soul,
therefore, which comes to childhood, and is on the way to full growth, until the
fullness of time is at hand, needs a tutor and stewards and guardians, in order
that, after all these things, he who formerly differed nothing from a bond-
servant, though he is lord of all, may receive, when freed from a tutor and
stewards and guardians, the patrimony corresponding to the very costly pearl,
and to that which is perfect, which on its coming does away with that which is in
part, when one is able to receive "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," [
Philippians 3:8 ] having been previously exercised, so to speak, in those forms of
knowledge which are surpassed by the knowledge of Christ. But the multitude,
not perceiving the beauty of the many pearls of the law, and all the knowledge,
"in part," though it be, of the prophets, suppose that they can, without a clear
exposition and apprehension of these, find in whole the one precious pearl, and
behold "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ," in comparison with which all
things that came before such and so great knowledge, although they were not
refuse in their own nature, appear to be refuse. This refuse is perhaps the "dung"
thrown down beside the fig tree by the keeper of the vineyard, which is the cause
of its bearing fruit. [ Luke 13:8 ]

10. The Pearl of the Gospel in Relation to the Old

Testament.
"To everything then is its season, and a time for everything under heaven,"
[ Ecclesiastes 3:1 ] a time to gather the goodly pearls, and a time after their
gathering to find the one precious pearl, when it is fitting for a man to go away
and sell all that he has in order that he may buy that pearl. For as every man who
is going to be wise in the words of truth must first be taught the rudiments, and
further pass through the elementary instruction, and appreciate it highly but not
abide in it, as one who, having honoured it at the beginning but passed over
towards perfection, is grateful for the introduction because it was useful at the
first; so the perfect apprehension of the law and the prophets is an elementary
discipline for the perfect apprehension of the Gospel, and all the meaning in the
words and deeds of Christ.

11. The Parable of the Drag-Net.

" Again the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea. " [
Matthew 13:47 ] As in the case of images and statues, the likenesses are not
likenesses in every respect of those things in relation to which they are made;
but, for example, the image painted with wax on the plane surface of wood has
the likeness of the surface along with the colour, but does not further preserve
the hollows and prominences, but only their outward appearance; and in the
moulding of statues an endeavour is made to preserve the likeness in respect of
the hollows and the prominences, but not in respect of the colour; and, if the cast
be formed of wax, it endeavours to preserve both, I mean both the colour and
also the hollows and the prominences, but is not indeed an image of the things in
the respect of depth; so conceive with me also that, in the case of the similitudes
in the Gospel, when the kingdom of heaven is likened unto anything, the
comparison does not extend to all the features of that to which the kingdom is
compared, but only to those features which are required by the argument in
hand. And here, accordingly, the kingdom of heaven is "like a net that was cast
into the sea," not (as supposed by some, who represent that by this word the
different natures of those who have come into the net, to-wit, the evil and the
righteous, are treated of), as if it is to be thought that, because of the phrase
"which gathered of every kind," there are many different natures of the righteous
and likewise also of the evil; for to such an interpretation all the Scriptures are
opposed, which emphasise the freedom of the will, and censure those who sin
and approve those who do right; or otherwise blame could not rightly attach to
those of the kinds that were such by nature, nor praise to those of a better kind.
For the reason why fishes are good or bad lies not in the souls of the fishes, but
is based on that which the Word said with knowledge, "Let the waters bring
forth creeping things with living souls," [ Genesis 1:20 ] when, also, "God made
great sea-monsters and every soul of creeping creatures which the waters
brought forth according to their kinds." [ Genesis 1:21 ] There, accordingly,
"The waters brought forth every soul of creeping animals according to their
kinds," the cause not being in it; but here we are responsible for our being good
kinds and worthy of what are called "vessels," or bad and worthy of being cast
outside. For it is not the nature in us which is the cause of the evil, but it is the
voluntary choice which works evil; and so our nature is not the cause of
righteousness, as if it were incapable of admitting unrighteousness, but it is the
principle which we have admitted that makes men righteous; for also you never
see the kinds of things in the water changing from the bad kinds of fishes into
the good, or from the better kind to the worse; but you can always behold the
righteous or evil among men either coming from wickedness to virtue, or
returning from progress towards virtue to the flood of wickedness. Wherefore
also in Ezekiel, concerning the man who turns away from unrighteousness to the
keeping of the divine commandments, it is thus written: "But if the wicked man
turn away from all his wickednesses which he has done," etc., down to the
words, "that he turn from his wicked way and live;" [ Ezekiel 18:20-23 ] but
concerning the man who returns from the advance towards virtue unto the flood
of wickedness it is said, "But in the case of the righteous man turning away from
his righteousness and committing iniquity," etc., down to the words, "in his sins
which he has sinned in them shall he die." [ Ezekiel 18:24 ] Let those who, from
the parable of the drag-net, introduce the doctrine of different natures, tell us in
regard to the wicked man who afterwards turned aside from all the wickednesses
which he committed and keeps all the commandments of God, and does that
which is righteous and merciful, of what nature was he when he was wicked?
Clearly not of a nature to be praised. If verily of a nature to be censured, of what
kind of nature can he reasonably be described, when he turns away from all his
sins which he did? For if he were of the bad class of natures, because of his
former deeds, how did he change to that which was better? Or if because of his
subsequent deeds you would say that he was of the good class, how being good
by nature did he become wicked? And you will also meet with a like dilemma in
regard to the righteous man turning away from his righteousness and committing
unrighteousness in all manner of sins. For before he turned away from
righteousness, being occupied with righteous deeds he was not of a bad nature,
for a bad nature could not be in righteousness, since a bad tree— that is
wickedness— cannot produce good fruits—the fruits that spring from virtue.
Again, on the other hand, if he had been of a good and unchangeable nature he
would not have turned away from the good after being called righteous, so as to
commit unrighteousness in all his sins which he committed.

12. The Divine Scriptures Compared to a Net.

Now, these things being said, we must hold that "the kingdom of heaven is
likened to a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind, [ Matthew
13:47 ]" in order to set forth the varied character of the principles of action
among men, which are as different as possible from each other, so that the
expression "gathered from every kind" embraces both those worthy of praise and
those worthy of blame in respect of their proclivities towards the forms of
virtues or of vices. And the kingdom of heaven is likened unto the variegated
texture of a net, with reference to the Old and the New Scripture which is woven
of thoughts of all kinds and greatly varied. As in the case of the fishes that fall
into the net, some are found in one part of the net and some in another part, and
each at the part at which it was caught, so in the case of those who have come
into the net of the Scriptures you would find some caught in the prophetic net;
for example, of Isaiah, according to this expression, or of Jeremiah or of Daniel;
and others in the net of the law, and others in the Gospel net, and some in the
apostolic net; for when one is first captured by the Word or seems to be
captured, he is taken from some part of the whole net. And it is nothing strange
if some of the fishes caught are encompassed by the whole texture of the net in
the Scriptures, and are pressed in on every side and caught, so that they are
unable to escape but are, as it were, absolutely enslaved, and not permitted to
escape from the net. And this net has been cast into the sea— the wave— tossed
life of men in every part of the world, and which swims in the bitter affairs of
life. And before our Saviour Jesus Christ this net was not wholly filled; for the
net of the law and the prophets had to be completed by Him who says, "Think
not that I came to destroy the law and the prophets, I came not to destroy but to
fulfil." [ Matthew 5:17 ] And the texture of the net has been completed in the
Gospels, and in the words of Christ through the Apostles. On this account,
therefore, "the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and
gathered of every kind." And, apart from what has been said, the expression,
"gathered from every kind," may show forth the calling of the Gentiles from
every race. And those who attended to the net which was cast into the sea are
Jesus Christ, the master of the net, and "the angels who came and ministered
unto Him," [ Matthew 4:11 ] who do not draw up the net from the sea, nor carry
it to the shore beyond the sea—namely, to things beyond this life, unless the net
be filled full, that is, unless the "fullness of the Gentiles" has come into it. But
when it has come, then they draw it up from things here below, and carry it to
what is figuratively called the shore, where it will be the work of those who have
drawn it up, both to sit by the shore, and there to settle themselves, in order that
they may place each of the good in the net into its own order, according to what
are here called "vessels," but cast without and away those that are of an opposite
character and are called bad. By "without" is meant the furnace of fire as the
Saviour interpreted, saying, "So shall it be at the consummation of the age. The
angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the righteous and
shall cast them into the furnace of fire." [ Matthew 13:49-50 ] Only it must be
observed, that we are already taught by the parable of the tares and the similitude
set forth, that the angels are to be entrusted with the power to distinguish and
separate the evil from the righteous; for it is said above, "The Son of man shall
send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that
cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace
of fire: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth." [ Matthew 13:42 ] But
here it is said, "The angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among
the righteous and shall cast them into the furnace of fire."

13. Relation of Men to Angels.

From this it does not follow, as some suppose, that the men who are saved
in Christ are superior even to the holy angels; for how can those who are cast by
the holy angels into vessels be compared with those who cast them into vessels,
seeing that they have been put under the authority of the angels? While we say
this, we are not ignorant that the men who will be saved in Christ surpass some
angels— namely, those who have not been entrusted with this office— but not
all of them. For we read, "Which things angels desire to look into," [ 1 Peter 1:12
] where it is not said "all" angels. And we know also this— "We shall judge
angels" [ 1 Corinthians 6:3 ] where it is not said "all" angels. Now since these
things are written about the net and about those in the net, we say that he who
desires that, before the consummation of the age, and before the coming of the
angels to sever the wicked from among the righteous, there should be no evil
persons "of every kind" in the net, seems not to have understood the Scripture,
and to desire the impossible. Wherefore let us not be surprised if, before the
severing of the wicked from among the righteous by the angels who are sent
forth for this purpose, we see our gatherings also filled with wicked persons.
And would that those who will be cast into the furnace of fire may not be greater
in number than the righteous! But since we said in the beginning, that the
parables and similitudes are not to be accepted in respect of all the things to
which they are likened or compared, but only in respect of some things, we must
further establish from the things to be said, that in the case of the fishes, so far as
their life is concerned, an evil thing happens to them when they are found in the
net. For they are deprived of the life which is theirs by nature, and whether they
are cast into vessels or cast away, they suffer nothing more than the loss of the
life as it is in fishes; but, in the case of those to whom the parable refers, the evil
thing is to be in the sea and not to come into the net, in order to be cast along
with the good into vessels. And in like manner the bad fishes are cast without
and thrown away; but the bad in the similitude before us are cast into "the
furnace of fire," that what is said in Ezekiel about the furnace of fire may also
overtake them— "And the Word of the Lord came unto me saying, Son of man
behold the house of Israel has become to me all mixed with brass and iron," etc.,
down to the words, "And you shall know that I the Lord have poured My fury
upon you." [ Ezekiel 18:17-22 ]

14. The Disciples as Scribes.

" Have ye understood all these things? They say, Yea. " [ Matthew 13:51 ]
Christ Jesus, who knows the things in the hearts of men, [ John 2:25 ] as John
also taught concerning Him in the Gospel, puts the question not as one ignorant,
but having once for all taken upon Him the nature of man, He uses also all the
characteristics of a man of which "asking" is one. And there is nothing to be
wondered at in the Saviour doing this, since indeed the God of the universe,
bearing with the manners of men as a man bears with the manners of his son,
makes inquiry, as— "Adam, where are you?" [ Genesis 3:9 ] and, "Where is Abel
your brother?" [ Genesis 4:9 ] But some one with a forced interpretation will say
here that the words "have understood" are not to be taken interrogatively but
affirmatively; and he will say that the disciples bearing testimony to His
affirmation, say, "Yea." Only, whether he is putting a question or making an
affirmation, it is necessarily said not "these things" only—which is
demonstrative—not "all things" only, but "all these things." And here He seems
to represent the disciples as having been scribes before the kingdom of heaven; [
Matthew 13:52 ] but to this is opposed what is said in the Acts of the Apostles
thus, "Now when they beheld the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge
of them that they had been with Jesus." [ Acts 4:13 ] Some one may inquire in
regard to these things— if they were scribes, how are they spoken of in the Acts
as unlearned and ignorant men? Or if they were unlearned and ignorant men,
how are they very plainly called scribes by the Saviour? And it might be
answered to these inquiries that, as a matter of fact, not all the disciples but only
Peter and John are described in the Acts as unlearned and ignorant, but that there
were more disciples in regard to whom, because they understood all things, it is
said, "Every scribe," etc. Or it might be said that every one who has been
instructed in the teaching according to the letter of the law is called a scribe, so
that those who were unlearned and ignorant and led captive by the letter of the
law are spoken of as scribes in a particular sense. And it is very specially the
characteristic of ignorant men, who are unskilled in figurative interpretation and
do not understand what is concerned with the mystical exposition of the
Scriptures, but believe the bare letter, and, vindicate it, that they call themselves
scribes. And so one will interpret the words, "Woe unto you Scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites," [ Matthew 23:13 ] as having been said to every one that
knows nothing but the letter. Here you will inquire if the scribe of the Gospel be
as the scribe of the law, and if the former deals with the Gospel, as the latter with
the law, reading and hearing and telling "those things which contain an
allegory," [ Galatians 4:24 ] so as, while preserving the historic truth of the
events, to understand the unerring principle of mystic interpretation applied to
things spiritual, so that the things learned may not be "spiritual things whose
characteristic is wickedness," [ Ephesians 6:12 ] but may be entirely opposite to
such, namely, spiritual things whose characteristic is goodness. And one is a
scribe "made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven" in the simpler sense, when he
comes from Judaism and receives the teaching of Jesus Christ as defined by the
Church; but he is a scribe in a deeper sense, when having received elementary
knowledge through the letter of the Scriptures he ascends to things spiritual,
which are called the kingdom of the heavens. And according as each thought is
attained, and grasped abstractly and proved by example and absolute
demonstration, can one understand the kingdom of heaven, so that he who
abounds in knowledge free from error is in the kingdom of the multitude of what
are here represented as "heavens." So, too, you will allegorise the word, "Repent,
for the kingdom of the heavens is at hand," [ Matthew 3:2 ] as meaning that the
scribes— that is, those who rest satisfied in the bare letter— may repent of this
method of interpretation and be instructed in the spiritual teaching which is
called the kingdom of the heavens through Jesus Christ the living Word.
Wherefore, also, so far as Jesus Christ, "who was in the beginning with God,
God the word," [ John 1:1-2 ] has not His home in a soul, the kingdom of heaven
is not in it, but when any one becomes near to admission of the Word, to him the
kingdom of heaven is near. But if the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of
God are the same thing in reality, if not in idea, manifestly to those to whom it is
said, "The kingdom of God is within you," [ Luke 17:21 ] to them also it might be
said, "The kingdom of heaven is within you;" and most of all because of the
repentance from the letter unto the spirit; since "When one turn to the Lord, the
veil over the letter is taken away. But the Lord is the Spirit." [ 2 Corinthians
3:16-17 ] And he who is truly a householder is both free and rich; rich because
from the office of the scribe he has been made a disciple to the kingdom of
heaven, in every word of the Old Testament, and in all knowledge concerning
the new teaching of Christ Jesus, and has this riches laid up in his own treasure-
house— in heaven, in which he stores his treasure as one who has been made a
disciple to the kingdom of heaven—where neither moth does consume, nor
thieves break through. [ Matthew 6:20 ] And in regard to him, who, as we have
said, lays up treasure in heaven, we may truly lay down that not one moth of the
passions can touch his spiritual and heavenly possessions. "A moth of the
passions," I said, taking the suggestion from the "Proverbs" in which it is
written, "a worm in wood, so pain wounds the heart of man." [ Proverbs 25:20 ]
For pain is a worm and a moth, which wounds the heart which has not its
treasures in heaven and spiritual things, for if a man has his treasure in these—
"for where the treasure is, there will the heart be also," [ Matthew 6:21 ] — he
has his heart in heaven, and on account of it he says, "Though an host should
encamp against me, my heart shall not fear." And so neither can thieves in
regard to whom the Saviour said, "All that came before Me are thieves and
robbers," [ John 10:8 ] break through those things which are treasured up in
heaven, and through the heart which is in heaven and therefore says, "He raised
us up with Him, and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places in Christ," [
Ephesians 2:6 ] and, "Our citizenship is in heaven." [ Philippians 3:20 ]

15. The Householder and His Treasury.

Now since "every scribe who has been made a disciple to the kingdom of
heaven is like a man that is a householder who brings forth out of his treasury
things new and old," [ Matthew 13:52 ] it clearly follows, by "conversion of the
proposition," as it is called, that every one who does not bring forth out of his
treasury things new and old, is not a scribe who has been made a disciple unto
the kingdom of heaven. We must endeavour, therefore, in every way to gather in
our heart, "by giving heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching," [ 1 Timothy
4:13 ] and by "meditating in the law of the Lord day and night," not only the new
oracles of the Gospels and of the Apostles and their Revelation, but also the old
things in the law "which has the shadow of the good things to come," [ Hebrews
10:1 ] and in the prophets who prophesied in accordance with them. And these
things will be gathered together, when we also read and know, and remembering
them, compare at a fitting time things spiritual with spiritual, not comparing
things that cannot be compared with one another, but things which admit of
comparison, and which have a certain likeness of diction signifying the same
thing, and of thoughts and of opinions, so that by the mouth of two or three or
more witnesses [ Matthew 18:16 ] from the Scripture, we may establish and
confirm every word of God. By means of them also we must refute those who,
as far as in them lies, cleave in two the Godhead and cut off the New from the
Old, so that they are far removed from likeness to the householder who brings
forth out of his treasury things new and old. And since he who is likened to any
one is different from the one to whom he is likened, the scribe "who is made a
disciple unto the kingdom of heaven" will be the one who is likened, but
different from him is the householder "who brings out of his treasury things new
and old." But he who is likened to him, as in imitation of him, wishes to do that
which is like. Perhaps, then, the man who is a householder is Jesus Himself, who
brings forth out of His treasury, according to the time of the teaching, things
new, things spiritual, which also are always being renewed by Him in the "inner
man" of the righteous, who are themselves always being renewed day by day, [ 2
Corinthians 4:16 ] and old things, things "written and engraven on stones," [ 2
Corinthians 3:7 ] and in the stony hearts of the old man, so that by comparison of
the letter and by exhibition of the spirit He may enrich the scribe who is made a
disciple unto the kingdom of heaven, and make him like Himself; until the
disciple shall be as the Master, imitating first the imitator of Christ, and after him
Christ Himself, according to that which is said by Paul, "Be imitators of me even
as I also of Christ." [ 1 Corinthians 11:1 ] And likewise, Jesus the householder
may in the simpler sense bring forth out of His treasury things new—that is, the
evangelic teaching— and things old—that is, the comparison of the sayings
which are taken from the law and the prophets, of which we may find examples
in the Gospels. And with regard to these things new and old, we must attend also
to the spiritual law which says in Leviticus, "And you shall eat old things, and
the old things of the old, and you shall bring forth the old from before the new;
and I will set my tabernacle among you." [ Leviticus 26:10-11 ] For we eat with
blessing the old things—the prophetic words—and the old things of the old
things—the words of the law; and, when the new and evangelical words came,
living according to the Gospel we bring forth the old things of the letter from
before the new, and He sets His tabernacle in us, fulfilling the promise which He
spoke, "I will dwell among them and walk in them."

16. Parables in Relation to Similitudes. Jesus in His

Own Country.
" And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed
thence. And coming into His own country. " [ Matthew 13:53-54 ] Since we
inquired above whether the things spoken to the multitude were parables, and
those spoken to the disciples were similitudes, and set forth observations bearing
on this in my judgment not contemptible, you must know that the sentence
which is subjoined, "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these parables,
He departed thence," will appear to be in opposition to all these arguments, as
applying not only to the parables, but also to the similitudes as we have
expounded. We inquire therefore whether all these things are to be rejected, or
whether we must speak of two kinds of parables, those spoken to the multitudes,
and those announced to the disciples; or whether we are to think of the name of
parable as equivocal; or whether the saying, "And it came to pass when Jesus
had finished these parables," is to be referred only to the parables above, which
come before the similitudes. For, because of the saying, "To you it is given to
know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to the rest in parables," [
Matthew 13:11 ] it was not possible to say to the disciples, inasmuch as they
were not of those without, that the Saviour spoke to them in parables. And it
follows from this, that the saying, "And it came to pass when Jesus had finished
these parables, He departed thence," is to be referred to the parables spoken
above, or that the name parable is equivocal, or that there are two kinds of
parables, or that these which we have named similitudes were not parables at all.
And observe that it was outside of His own country He speaks the parables
"which, when He had finished, He departed thence; and coming into His own
country He taught them in their synagogue." And Mark says, "And He came into
His own country and His disciples follow Him." [ Mark 6:1 ] We must therefore
inquire whether, by the expression, "His own country," is meant Nazareth or
Bethlehem—Nazareth, because of the saying, "He shall be called a Nazarene," [
Matthew 2:23 ] or Bethlehem, since in it He was born. And further I reflect
whether the Evangelists could have said, "coming to Bethlehem," or, "coming to
Nazareth." They have not done so, but have named it "His country," because of
something being declared in a mystic sense in the passage about His country—
namely, the whole of Judæa,— in which He was dishonoured according to the
saying, "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country." [ Matthew
13:57 ] And if anyone thinks of Jesus Christ, "a stumbling-block to the Jews," [ 1
Corinthians 1:23 ] among whom He is persecuted even until now, but
proclaimed among the Gentiles and believed in—for His word has run over the
whole world—he will see that in His own country Jesus had no honour, but that
among those who were "strangers from the covenants," [ Ephesians 2:12 ] the
Gentiles, He is held in honour. But what things He taught and spoke in their
synagogue the Evangelists have not recorded, but only that they were so great
and of such a nature that all were astonished. And probably the things spoken
were too high to be written down. Only be it noted, He taught in their
synagogue, not separating from it, nor disregarding it.

17. The Brethren of Jesus.

And the saying, " Whence has this man this wisdom ," [ Matthew 13:54 ]
indicates clearly that there was a great and surpassing wisdom in the words of
Jesus worthy of the saying, "lo, a greater than Solomon is here." [ Matthew
12:42 ] And He was wont to do greater miracles than those wrought through
Elijah and Elisha, and at a still earlier date through Moses and Joshua the son of
Nun. And they spoke, wondering, (not knowing that He was the son of a virgin,
or not believing it even if it was told to them, but supposing that He was the son
of Joseph the carpenter,) "is not this the carpenter's son?" [ Matthew 13:55 ]
And depreciating the whole of what appeared to be His nearest kindred, they
said, "Is not His mother called Mary? And His brethren, James and Joseph and
Simon and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us?" [ Matthew 13:55-56
] They thought, then, that He was the son of Joseph and Mary. But some say,
basing it on a tradition in the Gospel according to Peter, as it is entitled, or "The
Book of James," that the brethren of Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former wife,
whom he married before Mary. Now those who say so wish to preserve the
honour of Mary in virginity to the end, so that that body of hers which was
appointed to minister to the Word which said, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon
you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you," [ Luke 1:35 ] might
not know intercourse with a man after that the Holy Ghost came into her and the
power from on high overshadowed her. And I think it in harmony with reason
that Jesus was the first-fruit among men of the purity which consists in chastity,
and Mary among women; for it were not pious to ascribe to any other than to her
the first-fruit of virginity. And James is he whom Paul says in the Epistle to the
Galatians that he saw, "But other of the Apostles saw I none, save James the
Lord's brother." [ Galatians 1:19 ] And to so great a reputation among the people
for righteousness did this James rise, that Flavius Josephus, who wrote the
"Antiquities of the Jews" in twenty books, when wishing to exhibit the cause
why the people suffered so great misfortunes that even the temple was razed to
the ground, said, that these things happened to them in accordance with the
wrath of God in consequence of the things which they had dared to do against
James the brother of Jesus who is called Christ. And the wonderful thing is, that,
though he did not accept Jesus as Christ, he yet gave testimony that the
righteousness of James was so great; and he says that the people thought that
they had suffered these things because of James. And Jude, who wrote a letter of
few lines, it is true, but filled with the healthful words of heavenly grace, said in
the preface, "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James." [Jude
1] With regard to Joseph and Simon we have nothing to tell; but the saying,
"And His sisters are they not all with us," [ Matthew 13:56 ] seems to me to
signify something of this nature— they mind our things, not those of Jesus, and
have no unusual portion of surpassing wisdom as Jesus has. And perhaps by
these things is indicated a new doubt concerning Him, that Jesus was not a man
but something diviner, inasmuch as He was, as they supposed, the son of Joseph
and Mary, and the brother of four, and of the others— the women— as well, and
yet had nothing like to any one of His kindred, and had not from education and
teaching come to such a height of wisdom and power. For they also say
elsewhere, "How knows this man letters having never learned?" [ John 7:15 ]
which is similar to what is here said. Only, though they say these things and are
so perplexed and astonished, they did not believe, but were offended in Him; as
if they had been mastered in the eyes of their mind by the powers which, in the
time of the passion, He was about to lead in triumph on the cross.

18. Prophets in Their Country.

" But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his
own country. " [ Matthew 13:57 ] We must inquire whether the expression has
the same force when applied universally to every prophet (as if each one of the
prophets was dishonoured in his own country only, but not as if every one who
was dishonoured was dishonoured in his country); or, because of the expression
being singular, these things were said about one. If, then, these words are spoken
about one, these things which have been said suffice, if we refer that which is
written to the Saviour. But if it is general, it is not historically true; for Elijah did
not suffer dishonour in Tishbeth of Gilead, nor Elisha in Abelmeholah, nor
Samuel in Ramathaim, nor Jeremiah in Anathoth. But, figuratively interpreted, it
is absolutely true; for we must think of Judæa as their country, and that famous
Israel as their kindred, and perhaps of the body as the house. For all suffered
dishonour in Judæa from the Israel which is according to the flesh, while they
were yet in the body, as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, as having been
spoken in censure to the people, "Which of the prophets did not your fathers
persecute, who showed before of the coming of the Righteous one?" [ Acts 7:52 ]
And by Paul in the First Epistle to the Thessalonians like things are said: "For
you brethren became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judæa in
Christ Jesus, for you also suffered the same things of your own countrymen even
as they did of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and
drove out us, and please not God, and are contrary to all men." [ 1
Thessalonians 2:14-15 ] A prophet, then, is not without honour among the
Gentiles; for either they do not know him at all, or, having learned and received
him as a prophet, they honour him. And such are those who are of the Church.
Prophets suffer dishonour, first, when they are persecuted, according to
historical fact, by the people, and, secondly, when their prophecy is not believed
by the people. For if they had believed Moses and the prophets they would have
believed Christ, who showed that when men believed Moses and the prophets,
belief in Christ logically followed, and that when men did not believe Christ they
did not believe Moses. [ John 5:46 ] Moreover, as by the transgression of the law
he who sins is said to dishonour God, so by not believing in that which is
prophesied the prophet is dishonoured by the man who disbelieves the
prophecies. And so far as the literal truth is concerned, it is useful to recount
what things Jeremiah suffered among the people in relation to which he said,
"And I said, I will not speak, nor will I call upon the name of the Lord." [
Jeremiah 20:9 ] And again, elsewhere, "I was continually being mocked." [
Jeremiah 20:7 ] And how great sufferings he endured from the then king of
Israel are written in his prophecy. And it is also written that some of the people
often came to stone Moses to death; for his fatherland was not the stones of any
place, but the people who followed him, among whom also he was dishonoured.
And Isaiah is reported to have been sawn asunder by the people; and if any one
does not accept the statement because of its being found in the Apocryphal
Isaiah, let him believe what is written thus in the Epistle to the Hebrews, "They
were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted;" [ Hebrews 11:37 ] for
the expression, "They were sawn asunder," refers to Isaiah, just as the words,
"They were slain with the sword," refer to Zacharias, who was slain "between the
sanctuary and the altar," as the Saviour taught, bearing testimony, as I think, to
a Scripture, though not extant in the common and widely circulated books, but
perhaps in apocryphal books. And they, too, were dishonoured in their own
country among the Jews who went about "in sheep-skins, in goat-skins, being
destitute, afflicted," and so on; [ Hebrews 11:37 ] "For all that will to live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." [ 2 Timothy 3:12 ] And probably
because Paul knew this, "That a prophet has no honour in his own country,"
though he preached the Word in many places he did not preach it in Tarsus. And
the Apostles on this account left Israel and did that which had been enjoined on
them by the Saviour, "Make disciples of all the nations," [ Matthew 28:19 ] and,
"You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judæa and Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth." [ Acts 1:8 ] For they did that which
had been commanded them in Judæa and Jerusalem; but, since a prophet has no
honour in his own country, when the Jews did not receive the Word, they went
away to the Gentiles. Consider, too, if, because of the fact that the saying, "I will
pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh, and they shall prophesy," [ Joel 2:28 ] has
been fulfilled in the churches from the Gentiles, you can say that those formerly
of the world and who by believing became no longer of the world, having
received the Holy Spirit in their own country— that is, the world— and
prophesying, have not honour, but are dishonoured. Wherefore blessed are they
who suffer the same things as the prophets, according to what was said by the
Saviour, "For in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets." [ Luke
6:23 ] Now if any one who attends carefully to these things be hated and
attacked, because of his living with rigorous austerity, and his reproof of sinners,
as a man who is persecuted and reproached for the sake of righteousness, he will
not only not be grieved, but will rejoice and be exceeding glad, being assured
that, because of these things, he has great reward in heaven from Him who
likened him to the prophets on the ground of his having suffered the same things.
Therefore, he who zealously imitates the prophetic life, and attains to the spirit
which was in them, must be dishonoured in the world, and in the eyes of sinners,
to whom the life of the righteous man is a burden.

19. Relation of Faith and Unbelief to the Supernatural

Powers of Jesus.
Following this you may see, " He did not there many mighty works because
of their unbelief. " [ Matthew 13:58 ] We are taught by these things that powers
were found in those who believed, since "to every one that has shall be given
and he shall have abundance," [ Matthew 13:12 ] but among unbelievers not
only did the powers not work, but as Mark wrote, "They could not work." [
Matthew 17:19-20 ] For attend to the words, "He could not there do any mighty
works," for it is not said, "He would not," but "He could not;" as if there came to
the power when working cooperation from the faith of him on whom the power
was working, but this cooperation was hindered in its exercise by unbelief. See,
then, that to those who said, "Why could we not cast it out?" He said, "Because
of your little faith." [ Matthew 14:31 ] And to Peter, when he began to sink, it
was said, "O you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt?" [ Luke 8:45-46 ] But,
moreover, she who had the issue of blood, who did not ask for the cure, but only
reasoned that if she were to touch the hem of His garment she would be healed,
was healed on the spot. And the Saviour, acknowledging the method of healing,
says, "Who touched Me? For I perceived that power went forth from Me." [
Matthew 17:20 ] And perhaps, as in the case of material things there exists in
some things a natural attraction towards some other thing, as in the magnet for
iron, and in what is called naphtha for fire, so there is an attraction in such faith
towards the divine power, according to what is said, "If you have faith as a grain
of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place, and it shall remove." [ Matthew 13:58 ] And Matthew and Mark, wishing
to set forth the excellency of the divine power, that it has power even in unbelief,
but not so great power as it has in the faith of those who are being benefited,
seem to me to have said with accuracy, not that He did not "any" mighty works
because of their unbelief, but that He did not "many" there. [ Mark 6:5 ] And
Mark also does not say, that He could not do any mighty work there, and stop at
that point, but added, "Save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk and
healed them," [ Mark 6:5 ] the power in Him thus overcoming the unbelief. Now
it seems to me that, as in the case of material things, tillage is not sufficient in
itself for the gathering in of the fruits, unless the air cooperates to this end, nay,
rather, He who forms the air with whatever quality He wills and makes it
whatever He wills; nor the air apart from tillage, but rather He who by His
providence has enacted that the things which spring up from the earth could not
spring up apart from tillage; for this He has done once for all in the law, "Let the
earth put forth grass sowing seed after its kind and after its likeness;" [ Genesis
1:11 ] so also neither do the operations of the powers, apart from the faith of
those who are being healed, exhibit the absolute work of healing, nor faith,
however great it may be, apart from the divine power. And that which is written
about wisdom, you may apply also to faith, and to the virtues specifically, so as
to make a precept of this kind, "If any one be perfect in wisdom among the sons
of men, and the power that comes from You be wanting, he will be reckoned as
nothing;" [ Wisdom 9:6 ] or, "If any one be perfect in self-control, so far as is
possible for the sons of men, and the control that is from You be wanting, he will
be reckoned as nothing;" or, "If any one be perfect in righteousness, and in the
rest of virtues, and the righteousness and the rest of the virtues that are from You
be wanting to him, he will be reckoned as nothing." Wherefore, "Let not the wise
man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength," [ Jeremiah 9:23 ]
for that which is fit matter for glorying is not ours, but is the gift of God; the
wisdom is from Him, and the strength is from Him; and so with the rest.
 20. Different Conceptions of John the Baptist.
" At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus and
said unto his own servants, This is John the Baptist. " [ Matthew 14:1 ] In Mark [
Mark 6:14 ] it is the same, and also in Luke. [ Luke 9:7 ] The Jews had different
opinions, some false, such as the Sadducees held about the resurrection of the
dead, that they do not rise, and in regard to angels that they do not exist, but that
those things which were written about them were only to be interpreted
figuratively, but had no reality in point of fact; and some true opinions, such as
were taught by the Pharisees about the resurrection of the dead that they rise. We
must therefore here inquire, whether the opinion regarding the soul, mistakenly
held by Herod and some from among the people, was somewhat like this— that
John, who a little before had been slain by him, had risen from the dead after he
had been beheaded, and was the same person under a different name, and being
now called Jesus was possessed of the same powers which formerly wrought in
John. For what credibility is there in the idea that One, who was so widely
known to the whole people, and whose name was noised abroad in the whole of
Judæa, whom they declared to be the son of the carpenter and Mary, and to have
such and such for brothers and sisters, was thought to be not different from John
whose father was Zacharias, and whose mother was Elisabeth, who were
themselves not undistinguished among the people? But it is probable that the fact
of his being the Son of Zacharias was not unknown to the people, who thought
with regard to John that he was truly a prophet, and were so numerous that the
Pharisees, in order to avoid the appearance of saying that which was displeasing
to the people, were afraid to answer the question, "Was his baptism from heaven
or from men?" [ Matthew 21:25 ] And perhaps, also, to some of them had come
the knowledge of the incident of the vision which was seen in the temple, when
Gabriel appeared to Zacharias. What credibility, forsooth, has the erroneous
opinion, whether of Herod or of some of the people, that John and Jesus were
not two persons, but that it was one and the same person John who rose from the
dead after that he had been beheaded and was called Jesus? Some one might say,
however, that Herod and some of those of the people held the false dogma of the
transmigration of souls into bodies, in consequence of which they thought that
the former John had appeared again by a fresh birth, and had come from the dead
into life as Jesus. But the time between the birth of John and the birth of Jesus,
which was not more than six months, does not permit this false opinion to be
considered credible. And perhaps rather some such idea as this was in the mind
of Herod, that the powers which wrought in John had passed over to Jesus, in
consequence of which He was thought by the people to be John the Baptist. And
one might use the following line of argument. Just as because of the spirit and
the power of Elijah, and not because of his soul, it is said about John, "This is
Elijah which is to come," [ Matthew 11:14 ] the spirit in Elijah and the power in
him having gone over to John— so Herod thought that the powers in John
wrought in his case works of baptism and teaching—for John did not one
miracle, [ John 10:41 ] but in Jesus miraculous portents. It may be said that
something of this kind was the thought of those who said that Elijah had
appeared in Jesus, or that one of the old prophets had risen. [ Luke 9:8 ] But the
opinion of those who said that Jesus was "a prophet even as one of the
prophets," [ Mark 6:15 ] has no bearing on the question. False, then, is the
saying concerning Jesus, whether that recorded to have been the view of Herod,
or that spoken by others. Only, the saying, "That John went before in the spirit
and power of Elijah," [ Luke 1:17 ] which corresponds to the thoughts which
they were now cherishing concerning John and Jesus, seems to me more
credible. But since we learned, in the first place, that when the Saviour after the
temptation heard that John was given up, He retreated into Galilee, and in the
second place, that when John was in prison and heard the things about Jesus he
sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are you He that comes, or look we for
another?" [ Matthew 11:2-3 ] and in the third place, generally that Herod said
about Jesus, "It is John the Baptist, he is risen from the dead," [ Matthew 14:2 ]
but we have not previously learned from any quarter the manner in which the
Baptist was killed, therefore Matthew has now recorded it, and Mark almost like
him; but Luke passed over in silence the greater part of the narrative as it is
found in them.

21. Herod and the Baptist.

The narrative of Matthew is as follows— " for Herod had laid hold on John
and bound him in the prison. " [ Matthew 14:3 ] In reference to these things, it
seems to me, that as the law and the prophets were until John, [ Luke 16:16 ]
after whom the grace of prophecy ceased from among the Jews; so the authority
of those who had rule among the people, which included the power to kill those
whom they thought worthy of death, existed until John; and when the last of the
prophets was unlawfully killed by Herod, the king of the Jews was deprived of
the power of putting to death; for, if Herod had not been deprived of it, Pilate
would not have condemned Jesus to death; but for this Herod would have
sufficed along with the council of the chief priests and elders of the people, met
for the purpose. And then I think was fulfilled that which was spoken as follows
by Jacob to Judah: "A ruler shall not depart from Judah, nor a leader from
Israel, until that come which is laid up in store, and he is the expectation of the
Gentiles." [ Genesis 49:10 ] And perhaps also the Jews were deprived of this
power, the Providence of God arranging for the spread of the teaching of Christ
among the people, so that even if this were hindered by the Jews, the opposition
might not go so far as the slaying of believers, which seemed to be according to
law. "But Herod laid hold on John and bound him in prison and put him away,"
[ Matthew 14:3 ] by this act signifying that, so far as it depended on his power
and on the wickedness of the people, he bound and imprisoned the prophetic
word, and prevented him from continuing to abide a herald the truth in freedom
as formerly. But this Herod did for the sake of Herodias, the wife of his brother
Philip. For John said unto him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." [ Matthew
14:3-4 ] Now this Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituræa and of Trachonitis.
Some, then, suppose that, when Philip died leaving a daughter, Herodias, Herod
married his brother's wife, though the law permitted marriage only when there
were no children. But, as we find nowhere clear evidence that Philip was dead,
we conclude that a yet greater transgression was done by Herod, namely, that he
had induced his brother's wife to revolt from her husband while he was still
living.

22. The Dancing of Herodias. The Keeping of Oaths.

Wherefore John, endued with prophetic boldness and not terrified at the
royal dignity of Herod, nor through fear of death keeping silence in regard to so
flagrant a sin, filled with a divine spirit said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to
have her; for it is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother." For Herod
having laid hold on John bound him and put him in prison, not daring to slay
him outright and to take away the prophetic word from the people; but the wife
of the king of Trachonitis— which is a kind of evil opinion and wicked teaching
— gave birth to a daughter of the same name, whose movements, seemingly
harmonious, pleasing Herod, who was fond of matters connected with birthdays,
came the cause of there being no longer a prophetic head among the people. And
up to this point I think that the movements of the people of the Jews, which seem
to be according to the law, were nothing else than the movements of the
daughter of Herodias; but the dancing of Herodias was opposed to that holy
dancing with which those who have not danced will be reproached when they
hear the words, "We piped unto you, and you did not dance." And on birthdays,
when the lawless word reigns over them, they dance so that their movements
please that word. Some one of those before us has observed what is written in
Genesis about the birthday of Pharaoh, and has told that the worthless man who
loves things connected with birth keeps birthday festivals; and we, taking this
suggestion from him, find in no Scripture that a birthday was kept by a righteous
man. For Herod was more unjust than that famous Pharaoh; for by the latter on
his birthday feast a chief baker is killed; [ Genesis 40:20 ] but by the former,
John, "than whom no one greater has risen among those born of women," [
Matthew 11:11 ] in regard to whom the Saviour says, "But for what purpose did
ye go out? To see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet." [
Luke 7:26 ] But thanks be unto God, that, even if the grace of prophecy was
taken from the people, a grace greater than all that was poured forth among the
Gentiles by our Saviour Jesus Christ, who became "free among the dead;" for
"though He were crucified through weakness, yet He lives through the power of
God." [ 2 Corinthians 13:4 ] Consider also the word in which pure and impure
meats are inquired into; but prophecy is despised when it is brought forward in a
charger instead of meat. But the Jews have not the head of prophecy, inasmuch
as they disown the crown of all prophecy, Christ Jesus; and the prophet is
beheaded, because of an oath in a case where the duty was rather to break the
oath than to keep the oath; for the charge of rashness in taking an oath and of
breaking it because of the rashness is not the same in guilt as the death of a
prophet. And not on this account alone is he beheaded, but because "of those
who sat at meat with him," who preferred that the prophet should be killed rather
than live. And they recline at the same table and also feast along with the evil
word which reigns over the Jews, who make merry over his birth. At times you
may make a graceful application of the passage to those who swear rashly and
wish to hold fast oaths which are taken with a view to unlawful deeds, by saying
that not every keeping of oaths is seemly, just as the keeping of the oath of
Herod was not. And mark, further, that not openly but secretly and in prison
does Herod put John to death. For even the present word of the Jews does not
openly deny the prophecies, but virtually and in secret denies them, and is
convicted of disbelieving them. For as "if they believed Moses they would have
believed Jesus," [ John 5:46 ] so if they had believed the prophets they would
have received Him who had been the subject of prophecy. But disbelieving Him
they also disbelieve them, and cut off and confine in prison the prophetic word,
and hold it dead and divided, and in no way wholesome, since they do not
understand it. But we have the whole Jesus, the prophecy concerning Him being
fulfilled which said, "A bone shall not be broken."

23. The Withdrawal of Jesus.

And the disciples of John having come bury his remains, and " they went
and told Jesus. " [ Matthew 14:12 ] And He withdrew to a desert place—that is,
the Gentiles— and after the killing of the prophet multitudes followed Him from
the cities everywhere; seeing which to be great He had compassion on them, and
healed their sick; and afterwards with the loaves which were blessed and
multiplied from a few loaves He feeds those who followed Him. " Now when
Jesus heard it He withdrew thence in a boat to a desert place apart. " [ Matthew
14:13 ] The letter teaches us to withdraw as far as it is in our power from those
who persecute us, and from expected conspiracies through words; for this would
be to act according to prudence; and, when one can keep outside of critical
positions, to go to meet them is rash and headstrong. For who would still hesitate
about avoiding such things, when not only did Jesus retreat in view of what
happened to John, but also taught and said, "If they persecute you in this city,
flee ye into the other" ? [ Matthew 10:23 ] When a temptation comes which is
not in our power to avoid, we must endure it with exceeding nobleness and
courage; but, when it is in our power to avoid it, not to do so is rash. But since
after the letter we must also investigate the place according to the mystical
meaning, we must say that, when prophecy was plotted against among the Jews
and destroyed, because of their giving honour to matters of birthdays, and in
respect of their reception of vain movements which, though conceived by the
ruler of the wicked and those who feast along with him to be regular and
pleasing to them, were irregular and out of tune, if truth be umpire, then Jesus
withdraws from the place in which prophecy was attacked and condemned; and
He withdraws to the place which had been barren of God among the Gentiles, in
order that the Word of God, when the kingdom was taken from the Jews and
"given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof," [ Matthew 21:43 ] might be
among the Gentiles; and, on account of it, "the children of the desolate one,"
who had not been instructed either in the law or the prophets, "might be more
than of her who has the husband," that is, the law. When, then, the word was of
old among the Jews, it was not so among them as it is among the Gentiles;
wherefore it is said that, "in a boat," — that is, in the body— He went to the
desert place apart, when He heard about the killing of the prophet. And, having
come into the desert place apart, He was in it, because that the Word dwelt apart,
and His teaching was contrary to the customs and usages which obtained among
the Gentiles. And the crowds among the Gentiles, when they heard that Jesus
had come to stay in their desert, and that He was apart, as we have already
reported, followed Him from their own cities, because each had left the
superstitious customs of his fathers and come to the law of Christ. And by land
they followed Him, and not in a boat, inasmuch as not with the body but with the
soul only, and with the resolution to which they had been persuaded by the
Word, they followed the Image of God. And to them Jesus comes out, as they
were not able to go to Him, in order that, having gone to those who were
without, He might lead within those who were without. And great is the crowd
without to whom the Word of God goes out, and, having poured out upon it the
light of His "visitation," beholds it; and, seeing that they were rather deserving
of being pitied, because they were in such circumstances, as a lover of men He
who was impassible suffered the emotion of pity, and not only had pity but
healed their sick, who had sicknesses diverse and of every kind arising from
their wickedness.

24. The Diverse Forms of Spiritual Sickness.

And, if you wish to see of what nature are the sicknesses of the soul,
contemplate with me the lovers of money, and the lovers of ambition, and the
lovers of boys, and if any be fond of women; for these also beholding among the
crowds and taking compassion upon them, He healed. For not every sin is to be
considered a sickness, but that which has settled down in the whole soul. For so
you may see the lovers of money wholly intent on money and upon preserving
and gathering it, the lovers of ambition wholly intent on a little glory, for they
gape for praise from the masses and the vulgar; and analogously you will
understand in the case of the rest which we have named, and if there be any
other like to them. Since, then, when expounding the words, "He healed their
sick," [ Matthew 14:14 ] we said that not every sin is a sickness, it is fitting to
discuss from the Scripture the difference of these. The Apostle indeed says,
writing to the Corinthians who had diverse sicknesses, "For this cause many
among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." [ 1 Corinthians 11:30 ]
Hear Him in these words, knitting a band and making it plaited of different sins,
according as some are weak, and others sickly more than weak, and others, in
comparison with both, are asleep. For some, because of impotence of soul,
having a tendency to slip into any sin whatever, although they may not be
wholly in the grasp of any form of sin, as the sickly are, are only weak; but
others who, instead of loving God "with all their soul and all their heart and all
their mind," love money, or a little glory, or wife, or children, are suffering from
something worse than weakness, and are sickly. And those who sleep are those
who, when they ought to be taking heed and watching with the soul, are not
doing this, but by reason of great want of attention are nodding in resolution and
are drowsy in their reflections, such as "in their dreamings defile the flesh, and
set at naught that which is highest in authority, and rail at dignities." [Jude 8]
And these, because they are asleep, live in an atmosphere of vain and dream-like
fancies concerning realities, not admitting the things which are actually true, but
deceived by what appears in their vain imaginations, in regard to whom it is said
in Isaiah, "Like as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but when he
has risen up is still thirsty, and his soul has cherished a vain hope, so shall be
the wealth of all the nations as many as have warred in Jerusalem." If, then, we
have seemed to make a digression in recounting the difference between the weak
and the sickly and those that sleep, because of that which the Apostle said in the
letter to the Corinthians which we have expounded, we have made the digression
in our desire to represent what is meant to be understood by the saying, "And He
healed their sick." [ Matthew 14:14 ]

25. Healing Precedes Participation in the Loaves of

Jesus.
After this the word says, " And when even had come, His disciples came to
Him, saying, The place is desert and the time is already past; send, therefore, the
multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food. " [
Matthew 14:15 ] And first observe that when about to give to the disciples the
loaves of blessing, that they might set them before the multitudes, He healed the
sick, in order that, having been restored to health, they might participate in the
loaves of blessing; for while they are yet sickly, they are not able to receive the
loaves of the blessing of Jesus. But if any one, when he ought to listen to the
precept, "But let each prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread," etc., [ 1
Corinthians 11:28 ] does not obey these words, but in haphazard fashion
participates in the bread of the Lord and His cup, he becomes weak or sickly, or
even— if I may use the expression— on account of being stupefied by the power
of the bread, asleep.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book XI)
1. Introduction to the Feeding of the Five Thousand.

" And when even had come His disciples came to Him ," [ Matthew 14:15 ]
that is, at the consummation of the age in regard to which we may fitly say what
is found in the Epistle of John, "It is the last hour." [ 1 John 2:18 ] They, not yet
understanding what the Word was about to do, say to Him, "The place is desert,"
[ Matthew 14:15 ] seeing the desert condition of the masses in respect of God
and the Law and the Word; but they say to Him, "The time is past," [ Matthew
14:15 ] as if the fitting season of the law and prophets had passed. Perhaps they
spoke this saying, in reference to the word of Jesus, that because of the
beheading of John both the law and the prophets who were until John had
ceased. [ Luke 16:16 ] "The time is past," therefore they say, and no food is at
hand, because the season of it is no longer present, that those who have followed
You in the desert may serve the law and the prophets. And, further, the disciples
say, "Send them away," [ Matthew 14:15 ] that each one may buy food, if he
cannot from the cities, at least from the villages—places more ignoble. Such
things the disciples said, because, after the letter of the law had been abrogated
and prophecies had ceased, they despaired of unexpected and new food being
found for the multitudes. But see what Jesus answers to the disciples though He
does not cry out and plainly say it: "You suppose that, if the great multitude go
away from Me in need of food, they will find it in villages rather than with Me,
and among bodies of men, not of citizens but of villagers, rather than by abiding
with Me. But I declare unto you, that in regard to that of which you suppose they
are in need they are not in need, for they have no need to go away; but in regard
to that of which you think they have no need— that is, of Me— as if I could not
feed them, of this contrary to your expectation they have need. Since, then, I
have trained you, and made you fit to give rational food to them who are in need
of it, give ye to the crowds who have followed Me to eat; for you have the power,
which you have received from Me, of giving the multitudes to eat; and if you had
attended to this, you would have understood that I am far more able to feed
them, and you would not have said, 'Send the multitudes away that they may go
and buy food for themselves.'" [ Matthew 14:15 ]

2. Exposition of the Details of the Miracle.

Jesus, then, because of the power which He gave to the disciples, even the
power of nourishing others, said, Give ye them to eat. [ Matthew 14:16 ] But
(not denying that they can give loaves, but thinking that there were much too
few and not sufficient to feed those who followed Jesus, and not considering that
when Jesus takes each loaf— the Word— He extends it as far as He wills, and
makes it suffice for all whomsoever He desires to nourish), the disciples say, We
have here but five loaves and two fishes. [ Matthew 14:17 ] Perhaps by the five
loaves they meant to make a veiled reference to the sensible words of the
Scriptures, corresponding in number on this account to the five senses, but by
the two fishes either to the word expressed and the word conceived, which are a
relish, so to speak, to the sensible things contained in the Scriptures; or, perhaps,
to the word which had come to them about the Father and the Son. Wherefore
also after His resurrection He ate of a broiled fish, [ Luke 24:42-43 ] having
taken a part from the disciples, and having received that theology about the
Father which they were in part able to declare to Him. Such is the contribution
we have been able to give to the exposition of the word about the five loaves and
the two fishes; and probably those, who are better able than we to gather
together the five loaves and the two fishes among themselves, would be able to
give a fuller and better interpretation of their meaning. It must be observed,
however, that while in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the disciples say that they
have the five loaves and the two fishes, without indicating whether they were
wheaten or of barley, John alone says, that the loaves were barley loaves. [ John
6:9 ] Wherefore, perhaps, in the Gospel of John the disciples do not
acknowledge that the loaves are with them, but say in John, "There is a lad here
who has five barley loaves and two fishes." [ John 6:9 ] And so long as these five
loaves and two fishes were not carried by the disciples of Jesus, they did not
increase or multiply, nor were they able to nourish more; but, when the Saviour
took them, and in the first placed looked up to heaven, with the rays of His eyes,
as it were, drawing down from it power which was to be mingled with the loaves
and the fishes which were about to feed the five thousand; and after this blessed
the five loaves and the two fishes, increasing and multiplying them by the word
and the blessing; and in the third place dividing and breaking He gave to the
disciples that they might set them before the multitudes, then the loaves and the
fishes were sufficient, so that all ate and were satisfied, and some portions of the
loaves which had been blessed they were unable to eat. For so much remained
over to the multitudes, which was not according to the capacity of the multitudes
but of the disciples who were able to take up that which remained over of the
broken pieces, and to place it in baskets filled with that which remained over,
which were in number so many as the tribes of Israel. Concerning Joseph, then,
it is written in the Psalms, "His hands served in the basket," but about the
disciples of Jesus that they took up that which remained over of the broken
pieces twelve baskets, twelve baskets, I take it, not half-full but filled. And there
are, I think, up to the present time, and will be until the consummation of the age
with the disciples of Jesus, who are superior to the multitudes, the twelve
baskets, filled with the broken pieces of living bread which the multitudes
cannot eat. Now those who ate of the five loaves which existed before the twelve
baskets that remained over, were kindred in nature to the number five; for those
who ate had reached the stage of sensible things, since also they were nourished
by Him who looked up to heaven and blessed and broke them, and were not boys
nor women, but men. For there are, I think, even in sensible foods differences, so
that some of them belong to those who "have put away childish things," [ 1
Corinthians 13:11 ] and some to those who are still babes and carnal in Christ.

3. The Exposition of Details Continued. The Sitting

Down on the Grass. The Division into Companies.
We have spoken these things because of the words, " They that ate were
five thousand men, beside children and women ," [ Matthew 14:21 ] which is an
ambiguous expression; for either those who ate were five thousand men, and
among those who ate there was no child or woman; or the men only were five
thousand, the children and the women not being reckoned. Some, then, as we
have said by anticipation, have so understood the passage that neither children
nor women were present, when the increase and multiplication of the five loaves
and the two fishes took place. But some one might say that, while many ate and
according to their desert and capacity participated in the loaves of blessing, some
worthy to be numbered, corresponding to the men of twenty years old who are
numbered in the Book of Numbers, [ Numbers 1:3 ] were Israelitish men, but
others who were not worthy of such account and numbering were children and
women. Moreover, interpret with me allegorically the children in accordance
with the passage, "I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto
carnal, as unto babes in Christ;" [ 1 Corinthians 3:1 ] and the women in
accordance with the saying, "I wish to present you all as a pure virgin to
Christ;" [ 2 Corinthians 11:2 ] and the men according to the saying, "When I
have become a man I have put away childish things." [ 1 Corinthians 13:11 ] Let
us not pass by without exposition the words, " He commanded the multitudes to
sit down on the grass, and He look the five loaves and the two fishes, and
looking up to heaven, He blessed, and broke, and gave the loaves to the
disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. And they did all eat. " [ Matthew
14:19-20 ] For what is meant by the words, "And He commanded all the
multitudes to sit down on the grass?" And what are we to understand in the
passage worthy of the command of Jesus? Now, I think that He commanded the
multitudes to sit down on the grass because of what is said in Isaiah, "All flesh is
grass;" [ Isaiah 40:6 ] that is to say, He commanded them to put the flesh under,
and to keep in subjection "the mind of the flesh," [ Romans 8:6 ] that so any one
might be able to partake of the loaves which Jesus blesses. Then since there are
different orders of those who need the food which Jesus supplies and all are not
nourished by equal words, on this account I think that Mark has written, "And
He commanded them that they should all sit down by companies upon the green
grass; and they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties;" [ Mark 6:39-40 ]
but Luke, "And He said unto His disciples, Make them sit down in companies
about fifty each." [ Luke 9:14 ] For it was necessary that those who were to find
rest in the food of Jesus should either be in the order of the hundred— the sacred
number— which is consecrated to God, because of the unit, (in it) or in the order
of the fifty— the number which embraces the remission of sins, in accordance
with the mystery of the Jubilee which took place every fifty years, and of the
feast at Pentecost. And I think that the twelve baskets were in the possession of
the disciples to whom it was said "You shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the
twelve tribes of Israel." [ Matthew 19:28 ] And as the throne of him who judges
the tribe of Reuben might be said to be a mystery, and the throne of him who
judges the tribe of Simeon, and another of him who judges the tribe of Judah,
and so on with the others; so there might be a basket of the food of Reuben, and
another of Simeon, and another of Levi. But it is not in accordance with our
present discourse now to digress so far from the subject in hand as to collect
what is said about the twelve tribes, and separately what is said about each of
them, and to say what each tribe of Israel may signify.

4. The Multitudes and the Disciples Contrasted.

" And straightway He constrained the disciples to enter into the boat, and
to go before Him unto the other side, till He should send the multitudes away. " [
Matthew 14:22 ] It should be observed how often in the same passages is
mentioned the word, "the multitudes," and another word, "the disciples," so that
by observing and bringing together the passages about this matter it may be seen
that the aim of the Evangelists was to represent by means of the Gospel history
the differences of those who come to Jesus; of whom some are the multitudes
and are not called disciples, and others are the disciples who are better than the
multitudes. It is sufficient, however, for the present, for us to set forth a few
sayings, so that any one who is moved by them may do the like with the whole
of the Gospels. It is written then— as if the multitudes were below, but the
disciples were able to come to Jesus when He went up into the mountain, where
the multitudes were not able to be— as follows: "And seeing the multitudes He
went up into the mountain, and when He had sat down His disciples came unto
Him; and He opened His mouth and taught them saying, Blessed are the poor in
spirit," etc. [ Matthew 5:1-3 ] And again in another place, as the multitudes stood
in need of healing, it is said, "Many multitudes followed Him and He healed
them." [ Matthew 12:15 ] We do not find any healing recorded of the disciples;
since if any one is already a disciple of Jesus he is whole, and being well he
needs Jesus not as a physician but in respect of His other powers. Again in
another place, when He was speaking to the multitudes, His mother and His
brethren stood without, seeking to speak to Him; this was made known to Him
by some one to whom He answered, stretching forth His hand not towards the
multitudes but towards the disciples, and said, "Behold My mother and My
brethren," [ Matthew 14:46-49 ] and bearing testimony to the disciples as doing
the will of the Father which is in heaven, He added, "He is My brother and sister
and mother." [ Matthew 14:50 ] And again in another place it is written, "All the
multitude stood on the beach and He spoke to them many things in parables." [
Matthew 13:2-3 ] Then after the parable of the sowing, it was no longer the
multitudes but the disciples who came and said to Him, not "Why do you speak
to us in parables," but, "Why do you speak to them in parables." [ Matthew
13:10 ] Then also He answered and said, not to the multitudes but to the
disciples, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but
to the rest in parables." [ Matthew 13:11 ] Accordingly, of those who come to
the name of Jesus some, who know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
would be called disciples; but those to whom such a privilege is not given would
be called multitudes, who would be spoken of as inferior to the disciples. For
observe carefully that He said to the disciples, "To you it is given to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," but about the multitudes, "To them it is not
given." [ Matthew 13:11 ] And in another place He dismisses the multitudes
indeed, and goes into the house, [ Matthew 13:36 ] but He does not dismiss the
disciples; and there came to Him into His house, not the multitudes but His
disciples, saying, "Declare to us the parable of the tares of the field." [ Matthew
13:36 ] Moreover, also, in another place when Jesus heard the things concerning
John and withdrew in a boat to a desert place apart, the multitudes followed
Him; when He came forth and saw a great multitude He had compassion on
them and healed their sick— the sick of the multitudes, not of the disciples. [
Matthew 14:13-14 ] "And when even had come there came to Him," not the
multitudes, but the disciples, as being different from the multitudes, saying,
"Send the multitudes away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves
food." [ Matthew 14:15 ] And, further, when Jesus took the five loaves and the
two fishes, and looking up to heaven He blessed and broke the loaves, He gave
not to the multitudes but to the disciples, [ Matthew 14:19 ] that the disciples
might give to the multitudes who were not able to take from Him, but received
with difficulty at the hands of the disciples the loaves of the blessing of Jesus,
and did not eat even all these; for the multitudes were filled and left that which
remained over in twelve baskets which were full.

5. The Disciples in Conflict. Jesus Walks Upon the

Waters.
The reason why we have taken up this subject is the passage under
discussion which tells that Jesus separated the disciples from the multitudes, and
constrained them to enter into the boat and to go before Him unto the other side
until He Himself should send the multitudes away; [ Matthew 14:22 ] for the
multitudes were not able to go away to the other side, as they were not in the
mystic sense Hebrews, which are by interpretation, "dwelling on the other side."
But this was the work of the disciples of Jesus— I mean to go away to the other
side, and to pass beyond things seen and material, as temporal, and to go on to
things unseen and eternal. To be dismissed by Jesus was a sufficient act of
kindness bestowed on the multitudes by Jesus; for just because they were
multitudes they were not able to go away to the other side; and this kind of
dismissal no one has the power to effect save Jesus only, and it is not possible
for any one to be dismissed unless he has first eaten of the loaves which Jesus
blesses. Nor is it possible for any one to eat of the loaves of blessing of Jesus
unless he has done as Jesus commanded and sat down upon the grass as we have
told. Nor again was it possible for the multitudes to do this unless they had
followed Jesus from their own cities, when He withdrew into a desert place
apart. And at first, when He was asked by the disciples to send away the
multitudes, He did not send them away until He had fed them with the loaves of
blessing; but now He sends them away, having first constrained the disciples to
enter into the boat; and He sends them away, while they were somewhere below
—for the desert was below—but He Himself went up into the mountain to pray.
[ Matthew 14:23 ] And you must observe this, that immediately after the five
thousand had been fed, Jesus constrained the disciples to embark into the boat,
and to go before Him unto the other side. Only, the disciples were not able to go
before Jesus to the other side; but, when they had got as far as the middle of the
sea, and the boat was distressed "because the wind was contrary to them," [
Matthew 14:24 ] they were afraid when about the fourth watch of the night Jesus
came to them. And if Jesus had not gone up into the boat neither would the wind
which was contrary to the disciples who were sailing have ceased, nor would
those who were sailing have gone across and come to the other side. And,
perhaps, wishing to teach them by experience that it was not possible apart from
Him to go to the other side He constrained them to enter into the boat and go
before Him to the other side; but, when they were not able to advance farther
than the middle of the sea, He appeared to them, and did what is written, [
Matthew 14:25 ] and showed that he who arrives at the other side reaches it
because Jesus sails along with him. But what is the boat into which Jesus
constrained the disciples to enter? Is it perhaps the conflict of temptations and
difficulties into which any one is constrained by the Word, and goes unwillingly,
as it were, when the Saviour wishes to train by exercise the disciples in this boat
which is distressed by the waves and the contrary wind? But since Mark has
made a slight change in the reading, and for "Straightway He constrained the
disciples to enter into the boat and to go before Him to the other side," has
written, "And straightway He constrained His disciples to enter into the boat and
to go before Him unto the other side unto Bethsaida," [ Mark 6:45 ] we must
attend to the word, "He constrained," when first we have seen to the slight
variation in Mark who indicates something more definite by the addition of the
pronoun; for the same thing is not expressed by the words, straightway "He
constrained the disciples." Something more than "the" disciples simply is written
in Mark, namely, "His" disciples. Perhaps, therefore, to attend to the expression,
the disciples who found it hard to tear themselves away from Jesus, and could
not be separated from Him by any ordinary cause, wished to be present with
Him; but He having judged that they should make trial of the waves and of the
contrary wind, which would not have been contrary if they had been with Jesus,
put on them the necessity of being separated from Him and entering into the
boat. The Saviour then compels the disciples to enter into the boat of temptations
and to go before Him to the other side, and through victory over them to go
beyond critical difficulties; but when they had come into the midst of the sea,
and of the waves in the temptations, and of the contrary winds which prevented
them from going away to the other side, they were not able, struggling as they
were without Jesus, to overcome the waves and the contrary wind and reach the
other side. Wherefore the Word, taking compassion upon them who had done all
that was in their power to reach the other side, came to them walking upon the
sea, which for Him had no waves or wind that was able to oppose if He so
willed; for it is not written, "He came to them walking upon the waves," but,
"upon the waters;" [ Matthew 14:25 ] Just as Peter, who at first when Jesus said
to him, "Come," went down from the boat and walked not upon "the waves," but
upon "the waters" [ Matthew 14:29 ] to come to Jesus; but when he doubted he
saw that the wind was strong, which was not strong to him who laid aside his
little faith and his doubting. But, when Jesus went up with Peter into the boat,
the wind ceased, as it had no power to energise against the boat when Jesus had
gone up into it.

6. Interpretation of the Details in the Narrative.

Application Thereof to All Disciples.
And then the disciples " having crossed over came to the land Gennesaret
," [ Matthew 14:34 ] of which word, if we knew the interpretation, we might
gain some assistance in the exposition of the present passage. And observe, since
God is faithful, and will not suffer the multitudes to be tempted above that they
are able, in what way the Son of God constrained the disciples to enter into the
boat, as being stronger and able to get as far as the middle of the sea, and to
endure the trials by the waves, until they became worthy of divine assistance,
and saw Jesus and heard Him when He had gone up, and to cross over and come
to the land Gennesaret; but as for the multitudes who, because they were weaker,
did not make trial of the boat and the waves and the contrary wind, them He sent
away, and went up into the mountain apart to pray. [ Matthew 14:22-23 ] To
pray for whom? Was it perhaps to pray for the multitudes that, when they were
dismissed after the loaves of blessing, they might do nothing opposed to their
dismissal by Jesus? And for the disciples that, when they were constrained by
Him to enter into the boat and to go before Him unto the other side, they might
suffer nothing in the sea nor from the contrary wind? And I would say with
confidence, that, because of the prayer of Jesus to the Father for the disciples,
they suffered nothing when sea and wave and contrary wind were striving
against them. The simpler disciple, then, may be satisfied with the bare
narrative; but let us remember, if ever we fall into distressful temptations, that
Jesus has constrained us to enter into their boat, wishing us to go before Him
unto the other side; for it is not possible for us to reach the other side, unless we
have endured the temptations of waves and contrary wind. Then when we see
many difficulties besetting us, and with moderate struggle we have swum
through them to some extent, let us consider that our boat is in the midst of the
sea, distressed at that time by the waves which wish us to make shipwreck
concerning faith or some one of the virtues; but when we see the spirit of the evil
one striving against us, let us conceive that then the wind is contrary to us. When
then in such suffering we have spent three watches of the night— that is, of the
darkness which is in the temptations— striving nobly with all our might and
watching ourselves so as not to make shipwreck concerning the faith or some
one of the virtues—the first watch against the father of darkness and wickedness,
the second watch against his son "who opposes and exalts himself against all
that is called God or thing that is worshipped," [ 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ] and the
third watch against the spirit that is opposed to the Holy Spirit, then we believe
that when the fourth watch impends, when "the night is far spent, and the day is
at hand," [ Romans 13:12 ] the Son of God will come to us, that He may prepare
the sea for us, walking upon it. And when we see the Word appearing unto us we
shall indeed be troubled before we clearly understand that it is the Saviour who
has come to us, supposing that we are still beholding an apparition, and for fear
shall cry out; but He Himself straightway will speak to us saying, "Be of good
cheer; it is I; be not afraid." [ Matthew 14:27 ] And if, warmly moved by His
"Be of good cheer," any Peter be found among us, who is on his way to
perfection but has not yet become perfect, having gone down from the boat, as if
coming out of that temptation in which he was distressed, he will indeed walk at
first, wishing to come to Jesus upon the waters; but being as yet of little faith,
and as yet doubting, will see that the wind is strong and will be afraid and begin
to sink; but he will not sink because he will call upon Jesus with loud voice, and
will say to Him, "Lord, save me;" [ Matthew 14:30 ] then immediately while
such a Peter is yet speaking and saying, "Lord save me," the Word will stretch
forth His hand, holding out assistance to such an one, and will take hold of him
when he is beginning to sink, and will reproach him for his little faith and
doubting. [ Matthew 14:31 ] Only, observe that He did not say, "O you without
faith," but, "O you of little faith," and that it was said, "Wherefore did you
doubt," as he had still a measure of faith, but also had a tendency towards that
which was opposed to faith.

7. The Healing of the Sick on the Other Side. The

Method of Healing.
But after this both Jesus and Peter will go up into the boat, and the wind
will cease; and those in the boat, perceiving the great dangers from which they
have been saved, will worship Him, saying, not simply, "You are the Son of
God," as also the two demoniacs said, but, "Of a truth, You are the Son of God."
[ Matthew 14:33 ] This the disciples in the boat say, for I do not think that others
than the disciples said so. And when we have undergone all these experiences,
having crossed over, we shall come to the land where Jesus commanded us to go
before Him. And perhaps, also, some secret and occult mystery with reference to
some who were saved by Jesus is indicated by the words, "And when the men of
that place knew Him," — plainly of the place on the other side— "they sent into
all that region round about," — round about the other side, not on the other side
itself, but round about it— "and they brought unto Him all that were sick." [
Matthew 14:35 ] And here observe that they brought unto Him not only many
that were sick, but all in that region round about; and the sick who were brought
to Him besought Him that they might touch if it were only the border of His
garment, [ Matthew 14:36 ] beseeching this grace from Him, since they were not
like "the woman who had an issue of blood twelve years, and who came behind
Him and touched the border of His garment, saying within herself, If I do but
touch His garment, I shall be made whole." [ Matthew 9:20-21 ] For observe in
what is said about the border of His garment, on account of what the flowing of
her blood ceased at once. But those from the country round the land of
Gennesaret, to which Jesus and His disciples crossed over and came, did not
come of themselves to Jesus, but were brought by those who had sent the tidings,
inasmuch as they were not able because of their extreme weakness to come of
themselves. Nor did they merely touch the garment, like the woman who had an
issue of blood, but they touched after that they had besought Him. Only, of
these, "as many as touched were made whole." [ Matthew 14:36 ] And whether
there be any difference between the "They were made whole," which is said in
their case, and the "being saved," — for it was said to the woman with the issue
of blood, "Your faith has saved you," [ Matthew 9:22 ] you may yourself
consider.

8. Concerning the Phariseesand Scribes Who Came

and Inquired, Why Do Your Disciples Transgress the
Tradition of the Elders?
" Then there came to Him from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying,
Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not
their hands when they eat bread. " [ Matthew 15:1-2 ] He who observes at what
time the Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem to Jesus, saying, "Why do
Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders," etc., will perceive that
Matthew of necessity wrote not simply that Pharisees and scribes from
Jerusalem came to the Saviour to inquire of Him the matters before us, but put it
thus, "Then come to Him from Jerusalem." What time, therefore, are we to
understand by "then" ? At the time when Jesus and His disciples crossed over
and came in the boat to the land of Gennesaret, when the wind ceased from the
time that Jesus entered into the boat, and when "the men of that place knowing
Him sent into all that region round about, and brought unto Him all that were
sick, and besought Him that they might touch if it were only the border of His
garment, and as many as touched were made whole." [ Matthew 14:35-36 ] At
that time came to Him from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, not struck with
admiration at the power which was in Jesus, which healed those who only
touched even the border of His garment, but in a censorious spirit, accusing the
disciples before their Teacher, not concerning the transgression of a
commandment of God, but of a single tradition of the Jewish elders. And it is
probable that this very charge of these censorious persons is a proof of the piety
of the disciples of Jesus, who gave to the Pharisees and scribes no opportunity of
censure with reference to the transgression of the commandments of God, as
they would not have brought the charge of transgression against the disciples, as
transgressing the commandment of the elders, if they had had it in their power to
censure those whom they accused, and to show that they were transgressing a
commandment of God. But do not suppose that these things go to establish the
necessity of keeping the law of Moses according to the letter, because the
disciples of Jesus up to that time kept it; for not before He suffered did He
"redeem us from the curse of the law," [ Galatians 3:13 ] who in suffering for
men "became a curse for us." But just as fittingly Paul became a Jew to the Jews
that he might gain Jews, [ 1 Corinthians 9:20 ] what strange thing is it that the
Apostles, whose way of life was passed among the Jews, even though they
understood the spiritual things in the law, should have used a spirit of
accommodation, as Paul also did when he circumcised Timothy, [ Galatians 2:3 ]
and offered sacrifice in accordance with a certain legal vow, as is written in the
Acts of the Apostles? Only, again, they appear fond of bringing accusations, as
they have no charge to bring against the disciples of Jesus with reference to a
commandment of God, but only with reference to one tradition of the elders.
And especially does this love of accusation become manifest in this, that they
bring the charge in presence of those very persons who had been healed from
their sickness; in appearance against the disciples, but in reality purposing to
slander their Teacher, as it was a tradition of the elders that the washing of hands
was a thing essential to piety. For they thought that the hands of those who did
not wash before eating bread were defiled and unclean, but that the hands of
those who had washed them with water became pure and holy, not in a figurative
sense, in due relation to the law of Moses according to the letter. But let us, not
according to the tradition of the elders among the Jews, but according to sound
reason, endeavour to purify our own actions and so to wash the hands of our
souls, when we are about to eat the three loaves which we ask from Jesus, who
wishes to be our friend; for with hands that are defiled and unwashed and
impure, we ought not to partake of the loaves.

9. Explanation of "Corban."
Jesus, however, does not accuse them with reference to a tradition of the
Jewish elders, but with regard to two most imperative commandments of God,
the one of which was the fifth in the decalogue, being as follows: "Honour your
father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and that your days may be
long on the land which the Lord your God gives you;" [ Exodus 20:12 ] and the
other was written thus in Leviticus, "If a man speak evil of his father or his
mother, let him die the death; he has spoken evil of his father or mother, he shall
be guilty." [ Leviticus 20:9 ] But when we wish to examine the very letter of the
words as given by Matthew, "He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die
the death," [ Matthew 15:4 ] consider whether it was taken from the place where
it was written, "Whoso strikes his father or mother, let him die the death; and he
that speaks evil of father or mother let him die the death." For such are the exact
words taken from the Law with regard to the two commandments; but Matthew
has quoted them in part and in an abridged form, and not in the very words. But
what the nature of the charge is which the Saviour brings against the Pharisees
and scribes from Jerusalem, when He says that they transgress the
commandment of God because of their tradition we must consider. And God
said, "Honour your father and your mother," [ Exodus 20:12 ] teaching that the
child should pay the honour which is due to his parents. Of this honour to
parents one part was to share with them the necessaries of life, such as food and
clothing, and if there was any other thing in which it was possible for them to
show favour towards their own parents. But the Pharisees and scribes
promulgated in opposition to the law a tradition which is found rather obscurely
in the Gospel, and which we ourselves would not have thought of, unless one of
the Hebrews had given to us the following facts relating to the passage.
Sometimes, he says, when money-lenders fell in with stubborn debtors who were
able but not willing to pay their debts, they consecrated what was due to the
account of the poor, for whom money was cast into the treasury by each of those
who wished to give a portion of their goods to the poor according to their ability.
They, therefore, said sometimes to their debtors in their own tongue, "That
which you owe to me is Corban," — that is, a gift— "for I have consecrated it to
the poor, to the account of piety towards God." Then the debtor, as no longer in
debt to men but to God and to piety towards God, was shut up, as it were, even
though unwilling, to payment of the debt, no longer to the money-lender, but
now to God for the account of the poor, in name of the money-lender. What then
the money-lender did to the debtor, that sometimes some sons did to their
parents and said to them, "That wherewith you might have been profited by me,
father or mother, know that you will receive this from Corban," [ Matthew 15:4 ]
from the account of the poor who are consecrated to God. Then the parents,
hearing that that which should have been given to them was Corban—
consecrated to God—no longer wished to take it from their sons, even though
they were in extreme need of the necessaries of life. The elders, then, declared to
the people a tradition of this kind, "Whosoever said to his father or mother, that
which should be given to any of them is Corban and a gift, that man was no
longer a debtor to his father or mother in respect of giving to them the
necessaries of life." The Saviour censures this tradition, as not being sound but
opposed to the commandment of God. For if God says, "Honour your father and
your mother," but the tradition said, he is not bound to honour his father or
mother by a gift, who has consecrated to God, as Corban, that which would have
been given to his parents, manifestly the commandment of God concerning the
honour due to parents was made void by the tradition of the Pharisees and
scribes which said, that he was no longer bound to honour his father or mother,
who had, once for all, consecrated to God that which the parents would have
received. And the Pharisees, as lovers of money, in order that under pretext of
the poor they might receive even that which would have been given to the
parents of any one, gave such teaching. And the Gospel testifies to their love of
money, saying, "But the Pharisees who were lovers of money heard these things
and they scoffed at Him." [ Luke 16:14 ] If, then, any one of those who are called
elders among us, or of those who are in any way rulers of the people, profess to
give to the poor under the name of the commonweal, rather than to be of those
who give to their kindred if they should chance to be in need of the necessaries
of life, and those who give cannot do both, this man might with justice be called
a brother of those Pharisees who made void the word of God through their own
tradition, and were accused by the Saviour as hypocrites. And as a very powerful
deterrent to any one from being anxious to take from the account of the poor,
and from thinking that "the piety of others is a way of gain," [ 1 Timothy 6:5 ]
we have not only these things, but also that which is recorded about the traitor
Judas, who in appearance championed the cause of the poor, and said with
indignation, "This ointment might have been sold for three hundred pence and
given to the poor," but in reality "was a thief, and having the bag took away
what was put therein." [ John 12:6 ] If, then, any one in our time who has the bag
of the Church speaks likes Judas on behalf of the poor, but takes away what is
put therein, let there be assigned to him the portion along with Judas who did
these things; on account of which things eating like a gangrene into his soul, the
devil cast it into his heart to betray the Saviour; and, when he had received the
"fiery dart," [ Ephesians 6:16 ] with reference to this end, the devil afterwards
himself entered into his soul and took full possession of him. And perhaps, when
the Apostle says, "The love of money is a root of all evils," [ 1 Timothy 6:10 ] he
says it because of Judas' love of money, which was a root of all the evils that
were committed against Jesus.

10. The Traditions of the Elders in Collision with

Divine Law.
But let us return to the subject before us, in which the Saviour abridged and
expounded two commandments from the law, the one from the decalogue from
Exodus, and the other from Leviticus, or the other from some one of the books
of the Pentateuch. Then since we have explained in what way they made void
the word of God which said, "Honour your father and your mother," by saying,
"You shall not honour your father or your mother," whosoever shall say to his
father or mother, "It is a gift that wherewith you might have been profited by
me," some one may inquire whether the words, "He that speaks evil of father or
mother, let him die the death," [ Matthew 15:4 ] are not extraneous. For, granted
that he does not honour his father and mother, who consecrates to what is called
Corban that which would have been given in honour of father and mother, in
what way, therefore, does the tradition of the Pharisees make void the word
which said, "He that speaks evil of father or mother, let him die the death?" But,
perhaps, when any one said to his father or his mother, "It is a gift, that
wherewith you might have been profited by me," [ Matthew 15:5 ] he, as it were,
casts abuse on his father or mother as if he were calling his parents sacrilegious,
in taking that which was consecrated to Corban from him who had consecrated it
to Corban. The Jews then punish their sons according to the law, as speaking evil
of father or mother, when they say to their father or mother, "It is a gift, that
wherewith you might have been profited by me," but you by one of your
traditions make void two commandments of God. And then you are not ashamed
to accuse My disciples who transgress no commandment; for they walk "in all
His commandments and ordinances blamelessly," but transgress a tradition of
the elders, so as not to transgress a commandment of God. And if you had held
this aim before you, you would have kept the commandment about the honour
due to father and mother, and that which said, "He that speaks evil of father and
mother, let him die the death;" but the tradition of the elders which is opposed to
these commandments you would not have kept.

11. Exposition of the Prophecy of Isaiah Quoted by

Jesus.
And, after this, wishing to refute completely from the words of the prophets
all these traditions of the elders among the Jews, He brought before them a
saying, from Isaiah, which in the exact words is as follows: "And the Lord said,
This people draws near to Me with their mouth," etc.; [ Isaiah 29:13 ] and, as we
said before, Matthew has not written out the prophetical saying in the very
words. And, if it be necessary because of its use in the Gospel to interpret it
according to our ability, we will take in addition the preceding passage which is,
in my judgment, noted with advantage by us for the exposition of that passage in
the Gospel which was taken from the prophet. The passage in Isaiah from the
beginning is thus, "Be faint, and be maddened: be ye drunken, but not with
strong drink nor with wine: for the Lord has given you to drink of the spirit of
stupor, and He will close their eyes, both of their prophets, and of their rulers
who see things secret. And all these sayings shall be to you as the words of the
book, which has been sealed, which if they give to a man who knows letters,
saying, Read this, he shall answer, I cannot read, for it is sealed. And this book
will be given into the hands of a man who does not know letters, and one will say
to him, Read this, and he will say, I know not letters. And the Lord said, This
people is near to Me," etc., down to the words, "Woe unto them that form
counsel in secret, and their works shall be in darkness." [ Isaiah 29:9-15 ]
Taking up then the passage before us in the Gospel, I have put some of the
verses which come before it, and some which follow it, in order to show in what
way the Word threatens to close the eyes of those of the people who are
astonished and drunken, and have been made to drink of the spirit of deep sleep.
And it threatens also to close the eyes of their prophets and their rulers who
profess to see things secret—which things, I think, took place after the advent of
the Saviour among that people; for all the words of the whole of the Scriptures,
and of Isaiah also, have become to them as the words of a sealed book. Now the
expression "sealed" is used of a book closed in virtue of its obscurity and not
open in virtue of its lucidity, which is equally obscure to those who are not able
to read it at all because they do not know letters, and to those who profess to
know letters but do not understand the meaning in the things which have been
written. Well, then, does he add to this, that when the people, fainting because of
their sins and being in a state of madness rage against Him through those sins
wherewith they shall be drunken against Him with the spirit of stupor, which
shall be given to them to drink by the Lord when He closes their eyes, as
unworthy to see, and the eyes of their prophets and of their rulers who profess to
see the hidden things of the mysteries in the Divine Scriptures; and, when their
eyes are closed, then shall the prophetic words be sealed to them and hidden, as
has been the case with those who do not believe in Jesus as the Christ. And when
the prophetic sayings have become as the words of a sealed book, not only to
those who do not know letters but to those who profess to know, then the Lord
said, that the people of the Jews draw near to God with their mouth only, and He
says that they honour Him with their lips, because their heart by reason of their
unbelief in Jesus is far from the Lord. And now, especially, from the time at
which they denied our Saviour, it might be said about them by God, "But in vain
do they worship Me;" [ Matthew 15:9 ] for they no longer teach the precepts of
God but of men, and doctrines which are human and no longer of the Spirit of
wisdom. Wherefore, when these things happen to them, God has removed the
people of the Jews, and has caused to perish the wisdom of the wise men among
them; for there is no longer wisdom among them, just as there is no prophecy;
but God has utterly destroyed the prudence of the prudent and concealed it, [
Isaiah 29:14 ] and no longer is it splendid and conspicuous. Wherefore, although
they may seem to form some counsel in a deep fashion, because they do it not
through the Lord they are called miserable; and even though they profess to tell
some secrets of the Divine counsel they lie, since their works are not works of
light, but of darkness and night. [ Isaiah 29:15 ] I have thought it right briefly to
set forth the prophecy, and to a certain extent elucidate its meaning, seeing that
Matthew made mention of it. And Mark also made mention of it, from whom we
may usefully set down the following words in the place, with reference to the
transgression of the elders who held that it was necessary to wash hands when
the Jews ate bread, "For the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they wash their
hands diligently, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders; and when they come
from the market-place except they wash themselves they eat not. And there are
some other things which they have received to hold, washings of cups and pots
and brazen vessels and couches." [ Mark 7:3-4 ]

12. Things Clean and Unclean According to the Law

and the Gospel.
" And He called to Him the multitude and said unto them, Hear and
understand ," etc. [ Matthew 15:10 ] We are clearly taught in these words by the
Saviour that, when we read in Leviticus and Deuteronomy the precepts about
meat clean and unclean, for the transgression of which we are accused by the
material Jews and by the Ebionites who differ little from them, we are not to
think that the scope of the Scripture is found in any superficial understanding of
them. For if "not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, but that which
proceeds out of the mouth," [ Matthew 15:11 ] and especially when, according to
Mark, the Saviour said these things "making all meats clean," [ Mark 7:19 ]
manifestly we are not defiled when we eat those things which the Jews who
desire to be in bondage to the letter of the law declare to be unclean, but we are
then defiled when, whereas our lips ought to be bound with perception and we
ought "to make for them what we call a balance and weight," [ Sirach 28:25 ] we
speak offhand and discuss matters we ought not, from which there comes to us
the spring of sins. And it is indeed becoming to the law of God to forbid those
things which arise from wickedness, and to enjoin those things which tend to
virtue, but as for things which are in their own nature indifferent to leave them in
their own place, as they may, according to our choice and the reason which is in
us, be done ill if we sin in them, but if rightly directed by us be done well. And
any one who has carefully thought on these matters will see that, even in those
things which are thought to be good, it is possible for a man to sin who has taken
them up in an evil way and under the impulse of passion, and that these things
called impure may be considered pure, if used by us in accordance with reason.
As, then, when the Jew sins his circumcision shall be reckoned for
uncircumcision, but when one of the Gentiles acts uprightly his uncircumcision
shall be reckoned for circumcision, [ Romans 2:25-26 ] so those things which are
thought to be pure shall be reckoned for impure in the case of him who does not
use them fittingly, nor when one ought, nor as far as he ought, nor for what
reason he ought. But as for the things which are called impure, "All things
become pure to the pure," for, "To them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing
is pure, since both their minds and their conscience are defiled." [ Titus 1:15 ]
And when these are defiled, they make all things whatsoever they touch defiled;
as again on the contrary the pure mind and the pure conscience make all things
pure, even though they may seem to be impure; for not from intemperance, nor
from love of pleasure, nor with doubting which draws a man both ways, do the
righteous use meats or drinks, mindful of the precept, "Whether you eat or drink
or whatsoever other thing ye do, do all to the glory of God." [ 1 Corinthians
10:31 ] And if it be necessary to delineate the foods which are unclean according
to the Gospel, we will say that they are such as are supplied by covetousness,
and are the result of base love of gain, and are taken up from love of pleasure,
and from deifying the belly which is treated with honour, when it, with its
appetites, and not reason, rules our souls. But as for us who know that some
things are used by demons, or if we do not know, but suspect, and are in doubt
about it, if we use such things, we have used them not to the glory of God, nor in
the name of Christ; for not only does the suspicion that things have been
sacrificed to idols condemn him who eats, but even the doubt concerning this;
for "he that doubts," according to the Apostle, "is condemned if he eat, because
he eats not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin." [ Romans 14:23 ] He
then eats in faith who believes that that which is eaten has not been sacrificed in
the temples of idols, and that it is not strangled nor blood; but he eats not of faith
who is in doubt about any of these things. And the man who knowing that they
have been sacrificed to demons nevertheless uses them, becomes a communicant
with demons, while at the same time, his imagination is polluted with reference
to demons participating in the sacrifice. And the Apostle, however, knowing that
it is not the nature of meats which is the cause of injury to him who uses them or
of advantage to him who refrains from their use, but opinions and the reason
which is in them, said, "But meat commends us not to God, for neither if we eat
are we the better, nor if we eat not are we the worse." [ 1 Corinthians 8:8 ] And
since he knew that those who have a loftier conception of what things are pure
and what impure according to the law, turning aside from the distinction about
the use of things pure and impure, and superstition, I think, in respect of things
being different, become indifferent to the use of meats, and on this account are
condemned by the Jews as transgressors of law, he said therefore, somewhere,
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink," etc., [ Colossians 2:16 ]
teaching us that the things according to the letter are a shadow, but that the true
thoughts of the law which are stored up in them are the good things to come, in
which one may find what are the pure spiritual meats of the soul, and what are
the impure foods in false and contradictory words which injure the man who is
nourished in them, "For the law had a shadow of the good things to come." [
Hebrews 10:1 ]
 13. The Offence of the Pharisees.
And as in many cases we have to consider the astonishment of the Jews at
the words of the Saviour, because they were spoken with authority, so also in
regard to the words in this place. Having called the multitudes therefore, He said
unto them, "Hear and understand," [ Matthew 15:10 ] etc. And He said this, the
Pharisees being offended at this saying, as, because of their evil opinions and
their worthless interpretation of the law, they were not the plant of his own
Father in heaven, and on this account were being rooted up; [ Matthew 15:13 ]
for they were rooted up as they did not receive the true vine, which was
cultivated by the Father, even Jesus Christ. [ John 15:1 ] For how could they be a
plant of His Father who were offended at the words of Jesus, words which turn
men away from the precept, "Handle not, nor taste, nor touch—all which things
were to perish in the using— after the precepts and doctrines of men," [
Colossians 2:21-22 ] but induce the intelligent hearer of them to seek in regard to
them the things which are above and not the things upon the earth as the Jews
do? [ Colossians 3:2 ] And since, because of their evil opinions, the Pharisees
were not the plant of His Father in heaven, on this account, as about such as
were incorrigible, He says to the disciple, "Let them alone;" [ Matthew 15:14 ]
"Let them alone," He said for this reason, that as they were blind they ought to
become conscious of their blindness and seek guides; but they, being
unconscious of their own blindness, profess to guide the blind, not reckoning
that they would fall into a pit, about which it is written in the Psalms, "He has
made a pit, and dug it, and will fall into the ditch which he has made." Again,
elsewhere it is written, "And seeing the multitudes, He went up into the
mountain, and when He had sat down His disciples came unto Him;" [ Matthew
5:1 ] but here He stretches forth His hand to the multitude, calling them unto
Him, and turning their thoughts away from the literal interpretation of the
questions in the law, when He in the first place said to them, who did not yet
understand what they heard, "Hear and understand," and thereafter as in
parables said to them, "Not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man, but
that which proceeds out of the mouth." [ Matthew 15:10-11 ]

14. Why the Pharisees Were Not a Plant of God.

Teaching of Origen on the "Bread of the Lord."
After this, it is worth while to look at the phrase which has been assailed in
a sophistical way by those who say that the God of the law and the God of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ is not the same; for they say that the heavenly Father of
Jesus Christ is not the husbandman of those who think that they worship God
according to the law of Moses. Jesus Himself said that the Pharisees, who were
worshipping the God who created the world and the law, were not a plant which
His heavenly Father had planted, and that for this reason it was being rooted up.
[ Matthew 15:13 ] But you might also say this, that even if it were the Father of
Jesus who "brought in and planted the people," when it came out of Egypt, "to
the mountain of His own inheritance, to the place which He had prepared for
Himself to dwell in," [ Exodus 15:17 ] yet Jesus would have said, in regard to the
Pharisees, "Every plant which My heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted
up." Now, to this we will say, that as many as on account of their perverse
interpretation of the things in the law were not a plant of His Father in heaven,
were blinded in their minds, as not believing the truth, but taking pleasure in
unrighteousness, [ 2 Thessalonians 2:12 ] by him who is deified by the sons of
this world, and on this account is called by Paul the god of this world. [ 2
Corinthians 4:4 ] And do not suppose that Paul said that he was truly God; for
just as the belly, though it is not the god of those who prize pleasure too highly,
being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, is said by Paul to be their god,
[ Philippians 3:19 ] so the prince of this world, in regard to whom the Saviour
says, "Now has the prince of this world been judged," [ John 16:11 ] though he is
not God, is said to be the god of those who do not wish to receive the spirit of
adoption, in order that they may become sons of that world, and sons of the
resurrection from the dead, and who, on this account, abide in the sonship of this
world. I have deemed it necessary to introduce these matters, even though they
may have been spoken by way of digression, because of the saying, "They are
blind guides of the blind." [ Matthew 15:14 ] Who are such? The Pharisees,
whose minds the god of this world has blinded as they are unbelieving, because
they have not believed in Jesus Christ; and he has blinded them so that the "light
of the Gospel of the glory of God in the face of Christ should not dawn upon
them." [ 2 Corinthians 4:4 ] But not only must we avoid being guided by those
blind ones who are conscious that they are in need of guides, because they have
not yet received the power of vision of themselves; but even in the case of all
who profess to guide us in sound doctrine, we must hear with care, and apply a
sound judgment to what is said, lest being guided according to the ignorance of
those who are blind, and do not see the things that concern sound doctrine, we
ourselves may appear to be blind because we do not see the sense of the
Scriptures, so that both he who guides and he who is guided will fall into the
ditch of which we have spoken before. Next to this, it is written in what way
Peter answered and said to the Saviour, as if he had not understood the saying,
"Not that which comes into the mouth defiles the man, but that which goes out of
the mouth," "Declare unto us the parable." [ Matthew 15:11 ] To which the
Saviour says, "Are ye also, even yet, without understanding?" [ Matthew 15:16 ]
As if He had said, "Having been so long time with Me, do ye not yet understand
the meaning of what is said, and do ye not perceive that for this reason that
which goes into his mouth does not defile the man, because it passes into the
belly, and going out from it is cast into the draught?" [ Matthew 15:17 ] It was
not in respect of the law in which they appeared to believe, that the Pharisees
were not a plant of the Father of Jesus, but in respect of their perverse
interpretation of the law and the things written in it. For since there are two
things to be understood in regard to the law, the ministration of death which was
engraven in letters and which had no kinship with the spirit, and the ministration
of life which is understood in the spiritual law, those who were able with a
sincere heart to say, "We know that the law is spiritual," [ Romans 7:14 ] and
therefore "the law is holy, and the commandment holy and righteous and good,"
[ Romans 7:12 ] were the plant which the heavenly Father planted; but those
who were not such, but guarded with care the letter which kills only, were not a
plant of God but of him who hardened their heart, and put a veil over it, which
veil had power over them so long as they did not turn to the Lord; "for if any one
should turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away, and the Lord is the Spirit." [ 2
Corinthians 3:16-17 ] Now some one when dealing with the passage might say,
that just as "not that which enters into the mouth defiles the man," [ Matthew
15:11 ] of even though it may be thought by the Jews to be defiled, so not that
which enters into the mouth sanctifies the man, even though what is called the
bread of the Lord may be thought by the simpler disciples to sanctify. And the
saying is I think, not to be despised, and on this account, demands clear
exposition, which seems to me to be thus; as it is not the meat but the conscience
of him who eats with doubt which defiles him that eats, for "he that doubts is
condemned if he eat, because he eats not of faith," [ Romans 14:23 ] and as
nothing is pure to him who is defiled and unbelieving, not in itself, but because
of his defilement and unbelief, so that which is sanctified through the word of
God and prayer does not, in its own nature, sanctify him who uses it, for, if this
were so, it would sanctify even him who eats unworthily of the bread of the
Lord, and no one on account of this food would become weak or sickly or asleep
for something of this kind Paul represented in saying, "For this cause many
among you are weak and sickly and not a few sleep." [ 1 Corinthians 11:30 ]
And in the case of the bread of the Lord, accordingly, there is advantage to him
who uses it, when with undefiled mind and pure conscience he partakes of the
bread. And so neither by not eating, I mean by the very fact that we do not eat of
the bread which has been sanctified by the word of God and prayer, are we
deprived of any good thing, nor by eating are we the better by any good thing;
for the cause of our lacking is wickedness and sins, and the cause of our
abounding is righteousness and right actions; so that such is the meaning of what
is said by Paul, "For neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we eat not are we
the worse." [ 1 Corinthians 8:8 ] Now, if "everything that enters into the mouth
goes into the belly and is cast out into the drought," [ Matthew 15:17 ] even the
meat which has been sanctified through the word of God and prayer, in
accordance with the fact that it is material, goes into the belly and is cast out into
the draught, but in respect of the prayer which comes upon it, according to the
proportion of the faith, becomes a benefit and is a means of clear vision to the
mind which looks to that which is beneficial, and it is not the material of the
bread but the word which is said over it which is of advantage to him who eats it
not unworthily of the Lord. And these things indeed are said of the typical and
symbolic body. But many things might be said about the Word Himself who
became flesh, [ John 1:14 ] and true meat of which he that eats shall assuredly
live for ever, no worthless person being able to eat it; for if it were possible for
one who continues worthless to eat of Him who became flesh, who was the
Word and the living bread, it would not have been written, that "every one who
eats of this bread shall live for ever." [ John 6:51 ]

15. Eating with Unwashed Heart Defiles the Man.

Next to this let us see how the things which proceed out and defile the man
do not defile the man because of their proceeding out of the mouth, but have the
cause of their defilement in the heart, when there come forth out of it, before
those things which proceed through the mouth, evil thoughts, of which the
species are— murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings. [
Matthew 15:18-19 ] For these are the things which defile the man, when they
come forth out of the heart, and going out from it proceed through the mouth; so
that, if they did not come out of the heart, but were retained there somewhere
about the heart, and were not allowed to be spoken through the mouth, they
would very quickly disappear, and a man would be no more defiled. The spring
and source, then, of every sin are evil thoughts; for, unless these gained the
mastery, neither murders nor adulteries nor any other such thing would exist.
Therefore, each man must keep his own heart with all watchfulness; [ Proverbs
4:23 ] for when the Lord comes in the day of judgment, "He will bring to light
the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts,"
[ 1 Corinthians 4:5 ] "all the thoughts of men meanwhile accusing or else
excusing them," [ Romans 2:15 ] "when their own devices have beset them
about." [ Hosea 7:2 ] But of such a nature are the evil thoughts that sometimes
they make worthy of censure even those things which seem good, and which, so
far as the judgment of the masses is concerned, are worthy of praise.
Accordingly, if we do alms before men, having in our thoughts the design of
appearing to men philanthropic, and of being honoured because of philanthropy,
we receive the reward from men; [ Matthew 6:1-2 ] and, universally, everything
that is done with the consciousness in the doer that he will be glorified by men,
has no reward from Him who beholds in secret, and renders the reward to those
who are pure, in secret. So, too, therefore, is it with apparent purity if it is
influenced by considerations of vain glory or love of gain; and the teaching
which is thought to be the teaching of the Church, if it becomes servile through
the word of flattery, either when it is made the excuse for covetousness, or when
any one seeks glory from men because of his teaching, is not reckoned to be the
teaching of those "who have been set by God in the Church: first, apostles;
secondly, prophets; and thirdly, teachers." [ 1 Corinthians 12:28 ] And you will
say the like in the case of him who seeks the office of a bishop for the sake of
glory with men, or of flattery from men, or for the sake of the gain received from
those who, coming over to the word, give in the name of piety; for a bishop of
this kind at any rate does not "desire a good work," [ 1 Timothy 3:1 ] nor can he
be without reproach, nor temperate, nor sober-minded, as he is intoxicated with
glory and intemperately satiated with it. And the same also you will say about
the elders and deacons. And if we seem to some to have made a digression in
speaking of these things, consider if it were not necessary that they should be
said, because that evil thoughts are the spring of all sins, and can pollute even
those actions which, if they were done apart from evil thoughts, would have
justified the man who did them. We have thus investigated according to our
ability what are the things which defile; but to eat with unwashed hands does not
defile the man; but if we must say it with boldness, with unwashed heart to eat
anything whatsoever which is the natural food of our reason, defiles the man.

16. Concerning the Canaanitish Woman. Meaning of

the "Borders of Tyre and Sidon."
" And Jesus went out thence and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold a Canaanitish woman. " [ Matthew 15:21-22 ] Whence the "thence"
? Was it from the land of Gennesaret, concerning which it was said before, "And
when they had crossed over they came into the land of Gennesaret?" [ Matthew
14:34 ] But He withdrew, perhaps because the Pharisees were offended when
they heard that "not that which enters in, but that which proceeds out, defiles the
man;" [ Matthew 15:11 ] and that, because of their being suspected of plotting
against Him, it is said, "He withdrew," is manifest from the passage, "And when
He heard that John was delivered up He withdrew into Galilee." [ Matthew 4:12
] Perhaps also on this account, when describing the things in this place, Mark
says that "He rose up and went into the borders of Tyre, and having entered into
the house wished no man to know it." [ Mark 7:24 ] It is probable that He sought
to avoid the Pharisees who were offended at His teaching, waiting for the time
for His suffering, which was more fitting and rightly appointed. But some one
might say that Tyre and Sidon are used for the Gentiles; accordingly when He
withdrew from Israel He came into the parts of the Gentiles. Among the
Hebrews, then, Tyre is called Sor, and it is interpreted "anguish." Sidon, which
is also the Hebrew name, is rendered "hunters." And among the Gentiles
likewise the hunters are the evil powers, and among them is great distress, the
distress, namely, which exists in wickedness and passions. When Jesus, then,
went out from Gennesaret He withdrew indeed from Israel and came, not to Tyre
and Sidon, but into "the parts" of Tyre and Sidon, with the result that those of
the Gentiles now believe in part; so that if He had visited the whole of Tyre and
Sidon, no unbeliever would have been left in it. Now, according to Mark, "Jesus
rose up and went into the borders of Tyre," [ Mark 7:24 ] — that is, the distress
of the Gentiles—in order that they also from these borders who believe can be
saved, when they come out of them; for attend to this: "And behold a
Canaanitish woman came out from these borders and cried saying, Have mercy
on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David, my daughter is terribly vexed with a demon."
[ Matthew 15:22 ] And I think that if she had not come out from those borders
she would not have been able to cry to Jesus with the great faith to which
testimony was borne; and according to the proportion of faith one comes out
from the borders among the Gentiles, which "when the Most High divided the
nations He set up according to the number of the sons of Israel," [ Deuteronomy
32:8 ] and prevented their further advance. Here, then, certain borders are
spoken of as the borders of Tyre and Sidon, but in Exodus the borders of
Pharaoh, [ Exodus 8:2 ] in which, they say, were formed the plagues against the
Egyptians. And we must suppose that each of us when he sins is in the borders
of Tyre or Sidon or of Pharaoh and Egypt, or some one of those which are
outside the allotted inheritance of God; but when he changes from wickedness to
virtue he goes out from the borders of evil, and comes to the borders of the
portion of God, there being among these also a difference which will be manifest
to those who are able to understand the things that concern the division and the
inheritance of Israel, in harmony with the spiritual law. And attend also to the
meeting, so to speak, which took place between Jesus and the Canaanitish
woman; for He comes as to the parts of Tyre and Sidon, and she comes out of
those parts, and cried, saying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David."
[ Matthew 15:22 ] Now the woman was Canaanitish, which is rendered, prepared
for humiliation. The righteous, indeed, are prepared for the kingdom of heaven
and for the exaltation in the kingdom of God; but sinners are prepared for the
humiliation of the wickedness which is in them, and of the deeds which flow
from it and prepare them for it, and of the sin which reigns in their mortal body.
Only, the Canaanitish woman came out of those borders and went forth from the
state of being prepared for humiliation, crying and saying, "Have mercy on me,
O Lord, Thou Son of David."

17. Exposition of the Details in the Narrative.

Now bring together from the Gospels those who call Him Son of David, as
she, and the blind men in Jericho; [ Matthew 20:30 ] and who call Him Son of
God, and that without the addition "truly" like the demoniacs who say, "What
have we to do with You, Thou Son of God;" [ Matthew 8:29 ] and who call Him
so with the addition "truly," like those in the boat who worshipped Him saying,
"Truly You are the Son of God." [ Matthew 14:33 ] For the bringing together of
these passages will, I think, be useful to you with a view to seeing the difference
of those who come (to Jesus); some indeed come as to Him "who was born of
the seed of David according to the flesh;" [ Romans 1:3 ] but others come to
Him who "was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit
of holiness;" [ Romans 1:4 ] and of these some with the "truly," and some
without it. Further, observe, that the Canaanitish woman besought Him not about
a son, whom she does not seem to have brought forth at all, but about a daughter
who was terribly vexed with a demon; but another mother receives back alive
her son who was being carried forth dead. [ Luke 7:12 ] And again the ruler of
the synagogue makes supplication for a daughter twelve years old, as being
dead, [ Matthew 9:18 ] but the nobleman about a son as being still sick, and at
the point of death. [ John 4:46 ] The daughter, accordingly, who was distressed
by a demon, and the dead son sprang from two mothers; and the dead daughter,
and the son who was sick unto death, sprang from two fathers, of whom the one
was a ruler of the synagogue, and the other was a nobleman. And I am persuaded
these things contain reasons concerning the diverse kinds of souls which Jesus
vivifies and heals. And all the cures that He works among the people, especially
those recorded by the Evangelists, took place at that time, that those who would
not otherwise have believed unless they saw signs and wonders might believe; [
John 4:48 ] for the things aforetime were symbols of the things that are ever
being accomplished by the power of Jesus; for there is no time when each of the
things which are written is not done by the power of Jesus according to the
desert of each. The Canaanitish woman, therefore, because of her race was not
worthy even to receive an answer from Jesus, who acknowledged that He had
not been sent by the Father for any other thing than to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel, [ Matthew 15:24 ] — a lost race of souls possessed of clear vision; but,
because of her resolution and of having worshipped Jesus as Son of God, she
obtains an answer, which reproaches her with baseness of birth and exhibits the
measure of her worthiness, namely, that she was worthy of crumbs as the little
dogs, but not of the loaves. But when she with intensified resolution, accepting
the saying of Jesus, puts forth the claim to obtain crumbs even as a little dog, and
acknowledges that the masters are of a nobler race, then she gets a second
answer, which bears testimony to her faith as great, and a promise that it shall be
done unto her as she wills. [ Matthew 15:28 ] And corresponding, I think, "to the
Jerusalem above, which is free, the mother" [ Galatians 4:26 ] of Paul and those
like to him, must we conceive of the Canaanitish woman, the mother of her who
was terribly distressed with a demon, who was the symbol of the mother of such
a soul. And consider whether it is not according to sound reason that there are
also many fathers and many mothers corresponding to the fathers of Abraham to
whom the patriarch went away, [ Genesis 15:15 ] and to Jerusalem the "mother,"
as Paul says, concerning himself and those like to him. And it is probable that
she of whom the Canaanitish woman was a symbol came out of the borders of
Tyre and Sidon, of which the places on earth were types, and came to the
Saviour and besought Him and even now beseeches Him saying, "Have mercy
on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David, my daughter is terribly vexed with a demon."
[ Matthew 15:22 ] Then also to those without and to the disciples when
necessary He answers and says, "I was not sent;" [ Matthew 15:24 ] teaching us
that there are some lost souls pre-eminently intellectual and clear of vision,
figuratively called sheep of the house of Israel; which things, I think, the simpler
who are of opinion that they are spoken in regard to the Israel which is after the
flesh will of necessity admit, namely, that our Saviour was sent by the Father to
no others than to those lost Jews. But we, who can truthfully boast that "if we
have once known Christ after the flesh, but now no longer do we know Him so,"
[ 2 Corinthians 5:16 ] are assured that it is pre-eminently the work of the Word
to save the more intelligent, for these are more akin to Him than those who are
duller. But since the lost sheep of the house of Israel, with the exception of "the
remnant according to the election of grace," [ Romans 11:5 ] disbelieved the
Word, on this account "God chose the foolish things of the world," [ 1
Corinthians 1:27 ] namely, that which was not Israel, nor clear of vision, that He
might put to shame the wise ones of Israel; and He called "the things which are
not," [ 1 Corinthians 1:28 ] handing over to them an intelligent nation who were
able to admit "the foolishness of the preaching," [ 1 Corinthians 1:21 ] and of
His good pleasure saved those who believe in this, that He might refute "the
things which are," having perfected praise for Himself, "out of the mouths of
babes and sucklings," when they became hostile to truth. Now, the Canaanitish
woman, having come, worshipped Jesus as God, saying, "Lord, help me," but He
answered and said, "It is not possible to take the children's bread and cast it to
the little dogs." [ Matthew 15:25-26 ] But some one might inquire also into the
meaning of this saying, since—inasmuch as there was a measure of loaves such
that both the children and the dogs of the household could not eat loaves, unless
the dogs ate other loaves than those which were well made—it was not possible
according to right reason for the well-made loaf of the children to be given as
food to the little dogs. But no such thing appears in the case of the power of
Jesus, for of this it was possible both for the children and those called little dogs
to partake. Consider, then, whether perhaps with reference to the saying, "It is
not possible to take the bread of children," we ought to say that, "He who
emptied Himself and took upon Him the form of a servant," [ Philippians 2:7 ]
brought a measure of power such as the world was capable of receiving, of
which power also He was conscious that a certain quantity went forth from Him
as is plain from the words, "Some one did touch Me, for I perceived that power
had gone forth from Me." [ Luke 8:46 ] From this measure of power, then, He
dispensed, giving a larger portion to those who were pre-eminent and who were
called sons, but a smaller portion to those who were not such, as to the little
dogs. But though these things were so, nevertheless where there was great faith,
to her, who because of her base birth in Canaanitish land was a little dog, He
gave as to a child the bread of the children. And perhaps, also, of the words of
Jesus there are some loaves which it is possible to give to the more rational, as to
children only; and other words, as it were, crumbs from the great house and table
of the wellborn and the masters, which may be used by some souls, like the
dogs. And according to the law of Moses it is written about certain things, "You
shall cast them to the dogs," [ Exodus 22:31 ] and it was a matter of care to the
Holy Spirit to give instruction about certain foods that they should be left to the
dogs. Let others, then, who are strangers to the doctrine of the Church, assume
that souls pass from the bodies of men into the bodies of dogs, according to their
varying degree of wickedness; but we, who do not find this at all in the divine
Scripture, say that the more rational condition changes into one more irrational,
undergoing this affection in consequence of great slothfulness and negligence.
But, also, in the same way, a will which was more irrational, because of its
neglect of reason, sometimes turns and becomes rational, so that that which at
one time was a dog, loving to eat of the crumbs that fell from the table of its
masters, comes into the condition of a son. For virtue contributes greatly to the
making of one a son of God, but wickedness, and mad fury in wanton discourses
and shamelessness, contribute to the giving of a man the name of dog according
to the word of the Scripture. [ 2 Samuel 16:9 ] And the like you will also
understand in the case of the other names which are applied to animals without
reason. Only, he who is reproached as a dog and yet is not indignant at being
called unworthy of the bread of children and with all forbearance repeats the
saying of that Canaanitish woman, "Yea, Lord, for even the little dogs eat of the
crumbs which fall from their masters' [ Matthew 15:27 ] table," will obtain the
very gentle answer of Jesus saying to him, "Great is your faith," — when he has
received so great faith— and saying, "Be it done unto you even as you will," [
Matthew 15:28 ] so that he himself may be healed, and if he has produced any
fruit which stands in need of healing, that this, too, may be cured.

18. Concerning the Multitudes Who Were Healed.

Comparison of the Mountain Where Jesus Sat to the
Church.
" And Jesus departed thence ," — manifestly, from what has been said
before, from the parts of Tyre and Sidon,— " and came near unto the sea of
Galilee ," [ Matthew 15:29 ] which is commonly called the Lake of Gennesaret,
and again went up into the mountain where He went up and sat. We may say,
then, that into this mountain where Jesus sits, not only the sound in health go up,
but along with the sound, those also who were suffering from various disorders.
And, perhaps, this mountain to which Jesus went up and sat is that which is more
commonly called the Church, which has been set up through the word of God
over the rest of the world and the men upon it; whither go not the disciples only,
leaving the multitudes as in the case of the beatitudes, but great multitudes who
were not accused themselves of being deaf or suffering from any affection, but
who had such along with themselves. For you may see, along with the
multitudes who come to this mountain where the Son of God sits, some who
have become deaf to the things promised, and others blind in soul and not
looking at the true light, and others who are lame and not able to walk according
to reason, and others who are maimed and not able to work according to reason.
Those, accordingly, who are suffering in soul from such things, though they go
up along with the multitudes into the mountain where Jesus was, so long as they
are outside of the feet of Jesus, are not healed by Him; but when, as men
suffering from such disorders, they are cast by the multitude at His feet, [
Matthew 15:30 ] and at the extremities of the body of Christ, not being worthy to
obtain such things so far as they themselves are concerned, they are then healed
by Him. And when you see in the congregation of what is more commonly
called the church the catechumens cast behind those who are at the extreme end
of it, and as it were at the feet of the body of Jesus— the church— coming to it
with their own deafness and blindness and lameness and crookedness, and in
time cured according to the Word, you would not err in saying that such having
gone up with the multitudes of the church to the mountain where Jesus was, are
cast at His feet and are healed; so that the multitude of the church is astonished
at beholding transformations which have taken place from so great evils to that
which is better, so that it might say, those who were formerly dumb afterwards
speak the word of God, and the lame walk, the prophecy of Isaiah being
fulfilled, not only in things bodily but in things spiritual, which said, "Then shall
the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of him that has an impediment in
his speech be plain." [ Isaiah 35:6 ] And there, unless the expression, "the lame
man shall leap as an hart," is to be taken as accidental, we will say that those
formerly lame, and who now through the power of Jesus leap as an hart are not
without design compared to a hart, which is a clean animal, and hostile to
serpents and cannot at all be injured by their poison. But also, in respect of the
fact that the dumb are seen speaking is the prophecy fulfilled which said, "And
the tongue of him that has an impediment shall be plain," or rather that which
said, "Hear ye deaf;" but the blind see according to the prophecy following,
"Hear ye deaf, and you blind look up that you may see." [ Isaiah 42:18 ] Now the
blind see, when they see the world and from the exceeding great beauty of the
things created they contemplate the Creator corresponding in greatness and
beauty to them; and when they see clearly "the invisible things of God Himself
from the creation of the world, which are perceived through the things that are
made;" [ Romans 1:20 ] that is, they see and understand with care and clearness.
Now the multitudes seeing these things, glorified the God of Israel, [ Matthew
15:31 ] and glorify Him in the persuasion that it is the same God, who is the
Father of Him who healed those previously mentioned, and the God of Israel.
For He is not the God of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. [ Romans 3:29 ]
Let us then cause to go up along with ourselves to the mountain where Jesus sits
— His church— those who wish to go up to it along with us, the deaf, the blind,
the lame, the maimed and many others, and let us cast them at the feet of Jesus
that He may heal them, so that the multitudes are astonished at their healing; for
it is not the disciples who are described as wondering at such things, although at
that time they were present with Jesus, as is manifest from the words, "And Jesus
called unto Him His disciples and said, I have compassion on the multitudes," [
Matthew 15:32 ] etc.; and perhaps if you attend carefully to the words, "There
came unto Him great multitudes," [ Matthew 15:30 ] you would find that the
disciples at that time did not come to Him, but had begun long ago to follow
Him and followed Him into the mountain. But there came unto Him those who
were inferior to the disciples, and were then for the first time approaching Him,
who had not the same experience as those who had gone up with them. Observe,
moreover, in the Gospel who are described as having followed Jesus, and who as
having come to Him, and who as having been brought to Him, and the division
between those who go before and of those who follow; and of those who came,
who came to Him in the house, and who when He was elsewhere. For by
observation, and by comparing things spiritual with spiritual, you would find
many things worthy of the accurate wisdom in the Gospels.

19. Concerning the Seven Loaves. The Narrative of

the Feeding of the Four Thousand Compared with
that of the Five Thousand.
" And Jesus called unto Him His disciples and said. " [ Matthew 15:32 ]
Above in the similar history to this about the loaves, before the loaves are
spoken of, "Jesus came forth and saw a great multitude and had compassion
upon them and healed their sick. And when even had come the disciples came to
Him saying, The place is desert and the time is already past, send them away," [
Matthew 14:15 ] etc. But now after the healing of the deaf and the rest, He takes
compassion on the multitude which had continued with Him now three days and
had nothing to eat. And there the disciples make request concerning the five
thousand; [ Matthew 14:15 ] but here He speaks of His own accord about the
four thousand. [ Matthew 15:32 ] Those, too, are fed when it was evening after
they had spent a day with Him; but these, who are testified to have continued
with Him three days, partake of the loaves lest they might faint by the way. And
there the disciples say to Him when He was not inquiring, that they had only five
loaves and two fishes; but here to Him making inquiry, they give answer about
the seven loaves and the few small fishes. And there He commands the
multitudes to sit down or lie upon the grass; for Luke also wrote, "Make them sit
down," [ Luke 9:14 ] and Mark says, "He commanded them all to sit down;" [
Mark 6:39 ] but here He does not command but proclaims to the multitude to sit
down. Again, there, the three Evangelists say in the very same words that "He
took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven He blessed;" but
here, as Matthew and Mark have written, "Jesus gave thanks and broke;" there,
they recline upon the grass, but here they sit down upon the ground. You will
moreover investigate in the accounts in the different places the variation found in
John, who wrote in regard to that transaction that Jesus said, "Make the men sit
down," [ John 6:10 ] and that, having given thanks, He gave of the loaves to
them that were set down, but he did not mention this miracle at all. Attending,
then, to the difference of those things which are written in the various places in
regard to the loaves, I think that these belong to a different order from those;
wherefore these are fed in a mountain, and those in a desert place; and these after
they had continued three days with Jesus, but those one day, on the evening of
which they were fed. And further, unless it be the same thing for Jesus to do a
thing of Himself and to act after having heard from the disciples, consider if
those to whom Jesus shows kindness are not superior when He fed them on the
spot with a view to showing them kindness. And, if according to John, [ John
6:13 ] they were barley loaves of which the twelve baskets remained over, but
nothing of this kind is said about these, how are not these superior to the former?
And the sick of those He healed, [ Matthew 14:14 ] but here He heals these,
along with the multitudes, who were not sick but blind, and lame, and deaf, and
maimed; wherefore also in regard to these the four thousand marvel, [ Matthew
15:31 ] but in regard to the sick no such thing is said. And these I think who ate
of the seven loaves for which thanks were given, are superior to those who ate of
the five which were blessed; and these who ate the few little fishes to those who
ate of the two, and perhaps also these who sat down upon the ground to those
who sat down on the grass. And those from fewer loaves leave twelve baskets,
but these from a greater number leave seven baskets, inasmuch, as they were
able to receive more. And perhaps these tread upon all earthly things and sit
down upon them, but those upon the grass— upon their flesh only— for "all
flesh is grass." [ Isaiah 40:6 ] Consider also after this, that Jesus does not wish to
send them away fasting lest they faint on the way, as being without the loaves of
Jesus, and while they were still on the way— the way to their own concerns—
might suffer injury. Take note also of the cases where Jesus is recorded to have
sent any one away, that you may see the difference of those who were sent away
by Him after being fed, and those who had been sent away otherwise; and, as a
pattern of one who was sent away otherwise, take "Woman, you are loosed from
your infirmity." But further the disciples who are always with Jesus are not sent
away by Him; but the multitudes after they have eaten are sent away. Likewise,
again, the disciples who conceive nothing great about the Canaanitish woman
say, "Send her away, for she cries after us;" [ Matthew 15:23 ] but the Saviour
does not at all appear to send her away; for saying unto her, "O woman, great is
your faith, be it done to you even as you will," [ Matthew 15:28 ] He healed her
daughter from that hour: it is not however written that He sent her away. So far
at the present time have we been able to investigate and see into the passage
before us.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book XII)
1. Concerning Those Who Asked Him to Show Them a Sign from
Heaven.

" And the Sadducees and Pharisees came, and tempting Him kept asking
Him to show them a sign from heaven. " [ Matthew 16:1 ] The Sadducees and
Pharisees who disagreed with each other in regard to the most essential truths,—
for the Pharisees champion the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, hoping
that there will be a world to come, while the Sadducees know nothing after this
life in store for a man whether he has been advancing towards virtue, or has
made no effort at all to come out from the mountains of wickedness—these, I
say, agree that they may tempt Jesus. Now, a similar thing, as Luke has narrated,
[ Luke 23:12 ] happened in the case of Herod and Pilate, who became friends
with one another that they might kill Jesus; for, perhaps, their hostility with one
another would have prevented Herod from asking that He should be put to death,
in order to please the people, who said, "Crucify Him, Crucify Him," [ Luke
23:21 ] and would have influenced Pilate, who was somewhat inclined against
His condemnation, his hostility with Herod giving fresh impulse to the
inclination which he previously cherished to release Jesus. But their apparent
friendship made Herod stronger in his demand against Jesus with Pilate, who
wished, perhaps, also because of the newly-formed friendship to do something to
gratify Herod and all the nation of the Jews. And often even now you may see in
daily life those who hold the most divergent opinions, whether in the philosophy
of the Greeks or in other systems of thought, appearing to be of one mind that
they may scoff at and attack Jesus Christ in the person of His disciples. And
from these things I think you may go on by rational argument to consider,
whether when forces join in opposition which are in disagreement with one
another, as of Pharaoh with Nebuchadnezzar, [ 2 Kings 24:7 ] and of Tirhakah,
king of the Ethiopians, with Sennacherib, [ 2 Kings 19:9 ] a combination then
takes place against Jesus and His people. So perhaps, also, "The kings of the
earth set themselves and the rulers were gathered together," though not at all
before at harmony with one another, that having taken counsel against the Lord
and His Christ, they might slay the Lord of glory.

2. Why the Pharisees Asked a Sign from Heaven.

Now, to this point we have come in our discourse, because of the Pharisees
and Sadducees coming together unto Jesus, who disagreed in matters relating to
the resurrection, but came, as it were, to an agreement for the sake of tempting
our Saviour, and asking Him to show them a sign from heaven. For, not satisfied
with the wonderful signs shown among the people in the healing of all forms of
disease and sickness, and with the rest of the miracles which our Saviour had
done in the knowledge of many, they wished Him to show to them also a sign
from heaven. And I conjecture that they suspected that the signs upon earth
might possibly not be of God; for they did not hesitate indeed to say, "Jesus
casts out demons by Beelzebub the prince of the demons;" and it seemed to them
that a sign from heaven could not spring from Beelzebub or any other wicked
power. But they erred in regard to both, in regard to signs upon earth as well as
to signs from heaven, not being "approved money-changers," nor knowing how
to distinguish between the spirits that are working, which kind are from God,
and which have revolted from Him. And they ought to have known that even
many of the portents wrought against Egypt in the time of Moses, though they
were not from heaven, were clearly from God, and that the fire which fell from
heaven upon the sheep of Job was not from God; [ Job 1:16 ] for that fire
belonged to the same one as he to whom belonged those who carried off, and
made three bands of horsemen against, the cattle of Job. I think, moreover, that
in Isaiah— as if signs could be shown both from the earth and from heaven, the
true being from God, but "with all power and signs and lying wonders" [ 2
Thessalonians 2:9 ] those from the evil one— it was said to Ahaz, "Ask for
yourself a sign from the Lord your God in the depth or in the height." [ Isaiah
7:11 ] For, unless there had been some signs in the depth or in the height which
were not from the Lord God, this would not have been said, "Ask for yourself a
sign from the Lord your God in the depth or in the height." But I know well that
such an interpretation of the passage, "Ask for yourself a sign from the Lord your
God," will seem to some one rather forced; but give heed to that which is said by
the Apostle about the man of sin, the son of perdition, that, "with all power and
signs and lying wonders and with all deceit of unrighteousness," [ 2
Thessalonians 2:9-10 ] he shall be manifested to them that are perishing,
imitating all kinds of wonders, to-wit, those of truth. And as the enchanters and
magicians of the Egyptians, as being inferior to the man of sin and the son of
perdition, imitated certain powers, both the signs and wonders of truth, doing
lying wonders so that the true might not be believed; so I think the man of sin
will imitate signs and powers. And perhaps, also, the Pharisees suspected these
things because of the prophecies concerning Him; but I inquire whether also the
Sadducees tempting Him asked Jesus to show them a sign from heaven. For
unless we say that they suspected this, how shall we describe their relation to the
portents which Jesus wrought, who continued hard-hearted and were not put to
shame by the miraculous things that were done? But if any one supposes that we
have given an occasion of defence to the Pharisees and Sadducees, both when
they say that the demons were cast out by Jesus through Beelzebub, and when
tempting Him, they ask Jesus about a heavenly sign, let him know that we
plausibly say that they were drawn away to the end that they might not believe in
the miracles of Jesus; but not as to deserve forgiveness; for they did not look to
the words of the prophets which were being fulfilled in the acts of Jesus, which
an evil power was not at all capable of imitating. But to bring back a soul which
had gone out, so that it came out of the grave when already stinking and passing
the fourth day, [ John 11:39 ] was the work of no other than Him who heard the
word of the Father, "Let us make man after our image and likeness." [ Genesis
1:26 ] But also to command the winds and to make the violence of the sea cease
at a word, was the work of no other than Him through whom all things, both the
sea itself and the winds, have come into being. Moreover also as to the teaching
which stimulates men to the love of the Creator, in harmony with the law and the
prophets, and which checks passions and moulds morals according to piety, what
else did it indicate to such as were able to see, than that He was truly the Son of
God who wrought works so mighty? In respect of which things He said also to
the disciples of John, "Go your way and tell John what great things ye see and
hear; the blind receive their sight," etc. [ Matthew 11:4-5 ]

3. The Answer of Jesus to Their Request.

Next let us remark in what way, when asked in regard to one sign, that He
might show it from heaven, to the Pharisees and Sadducees who put the
question, He answers and says, " An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a
sign, and there shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet ,"
when also, "He left them and departed." [ Matthew 16:4 ] But the sign of Jonah,
in truth, according to their question, was not merely a sign but also a sign from
heaven; so that even to those who tempted Him and sought a sign from heaven
He, nevertheless, out of His own great goodness gave the sign. For if, as Jonah
passed three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so the Son of man did in
the heart of the earth, and after this rose up from it—whence but from heaven
shall we say that the sign of the resurrection of Christ came? And especially
when, at the time of the passion, He became a sign to the robber who obtained
favour from Him to enter into the paradise of God; after this, I think, descending
into Hades to the dead, "as free among the dead." And the Saviour seems to me
to conjoin the sign which was to come from Himself with the reason of the sign
in regard to Jonah when He says, not merely that a sign like to that is granted by
Him but that very sign; for attend to the words, "And there shall no sign be given
to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet." [ Matthew 16:4 ] Accordingly that sign
was this sign, because that became indicative of this, so that the elucidation of
that sign, which was obscure on the face of it, might be found in the fact that the
Saviour suffered, and passed three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
At the same time also we learn the general principle that, if the sign signifies
something, each of the signs which are recorded, whether as in actual history, or
by way of precept, is indicative of something afterwards fulfilled; as for
example, the sign of Jonah going out after three days from the whale's belly was
indicative of the resurrection of our Saviour, rising after three days and three
nights from the dead; and that which is called circumcision is the sign of that
which is indicated by Paul in the words: "We are the circumcision." [ Philippians
3:3 ] Seek you also every sign in the Old Scriptures as indicative of some
passage in the New Scripture, and that which is named a sign in the New
Covenant as indicative of something either in the age about to be, or even in the
subsequent generations after that the sign has taken place.

4. Why Jesus Called Them an Adulterous Generation.

The Law as Husband.
And He called them, indeed, "an evil generation," because of the quality
arising from evil which had been produced in them, for wickedness is voluntary
evil-doing, but "adulterous" because that when the Pharisees and Sadducees left
that which is figuratively called man, the word of truth or the law, they were
debauched by falsehood and the law of sin. For if there are two laws, the law in
our members warring against the law of the mind, and the law of the mind, [
Romans 7:23 ] we must say that the law of the mind— that is, the spiritual— is
man, to whom the soul was given by God as wife, that is, to the man who is law,
according to what is written, "A wife is married to a man by God;" [ Proverbs
19:14 ] but the other is a paramour of the soul which is subject to it, which also
on account of it is called an adulteress. Now that the law is husband of the soul
Paul clearly exhibits in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, "The law has
dominion over a man for so long time as he lives; for the woman that has a
husband is bound to the husband while he lives, to the husband who is law," etc.
For consider in these things that the law has dominion over the man so long time
as the law lives—as a husband over a wife. "For the woman that has a
husband," that is, the soul under the law, "is bound to the husband while he
lives," to the husband who is the law; but if the husband— that is, the law die—
she is discharged from the law, which is her husband. Now the law dies to him
who has gone up to the condition of blessedness, and no longer lives under the
law, but acts like to Christ, who, though He became under law for the sake of
those under law, that He might gain those under law, [ 1 Corinthians 9:10 ] did
not continue under law, nor did He leave subject to law those who had been
freed by Him; for He led them up along with Himself to the divine citizenship
which is above the law, which contains, as for the imperfect and such as are still
sinners, sacrifices for the remission of sins. He then who is without sin, and
stands no longer in need of legal sacrifices, perhaps when he has become perfect
has passed beyond even the spiritual law, and comes to the Word beyond it, who
became flesh to those who live in the flesh, but to those who no longer at all war
after the flesh, He is perceived as being the Word, as He was God in the
beginning with God, and reveals the Father. Three things therefore are to be
thought of in connection with this place— the woman that has a husband, who is
under a husband— the law; and the woman who is an adulteress, to-wit, the soul,
which, while her husband, the law, lives, has become joined to another husband,
namely, the law of the flesh; and the woman who is married to the brother of the
dead husband, to the Word who is alive and dies not, who "being raised from the
dead dies no more, for death has no more dominion over Him." [ Romans 6:9 ]
So far then because of the saying, "But if the husband die she is discharged from
the law, the husband," and because of this, "so then, while her husband lives, she
shall be called an adulteress, if she be joined to another man," and because of
this, "but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress
though she be joined to another man." [ Romans 7:2-3 ] But this very saying,
"So then while her husband lives, she shall be called an adulteress," we have
brought forward, wishing clearly to show why in answer to the Pharisees and
Sadducees who were tempting Him and asking Him to show them a sign from
heaven, He said not only "a wicked generation," but an "adulterous" generation.
[ Matthew 16:4 ] In a general way, then, the law in the members which wars
against the law of the mind, [ Romans 7:23 ] as a man who is an adulterer, is an
adulterer of the soul. But now also every power that is hostile, which gains the
mastery over the human soul, and has intercourse with it, commits adultery with
her who had a bridegroom given to her by God, namely, the Word. After these
things it is written that "He left them and departed." For how was the
bridegroom— the Word— not going to leave the adulterous generation and
depart from it? But you might say that the Word of God, leaving the synagogue
of the Jews as adulterous, departed from it, and took a wife of fornication, [
Hosea 1:2 ] namely, those from the Gentiles; since those who were "Sion, a
faithful city," [ Isaiah 1:21 ] have become harlots; but these have become like the
harlot Rahab, who received the spies of Joshua, and was saved with all her
house; [ Joshua 6:25 ] after this no longer playing the harlot, but coming to the
feet of Jesus, and wetting them with the tears of repentance, and anointing them
with the fragrance of the ointment of holy conversation, on account of whom,
reproaching Simon the leper—the former people—He spoke those things which
are written.

5. Concerning the Leaven of the Pharisees.

" And His disciples came to the other side and forgot to take loaves. " [
Matthew 16:5 ] Since the loaves which they had before they came to the other
side were no longer useful to the disciples when they came to the other side, for
they needed one kind of loaves before they crossed and a different kind when
they crossed,— on this account, being careless of taking loaves when going to
the other side, they forgot to take loaves with them. To the other side then came
the disciples of Jesus who had passed over from things material to things
spiritual, and from things sensible to those which are intellectual. And perhaps
that He might turn back those who, by crossing to the other side, "had begun in
spirit," from running back to carnal things, Jesus said to them when on the other
side, "Take heed and beware." [ Matthew 16:6 ] For there was a certain lump of
teaching and of truly ancient leaven—that according to the bare letter, and on
this account not freed from those things which arise from wickedness—which
the Pharisees and Sadducees offered, of which Jesus does not wish His own
disciples any longer to eat, having made for them a new and spiritual lump,
offering Himself to those who gave up the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees and had come to Him— "the living bread which came down from
heaven and gives life to the world." [ John 6:33, 51 ] But since, to him who is no
longer going to use the leaven and the lump and the teaching of the Pharisees
and the Sadducees, the first thing is to "see" and then to "beware," so that no
one, by reason of not seeing and from want of taking heed, may ever partake of
their forbidden leaven—on this account He says to the disciples, first, "see," and
then, "beware." It is the mark of the clear-sighted and careful to separate the
leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and every food that is not of "the
unleavened-bread of sincerity and truth" [ 1 Corinthians 5:8 ] from the living
bread, even that which came down from heaven, so that no one who eats may
adopt the things of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, but by eating the living and
true bread may strengthen his soul. And we might seasonably apply the saying to
those who, along with the Christian way of life, prefer to live as the Jews,
materially, for these do not see nor beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and
Sadducees, but, contrary to the will of Jesus who forbade it, eat the bread of the
Pharisees. Yea and also all, who do not wish to understand that the law is
spiritual, and has a shadow of the good things to come, [ Hebrews 10:1 ] and is a
shadow of the things to come, [ Colossians 2:17 ] neither inquire of what good
thing about to be each of the laws is a shadow, nor do they see nor beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees; and they also who reject the doctrine of the resurrection
of the dead are not on their guard against the leaven of the Sadducees. And there
are many among the heterodox who, because of their unbelief in regard to the
resurrection of the dead, are imbued with the leaven of the Sadducees. Now,
while Jesus said these things, the disciples reasoned, saying not aloud, but in
their own hearts, "We took no loaves." [ Matthew 16:7 ] And something like this
was what they said, If we had loaves we would not have had to take of the
leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees; but since, from want of loaves, we
run the risk of taking from their leaven, while the Saviour does not wish us to
run back to their teaching, therefore He said to us, "Take heed and beware of the
leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." [ Matthew 16:6 ] And these things
then they reasoned; Jesus, while looking to that which was in their hearts, and
hearing the reasons in them, as the true overseer of hearts, reproves them
because they did not see nor remember the loaves which they received from
Him; on account of which, even when they appeared to be in want of loaves,
they did not need the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

6. The Meaning of Leaven. Jesus' Knowledge of the

Heart.
Then expounding clearly and representing to them, who were being
distracted because of the equivocal meaning of loaf and leaven, in an
undisguised fashion, that He was not speaking to them about sensible bread but
about the leaven in the teaching, He subjoins, " How is it that you do not
perceive that I spoke not you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and the Sadducees. " [ Matthew 16:11 ] And though He had not laid
bare the interpretation, but still continued to use metaphorical language, the
disciples would have understood that the discourse of the Saviour was about the
teaching, figuratively called leaven, which the Pharisees and Sadducees were
teaching. So long, then, as we have Jesus with us fulfilling the promise which
runs, "Lo, I am with you always unto the consummation of the age," [ Matthew
28:20 ] we cannot fast nor be in want of food, so that, because of want of it we
should desire to take and eat the forbidden leaven, even from the Pharisees and
Sadducees. Now there may sometimes be a time, when He is with us, that we are
without food, as is spoken of in the passage above, "They continue with me now
three days and have nothing to eat;" [ Matthew 15:32 ] but, even though this
should happen, being unwilling to send us away fasting lest we faint on the way,
He gives thanks over the loaves which were with the disciples, and causes us to
have the seven baskets over from the seven loaves, as we have recorded. And
moreover this also is to be observed, in view of those who think that the divinity
of the Saviour is not at all demonstrable from the Gospel of Matthew, that the
fact that, when the disciples were reasoning among themselves and saying, "We
have no loaves," Jesus knew their reasonings and said, "Why reason ye among
yourselves, O you of little faith, because ye took no loaves," [ Matthew 16:8 ]
was beyond the power of man; for the Lord alone, as Solomon says in the third
Book of Kings, knows the hearts of men. [ 1 Kings 8:39 ] But since the disciples
understood, when Jesus said, "Beware of the leaven," [ Matthew 16:6 ] that He
did not tell them to beware of the loaves but of the teaching of the Pharisees and
Sadducees, you will understand that whenever leaven is named it is put
figuratively for teaching, whether in the law, or in the Scriptures which come
after the law; and so perhaps leaven is not offered upon the altar; for it is not
right that prayers should take the form of teaching, but should only be
supplications of good things from God. But one might inquire, on account of
what has been said about disciples who came to the other side, if any one who
has reached the other side can be reproached as one of little faith, and as not yet
understanding nor remembering what was done by Jesus. But it is not difficult, I
think, to say to this, that in relation to that which is perfect, on the coming of
which "that which is in part shall be done away," [ 1 Corinthians 13:10 ] all our
faith here is little faith, and in regard to that, we who know in part do not yet
know nor remember; for we are not able to obtain a memory which is sufficient
and able to attain to the magnitude of the nature of the speculations.

7. Relative Magnitude of Sins of the Heart and Actual

Sins.
But we may also learn from this, that in respect of the reasonings only
which we reason within ourselves, we are sometimes convicted and reproached
as being of little faith. And I think that just as a man commits adultery in his
heart only, though not proceeding altogether to the overt act, so he commits in
his heart the rest of the things which are forbidden. As then he who has
committed adultery in his heart will be punished proportionately to adultery of
this kind, so also he who has done in his heart any one of the things forbidden,
for example, who has stolen in his heart only, or borne false witness in his heart
only, will not be punished as he who has stolen in fact, or who has completed the
very act of false testimony, but only as he who has done such things in his heart.
There is also the case of the man who while he did not arrive at the evil action,
came short of it in spite of his own will. For if, in addition to willing it, he has
attempted it, but not carried it out, he will be punished not as one who has sinned
in his heart alone but in deed. To questions of this sort one might ask, whether
any one commits adultery in his heart, even if he does not do the deed of
adultery, but lacks self-control in heart only. And the like also you will say
concerning the rest of things which are deserving of praise. But the passage
possibly contains a plausible fallacy which must be cleared away, I think, in this
manner: adultery which takes place in the heart is a less sin, than if one were
also to add to it the act. But it is impossible that there can be chastity in the heart,
hindering the chaste action— unless indeed one brings forward for an illustration
of this the case of the virgin who according to the law was violated in solitude; [
Deuteronomy 22:25 ] for it may be granted that the heart of any one may be
most pure, but that force in a matter of licentiousness has caused the corruption
of the body of her who was chaste. In truth she seems to me to be altogether
chaste in secret heart, but no longer to be pure in body such as she was before
the act of violence; but though she is not pure outwardly, is she therefore now
also unchaste? I have said these things because of the words, "They reasoned
among themselves saying, We took no loaves," to which is added, "And Jesus
perceiving it, said, O you of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves," [
Matthew 16:7-8 ] etc.; for it was necessary that investigation should be made in
regard to the censure of things in secret and correlatively to the praise of things
in secret.

8. The Leaven Figurative Like the Water Spoken of

by Jesus to the Woman of Samaria.
But I wonder if the disciples thought, before the saying was explained to
them by Jesus, that their Teacher and Lord was forbidding them to beware of the
sensible leaven of the Pharisees or the Sadducees as impure, and on this account
forbidden, lest they might use that leaven because they had not taken loaves.
And we might make a like inquiry in regard to other things; but by-way of
illustration the narrative about the woman of Samaria suffices, "Every one that
drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinks of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst." [ John 14:13-14 ] For there, also, so far as the
mere form of expression is concerned, the Samaritan woman would seem to
have thought that the Saviour was giving a promise about sensible water, when
He said, "Whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst."
And those things then must be figuratively interpreted, and we must examine
and compare the water of the spring of Jacob from which the woman of Samaria
drew water with the water of Jesus; and here the like must be done; for perhaps
the loaves were not baked, but a kind of raw leaven solely, the teaching, namely,
of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

9. Concerning the Question of Jesus in Cæsarea, Who

9. Concerning the Question of Jesus in Cæsarea, Who
Do Men Say that I Am? Different Conceptions of
Jesus.
" Now when Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi, He asked His
disciples. " [ Matthew 16:13 ] Jesus inquires of the disciples, "Who do men say
that I am," that we may learn from the answer of the Apostles the different
conceptions then held among the Jews in regard to our Saviour; and perhaps also
that the disciples of Jesus might learn to be interested in knowing what is said by
men about them; because that will be an advantage to them who do it, by cutting
off in every way occasions of evil if anything evil is spoken of, and by
increasing the incitements to good, if anything good is spoken of. Only, observe
how, on account of the different movements of opinion among the Jews about
Jesus, some, under the influence of unsound theories, said that He was John the
Baptist, like Herod the tetrarch who said to his servants, "This is John the
Baptist, he is risen from the dead, and therefore do the powers work in him;" [
Matthew 14:2 ] but others that He who was now called Jesus was Elijah, either
having been born a second time, or living from that time in the flesh, and
appearing at the present time. But those who said that Jesus was Jeremiah, and
not that Jeremiah was a type of the Christ, were perhaps influenced by what is
said in the beginning of Jeremiah about Christ, which was not fulfilled in the
prophet at that time, but was beginning to be fulfilled in Jesus, whom "God set
up over nations and kingdoms to root up, and to break down, and to destroy, and
to build up, and to transplant," [ Jeremiah 1:10 ] having made Him to be a
prophet to the Gentiles to whom He proclaimed the word. Moreover also those
who said, "that he was a certain one of the prophets," [ Matthew 16:14 ]
conceived this opinion concerning Him because of those things which had been
said in the prophets as unto them, but which had not been fulfilled in their case.
But also the Jews, as worthy of the veil which was upon their heart, held false
opinions concerning Jesus; while Peter as not a disciple "of flesh and blood," [
Matthew 16:17 ] but as one fit to receive the revelation of the Father in heaven,
confessed that He was the Christ. The saying of Peter to the Saviour, "You are
the Christ," when the Jews did not know that He was Christ, was indeed a great
thing, but greater that he knew Him not only to be Christ, but also "the Son of the
living God," [ Matthew 16:16 ] who had also said through the prophets, "I live,"
[ Jeremiah 22:24 ] and "They have forsaken Me the spring of living water;" [
Jeremiah 2:13 ] — and He is life also, as from the Father the spring of life, who
said, "I am the Life;" [ John 14:6 ] and consider carefully, whether, as the spring
of the river is not the same thing as the river, the spring of life is not the same as
life. And these things we have added because to the saying, "You are the Christ,
the Son of God," was subjoined the word "living;" [ Matthew 16:16 ] for it was
necessary to set forth something noteworthy in regard to that which is said about
God and the Father of all things as living, both in relation to His absolute life,
and in relation to those things which participate in it. But since we said that they
were under the influence of unsound opinions who declared that Jesus was John
the Baptist, or any one of those named, in saying this let us prove that if they had
fallen in with Jesus as He was going away to John for baptism, or with John
when he was baptizing Jesus, or if they had heard it from any one, they would
not have said that Jesus was John. But also if they had understood the opinions
under the influence of which Jesus said, "If you are willing to receive it, this is
Elijah which is to come," [ Matthew 11:14 ] and had heard what was said, as
men having ears, some would not have said that He was Elijah. And if those who
said that He was Jeremiah had perceived that the most of the prophets took upon
themselves certain features that were symbolic of Him, they would not have said
that He was Jeremiah; and in like manner the others would not have said that He
was one of the prophets.

10. The Answer of Peter.

And perhaps that which Simon Peter answered and said, " You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God ," [ Matthew 16:16 ] if we say it as Peter, not by
flesh and blood revealing it unto us, but by the light from the Father in heaven
shining in our heart, we too become as Peter, being pronounced blessed as he
was, because that the grounds on which he was pronounced blessed apply also to
us, by reason of the fact that flesh and blood have not revealed to us with regard
to Jesus that He is Christ, the Son of the living God, but the Father in heaven,
from the very heavens, that our citizenship may be in heaven, [ Philippians 3:20
] revealing to us the revelation which carries up to heaven those who take away
every veil from the heart, and receive "the spirit of the wisdom and revelation"
of God. [ Ephesians 1:17 ] And if we too have said like Peter, "You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God," not as if flesh and blood had revealed it unto
us, but by light from the Father in heaven having shone in our heart, we become
a Peter, and to us there might be said by the Word, "You are Peter," etc. [
Matthew 16:18 ] For a rock is every disciple of Christ of whom those drank who
drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, [ 1 Corinthians 10:4 ] and upon
every such rock is built every word of the church, and the polity in accordance
with it; for in each of the perfect, who have the combination of words and deeds
and thoughts which fill up the blessedness, is the church built by God.

11. The Promise Given to Peter Not Restricted to

Him, But Applicable to All Disciples Like Him.
But if you suppose that upon that one Peter only the whole church is built
by God, what would you say about John the son of thunder or each one of the
Apostles? Shall we otherwise dare to say, that against Peter in particular the
gates of Hades shall not prevail, but that they shall prevail against the other
Apostles and the perfect? Does not the saying previously made, "The gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it," [ Matthew 16:18 ] hold in regard to all and in
the case of each of them? And also the saying, "Upon this rock I will build My
church" ? [ Matthew 16:18 ] Are the keys of the kingdom of heaven given by the
Lord to Peter only, and will no other of the blessed receive them? But if this
promise, "I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven," [ Matthew
16:19 ] be common to the others, how shall not all the things previously spoken
of, and the things which are subjoined as having been addressed to Peter, be
common to them? For in this place these words seem to be addressed as to Peter
only, "Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven," [ Matthew
16:19 ] etc.; but in the Gospel of John the Saviour having given the Holy Spirit
unto the disciples by breathing upon them said, "Receive the Holy Spirit," [ John
20:22 ] etc. Many then will say to the Saviour, "You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God;" but not all who say this will say it to Him, as not at all having
learned it by the revelation of flesh and blood but by the Father in heaven
Himself taking away the veil that lay upon their heart, in order that after this
"with unveiled face reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord" [ 2 Corinthians
3:18 ] they may speak through the Spirit of God saying concerning Him, "Lord
Jesus," and to Him, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [ Matthew
16:16 ] And if any one says this to Him, not by flesh and blood revealing it unto
Him but through the Father in heaven, he will obtain the things that were spoken
according to the letter of the Gospel to that Peter, but, as the spirit of the Gospel
teaches, to every one who becomes such as that Peter was. For all bear the
surname of "rock" who are the imitators of Christ, that is, of the spiritual rock
which followed those who are being saved, [ 1 Corinthians 10:4 ] that they may
drink from it the spiritual draught. But these bear the surname of the rock just as
Christ does. But also as members of Christ deriving their surname from Him
they are called Christians, and from the rock, Peters. And taking occasion from
these things you will say that the righteous bear the surname of Christ who is
Righteousness, and the wise of Christ who is Wisdom. [ 1 Corinthians 1:30 ]
And so in regard to all His other names, you will apply them by way of surname
to the saints; and to all such the saying of the Saviour might be spoken, "You are
Peter," etc., down to the words, "prevail against it." But what is the "it" ? Is it
the rock upon which Christ builds the church, or is it the church? For the phrase
is ambiguous. Or is it as if the rock and the church were one and the same? This
I think to be true; for neither against the rock on which Christ builds the church,
nor against the church will the gates of Hades prevail; just as the way of a
serpent upon a rock, according to what is written in the Proverbs, cannot be
found. Now, if the gates of Hades prevail against any one, such an one cannot be
a rock upon which Christ builds the church, nor the church built by Jesus upon
the rock; for the rock is inaccessible to the serpent, and it is stronger than the
gates of Hades which are opposing it, so that because of its strength the gates of
Hades do not prevail against it; but the church, as a building of Christ who built
His own house wisely upon the rock, [ Matthew 7:24 ] is incapable of admitting
the gates of Hades which prevail against every man who is outside the rock and
the church, but have no power against it.

12. Every Sin— Every False Doctrine is a "Gate of

Hades."
But when we have understood how each of the sins through which there is a
way to Hades is a gate of Hades, we shall apprehend that the soul, which has
"spot or wrinkle or any such thing," [ Ephesians 5:27 ] and because of
wickedness is neither holy nor blameless, is neither a rock upon which Christ
builds, nor a church, nor part of a church which Christ builds upon the rock. But
if any one wishes to put us to shame in regard to these things because of the
great majority of those of the church who are thought to believe, it must be said
to him not only "Many are called, but few chosen;" [ Matthew 22:14 ] but also
that which was said by the Saviour to those who come to Him, as it is recorded
in Luke in these words, "Strive to enter in by the narrow door, for many, I say
unto you, shall seek to enter in through the narrow door and shall not be able;" [
Luke 13:24 ] and also that which is written in the Gospel of Matthew thus, "For
narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leads unto life, and few be they that
find it." [ Matthew 7:14 ] Now, if you attend to the saying, "Many, I say unto
you, shall seek to enter in and shall not be able," [ Luke 13:24 ] you will
understand that this refers to those who boast that they are of the church, but live
weakly and contrary to the word. Of those, then, who seek to enter in, those who
are not able to enter will not be able to do so, because the gates of Hades prevail
against them; but in the case of those against whom the gates of Hades will not
prevail, those seeking to enter in will be strong, being able to do all things, in
Christ Jesus, who strengthens them. [ Philippians 4:13 ] And in like manner each
one of those who are the authors of any evil opinion has become the architect of
a certain gate of Hades; but those who co-operate with the teaching of the
architect of such things are servants and stewards, who are the bond-servants of
the evil doctrine which goes to build up impiety. And though the gates of Hades
are many and almost innumerable, no gate of Hades will prevail against the rock
or against the church which Christ builds upon it. Notwithstanding, these gates
have a certain power by which they gain the mastery over some who do not
resist and strive against them; but they are overcome by others who, because
they do not turn aside from Him who said, "I am the door," [ John 10:9 ] have
rased from their soul all the gates of Hades. And this also we must know that as
the gates of cities have each their own names, in the same way the gates of
Hades might be named after the species of sins; so that one gate of Hades is
called "fornication," through which fornicators go, and another "denial," through
which the deniers of God go down into Hades. And likewise already each of the
heterodox and of those who have begotten any "knowledge which is falsely so
called," [ 1 Timothy 6:20 ] has built a gate of Hades— Marcion one gate, and
Basilides another, and Valentinus another.

13. The "Gates of Hades" And the "Gates of Zion"

Contrasted.
In this place, then, the gates of Hades are spoken of; but in the Psalms the
prophet gives thanks saying, "He who lifts me up from the gates of death that I
may declare all your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion." And from this
we learn that it is never possible for any one to be fit to declare the praises of
God, unless he has been lifted up from the gates of death, and has come to the
gates of Zion. Now the gates of Zion may be conceived as opposed to the gates
of death, so that there is one gate of death, dissoluteness, but a gate of Zion, self-
control; and so a gate of death, unrighteousness, but a gate of Zion,
righteousness, which the prophet shows forth saying, "This is the gate of the
Lord, the righteous shall enter into it." And again there is cowardice, a gate of
death, but manly courage, a gate of Zion; and want of prudence, a gate of death,
but its opposite, prudence, a gate of Zion. But to all the gates of the "knowledge
which is falsely so called" [ 1 Timothy 6:20 ] one gate is opposed, the gate of
knowledge which is free from falsehood. But consider if, because of the saying,
"our wrestling is not against flesh and blood," [ Ephesians 6:12 ] etc., you can
say that each power and world-ruler of this darkness, and each one of the
"spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" [ Ephesians 6:12 ] is a gate
of Hades and a gate of death. Let, then, the principalities and powers with which
our wrestling is, be called gates of Hades, but the "ministering spirits" [ Hebrews
1:14 ] gates of righteousness. But as in the case of the better things many gates
are first spoken of, and after the gates, one, in the passage, "Open to me the gates
of righteousness, I will enter into them, and will make full confession to the
Lord," and "this is the gate of the Lord, by it the righteous shall enter;" so also in
the case of those gates which are opposed, many are the gates of Hades and
death, each a power; but over all these the wicked one himself. And let us take
heed in regard to each sin, as if we were descending into some gate of death if
we sin; but when we are lifted up from the gates of death let us declare all the
praises of the Lord in the gates of the daughter of Zion; as, for example, in one
gate of the daughter of Zion— that which is called self-control— we will declare
by our self-control the praises of God; and in another which is called
righteousness, by righteousness we will declare the praises of God; and,
generally, in all things whatsoever of a praiseworthy character with which we
are occupied, in these we are at some gate of the daughter of Zion, declaring at
each gate some praise of God. But we must make inquiry whether in one of the
Twelve it is said, "They hated him that reproves in the gates, and they loathed
the holy word." [ Amos 5:10 ] Perhaps, then, he who reproves in the gates is of
the gates of the daughter of Zion, reproving those who are in sins which are
opposed to this gate, even of the gates of Hades or death. But if you do not so
understand the words, "They hated him that reproves in the gates," either the
expression "in the gates" will be held to be superfluous, or investigate how that
which is said can be worthy of the prophetic spirit.

14. In What Sense the "Keys" Are Given to Peter, and

Every Peter. Limitations of This Power.
And after this let us see in what sense it is said to Peter, and to every Peter,
" I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. " [ Matthew 16:19 ]
And, in the first place, I think that the saying, "I will give unto you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven," is spoken in consistency with the words, "The gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it." [ Matthew 16:18 ] For he is worthy to
receive from the same Word the keys of the kingdom of heaven, who is fortified
against the gates of Hades so that they do not prevail against him, receiving, as it
were, for a prize, the keys of the kingdom of heaven, because the gates of Hades
had no power against him, that he might open for himself the gates that were
closed to those who had been conquered by the gates of Hades. And he enters in,
as a temperate man, through an opened gate— the gate of temperance— by the
key which opens temperance; and, as a righteous man, by another gate— the
gate of righteousness— which is opened by the key of righteousness; and so
with the rest of the virtues. For I think that for every virtue of knowledge certain
mysteries of wisdom corresponding to the species of the virtue are opened up to
him who has lived according to virtue; the Saviour giving to those who are not
mastered by the gates of Hades as many keys as there are virtues, which open
gates equal in number, which correspond to each virtue according to the
revelation of the mysteries. And perhaps, also, each virtue is a kingdom of
heaven, and all together are a kingdom of the heavens; so that according to this
he is already in the kingdom of the heavens who lives according to the virtues,
so that according to this the saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand," is to be referred, not to the time, but to deeds and dispositions; for Christ,
who is all virtue, has come, and speaks, and on account of this the kingdom of
God is within His disciples, and not here or there. [ Luke 17:21 ] But consider
how great power the rock has upon which the church is built by Christ, and how
great power every one has who says, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living
God," so that the judgments of this man abide sure, as if God were judging in
him, that in the very act of judging the gates of Hades shall not prevail against
him. But when one judges unrighteously, and does not bind upon earth according
to the Word of God, nor loose upon earth according to His will, the gates of
Hades prevail against him; but, in the case of any one against whom the gates of
Hades do not prevail, this man judges righteously. Wherefore he has the keys of
the kingdom of heaven, opening to those who have been loosed on earth that
they may be also loosed in heaven, and free; and shutting to those who by his
just judgment have been bound on earth that they also may be bound in heaven,
and condemned. But when those who maintain the function of the episcopate
make use of this word as Peter, and, having received the keys of the kingdom of
heaven from the Saviour, teach that things bound by them, that is to say,
condemned, are also bound in heaven, and that those which have obtained
remission by them are also loosed in heaven, we must say that they speak
wholesomely if they have the way of life on account of which it was said to that
Peter, "You are Peter;" [ Matthew 16:18 ] and if they are such that upon them
the church is built by Christ, and to them with good reason this could be
referred; and the gates of Hades ought not to prevail against him when he wishes
to bind and loose. But if he is tightly bound with the cords of his sins, [ Proverbs
5:22 ] to no purpose does he bind and loose. And perhaps you can say that in the
heavens which are in the wise man— that, is the virtues—the bad man is bound;
and again in these the virtuous man is loosed, and has received an indemnity for
the sins which he committed before his virtue. But, as the man, who has not the
cords of sins nor iniquities compared to a "long rope or to the strap of the yoke
of a heifer," [ Isaiah 5:18 ] not even God could bind, in like manner, no Peter,
whoever he may be; and if any one who is not a Peter, and does not possess the
things here spoken of, imagines as a Peter that he will so bind on earth that the
things bound are bound in heaven, and will so loose on earth that the things
loosed are loosed in heaven, he is puffed up, not understanding the meaning of
the Scriptures, and, being puffed up, has fallen into the ruin of the devil. [ 1
Timothy 3:10 ]

15. Relation of the Former Commission Given by

Jesus to the Disciples, to His Present Injunction of
Silence. Belief and Knowledge Contrasted.
" Then enjoined He His disciples that they should tell no man that He was
the Christ. " [ Matthew 16:20 ] It is written above that Jesus sent forth these
twelve saying unto them, "Go not into any way of the Gentiles," [ Matthew 10:5
] and the other words which are recorded to have been said to them when He
sent them to the apostleship. Did He then wish them when they were already
discharging the function of Apostles to proclaim that He was the Christ? For, if
He wished it, it is fitting to inquire why He now at all commands the disciples
that they should not say that He was the Christ? Or if He did not wish it, how
can the things concerning the apostleship be safely maintained? And these things
also one may inquire at this place—whether, when He sent away the Twelve, He
did not send them away with the understanding that He was the Christ? But if
the Twelve had such understanding, manifestly Peter had it also; how, then, is he
now pronounced blessed? For the expression here plainly indicates that now for
the first time Peter confessed that Christ was the Son of the living God. Matthew
then, according to some of the manuscripts, has written, "Then He commanded
His disciples that they should tell no man that He was the Christ," but [ Matthew
16:20 ] Mark says, "He charged them that they should tell no man of Him;" [
Mark 8:30 ] and Luke, "He charged them and commanded them to tell this to no
man." [ Luke 9:21 ] But what is the "this" ? Was it that also according to him,
Peter answered and said to the question, "Who say ye that I am." — "The Christ,
the Son of the living God?" [ Matthew 16:15-16 ] You must know, however, that
some manuscripts of the Gospel according to Matthew have, "He charged." [
Matthew 16:20 ] The difficulty thus started seems to me a very real difficulty;
but let a solution which cannot be impugned be sought out, and let the finder of
it bring it forward before all, if it be more credible than that which shall be
advanced by us as a fairly temperate view. Consider, then, if you can say, that
the belief that Jesus is the Christ is inferior to the knowledge of that which is
believed. And perhaps also there is a difference in the knowledge of Jesus as the
Christ, as every one who knows does not know Him alike. From the words in
John, "If you abide in My word, you shall know the truth, and the truth shall
make you free," [ John 8:31-32 ] it is plain that belief without knowledge is
inferior to knowing; but that there is a difference in the knowledge of Jesus as
the Christ, as all who know Him do not know Him equally, is a fact self-evident
to any one who gives even a very little consideration to the matter. For who
would not acknowledge, for example, that Timothy, though he knew that Jesus
was the Christ, had not been enlightened to such an extent in the knowledge of
Him as the Apostle had been enlightened? And who would not also admit this—
that though many, speaking the truth, say about God, "He has given to me a true
knowledge of things that are," yet they will not say this with equal insight and
apprehension of the things known, nor as knowing the same number of things?
But it is not only in respect of the difference of knowing that those who know do
not know alike, but also according to that which is the source of the knowledge;
so that according to this he who knows the Son by the revelation of the Father, [
Matthew 16:16 ] as Peter is testified to have known, has the highest beatitude.
Now, if these views of ours are sound, you will consider whether the Twelve
formerly believed but did not know; but, after believing, they gained also the
rudiments of knowledge and knew a few things about Him; and afterwards they
continued to advance in knowledge so that they were able to receive the
knowledge from the Father who reveals the Son; in which position Peter was,
when he was pronounced blessed; for also he is pronounced blessed not merely
because he said, "You are the Christ," but with the addition, "the Son of the
living God." Accordingly Mark and Luke who have recorded that Peter
answered and said, "You are the Christ," but have not given the addition found
in Matthew, have not recorded that he was declared blessed for what had been
said, nor the blessing which followed the declaration of blessedness, "You are
Peter," [ Matthew 16:18 ] etc.

16. Gradual Growth in Knowledge of the Disciples.

But now we must first investigate the fact that they were declaring other
things about Him as being great and wonderful, but did not yet proclaim that He
was the Christ, lest the Saviour may not appear to take away from them the
authority to announce that He was the Christ, which He had formerly bestowed
upon them. And perhaps some one will support an argument of this kind, saying
that on their introduction into the school of Christ the Jews were taught by the
disciples glorious things about Jesus, so that in due season there might be built
upon these as a foundation the things about Jesus being the Christ; and perhaps
many of the things which were said to them were said to all who virtually
believed; for not to the Apostles alone did the saying apply, "Before governors
and kings also shall you be brought for My sake for a testimony to them and to
the Gentiles;" [ Matthew 10:18 ] and perhaps also not to the Apostles absolutely,
but to all who were about to believe the word, "And brother shall deliver up
brother to death," [ Matthew 10:21 ] etc.; but, "Whosoever shall confess Me," [
Matthew 10:32 ] etc., is said not specially to the Apostles, but also to all
believers. According to this, then, through that which was said to the Apostles an
outline was given beforehand of the teaching which would afterwards come to
be of service both to them and to every teacher.

17. Reasons for that Gradual Knowledge.

And likewise he who holds that the fact that He was Christ had been
formerly proclaimed by the Apostles when they heard the saying, "What I tell
you in the darkness, speak ye in the light, and what ye hear in the ear proclaim
on the housetops," [ Matthew 10:27 ] will say, that He wished first to give
catechetical instruction as it were to those of the Apostles who were to hear the
name of Christ, then to permit this, so to speak, to be digested in the minds of the
hearers, that, after there had been a period of silence in the proclamation of
something of this kind about Him, at a more seasonable time there might be built
up upon the former rudiments "Christ Jesus crucified and raised from the dead,"
which at the beginning not even the Apostles knew; for it is written in the
passage now under consideration, "From that time began Jesus to show unto His
disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem" [ Matthew 16:21 ] and suffer this and
that. But if now, for the first time, the Apostles learn from Jesus the things that
were about to happen unto Him, namely, that the elders will plot against Him,
and that He will be killed, and that after these things, on the third day, He will
rise from the dead—what necessity is there for supposing that those who had
been taught by the Apostles concerning Jesus knew them before, or that although
Christ was announced to them He was announced to them by way of an
introduction which did not clearly elucidate the things concerning Him? For our
Saviour wished, when He enjoined the disciples to tell no man that He was the
Christ, to reserve the more perfect teaching about Him to a more fitting time,
when to those who had seen Him crucified, the disciples who had seen Him
crucified and risen could testify the things relating to His resurrection. For if the
Apostles, who were always with Him and had seen all the wonderful things
which He did, and who bore testimony to His words that they were words of
eternal life, [ John 6:68 ] were offended on the night on which He was betrayed
—what do you suppose would have been the feelings of those who had formerly
learned that He was the Christ? To spare them, I think, He gave this command.

18. Jesus Was at First Proclaimed by the Twelve as a

Worker and a Teacher Only.
But he who holds that the things spoken to the Twelve refer to the times
subsequent to this, and that the Apostles had not as yet announced to their
hearers that He was the Christ, will say that He wished the conception of the
Christ which was involved in the name of Jesus to be reserved for that preaching
which was more perfect, and which brought salvation, such as Paul knew of
when he said to the Corinthians, "I determined not to know anything among you
save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." [ 1 Corinthians 2:2 ] Wherefore, formerly
they proclaimed Jesus as the doer of certain things, and the teacher of certain
things; but now when Peter confesses that He was the Christ, the Son of the
living God, as He did not wish it to be proclaimed already that He was the
Christ, in order that He might be proclaimed at a more suitable time, and that as
crucified, He commands His disciples that they should tell no man that He was
the Christ. And that this was His meaning, when He forbade proclamation to be
made that He was the Christ, is in a measure established by the words, "From
that time began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that He must go unto
Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders," and what is annexed; [
Matthew 16:21 ] for then, at the fitting time, He proclaims, so to speak, to the
disciples who knew that Jesus was Christ, the Son of the living God, the Father
having revealed it to them, that instead of believing in Jesus Christ who had been
crucified, they were to believe in Jesus Christ who was about to be crucified. But
also, instead of believing in Christ Jesus and Him risen from the dead, He
teaches them to believe in Christ Jesus and Him about to be risen from the dead.
But since "having put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, He
made a show of them openly, triumphing over in the cross," [ Colossians 2:15 ] if
any one is ashamed of the cross of Christ, he is ashamed of the dispensation on
account of which these powers were triumphed over; and it is fitting that he, who
both believes and knows these things, should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, [ Galatians 6:14 ] through which, when Christ was crucified, the
principalities— among which, I think, was also the prince of this world— were
made a show of and triumphed over before the believing world. Wherefore,
when His suffering was at hand he said, "Now the prince of this world has been
judged," [ John 16:11 ] and, "Now shall the prince of this world be cast out,"
and, "I, if I be lifted from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself;" [ John
12:31-32 ] as he no longer had sufficient power to prevent those going to Jesus
who were being drawn by Him.

19. Importance of the Proclamation of Jesus as the

Crucified.
It is necessary, therefore, to the proclamation of Jesus as Christ, that He
should be proclaimed as crucified; and the proclamation that Jesus was the
Christ does not seem to me so defective when any of His other miracles is
passed over in silence, as when the fact of His crucifixion is passed over.
Wherefore, reserving the more perfect proclamation of the things concerning
Him by the Apostles, He commanded His disciples that they should tell no man
that He was the Christ; and He prepared them to say that He was the Christ
crucified and risen from the dead, "when He began" not only to say, nor even to
advance to the point of teaching merely, but "to show" [ Matthew 16:21 ] to His
disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, etc.; for attend to the expression "show" ;
because just as sensible things are said to be shown so the things spoken by Him
to His disciples are said to be shown by Jesus. And I do not think that each of the
things seen was shown to those who saw Him suffering many things in body
from the elders of the people, with such clearness as was the rational
demonstration about Him to the disciples.

20. Why Jesus Had to Go to Jerusalem.

"Then began He to show;" [ Matthew 16:21 ] and probably afterwards when
they were able to receive it He showed more clearly, no longer beginning to
show as to those who were learning the introduction, but already also advancing
in the showing; and if it is reasonable to conceive that Jesus altogether
completed what He began, then, some time, He altogether completed that which
He began to show to His disciples about the necessity of His suffering the things
which are written. For, when any one apprehends from the Word the perfect
knowledge of these things, then it must be said that, from a rational exhibition
(the mind seeing the things which are shown,) the exhibition becomes complete
for him who has the will and the power to contemplate these things, and does
contemplate them. But since "it cannot be that a prophet perish out of
Jerusalem," [ Luke 13:33 ] — a perishing which corresponds to the words, "He
that loses his life for My sake shall find it," [ Matthew 10:39 ] — on this account
it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem, that having suffered many things in
that Jerusalem, He might make "the first-fruits" [ 1 Corinthians 15:20 ] of the
resurrection from the dead in the Jerusalem above, doing away with and
breaking up the city upon the earth with all the worship which was maintained in
it. For so long as Christ "had not been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of
them that are asleep," [ 1 Corinthians 15:20 ] and those who become conformed
to His death and resurrection had not yet been raised along with Him, the city of
God was sought for below, and the temple, and the purifications, and the rest;
but when this took place, no longer were the things below sought for, but the
things above; and, in order that these might be set up, it was necessary that He
should go unto the Jerusalem below, and there suffer many things from the
elders in it, and the chief priests and scribes of the people, in order that He might
be glorified by the heavenly elders who could receive his bounties, and by
diviner high-priests who are ordained under the one High-Priest, and that He
might be glorified by the scribes of the people who are occupied with letters "not
written with ink" [ 2 Corinthians 3:3 ] but made clear by the Spirit of the living
God, and might be killed in the Jerusalem below, and having risen from the dead
might reign in Mount Zion, and the city of the living God— the heavenly
Jerusalem. [ Hebrews 12:22 ] But on the third day He rose from the dead, in
order that having delivered them from the wicked one, and his son, in whom was
falsehood and unrighteousness and war and everything opposed to that which
Christ is, and also from the profane spirit who transforms himself into the Holy
Spirit, He might gain for those who had been delivered the right to be baptized in
spirit and soul and body, into the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Spirit, which represent the three days eternally present at the same time to those
who by means of them are sons of light.

21. The Rebuke of Peter and the Answer of Jesus.

" And Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, God be propitious
to You. Lord, this shall never be unto you. " [ Matthew 16:22 ] To whom He
said, " Get behind Me, Satan; you are a stumbling-block unto Me; for you mind
not the things of God but the things of men. " [ Matthew 16:23 ] Since Jesus had
begun to show unto His disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer
many things, Peter up to this point learned the beginnings of those things which
were shown. But since he thought that the sufferings were unworthy of Christ
the Son of the living God, and below the dignity of the Father who had revealed
to him so great things about Christ,— for the things that concerned His coming
suffering had not been revealed to him—on this account he took Him, and as one
forgetful of the honour due to the Christ, and that the Son of the living God
neither does nor says anything worthy of rebuke, he began to rebuke Him; and as
to one who needed propitiation—for he did not yet know that "God had set Him
forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood," [ Romans 3:25 ] he said,
"God be propitious to you, O Lord." [ Matthew 16:22 ] Approving his purpose,
indeed, but rebuking his ignorance, because of the purpose being right, He says
to him, "Get behind Me," [ Matthew 16:23 ] as to one who, by reason of the
things of which he was ignorant and spoke not rightly, had abandoned the
following of Jesus; but because of his ignorance, as to one who had something
antagonistic to the things of God, He said, "Satan," which in the Hebrew means
"adversary." But, if Peter had not spoken from ignorance, nor rebuked the Son
of the living God, saying unto Him, "God be propitious to you, Lord, this shall
never be unto You," Christ would not have said to him, "Get behind Me," as to
one who had given up being behind Him and following Him; nor would He have
said as to one who had spoken things adverse to what He had said, "Satan." But
now Satan prevailed over him who had followed Jesus and was going behind
Him, to turn aside from following Him and from being behind the Son of God,
and to make him, by reason of the words which he spoke in ignorance, worthy of
being called "Satan" and a stumbling-block to the Son of God, and "as not
minding the things of God but the things of men." But that Peter was formerly
behind the Son of God, before he committed this sin, is manifest from the words,
"Come ye behind Me, and I will make you fishers of men." [ Matthew 4:19 ]

22. Importance of the Expressions "Behind" And

"Turned."
But you will compare together His saying to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan,"
[ Matthew 16:23 ] with that said to the devil (who said to Him, "All these things
will I give You if You will fall down and worship me" ), [ Matthew 4:9 ] "get you
hence," [ Matthew 4:10 ] without the addition, "behind Me;" for to be behind
Jesus is a good thing. Wherefore it was said, "Come ye behind Me and I will
make you fishers of men." [ Matthew 4:19 ] And to the same effect is the saying,
"He that does not take his cross and follow behind Me is not worthy of Me." [
Matthew 10:38 ] And as a general principle observe the expression "behind" ;
because it is a good thing when any one goes behind the Lord God and is behind
the Christ; but it is the opposite when any one casts the words of God behind
him, or when he transgresses the commandment which says, "Do not walk
behind your lusts." [ Sirach 18:30 ] And Elijah also, in the third Book of Kings,
says to the people, "How long halt ye on both your knees? If God is the Lord, go
behind Him, but if Baal is the Lord, go behind him." [ 1 Kings 18:21 ] And Jesus
says this to Peter when He "turned," and He does so by way of conferring a
favour. And if therefore you will collect more illustrations of the "having
turned," and especially those which are ascribed to Jesus, and compare them
with one another, you would find that the expression is not superfluous. But it is
sufficient at present to bring forward this from the Gospel according to John,
"Jesus turned and beheld them" — clearly, Peter and Andrew— "following, and
says unto them, What do you seek?" [ John 1:38 ] For observe that, when He
"turned," it is for the advantage of those to whom He turned.

23. Peter as a Stumbling-Block to Jesus.

Next we must inquire how He said to Peter, "You are a stumbling-block
unto Me," [ Matthew 16:23 ] especially when David says, "Great peace have
they that love Your law, and there is no stumbling-block to them." For some one
will say, if this is said in the prophet, because of the steadfastness of those who
have love, and are incapable of being offended, for "love bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, love never fails," [ 1
Corinthians 13:7-8 ] how did the Lord Himself, "who upholds all that fall, and
raises up all that be bowed down," say to Peter, "You are a stumbling-block unto
Me" ? But it must be said that not only the Saviour, but also he who is perfected
in love, cannot be offended. But, so far as it depends on himself, he who says or
does such things is a stumbling-block even to him who will not be offended;
unless perhaps Jesus calls the disciple who sinned a stumbling-block even to
Himself, as much more than Paul He would have said from love, "Who is weak,
and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I burn not?" [ 2 Corinthians
11:29 ] In harmony with which we may put, "Who is made to stumble, and I am
not made to stumble?" But if Peter, at that time because of the saying, "God be
propitious to You, Lord, this shall not be unto You," [ Matthew 16:22 ] was
called a stumbling-block by Jesus, as not minding the things of God in what he
said but the things of men, what is to be said about all those who profess to be
made disciples of Jesus, but do not mind the things of God, and do not look to
things unseen and eternal, but mind the things of man, and look to things seen
and temporal, [ 2 Corinthians 4:18 ] but that such still more would be
stigmatized by Jesus as a stumbling-block to Him, and because stumbling-blocks
to Him, as stumbling-blocks to His brethren also? As in regard to them He says,
"I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink," [ Matthew 25:42 ] etc., so also He
might say, "When I was running ye caused Me to stumble." Let us not therefore
suppose that it is a trivial sin to mind the things of men, since we ought in
everything to mind the things of God. And it will be appropriate also to say this
to every one that has fallen away from the doctrines of God and the words of the
church and a true mind; as, for example, to him who minds as true the teaching
of Basilides, or Valentinus, or Marcion, or any one of those who teach the things
of men as the things of God.

24. Self-Denial and Cross-Bearing.

" Then Jesus said to His disciples, If any man wills to follow after Me ," etc.
[ Matthew 16:24 ] He shows by these words that, to will to come after Jesus and
to follow Him, springs from no ordinary manly courage, and that no one who has
not denied himself can come after Jesus. And the man denies himself who wipes
out by a striking revolution his own former life which had been spent in
wickedness; as by way of illustration he who was once licentious denies his
licentious self, having become self-controlled even abidingly. But it is probable
that some one may put the objection, whether as he denied himself so he also
confesses himself, when he denied himself, the unjust, and confesses himself,
the righteous one. But, if Christ is righteousness, he who has received
righteousness confesses not himself but Christ; so also he who has found
wisdom, by the very possession of wisdom, confesses Christ. And such a one
indeed as, "with the heart believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth makes
confession unto salvation," [ Romans 10:10 ] and bears testimony to the works
of Christ, as making confession by all these things of Christ before men, will be
confessed by Him before His Father in heaven. [ Matthew 10:32 ] So also he
who has not denied himself but denied the Christ will experience the saying, "I
also will deny him." [ Matthew 10:33 ] On this account let every thought and
every purpose and every word and every action become a denial of ourselves,
but a testimony about Christ and in Christ; for I am persuaded that every action
of the perfect man is a testimony to Christ Jesus, and that abstinence from every
sin is a denial of self, leading him after Christ. And such an one is crucified with
Christ, and taking up his own cross follows Him who for our sakes bears His
own cross, according to that which is said in John: "They took Jesus therefore
and put it on Him," etc., down to the words, "Where they crucified Him." [ John
19:17-18 ] But the Jesus according to John, so to speak, bears the cross for
Himself, and bearing it went out; but the Jesus according to Matthew and Mark
and Luke, does not bear it for Himself, for Simon of Cyrene bears it. And
perhaps this man refers to us, who because of Jesus take up the cross of Jesus,
but Jesus Himself takes it upon Himself; for there are, as it were, two
conceptions of the cross, the one which Simon of Cyrene bears, and the other
which Jesus Himself bears for Himself.

25. Reference to the Saying of Paul About Crucifixion

with Christ.
Moreover in regard to the saying, "Let him deny himself," [ Matthew 16:24
] the following saying of Paul who denied himself seems appropriate, "Yet I live,
and yet no longer I but Christ lives in me;" [ Galatians 2:20 ] for the expression,
"I live, yet no longer I," was the voice of one denying himself, as of one who had
laid aside his own life and taken on himself the Christ, in order that He might
live in him as Righteousness, and as Wisdom, and as Sanctification, and as our
Peace, and as the Power of God, who works all things in him. But further also,
attend to this, that while there are many forms of dying, the Son of God was
crucified, being hanged on a tree, in order that all who die unto sin may die to it,
in no other way than by the way of the cross. Wherefore they will say, "I have
been crucified with Christ," and, "Far be it from me to glory save in the cross of
the Lord, through which the world has been crucified unto me and I unto the
world." For perhaps also each of those who have been crucified with Christ puts
off from himself the principalities and the powers, and makes a show of them
and triumphs over them in the cross; [ Colossians 2:15 ] or rather, Christ does
these things in them.

26. The Less of Life; And the Saving of It.

" For whosoever would save his own life shall lose it. " [ Matthew 16:25 ]
The first expression is ambiguous; for it may be understood in one way thus. If
any one as being a lover of life, and thinking that the present life is good, tends
carefully his own life with a view to living in the flesh, being afraid to die, as
through death going to lose it, this man, by the very willing to save in this way
his own life will lose it, placing it outside of the borders of blessedness. But if
any one despising the present life because of my word, which has persuaded him
to strive in regard to eternal life even unto death for truth, loses his own life,
surrendering it for the sake of piety to that which is commonly called death, this
man, as for my sake he has lost his life, will save it rather, and keep it in
possession. And according to a second way we might interpret the saying as
follows. If any one, who has grasped what salvation really is, wishes to procure
the salvation of his own life, let this man having taken farewell of this life, and
denied himself and taken up his own cross, and following me, lose his own life
to the world; for having lost it for my sake and for the sake of all my teaching,
he will gain the end of loss of this kind— salvation.

27. Life Lost to the World is Saved.

But at the same time also observe that at the beginning it is said,
"Whosoever wills," but afterwards, "Whoso shall lose." [ Matthew 16:25 ] If we
then wish it to be saved let us lose it to the world, as those who have been
crucified with Christ and have for our glorying that which is in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world is to be crucified unto us and we
unto the world, [ Galatians 6:14 ] that we may gain our end, even the salvation of
our lives, which begins from the time when we lose it for the sake of the word.
But if we think that the salvation of our life is a blessed thing, with reference to
the salvation which is in God and the blessednesses with Him, then any loss of
life ought to be a good thing, and, for the sake of Christ must prove to be the
prelude to the blessed salvation. It seems to me, therefore, following the analogy
of self-denial, according to what has been said, that each ought to lose his own
life. Let each one therefore lose his own sinning life, that having lost that which
is sinful, he may receive that which is saved by right actions; but a man will in
no way be profited if he shall gain the whole world. Now he gains the world, I
think, to whom the world is not crucified; and to whom the world is not
crucified, to that man shall be the loss of his own life. But when two things are
put before us, either by gaining one's life to forfeit the world, or by gaining the
world to forfeit one's life, much more desirable is the choice, that we should
forfeit the world and gain our life by losing it on account of Christ.

28. The Exchange for One's Life.

 But the saying, " What shall a man give in exchange for his own life ," [
Matthew 16:26 ] if spoken by way of interrogation, will seem to be able to
indicate that an exchange for his own life is given by the man who after his sins
has given up his whole substance, that his property may feed the poor, as if he
were going by that to obtain salvation; but, if spoken affirmatively, I think, to
indicate that there is not anything in man by the giving of which in exchange for
his own life which has been overcome by death, he will ransom it out of its hand.
A man, therefore, could not give anything as an exchange for his own life, but
God gave an exchange for the life of us all, "the precious blood of Christ Jesus,"
[ 1 Peter 1:19 ] according as "we were bought with a price," [ 1 Corinthians 6:20
] "having been redeemed, not with corruptible things as silver or gold, but with
precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot," even of Christ. [
1 Peter 1:18-19 ] And in Isaiah it is said to Israel, "I gave Ethiopia in exchange
for you, and Egypt and Syene for you; from what time you have become
honourable before Me you were glorified." [ Isaiah 43:3-4 ] For the exchange,
for example, of the first-born of Israel was the first-born of the Egyptians, and
the exchange for Israel was the Egyptians who died in the last plagues that came
upon Egypt, and in the drowning which took place after the plagues. But, from
these things, let him who is able inquire whether the exchange of the true Israel
given by God, "who redeems Israel from all his transgressions," is the true
Ethiopia, and, so to speak, spiritual Egypt, and Syene of Egypt; and to inquire
with more boldness, perhaps Syene is the exchange for Jerusalem, and Egypt for
Judæa, and Ethiopia for those who fear, who are different from Israel, and the
house of Levi, and the house of Aaron.

29. The Coming of the Son of Man in Glory.

" For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His own Father with His
angels. " [ Matthew 16:27 ] Now, indeed, the Son of man has not come in His
glory; "for we saw Him, and He had no form nor beauty; but His form was
dishonoured and defective compared with the sons of men; He was a man in
affliction and toil, and acquainted with the enduring of sickness, because His
face was turned away, He was dishonoured and not esteemed." [ Isaiah 53:2-3 ]
And it was necessary that He should come in such form that He might bear our
sins [ Isaiah 53:4 ] and suffer pain for us; for it did not become Him in glory to
bear our sins and suffer pain for us. But He also comes in glory, having prepared
the disciples through that epiphany of His which has no form nor beauty; and,
having become as they that they might become as He, "conformed to the image
of His glory," [ Romans 8:29 ] since He formerly became conformed to "the
body of our humiliation," [ Philippians 3:21 ] when He "emptied Himself and
took upon Him the form of a servant," [ Philippians 2:7 ] He is restored to the
image of God and also makes them conformed unto it.

30. The Word Appears in Different Forms; The Time

of His Coming in Glory.
But if you will understand the differences of the Word which by "the
foolishness of preaching" [ 1 Corinthians 1:21 ] is proclaimed to those who
believe, and spoken in wisdom to them that are perfect, you will see in what way
the Word has the form of a slave to those who are learning the rudiments, so that
they say, "We saw Him and He had no form or beauty." [ Isaiah 53:2 ] But to the
perfect He comes "in the glory of His own Father," [ Matthew 16:27 ] who
might say, "and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten from the
Father, full of grace and truth." [ John 1:14 ] For indeed to the perfect appears
the glory of the Word, and the only-begotten of God His Father, and the fullness
of grace and likewise of truth, which that man cannot perceive who requires the
"foolishness of the preaching," in order to believe. But "the Son of man shall
come in the glory of His own Father" not alone, but "with His own angels." And
if you can conceive of all those who are fellow-helpers in the glory of the Word,
and in the revelation of the Wisdom which is Christ, coming along with Him,
you will see in what way the Son of man comes in the glory of His own Father
with His own angels. And consider whether you can in this connection say that
the prophets who formerly suffered in virtue of their word having "no form or
beauty" had an analogous position to the Word who had "no form or beauty."
And, as the Son of man comes in the glory of His own Father, so the angels, who
are the words in the prophets, are present with Him preserving the measure of
their own glory. But when the Word comes in such form with His own angels,
He will give to each a part of His own glory and of the brightness of His own
angels, according to the action of each. But we say these things not rejecting
even the second coming of the Son of God understood in its simpler form. But
when shall these things happen? Shall it be when that apostolic oracle is fulfilled
which says, "For we must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each
one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done,
whether it be good or bad?" [ 2 Corinthians 5:10 ] But if He will render to each
according to his deed, not the good deed only, nor the evil apart from the good, it
is manifest that He will render to each according to every evil, and according to
every good, deed. But I suppose— in this also following the Apostle, but
comparing also the sayings of Ezekiel, in which the sins of him who is a perfect
convert are wiped out, and the former uprightness of him who has utterly fallen
away is not held of account— that in the case of him who is perfected, and has
altogether laid aside wickedness, the sins are wiped out, but that, in the case of
him who has altogether revolted from piety, if anything good was formerly done
by him, it is not taken into account. [ Ezekiel 18:21-24 ] But to us, who occupy a
middle position between the perfect man and the apostate, when we stand before
the judgment-seat of Christ, [ 2 Corinthians 5:10 ] there is rendered what we
have done, whether good or bad; for we have not been so pure that our evil
deeds are not at all imputed unto us, nor have we fallen away to such an extent
that our better actions are forgotten.

31. The Simpler Interpretation of the Promise About

Not Tasting of Death.
 Not Tasting of Death.
" Verily I say unto you there be some of them that stand here that shall not
taste of death. " [ Matthew 16:28 ] Some refer these things to the going up— six
days after, or, as Luke says, [ Luke 9:28 ] eight days— of the three disciples into
the high mountain with Jesus apart; and those who adopt this interpretation say
that Peter and the remaining two did not taste of death before they saw the Son
of man coming in His own kingdom and in His own glory. For when they saw
Jesus transfigured before them so that "His face shone," etc., "they saw the
kingdom of God coming with power." [ Mark 9:1 ] For even as some spear-
bearers stand around a king, so Moses and Elijah appeared to those who had
gone up into the mountains, talking with Jesus. But it is worth while considering
whether the sitting on the right hand and on the left hand of the Saviour in His
kingdom refers to them, so that the words, "But for whom it is prepared," were [
Matthew 20:23 ] spoken because of them. Now this interpretation about the three
Apostles not tasting of death until they have seen Jesus transfigured, is adapted
to those who are designated by Peter as "new-born babes longing for the
reasonable milk which is without guile," [ 1 Peter 2:2 ] to whom Paul says, "I
have fed you with milk, not with meat," [ 1 Corinthians 3:2 ] etc. Now, too, every
interpretation of a text which is able to build up those who cannot receive greater
truths might reasonably be called milk, flowing from the holy ground of the
Scriptures, which flows with milk and honey. But he who has been weaned, like
Isaac, [ Genesis 21:8 ] worthy of the good cheer and reception which Abraham
gave at the weaning of his son, would seek here and in every Scripture food
which is different, I think, from that which is meat, indeed, but is not solid food,
and from what are figuratively called herbs, which are food to one who has been
weaned and is not yet strong but weak, according to the saying, "He that is weak
eats herbs." [ Romans 14:2 ] In like manner also he who has been weaned, like
Samuel, and dedicated by his mother to God, — she was Hannah, which is, by
interpretation, grace—would be also a son of grace, seeking, like one nurtured in
the temple, flesh of God, the holy food of those who are at once perfect and
priests.

32. Standing by the Saviour.

The reflections in regard to the passage before us that occur to us at the
present time are these: Some were standing where Jesus was, having the
footsteps of the soul firmly planted with Jesus, and the standing of their feet was
akin to the standing of which Moses said in the passage, "And I stood on the
mountain forty days and forty nights," [ Deuteronomy 10:10 ] who was deemed
worthy to have it said to him by God who asked him to stand by Him, "But stand
here with Me." [ Deuteronomy 5:31 ] Those who really stand by Jesus— that is,
by the Word of God— do not all stand equally; for among those who stand by
Jesus are differences from each other. Wherefore, not all who stand by the
Saviour, but some of them as standing better, do not taste of death until they
shall have seen the Word who dwelt with men, and on that account called Son of
man, coming in His own kingdom; for Jesus does not always come in His own
kingdom when He comes, since to the newly initiated He is such that they might
say, beholding the Word Himself not glorious nor great, but inferior to many
among them, "We saw Him, and He had no form or beauty, but His form was
dishonoured, defective compared with all the sons of men." [ Isaiah 53:2-3 ] And
these things will be said by those who beheld His glory in connection with their
own former times, when at first the Word as understood in the synagogue had no
form nor beauty to them. To the Word, therefore, who has assumed most
manifestly the power above all words, there belongs a royal dignity which is
visible to some of those who stand by Jesus, when they have been able to follow
Him as He goes before them and ascends to the lofty mountain of His own
manifestation. And of this honour some of those who stand by Jesus are deemed
worthy if they be either a Peter against whom the gates of Hades do not prevail,
or the sons of thunder, [ Mark 3:17 ] and are begotten of the mighty voice of
God who thunders and cries aloud from heaven great things to those who have
ears and are wise. Such at least do not taste death.

33. Interpretation of "Tasting of Death."

But we must seek to understand what is meant by "tasting of death." And
He is life who says, "I am the life," [ John 14:6 ] and this life assuredly has been
hidden with Christ in God; and. "when Christ our life shall be manifested, then
along with Him" [ Colossians 3:3-4 ] shall be manifested those who are worthy
of being manifested with Him in glory. But the enemy of this life, who is also
the last enemy of all His enemies that shall be destroyed, is death, [ 1
Corinthians 15:26 ] of which the soul that sins dies, having the opposite
disposition to that which takes place in the soul that lives uprightly, and in
consequence of living uprightly lives. And when it is said in the law, "I have
placed life before your face," [ Deuteronomy 30:15 ] the Scripture says this
about Him who said, "I am the Life," and about His enemy, death; the one or
other of which each of us by his deeds is always choosing. And when we sin
with life before our face, the curse is fulfilled against us which says, "And your
life shall be hanging up before you," etc., down to the words, "and for the sights
of your eyes which you shall see." [ Deuteronomy 28:66-67 ] As, therefore, the
Life is also the living bread which came down from heaven and gave life to the
world, [ John 6:33, 51 ] so His enemy death is dead bread. Now every rational
soul is fed either on living bread or dead bread, by the opinions good or bad
which it receives. As then in the case of more common foods it is the practice at
one time only to taste them, and at another to eat of them more largely; so also,
in the case of these loaves, one eats insufficiently only tasting them, but another
is satiated—he that is good or is on the way to being good with the living bread
which came down from heaven, but he that is wicked with the dead bread, which
is death; and some perhaps sparingly, and sinning a little, only taste of death; but
those who have attained to virtue do not even taste of it, but are always fed on
the living bread. It naturally followed then in the case of Peter, against whom the
gates of Hades will not prevail, that he did not taste of death, since any one tastes
of death and eats death at the time when the gates of Hades prevail against him;
and one eats or tastes of death in proportion as the gates of Hades to a greater or
less extent, more or fewer in number, prevail against him. But also for the sons
of thunder who were begotten of thunder, which is a heavenly thing, it was
impossible to taste of death, which is extremely far removed from thunder, their
mother. But these things the Word prophesies to those who shall be perfected,
and who by standing with the Word advanced so far that they did not taste of
death, until they saw the manifestation and the glory and the kingdom and the
excellency of the Word of God in virtue of which He excels every word, which
by an appearance of truth draws away and drags about those who are not able to
break through the bonds of distraction, and go up to the height of the excellency
of the Word of truth.

34. Meaning of "Until." No Limitation of Promise.

But since some one may think that the promise of the Saviour prescribes a
limit of time to their not tasting of death, namely, that they will not taste of death
"until" [ Matthew 16:28 ] they see the Son of man coming in His own kingdom,
but after this will taste of it, let us show that according to the scriptural usage the
word "until" signifies that the time concerning the thing signified is pressing, but
is not so defined that after the "until," that which is contrary to the thing
signified should at all take place. Now, the Saviour says to the eleven disciples
when He rose from the dead, this among other things, "Lo, I am with you all the
days, even until the consummation of the age." [ Matthew 28:20 ] When He said
this, did He promise that He was going to be with them until the consummation
of the age, but that after the consummation of the age, when another age was at
hand, which is "called the age to come," He would be no longer with them?— so
that according to this, the condition of the disciples would be better before the
consummation of the age than after the consummation of the age? But I do not
think that any one will dare to say, that after the consummation of the age the
Son of God will be no longer with the disciples, because the expression declares
that He will be with them for so long, until the consummation of the age is at
hand; for it is clear that the matter under inquiry was, whether the Son of God
was immediately going to be with His disciples before the age to come and the
hoped for promises of God which were given as a recompense. But there might
have been a question— it being granted that He would be with them— whether
sometimes He was present with them, and sometimes not present. Wherefore
setting us free from the suspicion that might have arisen from doubt, He declared
that now and even all the days He would be with the disciples, and that He
would not leave those who had become His disciples until the consummation of
the age; (because He said "all the days" He did not deny that by night, when the
sun set, He would be present with them.) But if such is the force of the words,
"until the consummation of the age," plainly we shall not be compelled to admit
that those who see the Son of man coming in His own kingdom shall taste of
death, after being deemed worthy of beholding Him in such guise. But as in the
case of the passage we brought forward, the urgent necessity was to teach us that
"until the consummation of the age" He would not leave us but be with us all the
days; so also in this case I think that it is clear to those who know how to look at
the logical coherence of things that He who has seen once for all "the Son of man
coming in His own kingdom," and seen Him "in His own glory," and seen "the
kingdom of God come with power," could not possibly taste of death after the
contemplation of things so good and great. But apart from the word of the
promise of Jesus, we have conjectured not without reason that we would taste of
death, so long as we were not yet held worthy to see "the kingdom of God come
with power," and "the Son of man coming in His own glory and in His own
kingdom."

35. Scriptural References to Death.

 But since here it is written in the three Evangelists, "They shall not taste of
death," but in other writers different things are written concerning death, it may
not be out of place to bring forward and examine these passages along with the
"taste." In the Psalms, then, it is said, "What man is he that shall live and not see
death?" And again, in another place, "Let death come upon them and let them go
down into Hades alive;" but in one of the prophets, "Death becoming mighty has
swallowed them up;" [ Isaiah 25:8 ] and in the Apocalypse, "Death and Hades
follow some." [ Revelation 6:10 ] Now in these passages it appears to me that it
is one thing to taste of death, but another thing to see death, and another thing for
it to come upon some, and that a fourth thing, different from the aforesaid, is
signified by the words, "Death becoming mighty has swallowed them up," and a
fifth thing, different from these, by the words, Death and Hades follow them.
And if you were to collect them, you would perhaps find also other differences
than those which we have mentioned, by a comparison of which with one
another and right investigation, you would find the things signified in each place.
But here I inquire whether it is a less evil to see death, but a greater evil than
seeing to taste of it, but still worse than this that death should follow any one,
and not only follow him, but also now come upon him and seize him whom it
formerly followed; but to be swallowed up seems to be more grievous than all
the things spoken of. But giving heed to what is said, and to the differences of
sins committed, you will not I think, be slow to admit that things of this kind
were intended by the Spirit who caused these things to be written in the oracles
of God. But, if it be necessary to give an exposition clearer than what has been
said of what is signified by seeing the Son of man coming in His own kingdom,
or in His own glory, and what is signified by seeing the kingdom of God come
with power, these things— whether those that are made to shine in our hearts, or
that are found by those who seek, or that enter gradually into our thoughts,— let
each one judge as he wills— we will set forth. He who beholds and apprehends
the excellency of the Word, as he breaks down and refutes all the plausible
forms of things which are truly lies but profess to be truths, sees the Son of man,
(according to the word of John, "the Word of God," ) coming in His own
kingdom; but if such an one were to behold the Word, not only breaking down
plausible oppositions, but also representing His own truths with perfect
clearness, he would behold His glory in addition to His kingdom. And such an
one indeed would see in Him the kingdom of God come with power; and he
would see this, as one who is no longer now under the reign of "sin which reigns
in the mortal body of those who sin," [ Romans 6:12 ] but is ever under the
orders of the king, who is God of all, whose kingdom is indeed potentially
"within us," [ Luke 17:21 ] but actually, and, as Mark has called it, "with power,"
and not at all in weakness within the perfect alone. These things, then, Jesus
promised to the disciples who were standing, prophesying not about all of them,
but about some.

36. Concerning the Transfiguration of the Saviour.

" Now after six days ," according to Matthew and Mark, " He takes with him
Peter and James and John his brother, and leads them up into a high mountain
apart, and was transfigured before them. " Now, also, let it be granted, before
the exposition that occurs to us in relation to these things, that this took place
long ago, and according to the letter. But it seems to me, that those who are led
up by Jesus into the high mountain, and are deemed worthy of beholding His
transfiguration apart, are not without purpose led up six days after the discourses
previously spoken. For since in six days— the perfect number— the whole
world—this perfect work of art—was made, on this account I think that he who
transcends all the things of the world by beholding no longer the things which
are seen, for they are temporal, but already the things which not seen, and only
the things which are not seen, because that they are eternal, is represented in the
words, "After six days Jesus took up with Him" certain persons. If therefore any
one of us wishes to be taken by Jesus, and led up by Him into the high mountain,
and be deemed worthy of beholding His transfiguration apart, let him pass
beyond the six days, because he no longer beholds the things which are seen, nor
longer loves the world, nor the things in the world, [ 1 John 2:15 ] nor lusts after
any worldly lust, which is the lust of bodies, and of the riches of the body, and of
the glory which is after the flesh, and whatever things whose nature it is to
distract and drag away the soul from the things which are better and diviner, and
bring it down and fix it fast to the deceit of this age, in wealth and glory, and the
rest of the lusts which are the foes of truth. For when he has passed through the
six days, as we have said, he will keep a new Sabbath, rejoicing in the lofty
mountain, because he sees Jesus transfigured before him; for the Word has
different forms, as He appears to each as is expedient for the beholder, and is
manifested to no one beyond the capacity of the beholder.

37. Force of the Words "Before Them."

But you will ask if, when He was transfigured before those who were led up
by Him into the lofty mountain, He appeared to them in the form of God, in
which He formerly was, so that He had to those below the form of a servant, but
to those who had followed Him after the six days to the lofty mountain, He had
not that form, but the form of God. But hear these things, if you can, at the same
time giving heed spiritually, that it is not said simply, "He was transfigured," but
with a certain necessary addition, which Matthew and Mark have recorded; for,
according to both, "He was transfigured before them." And according to this,
indeed, you will say that it is possible for Jesus to be transfigured before some
with this transfiguration, but before others at the same time not to be
transfigured. But if you wish to see the transfiguration of Jesus before those who
went up into the lofty mountain apart long with Him, behold with me the Jesus
in the Gospels, as more simply apprehended, and as one might say, known
"according to the flesh," by those who do not go up, through works and words
which are uplifting, to the lofty mountain of wisdom, but known no longer after
the flesh, but known in His divinity by means of all the Gospels, and beholden in
the form of God according to their knowledge; for before them is Jesus
transfigured, and not to any one of those below. But when He is transfigured,
His face also shines as the sun, that He may be manifested to the children of
light, who have put off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light, [
Romans 13:12 ] and are no longer the children of darkness or night, but have
become the sons of day, and walk honestly as in the day; and being manifested,
He will shine unto them not simply as the sun, but as demonstrated to be the sun
of righteousness.

38. The Garments White as the Light.

And not only is He transfigured before such disciples, nor does He only add
to the transfiguration the shining of His face as the sun; but further also to those
who were led up by Him into the high mountain apart, His garments appear
white as the light. [ Matthew 17:2 ] But the garments of Jesus are the expressions
and letters of the Gospels with which He invested Himself. But I think that even
the words in the Apostles which indicate the truths concerning Him are garments
of Jesus, which become white to those who go up into the high mountain along
with Jesus. But since there are differences also of things white, His garments
become white as the brightest and purest of all white things; and that is light.
When therefore you see any one not only with a thorough understanding of the
theology concerning Jesus, but also making clear every expression of the
Gospels, do not hesitate to say that to Him the garments of Jesus have become
white as the light. But when the Son of God in His transfiguration is so
understood and beheld, that His face is a sun, and His garments white as the
light, straightway there will appear to him who beholds Jesus in such form
Moses—the law— and Elijah,— in the way of synecdoche, not one prophet
only, but all the prophets— holding converse with Jesus; for such is the force of
the words "talking with Him;" [ Matthew 17:3 ] but, according to Luke, "Moses
and Elijah appeared in glory," down to the words, "in Jerusalem." [ Luke 9:30-
31 ] But if any one sees the glory of Moses, having understood the spiritual law
as a discourse in harmony with Jesus, and the wisdom in the prophets which is
hidden in a mystery, [ 1 Corinthians 2:7 ] he sees Moses and Elijah in glory
when he sees them with Jesus.

39. Jesus Was Transfigured— "As He Was Praying."

Then, since it will be necessary to expound the passage as given in Mark, "
And as He was praying He was transfigured before them ," we must say that
perhaps it is possible especially to see the Word transfigured before us if we
have done the things aforesaid, and gone up into the mountain, and seen the
absolute Word holding converse with the Father, and praying to Him for such
things as the true High-Priest might pray for to the only true God. But in order
that He may thus hold fellowship with God and pray to the Father, He goes up
into the mountain; and then, according to Mark, "His garments become white
and glistening as the light, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them." [ Mark 9:3
] And perhaps the fullers upon the earth are the wise men of this world who are
careful about the diction which they consider to be bright and pure, so that even
their base thoughts and false dogmas seem to be beautified by their fulling, so to
speak; but He who shows His own garments glistering to those who have
ascended and brighter than their fulling can make them, is the Word, who
exhibits in the expressions of the Scriptures which are despised by many the
glistering of the thoughts, when the raiment of Jesus, according to Luke,
becomes white and dazzling. [ Luke 9:29 ]

40. Discussion of the Saying of Peter.

But let us next see what was the thought of Peter when he answered and
said to Jesus, " Lord, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles ,"
etc. And on this account these words call for very special examination, because
Mark, in his own person, has added, "For he knew not what to answer," [ Mark
9:6 ] but Luke, "not knowing," he says, "what he spoke." [ Luke 9:33 ] You will
consider, therefore, if he spoke these things as in a trance, being filled with the
spirit which moved him to say these things, which could not be a Holy Spirit; for
John taught in the Gospel that, before the resurrection of the Saviour, no one had
the Holy Spirit, saying, "For the Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet
glorified." [ John 7:39 ] But if the Spirit was not yet, and he, not knowing what
he said, spoke under the influence of some spirit, the spirit which caused these
things to be said was some one of the spirits which had not yet been triumphed
over in the cross, nor made a show of along with them, about whom it is written,
"Having put off from Himself the principalities and the powers, He made a show
of them openly, triumphing over them in the cross." [ Colossians 2:15 ] But this
spirit was perhaps that which is called a stumbling-block by Jesus, and which is
spoken of as Satan in the passage, "Get behind Me, Satan; you are a stumbling-
block unto me." [ Matthew 16:23 ] But I know well that such things will offend
many who meet with them, because they think that it is opposed to sound reason
that he should be spoken ill of who a little before had been pronounced blessed
by Jesus, on the ground that the Father in heaven had revealed to him the things
concerning the Saviour, to-wit, that He was verily Jesus, and the Christ, and the
Son of the living God. But let such an one attend more exactly to the statements
about Peter and the rest of the Apostles, how even they made requests as if they
were yet alien from Him who was to redeem them from the enemy and purchase
them with His own precious blood; or let them also, who will have it that even
before the passion of Jesus the Apostles were perfect, tell us whence it came
about that "Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep." [ Luke
9:32 ] But to anticipate something else of what follows and apply it to the
subject in hand, I would raise in turn these questions—whether it is possible for
any one to find occasion of stumbling in Jesus apart from the working of the
devil who caused him to stumble; and whether it is possible for any one to deny
Jesus, and that in presence of a little maid and a doorkeeper and men most
worthless, unless a spirit had been with him in his denial hostile to the Spirit
which is given and the wisdom, (which is given) to those who are assisted by
God to make confession, according to a certain desert of theirs. But he who has
learned to refer the roots of sin to the father of sin, the devil, will not say that
apart from him either the Apostles were caused to stumble, or that Peter denied
Christ thrice before that well-known cock-crowing. But if this be so, consider
whether perhaps with a view to make Jesus stumble, so far as was in his power,
and to turn Him aside from the dispensation whose characteristic was suffering
that brought salvation to men, which He undertook with great willingness,
seeking to effect these things which seemed to contribute to this end, he himself
also here wishes as it were, by deceit, to draw away Jesus, as if calling upon Him
no longer to condescend to men, and come to them, and undergo death for them,
but to abide on the high mountain with Moses and Elijah. But he promised also
to build three tabernacles, one apart for Jesus, and one for Moses, and one for
Elijah, as if one tabernacle would not have sufficed for the three, if it had been
necessary for them to be in tabernacles and in the high mountain. And perhaps
also in this he acted with evil intent, when he incited him "who did not know
what he said," not desiring that Jesus and Moses and Elijah should be together,
but desiring to separate them from one another, under pretext of the three
tabernacles. And likewise it was a lie, "It is good for us to be here;" [ Matthew
17:4 ] for if it had been a good thing they would also have remained there. But if
it were a lie, you will seek to know who caused the lie to be spoken; and
especially since according to John, "When he speaks a lie he speaks of his own;
for he is a liar and the father thereof;" [ John 8:44 ] and as there is no truth apart
from the working of Him who says, "I am the Truth," [ John 14:6 ] so there is no
lie apart from him who is the enemy of truth. These contrary qualities,
accordingly, were still in Peter truth and falsehood; and from truth he said, "You
are the Christ, the son of the living God," [ Matthew 16:16 ] but from falsehood
he said, "May God be propitious to You, Lord, this shall not be unto You," [
Matthew 16:20 ] and also, "It is good for us to be here." [ Matthew 17:4 ] But if
any one will not admit that Peter spoke these things from any evil inspiration,
but that his words were of his own mere choice, and it is demanded of him how
he will interpret, "not knowing what he said," and, [ Luke 9:33 ] "for he did not
know what to answer," [ Mark 9:6 ] he will say, that in the former case Peter
held it to be a shameful thing and unworthy of Jesus to admit that the Son of the
living God, the Christ, whom already the Father had revealed to him, should be
killed; and in the present case that, as having seen the two forms of Jesus and the
one at the transfiguration which was much more excellent, being well pleased
with that, he said that it was good to make their sojourning in that mountain, in
order that he himself and those with him might rejoice as they beheld the
transfiguration of Jesus and His face shining as the sun, and His garments white
as the light, and, in addition to these things, might always behold in glory those
whom they had once seen in glory, Moses and Elijah; and that they might rejoice
at the things which they might hear, as they talked and held intercourse with
each other, Moses and Elijah with Jesus, and Jesus with them.

41. Figurative Interpretation of the Same.

But since we have not yet spent our energy in interpreting the things in the
place figuratively, but have said these things by way of searching into the mere
letter, let us in conformity with these things, consider whether the aforesaid Peter
and the sons of thunder who were taken up into the mountain of the dogmas of
the truth, and who saw the transfiguration of Jesus and of Moses and Elijah, who
appeared in glory with Him, might wish to make tabernacles in themselves for
the Word of God who was going to dwell in them, and for His law which had
been beholden in glory, and for the prophecy which spoke of the decease of
Jesus, which He was about to accomplish; [ Luke 9:31 ] and Peter, as one loving
the contemplative life, and having preferred that which was delightsome in it to
the life among the crowd with its turmoil, said, with the design of benefiting
those who desired it, "It is good for us to be here." [ Matthew 17:4 ] But since
"love seeks not its own," [ 1 Corinthians 13:5 ] Jesus did not do that which Peter
thought good; wherefore He descended from the mountain to those who were not
able to ascend to it and behold His transfiguration, that they might behold Him
in such form as they were able to see Him. It is, therefore, the part of a righteous
man who possesses "the love which seeks not its own" [ 1 Corinthians 13:5 ] to
be free from all, but to bring himself under bondage to all those below that He
might gain the more of them. [ 1 Corinthians 9:19 ] But some one, with
reference to what we have alleged about the trance and the working of an evil
spirit in Peter, concerning the words, "not knowing what he said," [ Luke 9:33 ]
not accepting that interpretation of ours, may say that there were certain
mentioned by Paul "desiring to be teachers of the law," [ 1 Timothy 1:7 ] who
do not know about what they speak, but who, though they do not clearly
expound the nature of what is said, nor understand their meaning, make
confident affirmations of things which they do not know. Of such a nature was
the affection of Peter also, for not apprehending what was good with reference to
the dispensation of Jesus and of those who appeared in the mountain—Moses
and Elijah,— he says, "It is good for us to be here," etc., "not knowing what he
said," "for he knew not what to say," for if "a wise man will understand the
things from his own mouth, and carries prudence in his lips," [ Proverbs 16:23 ]
he who is not so does not understand the things from his own mouth, nor
comprehend the nature of the things spoken by him.

42. The Meaning of the "Bright Cloud."

Next to these come the words, " While He was yet speaking, behold, also, a
bright cloud overshadowed them ," [ Matthew 17:5 ] etc. Now, I think that God,
wishing to dissuade Peter from making three tabernacles, under which so far as it
depended on his choice he was going to dwell, shows a tabernacle better, so to
speak, and much more excellent, the cloud. For since it is the function of a
tabernacle to overshadow him who is in it, and to shelter him, and the bright
cloud overshadowed them, God made, as it were, a diviner tabernacle, inasmuch
as it was bright, that it might be to them a pattern of the resurrection to come; for
a bright cloud overshadows the just, who are at once protected and illuminated
and shone upon by it. But what might the bright cloud, which overshadows the
just, be? Is it, perhaps, the fatherly power, from which comes the voice of the
Father bearing testimony to the Son as beloved and well-pleasing, and exhorting
those who were under its shadow to hear Him and no other one? But as He
speaks of old, so also always does He speak through what He wills. And
perhaps, too, the Holy Spirit is the bright cloud which overshadows the just, and
prophesies of the things of God, who works in it, and says, "This is My beloved
Son in whom I am well-pleased;" but I would venture also to say that our
Saviour is a bright cloud. When, therefore, Peter said, "Let us make here three
tabernacles," . ..one from the Father Himself, and from the Son, and one from
the Holy Spirit. For a bright cloud of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
overshadows the genuine disciples of Jesus; or a cloud overshadows the Gospel
and the law and the prophets, which is bright to him who is able to see the light
of it in the Gospel, and the law, and the prophets. But perhaps the voice from the
cloud says to Moses and Elijah, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well-
pleased, hear Him," as they were desirous to see the Son of man, and to hear
Him, and to behold Him as He was in glory. And perhaps it teaches the disciples
that He who was, in a literal sense, the Son of God, and His beloved in whom He
was well-pleased, whom it behooved them especially to hear, was He who was
then beheld, and transfigured, and whose face shone as the sun, and who was
clothed with garments white as the light.

43. Relation of Moses and Elijah to Jesus. The

Injunction of Silence.
But after these things it is written that, when they heard the voice from the
cloud bearing testimony to the Son, the three Apostles, not being able to bear the
glory of the voice and power resting upon it, "fell on their face," [ Matthew 17:6
] and besought God; for they were sore afraid at the supernatural sight, and the
things which were spoken from the sight. But consider if you can also say this
with reference to the details in the passage, that the disciples, having understood
that the Son of God had been holding conference with Moses, and that it was He
who said, "A man shall not see My face and live," [ Exodus 30:20 ] and taking
further the testimony of God about Him, as not being able to endure the radiance
of the Word, humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God; [ 1 Peter 5:6 ]
but, after the touch of the Word, lifting up their eyes they saw Jesus only and no
other. [ Matthew 17:8 ] Moses, the law, and Elijah, the prophet, became one only
with the Gospel of Jesus; and not, as they were formerly three, did they so abide,
but the three became one. But consider these things with me in relation to
mystical matters; for in regard to the bare meaning of the letter, Moses and
Elijah, having appeared in glory and talked with Jesus, went away to the place
from which they had come, perhaps to communicate the words which Jesus
spoke with them, to those who were to be benefited by Him, almost
immediately, namely, at the time of the passion, when many bodies of the saints
that had fallen asleep, their tombs being opened, were to go to the city which is
truly holy— not the Jerusalem which Jesus wept over— and there appear unto
many. [ Matthew 27:52-53 ] But after the dispensation in the mountain, when the
disciples were coming down from the mountain in order that, when they had
come to the multitude, they might serve the Son of God concerning the salvation
of the people, Jesus commanded the disciples saying, "Tell the vision to no man
until the Son of man rise from the dead." [ Matthew 17:9 ] But that saying, "Tell
the vision to no man," is like that which was investigated in the passage above,
when "He enjoined the disciples to tell no man that He was the Christ." [
Matthew 16:20 ] Wherefore the things that were said at that passage may be
useful to us also for the passage before us; since Jesus wishes also, in accordance
with these, that the things of His glory should not be spoken of, before His glory
after the passion; for those who heard, and in particular the multitudes, would
have been injured when they saw Him crucified, who had been so glorified.
Wherefore since His being glorified in the resurrection was akin to His
transfiguration, and to the vision of His face as the sun, on this account He
wishes that these things should then be spoken of by the Apostles, when He rose
from the dead.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book XIII)
1. Relation of the Baptist to Elijah. The Theory of Transmigration
Considered.

" The disciples asked Him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah
must first come ?" [ Matthew 17:10 ] The disciples indeed who went up with
Jesus remembered the traditions of the scribes concerning Elijah, that before the
advent of Christ, Elijah would come and prepare for Him the souls of those who
were going to receive Him. But the vision in the mountain, at which Elijah
appeared, did not seem to be in harmony with the things which were said, since
to them it seemed that Elijah had not come before Jesus but after Him;
wherefore, they say these things, thinking that the scribes lied. But to this the
Saviour answers, not setting aside the traditions concerning Elijah, but saying
that there was another advent of Elijah before that of Christ of which the scribes
were ignorant; and, in regard to this, being ignorant of him, they "had done unto
him whatsoever they listed," [ Matthew 17:12 ] as if they had been accomplices
in his having been cast into prison by Herod and slain by him; then He says that
according as they had done towards Elijah so would He suffer at their hands. [
Matthew 17:12 ] And these things indeed as about Elijah the disciples asked and
the Saviour answered, but when they heard they understood that the words,
"Elijah has already come," and that following which was spoken by the Saviour,
had reference to John the Baptist. [ Matthew 17:13 ] And let these things be said
by way of illustration of the passage before us. But now according to our ability
let us make investigation also into the things that are stored up in it. In this place
it does not appear to me that by Elijah the soul is spoken of, lest I should fall into
the dogma of transmigration, which is foreign to the church of God, and not
handed down by the Apostles, nor anywhere set forth in the Scriptures; for it is
also in opposition to the saying that "things seen are temporal," [ 2 Corinthians
4:18 ] and that "this age shall have a consummation," and also to the fulfilment
of the saying, "Heaven and earth shall pass away," [ Matthew 24:35 ] and "the
fashion of this world passes away," [ 1 Corinthians 7:31 ] and "the heavens shall
perish," and what follows. For if, by hypothesis, in the constitution of things
which has existed from the beginning unto the end of the world, the same soul
can be twice in the body, for what cause should it be in it? For if because of sin it
should be twice in the body, why should it not be thrice, and repeatedly in it,
since punishments, in respect of this life, and of the sins committed in it, shall be
rendered to it only by the method of transmigration? But if this be granted as a
consequence, perhaps there will never be a time when a soul shall not undergo
transmigration: for always because of its former sins will it dwell in the body;
and so there will be no place for the corruption of the world, at which "the
heaven and the earth shall pass away." [ Matthew 24:35 ] And if it be granted,
on this hypothesis, that one who is absolutely sinless shall not come into the
body by birth, after what length of time do you suppose that a soul shall be
found absolutely pure and needing no transmigration? But nevertheless, also, if
any one soul is always thus being removed from the definite number of souls and
returns no longer to the body, sometime after infinite ages, as it were, birth shall
cease; the world being reduced to some one or two or a few more, after the
perfecting of whom the world shall perish, the supply of souls coming into the
body having failed. But this is not agreeable to the Scripture; for it knows of a
multitude of sinners at the time of the destruction of the world. This is manifest
from consideration of the saying, "How-beit when the Son of man comes shall
He find faith on the earth?" [ Luke 18:8 ] So we find it thus said in Matthew, "As
were the days of Noah so shall also be the coming of the Son of man; for as they
were in the days of the flood," etc. [ Matthew 24:37-39 ] But to those who are
then in existence there shall be the exaction of a penalty for their sins, but not by
way of transmigration; for, if they are caught while still sinning, either they will
be punished after this by a different form of punishment—and according to this
either there will be two general forms of punishment, the one by way of
transmigration, and the other outside of a body of this kind, and let them declare
the causes and differences of these—or they will not be punished, as if those
who were left at the consummation of things had immediately cast away their
sins; or, which is better, there is one form of punishment for those who have
sinned in the body, namely, that they should suffer, outside of it, that is, outside
the constitution of this life, what is according to the desert of their sins. But to
one who has insight into the nature of things it is clear that each of these things
is fitted to overturn the doctrine of transmigration. But if, of necessity, the
Greeks who introduce the doctrine of transmigration, laying down things in
harmony with it, do not acknowledge that the world is coming to corruption, it is
fitting that when they have looked the Scriptures straight in the face which
plainly declare that the world will perish, they should either disbelieve them, or
invent a series of arguments in regard to the interpretation of the things
concerning the consummation; which even if they wish they will not be able to
do. And this besides we will say to those who may have had the hardihood to
aver that the world will not perish, that, if the world does not perish but is to
exist for infinite periods of time, there will be no God knowing all things before
they come into being. But if, perhaps, He knows in part, either He will know
each thing before it comes into being, or certain things, and after these again
other things; for things infinite in nature cannot possibly be grasped by that
knowledge whose nature it is to limit things known. From this it follows that
there cannot be prophecies about all things whatsoever, since all things are
infinite.

2. "The Spirit and Power of Elijah" — Not the Soul—

Were in the Baptist.
I have thought it necessary to dwell some time on the examination of the
doctrine of transmigration, because of the suspicion of some who suppose that
the soul under consideration was the same in Elijah and in John, being called in
the former case Elijah, and in the second case John; and that, not apart from
God, had he been called John, as is plain from the saying of the angel who
appeared to Zacharias, "Fear not, Zacharias, for your supplication is heard, and
your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John;" [
Luke 1:13 ] and from the fact that Zacharias regained his speech after he had
written in the tablet, that he who had been born should be called John. [ Luke
1:63 ] But if it were the soul of Elijah, then, when he was begotten a second
time, he should have been called Elijah; or for the change of name some reason
should have been assigned, as in the case of Abram and Abraham, Sarah and
Sarrah, Jacob and Israel, Simon and Peter. And yet not even thus would their
argument in the case be tenable; for, in the case of the aforesaid, the changes of
name took place in one and the same life. But some one might ask, if the soul of
Elijah was not first in the Tishbite and secondly in John, what might that be in
both which the Saviour called Elijah? And I say that Gabriel in his words to
Zacharias suggested what the substance was in Elijah and John that was the
same; for he says, "Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their
God; and he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah." [ Luke
1:16-17 ] For, observe, he did not say in the "soul" of Elijah, in which case the
doctrine of transmigration might have some ground, but "in the spirit and power
of Elijah." For the Scripture well knows the distinction between spirit and soul,
as, "May God sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be
preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;" [ 1
Thessalonians 5:23 ] and the passage, "Bless the Lord, you spirits and souls of
the righteous" as it stands in the book of Daniel, according to the Septuagint,
represents the difference between spirit and soul. Elijah, therefore, was not
called John because of the soul, but because of the spirit and the power, which in
no way conflicts with the teaching of the church, though they were formerly in
Elijah, and afterwards in John; and "the spirits of the prophets are subject to the
prophets," [ 1 Corinthians 14:32 ] but the souls of the prophets are not subject to
the prophets, and "the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha." [ 2 Kings 2:15 ] But we
ought to inquire whether the spirit of Elijah is the same as the spirit of God in
Elijah, or whether they are different from each other, and whether the spirit of
Elijah which was in him was something supernatural, different from the spirit of
each man which is in him; for the Apostle clearly indicates that the Spirit of
God, though it be in us, is different from the spirit of each man which is in Him,
when he says somewhere, "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we
are the children of God;" [ Romans 8:16 ] and elsewhere, "No one of men knows
the things of a man save the spirit of the man which is in him; even so the things
of God none knows save the Spirit of God." [ 1 Corinthians 2:11 ] But do not
marvel in regard to what is said about Elijah, if, just as something strange
happened to him different from all the saints who are recorded, in respect of his
having been caught up by a whirlwind into heaven, [ 2 Kings 2:11 ] so his spirit
had something of choice excellence, so that not only did it rest on Elisha, but
also descended along with John at his birth; and that John, separately, "was filled
with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb," and separately, "came before
Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah." For it is possible for several spirits not
only worse, but also better, to be in the same man. David accordingly asks to be
established by a free spirit, and that a right spirit be renewed in his inward parts.
But if, in order that the Saviour may impart to us of "the spirit of wisdom and
understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and
reverence," [ Isaiah 11:2 ] he was filled also with the spirit of the fear of the
Lord; it is possible also that these several good spirits may be conceived as being
in the same person. And this also we have brought forward, because of John
having come before Christ "in the spirit and power of Elijah," [ Luke 1:17 ] in
order that the saying, "Elijah has already come," [ Matthew 17:12 ] may be
referred to the spirit of Elijah that was in John; as also the three disciples who
had gone up with Him understood that He spoke to them about John the Baptist.
[ Matthew 17:13 ] Upon Elisha, then, only the spirit of Elijah rested, but John
came before, not only in the spirit, but also in the power of Elijah. Wherefore,
also, Elisha could not have been called Elijah, but John was Elijah himself. But
if it be necessary to adduce the Scripture from which the scribes said that Elijah
must first come, listen to Malachi who says, "And behold I will send to you
Elijah the Tishbite," etc., down to the words, "Lest I come and smite the earth
utterly." [ Malachi 4:5-6 ] And it seems to be indicated by these words, that
Elijah was to prepare for the glorious coming of Christ by certain holy words
and dispositions in their souls, those who had been made fittest for this, which
those upon earth could not have endured, because of the excellency of the glory,
unless they had been prepared before hand by Elijah. And likewise, by Elijah, in
this place, I do not understand the soul of that prophet but his spirit and his
power; for these it is by which all things shall be restored, [ Matthew 17:11 ] so
that when they have been restored, and, as a result of that restoration, become
capable of receiving the glory of Christ, the Son of God who shall appear in
glory may sojourn with them. But if also Elijah be in some sort a word inferior
to "the Word who was in the beginning with God, God the Word," [ John 1:1 ]
this word also might come as a preparatory discipline to the people prepared by
it, that they might be trained for the reception of the perfect Word. But some one
may raise the question whether the spirit and power of Elijah, suffered what was
suffered in John, according to the words, "They did in him whatsoever they
listed." [ Matthew 17:12 ] And to this it will be said on the one hand, in simpler
fashion that there is nothing strange in the thought, that the things which assist
do, because of love, suffer along with those that are assisted; and Jesus indeed
says. "Because of the weak I was weak, and I hungered because of the hungry,
and I thirsted because of the thirsty," and, on the other hand, in a deeper sense
that the words are not, "But they did unto him whatsoever they listed in him," for
the things which suffered leaned upon the spirit and the power of Elijah, the soul
of John being in no wise Elijah; and probably also the body (leaned upon them).
For in one fashion is the soul in the body, and the spirit, and the power; and in
another fashion is the body of the righteous man in these better parts, as leaning
upon them, and clinging to them; but "they who are in the flesh cannot please
God; but you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if the Spirit of God dwell in
you;" [ Romans 8:8-9 ] for the soul of the sinner is in the flesh, but of the
righteous man in spirit. And likewise, further, this might be inquired into, to
whom refer the words, "But they did in him whatsoever they listed." [ Matthew
17:12 ] Was it to the scribes in regard to whom the disciples inquired and said,
"Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must first come?" [ Matthew 17:10 ]
But it is not at all evident that John suffered anything at the hands of the scribes,
except, indeed, that they did not believe him; or, as we said also before, that they
were accomplices in the wrongs which Herod dared to inflict on him. But
another might say that the words, "But they did in him whatsoever they listed,"
refer not to the scribes but to Herodias and her daughter, and Herod, who did in
him whatsoever they listed. And that which follows, "So shall the Son of man
suffer from them," [ Matthew 17:12 ] might be referred to the scribes, if the
former were referred to them; but, if the former refers to Herod and Herodias
and her daughter, the second passage will also refer to them; for Herod also
seems to have joined in the vote that Jesus should die, perhaps his wife also
taking part with him in the plot against Him.

3. Concerning the Epileptic.

" And when they had come to the multitude, there came to Him a man
kneeling to Him and saying, Lord, have mercy upon my son. " [ Matthew 17:14-
15 ] Those who are suffering, or the kinsfolk of the sufferers, are along with the
multitudes; wherefore, when He has dispensed the things that were beyond the
multitudes, He descends to them, so that those, who were not able to ascend
because of the sicknesses that repressed their soul, might be benefited when the
Word descended to them from the loftier regions. But we ought to make inquiry,
in respect of what diseases the sufferers believe and pray for their own healing,
and in respect of what diseases others do this for them, as, for example, the
centurion for his servant, and the nobleman for his son, and the ruler of the
synagogue for a daughter, and the Canaanitish woman for her female child who
was vexed with a demon, and now the man who kneels to Him on behalf of his
epileptic son. And along with these you will investigate when the Saviour heals
of Himself and unasked by any one, as for example, the paralytic; for these
cures, when compared with one another for this very purpose, and examined
together, will exhibit to him who is able to hear "the wisdom of God hidden in a
mystery," [ 1 Corinthians 2:7 ] many dogmas concerning the different diseases of
souls, as well as the method of their healing.

4. Spiritual Epileptics.
But since our present object is not to make inquiry about every case, but
about the passage before us, let us, adopting a figurative interpretation, consider
who we may say the lunatic was, and who was his father who prayed for him,
and what is meant by the sufferer falling not constantly but oft-times, sometimes
into the fire, and sometimes into the water, and what is meant by the fact that he
could not be healed by the disciples but by Jesus Himself. For if every sickness
and every infirmity, which our Saviour then healed among the people, refers to
different disorders in souls, it is also in accordance with reason that by the
paralytics are symbolised the palsied in soul, who keep it lying paralysed in the
body; but by those who are blind are symbolised those who are blind in respect
of things seen by the soul alone, and these are really blind; and by the deaf are
symbolised those who are deaf in regard to the reception of the word of
salvation. On the same principle it will be necessary that the matters regarding
the epileptic should be investigated. Now this affection attacks the sufferers at
considerable intervals, during which he who suffers from it seems in no way to
differ from the man in good health, at the season when the epilepsy is not
working on him. Similar disorders you may find in certain souls, which are often
supposed to be healthy in point of temperance and the other virtues; then,
sometimes, as if they were seized with a kind of epilepsy arising from their
passions, they fall down from the position in which they seemed to stand, and
are drawn away by the deceit of this world and other lusts. Perhaps, therefore,
you would not err if you said, that such persons, so to speak, are epileptic
spiritually, having been cast down by "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places," [ Ephesians 6:12 ] and are often ill, at the time when the
passions attack their soul; at one time falling into the fire of burnings, when,
according to what is said in Hosea, they become adulterers, like a pan heated for
the cooking from the burning flame; [ Hosea 7:4 ] and, at another time, into the
water, when the king of all the dragons in the waters casts them down from the
sphere where they appeared to breath freely, so that they come into the depths of
the waves of the sea of human life. This interpretation of ours in regard to the
lunatic will be supported by him who says in the Book of Wisdom with
reference to the even temperament of the just man, "The discourse of a pious
man is always wisdom," but, in regard to what we have said, "The fool changes
as the moon." [ Sirach 27:11 ] And sometimes even in the case of such you may
see impulses which might carry away in praise of them those who do not attend
to their want of ballast, so that they would say that it was as full moon in their
case, or almost full moon. And you might see again the light that seemed to be in
them diminishing—as it was not the light of day but the light of night—fading to
so great an extent, that the light which appeared to be seen in them no longer
existed. But whether or not those who first gave their names to things, on
account of this gave the name of lunacy to the disease epilepsy, you will judge
for yourself.

5. The Deaf and Dumb Spirit.

Now the father of the epileptic— perhaps the angel to whom he had been
allotted, if we are to say that every human soul is put in subjection to some angel
— prays the Physician of souls for his son that He may heal him who could not
be healed from his disorder by the inferior word which was in the disciples. But
the dumb and deaf spirit, who was cast out by the Word, must be figuratively
understood as the irrational impulses, even towards that which seems to be good,
so that, what things any man once did by irrational impulse which seemed to
onlookers to be good, he may do no longer irrationally but according to the
reason of the teaching of Jesus. Under the inspiration of this Paul also said, "If I
have all faith so as to remove mountains;" [ 1 Corinthians 13:2 ] for he, who has
all faith, which is as a grain of mustard seed, [ Matthew 17:20 ] removes not one
mountain only, but also several analogous to it; for although faith is despised by
men and appears to be something very little and contemptible; yet when it meets
with good ground, that is the soul, which is able fittingly to receive such seed, it
becomes a great tree, so that no one of those things which have no wings, but the
birds of heaven which are winged spiritually, are able to lodge in the branches of
faith so great.

6. Influence of the Moon and Stars on Men.

Let us now, then, give heed to the very letter of the passage, and first let us
inquire, how he who has been cast into darkness and repressed by an impure and
deaf and dumb spirit is said to be a "lunatic," and for what reason the expression
to be a "lunatic" derives its name from the great light in heaven which is next to
the sun, which God appointed "to rule over the night." [ Genesis 1:16 ] Let
physicians then, discuss the physiology of the matter, inasmuch as they think
that there is no impure spirit in the case, but a bodily disorder, and inquiring into
the nature of things let them say, that the moist humours which are in the head
are moved by a certain sympathy which they have with the light of the moon,
which has a moist nature; but as for us, who also believe the Gospel that this
sickness is viewed as having been effected by an impure dumb and deaf spirit in
those who suffer from it, and who see that those, who are accustomed like the
magicians of the Egyptians to promise a cure in regard to such, seem sometimes
to be successful in their case, we will say that, perhaps, with the view of
slandering the creation of God, in order that "unrighteousness may be spoken
loftily, and that they may set their mouth against the heaven," this impure spirit
watches certain configurations of the moon, and so makes it appear from
observation of men suffering at such and such a phase of the moon, that the
cause of so great an evil is not the dumb and deaf demon, but the great light in
heaven which was appointed "to rule by night," and which has no power to
originate such a disorder among men. But they all "speak unrighteousness
loftily," as many as say, that the cause of all the disorders which exist on the
earth, whether of such generally or of each in detail, arises from the disposition
of the stars; and such have truly "set their mouth against the heaven," when they
say that some of the stars have a malevolent, and others a benevolent influence;
since no star was formed by the God of the universe to work evil, according to
Jeremiah as it is written in the Lamentations, "Out of the mouth of the Lord shall
come things noble and that which is good." And it is probable that as this impure
spirit, producing what is called lunacy, observes the phases of the moon, that it
may work on him who for certain causes has been committed to it, and who has
not made himself worthy of the guardianship of angels, so also there are other
spirits and demons who work at certain phases of the rest of the stars; so that not
the moon only, but the rest of the stars also may be calumniated by those "who
speak unrighteousness loftily." It is worth while, then, to listen to the casters of
nativities, who refer the origin of every form of madness and every demoniacal
possession to the phases of the moon. That those, then, who suffer from what is
called lunacy sometimes fall into the water is evident, and that they also fall into
the fire, less frequently indeed, yet it does happen; and it is evident that this
disorder is very difficult to cure, so that those who have the power to cure
demoniacs sometimes fail in respect of this, and sometimes with fastings and
supplications and more toils, succeed. But you will inquire whether there are
such disorders in spirits as well as in men; so that some of them speak, but some
of them are speechless, and some of them hear, but some are deaf; for as in them
will be found the cause of their being impure, so also, because of their freedom
of will, are they condemned to be speechless and deaf; for some men will suffer
such condemnation if the prayer of the prophet, as spoken by the Holy Spirit,
shall be given heed to, in which it is said of certain sinners, "Let the lying lips be
put to silence." And so, perhaps, those who make a bad use of their hearing, and
admit the hearing of vanities, will be rendered deaf by Him who said, "Who has
made the stone-deaf and the deaf," [ Exodus 4:11 ] so that they may no longer
lend an ear to vain things.

7. The Power of Faith.

But when the Saviour said, " O faithfulness and perverse generation ," [
Matthew 17:17 ] He signifies that wickedness, which is contrary to nature,
stealthily enters in from perversity, and makes us perverted. But of the whole
race of men on earth, I think, being oppressed by reason of their wickedness and
His tarrying with them, the Saviour said, "How long shall I be with you?" We
have already, then, spoken in part of the words, "If you have faith as a grain of
mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain," [ Matthew 17:20 ] etc.; but
nevertheless also we shall speak in this place the things that appear to us fitted to
increase perspicuity. The mountains here spoken of, in my opinion, are the
hostile powers that have their being in a flood of great wickedness, such as are
settled down, so to speak, in some souls of men. Whenever, then, any one has all
faith so that he no longer disbelieves in any things which are contained in the
Holy Scriptures, and has faith such as was that of Abraham, who believed in
God to such a degree that his faith was counted for righteousness. he has all faith
as a grain of mustard seed; then will such an one say to this mountain— I mean,
the dumb and deaf spirit in him who is called lunatic,— "Remove hence,"
clearly, from the man who is suffering, perhaps to the abyss, and it shall remove.
And the Apostle, taking, I think. his starting-point from this place, says with
authority, "If I have all faith so as to remove mountains," [ 1 Corinthians 13:2 ]
for not one mountain merely, but also several analogous to it, he removes who
has all faith which is as a grain of mustard-seed; and nothing shall be impossible
to him who has so great faith. [ Matthew 17:20 ] But let us also attend to this,
"This kind goes not out save by prayer and fasting," [ Matthew 17:21 ] in order
that if at any time it is necessary that we should be engaged in the healing of one
suffering from such a disorder, we may not adjure, nor put questions, nor speak
to the impure spirit as if it heard, but devoting ourselves to prayer and fasting,
may be successful as we pray for the sufferer, and by our own fasting may thrust
out the unclean spirit from him.

8. Jesus' Prediction of His "Delivery" Into the Hands

of Men.
" And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man
shall be delivered into the hands of men. " [ Matthew 17:22 ] And these things
will appear to be of the same effect as those, "that Jesus began to show unto His
disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders
and chief priests and scribes." [ Matthew 16:21 ] But it is not so; for it is not the
same thing "to show unto the disciples that He must go unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes," and, after
suffering, "be killed," and, after being killed, "be raised up on the third day," as
that which was said to them, when they were in Galilee—which we did not learn
before—that the Son of man "would be delivered up;" for the being delivered up
was not mentioned above, but now also it is said that "He is to be delivered up
into the hands of men." [ Matthew 17:22 ] As for these matters let us inquire by
what person or persons He will be delivered up into the hands of men; for there
we are taught of whom He will suffer, and in what place He will suffer; but here,
in addition, we learn that while His suffering many things takes place at the
hands of the aforesaid, they are not the prime causes of His suffering many
things, but the one or ones who delivered Him up into the hands of men. For
some one will say that the Apostle, interpreting this, says with reference to God,
"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all;" [ Romans
8:32 ] but the Son also gave Himself to death for us, so that He was delivered up,
not only by the Father but also by Himself. But another will say not merely that,
but also collecting the passages together, will say that the Son is first delivered
up by God—then about to be tempted, then to be in conflict, then to suffer for
men, or even for the whole world that He might take away its sin, [ John 1:29 ]
— to the prince of this age, and to the rest of its princes, and then by them
delivered into the hands of men who would slay Him. The case of Job will be
taken as an illustration. "Lo, all that is his I give into your hands, but do not
touch him;" [ Job 1:12 ] thereafter, he was, as it were, delivered up by the devil
to his princes, namely, to those who took prisoners of war, to the horsemen, to
the fire that came down from heaven, to the great wind that came from the desert
and broke up his house. [ Job 1:15-19 ] But you will consider if, as he delivered
up the property of Job to those who took them captive, and to the horsemen, so
also he delivered them up to a certain power, subordinate to "the prince of the
power of the air, of the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience," [
Ephesians 2:2 ] in order that the fire which descended thence on the sheep of Job
might seem to fall from heaven, to the man who announced to Job that "fire fell
from heaven, and burned up his sheep, and consumed the shepherds likewise." [
Job 1:16 ] And in the same way you will inquire whether also the sudden mighty
wind, that came down from the desert and assailed the four corners of the
dwelling, was one of those which are under the devils to whom the devil
delivered up the banquet of the sons and daughters of Job, that the house might
fall on the children of the just man, and they might die. Let it be granted, then,
that, as in the case of Job, the Father first delivered up the Son to the opposing
powers, and that then they delivered Him up into the hands of men, among
which men Judas also was, into whom after the sop [ John 13:27 ] Satan entered,
who delivered Him up in a more authoritative manner than Judas. But take care
lest on comparing together the delivering up of the Son by the Father to the
opposing powers, with the delivering up of the Saviour by them into the hands of
men, you should think that what is called the delivering up is the same in the
case of both. For understand that the Father in His love of men delivered Him up
for us all; but the opposing powers, when they delivered up the Saviour into the
hands of men, did not intend to deliver Him up for the salvation of some, but, as
far as in them lay, since none of them knew "the wisdom of God which was
hidden in a mystery," [ 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 ] they gave Him up to be put to
death, that His enemy death might receive Him under its subjection, like those
who die in Adam; [ 1 Corinthians 15:22 ] and also the men who slew Him did
so, as they were moulded after the will of those who wished indeed that Jesus
should become subject to death. I have deemed it necessary also to examine into
these things, because that when Jesus was delivered up into the hands of men,
He was not delivered up by men into the hands of men, but by powers to whom
the Father delivered up His Son for us all, and in the very act of His being
delivered up, and coming under the power of those to whom He was delivered
up, destroying him that has the power of death; for "through death He brought to
nought him that has the power of death, that is, the devil, and delivered all them
who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." [ Hebrews
2:14-15 ]

9. Satan and the "Delivery" Of Jesus.

Now we must think that the devil has the power of death—not of that which
is common and indifferent, in accordance with which those who are compacted
of soul and body die, when their soul is separated from the body—but of that
death which is contrary to and the enemy of Him who said, "I am the Life," [
John 14:6 ] in accordance with which "the soul that sins, it shall die." [ Ezekiel
18:4 ] But that it was not God who gave Him up into the hands of men, the
Saviour manifestly declares when He says, "If My kingdom were of this world,
then would My servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews." [ John
18:36 ] For, when He was delivered up to the Jews, He was delivered into the
hands of men, not by His own servants, but by the prince of this age who says,
concerning the powers which are in the sphere of the invisible, the kingdoms
which are set up against men, "All these things will I give You, if You will fall
down and worship Me." [ Matthew 4:9 ] Wherefore also we should think that in
regard to them it was said, "The kings of the earth stood side by side, and the
rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ." And
those kings, indeed, and those rulers stood side by side and were gathered
against the Lord and against His Christ; but we, because we have been benefited
by His being delivered by them into the hands of men and slain, say, "Let us
break their bonds asunder and cast away their yoke from us." For, when we
become conformed to the death of Christ, we are no longer under the bonds of
the kings of the earth, as we have said, nor under the yoke of the princes of this
age, who were gathered together against the Lord. And, on this account, "the
Father spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all," [ Romans 8:32
] that those, who took Him and delivered Him up into the hands of men, might
be laughed at by Him who dwells in the heavens, and might be derided by the
Lord, inasmuch as, contrary to their expectation, it was to the destruction of their
own kingdom and power, that they received from the Father the Son, who was
raised on the third day, by having abolished His enemy death, and made us
conformed, not only to the image of His death but also of His resurrection;
through whom we walk in newness of life, [ Romans 6:4 ] no longer sitting "in
the region and shadow of death," [ Matthew 4:16 ] through the light of God
which has sprung up upon us. But when the Saviour said, "The Son of man shall
be delivered up into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him, and the third day
He shall rise again," they were "exceeding sorry," [ Matthew 17:22-23 ] giving
heed to the fact that He was about to be delivered up into the hands of men, and
that He would be killed, as matters gloomy and calling for sorrow, but not
attending to the fact that He would rise on the third day, as He needed no longer
time "to bring to nought through death him that had the power of death." [
Hebrews 2:14 ]

10. Concerning Those Who Demanded the Half-

Shekel.
" And when they had come to Capernaum, they that received the half-shekel
came to Peter. " [ Matthew 17:24 ] There are certain kings of the earth, and the
sons of these do not pay toll or tribute; and there are others, different from their
sons, who are strangers to the kings of the earth, from whom the kings of the
earth receive toll or tribute. And among the kings of the earth, their sons are free
as among fathers; but those who are strangers to them, while they are free in
relation to things beyond the earth, are as slaves in respect of those who lord it
over them and keep them in bondage; as the Egyptians lorded it over the children
of Israel, and greatly afflicted their life and violently held them in bondage. [
Exodus 1:13-14 ] It was for the sake of those who were in a bondage,
corresponding to the bondage of the Hebrews, that the Son of God took upon
Him only the form of a slave, [ Philippians 2:7 ] doing no work that was foul or
servile. As then, having the form of that slave, He pays toll and tribute not
different from that which was paid by His disciple; for the same stater sufficed,
even the one coin which was paid for Jesus and His disciple. But this coin was
not in the house of Jesus, but it was in the sea, and in the mouth of a fish of the
sea which, in my judgment, was benefited when it came up and was caught in
the net of Peter, who became a fisher of men, in which net was that which is
figuratively called a fish, in order also that the coin with the image of Cæsar
might be taken from it, and that it might take its place among those which were
caught by them who have learned to become fishers of men. Let him, then, who
has the things of Cæsar render them to Cæsar, that afterwards he may be able to
render to God the things of God. But since Jesus, who was "the image of the
invisible God," [ Colossians 1:15 ] had not the image of Cæsar, for "the prince of
this age had nothing in Him," [ John 14:31 ] on this account He takes from its
own place, the sea, the image of Cæsar, that He may give it to the kings of the
earth for Himself and His disciple, so that those who receive the half-shekel
might not imagine that Jesus was the debtor of them and of the kings of the
earth; for He paid the debt, not having taken it up, nor having possessed it, nor
having acquired it, nor at any time having made it His own possession, so that
the image of Cæsar might never be along with the image of the invisible God.

11. The Freedom of Sons.

And this may be put in another way. There are some who are kings' sons on
the earth, and yet they are not sons of those kings, but sons, and sons absolutely;
but others, because of their being strangers to the sons of the kings of the earth,
and sons of no one of those upon the earth, but on this very account are sons,
whether of God or of His Son, or of some one of those who are God's. If, then,
the Saviour inquires of Peter, saying, "The kings of the earth from whom do they
receive toll or tribute— from their own sons or from strangers?" [ Matthew
17:25 ] and Peter replies not from their own sons, but "from strangers," then
Jesus says about such as are strangers to the kings of the earth, and on account of
being free are sons, "Therefore the sons are free;" [ Matthew 17:26 ] for the sons
of the kings of the earth are not free, since "every one that commits sin is the
bond-servant of sin," [ John 8:34 ] but they are free who abide in the truth of the
word of God, and on this account, know the truth, that they also may become
free from sin. If, any one then, is a son simply, and not in this matter wholly a
son of the kings of the earth, he is free. And nevertheless, though he is free, he
takes care not to offend even the kings of the earth, and their sons, and those
who receive the half-shekel; wherefore He says, "Let us not cause them to
stumble, but go and cast your net, and take up the fish that first comes up," [
Matthew 17:27 ] etc. But I would inquire of those who are pleased to make
myths about different natures, of what sort of nature they were, whether the
kings of the earth, or their sons, or those who receive the half-shekel, whom the
Saviour does not wish to offend; it appears of a verity, ex hypothesi , that they
are not of a nature worthy of praise, and yet He took heed not to cause them to
stumble, and He prevents any stumbling-block being put in their way, that they
may not sin more grievously, and that with a view to their being saved— if they
will— even by receiving Him who has spared them from being caused to
stumble. And as in a place verily of consolation—for such is, by interpretation,
Capernaum,— comforting the disciple as being both free and a son, He gives to
him the power of catching the fish first, that when it came up Peter might be
comforted by its coming up and being caught, and by the stater being taken from
its mouth, in order to be paid to those whose the stater was, and who demanded
as their own such a piece of money.

12. The Stater Allegorized.

But you might sometimes gracefully apply the passage to the lover of
money, who has nothing in his mouth but things about silver, when you behold
him healed by some Peter, who takes the stater, which is the symbol of all his
avarice, not only from his mouth and words, but from his whole character. For
you will say that such an one was in the sea, and in the bitter affairs of life, and
in the waves of the cares and anxieties of avarice, having the stater in his mouth
when he was unbelieving and avaricious, but that he came up from the sea and
was caught in the rational net, and being benefited by some Peter who has taught
him the truth, no longer has the stater in his mouth, but in place of it those things
which contain His image, the oracles of God.

13. The Sacred Half-Shekel.

Moreover to the saying, "They that received the half-shekel came to Peter,"
[ Matthew 17:24 ] you will adduce from Numbers that, for the saints according
to the law of God, is paid not a half-shekel simply, but a sacred half-shekel. For
it is written, "And you shall take five shekels per head, according to the sacred
half-shekel." [ Numbers 3:47 ] But also on behalf of all the sons of Israel is given
a sacred half-shekel per head. Since then it was not possible for the saint of God
to possess along with the sacred half-shekels the profane shekels, so to speak, on
this account, to them who do not receive the sacred half-shekels, and who asked
Peter and said, "Does not your master pay the half-shekel?" the Saviour
commands the stater to be paid, in which was the half-shekel which was found in
the mouth of the first fish that came up, in order that it might be given for the
Teacher and the disciple.

14. Concerning Those Who Said, Who is the Greatest?

And Concerning the Child that Was Called by Jesus.
" In that day came the disciples unto Jesus saying, Who then is greatest in
the kingdom of heaven? " [ Matthew 18:1 ] In order that we might be taught
what it was that the disciples came to Jesus and asked to learn of Him, and how
He answered to their inquiry, Matthew, though he might have given an account
of this very thing only, has added, according to some manuscripts, "In that hour
the disciples came unto Jesus," but, according to others, "In that day;" and it is
necessary that we should not leave the meaning of the evangelist without
examination. Wherefore giving attention to the words preceding "in that day," or
"hour," let us see if it is possible from them to find a way to understand, as being
necessary, the addition, "in that day," or "hour." Jesus then had come to
Capernaum along with His disciples, where "they that received the half-shekel
came to Peter," and asked and said, "Does not your Master pay the half-shekel?"
Then, when Peter answered and said to them, Yea, Jesus giving further a defence
with reference to the giving of the half-shekel, sends Peter to drag up the fish
into the net, in the mouth of which He said that a stater would be found which
was to be given for Himself and Peter. It seems to me, then, that thinking that
this was a very great honour which had been bestowed on Peter by Jesus, who
judged that he was greater than the rest of His friends, they wished to learn
accurately the truth of their suspicion, by making inquiry of Jesus and hearing
from Him, whether, as they supposed, He had judged that Peter was greater than
they; and at the same time also they hoped to learn the ground on which Peter
had been preferred to the rest of the disciples. Matthew then, I think, wishing to
make this plain, has subjoined to the words "that take" — the stater, to-wit—
"and give unto them for you and me," the words, "In that day came the disciples
unto Jesus, saying, Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And,
perhaps, they were also in doubt because of the preference which had been given
to the three at the transfiguration, and they were in doubt about this— which of
the three was judged by the Lord to be greatest. For John reclined on His breast
through love, and we may conclude that before the Supper they had seen many
tokens of special honour given by Jesus to John; but Peter on his confession was
called blessed in their hearing, because of his saying, "You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God;" [ Matthew 16:16-17 ] but again because of the saying,
"Get behind Me, Satan; you are a stumbling-block unto Me, for you mind not the
things of God but the things of men," [ Matthew 16:23 ] they were distracted in
mind as to whether it was not he but one of the sons of Zebedee, that was the
greatest. So much for the words "in that day" or "hour," on which took place the
matters relating to the stater.

15. Greatness Varies in Degree.

But next we must seek to understand this: the disciples came to Him, as
disciples to a teacher proposing difficult questions, and making inquiry, Who
then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? [ Matthew 18:1 ] And, in this respect,
we must imitate the disciples of Jesus; for if, at any time, any subject of
investigation among us should not be found out let us go with all unanimity in
regard to the question in dispute to Jesus, who is present where two or three are
gathered together in His name, [ Matthew 18:20 ] and is ready by His presence
with power to illumine the hearts of those who truly desire to become His
disciples, with a view to their apprehension of the matters under inquiry. And
likewise it would be nothing strange for us to go to any of those who have been
appointed by God as teachers in the church, and propose any question of a like
order to this, "Who, then, is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" What, then, was
already known to the disciples of the matters relating to this question? And what
was the point under inquiry? That there is not equality in regard to those who are
deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven they had apprehended, and that, as
there was not equality, some one was greatest, and so in succession down to the
least: but of what nature was the greatest, and what was the way of life of him
who was the least, and who occupied the middle position, they further desired to
know; unless, indeed, it is more accurate to say that they knew who was least
from the words, "Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and
shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;" but who was
the greatest of all they did not know, even if they had grasped the meaning of the
words, "Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in
the kingdom of heaven;" [ Matthew 5:19 ] for as there were many great, it was
not clear to them who was the greatest of the great, to use a human standard.
And that many are great, but the great not equally great, will be manifest from
the ascription of the epithet "great" to Isaac, "who grew great, and became
exceedingly great," [ Genesis 26:13 ] and from what is said in the case of Moses,
and John the Baptist, and the Saviour. And every one will acknowledge that
even though all these were great according to the Scripture, yet the Saviour was
greater than they. But whether John also (than whom there was no greater among
those born of women), [ Matthew 11:11 ] was greater than Isaac and Moses, or
whether he was not greater, but equal to both, or to one of them, it would be
hazardous to declare. And from the saying, "But Isaac, waxing great, became
greater," [ Genesis 26:13 ] until he became not simply great, but with the twice
repeated addition, "exceedingly," we may learn that there is a difference among
the great, as one is great, and another exceedingly great, and another exceedingly
exceedingly great. The disciples, therefore, came to Jesus and sought to learn,
who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven; and perhaps they wished to
learn, hearing from Him sometimes like this, "A certain one is greatest in the
kingdom of heaven;" but He gives a universal turn to the discourse, showing
what was the quality of him who was greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Let us
seek to understand, from what is written, to the best of our ability, who this is.
"For Jesus called a little child," [ Matthew 18:2 ] etc.

16. Why the Great are Compared to Little Children.

But first we may expound it in simple fashion. One, expounding the word
of the Saviour here after the simple method, might say that, if any one who is a
man mortifies the lusts of manhood, putting to death by the spirit the deeds of
the body, and "always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus," [
2 Corinthians 4:10 ] to such a degree that he has the condition of the little child
who has not tasted sensual pleasures, and has had no conception of the impulses
of manhood, then such an one is converted, and has become as the little children.
And the greater the advance he has made towards the condition of the little
children in regard to such emotions, by so much the more as compared with
those who are in training and have not advanced to so great a height of self-
control, is he the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. But that which has been said
about little children in respect of lustful pleasures, the same might also be said in
regard to the rest of the affections and infirmities and sicknesses of the soul, into
which it is not the nature of little children to fall, who have not yet fully attained
to the possession of reason; as, for example, that, if any one be converted, and,
though a man, such an one becomes as a child in respect of anger; and, as is the
child in relation to grief, so that sometimes he laughs and plays at the very time
that his father or mother or brother is dead, he who is converted would become
such an one as little children; and, having received from the Word a disposition
incapable of grief, so that he becomes like the little child in regard to grief. And
the like you will say about what is called pleasure, in regard to which the wicked
are irrationally lifted up, from which little children do not suffer, nor such as
have been converted and become as little children. As, then, it has been
accurately demonstrated also by others, that no passion is incident to the little
children who have not yet attained to full possession of reason; and if no
passion, clearly fear also; but, if there be anything corresponding to the passions,
these are faint, and very quickly suppressed, and healed in the case of little
children, so that he is worthy of love, who, being converted as the little children,
has reached such a point as to have, as it were, his passions in subjection like the
little children. And with regard to fear, therefore, similar things to those spoken
might be conceived, that the little children do not experience the fear of the
wicked, but a different thing, to which those who have an accurate knowledge of
questions in regard to the passions and their names give the name of fear; as, for
example, in the case of children there is a forgetfulness of their evils at the very
time of their tears, for they change in a moment, and laugh and play along with
those who were thought to grieve and terrify them, but in truth had wrought in
them no such emotion. So too, moreover, one will humble himself like the little
child which Jesus called; for neither haughtiness, nor conceit in respect of noble
birth, or wealth, or any of those things which are thought to be good, but are not,
comes to a little child. Wherefore you may see those who are not altogether
infants, up to three or four years of age, like to those who are of mean birth,
though they may seem to be of noble birth, and not appearing at all to love rich
children rather than the poor. If, therefore, in the same way as according to their
age children are affected towards those passions which exalt the senseless, the
disciple of Jesus under the influence of reason has humbled himself like the little
child which Jesus showed, not being exalted because of vainglory, nor puffed up
on the ground of wealth, or raiment, nor elated because of noble birth, in
particular are they to be received and imitated in the name of Jesus, who have
been converted as the Word showed, like the little child which Jesus took to
Him; since especially in such the Christ is, and therefore He says, "Whosoever
shall receive one such little child in My name receives Me." [ Matthew 18:5 ]

17. The Little Ones and Their Stumbling-Blocks.

But it is a hard task to expound what follows in logical harmony with what
has already been said; for one might say, how is it that he who is converted and
has become as the little children, is a little one among such as believe in Jesus,
and is capable of being caused to stumble? And likewise let us attempt to explain
this coherently. Every one that gives his adherence to Jesus as the Son of God
according to the true history concerning Him, and by deeds done according to
the Gospel, is on the way to living the life which is according to virtue, is
converted and is on the way towards becoming as the little children; and it is
impossible for him not to enter into the kingdom of heaven. There are, indeed,
many such; but not all, who are converted with a view to becoming like the little
children, have reached the point of being made like little children; but each
wants so much of the likeness to the little children, as he falls short of the
disposition of little children towards the passions, of which we have spoken. In
the whole multitude, then, of believers, are also those who, having been, as it
were, just converted in regard to their becoming as the little children, at the very
point of their conversion that they may become as the little children, are called
little; and those of them, who are converted that they may become as the little
children, but fall far short of having truly become as the little children, are
capable of being caused to stumble; each of whom falls so far short of the
likeness to them, as he falls short of the disposition of children towards the
passions, of which we have spoken, to whom we ought not to give occasions of
stumbling-block; but, if it be otherwise, he who has caused him to stumble will
require, as contributing towards his cure, to have "an ass's millstone hanged
about his neck, and be sunk into the depths of the sea." [ Matthew 18:6 ] For, in
this way, when he has paid the due penalty in the sea, where is "the dragon
which God formed to play in it," and, so far as is expedient for the end in view,
has been punished and undergone suffering, he shall then have his part in those
troubles which belong to the depths of the sea, which he endured when he was
dragged down by the ass's millstone. For there are also differences of millstones,
so that one of them may be, so to call it, the millstone of a man, and another that
of an ass; and that is human, about which it is written, "Two women shall be
grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left;" [ Matthew 24:41 ] but the
millstone of the ass is that which shall be put round him who has given occasion
of stumbling-block. But some one might say— I know not whether he would
speak soundly or erroneously— that the ass's millstone is the heavy body of the
wicked man, which is sunken downwards, and which he will receive at the
resurrection that he may be sunk in the abyss which is called the depth of the
sea, where "is the dragon which God formed to play therein." But another will
refer the creating of a stumbling-block to one of the little ones to the powers that
are unseen by men; for from these arise many stumbling-blocks to the little ones
pointed out by Jesus. But when they cause to stumble one of the little ones
pointed out by Jesus, who are believers in Him, he shall assume an ass's
millstone, the corruptible body which presses heavily on the soul, which is itself
hung from the neck, which is dragged down to the affairs in this life, that by
means of these their conceit may be taken away, and having paid the penalty,
they shall come, through means of the ass's millstone, to the condition expedient
for them.

18. Who Was the Little Child Called by Jesus.

Now another interpretation different from what is called the simpler may be
uttered; whether as dogma, or for the sake of exercise, so to speak, let us also
inquire what was the little child who was called by Jesus and set in the midst of
the disciples. Now consider if you can say that the little child, whom Jesus
called, was the Holy Spirit who humbled Himself, when He was called by the
Saviour, and set in the midst of the reason of the disciples of Jesus; if, indeed,
He wishes us, being turned away from everything else, to be turned towards the
examples suggested by the Holy Spirit, so that we may so become as the little
children, who are themselves also turned and likened to the Holy Spirit; which
little children God gave to the Saviour, according to what is said in Isaiah,
"Behold, I and the little children which God has given to me." And it is not
possible for any one to enter into the kingdom of heaven, who has not been
turned away from the affairs of this world, and made like the little children who
possess the Holy Spirit; which Holy Spirit was called by Jesus, and, descending
from His own perfection to men as a little child, was set by Jesus in the midst of
the disciples. It is necessary, then, for him who has turned away from the desires
of this world to humble himself not simply as the little child, but, according to
what is written, "as this little child." [ Matthew 18:4 ] But to humble oneself as
that little child is to imitate the Holy Spirit, who humbled Himself for the
salvation of men. Now, that the Saviour and the Holy Spirit were sent by the
Father for the salvation of men has been declared in Isaiah, in the person of the
Saviour, saying, "And now the Lord has sent me and His Spirit." [ Isaiah 48:16 ]
You must know, however, that this expression is ambiguous; for either God sent,
but also the Holy Spirit sent, the Saviour; or, as we have taken it, the Father sent
both— the Saviour and the Holy Spirit. He, therefore, who has humbled himself
more than all those who have humbled themselves in imitation of that little child,
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. For there are many who are willing to
humble themselves as that little child; but the man, who in every respect has
become like to the little child who humbled himself, in the name of Jesus—
especially in Jesus Himself—in reality, would be found to be he who is named
greater than all in the kingdom of heaven. But as he receives Jesus, whosoever
receives one such of the little children in His name, so he rejects Jesus and casts
Him out, who does not wish to receive one such little child in the name of Jesus.
But if, also, there is a difference in those who are deemed worthy of the Holy
Spirit, as believers receive more or less of the Holy Spirit, there would be some
little ones among those who believe in God who can be made to stumble: to
avenge whose being made to stumble the Word says, with reference to those
who had caused them to stumble, "It is profitable for him that an ass's millstone
should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the
sea." [ Matthew 18:6 ] Let these things be said in regard to the passage of
Matthew before us.

19. The Parallel Passages in Mark and Luke.

But let us consider also the like account in the other Evangelists. Mark, [
Mark 9:33-34 ] then, says, that the Twelve reasoned in the way as to which of
them was the greatest. Wherefore He sat down, and called them, and teaches
who is the greatest, saying, that he who became last of all by means of his
moderation and gentleness, would as the greatest obtain the first place, so that he
did not receive the place of one who was being ministered unto, but the place of
one who ministered, and that not to some but not to others, but to all absolutely;
for attend to the words, "If any man would be first he shall be last of all, and
minister of all." [ Mark 9:35 ] And next to that He says, that "He," — Jesus to-
wit— "took a little child, and set him in the midst of His own disciples, and
taking him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of the
little children in My name receives Me." [ Mark 9:36-37 ] But what was the little
child which Jesus took and placed in His arms, according to the deeper meaning
in the passage? Was it the Holy Spirit? And to this little child, indeed, some
were likened, of whom He said, "Whosoever shall receive one of such little
children in My name receives Me." According to Luke, however, the reasoning
did not arise spontaneously in the disciples, but was suggested to them by the
question, "which of them should be greatest." [ Luke 9:46 ] And Jesus, seeing
the reasoning of their heart, as He had eyes that see the reasonings of hearts—
seeing the reasoning of their heart—without being questioned, according to
Luke, "took the little child and set him," not in the midst alone, as Matthew and
Mark have said, but now, also, "by His side," and said to the disciples, not only,
"Whosoever shall receive one such little child," or, "Whosoever shall receive one
of such little ones in My name receives Me," but, now going even a step higher,
"Whosoever shall receive this little child in My name receives Me." [ Luke 9:47-
48 ] It is necessary, therefore, according to Luke, to receive in the name of Jesus
that very little child which Jesus took and placed by His side. And I know not if
there be any one who can interpret figuratively the word, "Whosoever shall
receive this little child in My name." For it is necessary that each of us should
receive in the name of Jesus that little child which Jesus then took and set by His
side; for he lives as immortal, and we must receive him from Jesus Himself in
the name of Jesus; and without being separated from him, Jesus is with him who
receives the little child, so that according to this it is said, "Whosoever shall
receive this little child in My name receives Me." Then, since the Father is
inseparable from the Son, He is with him who receives the Son. Wherefore it is
said, "And whosoever shall receive Me receives Him that sent Me." [ Luke 9:48 ]
But he who has received the little child, and the Saviour, and Him that sent Him,
is least of all the disciples of Jesus, making himself little. But, so far as he
belittles himself, to that extent does he become great; as that very thing, which
caused him the more to make himself little, contributes to his advance in
greatness; for attend to what is said, "He that is least among you all the same is
great;" but in other manuscripts we read, "The same shall be great." Now,
according to Luke, "If any one shall not receive the kingdom of God as the little
child, he shall in no wise enter therein." [ Luke 18:17 ] And this expression is
ambiguous; for either it means that he who receives the kingdom of God may
become as a little child, or, that he may receive the kingdom of God, which has
become to him as a little child. And perhaps here those who receive the kingdom
of God receive it, when it is as a little child, but in the world to come no longer
as a little child; and they receive the greatness of the perfection in the spiritual
manhood, so to speak, which perfection is manifested to all who in the present
time receive it, when it is here as a little child.

20. The World and Offences. Various Meanings of

 20. The World and Offences. Various Meanings of
World.
" Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling. " [ Matthew 18:7 ]
The expression "cosmos," is used in itself and absolutely in the passage, "He was
in the cosmos and the cosmos knew Him not," [ John 1:10 ] but it is used
relatively and in respect of its connection with that of which it is the cosmos, in
the words, "Lest you look up to the heaven, and seeing the sun, and the moon,
and all the cosmos of the heavens, you should stray and bow down to them and
worship them." [ Deuteronomy 4:19 ] And the like you will find in the Book of
Esther, spoken about her, when it is written, stripping off all her "cosmos." For
the word "cosmos," simply, is not the same as the "cosmos" of heaven, or the
"cosmos" of Esther; and this which we are now investigating is another. I think,
then, that the world is not this compacted whole of heaven and earth according
to the Divine Scriptures, but only the place which is round about the earth, and
this is not to be conceived in respect of the whole earth, but only in respect of
ours which is inhabited; for the true light "was in the world," that is, in the place
which is around, conceived in relation to our part of the earth; "and the world
knew Him not," [ John 1:10 ] that is, the men in the region round about, and
perhaps also the powers that have an affinity to this place. For it is monstrous to
understand by the world here the compacted whole formed of heaven and earth,
and those in it; so that it could be said, that the sun and moon and the choir of the
stars and the angels in all this world, did not know the true light, and, though
ignorant of it, preserved the order which God had appointed for them. But when
it is said by the Saviour in the prayer to the Father, "And, now, glorify me, O
Father, with Your own self, with the glory which I had with You before the world
was," [ John 17:5 ] you must understand by the "world," that which is inhabited
by us on the earth; for it was from this world that the Father gave men to the
Son, in regard to whom alone the Saviour beseeches His Father, and not for the
whole world of men. Moreover, also, when the Saviour says, "And I come to you
and am no longer in the world," [ John 17:11 ] He speaks of the terrestrial world;
for it is not to be supposed that He spoke things contradictory when He said,
"And I come to you, and I am no longer in the world," and "I am in the world."
But also in this, "And these things I speak in the world," [ John 17:13 ] we must
think of the place round about the earth. And this is clearly indicated also by the
words, "And the world hated them, because they are not of the world." [ John
17:14 ] For it hated us from the time when we no longer "look at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen," [ 2 Corinthians 4:18 ]
because of the teaching of Jesus; not the world of heaven and earth and them that
are therein, all compacted together but the men on the earth along with us. And
the saying, "They are not of the world," [ John 17:21 ] is equivalent to, They are
not of the place round about the earth. And so also the disciples of Jesus are not
of this world, as He was not of the world. And further also the saying, "That the
world may believe that You have sent Me," twice spoken in the Gospel according
to John, does not refer to the things that are superior to men, but to men who
need to believe that the Father sent the Son into the world here. Yea, and also in
the Apostle, "Your faith is proclaimed in the whole world." [ Romans 1:8 ]

21. The "Woe" Does Not Apply to the Disciples of

Jesus.
But if there is woe unto men everywhere on the earth, because of occasions
of stumbling to those who are laid hold of by them; but the disciples are not of
the world, as they do not look at things seen, like as the Master is not of this
world; to no one of the disciples of Jesus does the "woe because of occasions of
stumbling" apply, since "great peace have they who love the law of God, and
there is to them no occasion of stumbling." But if any one seems to be called a
disciple, but yet is of the world, because of his loving the world, and the things
therein—I mean, the life in the place round about the earth, and the property in
it, or the possessions, or any form of wealth whatsoever—so that the saying,
"they are not of the world," [ John 17:16 ] does not fit him; to him, as being
really of the world, shall come that which happens to the world, the "woe,
because of occasions of stumbling." But let him who wishes to avoid this woe
not be a lover of life, but let him say with Paul, "The world is crucified unto me,
and I unto the world." [ Galatians 6:14 ] For the saints while "in the tabernacle,
do groan being burdened" [ 2 Corinthians 5:4 ] with "the body of humiliation,"
and do all things that they may become worthy to be found in the mystery of the
resurrection, when God shall fashion anew the body of humiliation not of all, but
of those who have been truly made disciples to Christ, so that it may be
conformed to the body of the glory of Christ. [ Philippians 3:21 ] For as none of
the "woes" happen to any of the disciples of Christ, so does not this "woe,
because of occasions of stumbling;" for, supposing that thousands of occasions
should arise, they shall not touch those who are no longer of the world. But if
any one, because of his faith wanting ballast, and the instability of his
submission in regard to the Word of God, is capable of being caused to stumble,
let him know that he is not called by Jesus His disciple. Now we must suppose
that so many stumbling-blocks come, that, as a result, the woes extend not to
some parts of the earth, but to the whole "world" which is in it.

22. What the "Occasions of Stumbling" Are.

" And it must needs be that occasions of stumbling come ," [ Matthew 18:7 ]
which I take to be different from the men by whom they come. The occasions
then which come are an army of the devil, his angels, and a wicked band of
impure spirits, which, seeking out instruments through whom they will work,
often find men altogether strangers to piety, and sometimes even some of those
who are thought to believe the Word of God, for whom exists a worse woe than
that which comes to him who is caused to stumble, just as also it shall be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment, [ Matthew 11:22 ] than for
the places where Jesus did signs and wonders, and yet was not believed. But as
one might undertake to make a collection from the Scriptures of those who are
pronounced blessed, and of the things in respect of which they are so called, so
also he might undertake to do with the woes which are written, and those in
whose case the woes are spoken. But that the woe is worse in the case of him
who causes to stumble, than in him who is made to stumble, you may prove by
the passage, "Whoso shall cause to stumble one of these little ones which believe
in Me, it is profitable for him," [ Matthew 18:6 ] etc.; for, while the little one
who is made to stumble receives retribution from him who caused him to
stumble, it is expedient that the severe and intolerable punishment which is
written should befall the man who has caused the stumbling. But if we were to
give more careful consideration to these things, we should be on our guard
against sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is
weak, lest we sin against Christ; [ 1 Corinthians 8:11-12 ] as often our brethren
about us, "for whom Christ died," perish, not only through our knowledge, but
also through some other causes connected with us; in the case of whom, we,
sinning against Christ, shall pay the penalty, the soul of them who perish through
us being required of us.

23. In What Sense "Necessary."

Next we must test accurately the meaning of the word "necessity" in the
passage, " For there is a necessity that the occasions come ," [ Matthew 18:7 ]
and to the like effect in Luke, "It is 'inadmissible' but that occasions of stumbling
should come," [ Luke 18:1 ] instead of "impossible." And as it is necessary that
that which is mortal should die, and it is impossible but that it should die, and as
it must needs be that he who is in the body should be fed, for it is impossible for
one who is not fed to live, so it is necessary and impossible but that occasions of
stumbling should arise, since there is a necessity also that wickedness should
exist before virtue in men, from which wickedness stumbling-blocks arise; for it
is impossible that a man should be found altogether sinless, and who, without
sin, has attained to virtue. For the wickedness in the evil powers, which is the
primal source of the wickedness among men, is altogether eager to work through
certain instruments against the men in the world. And perhaps also the wicked
powers are more exasperated when they are cast out by the word of Jesus, and
their worship is lessened, their customary sacrifices not being offered unto them;
and there is a necessity that these offenses come; but there is no necessity that
they should come through any particular one; wherefore the "woe" falls on the
man through whom the stumbling-block comes, as he has given a place to the
wicked power whose purpose it is to create a stumbling-block. But do not
suppose that by nature, and from constitution, there are certain stumbling-blocks
which seek out men through whom they come; for as God did not make death, so
neither did He create stumbling-blocks; but free-will begot the stumbling-blocks
in some who did not wish to endure toils for virtue.

24. The Offending Hand, or Foot, or Eye.

And it is well, then, if the eye and the hand are deserving of praise, that the
eye cannot with reason say to the hand, "I have no need of you." [ 1 Corinthians
12:21 ] But if any one in the whole body of the congregations of the church, who
because of his practical gifts has the name of hand, should change and become a
hand causing to stumble, let the eye say to such a hand, "I have no need of you,"
and, saying it, let him cut it off and cast it from him. [ Matthew 18:8 ] And so it
is well, if any head be blessed, and the feet worthy of the blessed head, so that
the head observing the things which are becoming to itself, may not be able to
say to the feet, "I have no need of you." If, however, any foot be found to
become a stumbling-block to the whole body, let the head say to such a foot, "I
have no need of you," and having cast it off, let him cast it from himself; for
even it is much better that the rest of the body should enter into life, wanting the
foot or the hand which caused the stumbling-block, rather than, when the
stumbling-block has spread over the whole body, it should be cast into the hell
of fire with the two feet or the two hands. And so it is well, that he who can
become the eye of the whole body should be worthy of Christ and of the whole
body; but if such an eye should ever change, and become a stumbling-block to
the whole body, it is well to take it out and cast it outside the whole body, and
that the rest of the body without that eye should be saved, rather than that along
with it, when the whole body has been corrupted, the whole body should be cast
into the hell of fire. For the practical faculty of the soul, if prone to sin, and the
walking faculty of the soul, so to speak, if prone to sin, and the faculty of clear
vision, if prone to sin, may be the hand that causes to stumble, and the foot that
causes to stumble, and the eye that causes to stumble, which things it is better to
cast away, and having put them aside to enter into life without them, like as one
halt, or maimed, or one-eyed, rather than along with them to lose the whole soul.
And likewise in the case of the soul it is a good and blessed thing to use its
power for the noblest ends; but if we are going to lose one for any cause, it is
better to lose the use of it, that along with the other powers we may be saved.

25. The Eye or Hand Allegorized.

And it is possible to apply these words also to our nearest kinsfolk, who are
our members, as it were; being considered to be our members, because of the
close relationship; whether by birth, or from any habitual friendship, so to speak;
whom we must not spare if they are injuring our soul. For let us cut off from
ourselves as a hand or a foot or an eye, a father or mother who wishes us to do
that which is contrary to piety, and a son or daughter who, as far as in them lies,
would have us revolt from the church of Christ and the love of Him. But even if
the wife of our bosom, or a friend who is kindred in soul, become stumbling-
blocks to us, let us not spare them, but let us cut them out from ourselves, and
cast them outside of our soul, as not being truly our kindred but enemies of our
salvation; for "whosoever hates not his father, and mother," [ Luke 14:26 ] and
the others subjoined, when it is the fitting season to hate them as enemies and
assailants, that he may be able to win Christ, this man is not worthy of the Son of
God. And in respect of these we may say, that from a critical position any lame
one, so to speak, is saved, when he has lost a foot— say a brother— and alone
obtains the inheritance of the kingdom of God; and a maimed one is saved, when
his father is not saved, but they perish, while he is separated from them, that he
alone may obtain the benedictions. And so also any one is saved with one eye,
who has cut out the eye of his own house, his wife, if she commit fornication,
lest having two eyes he may go away into the hell of fire.

26. The Little Ones and Their Angels.

" See that you despise not one of these little ones. " [ Matthew 18:10 ] It
seems to me that as among the bodies of men there are differences in point of
size—so that some are little, and others great, and others of middle height, and,
again, there are differences among the little, as they are more or less little, and
the same holds of the great, and of those of middle height—so also among the
souls of men, there are some things which give them the stamp of littleness, and
other things the stamp of greatness, so to speak, and generally, after the analogy
of things bodily, other things the stamp of mediocrity. But in the case of bodies,
it is not due to the action of men but to the spermatic principles, that one is short
and little, another great, and another of middle height; but in the case of souls, it
is our free-will, and actions of such a kind, and habits of such a kind, that furnish
the reason why one is great, or little, or of middle height; and it is of our free-
will either by advancing in stature to increase our size, or not advancing to be
short. And so indeed I understand the words about Jesus having assumed a
human soul, "Jesus advanced;" [ Luke 2:52 ] for as from the free-will there was
an advance of His soul in wisdom and grace, so also in stature. And the Apostle
says, "Until we all attain unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ;" [ Ephesians 4:13 ] for we must think that he attains
unto a man, and that full-grown, according to the inner man, who has gone
through the things of the child, and has reached the stage of the man, and has put
away the things of the child, and generally, has perfected the things of the man.
And so we must suppose that there is a certain measure of spiritual stature unto
which the most perfect soul can attain by magnifying the Lord, and become
great. Thus, then, these became great, of whom this is written, Isaac, and Moses,
and John, and the Saviour Himself above all; for also about Him Gabriel said,
"He shall be great;" [ Luke 1:32 ] but the little ones are "the newborn babes
which long for the reasonable milk which is without guile," [ 1 Peter 2:2 ] such
as stand in need of nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers, spoken of in Isaiah
when he says, about the calling from the Gentiles, "And they shall bring the sons
in the bosom, and take their daughters on the shoulders, and kings shall be your
nursing-fathers and their princesses your nursing-mothers." [ Isaiah 49:22-23 ]
For these reasons you will, then, attend to the word, "Do not despise one of these
little ones," [ Matthew 18:10 ] and consider whether it is their angels who bring
them in their bosom, since they have become sons, and also take on their
shoulders what are called daughters, and whether from them are the nursing-
fathers who are called kings, and the nursing-mothers who are called princesses.
And since the little ones, pointed out by our Saviour, are under the stewardship
as of nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers, on this account I think that Moses,
who believed that he had been already assigned a place among the ranks of the
great, said, with regard to the promise, "My angel shall go before you," [ Exodus
32:34 ] "If you yourself do not go along with me, carry me not up hence." [
Exodus 33:15 ] For though the little one even be an heir, yet as being a child he
differs nothing from a servant when he is a child, [ Galatians 4:1 ] and to the
extent to which he is little "has the spirit of bondage to fear;" [ Romans 8:15 ]
but he who is not at all any longer such has no longer the spirit of bondage, but
already the spirit of adoption, when "perfect love casts out fear;" [ 1 John 4:18 ]
it will be plain to you, how that according to these things "the angel of the Lord"
is said "to encamp round about them that fear Him, and to save them." But you
will consider, according to these things also, whether these are indeed angels of
the little ones "who are led by the spirit of bondage to fear," "when the angel of
the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him and delivers them;" but of the
great, whether it is the Lord who is greater than the angels, who might say about
each of them, "I am with him in affliction;" and, so long as we are imperfect, and
need one to assist us that we may be delivered from evils, we stand in need of an
angel of whom Jacob said, "The angel who delivered me from all the evils;" [
Genesis 48:16 ] but, when we have become perfected, and have passed through
the stage of being subject to nursing-fathers and nursing-mothers and guardians
and stewards, [ Galatians 4:4 ] we are meet to be governed by the Lord Himself.

27. When the Little Ones are Assigned to Angels.

Then again one might inquire at what time those who are called their angels
assume guardianship of the little ones pointed out by Christ; whether they
received this commission to discharge concerning them, from what time "by the
laver of regeneration," [ Titus 3:5 ] through which they were born "as newborn
babes, they long for the reasonable milk which is without guile," [ 1 Peter 2:2 ]
and no longer are in subjection to any wicked power; or, whether from birth they
had been appointed, according to the foreknowledge and predestination of God,
over those whom God also foreknew, and foreordained to be conformed to the
glory of the Christ. [ Romans 8:29 ] And with reference to the view that they
have angels from birth, one might quote, "He who separated me from my
mother's womb," [ Galatians 1:15 ] and, "From the womb of my mother you have
been my protector," and, "He has assisted me from my mother's womb," and,
"Upon you I was cast from my mother," and in the Epistle of Jude, "To them that
are beloved in God the Father and are kept for Jesus Christ, being called," [Jude
1] — kept completely by the angels who keep them.

28. Close Relationship of Angels to Their "Little

Ones."
 With reference to the words, " When through the laver I became a child in
Christ ," it may be said, that there is no holy angel present with those who are
still in wickedness, but that during the period of unbelief they are under the
angels of Satan; but, after the regeneration, He who has redeemed us with His
own blood consigns us to a holy angel, who also, because of his purity, beholds
the face of God. And a third exposition of this passage might be something like
the following, which would say, that as it is possible for a man to change from
unbelief to faith, and from intemperance to temperance, and generally from
wickedness to virtue, so also it is possible that the angel, to whom any soul has
been entrusted at birth, may be wicked at the first, but afterwards may at some
time believe in proportion as the man believes, and may make such advance that
he may become one of the angels who always behold the face of the Father in
heaven, [ Matthew 18:10 ] beginning from the time that he is yoked along with
the man who was foreknown and foreordained to believe at that time, the
judgments of God, which are unspeakable and unsearchable and like to the
depths, fitly bringing together all this harmonious relationship— angels with
men. And it may be that as when a man and his wife are both unbelievers,
sometimes it is the man who first believes and in time saves his wife, and
sometimes the wife who begins and afterwards in time persuades her husband,
so it happens with angels and with men. If, however, anything of this kind takes
place in the case of other angels or not, you may seek out for yourself. But
consider whether it may not be appropriate to say something of this kind in
regard to each angel who is so honoured according to the word of the Saviour,
that he is said to behold always the face of the Father who is in heaven. But since
in what we said above, that the little ones have angels, but that the great have
passed beyond such a position, some one will quote in opposition to us from the
Acts of the Apostles, where it is written, that a certain maid Rhoda, when Peter
knocked at the door, came to answer, and recognizing the voice of Peter, ran in
and announced that Peter stood before the gate; but when they who were
gathered together in the house wondered, and thought that it was quite
impossible that Peter verily stood before the gate, they said, It is his angel. [ Acts
12:13-15 ] For the objector will say that, as they had learned once for all that
each of the believers had some definite angel, they knew that Peter also had one.
But he, who adheres to what we have previously said, will say that the word of
Rhoda was not necessarily a dogma, and perhaps also the word of those who did
not accurately know, when one as being little and God-fearing is governed by
angels, and when now by the Lord Himself. After this, in order to establish our
conception of the little one which we have brought forward, it will be said that
we need no command about "not despising" in the case of the great, but we do
need it in the case of the little; wherefore it is not merely said, "Do not despise
one of these," pointing to all the disciples, but "one of these little ones," [
Matthew 18:10 ] pointed out by Him, who sees the littleness and the greatness of
the soul.

29. The Little Ones and the Perfect.

But another might say that the perfect man is here called little, applying the
word, "For he that is least among you all, the same is great," [ Luke 9:48 ] and
will affirm that he who humbles himself and becomes a child in the midst of all
that believe, though he be an apostle or a bishop, and becomes such "as when a
nurse cherishes her own children," [ 1 Thessalonians 2:7 ] is the little one
pointed out by Jesus, and that the angel of such an one is worthy to behold the
face of God. For to say that the little are here called perfect, according to the
passage, "He that is least among you all, the same is great," [ Luke 9:48 ] and as
Paul said, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints was this grace
given," [ Ephesians 3:8 ] will seem to be in harmony with the saying, "Whoso
shall cause one of these little ones to stumble," [ Matthew 18:6 ] and "So it is not
the will of My Father in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." [
Matthew 18:14 ] For he, as has been stated, who is now little, could not be made
to stumble nor perish, for "great peace have they who love the law of God, and
there is no stumbling-block to them;" and he could not perish, who is least of all
among all the disciples of Christ, and on this account becomes great; and, since
he could not perish, he could say, "Who shall separate us from the love," [
Romans 8:35 ] etc. But he who wishes to maintain this last exposition will say
that the soul even of the just man is changeable, as Ezekiel also testifies, saying,
that the righteous man may abandon the commandments of God, so that his
former righteousness is not reckoned unto him; [ Ezekiel 33:12 ] wherefore it is
said, Whoso shall cause to stumble one of these little ones, [ Matthew 18:6 ] and,
"It is not the will of My Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones
should perish." [ Matthew 18:14 ]
[As for the exposition of the matters relating to "the hundred sheep," you
may consult the homilies on Luke. [ Matthew 18:12-14 ]]

30. The Sinning Brother.

" If your brother sin against you, go, show him his fault between you and
him alone. [ Matthew 18:15 ]" He, then, who attends closely to the expression,
in proof of the surpassing philanthropy of Jesus, will say, that as the words do
not suggest a difference of sins, they will act in a singular manner and contrary
to the goodness of Jesus, who supply the thought, that these words are to be
understood as being limited in their application to lesser sins. But another, also
attending closely to the expression, and not wishing to introduce these
extraneous thoughts, nor admitting that it is spoken about every sin, will say, that
he who commits those great sins is not a brother, even if he be called a brother,
as the Apostle says, "If any one that is named a brother be a fornicator, or
covetous, or an idolater, etc., with such an one not to eat;" [ 1 Corinthians 5:11 ]
for no one who is an idolater, or a fornicator, or covetous, is a brother; for if he,
who seems to bear the name of Christ, though he is named a brother, has
something of the features of these, he would not rightly be called a brother. As
then he, who says that such words are spoken about every sin, whether the sin be
murder, or poisoning, or pederasty, or anything of that sort, would give occasion
of injury to the exceeding goodness of Christ, so, on the contrary, he who
distinguishes between the brother and him who is called the brother, might teach
that, in the case of the least of the sins of men, he who has not repented after the
telling of the fault is to be reckoned as a Gentile and a publican, for sins which
are "not unto death," [ 1 John 5:16 ] or, as the law has described them in the
Book of Numbers, not "death-bringing." [ Numbers 18:22 ] This would seem to
be very harsh; for I do not think that any one will readily be found who has not
been censured thrice for the same form of sin, say, reviling, with which revilers
abuse their neighbours, or those who are carried away by passion, or for over-
drinking, or lying and idle words, or any of those things which exist in the
masses. You will inquire, therefore, whether any observation of the passage has
escaped the notice of those, who are influenced by their conception of the
goodness of the Word, and grant pardon to those who have committed the
greatest sins, as well as of those who teach that, in the case of the very least sins,
he is to be reckoned as a Gentile and a publican, making him a stranger to the
church, after he has committed three very trivial transgressions. But the
following seems to me to have been overlooked by both of them, namely, the
words, "You have gained your brother." [ Matthew 18:15 ] It is assigned by the
Word to him only who heard, and He no longer applies it in the case of him who
has stumbled twice or thrice and been censured; but that which was to be said
about him who was censured twice or thrice, corresponding to the saying, "You
have gained your brother," He has left in the air, so to speak. He is not,
therefore, altogether gained, nor will he altogether perish, or he will receive
stripes. And attend carefully to the first passage, "If he hear you, you have
gained your brother," and to the second passage, which is literally, "If he hear
you not, take with yourself one or two more, that at the mouth of two or three
witnesses every word may be established." [ Matthew 18:15-16 ] What, then,
will happen to him who has been censured for the second time, after every word
has been established by two or three witnesses, He has left us to conceive. And,
again, "If he refuse to hear them" — manifestly, the witnesses who have been
taken— "tell it," he says, "to the church;" [ Matthew 18:17 ] and He does not say
what he will suffer if he does not hear the church, but He taught that if he
refused to hear the church, then he who had thrice admonished, and had not been
heard, was to regard him for the future as the Gentile and the publican. [
Matthew 18:17 ] Therefore he is not altogether gained, nor will he altogether
perish. But what at all he will suffer, who at first did not hear, but required
witnesses, or even refused to hear these, but was brought to the church, God
knows; for we do not declare it, according to the precept, "Judge not that you be
not judged," [ Matthew 7:1 ] "until the Lord come, who will both bring to light
the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the hearts." [ 1
Corinthians 4:5 ] But, with reference to the seeming harshness in the case of
those who have committed less sins, one might say that it is not possible for him
who has not heard twice in succession to hear the third time, so as, on this
account, no longer to be as a Gentile or a publican, or no longer to stand in need
of the censure in presence of all the church. For we must bear in mind this, "So it
is not the will of My Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."
[ Matthew 18:14 ] For if "we must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ,
that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has
done, whether it be good or bad," [ 2 Corinthians 5:10 ] let each one with all his
power do what he can so that he may not receive punishment for more evil
things done in the body, even if he is going to receive back for all the wrongs
which he has done; but it should be our ambition to procure the reward for a
greater number of good deeds, since "with what measure we mete, it shall be
measured to us," [ Matthew 7:2 ] and, "according to the works of our own hands
shall it happen unto us," [ Isaiah 3:11 ] and not in infinite wise, but either double
or sevenfold shall sinners receive for their sins from the hand of the Lord; since
He does not render unto any one according to the works of his hands, but more
than that which he has done, for "Jerusalem," as Isaiah taught, "received from
the hand of the Lord double for her sins;" [ Isaiah 40:2 ] but the neighbours of
Israel, whoever they may be, will receive sevenfold, according to the following
expression in the Psalms, "Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their
bosom the reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord." And other
forms of payment in return could be found, which, if we apprehend, we shall
know that to repent after any sin, whatever its greatness, is advantageous, in
order that, in addition to our not being punished for more offenses, there may be
some hope left to us concerning good deeds done afterwards at some time, even
though, before them, thousands of errors have been committed by anyone of us.
For it would be strange that evil deeds should be reckoned to any one, but the
better which are done after the bad should profit nothing; which may also be
learned from Ezekiel, [Ezekiel xxxiii] by those who pay careful consideration to
the things said about such cases.

31. The Power to Bind on Earth and in Heaven.

But to me it seems that, to the case of him who after being thrice
admonished was adjudged to be as the Gentile and the publican, it is fitly
subjoined, " Verily, I say unto you ," — namely, to those who have judged any
one to be as the Gentile and the publican— " and what things soever you shall
bind on the earth ," [ Matthew 18:18 ] etc.; for with justice has he, who has
thrice admonished and not been heard, bound him who is judged to be as a
Gentile and a publican; wherefore, when such an one is bound and condemned
by one of this character, he remains bound, as no one of those in heaven
overturns the judgment of the man who bound him. And, in like manner, he who
was admonished once for all, and did things worthy of being gained, having
been set free by the admonition of the man who gained him, and no longer
bound by the cords of his own sins, [ Proverbs 5:22 ] for which he was
admonished, shall be adjudged to have been set free by those in heaven. Only, it
seems to be indicated that the things, which above were granted to Peter alone,
are here given to all who give the three admonitions to all that have sinned; so
that, if they be not heard, they will bind on earth him who is judged to be as a
Gentile and a publican, as such an one has been bound in heaven. But since it
was necessary, even if something in common had been said in the case of Peter
and those who had thrice admonished the brethren, that Peter should have some
element superior to those who thrice admonished, in the case of Peter, this
saying "I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens," [ Matthew
16:19 ] has been specially set before the words, "And what things soever you
shall bind on earth," etc. And, indeed, if we were to attend carefully to the
evangelical writings, we would also find here, and in relation to those things
which seem to be common to Peter and those who have thrice admonished the
brethren, a great difference and a pre-eminence in the things said to Peter,
compared with the second class. For it is no small difference that Peter received
the keys not of one heaven but of more, and in order that whatsoever things he
binds on the earth may be bound not in one heaven but in them all, as compared
with the many who bind on earth and loose on earth, so that these things are
bound and loosed not in the heavens, as in the case of Peter, but in one only; for
they do not reach so high a stage, with power as Peter to bind and loose in all the
heavens. [ Matthew 16:19 ] The better, therefore, is the binder, so much more
blessed is he who has been loosed, so that in every part of the heavens his
loosing has been accomplished.
 Commentary on the Gospel of
Matthew (Book XIV)
1. The Power of Harmony in Relation to Prayer.

" Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching
anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them. " [ Matthew 18:19 ] The
word symphony is strictly applied to the harmonies of sounds in music. And
there are indeed among musical sounds some accordant and others discordant.
But the Evangelic Scripture is familiar with the name as applied to musical
matters in the passage, "He heard a symphony and dancing." [ Luke 15:25 ] For
it was fitting that when the son who had been lost and found came by penitence
into concord with his father a symphony should be heard on the occasion of the
joyous mirth of the house. But the wicked Laban was not acquainted with the
word symphony in his saying to Jacob, "And if you had told me I would have
sent you away with mirth and with music and with drums and a harp." [ Genesis
31:27 ] But akin to the symphony of this nature is that which is written in the
second Book of Kings when "the brethren of Aminadab went before the ark, and
David and his son played before the Lord on instruments artistically fitted with
might and with songs;" [ 2 Samuel 6:4-5 ] for the instruments thus fitted with
might and with songs, had in themselves the musical symphony which is so
powerful that when two only, bring along with the symphony which has relation
to the music that is divine and spiritual, a request to the Father in heaven about
anything whatsoever, the Father grants the request to those who ask along with
the symphony on earth—which is most miraculous,— those things which those
who have made the symphony spoken of may have asked. So also I understand
the apostolic saying "Defraud ye not one the other except it be by agreement for
a season that you may give yourselves unto prayer." [ 1 Corinthians 7:5 ] For
since the word harmony is applied to those who marry according to God in the
passage from Proverbs which is as follows: "Fathers will divide their house and
substance to their sons, but from God the woman is married to the man," it is a
logical consequence of the harmony being from God, that the name and the deed
should enjoy the agreement with a view to prayer, as is indicated in the word,
"unless it be by agreement." [ 1 Corinthians 7:5 ] Then the Word repeating that
the agreeing of two on the earth is the same thing as the agreeing with Christ,
adds, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name." [ Matthew
18:20 ] Therefore the two or three who are gathered together in the name of
Christ are those who are in agreement on earth, not two only but sometimes also
three. But he who has the power will consider whether this agreement and a
congregation of this sort in the midst of which Christ is, can be found in more,
since "narrow and straightened is the way that leads unto life, and few be they
that find it." [ Matthew 7:14 ] But perhaps also not even few but two or three
make a symphony as Peter and James and John, to whom as making a symphony
the Word of God showed His own glory. But two made a symphony, Paul and
Sosthenes, when writing the first Epistle to the Corinthians; [ 1 Corinthians 1:1 ]
and after this Paul and Timothy when sending the second Epistle to the same. [ 2
Corinthians 1:1 ] And even three made a symphony when Paul and Silvanus and
Timothy gave instruction by letter to the Thessalonians. [ 1 Thessalonians 1:1 ]
But if it be necessary also from the ancient Scriptures to bring forward the three
who made a symphony on earth, so that the Word was in the midst of them
making them one, attend to the superscription of the Psalms, as for example to
that of the forty-first, which is as follows: "Unto the end, unto understanding, for
the sons of Korah." For though there were three sons of Korah whose names we
find in the Book of Exodus, [ Exodus 6:24 ] Aser, which is, by interpretation,
"instruction," and the second Elkana, which is translated, "possession of God,"
and the third Abiasaph, which in the Greek tongue might be rendered,
"congregation of the father," yet the prophecies were not divided but were both
spoken and written by one spirit, and one voice, and one soul, which wrought
with true harmony, and the three speak as one, "As the heart pants after the
springs of the water, so pants my soul after you, O God." But also they say in the
plural in the forty-fourth Psalm, "O God, we have heard with our ears." But if
you wish still further to see those who are making symphony on earth look to
those who heard the exhortation, "that you may be perfected together in the same
mind and in the same judgment," [ 1 Corinthians 1:10 ] and who strove after the
goal, "the soul and the heart of all the believers were one," [ Acts 4:32 ] who
have become such, if it be possible for such a condition to be found in more than
two or three, that there is no discord between them, just as there is no discord
between the strings of the ten-stringed psaltery with each other. But they were
not in symphony in earth who said, "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of
Cephas, and I of Christ," [ 1 Corinthians 1:12 ] but there were schisms among
them, upon the dissolution of which they were gathered together in company
with the spirit in Paul, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, [ 1 Corinthians
5:4 ] that they might no longer "bite and devour one another so that they were
consumed by one another;" [ Galatians 5:15 ] for discord consumes, as concord
brings together, and admits the Son of God who comes in the midst of those who
have become at concord. And strictly, indeed, concord takes place in two things
generic, through the perfecting together, as the Apostle has called it, of the same
mind by an intellectual grasp of the same opinions, and through the perfecting
together of the same judgment, by a like way of living. But if whenever two of
us agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for
them of the Father of Jesus who is in heaven, [ Matthew 18:19 ] plainly when
this is not done for them of the Father in heaven as touching anything that they
shall ask, there the two have not been in agreement on earth; and this is the cause
why we are not heard when we pray, that we do not agree with one another on
earth, neither in opinions nor in life. But further also if we are the body of Christ
and God has set the members each one of them in the body that the members
may have the same care one for another, and may agree with one another, and
when one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, and if one be glorified,
they rejoice with it, we ought to practise the symphony which springs from the
divine music, that when we are gathered together in the name of Christ, He may
be in the midst of us, the Word of God, and the Wisdom of God, and His Power.
[ 1 Corinthians 1:24 ]

2. The Harmony of Husband and Wife.

So much then for the more common understanding of the two or three
whom the Word exhorts to be in agreement. But now let us also touch upon
another interpretation which was uttered by some one of our predecessors,
exhorting those who were married to sanctity and purity; for by the two, he says,
whom the Word desires to agree on earth, we must understand the husband and
wife, who by agreement defraud each other of bodily intercourse that they may
give themselves unto prayer; [ 1 Corinthians 7:5 ] when if they pray for anything
whatever that they shall ask, they shall receive it, the request being granted to
them by the Father in heaven of Jesus Christ on the ground of such agreement.
And this interpretation does not appear to me to cause dissolution of marriage,
but to be an incitement to agreement, so that if the one wished to be pure, but the
other did not desire it, and on this account he who willed and was able to fulfil
the better part, condescended to the one who had not the power or the will, they
would not both have the accomplishment from the Father in heaven of Jesus
Christ, of anything whatever that they might ask.

3. The Harmony of Body, Soul, and Spirit.

And next to this about the married, I am familiar also with another
interpretation of the agreement between the two which is as follows. In the
wicked, sin reigns over the soul, being settled as on its own throne in this mortal
body, so that the soul obeys the lusts thereof; [ Romans 6:12 ] but in the case of
those, who have stirred up the sin which formerly reigned over the body as from
a throne and who are in conflict with it, "the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the
spirit against the flesh;" [ Galatians 5:17 ] but in the case of those who have now
become perfected, the spirit has gained the mastery and put to death the deeds of
the body, and imparts to the body of its own life, so that already this is fulfilled,
"He shall quicken also your mortal bodies because of His Spirit that dwells in
you;" [ Romans 8:11 ] and there arises a concord of the two, body and spirit, on
the earth, on the successful accomplishment of which there is sent up a
harmonious prayer also of him who "with the heart believes unto righteousness,
but with the mouth makes confession unto salvation," [ Romans 10:10 ] so that
the heart is no longer far from God, and along with this the righteous man draws
near to God with his own lips and mouth. But still more blessed is it if the three
be gathered together in the name of Jesus that this may be fulfilled, "May God
sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire
without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." [ 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ]
But some one may inquire with regard to the concord of spirit and body spoken
of, if it is possible for these to be at concord without the third being so—I mean
the soul— and whether it does not follow from the concord of these on the earth
after the two have been gathered together in the name of Christ, that the three
also are already gathered together in His name, in the midst of whom comes the
Son of God as all are dedicated to Him—I mean the three—and no one is
opposed to Him, there being no antagonism not only on the part of the spirit, but
not even of the soul, nor further of the body.

4. Harmony of the Old and New Covenants.

And likewise it is a pleasant thing to endeavour to understand and exhibit
the fact of the concord of the two covenants—of the one before the bodily
advent of the Saviour and of the new covenant; for among those things in which
the two covenants are at concord so that there is no discord between them would
be found prayers, to the effect that about anything whatever they shall ask it
shall be done to them from the Father in heaven. And if also you desire the third
that unites the two, do not hesitate to say that it is the Holy Spirit, since "the
words of the wise," whether they be of those before the advent, or at the time of
the advent, or after it, "are as goads, and as nails firmly fixed, which were given
by agreement from one shepherd." [ Ecclesiastes 12:11 ] And do not let this also
pass unobserved, that He did not say, where two or three are gathered together in
My name, there "shall I be" in the midst of them, but "there am I," [ Matthew
18:20 ] not going to be, not delaying, but at the very moment of the concord
being Himself found, and being in the midst of them.

5. The Limit of Forgiveness.

" Then came Peter and said unto Him, Lord, how often shall my brother sin
against me and I forgive him? " [ Matthew 18:21 ] The conception that these
things were said in a simple sense by Peter, as if he were inquiring whether he
was to forgive his brother when he sinned against him seven times, but no longer
if he sinned an eighth time, and by the Saviour, as if He thought that one should
sit still and reckon up the sins of his neighbours against him in order that he
might forgive seventy times and seven, but that from the seventy-eighth he
should not forgive the man who wronged him, seems to me altogether silly and
unworthy alike of the progress which Peter had made in the company of Jesus
and of the divine magnanimity of Jesus. Perhaps, then, these things also border
on an obscurity akin to the words, "Hear My voice, you wives of Lamech," [
Genesis 4:23 ] etc. If any one has already become a friend of Jesus so as to be
taught by His spirit which illumines the reason of him who has advanced so far
according to his desert, he might know the true meaning, therefore, in regard to
these things, and such as Jesus Himself would have clearly expounded it; but we
who fall short of the greatness of the friendship of Jesus must be content if we
can babble a little about the passage. The number six, then, appears to be
working and toilsome, but the number seven to contain the idea of repose. And
consider if you can say that he, who loves the world and works the things of the
world, and does those things which are material, sins six times, and that the
number seven is the end of sin in his case, so that Peter with some such thought
in his mind wished to pardon seven sins of those which his brother had
committed against him. But since as units the tens and the hundreds have a
certain common measure of proportion to the number which is in units, and
Jesus knew that the number might be exceeded, on this account, I think, that He
added to the number seven also the seventy, [ Matthew 18:22 ] and said that
there ought to be forgiveness to brethren here, and to them who have sinned in
respect to things here. But if any one going beyond the things about the world
and this age were to commit sin, even if it were trifling, he could not longer
reasonably have forgiveness of sins; for forgiveness extends to the things here,
and in relation to the sins committed here, whether the forgiveness comes late or
soon; but there is no forgiveness, not even to a brother, who has sinned beyond
the seven and seventy times. But you might say that he who has sinned in such
wise, whether as against Peter his brother, or as against Peter, against whom the
gates of Hades do not prevail, is by sins of this kind in the smaller number of the
sin, but according to sins still worse is in the number which has no forgiveness
of sins.

6. Concerning the King Who Made a Reckoning with

His Own Servants, to Whom Was Brought a Man
Who Owed Ten Thousand Talents.
" Therefore I say unto you the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain
king, who wished to make a reckoning with his own servants. " [ Matthew 18:23
] The general conception of the parable is to teach us that we should be inclined
to forgive the sins committed against us by those who have wronged us, and
especially if after the wrongdoing he who has done it supplicates him who has
been wronged, asking forgiveness for the sins which he has committed against
him. And this the parable wishes to teach us by representing that even when
forgiveness has been granted by God to us of the sins in respect of which we
have received remission, exaction will be demanded even after the remission,
unless we forgive the sins of those who have wronged us, so that there is no
longer left in us the least remembrance of the wrong that was done, but the
whole heart, assisted by the spirit of forgetfulness of wrongs, which is no
common virtue, forgives him who has wronged us those things which have been
wickedly done against any of us by him, even treacherously. But next to the
general conception of the parable, it is right to examine the whole of it more
simply according to the letter, so that he who advances with care to the right
investigation of each detail of the things previously written may derive profit
from the examination of what is said. Now there is, as is probable, an
interpretation, transcendental and hard to trace, as it is somewhat mystical,
according to which, after the analogy of the parables which are interpreted by the
Evangelists, one would investigate each of the details in this; as, for example,
who the king was, and who the servants were, and what was the beginning of his
making a reckoning, and who was the one debtor who owed many talents, and
who was his wife and who his children, and what were the "all things" spoken of
besides those which the king ordered to be sold in order that the debt might be
paid out of his belongings, and what was meant by the going out of the man who
had been forgiven the many talents, and who was the one of the servants who
was found and was a debtor not to the householder, but to the man who had been
forgiven, and what is meant by the number of the hundred pence, and what by
the word, "He took him by the throat saying, Pay what you owe ," and what is
the prison into which he who had been forgiven all the talents went out and cast
his fellow-servant, and who were the fellow-servants who were grieved and told
the lord all that had been done, and who were the tormentors to whom he who
had cast his fellow-servant into prison was delivered, and how he who was
delivered to the tormentors paid all that was due, so that he no longer owed
anything. But it is probable also that some other things could be added to the
number by a more competent investigator, the exposition and interpretation of
which I think to be beyond the power of man, and requiring the Spirit of Christ
who spoke them in order that Christ may be understood as He spoke; for as "no
one among men knows the things of the man, save the spirit which is in him,"
and "no one knows the things of God, save the Spirit of God," [ 1 Corinthians
2:11 ] so no one knows after God the things spoken by Christ in proverbs and
parables save the Spirit of Christ, in which he who participates in Christ not only
so far as He is Spirit, but in Christ as He is Wisdom, as He is Word, would
behold the things which were revealed to him in this passage. But with regard to
the interpretation of the loftiest type, we make no profession; nor on the other
hand with the assistance of Christ who is the Wisdom of God do we despair of
apprehending the things signified in the parable; but whether it shall be the case
that such things shall be dictated to us in connection with this Scripture or not,
may God in Christ suggest the doing of that which is pleasing to Him, if only
there be granted to us also concerning these things, the word of wisdom which is
given from God through the Spirit, and the word of knowledge which is supplied
according to the Spirit. [ 1 Corinthians 12:8 ]

7. Exposition Continued: the King and the Servants.

" The kingdom of heaven ," He says, " is likened ," [ Matthew 18:23 ] etc.
But if it be likened to such a king, and one who has done such things, who must
we say that it is but the Son of God? For He is the King of the heavens, and as
He is absolute Wisdom and absolute Righteousness and absolute Truth, is He not
so also absolute Kingdom? But it is not a kingdom of any of those below, nor of
a part of those above, but of all the things above, which were called heavens. But
if you enquire into the meaning of the words, "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven,"
[ Matthew 5:3 ] you may say that Christ is theirs in so far as He is absolute
Kingdom, reigning in every thought of the man who is no longer under the reign
of sin which reigns in the mortal body of those who have subjected themselves
to it. [ Romans 6:12 ] And if I say, reigning in every thought, I mean something
like this, reigning as Righteousness and Wisdom and Truth and the rest of the
virtues in him who has become a heaven, because of bearing the image of the
heavenly, and in every power, whether angelic, or the rest that are named saints,
not only in this age, but also in that which is to come, and who are worthy of a
kingdom of such a kind. Accordingly this kingdom of heaven (when it was made
"in the likeness of sinful flesh," [ Romans 8:3 ] that for sin it might condemn sin,
when God made "Him who knew no sin to be sin on behalf of us," [ 2
Corinthians 5:21 ] who bear the body of our sin), is likened to a certain king who
is understood in relation to Jesus being united to Him, if we may dare so to
speak, having more capacity towards being united and becoming entirely one
with the "First-born of all creation," [ Colossians 1:15 ] than he, who, being
joined to the Lord, becomes one spirit with Him. [ 1 Corinthians 6:17 ] Now of
this kingdom of the heavens which is likened unto a certain king, according to
the conception of Jesus, and is united to Him, it is said by anticipation that he
wished to make a reckoning with his servants. But he is about to make a
reckoning with them in order that it may be manifested how each has employed
the tried money of the householder and his rational coins. And the image in the
parables was indeed taken from masters who made a reckoning with their own
servants; but we shall understand more accurately what is signified by this part
of the parable, if we fix our thought on the things done by the slaves who had
administered their master's goods, and who were asked to give a reckoning
concerning them. For each of them, receiving in different measure from his
master's goods, has used them either for that which was right so as to increase
the goods of his master, or consumed it riotously on things which he ought not,
and spent profusely without judgment and without discretion that which had
been put into his hands. But there are those who have wisely administered these
goods and goods so great, but have lost others, and whenever they give the
reckoning when the master makes a reckoning with them, there is gathered
together how much loss each has incurred, and there is reckoned up how much
gain each has brought, and according to the worthiness of the way in which he
has administered it, he is either honoured or punished, or in some cases the debt
is forgiven, but in others the talents are taken away. Well, then, from what has
been said, let us first look at the rational coins and the tried money of the
householder, of which one receives more and another less, for according to the
ability of each, to one are given five talents as he has the ability to administer so
many, but to another two as not being able to receive the amount of the man
before him, and to another one as being also inferior to the second. [ Matthew
25:15 ] Are these, then, the only differences, or are we to recognize these
differences in the case of certain persons of whom the Gospel goes on to speak
while there are also others besides these: In other parables also are found certain
persons, as the two debtors, the one who owed five hundred pence, and the other
fifty; [ Luke 7:41 ] but whether these had been entrusted with them and had
administered them badly as being inferior in ability to him who had been
entrusted with a talent, or had received them, we have not learned; but that they
owed so much, we seem to be taught from the parable. And there are found other
ten servants who were each entrusted with a pound separately. [ Luke 19:13 ]
And if any one understood the varied character of the human soul and the wide
differences from each other in respect of natural aptitude, or want of aptitude for
more or fewer of the virtues, and for these virtues or for those, perhaps he would
comprehend how each soul has come with certain coins of the householder
which come to light with the full attainment of reason, and with the attention
which follows the full attainment of reason, and with exercise in things that are
right, or with diligence and exercise in other things, whether they be useful as
pursuits, or in part useful and in part not useful, such as the opinions which are
not wholly true nor wholly false.

8. The Principle of the Reckoning.

But you will here inquire whether all men can be called servants of the
king, or some are servants whom he foreknew and fore-ordained, while there are
others who transact business with the servants, and are called bankers. [ Matthew
25:27 ] And in like manner you will inquire if there are those outside the number
of the slaves from whom the householder declares that he will exact his own
with usury, not only men alien from piety, but also some of the believers. Now
the servants alone are the stewards of the Word, but the king, making a
reckoning with the servants, demands from those who have borrowed from the
servants, whether a hundred measures of wheat or a hundred measures of oil, [
Luke 16:6-7 ] or whatever in point of fact those who are outside of the
household of the king have received; for he who owed the hundred measures of
wheat or the hundred measures of oil is not found to be, according to the parable,
a fellow-servant of the unjust steward, as is evident from the question— how
much do you owe to my lord? [ Luke 16:5 ] But mark with me that each deed
which is good or seemly is like a gain and an increment, but a wicked deed is
like a loss; and as there is a certain gain when the money is greater and another
when it is less, and as there are differences of more or less, so according to the
good deeds, there is as it were a valuing of gains more or less. To reckon what
work is a great gain, and what a less gain, and what a least, is the prerogative of
him who alone knows to investigate such things, looking at them in the light of
the disposition, and the word, and the deed, and from consideration of the things
which are not in our power cooperating with those that are; and so also in the
case of things opposite, it is his to say what sin, when a reckoning is made with
the servants, is found to be a great loss, and what is less, and what, if we may so
call it, is the loss of the very last mite, [ Luke 12:59 ] or the last farthing. [
Matthew 5:26 ] The account, therefore, of the entire and whole life is exacted by
that which is called the kingdom of heaven which is likened to a king, when "we
must all stand before the judgment-sent of Christ that each one may receive the
things done in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad;" [
2 Corinthians 5:10 ] and then when the reckoning is being made, shall there be
brought into the reckoning that is made also every idle word that men shall
speak, [ Matthew 12:36 ] and any cup of cold water only which one has given to
drink in the name of a disciple. [ Matthew 10:42 ]

9. The Time Occupied by the Reckoning.

And these things will take place whenever that happens which is written in
Daniel, "The books were opened and the judgment was set;" [ Daniel 7:10 ] for a
record, as it were, is made of all things that have been spoken and done and
thought, and by divine power every hidden thing of ours shall be manifested, and
everything that is covered shall be revealed, in order that when any one is found
who has not "given diligence to be freed from the adversary," he may go in
succession through the hands of the magistrate, and the judge, and the attendant
into the prison, until he pays the very last mite; [ Luke 12:58-59 ] but when one
has given diligence to be freed from him and owes nothing to any one, and
already has made the pound ten pounds or five pounds, or doubled the five
talents, or made the two four, he may obtain the due recompense, entering into
the joy of his Lord, either being set over all His possessions, [ Matthew 24:47 ]
or hearing the word, "Have authority over ten cities," [ Luke 19:17 ] or "Have
authority over five cities." But we think that these things are spoken of as if they
required a long period of time, in order that an account may be made by us of the
whole times of the earthly life, so that we might suppose that when the king
makes a reckoning with each one of his many servants the matter would require
so vast a period of time, until these things come to an end which have existed
from the beginning of the world down to the consummation of the age, not of
one age, but of many ages. But the truth is not so; for when God wished all at
once to rekindle in the memories of all everything that had been done by each
one throughout the whole time, in order that each might become conscious of his
own doings whether good or bad, He would do it by His ineffable power. For it
is not with God as with us; for if we wish to call some things to remembrance,
we require sufficient time for the detailed account of what has been said by us,
and to bring to our remembrance the things which we wish to remember; but if
He wished to call to our memory the things which have been done in this life, in
order that becoming conscious of what we have done we may apprehend for
what we are punished or honoured, He could do so. But if any one disbelieves
the swiftness of the power of God in regard to these matters, he has not yet had a
true conception of the God who made the universe, who did not require times to
make the vast creation of heaven and earth and the things in them; for, though
He may seem to have made these things in six days, there is need of
understanding to comprehend in what sense the words "in six days" are said, on
account of this, "This is the book of the generation of heaven and earth," [
Galatians 2:4 ] etc. Therefore it may be boldly affirmed that the season of the
expected judgment does not require times, but as the resurrection is said to take
place "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," [ 1 Corinthians 15:52 ] so I think
will the judgment also be.

10. The Man Who Owed Many Talents.

Next we must speak in regard to this, " And when he had begun to reckon,
there was brought unto him one which owed many talents. " [ Matthew 18:24 ]
The sense of this appears to me to be as follows: The season of beginning the
judgment is with the house of God, who says, as also it is written in Ezekiel, to
those who are appointed to attend to punishments, "Begin ye with My saints;" [
Ezekiel 9:6 ] and it is like "the twinkling of an eye;" but, the time of making a
reckoning includes the same "twinkling," ideally apprehended, for we are not
forgetful of what has been previously said of those who owe more. Wherefore it
is not written, when he was making reckoning, but it is said, "When he began to
reckon," there was brought, at the beginning of his making a reckoning, one who
owed many talents; he had lost tens of thousands of talents, having been
entrusted with great things, and having had many things committed to his care,
but he had brought no gain to his master, but had lost tens of thousands so that
he owed many talents; and, perhaps on this account, he owed many talents,
seeing that he followed often the woman, who was sitting upon the talent of lead,
whose name is wickedness. [ Zechariah 5:7-8 ] But observe here that every great
sin is a loss of the talents of the master of the house, and such sins are committed
by fornicators, adulterers, abusers of themselves with men, effeminate, idolaters,
murderers. Perhaps then the one who is brought to the king owing many talents
has committed no small sin but all that are great and heinous; and if you were to
seek for him among men, perhaps you would find him to be "the man of sin, the
son of perdition, he that opposes and exalts himself against every God or object
of worship;" [ 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ] but if you seek him outside the number of
men, who can this be but the devil who has ruined so many who received him,
who wrought sin in them. For "man is a great thing, and a pitiful man is
precious," [ Proverbs 20:6 ] precious so as to be worthy of a talent, whether of
gold like as the lamp which was equal to a talent of gold, [ Exodus 25:39 ] or of
silver or of any kind of material whatsoever understood intellectually, the
symbols of which are recorded in the Words of the Days, [ 1 Chronicles 22:14 ]
when David became enriched with many talents of which the number is
mentioned, so many talents of gold, and so many of silver, and of the rest of the
material there named, from which the temple of God was built.

11. The Servant Who Owed a Hundred Pence.

Only, though he cannot pay the talents, for he has lost them, he has a wife
and children and other things, of which it is written, "All that he has." [ Matthew
18:25 ] And it was possible that when he had been sold along with his own, he
would have prospered if some one had bought him, and, by his worth and the
things that were his, have paid the whole debt in full; and it was possible that he
might no longer be the servant of the king, but become that of his purchaser.
And he makes a request that he be not sold along with his own, but may continue
to abide in the house of the king; wherefore he fell down and worshipped him,
knowing that the king was God, and said, "Have patience with me, and I will pay
you all;" [ Matthew 18:26 ] for he was, as is probable, an active man, who knew
that he could by a second course of action fill up the whole deficiency of the
former loss of many talents. And this truly good king was moved with
compassion for the man who owed him many talents and then released him,
having bestowed upon him a favour greater than the request which had been
made; for the debtor promised to the long-suffering master to pay all his debts,
but the Lord moved with compassion for him did not merely forgive him with
the idea of receiving his own back as a result of his patience, but even entirely
released him and forgave him the whole debt. But this wicked servant, who had
besought his master to have patience for his many talents, acted without mercy,
for, having found one of his fellow-servants which owed him a hundred pence,
he laid hold on him and took him by the throat, saying, "Pay if you owe ." [
Matthew 18:28 ] And did he not exhibit the very excess of wickedness who laid
hold of his fellow-servant for a hundred pence, and took him by the throat and
deprived him of freedom to breathe, when he himself, for the many talents, had
neither been laid hold of, nor seized by the throat, but at first was ordered to be
sold along with his wife and children and all that was his own; but afterwards,
when he had worshipped him, the master was moved with compassion for him,
and he was released and forgiven in regard to the whole of the debt. But it were
indeed a hard task to tell according to the conception of Jesus who is the one
fellow-servant who was found to be owing a hundred pence, not to his own lord,
but to him who owed many talents, and who are the fellow-servants who saw the
one taking by the throat, and the other taken, and were exceedingly sorry, and
represented clearly unto their own lord all that had been done. But what the truth
in these matters is, I declare that no one can interpret unless Jesus, who
explained all things to His own disciples privately, takes up His abode in his
reason, and opens up all the treasures in the parable which are dark, hidden,
unseen, and confirms by clear demonstrations the man whom He desires to
illumine with the light of the knowledge of the things that are in this parable, that
he may at once represent who is brought to the king as the debtor of many
talents, and who is the other one who owes to him a hundred pence, etc.; whether
he can be the man of sin previously mentioned, [ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ] or the
devil, or neither of these, but some other, whether a man, or some one of these
under the sway of the devil; for it is a work of the wisdom of God to exhibit the
things that have been prophesied concerning those who are in themselves of a
certain nature, or have been made according to such and such qualities, whether
among visible powers or also among some men, in whatever way they may have
been written by the Holy Spirit. But as we have not yet received the competent
mind which is able to be blended with the mind of Christ, and which is capable
of attaining to things so great, and which is able with the Spirit to "search all
things, even the deep things of God," [ 1 Corinthians 2:10 ] we, forming an
impression still indefinitely with regard to the matters in this passage, are of
opinion that the wicked servant indicated by the parable who is here represented
in regard to the debt of many talents, refers to some definite one.

12. The Time of the Reckoning.

But it is fitting to examine at what time the man— the king— in the parable
wished to make a reckoning with his own servants, and to what period we ought
to refer the things that are said. For if it be after the consummation, or at it at the
time of the expected judgment, how are we to maintain the things about him who
owed a hundred pence, and was taken by the throat by the man who had been
forgiven the many talents? But if, before the judgment, how can we explain the
reckoning that was made before this by the king, with his own servants? But we
ought to think in a general way about every parable, the interpretation of which
has not been recorded by the evangelists, even though Jesus explained all things
to His own disciples privately; [ Mark 4:34 ] and for this reason the writers of
the Gospels have concealed the clear exposition of the parables, because the
things signified by them were beyond the power of the nature of words to
express, and every solution and exposition of such parables was of such a kind
that not even the whole world itself could contain the books that should be
written [ John 21:25 ] in relation to such parables. But it may happen that a
fitting heart be found, and, because of its purity, able to receive the letters of the
exposition of the parable, so that they could be written in it by the Spirit of the
living God. But some one will say that, perhaps, we act with impiety, who,
because of the secret and mystical import of some of the Scriptures which are of
heavenly origin, wish them to be symbolic, and endeavour to expound them,
even though it might seem ex hypothesi that we had an accurate knowledge of
their meaning. But to this we must say that, if there be those who have obtained
the gift of accurate apprehension of these things, they know what they ought to
do; but as for us, who acknowledge that we fall short of the ability to see into the
depth of the things here signified, even though we obtain a somewhat crass
perception of the things in the passage, we will say, that some of the things
which we seem to find after much examination and inquiry, whether by the grace
of God, or by the power of our own mind, we do not venture to commit to
writing; but some things, for the sake of our own intellectual discipline, and that
of those who may chance to read them, we will to some extent set forth. But let
these things, then, be said by way of apology, because of the depth of the
parable; but, with regard to the question at what time the man— the king— in
the parable wished to make a reckoning with his own servants, we will say that it
seems that this takes place about the time of the judgment which had been
proclaimed. And this is confirmed by two parables, one at the close of the
Gospel before us, [ Matthew 25:14-30 ] and one from the Gospel according to
Luke. [ Luke 19:12-27 ] And not to prolong the discussion by quoting the very
letter, as any one who wishes can take it from the Scripture himself, we will say
that the parable according to Matthew declares, "For it is as when a man going
into another country called his own servants, and delivered unto them his own
goods, and to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one
talent;" [ Matthew 25:14-15 ] then they took action with regard to that which
had been entrusted to them, and, after a long time, the lord of those servants
comes, and it is written in the very words, that he also makes a reckoning with
them. [ Matthew 25:19 ] And compare the words, "And when he began to make a
reckoning," [ Matthew 18:24 ] and consider that he called the going of the
householder into another country the time at which "we are at home in the body
but absent from the Lord;" [ 2 Corinthians 5:6 ] but his advent, when, "after a
long time the lord of those servants comes," [ Matthew 25:19 ] the time at the
consummation in the judgment; for after a long time the lord of those servants
comes and makes a reckoning with them, and those things which follow take
place. But the parable in Luke represents with more clearness, that "a certain
nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to
return," and when going, "he called ten servants, and gave to them ten pounds,
and said unto them, Trade ye till I come." [ Luke 19:12-13 ] But the nobleman,
being hated by his own citizens, who sent an ambassage after him, as they did
not wish him to reign over them, came back again, having received the kingdom,
and told the servants to whom he had given the money to be called to himself
that he might know what they had gained by trading. And, seeing what they had
done, to him who had made the one pound ten pounds, rendering praise in the
words, "Well done, you good servant, because you were found faithful in a very
little," [ Luke 19:17 ] he gives to him authority over ten cities, to-wit, those
which were under his kingdom. And to another, who had multiplied the pound
fivefold, he did not render the praise which he assigned to the first, nor did he
specify the word "authority," as in the case of the first, but said to him, "Be also
over five cities." But to him who had tied up the pound in a napkin, he said, "Out
of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant;" [ Luke 19:22 ] and he
said to them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it unto him that
has the ten pounds. [ Luke 19:24 ] Who, then, in regard to this parable, will not
say that the nobleman, who goes into a far country to receive for himself a
kingdom and to return, is Christ, going, as it were, into another country to
receive the kingdoms of this world, and the things in it? And those who have
received the ten talents are those who have been entrusted with the dispensation
of the Word which has been committed unto them. And His citizens who did not
wish Him to reign over them when He was a citizen in the world in respect of
His incarnation, [ Luke 19:14 ] are perhaps Israel who disbelieved Him, and
perhaps also the Gentiles who disbelieved Him.

13. No Forgiveness to the Unforgiving.

Only, I have said these things with the view of referring his return when he
comes with his kingdom to the consummation, when he commanded the servants
to whom he had given the money to be called to him that he might know what
they had gained by trading, and from a desire to demonstrate from this, and from
the parable of the Talents, that the passage "he who wished to make a reckoning
with his own servants" [ Matthew 18:23 ] is to be referred to the consummation
when now he is king, receiving the kingdom, on account of which, according to
another parable, [ Luke 19:12 ] he went into a far country, to receive for himself
a kingdom and to return. Therefore, when he returned after receiving the
kingdom, he wished to make a reckoning with his own servants. And "when he
had begun to reckon, there was brought unto him one who owed many talents," [
Matthew 18:24 ] and he was brought as to a king by those who had been
appointed his ministers— I think, the angels. And perhaps he was one of those
under the kingdom who had been entrusted with a great administration and had
not dispensed it well, but had wasted what had been entrusted to him, so that he
came to owe the many talents which he had lost. This very man, perhaps not
having the means to pay, is ordered by the king to be sold along with his wife,
by intercourse with whom he became the father of certain children. But it is no
easy task to see what is intellectually meant by father and mother and children.
What this means in point of truth God may know, and whether He Himself has
given insight to us or not, he who can may judge. Only this is our conception of
the passage; that, as "the Jerusalem which is above" is "the mother" [ Galatians
4:26 ] of Paul and of those like him, so there may be a mother of others after the
analogy of Jerusalem, the mother, for example, of Syene in Egypt, or Sidon, or
as many cities as are named in the Scriptures. Then, as Jerusalem is "a bride
adorned for her husband," [ Revelation 21:2 ] Christ, so there may be those
mothers of certain powers who have been allotted to them as wives or brides.
And as there are certain children of Jerusalem, as mother, and of Christ, as
father, so there would be certain children of Syene, or Memphis, or Tyre, or
Sidon, and the rulers set over them. Perhaps then, too, this one, the debtor of
many talents who was brought to the king, has, as we have said, a wife and
children, whom at first the king ordered to be sold, and also all that he had to be
sold; but afterwards, being moved with compassion, he released him and forgave
him all the debt; not, as if he were ignorant of the future, but, in order that we
might understand what happened, it was written that he did so. Each one then of
those who have, as we have said, a wife and children will render an account
whenever the king comes to make a reckoning, having received the kingdom and
having returned; and each of them as a ruler of any Syene or Memphis, or Tyre
or Sidon, or any like them, has also debtors. This one, then, having been
released, and having been forgiven all the debt, "went out from the king and
found one of his fellow-servants," [ Matthew 18:28 ] etc.; and, on this account, I
suppose that he took him by the throat, when he had gone out from the king, for
unless he had gone out he would not have taken his own fellow-servant by the
throat. Then observe the accuracy of the Scripture, how that the one fell down
and "worshipped," but the other fell down and did not worship but "besought;"
and the king being moved with compassion released him and forgave him all the
debt, but the servant did not wish even to pity his own fellow-servant; and the
king before his release ordered him to be sold and what was his, while he who
had been forgiven cast him into prison. And observe that his fellow-servants did
not bring any accusation or "said," but "told," [ Matthew 18:31 ] and that he did
not use the epithet "wicked" at the beginning in regard to the money lost, but
reserved it afterwards for his action towards the fellow-servant. But mark also
the moderation of the king; he does not say, You worshipped me, but You
besought me; and no longer did he order him and his to be sold, but, what was
worse, he delivered him to the tormentors, because of his wickedness. [ Matthew
18:34 ] But who may these be but those who have been appointed in the matter
of punishments? But at the same time observe, because of the use made of this
parable by adherents of heresies, that if they accuse the Creator of being
passionate, because of words that declare the wrath of God, they ought also to
accuse this king, because that "being angry," he delivered the debtor to the
tormentors. But it must further be said to those whose view it is that no one is
delivered by Jesus to the tormentors,— pray, explain to us, good sirs, who is the
king who delivered the wicked servant to the tormentors? And let them also
attend to this, "So therefore also shall My heavenly Father do unto you;" [
Matthew 18:35 ] and to the same persons also might rather be said the things in
the parable of the Ten Pounds that the Son of the good God said, "Howbeit these
mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them," [ Luke 19:27 ] etc.
The conclusion of the parable, however, is adapted also to the simpler; for all of
us who have obtained the forgiveness of our own sins, and have not forgiven our
brethren, are taught at once that we shall suffer the lot of him who was forgiven
but did not forgive his fellow-servant.

14. How Jesus Finished His Words.

" And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words. " [ Matthew
19:1 ] He who gives a detailed and complete account of each of the questions
before him so that nothing is left out, finishes his own words. But he will give a
declaration on this point with more confidence who devotes himself with great
diligence to the entire reading of the Old and New Testament; for if the
expression, "he finished these words," may be applied to no other, neither to
Moses, nor to any of the prophets, but only to Jesus, then one would dare to say
that Jesus alone finished His words, He who came to put an end to things, and to
fulfil what was defective in the law, by saying, "It was said to them of old time,"
[ Matthew 5:33 ] etc., and, again, "That the things spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled." But if it is written somewhere also in them, then you may
compare and contrast the discourses finished by them with those finished by the
Saviour, that you may find the difference between them. And yet at this point,
also, investigation might be made whether in the case of the things spoken by
way of oracle the expression, "he finished," is applied either to the things spoken
by Moses, or any of the prophets, or of both together; for careful observation
would suggest very weighty thoughts to those who know how "to compare
spiritual things with spiritual," and on this account "speak not in words which
man's wisdom teaches, but which the Spirit teaches." [ 1 Corinthians 2:13 ] But
perhaps some other one, attending with over-curious spirit to the word
"finished," which is assigned to things of a more mystical order, just as we say
that some one delivered to those who were under his control mysteries and rites
of "perfecting" not in a praiseworthy fashion, and another delivered the
mysteries of God to those who are worthy, and rites of "perfecting"
proportionate to such mysteries, might say that having initiated them, he made a
rite of "perfecting," by which "perfecting" the words were shown to be powerful,
so that the gospel of Jesus was preached in the whole world, and by virtue of the
divine "perfecting" gained the mastery of every soul which the Father draws to
the Son, according to what is said by the Saviour, "No one comes to Me except
the Father which has sent Me draw him." [ John 6:44 ] Wherefore also "the
word" of those who by the grace of God are ambassadors of the gospel, "and
their preaching, is not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of
the spirit of power," to those for whom the words of the doctrine of Jesus were
finished. You will therefore observe how often it is said, "He finished," and of
what things it is said, and you will take as an illustration that which is said in
regard to the beatitudes, and the whole of the discourse to which is subjoined,
"And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these words, all the multitudes
were astonished at His teaching." [ Matthew 7:28 ] But now the saying, "Jesus
finished these words," is referred also immediately to the very mystical parable
according to which the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a king, but also
beyond this parable to the sections which were written before it.

15. How Men Followed Jesus.

Only, when Jesus had finished these words, having spoken them in Galilee
about Capernaum, then "He departed thence, and came into the borders of
Judæa," [ Matthew 19:1 ] which were different from Galilee. But He came to the
borders of Judæa, and not to the middle of it, but, as it were, to the outermost
parts, where great multitudes followed Him, [ Matthew 19:2 ] whom He healed
at "the borders of Judæa beyond Jordan," — where baptism had been given. [
John 1:28 ] But you will observe the difference between the crowds who simply
followed, and Peter and the others who gave up everything and followed, and
Matthew, who arose and followed him; [ Matthew 9:9 ] he did not simply
follow, but "having arisen;" for "having arisen" is an important addition. There
are always those, then, who follow like the great multitudes, who have not arisen
that they may follow, nor have given up all that was theirs formerly, but few are
they who have arisen and followed, who also, in the regeneration, shall sit on
twelve thrones. [ Matthew 19:28 ] Only, if one wishes to be healed, let him
follow Jesus.

16. Concerning the Pharisees and Scribes Tempting

Jesus (by Asking) Whether Was Lawful for a Man to
Put Away His Wife for Every Cause.
After this it is written that " there came unto Him the Pharisees tempting
Him and saying, Is it lawful for a man to wife for every cause? " [ Matthew 19:3
] Mark, also, has written to the like effect. [ Mark 10:2 ] Accordingly, of those
who came to Jesus and inquired of Him, there were some who put questions to
tempt Him; and if our Saviour so transcendent was tempted, which of His
disciples who is ordained to teach need be vexed, when he is tempted by some
who inquire, not from the love of learning, but from the wish to tempt? And you
might find many passages, if you brought them together, in which the Pharisees
tempted our Jesus, and others, different from them, as a certain lawyer, [
Matthew 22:35 ] and perhaps also a scribe, [ Mark 12:28 ] that by bringing
together what is said about those who tempted Him, you might find by
investigation what is useful for this kind of inquiries. Only, the Saviour, in
response to those who tempted Him, laid down dogmas; for they said, "Is it
lawful for a man to put away his own wife for every cause?" and He answered
and said, "Have ye not read that He who created them from the beginning made
them male and female?" [ Matthew 19:4 ] etc. And I think that the Pharisees put
forward this word for this reason, that they might attack Him whatever He might
say; as, for example, if He had said, "It is lawful," they would have accused Him
of dissolving marriages for trifles; but, if He had said, "It is not lawful," they
would have accused Him of permitting a man to dwell with a woman, even with
sins; so, likewise, in the case of the tribute-money, [ Matthew 22:17 ] if He had
told them to give, they would have accused Him of making the people subject to
the Romans, and not to the law of God, but if He had told them not to give, they
would have accused Him of creating war and sedition, and of stirring up those
who were not able to stand against so powerful an army. But they did not
perceive in what way He answered blamelessly and wisely, in the first place,
rejecting the opinion that a wife was to be put away for every cause, and, in the
second place, giving answer to the question about the bill of divorcement; for He
saw that not every cause is a reasonable ground for the dissolution of marriage,
and that the husband must dwell with the wife as the weaker vessel, giving
honour, [ 1 Peter 3:7 ] and bearing her burdens in sins; [ Galatians 6:2 ] and by
what is written in Genesis, He puts to shame the Pharisees who boasted in the
Scriptures of Moses, by saying, "Have ye not read that He who created them
from the beginning made them male and female," etc., and, subjoining to these
words, because of the saying, "And the two shall become one flesh," teaching in
harmony with one flesh, namely, "So that they are no more two, but one flesh." [
Matthew 19:4-6 ] And, as tending to convince them that they should not put
away their wife for every cause, is it said, "What God has joined together, let not
man put asunder." [ Matthew 19:6 ] It is to be observed, however, in the
exposition of the words quoted from Genesis in the Gospel, that they were not
spoken consecutively as they are written in the Gospel; and I think that it is not
even said about the same persons, namely, of those who were formed after the
image of God, and of those who were formed from the dust of the ground and
from one of the ribs of Adam. For where it is said, "Male and female made He
them," [ Genesis 1:27 ] the reference is to those formed "after the image," but
where He also said, "For this cause shall a man leave his own father and
mother," [ Genesis 2:24 ] etc., the reference is not to those formed after the
image; for some time after the Lord God formed the man, taking dust from the
ground, and from his side the helpmate. And mark, at the same time, that in the
case of those who are formed "after the image," the words were not "husband
and wife" but "male and female." But we have also observed this in the Hebrew,
for man is indicated by the word "is," but male by the word "zachar," and again
woman by the word "essa," but female by the word "agkeba." For at no time is it
"woman" or "man" "after the image," but the superior class, the male, and the
second, the female. But also if a man leave his mother and his father, he cleaves
not to the female, but to his own wife, and "they become," since man and woman
are one in flesh, "one flesh." Then, describing what ought to be in the case of
those who are joined together by God, so that they may be joined together in a
manner worthy of God, the Saviour adds, "So that they are no more two;" [
Matthew 19:6 ] and, wherever there is indeed concord, and unison, and harmony,
between husband and wife, when he is as ruler and she is obedient to the word,
"He shall rule over you," [ Genesis 3:16 ] then of such persons we may truly say,
"They are no more two." Then since it was necessary that for "him who was
joined to the Lord," it should be reserved "that he should become one spirit with
Him," [ 1 Corinthians 6:17 ] in the case of those who are joined together by God,
after the words, "So that they are no more two," it is said, "but one flesh." And it
is God who has joined together the two in one so that they are no more two, from
the time that the woman is married to the man. And, since God has joined them
together, on this account in the case of those who are joined together by God,
there is a "gift" ; and Paul knowing this, that marriage according to the Word of
God was a "gift," like as holy celibacy was a gift, says, "But I would that all men
were like myself; howbeit, each man has his own gift from God, one after this
manner, and another after that." [ 1 Corinthians 7:7 ] And those who are joined
together by God both mind and keep the precept, "Husbands love your wives, as
Christ also the church." [ Ephesians 5:25 ] The Saviour then commanded, "What
God has joined together, let not man put asunder," [ Matthew 19:6 ] but man
wishes to put asunder what God has joined together, when, "falling away from
the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through
the hypocrisy of men that speak lies, branded in their own conscience as with a
hot iron, forbidding," not only to commit fornication, but "to marry," [ 1
Timothy 4:1-3 ] he dissolves even those who had been before joined together by
the providence of God. Let these things then be said, keeping in view what is
expressly said concerning the male and the female, and the man and the woman,
as the Saviour taught in the answer to the Pharisees.

17. Union of Christ and the Church.

But since the Apostle understands the words, " And they two shall be one
flesh ," [ Matthew 19:5 ] of Christ and the church, [ Ephesians 5:31-32 ] we must
say that Christ keeping the saying, "What God has joined together let not man
put asunder," [ Matthew 19:6 ] did not put away His former wife, so to speak—
that is, the former synagogue— for any other cause than that that wife
committed fornication, being made an adulteress by the evil one, and along with
him plotted against her husband and slew Him, saying, "Away with such a fellow
from the earth, crucify Him, crucify Him." It was she therefore who herself
revolted, rather than her husband who put her away and dismissed her;
wherefore, reproaching her for falling away from him, it says in Isaiah, "Of what
kind is the bill of your mother's divorcement, with which I sent her away?" [
Isaiah 50:1 ] And He who at the beginning created Him "who is in the form of
God" after the image, made Him male, and the church female, granting to both
oneness after the image. And, for the sake of the church, the Lord— the husband
— left the Father whom He saw when He was "in the form of God," [
Philippians 2:6 ] left also His mother, as He was the very son of the Jerusalem
which is above, and was joined to His wife who had fallen down here, and these
two here became one flesh. For because of her, He Himself also became flesh,
when "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," [ John 1:14 ] and they are
no more two, but now they are one flesh, since it is said to the wife, "Now you
are the body of Christ, and members each in his part;" [ 1 Corinthians 12:27 ]
for the body of Christ is not something apart different from the church, which is
His body, and from the members each in his part. And God has joined together
these who are not two, but have become one flesh, commanding that men should
not separate the church from the Lord. And he who takes heed for himself so as
not to be separated, is confident as one who will not possibly be separated and
says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" [ Romans 8:35 ] Here,
therefore, the saying, "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder," [
Matthew 19:6 ] was written with relation to the Pharisees, but to those who are
superior to the Pharisees, it could be said, "What then God has joined together,
let nothing put asunder," neither principality nor power; for God, who has joined
together is stronger than all those which any one could conceive and name.

18. The Bill of Divorcement.

After this we will discuss the saying of the Pharisees which they said to
Jesus, " Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement and put her
away? " [ Matthew 19:7 ] And with good reason we will bring forward for this
purpose the passage from Deuteronomy concerning the bill of divorcement,
which is as follows: "But if a man takes a wife and cohabit with her, and it shall
be, if she do not find favour in his sight because he has found in her a thing
unseemly," etc., down to the words, "and you shall not pollute the land which the
Lord your God gives you for an inheritance." [ Deuteronomy 24:1-4 ] Now I
inquire whether in these things according to this law, we are to seek nothing in it
beyond the letter seeing that God has not given it, or whether to the Pharisees
who quoted the saying, "Moses commanded to give a bill of divorcement and put
her away," it was of necessity said, "Moses, for your hardness of heart, suffered
you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it has not been so." [
Matthew 19:8 ] But if any one ascends to the Gospel of Christ Jesus which
teaches that the law is spiritual, he will seek also the spiritual understanding of
this law. And he who wishes to interpret these things figuratively will say that,
just as it was said by Paul confident in the grace which he had, "A wife is bound
for so long time as her husband lives, but if the husband be dead she is free to be
married to whom she will, only in the Lord; but she is happier if she abide as she
is, after my judgment, and I think that I also have the Spirit of God" [ 1
Corinthians 7:39-40 ] (for here to the words, "after my judgment," lest it should
be despised as being without the Spirit of God, he well added, "and I think that I
also have the Spirit of God)," so also it would be possible for Moses, by reason
of the power given to him to make laws, to the effect that he suffered for the
hardness of heart of the people certain things, among which was the putting
away of wives, to be persuaded in regard to the laws which he promulgated
according to his own judgment, that in these also the legislation took place with
the Spirit of God. And he will say that, unless one law is spiritual and another is
not such, this is a law, and this is spiritual, and its spiritual significance ought to
be investigated.

19. The Divorce of Israel.

 Now, keeping in mind what we said above in regard to the passage from
Isaiah about the bill of divorcement, we will say that the mother of the people
separated herself from Christ, her husband, without having received the bill of
divorcement, but afterwards when there was found in her an unseemly thing, and
she did not find favour in his sight, the bill of divorcement was written out for
her; for when the new covenant called those of the Gentiles to the house of Him
who had cast away his former wife, it virtually gave the bill of divorcement to
her who formerly separated from her husband— the law, and the Word.
Therefore he, also, having separated from her, married, so to speak, another,
having given into the hands of the former the bill of divorcement; wherefore
they can no longer do the things enjoined on them by the law, because of the bill
of divorcement. And a sign that she has received the bill of divorcement is this,
that Jerusalem was destroyed along with what they called the sanctuary of the
things in it which were believed to be holy, and with the altar of burnt offerings,
and all the worship associated with it. And a further sign of the bill of
divorcement is this, that they cannot keep their feasts, even though according to
the letter of the law designedly commanded them, in the place which the Lord
God appointed to them for keeping feasts; but there is this also, that the whole
synagogue has become unable to stone those who have committed this or that
sin; and thousands of things commanded are a sign of the bill of divorcement;
and the fact that "there is no more a prophet," and that they say, "We no longer
see signs;" for the Lord says, "He has taken away from Judæa and from
Jerusalem," according to the word of Isaiah, "Him that is mighty, and her that is
mighty, a powerful giant," etc., down to the words, "a prudent hearer." [ Isaiah
3:1-3 ] Now, He who is the Christ may have taken the synagogue to wife and
cohabited with her, but it may be that afterwards she found not favour in His
sight; and the reason of her not having found favour in His sight was, that there
was found in her an unseemly thing; for what was more unseemly than the
circumstance that, when it was proposed to them to release one at the feast, they
asked for the release of Barabbas the robber, and the condemnation of Jesus? [
Matthew 27:21 ] And what was more unseemly than the fact, that they all said in
His case, "Crucify Him, crucify Him," and "Away with such a fellow from the
earth" ? [ John 19:15 ] And can this be freed from the charge of unseemliness,
"His blood be upon us, and upon our children" ? [ Matthew 27:25 ] Wherefore,
when He was avenged, Jerusalem was compassed with armies, and its desolation
was near, [ Luke 21:20 ] and their house was taken away from it, and "the
daughter of Zion was left as a booth in a vineyard, and as a lodge in a garden of
cucumbers, and as a besieged city." [ Isaiah 1:8 ] And, about the same time, I
think, the husband wrote out a bill of divorcement to his former wife, and gave it
into her hands, and sent her away from his own house, and the bond of her who
came from the Gentiles has been cancelled about which the Apostle says,
"Having blotted out the bond written in ordinances, which was contrary to us,
and He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross;" [ Colossians 2:14 ]
for Paul also and others became proselytes of Israel for her who came from the
Gentiles. The first wife, accordingly, not having found favour before her
husband, because in her had been found an unseemly thing, went out from the
dwelling of her husband, and, going away, has become joined to another man, to
whom she has subjected herself, whether we should call the husband Barabbas
the robber, who is figuratively the devil, or some evil power. And in the case of
some of that synagogue there has happened the former thing which was written
in the law, but in the case of others, that which was second. For the last husband
[ Deuteronomy 24:3 ] hated his wife and will write out for her some day at the
consummation of things a bill of divorcement, when God so orders it, and will
give it into her hands and will send her away from his dwelling; for as the good
God will put enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between his seed
and her seed, [ Genesis 3:15 ] so will He order it that the last husband shall hate
her.

20. Christ and the Gentiles.

 Now there are those in whose case it has happened that the man dwells with
them without having hated them, because they abide in the house of the last
husband, who took to himself their synagogue as wife. But also in their case the
latter husband dies, [ Deuteronomy 24:3 ] perhaps whenever the last enemy of
Christ, death, is destroyed. But whichever of these things may happen, whether
the former or the latter to the wife, the former husband, it says, who sent her
away, will not he able to turn back and take her to be a wife to himself after she
has been defiled, since "it is abomination," it says, "before the Lord your God." [
Deuteronomy 24:4 ] But these things will not seem to be consistent with this, "If
the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, all Israel shall be saved." [ Romans
11:25-26 ] But consider if it can be said to this, that, if she shall be saved by her
former husband returning and taking her to himself as wife, she will in any case
be saved after she has been polluted. A priest, then, will not take to himself as a
wife one who has been a harlot and an outcast, [ Leviticus 21:14 ] but no other,
as being inferior to the priest, is hindered from doing so. But if you seek for the
harlot in regard to the calling of the Gentiles, you may use the passage, "Take to
yourself a wife of fornication, and children of fornication," [ Hosea 1:2 ] etc.;
for, as "the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless," [
Matthew 12:5 ] so he who, casting out his former wife, takes in due season "a
wife of fornication," having done it according to the command of Him who says,
when it is necessary, and so long as it was necessary, "He shall not take a harlot
to wife," and, when it was reasonable, He says, "Take to yourself a wife of
fornication." For as the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath, [ Matthew 12:8 ] and
not the slave of the sabbath as the people are, so He who gives the law has power
to give it "until a time of reformation," [ Hebrews 9:10 ] and to change the law,
and, when the time of the reformation is at hand, also to give after the former
way and after the former heart another way and another heart, "in an acceptable
time, and in a day of salvation." [ 2 Corinthians 6:2 ] And let these things be said
according to our interpretation of the law in regard to the bill of divorcement.

21. Union of Angels and the Souls of Men.

 21. Union of Angels and the Souls of Men.
But some one may inquire whether the human soul can be figuratively
called a wife, and the angel who is set over her and is her ruler, with whom as
her sovereign she holds conversation, can be called her husband; so that
according to this each lawfully dwells along with the soul which is worthy of the
guardianship of a divine angel; but sometimes after long sojourning and
intercourse a cause may arise in the soul why she does not find favour in the
eyes of the angel who is her lord and ruler, because that in it there is found an
unseemly thing; and bonds may be written out, as such are written, and a bill of
divorcement be written and put into the hands of her who is cast out, so that she
may no longer be familiar with her former guardian, when she is cast out from
his dwelling. And even she who has gone away from her former dwelling may
be joined to another husband, and be unfortunate with him, not only, as in the
case of the former, not finding favour in his sight because an unseemly thing was
found in her, but even being hated by him. Yea, and even there might be written
out from the second husband a bill of divorcement and it might be put into her
hands from the last husband who sends her away from his dwelling. But whether
there can be such a change of the life of angels with men, as to amount, so far as
concerns their relation to us, to their death, one may put the question rash though
it be; but be that as it may, she also who has once fallen away from the former
husband will not return again to him, for the former husband who sent her away
will not be able to turn back and take her as wife to himself, after she was
defiled. [ Deuteronomy 24:4 ] And if one should dare, using a Scripture which is
in circulation in the church, but not acknowledged by all to be divine, to soften
down a precept of this kind, the passage might be taken from The Shepherd,
concerning some who as soon as they believe are put in subjection to Michael,
but falling away from him from love of pleasure, are put in subjection to the
angel of luxury, then to the angel of punishment, and after this to the angel of
repentance; for you observe that the wife or soul who has once been given to
luxury no longer returns to the first ruler, but also besides suffering punishment,
is put in subjection to one inferior to Michael; for the angel of penitence is
inferior to him. We must therefore take heed lest there be found in us any
unseemly thing, and we should not find favour in the eyes of our husband Christ,
or of the angel who has been set over us. For if we do not take heed, perhaps we
also shall receive the bill of divorcement, and either be bereft of our guardian, or
go to another man. But I consider that it is not of good omen to receive, as it
were, the marriage of an angel with our own soul.

22. The Marriage of Church Dignitaries.

But, while dealing with the passage, I would say that we will be able
perhaps now to understand and clearly set forth a question which is hard to grasp
and see into, with regard to the legislation of the Apostle concerning
ecclesiastical matters; for Paul wishes no one of those of the church, who has
attained to any eminence beyond the many, as is attained in the administration of
the sacraments, to make trial of a second marriage. For laying down the law in
regard to bishops in the first Epistle to Timothy, he says, "If a man seeks the
office of a bishop, he desires a good work. The bishop, therefore, must be
without reproach, the husbands of one wife, temperate, sober-minded," [ 1
Timothy 3:1-2 ] etc.; and, in regard to deacons, "Let the deacons," he says, "be
the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well," [ 1
Timothy 3:12 ] etc. Yea, and also when appointing widows, he says, "Let there
be no one as a widow under threescore years old, having been the wife of one
man;" [ 1 Timothy 5:9 ] and after this he says the things superadded, as being
second or third in importance to this. And, in the Epistle to Titus, "For this
cause," he says, "I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that
were wanting, and appoint elders in every city as I gave you charge. If any one
is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children, that believe" [ Titus 1:5-6
] — of course— and so on. Now, when we saw that some who have been
married twice may be much better than those who have been married once, we
were perplexed why Paul does not at all permit those who have been twice
married to be appointed to ecclesiastical dignities; for also it seemed to me that
such a thing was worthy of examination, as it was possible that a man, who had
been unfortunate in two marriages, and had lost his second wife while he was yet
young, might have lived for the rest of his years up to old age in the greatest self-
control and chastity. Who, then, would not naturally be perplexed why at all,
when a ruler of the church is being sought for, we do not appoint such a man,
though he has been twice married, because of the expressions about marriage,
but lay hold of the man who has been once married as our ruler, even if he
chance to have lived to old age with his wife, and sometimes may not have been
disciplined in chastity and temperance? But, from what is said in the law about
the bill of divorcement, I reflect whether, seeing that the bishop and the
presbyter and the deacon are a symbol of things that truly exist in accordance
with these names, he wished to appoint those who were figuratively once
married, in order that he who is able to give attention to the matter, may find out
from the spiritual law the one who was unworthy of ecclesiastical rule, whose
soul did not find favour in the eyes of her husband because there had been found
in her an unseemly thing, and she had become worthy of the bill of divorcement;
for such a soul, having dwelt along with a second husband, and having been
hated by such an one, can no longer, after the second bill of divorcement, return
to her former husband. It is likely, therefore, also, that other arguments will be
found by those who are wiser than we, and have more ability to see into such
things, whether in the law about the bill of divorcement, or in the apostolic
writings which prohibit those who have been twice married from ruling over the
church or being preferred to preside over it. But, until something shall be found
that is better and able by the excessive brilliancy of the light of knowledge to
cast into the shade what we have uttered, we have said the things which have
occurred to us in regard to the passages.

23. Some Laws Given by Concession to Human

 23. Some Laws Given by Concession to Human
Weakness.
But, even if we have seemed to touch on things too deep for our capacity in
the passages, nevertheless, because of the literal expression these things must
further be said, that some of the laws were written not as excellent, but as by
way of accommodation to the weakness of those to whom the law was given; for
something of this kind is indicated in the words, "Moses for your hardness of
heart suffered you to put away your wives;" [ Matthew 19:8 ] but that which is
pre-eminent and superior to the law, which was written for their hardness of
heart, is indicated in this, "But from the beginning it has not been so." But in the
new covenant also there are some legal injunctions of the same order as, "Moses
for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives;" for example,
because of our hardness of heart, it has been written on account of our weakness,
"But because of fornications, let each man have his own wife and let each
woman have her own husband;" [ 1 Corinthians 7:2 ] and this, "Let the husband
render unto the wife her due, and likewise also the wife unto the husband." [ 1
Corinthians 8:3 ] To these sayings it is accordingly subjoined, "But this I say by
way of permission, not of commandment." [ 1 Corinthians 7:6 ] But this also, "A
wife is bound for so long time as her husband lives, but if her husband be dead,
she is free to be married to whom she will, only in the Lord," [ 1 Corinthians
7:39 ] was said by Paul in view of our hardness of heart and weakness, to those
who do not wish to desire earnestly the greater gifts [ 1 Corinthians 12:31 ] and
become more blessed. But now contrary to what was written, some even of the
rulers of the church have permitted a woman to marry, even when her husband
was living, doing contrary to what was written, where it is said, "A wife is bound
for so long time as her husband lives," and "So then if while her husband lives,
she shall be joined to another man she shall be called an adulteress," [ Romans
7:3 ] not indeed altogether without reason, for it is probable this concession was
permitted in comparison with worse things, contrary to what was from the
beginning ordained by law, and written.

24. Jewish Criticism of the Law of Christ.

But perhaps some Jewish man of those who dare to oppose the teaching of
our Saviour will say, that when Jesus said, "Whosoever shall put away his own
wife, saving for the cause of fornication, makes her an adulteress," [ Matthew
5:32 ] He also gave permission to put away a wife like as well as Moses did,
who was said by Him to have given laws for the hardness of heart of the people,
and will hold that the saying, "Because he found in her an unseemly thing," [
Deuteronomy 24:1 ] is to be reckoned as the same as fornication on account of
which with good cause a wife could be cast away from her husband. But to him
it must be said that, if she who committed adultery was according to the law to
be stoned, clearly it is not in this sense that the unseemly thing is to be
understood. For it is not necessary for adultery or any such great indecency to
write a bill of divorcement and give it into the hands of the wife; but indeed
perhaps Moses called every sin an unseemly thing, on the discovery of which by
the husband in the wife, as not finding favour in the eyes of her husband, the bill
of divorcement is written, and the wife is sent away from the house of her
husband; "but from the beginning it has not been so." [ Matthew 19:8 ] After this
our Saviour says, not at all permitting the dissolution of marriages for any other
sin than fornication alone, when detected in the wife, "Whosoever shall put away
his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, makes her an adulteress." [
Matthew 5:32 ] But it might be a subject for inquiry if on this account He
hinders any one putting away a wife, unless she be caught in fornication, for any
other reason, as for example for poisoning, or for the destruction during the
absence of her husband from home of an infant born to them, or for any form of
murder whatsoever. And further, if she were found despoiling and pillaging the
house of her husband, though she was not guilty of fornication, one might ask if
he would with reason cast away such an one, seeing that the Saviour forbids any
one to put away his own wife saving for the cause of fornication. In either case
there appears to be something monstrous, whether it be really monstrous, I do
not know; for to endure sins of such heinousness which seem to be worse than
adultery or fornication, will appear to be irrational; but again on the other hand
to act contrary to the design of the teaching of the Saviour, every one would
acknowledge to be impious. I wonder therefore why He did not say, Let no one
put away his own wife saving for the cause of fornication, but says, "Whosoever
shall put away his own wife, saving for the cause of fornication, makes her an
adulteress." [ Matthew 5:32 ] For confessedly he who puts away his wife when
she is not a fornicator, makes her an adulteress, so far as it lies with him, for if,
"when the husband is living she shall be called an adulteress if she be joined to
another man;" [ Romans 7:3 ] and when by putting her away, he gives to her the
excuse of a second marriage, very plainly in this way he makes her an adulteress.
But as to whether her being caught in the act of poisoning or committing murder,
furnishes any defence of his dismissal of her, you can inquire yourselves; for the
husband can also in other ways than by putting her away cause his own wife to
commit adultery; as, for example, allowing her to do what she wishes beyond
what is fitting, and stooping to friendship with what men she wishes, for often
from the simplicity of husbands such false steps happen to wives; but whether
there is a ground of defence or not for such husbands in the case of such false
steps, you will inquire carefully, and deliver your opinion also in regard to the
difficult questions raised by us on the passage. And even he who withholds
himself from his wife makes her oftentimes to be an adulteress when he does not
satisfy her desires, even though he does so under the appearance of greater
gravity and self-control. And perhaps this man is more culpable who, so far as it
rests with him, makes her an adulteress when he does not satisfy her desires than
he who, for other reason than fornication, has sent her away—for poisoning or
murder or any of the most grievous sins. But as a woman is an adulteress, even
though she seem to be married to a man, while the former husband is still living,
so also the man who seems to marry her who has been put away, does not so
much marry her as commit adultery with her according to the declaration of our
Saviour.

25. Chastity and Prayer.

Now after these things, having considered how many possible accidents
may arise in marriages, which it was necessary for the man to endure and in this
way suffer very great hardships, or if he did not endure, to transgress the word of
Christ, the disciples say to him, taking refuge in celibacy as easier, and more
expedient than marriage, though the latter appears to be expedient, " If the case
of the man is so with his wife, it is not expedient to marry. " [ Matthew 19:10 ]
And to this the Saviour said, teaching us that absolute chastity is a gift given by
God, and not merely the fruit of training, but given by God with prayer, "All men
cannot receive the saying, but they to whom it is given." [ Matthew 19:11 ] Then
seeing that some make a sophistical attack on the saying. "To whom it is given,"
as if those who wished to remain pure in celibacy, but were mastered by their
desires, had an excuse, we must say that, if we believe the Scriptures, why at all
do we lay hold of the saying, "But they to whom it is given," but no longer attend
to this, "Ask and it shall be given you," [ Matthew 7:7 ] and to that which is
added to it, "For every one that asks receives" ? [ Matthew 7:8 ] For if they "to
whom it is given" can receive this saying about absolute purity, let him who wills
ask, obeying and believing Him who said, "Ask and it shall be given you," [
Matthew 7:7 ] and not doubting about the saying, "Every one that asks receives."
[ Matthew 7:8 ] But when there you will inquire who it is that asks, for no one of
those who do not receive has asked, even though he seems to have done so, since
it is not lawful to say that the saying, "Every one that asks receives," is a lie.
Who then is he that asks, but he who has obeyed Jesus when He says, "If you
stand praying, believe that you receive, and you shall receive" ? [ Mark 11:24-25
] But he that asks must do everything in his power that he may pray "with the
spirit" and pray also "with the understanding," [ 1 Corinthians 14:15 ] and pray
"without ceasing," [ 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ] keeping in mind also the saying,
"And He spoke a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to pray,
and not to faint, saying, There was in a city a judge," [ Luke 18:1-2 ] etc. And it
is useful to know what it is to ask, and what it is to receive, and what is meant by
"Every one that asks, receives," [ Matthew 7:8 ] and by "I say unto you though
he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his
importunity, he will arise and give him as many as he needs." [ Luke 11:8 ] It is
therefore added, "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you," and so on.
Further, let the saying, "All men cannot receive the saying but they to whom it is
given," [ Matthew 19:11 ] be a stimulus to us to ask worthily of receiving; and
this, "What son is there of you who shall ask his father for a fish, will he for a
fish give him a serpent," [ Luke 11:11 ] etc. God therefore will give the good
gift, perfect purity in celibacy and chastity, to those who ask Him with the whole
soul, and with faith, and in prayers without ceasing.
 King James Bible
Table of Contents

Old Testament

Genesis (gen)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Exodus (exo)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Leviticus (lev)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Numbers (num)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Deuteronomy (deu)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34

Joshua (jos)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Judges (jdg)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Ruth (rut)
1 2 3 4

1 Samuel (1sa)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31

2 Samuel (2sa)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

1 Kings (1ki)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

2 Kings (2ki)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

1 Chronicles (1ch)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29

2 Chronicles (2ch)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Ezra (ezr)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Nehemiah (neh)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Esther (est)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Job (job)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Psalms (psa)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104
105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122
123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140
141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150

Proverbs (pro)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31

Ecclesiastes (ecc)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Song of Solomon (sng)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Isaiah (isa)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66

Jeremiah (jer)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52

Lamentations (lam)
1 2 3 4 5

Ezekiel (ezk)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Daniel (dan)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Hosea (hos)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Joel (jol)
 1 2 3

Amos (amo)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Obadiah (oba)
1

Jonah (jon)
1 2 3 4

Micah (mic)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Nahum (nam)
1 2 3

Habakkuk (hab)
1 2 3

Zephaniah (zep)
1 2 3

Haggai (hag)
1 2

Zechariah (zec)
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Malachi (mal)
1 2 3 4

Tobit (tob)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Judith (jdt)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Esther (Greek) (esg)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Wisdom of Solomon (wis)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Sirach (sir)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51

Baruch (bar)
1 2 3 4 5

1 Maccabees (1ma)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
2 Maccabees (2ma)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

1 Esdras (1es)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Prayer of Manasses (man)

1

New Testament

Matthew (mat)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Mark (mrk)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Luke (luk)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

John (jhn)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Acts (act)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Romans (rom)
 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

1 Corinthians (1co)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

2 Corinthians (2co)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Galatians (gal)
1 2 3 4 5 6

Ephesians (eph)
1 2 3 4 5 6

Philippians (php)
1 2 3 4

Colossians (col)
1 2 3 4

1 Thessalonians (1th)
1 2 3 4 5

2 Thessalonians (2th)
1 2 3

1 Timothy (1ti)
 1 2 3 4 5 6

2 Timothy (2ti)
1 2 3 4

Titus (tit)
1 2 3

Philemon (phm)
1

Hebrews (heb)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

James (jas)
1 2 3 4 5

1 Peter (1pe)
1 2 3 4 5

2 Peter (2pe)
1 2 3

1 John (1jn)
1 2 3 4 5

2 John (2jn)
 1

3 John (3jn)
1

Jude (jud)
1

Revelation (rev)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Genesis 1
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth

was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there
be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God
divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the
darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. 6
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it
divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided
the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above
the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the
evening and the morning were the second day. 9 And God said, Let the waters
under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land
appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering
together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God
said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree
yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and

the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that
it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. 14 And God
said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from
the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the
earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule
the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God
set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to
rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness:
and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the
fourth day. 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving
creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open
firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature
that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and
every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God
blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas,
and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the
fifth day. 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his
kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was
so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their
kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw
that it was good. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God
blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish
the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And
God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the
face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding
seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every
fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is
life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw
every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening
and the morning were the sixth day.

Genesis 2
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested
on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the
seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work
which God created and made. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and of
the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth
and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and
every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to
rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 6 But there went
up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the
LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And the LORD God planted a
garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And
out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the
sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the
tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the
garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11 The name
of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where
there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx
stone. 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that
compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14 And the name of the third river is
Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river
is Euphrates. 15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden
of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man,
saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 18 And the LORD God said, It is not good
that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out
of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of
the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and
whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And
Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of
the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the
LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took
one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the
LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the
man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:
she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall
a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they
shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were
not ashamed.

Genesis 3
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the

LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent,
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree
which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither
shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not
surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did
eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of
them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig
leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the
LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife
hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the
garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art
thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I
was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast
naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou
shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be
with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto
the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent
beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because
thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the
field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and

her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the
woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow
thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he
shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened
unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded
thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow
shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it
bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy
face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou
taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his
wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also
and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good
and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and
eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out
the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a
flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Genesis 4
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and

said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel.
And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in
process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an
offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his
flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his
offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was
very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art
thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou
not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee
shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain talked with Abel his
brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up
against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where
is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And
he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me
from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened
her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the
ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a
vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My
punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day
from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a
fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one
that findeth me shall slay me. 15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore
whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the
LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16 And Cain
went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the
east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch:
and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son,
Enoch. 18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and
Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. 19 And Lamech took
unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other
Zillah. 20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and
of such as have cattle. 21 And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of
all such as handle the harp and organ. 22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an
instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was
Naamah. 23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice;
ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my
wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. 25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she
bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me
another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 26 And to Seth, to him also there
was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the
name of the LORD.

Genesis 5
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created

man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them;
and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were
created. 3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his
own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: 4 And the days of Adam
after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and
daughters: 5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty
years: and he died. 6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: 7
And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat
sons and daughters: 8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve
years: and he died. 9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: 10 And
Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons
and daughters: 11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and
he died. 12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: 13 And
Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat
sons and daughters: 14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten
years: and he died. 15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and

begat sons and daughters: 17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred
ninety and five years: and he died. 18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two
years, and he begat Enoch: 19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight
hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 20 And all the days of Jared were
nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. 21 And Enoch lived sixty and five
years, and begat Methuselah: 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat
Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 23 And all the
days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 24 And Enoch walked
with God: and he was not; for God took him. 25 And Methuselah lived an
hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: 26 And Methuselah lived
after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and
daughters: 27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine
years: and he died. 28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and
begat a son: 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us
concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the
LORD hath cursed. 30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred
ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: 31 And all the days of
Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. 32 And Noah
was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 6
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth,

and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of
men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And
the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is
flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4 There were giants in
the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto
the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty
men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of
man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his
heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made
man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will
destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and
beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I
have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are
the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and
Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had

corrupted his way upon the earth. 13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all
flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and,
behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood;
rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with
pitch. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the
ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of
it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou
finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with
lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do
bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath
of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18 But
with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou,
and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 19 And of every living
thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them
alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20 Of fowls after their kind, and
of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two
of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21 And take thou unto
thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for
food for thee, and for them. 22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God
commanded him, so did he.

Genesis 7
1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark;

for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. 2 Of every clean
beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts
that are not clean by two, the male and his female. 3 Of fowls also of the air by
sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and

forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off
the face of the earth. 5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD
commanded him. 6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of
waters was upon the earth. 7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and
his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood. 8 Of
clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing
that creepeth upon the earth, 9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark,
the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. 10 And it came to pass
after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 11 In the six
hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the
month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the
windows of heaven were opened. 12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days
and forty nights. 13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and
Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with
them, into the ark; 14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after
their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind,
and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. 15 And they went in unto
Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. 16 And
they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded
him: and the LORD shut him in. 17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth;
and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the

ark went upon the face of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly
upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were
covered. 20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were
covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of
cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and
every man: 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the
dry land, died. 23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the
face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of
the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained
alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 24 And the waters prevailed upon
the earth an hundred and fifty days.

Genesis 8
 1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that

was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the
waters asswaged; 2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven
were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; 3 And the waters
returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty
days the waters were abated. 4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the
seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters
decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day
of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. 6 And it came to pass at the
end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: 7
And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were
dried up from off the earth. 8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the
waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 9 But the dove found no rest
for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters
were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and
pulled her in unto him into the ark. 10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and
again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; 11 And the dove came in to him in the
evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that
the waters were abated from off the earth. 12 And he stayed yet other seven days;
and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. 13 And it
came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day
of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the
covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. 14
And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the
earth dried. 15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 16 Go forth of the ark, thou,
and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 17 Bring forth with
thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle,
and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed
abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. 18 And
Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: 19
Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth
upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. 20 And Noah builded
an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl,
and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And the LORD smelled a sweet
savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any
more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth;
neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 22 While
the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Genesis 9
1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and

multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you
shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all
that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are
they delivered. 3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as
the green herb have I given you all things. 4 But flesh with the life thereof, which
is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. 5 And surely your blood of your lives will I
require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the
hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man. 6 Whoso sheddeth
man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he
man. 7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth,
and multiply therein. 8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him,
saying, 9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
after you; 10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the
cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to
every beast of the earth. 11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither
shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there
any more be a flood to destroy the earth. 12 And God said, This is the token of
the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is
with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall
be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. 14 And it shall come to
pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every

living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to
destroy all flesh. 16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it,
that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living
creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 17 And God said unto Noah, This is
the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that
is upon the earth. 18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were
Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. 19 These are the
three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. 20 And Noah
began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the
wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the
father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren
without. 23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their
shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and
their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness. 24 And
Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his

brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall
be his servant. 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of
Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 28 And Noah lived after the flood three
hundred and fifty years. 29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty
years: and he died.

Genesis 10
1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and
Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth;
Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 3
And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 And the sons
of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 By these were the isles
of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their
families, in their nations. 6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut,
and Canaan. 7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and
Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 8 And Cush
begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty
hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter
before the LORD. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech,
and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth
Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 12 And Resen
between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. 13 And Mizraim begat
Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 14 And Pathrusim, and
Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. 15 And Canaan begat
Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the
Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite,
and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the
Canaanites spread abroad. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon,
as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah,
and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, after
their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations. 21 Unto
Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder,
even to him were children born. 22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and
Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and
Gether, and Mash. 24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. 25 And
unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was
the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 And Joktan begat
Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal,
and Diklah, 28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 29 And Ophir, and Havilah,
and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from
Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. 31 These are the sons of
Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. 32
These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their
nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

Genesis 11
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it

came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land
of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us
make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime
had they for morter. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower,
whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be
scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the LORD came down
to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the
LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this
they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have
imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that
they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them
abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the
city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there
confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter
them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 10 These are the generations of Shem:
Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:
11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons

and daughters. 12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 13
And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat
sons and daughters. 14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 15 And
Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and
daughters. 16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: 17 And Eber
lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and
daughters. 18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 19 And Peleg lived
after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. 20
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: 21 And Reu lived after he
begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. 22 And
Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: 23 And Serug lived after he begat
Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 24 And Nahor lived
nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah
an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 26 And Terah lived
seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27 Now these are the
generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat
Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur
of the Chaldees. 29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of
Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of
Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she
had no child. 31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his
son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went
forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they
came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred
and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Genesis 12
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and

from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy

name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee,
and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went
with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of
Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their
substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran;
and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan
they came. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto
the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD
appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there
builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed
from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having
Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the
LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 9 And Abram journeyed, going
on still toward the south. 10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went
down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 11
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said
unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:
12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they

shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and
my soul shall live because of thee. 14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was
come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 15 The
princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the
woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And he entreated Abram well for her
sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and
maidservants, and she asses, and camels. 17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and
his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife. 18 And Pharaoh
called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou
not tell me that she was thy wife? 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I
might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and
go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent
him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Genesis 13
1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had,

and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver,
and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto
the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai; 4
Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram
called on the name of the LORD. 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had
flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they
might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell
together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the
herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the
land. 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me
and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not
the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt
take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand,
then I will go to the left. 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of
Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed
Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt,
as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot
journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram
dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and
pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and
sinners before the LORD exceedingly. 14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after
that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place
where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all
the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I
will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust
of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the
land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18
Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which
is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

Genesis 14
1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king

of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2 That these
made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab
king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is
Zoar. 3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they

rebelled. 5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that
were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims
in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 6 And the Horites in their mount
Seir, unto El-paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 And they returned, and came to
En-mishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and
also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezon-tamar. 8 And there went out the king of
Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of
Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with
them in the vale of Siddim; 9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with
Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar;
four kings with five. 10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the
kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to
the mountain. 11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all
their victuals, and went their way. 12 And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son,
who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13 And there came one that
had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the
Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate
with Abram. 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he
armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen,
and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them, he and his
servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on
the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also
brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the
people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the
slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of
Shaveh, which is the king’s dale. 18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought
forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he
blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of
heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered
thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21 And the king of
Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD,
the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23 That I will not take
from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is
thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24 Save only that which
the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me,
Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.

Genesis 15
1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision,

saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. 2 And
Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the
steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to
me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And,
behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine
heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell
the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed
be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 7
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the
Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. 8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby
shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of
three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old,
and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and
divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds
divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram
drove them away. 12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon
Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said unto
Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not
theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall
they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace;
thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall
come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 17 And it came
to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking
furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day
the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this
land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The
Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the
Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the
Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Genesis 16
1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid,

an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now,
the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it
may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of
Sarai. 3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram
had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to
be his wife. 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw
that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5 And Sarai said
unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and
when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD
judge between me and thee. 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in
thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she
fled from her face. 7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of
water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8 And he said, Hagar,
Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I
flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9 And the angel of the LORD said unto
her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. 10 And the angel
of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not
be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold,
thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because
the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will
be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in
the presence of all his brethren. 13 And she called the name of the LORD that
spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after
him that seeth me? 14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is
between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called
his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 16 And Abram was fourscore and six
years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Genesis 17
1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to
Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou
perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply
thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him,
saying, 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father
of many nations. 5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy
name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6 And I
will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings
shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee
and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a
God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy
seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for
an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9 And God said unto
Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee
in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me
and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be
circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be
a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old
shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is
born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy
seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must
needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting
covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not
circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my
covenant. 15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not
call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and
give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of
nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and
laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred
years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said
unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy
wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will
establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed
after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him,
and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes
shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I
establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next
year. 22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all
that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s
house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God
had said unto him. 24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen
years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the
selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men
of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were
circumcised with him.

Genesis 18
1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in

the tent door in the heat of the day; 2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo,
three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the
tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 3 And said, My Lord, if now I
have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves
under the tree: 5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts;
after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they
said, So do, as thou hast said. 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah,
and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make
cakes upon the hearth. 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender
and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. 8 And he took
butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and
he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 9 And they said unto him,
Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10 And he said, I will
certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife
shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be
with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within
herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old
also? 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying,
Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14 Is any thing too hard for the
LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of
life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for
she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 16 And the men rose up
from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring
them on the way. 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing
which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know
him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they
shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may
bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20 And the LORD said,
Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very
grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether
according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And
the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham
stood yet before the LORD. 23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also
destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous
within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty
righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to
slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the
wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will
spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold
now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all

the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not
destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall
be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake. 30 And he said
unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there
shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord:
Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it
for twenty’s sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak
yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not
destroy it for ten’s sake. 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left
communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 19
1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of

Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with
his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray
you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye
shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide
in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in
unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake
unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the
city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young,
all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him,
Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that
we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door
after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I
have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them
out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do
nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9 And they said,
Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will
needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they
pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10 But the
men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the
door. 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with
blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy

sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of
this place: 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen
great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14
And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters,
and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But
he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15 And when the morning
arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two
daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16
And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of
his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto
him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to
pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life;
look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain,
lest thou be consumed. 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19
Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified
thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot
escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20 Behold now, this
city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a
little one?) and my soul shall live. 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted
thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which
thou hast spoken. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou
be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun was
risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained upon
Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25
And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the
cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from
behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham gat up early in the
morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28 And he looked toward
Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo,
the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to
pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered
Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the
cities in the which Lot dwelt. 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the
mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he
dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said unto the
younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us
after the manner of all the earth: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and
we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33 And they made
their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her
father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it
came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I
lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and
go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35 And
they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay
with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus
were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the firstborn
bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites
unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-
ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Genesis 20
1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and

dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said
of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took
Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him,
Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is
a man’s wife. 4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt
thou slay also a righteous nation? 5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and
she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and
innocency of my hands have I done this. 6 And God said unto him in a dream,
Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld
thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. 7 Now
therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee,
and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely
die, thou, and all that are thine. 8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning,
and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men
were sore afraid. 9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What
hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on
me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not
to be done. 10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou
hast done this thing? 11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of
God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. 12 And yet
indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of
my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused
me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness
which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me,
He is my brother. 14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and
womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth

thee. 16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand
pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with
thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved. 17 So Abraham prayed unto God:
and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare
children. 18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of
Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

Genesis 21
1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto

Sarah as he had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his
old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called
the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had
commanded him. 5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac
was born unto him. 6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that
hear will laugh with me. 7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham,
that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old
age. 8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the
same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the
Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 10 Wherefore she said
unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this
bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11 And the thing was
very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 And God said unto
Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of
thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for
in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I
make a nation, because he is thy seed. 14 And Abraham rose up early in the
morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it
on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. 15 And the water was spent in the
bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16 And she went, and sat
her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said,
Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up
her voice, and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God
called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear
not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad,
and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19 And God
opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle
with water, and gave the lad drink. 20 And God was with the lad; and he grew,
and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 And he dwelt in the
wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt. 22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of
his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: 23
Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with
me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I
have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast
sojourned. 24 And Abraham said, I will swear. 25 And Abraham reproved
Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently
taken away. 26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither
didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day. 27 And Abraham took
sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a
covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which
thou hast set by themselves? 30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt
thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this
well. 31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware
both of them. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose
up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of
the Philistines. 33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there
on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned in
the Philistines’ land many days.

Genesis 22
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and

said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take
now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land
of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains
which I will tell thee of. 3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and
clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of
which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and
saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here
with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to
you. 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac
his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them
together. 7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he
said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is
the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide
himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And
they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar
there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the
altar upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the
knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of
heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said,
Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I
know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son
from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him
a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and
offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham
called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount
of the LORD it shall be seen. 15 And the angel of the LORD called unto
Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn,
saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy
son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the
sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together

to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba. 20 And it came to pass after

these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also
born children unto thy brother Nahor; 21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother,
and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and
Jidlaph, and Bethuel. 23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear
to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah,
she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

Genesis 23
1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the

years of the life of Sarah. 2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron
in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for
her. 3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of
Heth, saying, 4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of
a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. 5 And the
children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, 6 Hear us, my lord: thou
art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead;
none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy
dead. 7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land,
even to the children of Heth. 8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be
your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for
me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah,
which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth
he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you. 10 And
Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered
Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the
gate of his city, saying, 11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the
cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I
it thee: bury thy dead. 12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people
of the land. 13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the
land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money
for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. 14 And Ephron
answered Abraham, saying unto him, 15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is
worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury
therefore thy dead. 16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham
weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of
Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. 17 And
the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the
field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that
were in all the borders round about, were made sure 18 Unto Abraham for a
possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the
gate of his city. 19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of
the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a

possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

Genesis 24
 1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had

blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his
house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 3
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of
the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the
Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to
my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac. 5 And the servant said unto him,
Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I
needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? 6 And
Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again. 7
The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the
land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying,
Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou
shalt take a wife unto my son from thence. 8 And if the woman will not be
willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not
my son thither again. 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham
his master, and sware to him concerning that matter. 10 And the servant took ten
camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master
were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of
Nahor. 11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of
water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good

speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I stand
here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to
draw water: 14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let
down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I
will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for
thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto
my master. 15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor,
Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the damsel was
very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went
down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 17 And the servant ran to
meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. 18 And
she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand,
and gave him drink. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will
draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking. 20 And she hasted,
and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw
water, and drew for all his camels. 21 And the man wondering at her held his
peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. 22 And
it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden
earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels
weight of gold; 23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is
there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in? 24 And she said unto him, I
am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor. 25 She
said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room
to lodge in. 26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD. 27
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not
left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD
led me to the house of my master’s brethren. 28 And the damsel ran, and told
them of her mother’s house these things. 29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his
name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well. 30 And it came
to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when
he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me;
that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well. 31
And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou
without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels. 32 And the man
came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender
for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I
have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on. 34 And he said, I am Abraham’s
servant. 35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become
great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and
menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. 36 And Sarah my
master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he
given all that he hath. 37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not
take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife

unto my son. 39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not
follow me. 40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send
his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son
of my kindred, and of my father’s house: 41 Then shalt thou be clear from this
my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou
shalt be clear from my oath. 42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O
LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the

virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little
water of thy pitcher to drink; 44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will
also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath
appointed out for my master’s son. 45 And before I had done speaking in mine
heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she
went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I
pray thee. 46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder,
and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made
the camels drink also. 47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou?
And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto
him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands. 48
And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD
God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my
master’s brother’s daughter unto his son. 49 And now if ye will deal kindly and
truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right
hand, or to the left. 50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing
proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good. 51 Behold,
Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife,
as the LORD hath spoken. 52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant
heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth. 53
And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment,
and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother
precious things. 54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with
him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me
away unto my master. 55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel
abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. 56 And he said
unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me
away that I may go to my master. 57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and
enquire at her mouth. 58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou
go with this man? And she said, I will go. 59 And they sent away Rebekah their
sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men. 60 And they blessed
Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands
of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. 61 And
Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed
the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 62 And Isaac came
from the way of the well Lahai-roi; for he dwelt in the south country. 63 And
Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes,
and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her
eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 65 For she had said unto
the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the
servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 67 And Isaac brought

her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife;
and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.
 Genesis 25
1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she

bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim,

and Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and
Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And
Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines,
which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his
son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. 7 And these are the days
of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen
years. 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old
man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sons Isaac and
Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of
Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; 10 The field which Abraham
purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. 11
And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac;
and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi. 12 Now these are the generations of
Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare
unto Abraham: 13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their
names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and
Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 15
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: 16 These are the sons of
Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve
princes according to their nations. 17 And these are the years of the life of
Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and
died; and was gathered unto his people. 18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto
Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the
presence of all his brethren. 19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s
son: Abraham begat Isaac: 20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took
Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to
Laban the Syrian. 21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was
barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am
I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said unto her,
Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from
thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the
elder shall serve the younger. 24 And when her days to be delivered were
fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all
over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that
came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau’s heel; and his name was
called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them. 27 And the
boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a
plain man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his
venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came
from the field, and he was faint: 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee,
with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I

am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And
Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his
birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and
he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his
birthright.

Genesis 26
1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the

days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto
Gerar. 2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt;
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be
with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all
these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy
father; 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will
give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed; 5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge,
my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. 6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 7 And
the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he
feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me
for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. 8 And it came to pass, when he
had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a
window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. 9 And
Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how
saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die
for her. 10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the
people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought
guiltiness upon us. 11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that
toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death. 12 Then Isaac sowed in
that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed
him. 13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became
very great: 14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great
store of servants: and the Philistines envied him. 15 For all the wells which his
father’s servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines
had stopped them, and filled them with earth. 16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac,
Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we. 17 And Isaac departed thence,
and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 18 And Isaac digged
again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his
father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he
called their names after the names by which his father had called them. 19 And
Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water

is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. 21
And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of
it Sitnah. 22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that
they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the
LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. 23 And he
went up from thence to Beer-sheba. 24 And the LORD appeared unto him the
same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with
thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.
25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and

pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well. 26 Then
Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and
Phichol the chief captain of his army. 27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore
come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? 28 And
they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there
be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant
with thee; 29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as
we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace:
thou art now the blessed of the LORD. 30 And he made them a feast, and they
did eat and drink. 31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to
another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace. 32 And
it came to pass the same day, that Isaac’s servants came, and told him
concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found
water. 33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beer-sheba
unto this day. 34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the
daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 35
Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

Genesis 27
 1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so

that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son:
and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. 2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I
know not the day of my death: 3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons,
thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 4 And
make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my
soul may bless thee before I die. 5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau
his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it. 6 And
Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto
Esau thy brother, saying, 7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I
may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death. 8 Now therefore, my
son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee. 9 Go now to the
flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make
them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: 10 And thou shalt bring it to
thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death. 11 And
Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I
am a smooth man: 12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to
him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing. 13 And
his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice,
and go fetch me them. 14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his
mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved. 15 And
Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the
house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: 16 And she put the skins of the
kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: 17 And she
gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of
her son Jacob. 18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said,
Here am I; who art thou, my son? 19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau
thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and
eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. 20 And Isaac said unto his son,
How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the
LORD thy God brought it to me. 21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I
pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or
not. 22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The
voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 And he discerned
him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau’s hands: so he blessed
him. 24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. 25 And he
said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may
bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him
wine, and he drank. 26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and
kiss me, my son. 27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell
of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the
smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: 28 Therefore God give thee of the
dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 29 Let
people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and
let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee,
and blessed be he that blesseth thee. 30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had
made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the
presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31
And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto
his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison, that thy soul may
bless me. 32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am
thy son, thy firstborn Esau. 33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said,
Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of
all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed. 34
And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and
exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my
father. 35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy
blessing. 36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted
me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken
away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? 37 And
Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his
brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I
sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? 38 And Esau said unto
his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my
father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. 39 And Isaac his father answered
and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of
the dew of heaven from above; 40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt
serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion,
that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. 41 And Esau hated Jacob
because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his
heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my
brother Jacob. 42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah:
and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy
brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee. 43
Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother
to Haran; 44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away; 45
Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast
done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be
deprived also of you both in one day? 46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary
of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters
of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my
life do me?

Genesis 28
1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto

him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 2 Arise, go to Padan-
aram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from
thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. 3 And God Almighty
bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a
multitude of people; 4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy
seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger,
which God gave unto Abraham. 5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to
Padan-aram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah,
Jacob’s and Esau’s mother. 6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and
sent him away to Padan-aram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he
blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughters of Canaan; 7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was
gone to Padan-aram; 8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not
Isaac his father; 9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which
he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth,
to be his wife. 10 And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran.
11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the

sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows,
and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set
up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of
God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it,
and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the
land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed
shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to
the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all
the families of the earth be blessed. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep
thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for
I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this
place; and I knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this
place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for
his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19 And he
called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city was called Luz at
the first. 20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will
keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put
on, 21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD
be my God: 22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house:
and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Genesis 29
1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of

the east. 2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three
flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a
great stone was upon the well’s mouth. 3 And thither were all the flocks
gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the
sheep, and put the stone again upon the well’s mouth in his place. 4 And Jacob
said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we. 5
And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We
know him. 6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and,
behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep. 7 And he said, Lo, it is yet
high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye
the sheep, and go and feed them. 8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks
be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then we
water the sheep. 9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her
father’s sheep: for she kept them. 10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel
the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s
brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and
watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother. 11 And Jacob kissed Rachel,
and lifted up his voice, and wept. 12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her
father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son: and she ran and told her father.
13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son,

that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to
his house. And he told Laban all these things. 14 And Laban said to him, Surely
thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month. 15
And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou
therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? 16 And Laban
had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger
was Rachel. 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well
favoured. 18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for
Rachel thy younger daughter. 19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to
thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. 20 And Jacob
served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the
love he had to her. 21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days
are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. 22 And Laban gathered together all the
men of the place, and made a feast. 23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he
took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. 24 And
Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. 25 And it
came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban,
What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel?
wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 26 And Laban said, It must not be so done
in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. 27 Fulfil her week, and
we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet
seven other years. 28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him
Rachel his daughter to wife also. 29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter
Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid. 30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he
loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years. 31
And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel
was barren. 32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name
Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now
therefore my husband will love me. 33 And she conceived again, and bare a son;
and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given
me this son also: and she called his name Simeon. 34 And she conceived again,
and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me,
because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi. 35 And
she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD:
therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

Genesis 30
1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her

sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2 And Jacob’s anger
was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld
from thee the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in
unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her. 5

And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son. 6 And Rachel said, God hath
judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore
called she his name Dan. 7 And Bilhah Rachel’s maid conceived again, and bare
Jacob a second son. 8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled
with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali. 9 When
Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob
to wife. 10 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a son. 11 And Leah said, A troop
cometh: and she called his name Gad. 12 And Zilpah Leah’s maid bare Jacob a
second son. 13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me
blessed: and she called his name Asher. 14 And Reuben went in the days of
wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his
mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s
mandrakes. 15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my
husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel
said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes. 16 And
Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and
said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s
mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. 17 And God hearkened unto Leah,
and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son. 18 And Leah said, God hath
given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she
called his name Issachar. 19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth
son. 20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my
husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his
name Zebulun. 21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name
Dinah. 22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened
her womb. 23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away
my reproach: 24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add
to me another son. 25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that
Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and
to my country. 26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served
thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee. 27 And
Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I
have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake. 28 And
he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it. 29 And he said unto him, Thou
knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. 30 For it was
little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude;
and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide
for mine own house also? 31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob
said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will
again feed and keep thy flock: 32 I will pass through all thy flock to day,
removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle
among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such
shall be my hire. 33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come,
when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled
and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted
stolen with me. 34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy
word. 35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted,
and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had
some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the
hand of his sons. 36 And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob:
and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks. 37 And Jacob took him rods of green
poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and
made the white appear which was in the rods. 38 And he set the rods which he
had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks
came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink. 39 And the
flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled,
and spotted. 40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks
toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his
own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle. 41 And it came
to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods
before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the
rods. 42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were
Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. 43 And the man increased exceedingly, and
had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Genesis 31
1 And he heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away

all that was our father’s; and of that which was our father’s hath he gotten all this
glory. 2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not
toward him as before. 3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of
thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee. 4 And Jacob sent and
called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 5 And said unto them, I see
your father’s countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my
father hath been with me. 6 And ye know that with all my power I have served
your father. 7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten
times; but God suffered him not to hurt me. 8 If he said thus, The speckled shall
be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The
ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked. 9 Thus God hath
taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me. 10 And it came to
pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a
dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked,
speckled, and grisled. 11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying,
Jacob: And I said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all
the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I
have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. 13 I am the God of Beth-el, where thou
anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee
out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred. 14 And Rachel and
Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us
in our father’s house? 15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold
us, and hath quite devoured also our money. 16 For all the riches which God hath
taken from our father, that is ours, and our children’s: now then, whatsoever God
hath said unto thee, do. 17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives
upon camels; 18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he
had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padan-aram, for to go
to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan. 19 And Laban went to shear his sheep:
and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father’s. 20 And Jacob stole away
unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled. 21 So he fled
with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face
toward the mount Gilead. 22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob
was fled. 23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven
days’ journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead. 24 And God came to
Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou
speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now
Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in
the mount of Gilead. 26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou
hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives
taken with the sword? 27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away
from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and
with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my
sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing. 29 It is in the
power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me
yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or
bad. 30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore
longedst after thy father’s house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 31
And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said,
Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 32 With
whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern
thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel
had stolen them. 33 And Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and
into the two maidservants’ tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of
Leah’s tent, and entered into Rachel’s tent. 34 Now Rachel had taken the images,
and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched
all the tent, but found them not. 35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease
my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me.
And he searched, but found not the images. 36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode
with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is
my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? 37 Whereas thou hast searched
all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before
my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. 38 This
twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast
their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. 39 That which was torn of
beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require
it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night. 40 Thus I was; in the day the
drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine
eyes. 41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years
for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my
wages ten times. 42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the
fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God
hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee
yesternight. 43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are
my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle,
and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my
daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 44 Now therefore come
thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me
and thee. 45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar. 46 And Jacob said
unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and
they did eat there upon the heap. 47 And Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha: but
Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me
and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 49 And Mizpah;
for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one
from another. 50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other
wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me
and thee. 51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar,
which I have cast betwixt me and thee; 52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be
witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass
over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm. 53 The God of Abraham, and the
God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the
fear of his father Isaac. 54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and
called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in
the mount. 55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and
his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his
place.

Genesis 32
1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 And when
Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place
Mahanaim. 3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the
land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus
shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned
with Laban, and stayed there until now: 5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and
menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find
grace in thy sight. 6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to
thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with
him. 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people
that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; 8
And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other
company which is left shall escape. 9 And Jacob said, O God of my father
Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return
unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 10 I am not
worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast
shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I
am become two bands. 11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother,
from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the
mother with the children. 12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and
make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 13
And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a
present for Esau his brother; 14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two
hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty
kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals. 16 And he delivered them into
the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants,
Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove. 17 And he
commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and
asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are
these before thee? 18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a
present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us. 19 And so
commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves,
saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him. 20 And say
ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease
him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face;
peradventure he will accept of me. 21 So went the present over before him: and
himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took
his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over
the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent
over that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him
until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against
him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out
of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day
breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said
unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall
be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and
with men, and hast prevailed. 29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray
thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?
And he blessed him there. 30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I
have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31 And as he passed over
Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32 Therefore the
children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of
the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh in the
sinew that shrank.

Genesis 33
1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and

with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto
Rachel, and unto the two handmaids. 2 And he put the handmaids and their
children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph
hindermost. 3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground
seven times, until he came near to his brother. 4 And Esau ran to meet him, and
embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept. 5 And he
lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those
with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy
servant. 6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they
bowed themselves. 7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed
themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said,

These are to find grace in the sight of my lord. 9 And Esau said, I have enough,
my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself. 10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee,
if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for
therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou
wast pleased with me. 11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee;
because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he
urged him, and he took it. 12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go,
and I will go before thee. 13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the
children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men
should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. 14 Let my lord, I pray thee,
pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that
goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord
unto Seir. 15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are
with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir. 17 And Jacob journeyed to

Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the
name of the place is called Succoth. 18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of
Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padan-aram; and
pitched his tent before the city. 19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he
had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for
an hundred pieces of money. 20 And he erected there an altar, and called it El-
elohe-Israel.

Genesis 34
1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to

see the daughters of the land. 2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite,
prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her. 3
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel,
and spake kindly unto the damsel. 4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor,
saying, Get me this damsel to wife. 5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah
his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his
peace until they were come. 6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto
Jacob to commune with him. 7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when
they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he
had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not
to be done. 8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son
Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife. 9 And make
ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters
unto you. 10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell
and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein. 11 And Shechem said unto
her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye
shall say unto me I will give. 12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will
give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife. 13 And
the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said,
because he had defiled Dinah their sister: 14 And they said unto them, We cannot
do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a
reproach unto us: 15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be,
that every male of you be circumcised; 16 Then will we give our daughters unto
you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we
will become one people. 17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised;
then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone. 18 And their words pleased
Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son. 19 And the young man deferred not to do the
thing, because he had delight in Jacob’s daughter: and he was more honourable
than all the house of his father. 20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto
the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, 21 These
men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade
therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their
daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters. 22 Only herein will
the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male
among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised. 23 Shall not their cattle and
their substance and every beast of theirs be ours? only let us consent unto them,
and they will dwell with us. 24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son
hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was
circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city. 25 And it came to pass on
the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and
Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly,
and slew all the males. 26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the
edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out. 27 The
sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled
their sister. 28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that
which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 29 And all their wealth,
and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all
that was in the house. 30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled
me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites
and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves
together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house. 31
And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?

Genesis 35
 1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Beth-el, and dwell there: and

make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from
the face of Esau thy brother. 2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that
were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and
change your garments: 3 And let us arise, and go up to Beth-el; and I will make
there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was
with me in the way which I went. 4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange
gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears;
and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. 5 And they journeyed:
and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they
did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. 6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the
land of Canaan, that is, Beth-el, he and all the people that were with him. 7 And
he built there an altar, and called the place El-beth-el: because there God
appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother. 8 But Deborah
Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth-el under an oak: and the
name of it was called Allon-bachuth. 9 And God appeared unto Jacob again,
when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. 10 And God said unto him,
Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall
be thy name: and he called his name Israel. 11 And God said unto him, I am God
Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of
thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 12 And the land which I gave
Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the
land. 13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him. 14
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of
stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. 15 And
Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Beth-el. 16 And
they journeyed from Beth-el; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath:
and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. 17 And it came to pass, when she
was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this
son also. 18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that
she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. 19 And Rachel
died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. 20 And Jacob
set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave unto this day. 21
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. 22 And it
came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with
Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were
twelve: 23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi,
and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: 24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and
Benjamin: 25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: 26
And the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid; Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of
Jacob, which were born to him in Padan-aram. 27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his
father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham
and Isaac sojourned. 28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore
years. 29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his
people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Genesis 36
1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his

wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and
Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 And
Bashemath Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 And Adah bare to Esau
Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam,
and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of
Canaan. 6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the
persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance,
which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face
of his brother Jacob. 7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell
together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because
of their cattle. 8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. 9 And these are
the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: 10 These are
the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the
son of Bashemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman,
Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz
Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s
wife. 13 And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and
Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife. 14 And these were the
sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife:
and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. 15 These were dukes of the
sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke
Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, 16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek:
these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the
sons of Adah. 17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son; duke Nahath, duke
Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in
the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife. 18 And these are
the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah:
these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s
wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes. 20
These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal,
and Zibeon, and Anah, 21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes
of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 And the children of
Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. 23 And the children
of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24
And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah
that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father. 25
And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of
Anah. 26 And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran,
and Cheran. 27 The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. 28
The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran. 29 These are the dukes that came
of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 30 Duke
Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among
their dukes in the land of Seir. 31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land
of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel. 32 And Bela
the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 And
Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. 34 And
Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead. 35 And
Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of
Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. 36 And Hadad
died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. 37 And Samlah died, and
Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. 38 And Saul died, and Baal-
hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 39 And Baal-hanan the son of
Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau;
and his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of
Mezahab. 40 And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according
to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah,
duke Jetheth, 41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 42 Duke Kenaz, duke
Teman, duke Mibzar, 43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom,
according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father
of the Edomites.

Genesis 37
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land

of Canaan. 2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years
old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of
Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto
his father their evil report. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children,
because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his

brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. 5 And Joseph
dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6
And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7
For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and
also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made
obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign
over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the
more for his dreams, and for his words. 9 And he dreamed yet another dream,
and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and,
behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. 10 And
he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said
unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and
thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 11 And his
brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. 12 And his brethren went
to feed their father’s flock in Shechem. 13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not
thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them.
And he said to him, Here am I. 14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see
whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me
word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and

the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 16 And he said, I seek my
brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks. 17 And the man said,
They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph
went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. 18 And when they saw him
afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay
him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now
therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some
evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us

not kill him. 22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this
pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out
of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. 23 And it came to pass, when
Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his
coat of many colours that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a
pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat
bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of
Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and
myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren,
What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let
us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our
brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. 28 Then there passed by
Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and
sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought
Joseph into Egypt. 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was
not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and
said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? 31 And they took Joseph’s coat,
and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 32 And they sent
the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have
we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. 33 And he knew it, and
said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without
doubt rent in pieces. 34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his
loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his
daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said,
For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept
for him. 36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of
Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.

Genesis 38
1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren,

and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw
there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her,
and went in unto her. 3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his
name Er. 4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name
Onan. 5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name
Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him. 6 And Judah took a wife for
Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. 7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was
wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him. 8 And Judah said
unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy
brother. 9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass,
when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that
he should give seed to his brother. 10 And the thing which he did displeased the
LORD: wherefore he slew him also. 11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in
law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he
said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and
dwelt in her father’s house. 12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah
Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers
to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. 13 And it was told Tamar,
saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. 14 And
she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and
wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for
she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. 15
When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her
face. 16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me
come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she
said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? 17 And he said,
I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge,
till thou send it? 18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said,
Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it
her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. 19 And she arose, and went
away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his

pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not. 21 Then he asked the men
of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And
they said, There was no harlot in this place. 22 And he returned to Judah, and
said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no
harlot in this place. 23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed:
behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her. 24 And it came to pass about
three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath
played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah
said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. 25 When she was brought forth, she
sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child:
and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and
staff. 26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous
than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no
more. 27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in
her womb. 28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his
hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying,
This came out first. 29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that,
behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this
breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. 30 And afterward
came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was
called Zarah.

Genesis 39
1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of

Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the
Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with
Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the
Egyptian. 3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the
LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. 4 And Joseph found grace in
his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all
that he had he put into his hand. 5 And it came to pass from the time that he had
made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed
the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon
all that he had in the house, and in the field. 6 And he left all that he had in
Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat.
And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. 7 And it came to pass after
these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie
with me. 8 But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master
wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath
to my hand; 9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept
back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do
this great wickedness, and sin against God? 10 And it came to pass, as she spake
to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with
her. 11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do
his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And
she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in
her hand, and fled, and got him out. 13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he
had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 14 That she called unto the
men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an
Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with
a loud voice: 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and
cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid
up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him
according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought
unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my
voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 And it came to
pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him,
saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20
And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the
king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. 21 But the LORD
was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the
keeper of the prison. 22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand
all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was
the doer of it. 23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under
his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD
made it to prosper.

Genesis 40
1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt

and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was
wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the
chief of the bakers. 3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the
guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. 4 And the captain of
the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a
season in ward. 5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream
in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler
and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. 6 And
Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold,
they were sad. 7 And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward
of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? 8 And they said
unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And
Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I
pray you. 9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my
dream, behold, a vine was before me; 10 And in the vine were three branches:
and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters
thereof brought forth ripe grapes: 11 And Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I
took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into
Pharaoh’s hand. 12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The
three branches are three days: 13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine
head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into
his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. 14 But think on me
when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and
make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: 15 For indeed
I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done
nothing that they should put me into the dungeon. 16 When the chief baker saw
that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream,
and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: 17 And in the uppermost
basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat
them out of the basket upon my head. 18 And Joseph answered and said, This is
the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: 19 Yet within three
days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree;
and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee. 20 And it came to pass the third
day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants:
and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his
servants. 21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he
gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand: 22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph
had interpreted to them. 23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but
forgat him.

Genesis 41
1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed:

and, behold, he stood by the river. 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river
seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3 And,
behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and
leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill
favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine.
So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold,
seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven
thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven
thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and,
behold, it was a dream. 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was
troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise
men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could
interpret them unto Pharaoh. 9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying,
I do remember my faults this day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and
put me in ward in the captain of the guard’s house, both me and the chief baker:
11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man

according to the interpretation of his dream. 12 And there was there with us a
young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and
he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did
interpret. 13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored
unto mine office, and him he hanged. 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph,
and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and
changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said unto
Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I
have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16 And
Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an
answer of peace. 17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood
upon the bank of the river: 18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven
kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: 19 And, behold,
seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed,
such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: 20 And the lean and the
ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: 21 And when they had eaten
them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill
favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22 And I saw in my dream, and,
behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: 23 And, behold, seven
ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 24 And
the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians;
but there was none that could declare it to me. 25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh,
The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years:

the dream is one. 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after
them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall
be seven years of famine. 28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh:
What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. 29 Behold, there come seven
years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30 And there shall arise
after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land
of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 And the plenty shall not be
known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very
grievous. 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is
because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass. 33
Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over
the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the
land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up

corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 And that
food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall
be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. 37 And the
thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And
Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom
the Spirit of God is? 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath
shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt
be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled:
only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,
See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring
from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine
linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the
second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he
made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. 44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am
Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of
Egypt. 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave
him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went
out over all the land of Egypt. 46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood
before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of
Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47 And in the seven
plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. 48 And he gathered up all the
food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in
the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in
the same. 49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he
left numbering; for it was without number. 50 And unto Joseph were born two
sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-
pherah priest of On bare unto him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the
firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all
my father’s house. 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God
hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. 53 And the seven years
of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 54 And the seven
years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was
in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 And when all the land
of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said
unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. 56 And the
famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses,
and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. 57
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the
famine was so sore in all lands.

Genesis 42
 1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his

sons, Why do ye look one upon another? 2 And he said, Behold, I have heard
that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence;
that we may live, and not die. 3 And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy
corn in Egypt. 4 But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his
brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. 5 And the sons of
Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of
Canaan. 6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to
all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down
themselves before him with their faces to the earth. 7 And Joseph saw his
brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake
roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said,
From the land of Canaan to buy food. 8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they
knew not him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them,
and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 10
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. 11
We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. 12 And he
said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 13 And
they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of
Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. 14
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence,

except your youngest brother come hither. 16 Send one of you, and let him fetch
your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved,
whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are
spies. 17 And he put them all together into ward three days. 18 And Joseph said
unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: 19 If ye be true men, let
one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for
the famine of your houses: 20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall
your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. 21 And they said
one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the
anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is
this distress come upon us. 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not
unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore,
behold, also his blood is required. 23 And they knew not that Joseph understood
them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. 24 And he turned himself about
from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and
took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. 25 Then Joseph
commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into
his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. 26
And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. 27 And as one of
them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money;
for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth. 28 And he said unto his brethren, My
money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and
they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him

all that befell unto them; saying, 30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake
roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 And we said unto him, We
are true men; we are no spies: 32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one
is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. 33 And
the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are
true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine
of your households, and be gone: 34 And bring your youngest brother unto me:
then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver
you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. 35 And it came to pass as they
emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack:
and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children:

Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these
things are against me. 37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two
sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to
thee again. 38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is
dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go,
then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

Genesis 43
1 And the famine was sore in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had

eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto
them, Go again, buy us a little food. 3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The
man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your
brother be with you. 4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and
buy thee food: 5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man
said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you. 6 And
Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had
yet a brother? 7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our
kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told
him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he
would say, Bring your brother down? 8 And Judah said unto Israel his father,
Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die,
both we, and thou, and also our little ones. 9 I will be surety for him; of my hand
shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then
let me bear the blame for ever: 10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had
returned this second time. 11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be
so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down
the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and
almonds: 12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was
brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand;
peradventure it was an oversight: 13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again
unto the man: 14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may
send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I
am bereaved. 15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in
their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood
before Joseph. 16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler
of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men
shall dine with me at noon. 17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man
brought the men into Joseph’s house. 18 And the men were afraid, because they
were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was
returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek
occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses. 19
And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with
him at the door of the house, 20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first
time to buy food: 21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we
opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack,
our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. 22 And other
money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put
our money in our sacks. 23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and
the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.
And he brought Simeon out unto them. 24 And the man brought the men into
Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave
their asses provender. 25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came
at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there. 26 And when Joseph
came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house,
and bowed themselves to him to the earth. 27 And he asked them of their welfare,
and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? 28
And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And
they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance. 29 And he lifted up his eyes,
and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your younger
brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my
son. 30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he
sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 31 And
he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the

Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might
not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. 33
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the
youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another. 34 And
he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was
five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Genesis 44
1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks

with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s
mouth. 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest,
and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto

his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say
unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 5 Is not this it in which
my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so
doing. 6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. 7 And
they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy
servants should do according to this thing: 8 Behold, the money, which we found
in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how
then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold? 9 With whomsoever
of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s
bondmen. 10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with
whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. 11 Then they
speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his
sack. 12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and
the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded
every man his ass, and returned to the city. 14 And Judah and his brethren came
to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not

that such a man as I can certainly divine? 16 And Judah said, What shall we say
unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath
found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both
we, and he also with whom the cup is found. 17 And he said, God forbid that I
should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my
servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father. 18 Then Judah
came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a
word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou
art even as Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a
brother? 20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child
of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his
mother, and his father loveth him. 21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring
him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22 And we said unto my
lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father
would die. 23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother
come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24 And it came to pass when
we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25
And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. 26 And we said, We
cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for
we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us. 27 And
thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 28
And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw
him not since: 29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye
shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30 Now therefore when
I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is
bound up in the lad’s life; 31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is
not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of
thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For thy servant became surety
for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear
the blame to my father for ever. 33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant
abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his
brethren. 34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest
peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

Genesis 45
1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him;

and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with
him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And he wept aloud:
and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3 And Joseph said unto his
brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not
answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his
brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am
Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved,
nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before
you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and
yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7
And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save
your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but
God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a
ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and
say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt:
come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen,
and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s
children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I
nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household,
and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the
eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13 And
ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and
ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14 And he fell upon his brother
Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 Moreover he
kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked
with him. 16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying,
Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants. 17
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your
beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; 18 And take your father and
your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of
Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. 19 Now thou art commanded, this do
ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your
wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Also regard not your stuff; for the
good of all the land of Egypt is yours. 21 And the children of Israel did so: and
Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave
them provision for the way. 22 To all of them he gave each man changes of
raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five
changes of raiment. 23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden
with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and
meat for his father by the way. 24 So he sent his brethren away, and they
departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way. 25 And they
went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,
26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land

of Egypt. And Jacob’s heart fainted, for he believed them not. 27 And they told
him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the
wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father
revived: 28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and
see him before I die.
 Genesis 46
1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba,

and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spake unto
Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt;

for I will there make of thee a great nation: 4 I will go down with thee into
Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand
upon thine eyes. 5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel
carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons
which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 And they took their cattle, and their
goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob,
and all his seed with him: 7 His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters,
and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. 8 And
these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and
his sons: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. 9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and
Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. 10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin,
and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. 11
And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 And the sons of Judah;
Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan died in the
land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 And the
sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. 14 And the sons of
Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These be the sons of Leah, which she
bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons
and his daughters were thirty and three. 16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and
Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. 17 And the sons of Asher;
Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of
Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel. 18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave
to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls. 19 The
sons of Rachel Jacob’s wife; Joseph, and Benjamin. 20 And unto Joseph in the
land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of
Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him. 21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah,
and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and
Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all
the souls were fourteen. 23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim. 24 And the sons of
Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of
Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto
Jacob: all the souls were seven. 26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt,
which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were
threescore and six; 27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt,
were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were
threescore and ten. 28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his
face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29 And Joseph made
ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented
himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because
thou art yet alive. 31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s
house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my
father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 And the
men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought
their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass,
when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 34 That ye
shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until
now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for
every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Genesis 47
1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren,
and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land
of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. 2 And he took some of
his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh
said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh,
Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. 4 They said moreover
unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no
pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now
therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. 5 And
Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto
thee: 6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father
and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest
any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. 7 And
Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob
blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? 9 And Jacob
said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and
thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have
not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of
their pilgrimage. 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before
Pharaoh. 11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a
possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses,
as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his
brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.
13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that

the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 14
And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and
in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the
money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt,
and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us
bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth. 16 And
Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 17
And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in
exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for
the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. 18 When
that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We
will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our
herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and
our lands: 19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land?
buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto
Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not
desolate. 20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the
Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so
the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities
from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. 22 Only the
land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of
Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold
not their lands. 23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you
this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the
land. 24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part
unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for
your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones. 25
And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my
lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. 26 And Joseph made it a law over the
land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the
land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s. 27 And Israel dwelt in the
land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and
grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt
seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven
years. 29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son
Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray
thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I
pray thee, in Egypt: 30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out
of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast
said. 31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed
himself upon the bed’s head.

Genesis 48
1 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy

father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2 And
one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel
strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. 3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God
Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 4 And
said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will
make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee
for an everlasting possession. 5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh,
which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into
Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine. 6 And thy issue,
which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name
of their brethren in their inheritance. 7 And as for me, when I came from Padan,
Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a
little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the
same is Bethlehem. 8 And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said, Who are these?
9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me

in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless
them. 10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see. And
he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them. 11 And
Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath
shewed me also thy seed. 12 And Joseph brought them out from between his
knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. 13 And Joseph took them
both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his
left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them near unto him. 14 And
Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the
younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly;
for Manasseh was the firstborn. 15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before
whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life
long unto this day, 16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the
lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham
and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17 And
when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it
displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s
head unto Manasseh’s head. 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my
father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head. 19 And his father
refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people,
and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he,
and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20 And he blessed them that
day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as
Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 And Israel said unto Joseph,
Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of
your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren,
which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

Genesis 49
1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that

I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. 2 Gather yourselves
together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father. 3
Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the
excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4 Unstable as water, thou
shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou
it: he went up to my couch. 5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of
cruelty are in their habitations. 6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto
their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a
man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it
was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and
scatter them in Israel. 8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy
hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down
before thee. 9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him
up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his
feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. 11
Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed
his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: 12 His eyes shall be
red with wine, and his teeth white with milk. 13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven
of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto
Zidon. 14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: 15 And
he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his
shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute. 16 Dan shall judge his
people, as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an
adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. 19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him:

but he shall overcome at the last. 20 Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he
shall yield royal dainties. 21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run

over the wall: 23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated
him: 24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made
strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd,
the stone of Israel:) 25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by
the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of
the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: 26 The
blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto
the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph,
and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. 27
Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at
night he shall divide the spoil. 28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this
is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to
his blessing he blessed them. 29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am
to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the
field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which
is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of
Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace. 31 There they buried
Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and
there I buried Leah. 32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein
was from the children of Heth. 33 And when Jacob had made an end of
commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the
ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

Genesis 50
1 And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed

him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father:
and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for
so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians
mourned for him threescore and ten days. 4 And when the days of his mourning
were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found
grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 My father
made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the
land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray
thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. 6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and
bury thy father, according as he made thee swear. 7 And Joseph went up to bury
his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his
house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 And all the house of Joseph, and
his brethren, and his father’s house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and
their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both
chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. 10 And they came to
the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with
a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven
days. 11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning
in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians:
wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. 12
And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: 13 For his sons
carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of
Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a
buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre. 14 And Joseph returned into
Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after
he had buried his father. 15 And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was
dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all
the evil which we did unto him. 16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph,
saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 17 So shall ye say unto
Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for
they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the
servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. 18
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold,
we be thy servants. 19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place
of God? 20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto
good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now
therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted
them, and spake kindly unto them. 22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his
father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. 23 And Joseph saw
Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of
Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees. 24 And Joseph said unto his
brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto
the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. 25 And Joseph took
an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall
carry up my bones from hence. 26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten
years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Exodus 1
1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt;

every man and his household came with Jacob. 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and
Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for

Joseph was in Egypt already. 6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that
generation. 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly,
and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he

said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and
mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply,
and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our
enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 11 Therefore
they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they
built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they
afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved
because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians made the children of
Israel to serve with rigour: 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage,
in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service,
wherein they made them serve, was with rigour. 15 And the king of Egypt spake
to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the
name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to
the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill
him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God,
and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children
alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them,
Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the
midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the
Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in
unto them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people
multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the
midwives feared God, that he made them houses. 22 And Pharaoh charged all his
people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every
daughter ye shall save alive.

Exodus 2
1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of

Levi. 2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he
was a goodly child, she hid him three months. 3 And when she could not longer
hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and
with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s
brink. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 And
the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens
walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she
sent her maid to fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and,
behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of
the Hebrews’ children. 7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go
and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for
thee? 8 And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called
the child’s mother. 9 And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child
away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took
the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto
Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and
she said, Because I drew him out of the water. 11 And it came to pass in those
days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on
their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man,

he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the
second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him
that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And he said, Who
made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou
killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. 15
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled
from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a
well. 16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew
water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 And the shepherds
came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered
their flock. 18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that
ye are come so soon to day? 19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of
the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the
flock. 20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have
left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. 21 And Moses was content to dwell
with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him a
son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a
strange land. 23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt
died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried,
and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard
their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac,
and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had
respect unto them.

Exodus 3
 1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian:

and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of
God, even to Horeb. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame
of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned
with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will now turn
aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD
saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush,
and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And he said, Draw not nigh
hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is
holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for
he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the
affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of
their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver
them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto
a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place
of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the
Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of
Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the
Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto
Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of
Egypt. 11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,
and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said,
Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent
thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God
upon this mountain. 13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the
children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me
unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto
them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt
thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God
said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The
LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my
memorial unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together,
and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of
Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and
seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17 And I have said, I will bring you up
out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites,
and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a
land flowing with milk and honey. 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and
thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye
shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now
let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may
sacrifice to the LORD our God. 19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not
let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 And I will stretch out my hand, and
smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after
that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: 22
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in
her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put
them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

Exodus 4
1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor

hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto
thee. 2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A
rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it
became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4 And the LORD said unto
Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand,
and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5 That they may believe that the
LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him,
Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and
when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put
thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and
plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the
voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it
shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken
unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the
dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood
upon the dry land. 10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not
eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I
am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said unto him, Who
hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the
blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth,
and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee,
by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 14 And the anger of the LORD was
kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know
that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when
he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and
put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and
will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the
people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou
shalt be to him instead of God. 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand,
wherewith thou shalt do signs. 18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his
father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my
brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said
to Moses, Go in peace. 19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return
into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 20 And Moses took his
wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of
Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the LORD said unto
Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders
before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that
he shall not let the people go. 22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the
LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son
go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy
son, even thy firstborn. 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the
LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and
cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody
husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband
thou art, because of the circumcision. 27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into
the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God,
and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had
sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 29 And Moses and
Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 30 And
Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the
signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed: and when they heard
that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon
their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 5
1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the

LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in
the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his
voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. 3 And
they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee,
three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he
fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4 And the king of Egypt said unto
them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get
you unto your burdens. 5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now
are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. 6 And Pharaoh commanded
the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7 Ye shall
no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and
gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make
heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they
be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there
more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not
regard vain words. 10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their
officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give
you straw. 11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your
work shall be diminished. 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all
the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters
hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was
straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters
had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled
your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? 15 Then the
officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore
dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants,
and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault
is in thine own people. 17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say,
Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for
there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19 And
the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it
was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. 20 And
they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from
Pharaoh: 21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge;
because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in
the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. 22 And Moses
returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated
this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to
speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered
thy people at all.

Exodus 6
1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to

Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall
he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I
am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by
the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to
them. 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the
land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And
I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians
keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Wherefore say unto the
children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the
burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will
redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take
you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am
the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the
Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did
swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an
heritage: I am the LORD. 9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but
they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 10
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of
Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 12 And Moses spake
before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto
me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 13 And the
LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the
children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt. 14 These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons
of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these
be the families of Reuben. 15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and
Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these
are the families of Simeon. 16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi
according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years
of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. 17 The sons of
Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. 18 And the sons of
Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of
Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. 19 And the sons of Merari;
Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him

Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty
and seven years. 21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22
And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 23 And Aaron took
him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare
him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 And the sons of Korah; Assir,
and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites. 25 And
Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she
bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to
their families. 26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said,
Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.
27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the

children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron. 28 And it came to
pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 That
the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh
king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. 30 And Moses said before the LORD,
Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
 Exodus 7
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh:

and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. 2 Thou shalt speak all that I
command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the
children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and
multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not
hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine
armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great
judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch
forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among
them. 6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they. 7
And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old,
when they spake unto Pharaoh. 8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto
Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for
you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh,
and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh,
and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod
before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then
Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt,
they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down
every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up
their rods. 13 And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them;
as the LORD had said. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is
hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the
morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s
brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take
in thine hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews
hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the
wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. 17 Thus saith the
LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the
rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be
turned to blood. 18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall
stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And the
LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine
hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon
their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and
that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of
wood, and in vessels of stone. 20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD
commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river,
in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that
were in the river were turned to blood. 21 And the fish that was in the river died;
and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river;
and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 And the magicians of
Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither
did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said. 23 And Pharaoh turned and
went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. 24 And all the
Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not
drink of the water of the river. 25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the
LORD had smitten the river.

Exodus 8
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him,

Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 And if thou
refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: 3 And the
river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine
house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy
servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy
kneadingtroughs: 4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy
people, and upon all thy servants. 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto
Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers,
and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And
Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up,
and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did so with their
enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh
called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away
the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they
may do sacrifice unto the LORD. 9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over
me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to
destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river
only? 10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that
thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. 11 And the
frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and
from thy people; they shall remain in the river only. 12 And Moses and Aaron
went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs
which he had brought against Pharaoh. 13 And the LORD did according to the
word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out
of the fields. 14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and

hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. 16 And the LORD said unto
Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it
may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 17 And they did so; for Aaron
stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it
became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout
all the land of Egypt. 18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to
bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and

Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD
had said. 20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus
saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if thou wilt
not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy
servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the
Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell,

that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the
LORD in the midst of the earth. 23 And I will put a division between my people
and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be. 24 And the LORD did so; and there
came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’
houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the
swarm of flies. 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye,
sacrifice to your God in the land. 26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for
we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo,
shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will
they not stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and
sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us. 28 And Pharaoh said, I
will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness;
only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me. 29 And Moses said, Behold, I
go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may
depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let
not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to
the LORD. 30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. 31
And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms
of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not
one. 32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the
people go.

Exodus 9
 1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus

saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 3 Behold, the hand of

the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the
asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very
grievous murrain. 4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and
the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of
Israel. 5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall
do this thing in the land. 6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all
the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 7
And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites
dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. 8
And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes
of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of
Pharaoh. 9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a
boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land
of Egypt. 10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and
Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with
blains upon man, and upon beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before
Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the
Egyptians. 12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened
not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses. 13 And the LORD said
unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say
unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they
may serve me. 14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and
upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none
like me in all the earth. 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite
thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. 16
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my
power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 17 As yet
exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? 18
Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail,
such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. 19
Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for
upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be
brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. 20 He
that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his
servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 21 And he that regarded not the word
of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field. 22 And the LORD said
unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all
the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field,
throughout the land of Egypt. 23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward
heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the
ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail,
and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all
the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail smote throughout all
the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote
every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of
Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. 27 And Pharaoh
sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this
time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Intreat the
LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and
I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. 29 And Moses said unto him, As
soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD;
and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou
mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’s. 30 But as for thee and thy
servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God. 31 And the flax and the
barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. 32 But
the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up. 33 And
Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the
LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the
earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were
ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 And
the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go;
as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

Exodus 10
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened

his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before
him: 2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what
things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them;
that ye may know how that I am the LORD. 3 And Moses and Aaron came in
unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews,
How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that
they may serve me. 4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow
will I bring the locusts into thy coast: 5 And they shall cover the face of the
earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of
that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat
every tree which groweth for you out of the field: 6 And they shall fill thy
houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians;
which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that
they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out
from Pharaoh. 7 And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man
be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God:
knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? 8 And Moses and Aaron were
brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your
God: but who are they that shall go? 9 And Moses said, We will go with our
young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks
and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. 10 And
he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your
little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. 11 Not so: go now ye that are men,
and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from
Pharaoh’s presence. 12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand
over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of
Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. 13 And
Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an
east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning,
the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts went up over all the land of
Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before
them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 15 For
they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they
did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had
left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the
field, through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron
in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against
you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the
LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. 18 And he
went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned a
mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the
Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. 20 But the
LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel
go. 21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven,
that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be
felt. 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick
darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 23 They saw not one another, neither
rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in
their dwellings. 24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the
LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go
with you. 25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt
offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. 26 Our cattle also shall
go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to
serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD,
until we come thither. 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would
not let them go. 28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to
thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. 29
And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

Exodus 11
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon

Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let
you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears
of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of
her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3 And the LORD gave the
people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very
great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of
the people. 4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go
out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die,
from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn
of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And
there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was
none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of
Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know
how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8
And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves
unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I
will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. 9 And the LORD
said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be
multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders
before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not
let the children of Israel go out of his land.

Exodus 12
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,
2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first

month of the year to you. 3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying,
In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb,
according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the
household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his
house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his
eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish,
a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6
And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the
whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7 And
they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper
door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 8 And they shall eat the flesh in
that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall
eat it. 9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his
head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10 And ye shall let nothing
of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning
ye shall burn with fire. 11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your
shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is
the LORD’s passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and
will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against
all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 And the blood
shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the
blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you,
when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a
memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations;
ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. 15 Seven days shall ye eat
unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses:
for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that
soul shall be cut off from Israel. 16 And in the first day there shall be an holy
convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you;
no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat,
that only may be done of you. 17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened
bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of
Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance
for ever. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye
shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever

eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the
congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. 20 Ye shall
eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread. 21
Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and
take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall
take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the
lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you
shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23 For the LORD will
pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel,
and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer
the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe
this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come
to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according
as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass,
when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 That ye
shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD’s passover, who passed over the houses
of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered
our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. 28 And the children
of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so
did they. 29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne
unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of
cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the
Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where
there was not one dead. 31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and
said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children
of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32 Also take your flocks and
your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. 33 And the
Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the
land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men. 34 And the people took their
dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their
clothes upon their shoulders. 35 And the children of Israel did according to the
word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels
of gold, and raiment: 36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they
spoiled the Egyptians. 37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to
Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children. 38
And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very
much cattle. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they
brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out
of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any
victual. 40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was
four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four
hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts
of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a night to be much
observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is
that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their
generations. 43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance
of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 44 But every man’s servant
that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat
thereof. 45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof. 46 In one house
shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the
house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof. 47 All the congregation of Israel
shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the
passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come
near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no
uncircumcised person shall eat thereof. 49 One law shall be to him that is
homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you. 50 Thus did all the
children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they. 51
And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of
Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Exodus 13
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Sanctify unto me all the

firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of
man and of beast: it is mine. 3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this
day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by
strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no
leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day came ye out in the month Abib. 5 And it
shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware
unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt
keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread,
and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD. 7 Unleavened bread shall be
eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither
shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters. 8 And thou shalt shew thy
son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto
me when I came forth out of Egypt. 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon
thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’s law may be
in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year. 11

And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites,
as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 12 That thou shalt
set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that
cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’s. 13 And every
firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it,
then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children
shalt thou redeem. 14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come,
saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the
LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 15 And it came to
pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn
in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast:
therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all
the firstborn of my children I redeem. 16 And it shall be for a token upon thine
hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD
brought us forth out of Egypt. 17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the
people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines,
although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when
they see war, and they return to Egypt: 18 But God led the people about, through
the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up
harnessed out of the land of Egypt. 19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with
him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit
you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you. 20 And they took their
journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 21
And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the
way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22
He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night,
from before the people.

Exodus 14
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the
sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. 3 For
Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the
wilderness hath shut them in. 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall
follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host;
that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so. 5 And it was
told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his
servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this,
that we have let Israel go from serving us? 6 And he made ready his chariot, and
took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the
chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD
hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of
Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians
pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and
his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before
Baal-zephon. 10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up
their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore
afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. 11 And they said unto
Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in
the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of
Egypt? 12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone,
that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the
Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. 13 And Moses said unto the
people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will
shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see
them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold
your peace. 15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?
speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 16 But lift thou up thy
rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of
Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. 17 And I, behold, I
will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get
me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his
horsemen. 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have
gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen. 19
And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went
behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood
behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of
Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to
these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 21 And Moses
stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by
a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were
divided. 22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry
ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their
left. 23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea,
even all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24 And it came to pass,
that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians
through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the

Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for
them against the Egyptians. 26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine
hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon
their chariots, and upon their horsemen. 27 And Moses stretched forth his hand
over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared;
and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the
midst of the sea. 28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the
horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there
remained not so much as one of them. 29 But the children of Israel walked upon
dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their
right hand, and on their left. 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the
hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. 31
And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the
people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.

Exodus 15
1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and

spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the
horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 2 The LORD is my strength and
song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an
habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The LORD is a man of war:
the LORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the
sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea. 5 The depths have
covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 6 Thy right hand, O LORD,
is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the
enemy. 7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them
that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as
stubble. 8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together,
the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart
of the sea. 9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil;
my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall
destroy them. 10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank
as lead in the mighty waters. 11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the
gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? 12
Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. 13 Thou in thy
mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided
them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. 14 The people shall hear, and be
afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. 15 Then the dukes
of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold
upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. 16 Fear and dread shall
fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till
thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast
purchased. 17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine
inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in
the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. 18 The LORD shall
reign for ever and ever. 19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and
with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the
sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand;

and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. 21 And
Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. 22 So Moses brought Israel
from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went
three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 And when they came to
Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter:
therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against
Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the
LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters
were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there
he proved them, 26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the
LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to
his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases
upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that
healeth thee. 27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and
threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
 Exodus 16
1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the

children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and
Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the
land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured
against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 3 And the children of Israel said unto
them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt,
when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have
brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. 4
Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you;
and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove
them, whether they will walk in my law, or no. 5 And it shall come to pass, that
on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice
as much as they gather daily. 6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children
of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from
the land of Egypt: 7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the
LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are
we, that ye murmur against us? 8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the
LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the
full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him:
and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. 9
And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of
Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. 10 And
it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of
Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the
LORD appeared in the cloud. 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12 I
have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At
even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye
shall know that I am the LORD your God. 13 And it came to pass, that at even
the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round
about the host. 14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face
of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the
ground. 15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is
manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the
bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. 16 This is the thing which the
LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer
for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for
them which are in his tents. 17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered,
some more, some less. 18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that
gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they
gathered every man according to his eating. 19 And Moses said, Let no man
leave of it till the morning. 20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses;
but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and
Moses was wroth with them. 21 And they gathered it every morning, every man
according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. 22 And it came to
pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one
man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 23 And he said
unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the
holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe
that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until
the morning. 24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not
stink, neither was there any worm therein. 25 And Moses said, Eat that to day;
for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 26
Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it
there shall be none. 27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the
people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 28 And the LORD
said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on
the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man
go out of his place on the seventh day. 30 So the people rested on the seventh
day. 31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like
coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. 32
And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of
it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have
fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt. 33
And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein,
and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations. 34 As the LORD
commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. 35 And
the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land
inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of
Canaan. 36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

Exodus 17
1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the

wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the

LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we

may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye
tempt the LORD? 3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people
murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us
up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 4 And
Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be
almost ready to stone me. 5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the
people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou
smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before thee
there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come
water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the
elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah,
because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the
LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? 8 Then came Amalek, and fought
with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and
go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the
rod of God in mine hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought
with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And it
came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he
let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they
took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed
up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his
hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua discomfited
Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 And the LORD said unto
Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua:
for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. 15 And
Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi: 16 For he said,
Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from
generation to generation.

Exodus 18
1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that

God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had
brought Israel out of Egypt; 2 Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah,
Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3 And her two sons; of which the name
of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 4
And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was
mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: 5 And Jethro, Moses’
father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness,
where he encamped at the mount of God: 6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father
in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her. 7 And
Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and
they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. 8 And Moses
told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the
Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the
way, and how the LORD delivered them. 9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the
goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the
hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath
delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh,
who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I
know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt
proudly he was above them. 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt
offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to
eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God. 13 And it came to pass on the
morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from
the morning unto the evening. 14 And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he
did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why
sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto
even? 15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto
me to enquire of God: 16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I
judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God,
and his laws. 17 And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou
doest is not good. 18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that
is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it
thyself alone. 19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God
shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring
the causes unto God: 20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and
shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must
do. 21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear
God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of
thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22 And let
them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they
shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier
for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23 If thou shalt do this thing,
and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people
shall also go to their place in peace. 24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his
father in law, and did all that he had said. 25 And Moses chose able men out of
all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of
hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all
seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they
judged themselves. 27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his
way into his own land.

Exodus 19
1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the

land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they
were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had
pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3 And
Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain,
saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4
Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’
wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice
indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me
above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom
of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto
the children of Israel. 7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people,
and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8
And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken
we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. 9 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the
people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses
told the words of the people unto the LORD. 10 And the LORD said unto Moses,
Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash
their clothes, 11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD
will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. 12 And thou
shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves,
that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth
the mount shall be surely put to death: 13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he
shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not
live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount. 14 And
Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people;
and they washed their clothes. 15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against
the third day: come not at your wives. 16 And it came to pass on the third day in
the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the
mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that
was in the camp trembled. 17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the
camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 18 And
mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in
fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole
mount quaked greatly. 19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and
waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. 20
And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the
LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up. 21 And the
LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through
unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. 22 And let the priests also,
which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth
upon them. 23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to
mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and
sanctify it. 24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt
come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break
through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them. 25 So Moses
went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

Exodus 20
1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which

have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou
shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth
beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them
that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the
LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his
name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou
labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD
thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy
manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within
thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all
that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the
sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days
may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt
not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt
not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his
manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy
neighbour’s. 18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and
the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it,
they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with
us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 20 And Moses
said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear
may be before your faces, that ye sin not. 21 And the people stood afar off, and
Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. 22 And the LORD said
unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I
have talked with you from heaven. 23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver,
neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth thou shalt make
unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings,
thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto
thee, and I will bless thee. 25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou
shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast
polluted it. 26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy
nakedness be not discovered thereon.

Exodus 21
1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. 2 If thou

buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go
out free for nothing. 3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he
were married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master have given him
a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall
be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 And if the servant shall plainly
say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 6 Then
his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or
unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he
shall serve him for ever. 7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she
shall not go out as the menservants do. 8 If she please not her master, who hath
betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a
strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. 9
And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner
of daughters. 10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty
of marriage, shall he not diminish. 11 And if he do not these three unto her, then
shall she go out free without money. 12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die,
shall be surely put to death. 13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him
into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. 14 But if a
man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt
take him from mine altar, that he may die. 15 And he that smiteth his father, or
his mother, shall be surely put to death. 16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth
him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. 17 And he that
curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. 18 And if men strive
together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but
keepeth his bed: 19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he
that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause
him to be thoroughly healed. 20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with
a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. 21
Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is
his money. 22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart
from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as
the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges
determine. 23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 Eye
for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 Burning for burning,
wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant,
or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. 27
And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall
let him go free for his tooth’s sake. 28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they
die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the
owner of the ox shall be quit. 29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in
time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but
that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also
shall be put to death. 30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall
give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him. 31 Whether he have
gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be
done unto him. 32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall
give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned. 33 And
if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or
an ass fall therein; 34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money
unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his. 35 And if one man’s ox
hurt another’s, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money
of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide. 36 Or if it be known that the ox hath
used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay
ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.

Exodus 22
1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore

five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. 2 If a thief be found breaking up,
and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be
risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full
restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft be
certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall
restore double. 5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall
put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s field; of the best of his own
field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution. 6 If fire
break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or
the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make
restitution. 7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep,
and it be stolen out of the man’s house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the

judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods. 9 For all
manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for
any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both
parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he
shall pay double unto his neighbour. 10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an
ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven
away, no man seeing it: 11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them
both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods; and the owner of
it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good. 12 And if it be stolen from
him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof. 13 If it be torn in pieces,
then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner

thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. 15 But if the owner
thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for
his hire. 16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he
shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her
unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. 18 Thou shalt
not suffer a witch to live. 19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to
death. 20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be
utterly destroyed. 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye
were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or
fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I
will surely hear their cry; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with
the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. 25 If
thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to
him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. 26 If thou at all take thy
neighbour’s raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun
goeth down: 27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin:
wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I
will hear; for I am gracious. 28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler
of thy people. 29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of
thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. 30 Likewise shalt
thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam;
on the eighth day thou shalt give it me. 31 And ye shall be holy men unto me:
neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to
the dogs.

Exodus 23
1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to

be an unrighteous witness. 2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither

shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: 3 Neither
shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause. 4 If thou meet thine enemy’s ox
or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. 5 If thou see
the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to
help him, thou shalt surely help with him. 6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of
thy poor in his cause. 7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and
righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no
gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. 9
Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing
ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land,
and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest
and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts
of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with
thy oliveyard. 12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou
shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and
the stranger, may be refreshed. 13 And in all things that I have said unto you be
circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be
heard out of thy mouth. 14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the
year. 15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the
month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before
me empty:) 16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou
hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the
year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. 17 Three times in
the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD. 18 Thou shalt not offer
the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my
sacrifice remain until the morning. 19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou
shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in
his mother’s milk. 20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the
way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him,
and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions:
for my name is in him. 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that
I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine
adversaries. 23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the
Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites,
and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off. 24 Thou shalt not bow down to their
gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow
them, and quite break down their images. 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your
God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away
from the midst of thee. 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in
thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. 27 I will send my fear before thee,
and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all
thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. 28 And I will send hornets before thee,
which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become

desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 30 By little and little I
will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the
land. 31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the
Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of
the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee. 32 Thou shalt
make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy
land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will
surely be a snare unto thee.

Exodus 24
1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron,

Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. 2
And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh;
neither shall the people go up with him. 3 And Moses came and told the people
all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered
with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do. 4
And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning,
and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve
tribes of Israel. 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered
burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD. 6 And
Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he
sprinkled on the altar. 7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the
audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do,
and be obedient. 8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and
said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you
concerning all these words. 9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and
Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 And they saw the God of Israel: and
there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it
were the body of heaven in his clearness. 11 And upon the nobles of the children
of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink. 12 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I
will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have
written; that thou mayest teach them. 13 And Moses rose up, and his minister
Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God. 14 And he said unto the
elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron
and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto
them. 15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. 16
And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it
six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of

the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel. 18 And Moses went into the midst
of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty
days and forty nights.

Exodus 25
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with
his heart ye shall take my offering. 3 And this is the offering which ye shall take
of them; gold, and silver, and brass, 4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen, and goats’ hair, 5 And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and
shittim wood, 6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, 7
Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. 8 And let
them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that
I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the
instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. 10 And they shall make an ark of
shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a
half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 11 And thou
shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt
make upon it a crown of gold round about. 12 And thou shalt cast four rings of
gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the
one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it. 13 And thou shalt make staves
of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 14 And thou shalt put the staves
into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them. 15 The
staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it. 16 And thou
shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. 17 And thou shalt
make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof,
and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 18 And thou shalt make two cherubims
of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end:

even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 20
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy
seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy
seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. 21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat
above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give
thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from
above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark
of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the
children of Israel. 23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits
shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half
the height thereof. 24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto
a crown of gold round about. 25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand
breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof
round about. 26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in
the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. 27 Over against the border shall
the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. 28 And thou shalt make the
staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne
with them. 29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and
covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make
them. 30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway. 31 And
thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick
be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall
be of the same. 32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three
branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the
candlestick out of the other side: 33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a
knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other
branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the
candlestick. 34 And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto
almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 35 And there shall be a knop under
two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a
knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed
out of the candlestick. 36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all
it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps
thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over
against it. 38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure
gold. 39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels. 40 And
look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the
mount.

Exodus 26
1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined

linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt
thou make them. 2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and
the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have
one measure. 3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and
other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. 4 And thou shalt make loops
of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and
likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling
of the second. 5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops
shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second;
that the loops may take hold one of another. 6 And thou shalt make fifty taches
of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one
tabernacle. 7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair to be a covering upon
the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make. 8 The length of one curtain shall
be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven
curtains shall be all of one measure. 9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by
themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in
the forefront of the tabernacle. 10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of
the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the
curtain which coupleth the second. 11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass,
and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that

remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle. 13 And a cubit on the
one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of
the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side
and on that side, to cover it. 14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of
rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers’ skins. 15 And thou shalt
make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up. 16 Ten cubits shall
be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.
17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus

shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18 And thou shalt make the
boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward. 19 And
thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets
under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his
two tenons. 20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there
shall be twenty boards: 21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under
one board, and two sockets under another board. 22 And for the sides of the
tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards. 23 And two boards shalt thou
make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 24 And they shall be
coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it
unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners. 25
And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two
sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board. 26 And thou shalt
make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars

for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward. 28 And
the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end. 29 And
thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places
for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold. 30 And thou shalt rear up
the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the
mount. 31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 32 And thou
shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks
shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver. 33 And thou shalt hang up the
vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of
the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the
most holy. 34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in
the most holy place. 35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the
candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south:
and thou shalt put the table on the north side. 36 And thou shalt make an hanging
for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen,
wrought with needlework. 37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of
shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and
thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

Exodus 27
1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five

cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three
cubits. 2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his
horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass. 3 And thou shalt
make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his
fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass. 4
And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt
thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof. 5 And thou shalt put it
under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of
the altar. 6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and
overlay them with brass. 7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the
staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it. 8 Hollow with boards
shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it. 9
And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward
there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits
long for one side: 10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall
be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver. 11 And
likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits
long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the
pillars and their fillets of silver. 12 And for the breadth of the court on the west
side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. 13
And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits. 14 The
hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and
their sockets three. 15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their
pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 And for the gate of the court shall be an
hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen,
wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks

shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass. 18 The length of the court shall be an
hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of
fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass. 19 All the vessels of the tabernacle
in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court,
shall be of brass. 20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they
bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. 21
In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the
testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the
LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the
children of Israel.

Exodus 28
1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from

among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office,
even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. 2 And thou
shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. 3 And
thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit
of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may
minister unto me in the priest’s office. 4 And these are the garments which they
shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a
mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother,
and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 5 And they shall
take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 6 And they shall
make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen,
with cunning work. 7 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the
two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. 8 And the curious girdle of
the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof;
even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 And thou
shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of
Israel: 10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on
the other stone, according to their birth. 11 With the work of an engraver in
stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the
names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.
12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones

of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before
the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. 13 And thou shalt make
ouches of gold; 14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work
shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches. 15 And thou
shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the
ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of
fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. 16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a
span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. 17 And
thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall
be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. 18 And the
second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 19 And the third row
a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx,
and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. 21 And the stones shall
be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like
the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to
the twelve tribes. 22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends
of wreathen work of pure gold. 23 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two
rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate. 24
And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on
the ends of the breastplate. 25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains
thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the
ephod before it. 26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put
them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the
side of the ephod inward. 27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and
shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart
thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the
ephod. 28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings
of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the
ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod. 29 And Aaron shall
bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his
heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD
continually. 30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and
the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before
the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his
heart before the LORD continually. 31 And thou shalt make the robe of the
ephod all of blue. 32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst
thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it
were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent. 33 And beneath upon the hem
of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round
about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 34 A golden
bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the
robe round about. 35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall
be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he
cometh out, that he die not. 36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and
grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 37
And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the
forefront of the mitre it shall be. 38 And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that
Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall
hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they
may be accepted before the LORD. 39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine
linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle
of needlework. 40 And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt
make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for
beauty. 41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with
him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they
may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 42 And thou shalt make them linen
breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall
reach: 43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in
unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to
minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute
for ever unto him and his seed after him.

Exodus 29
 1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to

minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams
without blemish, 2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with
oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make
them. 3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket,
with the bullock and the two rams. 4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with
water. 5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the
robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the
curious girdle of the ephod: 6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put
the holy crown upon the mitre. 7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour
it upon his head, and anoint him. 8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats
upon them. 9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put
the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute:
and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons. 10 And thou shalt cause a bullock
to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons
shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock. 11 And thou shalt kill the
bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 12
And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the
altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. 13 And
thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the
liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the
altar. 14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn
with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering. 15 Thou shalt also take one ram;
and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. 16 And
thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about
upon the altar. 17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of
him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head. 18 And thou
shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it
is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 19 And thou shalt
take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of
the ram. 20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the
tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and
upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and
sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 21 And thou shalt take of the blood
that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and
upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with
him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’
garments with him. 22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and
the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two
kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of
consecration: 23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one
wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD: 24 And
thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt
wave them for a wave offering before the LORD. 25 And thou shalt receive them
of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet
savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 26 And
thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration, and wave it for a
wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part. 27 And thou shalt
sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering,
which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of
that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 28 And it shall be
Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an
heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the
sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD. 29
And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed
therein, and to be consecrated in them. 30 And that son that is priest in his stead
shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the
congregation to minister in the holy place. 31 And thou shalt take the ram of the
consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place. 32 And Aaron and his sons
shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation. 33 And they shall eat those things wherewith
the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall
not eat thereof, because they are holy. 34 And if ought of the flesh of the
consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the
remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. 35 And thus shalt
thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have
commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them. 36 And thou shalt offer
every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the
altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to
sanctify it. 37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify
it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first

year day by day continually. 39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning;
and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal
of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part
of an hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at
even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and
according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by
fire unto the LORD. 42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your
generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD:
where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. 43 And there I will meet with the
children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. 44 And I
will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also
both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office. 45 And I will
dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46 And they shall
know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of
Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.

Exodus 30
 1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt

thou make it. 2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the
horns thereof shall be of the same. 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the
top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou
shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. 4 And two golden rings shalt
thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two
sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it
withal. 5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with
gold. 6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony,
before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 7
And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth
the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at
even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD
throughout your generations. 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor
burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. 10
And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the
blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make
atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12 When thou takest the sum of the

children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for
his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague
among them, when thou numberest them. 13 This they shall give, every one that
passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the
sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the
LORD. 14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty
years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. 15 The rich shall not
give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an
offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. 16 And thou shalt
take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the
service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the
children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. 17 And
the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass,
and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the
tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19
For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20 When
they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that
they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering
made by fire unto the LORD: 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet,
that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his
seed throughout their generations. 22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred
shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty
shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 24 And of cassia
five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25
And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the
art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 26 And thou shalt anoint
the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27
And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the
altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the
laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy:
whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. 30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his
sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office.
31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy

anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. 32 Upon man’s flesh shall it
not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it:
it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. 33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it,
or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his
people. 34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte,
and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each
shall there be a like weight: 35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection
after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: 36 And thou
shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the
tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you
most holy. 37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make
to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for
the LORD. 38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even
be cut off from his people.

Exodus 31
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name

Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 And I have filled
him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge,
and in all manner of workmanship, 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold,
and in silver, and in brass, 5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving
of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 And I, behold, I have given
with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of
all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have
commanded thee; 7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the
testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the
tabernacle, 8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his
furniture, and the altar of incense, 9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his
furniture, and the laver and his foot, 10 And the cloths of service, and the holy
garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the
priest’s office, 11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place:
according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do. 12 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying,
Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout
your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that

defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein,
that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done;
but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any
work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the
children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their
generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children
of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the
seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 18 And he gave unto Moses, when he
had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of
testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exodus 32
1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the

mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him,
Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that
brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2 And
Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of
your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3 And
all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought
them unto Aaron. 4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a
graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy
gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5 And when
Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said,
To morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and
offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to
eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get
thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have
corrupted themselves: 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I
commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it,
and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have
brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I
have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 10 Now therefore
let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume
them: and I will make of thee a great nation. 11 And Moses besought the LORD
his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which
thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a
mighty hand? 12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief
did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from
the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against
thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou
swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the
stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed,
and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he
thought to do unto his people. 15 And Moses turned, and went down from the
mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were
written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 16
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God,
graven upon the tables. 17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they
shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. 18 And he said,
It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them
that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 19 And it
came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and
the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his
hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 20 And he took the calf which they
had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon
the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. 21 And Moses said unto
Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon
them? 22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest
the people, that they are set on mischief. 23 For they said unto me, Make us gods,
which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of
the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24 And I said unto them,
Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it
into the fire, and there came out this calf. 25 And when Moses saw that the
people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among
their enemies:) 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on
the LORD’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered
themselves together unto him. 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate
to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his
companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did
according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three
thousand men. 29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the
LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow
upon you a blessing this day. 30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses
said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the
LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses
returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and
have made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if
not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33 And the
LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out
of my book. 34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have
spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the
day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. 35 And the LORD plagued the
people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

Exodus 33
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the
people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which
I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give
it: 2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the
Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 3 Unto a
land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for
thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. 4 And when the
people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his
ornaments. 5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel,
Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment,
and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may
know what to do unto thee. 6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of
their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and
pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle
of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD
went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. 8
And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the
people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses,
until he was gone into the tabernacle. 9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered
into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the
tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. 10 And all the people saw the
cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and
worshipped, every man in his tent door. 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses
face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the
camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of
the tabernacle. 12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me,
Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with
me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in
my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew
me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and
consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with
thee, and I will give thee rest. 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not
with me, carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and
thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so
shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face
of the earth. 17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou
hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. 18
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all
my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before
thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on
whom I will shew mercy. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there
shall no man see me, and live. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by
me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 And it shall come to pass, while my
glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee
with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt
see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Exodus 34
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto

the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables,
which thou brakest. 2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning
unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. 3 And
no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the
mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. 4 And he hewed
two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning,
and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in
his hand the two tables of stone. 5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and
stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD
passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful
and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping
mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will
by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth
generation. 8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and
worshipped. 9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let
my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our
iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. 10 And he said, Behold, I
make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been
done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art
shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.
11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before

thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the
Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with
the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of
thee: 13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their
groves: 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is
Jealous, is a jealous God: 15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of
the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods,
and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 16 And thou take of their
daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and
make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. 17 Thou shalt make thee no molten
gods. 18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat
unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in
the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt. 19 All that openeth the matrix is
mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male. 20
But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him
not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt
redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. 21 Six days thou shalt work,
but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt
rest. 22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat
harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end. 23 Thrice in the year shall
all your men children appear before the Lord GOD, the God of Israel. 24 For I
will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any
man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God
thrice in the year. 25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven;
neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning. 26
The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the
LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk. 27 And the
LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these
words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel. 28 And he was there
with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink
water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten
commandments. 29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount
Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from
the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked
with him. 30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold,
the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. 31 And Moses
called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto
him: and Moses talked with them. 32 And afterward all the children of Israel
came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken
with him in mount Sinai. 33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put
a vail on his face. 34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with
him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the
children of Israel that which he was commanded. 35 And the children of Israel
saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the
vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Exodus 35
1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together,
and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that
ye should do them. 2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there
shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth
work therein shall be put to death. 3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your
habitations upon the sabbath day. 4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation
of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded,
saying, 5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of
a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and
brass, 6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, 7 And
rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood, 8 And oil for the
light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, 9 And onyx stones,
and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate. 10 And every wise
hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded; 11
The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his
pillars, and his sockets, 12 The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat,
and the vail of the covering, 13 The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and
the shewbread, 14 The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his
lamps, with the oil for the light, 15 And the incense altar, and his staves, and the
anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering
in of the tabernacle, 16 The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his
staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 17 The hangings of the court,
his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court, 18 The
pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords, 19 The cloths of
service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest,
and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. 20 And all the
congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21
And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his
spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’s offering to the work of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and
brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and
every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD. 23 And every
man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and
goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them. 24 Every
one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD’s offering:
and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service,
brought it. 25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their
hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of
scarlet, and of fine linen. 26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in
wisdom spun goats’ hair. 27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be
set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; 28 And spice, and oil for the light, and
for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense. 29 The children of Israel brought
a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made
them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded
to be made by the hand of Moses. 30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel,
See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of
the tribe of Judah; 31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 32 And to
devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 33 And in the
cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of
cunning work. 34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and
Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. 35 Them hath he filled with
wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning
workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine
linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise
cunning work.

Exodus 36
1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in
whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all
manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD
had commanded. 2 And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise
hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose
heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: 3 And they received of
Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of
the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him
free offerings every morning. 4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work
of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 5 And they
spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the
service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. 6 And Moses gave
commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying,
Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the
sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 7 For the stuff they had
was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. 8 And every wise
hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten
curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims
of cunning work made he them. 9 The length of one curtain was twenty and eight
cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one
size. 10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five
curtains he coupled one unto another. 11 And he made loops of blue on the edge
of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the
uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 12 Fifty loops
made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which
was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another. 13 And
he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the
taches: so it became one tabernacle. 14 And he made curtains of goats’ hair for
the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them. 15 The length of one
curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the
eleven curtains were of one size. 16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves,
and six curtains by themselves. 17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost
edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the
curtain which coupleth the second. 18 And he made fifty taches of brass to
couple the tent together, that it might be one. 19 And he made a covering for the
tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers’ skins above that. 20 And
he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up. 21 The length of
a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half. 22 One
board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all
the boards of the tabernacle. 23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty
boards for the south side southward: 24 And forty sockets of silver he made
under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and
two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 25 And for the other side of
the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards, 26 And
their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under
another board. 27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six
boards. 28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two
sides. 29 And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head
thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners. 30 And there
were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every
board two sockets. 31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of
the one side of the tabernacle, 32 And five bars for the boards of the other side of
the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides
westward. 33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the
one end to the other. 34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their
rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold. 35 And he
made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with
cherubims made he it of cunning work. 36 And he made thereunto four pillars of
shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast
for them four sockets of silver. 37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle
door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework; 38
And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and
their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.

Exodus 37
1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the

length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the
height of it: 2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a
crown of gold to it round about. 3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set
by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings
upon the other side of it. 4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid
them with gold. 5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to
bear the ark. 6 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half
was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof. 7 And he
made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two
ends of the mercy seat; 8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub
on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the
two ends thereof. 9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and
covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another;
even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims. 10 And he made the
table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: 11 And he overlaid it with pure
gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about. 12 Also he made
thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for
the border thereof round about. 13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put
the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof. 14 Over against
the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table. 15 And he
made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his

spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold. 17 And he
made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his
shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same: 18
And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the
candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out
of the other side thereof: 19 Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in
one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another
branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the
candlestick. 20 And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his
knops, and his flowers: 21 And a knop under two branches of the same, and a
knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the
same, according to the six branches going out of it. 22 Their knops and their
branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold. 23 And he
made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold. 24 Of a
talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof. 25 And he made the
incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a
cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof
were of the same. 26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the
sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of
gold round about. 27 And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown
thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the
staves to bear it withal. 28 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid
them with gold. 29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of
sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

Exodus 38
1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was

the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and
three cubits the height thereof. 2 And he made the horns thereof on the four
corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass. 3
And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the
basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of
brass. 4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass
thereof beneath unto the midst of it. 5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of
the grate of brass, to be places for the staves. 6 And he made the staves of shittim
wood, and overlaid them with brass. 7 And he put the staves into the rings on the
sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards. 8 And
he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of
the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. 9 And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings
of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits: 10 Their pillars were
twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets
were of silver. 11 And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits,
their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the
pillars and their fillets of silver. 12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty
cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their
fillets of silver. 13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits. 14 The hangings of
the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets
three. 15 And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand,
were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three. 16 All
the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen. 17 And the
sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of
silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the
court were filleted with silver. 18 And the hanging for the gate of the court was
needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty
cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable
to the hangings of the court. 19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets of
brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their
fillets of silver. 20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round
about, were of brass. 21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle
of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for
the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest. 22 And
Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the
LORD commanded Moses. 23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of
the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in
blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen. 24 All the gold that was
occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the
offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after
the shekel of the sanctuary. 25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the
congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and
threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 26 A bekah for
every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one
that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred
thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men. 27 And of the
hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets
of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket. 28
And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for
the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them. 29 And the brass of the
offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels. 30 And
therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar, 31
And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and
all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.

Exodus 39
1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do

service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD
commanded Moses. 2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and
scarlet, and fine twined linen. 3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and
cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and
in the fine linen, with cunning work. 4 They made shoulderpieces for it, to
couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together. 5 And the curious
girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work
thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the
LORD commanded Moses. 6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches
of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel. 7
And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a
memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. 8 And he
made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 9 It was foursquare; they made the
breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof,
being doubled. 10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a
sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. 11 And the second row,
an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate,
and an amethyst. 13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were
inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings. 14 And the stones were according
to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the
engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.
15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of

pure gold. 16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the
two rings in the two ends of the breastplate. 17 And they put the two wreathen
chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate. 18 And the two
ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them
on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it. 19 And they made two rings of
gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it,
which was on the side of the ephod inward. 20 And they made two other golden
rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the
forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of
the ephod. 21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the
ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod,
and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD
commanded Moses. 22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of
blue. 23 And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an
habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend. 24 And they
made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet,
and twined linen. 25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between
the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the
pomegranates; 26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round
about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses. 27
And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 28
And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of
fine twined linen, 29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and
scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And they made the
plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the
engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. 31 And they tied unto it a
lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded
Moses. 32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation
finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD
commanded Moses, so did they. 33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses,
the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and
his sockets, 34 And the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of
badgers’ skins, and the vail of the covering, 35 The ark of the testimony, and the
staves thereof, and the mercy seat, 36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and
the shewbread, 37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the
lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, 38 And
the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for
the tabernacle door, 39 The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all
his vessels, the laver and his foot, 40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and
his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the
vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, 41 The
cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron
the priest, and his sons’ garments, to minister in the priest’s office. 42 According
to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the
work. 43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as
the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.

Exodus 40
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 On the first day of the first

month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation. 3 And thou
shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail. 4 And
thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order
upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof. 5
And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the
testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle. 6 And thou shalt set
the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the
congregation. 7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation
and the altar, and shalt put water therein. 8 And thou shalt set up the court round
about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate. 9 And thou shalt take the
anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow
it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy. 10 And thou shalt anoint the
altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall
be an altar most holy. 11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and
sanctify it. 12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. 13 And thou shalt put
upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may
minister unto me in the priest’s office. 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and
clothe them with coats: 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their
father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing
shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 16 Thus
did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he. 17 And it
came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month,
that the tabernacle was reared up. 18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and
fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof,
and reared up his pillars. 19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle,
and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark,

and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 21 And he brought the ark into the
tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the
testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And he put the table in the tent
of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.
23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had

commanded Moses. 24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation,
over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward. 25 And he lighted
the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. 26 And he put the
golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail: 27 And he burnt sweet
incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses. 28 And he set up the hanging
at the door of the tabernacle. 29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door
of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt
offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And he set
the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there,
to wash withal. 31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and
their feet thereat: 32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when
they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses. 33
And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up
the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. 34 Then a cloud
covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the
tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,
because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the
tabernacle. 36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the
children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: 37 But if the cloud were not
taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. 38 For the
cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night,
in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

Leviticus 1
1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the

tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and
say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall
bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 3 If his
offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he
shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation before the LORD. 4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the
burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5
And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons,
shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 6 And he shall flay the burnt
offering, and cut it into his pieces. 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put
fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8 And the priests,
Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood
that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he
wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 10 And if his offering
be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he
shall bring it a male without blemish. 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the
altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle
his blood round about upon the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with
his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on
the fire which is upon the altar: 13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs
with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt
sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 14 And if
the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring
his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it
unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood
thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: 16 And he shall pluck away his
crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of
the ashes: 17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it
asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon
the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the LORD.

Leviticus 2
1 And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering

shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
2 And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his

handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense
thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: 3 And the remnant of
the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the
offerings of the LORD made by fire. 4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat
offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled
with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5 And if thy oblation be a meat
offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil. 6
Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering. 7 And if
thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine
flour with oil. 8 And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these
things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it
unto the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial
thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet
savour unto the LORD. 10 And that which is left of the meat offering shall be
Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made
by fire. 11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made
with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the
LORD made by fire. 12 As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them
unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour. 13
And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt
thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat
offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt. 14 And if thou offer a meat
offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering
of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full
ears. 15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat
offering. 16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn
thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an
offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Leviticus 3
1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the

herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the
LORD. 2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall
sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 3 And he shall offer of the
sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat
that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 4 And the two
kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above
the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. 5 And Aaron’s sons shall burn it
on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it
is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 6 And if his
offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or
female, he shall offer it without blemish. 7 If he offer a lamb for his offering,
then shall he offer it before the LORD. 8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head
of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s
sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar. 9 And he shall
offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the
LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the
backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the
inwards, 10 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the
flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. 11
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by
fire unto the LORD. 12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before
the LORD. 13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the
tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood
thereof upon the altar round about. 14 And he shall offer thereof his offering,
even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards,
and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is
upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys,
it shall he take away. 16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the
food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD’s. 17
It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings,
that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

Leviticus 4
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the
commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and
shall do against any of them: 3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to
the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a
young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering. 4 And he shall
bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the
LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock
before the LORD. 5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s
blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: 6 And the priest shall
dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the
LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary. 7 And the priest shall put some of the
blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in
the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at
the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the
bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that
is upon the inwards, 9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which
is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take
away, 10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings:
and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering. 11 And the
skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his
inwards, and his dung, 12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the
camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the
wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt. 13 And if the
whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from
the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the
commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and
are guilty; 14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the
congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the
tabernacle of the congregation. 15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay
their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall
be killed before the LORD. 16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the
bullock’s blood to the tabernacle of the congregation: 17 And the priest shall dip
his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD,
even before the vail. 18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the
altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and
shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which
is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 19 And he shall take all his
fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. 20 And he shall do with the bullock as he
did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest
shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. 21 And he shall
carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first
bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation. 22 When a ruler hath sinned, and
done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the
LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; 23 Or
if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his
offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: 24 And he shall lay his hand
upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt
offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering. 25 And the priest shall take of the
blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of
burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt
offering. 26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice
of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning
his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. 27 And if any one of the common people sin
through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments
of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 28 Or
if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his
offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath
sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay
the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering. 30 And the priest shall take of
the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt
offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the
sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet
savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it
shall be forgiven him. 32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring
it a female without blemish. 33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin
offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt
offering. 34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his
finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out
all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: 35 And he shall take away all the
fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace
offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the
offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement
for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

Leviticus 5
1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether

he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. 2
Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast,
or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it
be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty. 3 Or if he touch the
uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled
withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty. 4
Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good,
whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from
him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these. 5 And it shall
be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he
hath sinned in that thing: 6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the
LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid
of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him
concerning his sin. 7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for
his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons,
unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. 8 And
he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin
offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it
asunder: 9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of
the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it
is a sin offering. 10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according
to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which
he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. 11 But if he be not able to bring two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering
the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon
it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering. 12 Then
shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a
memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by
fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering. 13 And the priest shall make an
atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it
shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest’s, as a meat offering. 14
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin
through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his
trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy
estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass
offering: 16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy
thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the
priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and
it shall be forgiven him. 17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things
which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he
wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity. 18 And he shall bring a
ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering,
unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his
ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him. 19 It is a
trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.

Leviticus 6
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 If a soul sin, and commit a

trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was
delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or
hath deceived his neighbour; 3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth
concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning
therein: 4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall
restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully
gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he
found, 5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in
the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to
whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering. 6 And he shall bring his
trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with
thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: 7 And the priest shall
make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for
any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein. 8 And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, 9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of
the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar
all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it. 10 And
the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon
his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt
offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 11 And he shall put
off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without
the camp unto a clean place. 12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it;
it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and
lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the
peace offerings. 13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go
out. 14 And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it
before the LORD, before the altar. 15 And he shall take of it his handful, of the
flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which
is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour,
even the memorial of it, unto the LORD. 16 And the remainder thereof shall
Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place;
in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. 17 It shall not
be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings
made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.
18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute

for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire:
every one that toucheth them shall be holy. 19 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer
unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine
flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at
night. 21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring
it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet
savour unto the LORD. 22 And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead
shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt. 23
For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
24 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25 Speak unto Aaron and to his

sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt
offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most
holy. 26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be
eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation. 27 Whatsoever shall
touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood
thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the
holy place. 28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if
it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water. 29 All
the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy. 30 And no sin
offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the
congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be
burnt in the fire.

Leviticus 7
1 Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy. 2 In the

place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and
the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar. 3 And he shall
offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, 4
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the
caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away: 5 And the
priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the
LORD: it is a trespass offering. 6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof:
it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy. 7 As the sin offering is, so is
the trespass offering: there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement
therewith shall have it. 8 And the priest that offereth any man’s burnt offering,
even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath
offered. 9 And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is
dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest’s that offereth it. 10
And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron
have, one as much as another. 11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace
offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD. 12 If he offer it for a
thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened
cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes
mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried. 13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his
offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.
14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering

unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace
offerings. 15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving
shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the
morning. 16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering,
it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow
also the remainder of it shall be eaten: 17 But the remainder of the flesh of the
sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. 18 And if any of the flesh of the
sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be
accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an
abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity. 19 And the flesh
that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and
as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof. 20 But the soul that eateth of
the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having
his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. 21
Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man,
or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the
sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall
be cut off from his people. 22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Speak
unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of
sheep, or of goat. 24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that
which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise
eat of it. 25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an
offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off
from his people. 26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of
fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth
any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. 28 And the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring
his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings. 30 His own
hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast,
it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the
LORD. 31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be
Aaron’s and his sons’. 32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for
an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings. 33 He among the sons
of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have
the right shoulder for his part. 34 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder
have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace
offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a
statute for ever from among the children of Israel. 35 This is the portion of the
anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the
LORD made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the
LORD in the priest’s office; 36 Which the LORD commanded to be given them
of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever
throughout their generations. 37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat
offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the
consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; 38 Which the LORD
commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of
Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.

Leviticus 8
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Take Aaron and his sons with

him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering,
and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3 And gather thou all the
congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And
Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered
together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5 And Moses said
unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be
done. 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7
And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him
with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious
girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. 8 And he put the
breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his

forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded
Moses. 10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all
that was therein, and sanctified them. 11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar
seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot,
to sanctify them. 12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and
anointed him, to sanctify him. 13 And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and put coats
upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the
LORD commanded Moses. 14 And he brought the bullock for the sin offering:
and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin
offering. 15 And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns
of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the
blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.
16 And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver,

and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar. 17 But the
bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the
camp; as the LORD commanded Moses. 18 And he brought the ram for the burnt
offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 19
And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 20
And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and
the fat. 21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the
whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an
offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22 And
he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid
their hands upon the head of the ram. 23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the
blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of
his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. 24 And he brought
Aaron’s sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and
upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet:
and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 25 And he took the
fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above
the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: 26 And out of
the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one
unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the
fat, and upon the right shoulder: 27 And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon
his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD. 28 And
Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the
burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made
by fire unto the LORD. 29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave
offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses’ part; as
the LORD commanded Moses. 30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of
the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his
garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons’ garments with him; and
sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with
him. 31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the
basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire.

33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in

seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall
he consecrate you. 34 As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to
do, to make an atonement for you. 35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of
the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. 36 So Aaron and his sons did
all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Leviticus 9
1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his
sons, and the elders of Israel; 2 And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf
for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them
before the LORD. 3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying,
Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the
first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 4 Also a bullock and a ram for
peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with
oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you. 5 And they brought that which
Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the
congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. 6 And Moses said, This is
the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the
LORD shall appear unto you. 7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar,
and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for
thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an
atonement for them; as the LORD commanded. 8 Aaron therefore went unto the
altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9 And the sons
of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and
put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the
altar: 10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin
offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses. 11 And the
flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp. 12 And he slew the burnt
offering; and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled
round about upon the altar. 13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him,
with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar. 14 And
he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on
the altar. 15 And he brought the people’s offering, and took the goat, which was
the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first. 16
And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner. 17
And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon
the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning. 18 He slew also the bullock
and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and
Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar
round about, 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that
which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: 20
And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar: 21 And
the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the
LORD; as Moses commanded. 22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the
people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and
the burnt offering, and peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the
tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the
glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. 24 And there came a fire out
from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the
fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Leviticus 10
1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer,

and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the
LORD, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the
LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Then Moses said
unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them
that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held
his peace. 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the
uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before
the sanctuary out of the camp. 5 So they went near, and carried them in their
coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. 6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and
unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend
your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your
brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath
kindled. 7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And
they did according to the word of Moses. 8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron,
saying, 9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when
ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for
ever throughout your generations: 10 And that ye may put difference between
holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 11 And that ye may teach the
children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the
hand of Moses. 12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto
Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the
offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar:
for it is most holy: 13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due,
and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am
commanded. 14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean
place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and
thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the
children of Israel. 15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring
with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before
the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as
the LORD hath commanded. 16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin
offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar,
the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying, 17 Wherefore have ye not eaten
the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it
you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before
the LORD? 18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place:
ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded. 19 And Aaron
said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their
burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had
eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the
LORD? 20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.

Leviticus 11
 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, 2

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat
among all the beasts that are on the earth. 3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is
clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat. 4
Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that
divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the
hoof; he is unclean unto you. 5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but
divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 6 And the hare, because he
cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you. 7 And the
swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the
cud; he is unclean to you. 8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall
ye not touch; they are unclean to you. 9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the
waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the
rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and
in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in
the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11 They shall be even an
abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their
carcases in abomination. 12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that
shall be an abomination unto you. 13 And these are they which ye shall have in
abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination:
the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14 And the vulture, and the kite after
his kind; 15 Every raven after his kind; 16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and
the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 17 And the little owl, and the cormorant,
and the great owl, 18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 19 And
the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. 20 All fowls that
creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you. 21 Yet these may
ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs
above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 22 Even these of them ye may eat;
the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his
kind, and the grasshopper after his kind. 23 But all other flying creeping things,
which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you. 24 And for these ye shall
be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the
even. 25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his
clothes, and be unclean until the even. 26 The carcases of every beast which
divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto
you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean. 27 And whatsoever goeth
upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean
unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even. 28 And he
that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the
even: they are unclean unto you. 29 These also shall be unclean unto you among
the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the
tortoise after his kind, 30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and
the snail, and the mole. 31 These are unclean to you among all that creep:
whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be

unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack,

whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and
it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed. 33 And every earthen
vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye
shall break it. 34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water
cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel
shall be unclean. 35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth
shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken
down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you. 36 Nevertheless a
fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which
toucheth their carcase shall be unclean. 37 And if any part of their carcase fall
upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean. 38 But if any water
be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be
unclean unto you. 39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth
the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even. 40 And he that eateth of the
carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that
beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even. 41
And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it
shall not be eaten. 42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth
upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep
upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination. 43 Ye shall not
make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall
ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby. 44 For
I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be
holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 45 For I am the LORD that bringeth
you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I
am holy. 46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living
creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the
earth: 47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between
the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

Leviticus 12
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she
shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her
infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin
shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying
three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the
sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid
child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall
continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. 6 And when the
days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a
lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove,
for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the
priest: 7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her;
and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that
hath born a male or a female. 8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she
shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and
the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and
she shall be clean.

Leviticus 13
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 When a man shall

have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin
of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the
priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: 3 And the priest shall look on the
plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white,
and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of
leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean. 4 If the
bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the
skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him
that hath the plague seven days: 5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh
day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not
in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more: 6 And the priest
shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat
dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean:
it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. 7 But if the scab
spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his
cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again: 8 And if the priest see that, behold,
the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a
leprosy. 9 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto
the priest; 10 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in
the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the
rising; 11 It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall
pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean. 12 And if a
leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him
that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest
looketh; 13 Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have
covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all
turned white: he is clean. 14 But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be
unclean. 15 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be
unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy. 16 Or if the raw flesh turn
again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest; 17 And the
priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the
priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean. 18 The flesh
also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed, 19 And in the
place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat
reddish, and it be shewed to the priest; 20 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold,
it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest
shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil. 21
But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it
be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him
up seven days: 22 And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall
pronounce him unclean: it is a plague. 23 But if the bright spot stay in his place,
and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean. 24
Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick
flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white; 25 Then
the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned
white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the
burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of
leprosy. 26 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the
bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then
the priest shall shut him up seven days: 27 And the priest shall look upon him the
seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall
pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy. 28 And if the bright spot stay
in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of
the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation
of the burning. 29 If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;
30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than

the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard. 31 And if the
priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than
the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that
hath the plague of the scall seven days: 32 And in the seventh day the priest shall
look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no
yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin; 33 He shall be
shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath
the scall seven days more: 34 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the
scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper
than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his
clothes, and be clean. 35 But if the scall spread much in the skin after his
cleansing; 36 Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread
in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean. 37 But if the
scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the
scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean. 38 If a man
also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright
spots; 39 Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of
their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is
clean. 40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he
clean. 41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his
face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean. 42 And if there be in the bald head, or
bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or
his bald forehead. 43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising
of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the
leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; 44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean:
the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head. 45 And
the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and
he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean. 46 All
the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he
shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. 47 The garment also
that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen
garment; 48 Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether
in a skin, or in any thing made of skin; 49 And if the plague be greenish or
reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any
thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest: 50
And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague
seven days: 51 And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague
be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in
any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean. 52
He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in
linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it
shall be burnt in the fire. 53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague
be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of
skin; 54 Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the
plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more: 55 And the priest shall look on
the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed
his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the
fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without. 56 And if the priest
look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he
shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of
the woof: 57 And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the
woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that
wherein the plague is with fire. 58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or
whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed
from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean. 59 This is
the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the
warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it
unclean.

Leviticus 14
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 This shall be the law of the

leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: 3 And the
priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the
plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; 4 Then shall the priest command to take
for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and
scarlet, and hyssop: 5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be
killed in an earthen vessel over running water: 6 As for the living bird, he shall
take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them
and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven

times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the
open field. 8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off
all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he
shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days. 9 But
it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his
beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash
his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean. 10 And on
the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of
the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat
offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil. 11 And the priest that maketh him
clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the
LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 12 And the priest shall
take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and
wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: 13 And he shall slay the lamb
in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy
place: for as the sin offering is the priest’s, so is the trespass offering: it is most
holy: 14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and
the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed,
and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: 15
And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his
own left hand: 16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his
left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the
LORD: 17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon
the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his
right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass
offering: 18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall pour
upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an
atonement for him before the LORD. 19 And the priest shall offer the sin
offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his
uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: 20 And the priest shall
offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall
make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean. 21 And if he be poor, and
cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be
waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled
with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil; 22 And two turtledoves, or two
young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and
the other a burnt offering. 23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his
cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
before the LORD. 24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering,
and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the
LORD: 25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall
take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the
right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and
upon the great toe of his right foot: 26 And the priest shall pour of the oil into the
palm of his own left hand: 27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger
some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD: 28 And the
priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him
that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great
toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering: 29 And
the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put upon the head of him
that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD. 30 And
he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can
get; 31 Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for
a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement
for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD. 32 This is the law of him in
whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which
pertaineth to his cleansing. 33 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying, 34 When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a
possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your
possession; 35 And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest,
saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house: 36 Then the
priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see
the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the
priest shall go in to see the house: 37 And he shall look on the plague, and,
behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or
reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall; 38 Then the priest shall go out of
the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days: 39 And the
priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague
be spread in the walls of the house; 40 Then the priest shall command that they
take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an
unclean place without the city: 41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped
within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without
the city into an unclean place: 42 And they shall take other stones, and put them
in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the
house. 43 And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he
hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is
plaistered; 44 Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be
spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean. 45 And he
shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the
morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean
place. 46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up
shall be unclean until the even. 47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his
clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes. 48 And if the priest
shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the
house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house
clean, because the plague is healed. 49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two
birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 50 And he shall kill the one of the
birds in an earthen vessel over running water: 51 And he shall take the cedar
wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the
blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven
times: 52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the
running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the
hyssop, and with the scarlet: 53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city
into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.
54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall, 55 And for the

leprosy of a garment, and of a house, 56 And for a rising, and for a scab, and for
a bright spot: 57 To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law
of leprosy.

Leviticus 15
 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 Speak unto the

children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of
his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. 3 And this shall be his uncleanness
in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his
issue, it is his uncleanness. 4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is
unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. 5 And whosoever
toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until the even. 6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath
the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until
the even. 7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 8 And if he
that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 9 And what saddle soever
he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. 10 And whosoever toucheth
any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth
any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until the even. 11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and
hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and be unclean until the even. 12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth
which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in
water. 13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall
number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe
his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. 14 And on the eighth day he shall
take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the
priest: 15 And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other
for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the
LORD for his issue. 16 And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him,
then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. 17 And
every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be
washed with water, and be unclean until the even. 18 The woman also with
whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in
water, and be unclean until the even. 19 And if a woman have an issue, and her
issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever
toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20 And every thing that she lieth
upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon
shall be unclean. 21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and
bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22 And whosoever
toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and be unclean until the even. 23 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing
whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. 24
And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be
unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. 25 And if a
woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation,
or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her
uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. 26 Every
bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her
separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness
of her separation. 27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and
shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven

days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 And on the eighth day she shall take
unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 30 And the priest shall offer the one
for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an
atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness. 31 Thus
shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not
in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. 32 This
is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and
is defiled therewith; 33 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that
hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is
unclean.

Leviticus 16
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of

Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; 2 And the LORD said
unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the
holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he
die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 3 Thus shall Aaron
come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a
burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen
breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the
linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash
his flesh in water, and so put them on. 5 And he shall take of the congregation of
the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a
burnt offering. 6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is
for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. 7 And he
shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats;
one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall
bring the goat upon which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive

before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a
scapegoat into the wilderness. 11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin
offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for
his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: 12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before
the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within
the vail: 13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the
cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he
die not: 14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his
finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle
of the blood with his finger seven times. 15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin
offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with
that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy
seat, and before the mercy seat: 16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy
place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their
transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the
congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17
And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth
in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an
atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of
Israel. 18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make
an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood
of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 19 And he shall
sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and
hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. 20 And when he hath
made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 21 And Aaron shall lay
both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the
iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins,
putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a
fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their
iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put

off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and
shall leave them there: 24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy
place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and
the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the
people. 25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. 26 And he
that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in
water, and afterward come into the camp. 27 And the bullock for the sin offering,
and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement
in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in
the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. 28 And he that burneth them
shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come
into the camp. 29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh
month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work
at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth
among you: 30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to
cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. 31 It shall
be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to

minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and
shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: 33 And he shall make an
atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the
tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement
for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 34 And this shall be an
everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for
all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

Leviticus 17
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto

his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing
which the LORD hath commanded, saying, 3 What man soever there be of the
house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it
out of the camp, 4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the
LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man
shall be cut off from among his people: 5 To the end that the children of Israel
may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may
bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD. 6 And the
priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the
LORD. 7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom
they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout
their generations. 8 And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of
the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a
burnt offering or sacrifice, 9 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off
from among his people. 10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel,
or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I
will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off
from among his people. 11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have
given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the
blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 12 Therefore I said unto the
children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that
sojourneth among you eat blood. 13 And whatsoever man there be of the children
of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth
any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof,
and cover it with dust. 14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life
thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no
manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it
shall be cut off. 15 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that
which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger,
he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until
the even: then shall he be clean. 16 But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh;
then he shall bear his iniquity.

Leviticus 18
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. 3 After the doings of the
land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land
of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their
ordinances. 4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk
therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my
judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. 6 None of
you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I
am the LORD. 7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother,
shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 8
The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s
nakedness. 9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter
of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their
nakedness thou shalt not uncover. 10 The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of
thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs
is thine own nakedness. 11 The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter,
begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 12
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s
near kinswoman. 13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister:
for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman. 14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness
of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt. 15
Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s
wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. 16 Thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. 17 Thou shalt not
uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her
son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they
are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. 18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her
sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. 19
Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as
she is put apart for her uncleanness. 20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with
thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her. 21 And thou shalt not let any of
thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of
thy God: I am the LORD. 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with
womankind: it is abomination. 23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile
thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down
thereto: it is confusion. 24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in
all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 25 And the land is
defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself
vomiteth out her inhabitants. 26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my
judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your
own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 27 (For all these
abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the
land is defiled;) 28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it
spued out the nations that were before you. 29 For whosoever shall commit any
of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from
among their people. 30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit
not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you,
and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the

congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I
the LORD your God am holy. 3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his
father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. 4 Turn ye not unto
idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God. 5 And if
ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your
own will. 6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if
ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire. 7 And if it be eaten
at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted. 8 Therefore
every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the
hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his
people. 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap
the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10
And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of
thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD
your God. 11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 12
And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name
of thy God: I am the LORD. 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob
him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the
morning. 14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the
blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness
in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person
of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour. 16 Thou shalt
not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand
against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD. 17 Thou shalt not hate thy
brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not
suffer sin upon him. 18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the
children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the
LORD. 19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a
diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a
garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. 20 And whosoever lieth
carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at
all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put
to death, because she was not free. 21 And he shall bring his trespass offering
unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram
for a trespass offering. 22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with
the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done:
and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him. 23 And when ye shall
come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye
shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as
uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of. 24 But in the fourth year all the
fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal. 25 And in the fifth year
shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I
am the LORD your God. 26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither
shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times. 27 Ye shall not round the corners of
your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard. 28 Ye shall not make
any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the
LORD. 29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the
land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. 30 Ye shall keep
my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. 31 Regard not them
that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am
the LORD your God. 32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the
face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. 33 And if a stranger
sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. 34 But the stranger that
dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love
him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your
God. 35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or
in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye
have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. 37
Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I
am the LORD.

Leviticus 20
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Again, thou shalt say to the
children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers
that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be
put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 And I will set
my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because
he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my
holy name. 4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the
man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: 5 Then I will set
my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all
that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among
their people. 6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and
after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that
soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 7 Sanctify yourselves
therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. 8 And ye shall keep my
statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you. 9 For every one that
curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his
father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. 10 And the man that
committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery
with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to
death. 11 And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s
nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon
them. 12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be
put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them. 13 If a
man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be
upon them. 14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they
shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among
you. 15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall
slay the beast. 16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto,
thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their
blood shall be upon them. 17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father’s
daughter, or his mother’s daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his
nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their
people: he hath uncovered his sister’s nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity. 18
And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her
nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain
of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people. 19 And
thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister, nor of thy father’s
sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity. 20 And if a
man shall lie with his uncle’s wife, he hath uncovered his uncle’s nakedness:
they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. 21 And if a man shall take his
brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness;
they shall be childless. 22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my
judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue
you not out. 23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast
out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred
them. 24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it
unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD
your God, which have separated you from other people. 25 Ye shall therefore put
difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and
clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by
any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated
from you as unclean. 26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy,
and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine. 27 A man also
or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to
death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.

Leviticus 21
1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron,

and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people: 2
But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father,
and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother, 3 And for his sister a
virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be
defiled. 4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to
profane himself. 5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall
they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh. 6
They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the
offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer:
therefore they shall be holy. 7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or
profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is
holy unto his God. 8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread
of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am
holy. 9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the
whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire. 10 And he that is the
high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured,
and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor
rend his clothes; 11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself
for his father, or for his mother; 12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor
profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is
upon him: I am the LORD. 13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity. 14 A
widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take:
but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife. 15 Neither shall he profane
his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him. 16 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy
seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the
bread of his God. 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not
approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing
superfluous, 19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 20 Or
crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or
scabbed, or hath his stones broken; 21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of
Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by
fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 22
He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 Only
he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a
blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them. 24
And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.

Leviticus 22
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto Aaron and to his

sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel,
and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto
me: I am the LORD. 3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among
your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel
hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut
off from my presence: I am the LORD. 4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron
is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be
clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man
whose seed goeth from him; 5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing,
whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness,
whatsoever uncleanness he hath; 6 The soul which hath touched any such shall
be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his
flesh with water. 7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall
afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food. 8 That which dieth of
itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the
LORD. 9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and
die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them. 10 There shall no
stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall
not eat of the holy thing. 11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he
shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat. 12 If the
priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering
of the holy things. 13 But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and
have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall
eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof. 14 And if a man
eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it,
and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing. 15 And they shall not profane
the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; 16 Or
suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I
the LORD do sanctify them. 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18
Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say
unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel,
that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings,
which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; 19 Ye shall offer at
your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the
goats. 20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be
acceptable for you. 21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto
the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it
shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. 22 Blind, or
broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer
these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto
the LORD. 23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or
lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow
it shall not be accepted. 24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is
bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof
in your land. 25 Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your
God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in
them: they shall not be accepted for you. 26 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be
seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be
accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28 And whether it be cow
or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day. 29 And when ye will
offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will. 30 On
the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am
the LORD. 31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the
LORD. 32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among
the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, 33 That brought you out
of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 23
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall
proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. 3 Six days shall
work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye
shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings. 4
These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall
proclaim in their seasons. 5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the
LORD’s passover. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of
unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. 7 In
the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work
therein. 8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days:
in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 9
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel,
and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and
shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your
harvest unto the priest: 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be
accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 And
ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the
first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD. 13 And the meat offering thereof
shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire
unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of
wine, the fourth part of an hin. 14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched
corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto
your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your
dwellings. 15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath,
from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall
be complete: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number
fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD. 17 Ye shall
bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of
fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the
LORD. 18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the
first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt
offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even
an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD. 19 Then ye shall
sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year
for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 And the priest shall wave them with the
bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs:
they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. 21 And ye shall proclaim on the
selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile
work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your
generations. 22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make
clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou
gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to
the stranger: I am the LORD your God. 23 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the
first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of
trumpets, an holy convocation. 25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye
shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 26 And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, 27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be
a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict
your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28 And ye shall
do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement
for you before the LORD your God. 29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be
afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30 And
whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I
destroy from among his people. 31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a
statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32 It shall be
unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the
month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. 33 And the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven
days unto the LORD. 35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall
do no servile work therein. 36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire
unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye
shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and
ye shall do no servile work therein. 37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which
ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto
the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,
every thing upon his day: 38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your
gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye
give unto the LORD. 39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye
have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven
days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of

palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall
rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. 41 And ye shall keep it a feast
unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your
generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Ye shall dwell in
booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 43 That your
generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when
I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 44 And
Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

Leviticus 24
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of

Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the
lamps to burn continually. 3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle
of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning
before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. 4
He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD
continually. 5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two
tenth deals shall be in one cake. 6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a
row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 7 And thou shalt put pure
frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an
offering made by fire unto the LORD. 8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order
before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an
everlasting covenant. 9 And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it
in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made
by fire by a perpetual statute. 10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose
father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of
the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; 11 And the
Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And
they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the
daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) 12 And they put him in ward, that the
mind of the LORD might be shewed them. 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that
heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth

his God shall bear his sin. 16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he
shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as
well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name
of the LORD, shall be put to death. 17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be
put to death. 18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast. 19
And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be
done to him; 20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused
a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21 And he that killeth a
beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. 22 Ye
shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own
country: for I am the LORD your God. 23 And Moses spake to the children of
Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and
stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded
Moses.

Leviticus 25
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, 2 Speak unto

the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I
give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD. 3 Six years thou
shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the
fruit thereof; 4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a
sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. 5
That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither
gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land. 6
And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant,
and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth
with thee, 7 And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the
increase thereof be meat. 8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto
thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall
be unto thee forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the
jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement
shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. 10 And ye shall hallow
the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the
inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man
unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. 11 A jubile
shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which
groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. 12 For it
is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the
field. 13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
14 And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s

hand, ye shall not oppress one another: 15 According to the number of years after
the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of
years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: 16 According to the multitude of years
thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou
shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the
fruits doth he sell unto thee. 17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but
thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God. 18 Wherefore ye shall do
my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land
in safety. 19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and
dwell therein in safety. 20 And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh
year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: 21 Then I will
command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for
three years. 22 And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the
ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store. 23 The land shall
not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with
me. 24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the
land. 25 If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his
possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that
which his brother sold. 26 And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be
able to redeem it; 27 Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore
the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his
possession. 28 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold
shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in
the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. 29 And if a man
sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year
after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it. 30 And if it be not redeemed
within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be
established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not
go out in the jubile. 31 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round
about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed,
and they shall go out in the jubile. 32 Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites,
and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any
time. 33 And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and
the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubile: for the houses of the
cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. 34 But the
field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual
possession. 35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee;
then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he
may live with thee. 36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God;
that thy brother may live with thee. 37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon
usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. 38 I am the LORD your God, which
brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and
to be your God. 39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and
be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 40 But as
an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee
unto the year of jubile: 41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his
children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession
of his fathers shall he return. 42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth
out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. 43 Thou shalt not
rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God. 44 Both thy bondmen, and thy
bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about
you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. 45 Moreover of the children
of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their
families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your
possession. 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after
you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but
over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with
rigour. 47 And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that
dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by
thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family: 48 After that he is sold he may be
redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: 49 Either his uncle, or his
uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family
may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself. 50 And he shall
reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the
year of jubile: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of
years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him. 51 If there be
yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his
redemption out of the money that he was bought for. 52 And if there remain but
few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according
unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. 53 And as a
yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour
over him in thy sight. 54 And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall
go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him. 55 For unto me
the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out
of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 26
1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a

standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow
down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. 2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and
reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. 3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep
my commandments, and do them; 4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and
the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5
And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto
the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land
safely. 6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall
make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword
go through your land. 7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall
before you by the sword. 8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an
hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall
before you by the sword. 9 For I will have respect unto you, and make you
fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you. 10 And ye shall
eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new. 11 And I will set my
tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk
among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people. 13 I am the LORD
your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not
be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go
upright. 14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these
commandments; 15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my
judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my
covenant: 16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror,
consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause
sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies:

they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth
you. 18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you
seven times more for your sins. 19 And I will break the pride of your power; and
I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: 20 And your strength
shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the
trees of the land yield their fruits. 21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will
not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according
to your sins. 22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of
your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your
high ways shall be desolate. 23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these
things, but will walk contrary unto me; 24 Then will I also walk contrary unto
you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins. 25 And I will bring a
sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are
gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and
ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. 26 And when I have broken the
staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall
deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. 27
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; 28
Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you
seven times for your sins. 29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh
of your daughters shall ye eat. 30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut
down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and
my soul shall abhor you. 31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your
sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell

therein shall be astonished at it. 33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and
will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities
waste. 34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and
ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her
sabbaths. 35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in
your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it. 36 And upon them that are left alive of you
I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the
sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a
sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. 37 And they shall fall one upon
another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no
power to stand before your enemies. 38 And ye shall perish among the heathen,
and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. 39 And they that are left of you
shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities
of their fathers shall they pine away with them. 40 If they shall confess their
iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they
trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; 41 And
that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land
of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then
accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 42 Then will I remember my covenant
with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with
Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. 43 The land also shall
be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without
them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even
because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my
statutes. 44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will
not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to
break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God. 45 But I will for
their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out
of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am
the LORD. 46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD
made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of
Moses.

Leviticus 27
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons
shall be for the LORD by thy estimation. 3 And thy estimation shall be of the
male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall
be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary. 4 And if it be a
female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels. 5 And if it be from five years
old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty
shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 6 And if it be from a month old even unto
five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and
for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver. 7 And if it be from
sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen
shekels, and for the female ten shekels. 8 But if he be poorer than thy estimation,
then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him;
according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him. 9 And if it be a
beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of
such unto the LORD shall be holy. 10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good
for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it
and the exchange thereof shall be holy. 11 And if it be any unclean beast, of
which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the
beast before the priest: 12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad:
as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be. 13 But if he will at all redeem
it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation. 14 And when a man
shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate
it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand. 15
And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part
of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his. 16 And if a man shall
sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy
estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall
be valued at fifty shekels of silver. 17 If he sanctify his field from the year of
jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand. 18 But if he sanctify his field
after the jubile, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the
years that remain, even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy
estimation. 19 And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then
he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be
assured to him. 20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field
to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more. 21 But the field, when it goeth
out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession
thereof shall be the priest’s. 22 And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field
which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession; 23 Then the
priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of
the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the
LORD. 24 In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of whom it was
bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong. 25 And all
thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs
shall be the shekel. 26 Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the
LORD’s firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the
LORD’s. 27 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to
thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed,
then it shall be sold according to thy estimation. 28 Notwithstanding no devoted
thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man
and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every
devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD. 29 None devoted, which shall be
devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death. 30 And all
the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is
the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD. 31 And if a man will at all redeem ought
of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof. 32 And concerning the
tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the
tenth shall be holy unto the LORD. 33 He shall not search whether it be good or
bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the
change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. 34 These are the
commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel
in mount Sinai.

Numbers 1
 1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the

tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the
second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 Take ye the
sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the
house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls;
3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel:

thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. 4 And with you there shall be
a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers. 5 And these are
the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the
son of Shedeur. 6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 7 Of Judah;
Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 9 Of
Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon. 10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim;
Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 11
Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni. 12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of
Ammishaddai. 13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran. 14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son
of Deuel. 15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan. 16 These were the renowned of
the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in
Israel. 17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their
names: 18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of
the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the
house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years
old and upward, by their polls. 19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he
numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai. 20 And the children of Reuben,
Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 21 Those that
were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six
thousand and five hundred. 22 Of the children of Simeon, by their generations,
after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of
them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 23 Those that
were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine
thousand and three hundred. 24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after
their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the
names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and

five thousand six hundred and fifty. 26 Of the children of Judah, by their
generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the
number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah,
were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred. 28 Of the children of
Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all
that were able to go forth to war; 29 Those that were numbered of them, even of
the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred. 30 Of the
children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of
their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 31 Those that were numbered of
them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four
hundred. 32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by
their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to
the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able
to go forth to war; 33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of
Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred. 34 Of the children of Manasseh,
by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according
to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were
able to go forth to war; 35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 36 Of the children
of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and
upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 37 Those that were numbered of
them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four
hundred. 38 Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by
the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty
years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 39 Those that were
numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand
and seven hundred. 40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names,
from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 41 Those
that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one
thousand and five hundred. 42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their
generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the
number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali,
were fifty and three thousand and four hundred. 44 These are those that were
numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being
twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers. 45 So were all those that
were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 46
Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand
and five hundred and fifty. 47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were
not numbered among them. 48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 49
Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them
among the children of Israel: 50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the
tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that
belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they
shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. 51 And when
the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the
tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that
cometh nigh shall be put to death. 52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their
tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard,
throughout their hosts. 53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle
of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of
Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony. 54
And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded
Moses, so did they.

Numbers 2
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Every man of

the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their
father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch. 3
And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the
camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of
Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah. 4 And his host, and those
that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six
hundred. 5 And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar:
and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar. 6 And
his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and
four hundred. 7 Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be
captain of the children of Zebulun. 8 And his host, and those that were numbered
thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred. 9 All that were
numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore
thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These
shall first set forth. 10 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of
Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall
be Elizur the son of Shedeur. 11 And his host, and those that were numbered
thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred. 12 And those which pitch
by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon
shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 13 And his host, and those that were
numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred. 14 Then the
tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of
Reuel. 15 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and
five thousand and six hundred and fifty. 16 All that were numbered in the camp
of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four
hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second
rank. 17 Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp
of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set
forward, every man in his place by their standards. 18 On the west side shall be
the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of
the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud. 19 And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred. 20 And
by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of
Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 21 And his host, and those that
were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred. 22 Then
the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan
the son of Gideoni. 23 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were
thirty and five thousand and four hundred. 24 All that were numbered of the
camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred,
throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank. 25 The
standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the
captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And
his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two
thousand and seven hundred. 27 And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe
of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of
Ocran. 28 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and
one thousand and five hundred. 29 Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of
the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan. 30 And his host, and
those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four
hundred. 31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred
thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost
with their standards. 32 These are those which were numbered of the children of
Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps
throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five
hundred and fifty. 33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of
Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses. 34 And the children of Israel did
according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their
standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to
the house of their fathers.

Numbers 3
1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the

LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons
of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the
names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he
consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. 4 And Nadab and Abihu died before
the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of
Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the
priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father. 5 And the LORD spake unto
Moses, saying, 6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the
priest, that they may minister unto him. 7 And they shall keep his charge, and the
charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to
do the service of the tabernacle. 8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the
service of the tabernacle. 9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his
sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 10 And thou
shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and
the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 11 And the LORD spake unto
Moses, saying, 12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the
children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the
children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 13 Because all the firstborn
are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I
hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they
be: I am the LORD. 14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of
Sinai, saying, 15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by
their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was

commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and
Kohath, and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their
families; Libni, and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families;
Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their
families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to
the house of their fathers. 21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the
family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. 22 Those that
were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month
old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand
and five hundred. 23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the
tabernacle westward. 24 And the chief of the house of the father of the
Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25 And the charge of the sons of
Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the
tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, 26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of
the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords
of it for all the service thereof. 27 And of Kohath was the family of the
Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites,
and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites. 28 In
the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand
and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. 29 The families of the sons
of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. 30 And the chief of
the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the
son of Uzziel. 31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the
candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they
minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof. 32 And Eleazar the son of
Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the
oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary. 33 Of Merari was the
family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of
Merari. 34 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all
the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred. 35
And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the
son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward. 36 And
under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the
tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof,
and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, 37 And the pillars of the
court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords. 38 But those
that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of
the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the
charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger
that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 39 All that were numbered of the Levites,
which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD,
throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were
twenty and two thousand. 40 And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the
firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and
take the number of their names. 41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am
the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle
of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of
Israel. 42 And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn
among the children of Israel. 43 And all the firstborn males by the number of
names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them,
were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen. 44 And
the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Take the Levites instead of all the
firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of
their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. 46 And for those that
are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the
firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; 47 Thou shalt
even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt
thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) 48 And thou shalt give the money,
wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his
sons. 49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and
above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 50 Of the firstborn of the children
of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 51 And Moses gave the money of them
that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the
LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 4
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum

of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the
house of their fathers, 3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years
old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the
congregation. 4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle
of the congregation, about the most holy things: 5 And when the camp setteth
forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering
vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: 6 And shall put thereon the covering
of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in
the staves thereof. 7 And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of
blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to
cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: 8 And they shall spread
upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’
skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue,
and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his
snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 10
And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers’
skins, and shall put it upon a bar. 11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread
a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to
the staves thereof: 12 And they shall take all the instruments of ministry,
wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and
cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar: 13
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth
thereon: 14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they
minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the
basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of
badgers’ skins, and put to the staves of it. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have
made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as
the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it:
but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden
of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. 16 And to the office
of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the
sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the
oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in
the vessels thereof. 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
18 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the

Levites: 19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they
approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint
them every one to his service and to his burden: 20 But they shall not go in to see
when the holy things are covered, lest they die. 21 And the LORD spake unto
Moses, saying, 22 Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the
houses of their fathers, by their families; 23 From thirty years old and upward
until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the
service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. 24 This is the
service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: 25 And they
shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation,
his covering, and the covering of the badgers’ skins that is above upon it, and the
hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 26 And the hangings
of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the
tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments
of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve. 27 At the
appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the
Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint
unto them in charge all their burdens. 28 This is the service of the families of the
sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 29 As for the sons of
Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number

them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of
the congregation. 31 And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their
service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and
the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, 32 And the pillars of
the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all
their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the
instruments of the charge of their burden. 33 This is the service of the families of
the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the
congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 34 And
Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the
Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers, 35 From thirty
years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the
service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation: 36 And those that
were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and
fifty. 37 These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites,
all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and
Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of
Moses. 38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout
their families, and by the house of their fathers, 39 From thirty years old and
upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the
work in the tabernacle of the congregation, 40 Even those that were numbered of
them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand
and six hundred and thirty. 41 These are they that were numbered of the families
of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the
congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the
commandment of the LORD. 42 And those that were numbered of the families of
the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, 43
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that
entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, 44
Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand
and two hundred. 45 These be those that were numbered of the families of the
sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the
LORD by the hand of Moses. 46 All those that were numbered of the Levites,
whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families,
and after the house of their fathers, 47 From thirty years old and upward even
unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and
the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, 48 Even those that
were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. 49
According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand
of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus
were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 5
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of
Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue,
and whosoever is defiled by the dead: 3 Both male and female shall ye put out,
without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst
whereof I dwell. 4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the
camp: as the LORD spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel. 5 And the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a
man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against
the LORD, and that person be guilty; 7 Then they shall confess their sin which
they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof,
and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath
trespassed. 8 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let
the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram
of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him. 9 And every
offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the
priest, shall be his. 10 And every man’s hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever
any man giveth the priest, it shall be his. 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man’s
wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him, 13 And a man lie with her
carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she
be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the
manner; 14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his
wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be
jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled: 15 Then shall the man bring his wife
unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah
of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is
an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to
remembrance. 16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the
LORD: 17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the
dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the
water: 18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the
woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the
jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that
causeth the curse: 19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the
woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to
uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter
water that causeth the curse: 20 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of
thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside
thine husband: 21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of
cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse
and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and
thy belly to swell; 22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy
bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall
say, Amen, amen. 23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he
shall blot them out with the bitter water: 24 And he shall cause the woman to
drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse
shall enter into her, and become bitter. 25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy
offering out of the woman’s hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD,
and offer it upon the altar: 26 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering,
even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause
the woman to drink the water. 27 And when he hath made her to drink the water,
then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against
her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and
become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman
shall be a curse among her people. 28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be
clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed. 29 This is the law of
jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is
defiled; 30 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous
over his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall
execute upon her all this law. 31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity,
and this woman shall bear her iniquity.
 Numbers 6
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves
to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: 3 He shall
separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine,
or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat
moist grapes, or dried. 4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is
made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. 5 All the days of the
vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be
fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy,
and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 6 All the days that he
separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. 7 He shall not
make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his
sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. 8 All
the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. 9 And if any man die very
suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall
shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. 10
And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the
priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 11 And the priest shall
offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an
atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that
same day. 12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation,
and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that
were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. 13 And this is the
law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be
brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 14 And he shall offer
his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a
burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin
offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 15 And a basket of
unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened
bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. 16 And
the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and
his burnt offering: 17 And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings
unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also
his meat offering, and his drink offering. 18 And the Nazarite shall shave the
head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall
take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under
the sacrifice of the peace offerings. 19 And the priest shall take the sodden
shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one
unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the
hair of his separation is shaven: 20 And the priest shall wave them for a wave
offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and
heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. 21 This is the law of
the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his
separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he
vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation. 22 And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise
ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24 The LORD bless thee,
and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious
unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.

Numbers 7
1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle,

and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the
altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; 2
That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the
princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: 3 And
they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve
oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought
them before the tabernacle. 4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5 Take it
of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation;
and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. 7

Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their
service: 8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari,
according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the
priest. 9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the
sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders. 10
And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed,
even the princes offered their offering before the altar. 11 And the LORD said
unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the
dedicating of the altar. 12 And he that offered his offering the first day was
Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: 13 And his offering was
one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one
silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them
were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 14 One spoon of ten
shekels of gold, full of incense: 15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: 16 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 17 And
for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 18 On
the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer: 19 He
offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred
and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the
sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 20
One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense: 21 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 22 One kid of the goats for a
sin offering: 23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five
he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son
of Zuar. 24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of
Zebulun, did offer: 25 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof
was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the
shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: 26 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 27 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 28 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 29 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen,
five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of
Eliab the son of Helon. 30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of
the children of Reuben, did offer: 31 His offering was one silver charger of the
weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after
the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: 32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 33 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 34 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 35 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen,
five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of
Elizur the son of Shedeur. 36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai,
prince of the children of Simeon, did offer: 37 His offering was one silver
charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl
of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine
flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 38 One golden spoon of ten shekels,
full of incense: 39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a
burnt offering: 40 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 41 And for a sacrifice of
peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year:
this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 42 On the sixth day
Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered: 43 His offering
was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of
fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 44 One golden spoon of ten
shekels, full of incense: 45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first
year, for a burnt offering: 46 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 47 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the
first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 48 On the seventh
day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered: 49
His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and
thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the
sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 50
One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 51 One young bullock, one ram,
one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 52 One kid of the goats for a sin
offering: 53 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he
goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of
Ammihud. 54 On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of
the children of Manasseh: 55 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of
an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the
shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering: 56 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 57 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 58 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen,
five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of
Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni,
prince of the children of Benjamin, offered: 61 His offering was one silver
charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl
of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine
flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 62 One golden spoon of ten shekels,
full of incense: 63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a
burnt offering: 64 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 65 And for a sacrifice of
peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year:
this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni. 66 On the tenth day Ahiezer
the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered: 67 His offering
was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels,
one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 68 One golden spoon
of ten shekels, full of incense: 69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the
first year, for a burnt offering: 70 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 71 And
for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs
of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 72 On
the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher,
offered: 73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an
hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel
of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: 74 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 75 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 76 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen,
five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of
Pagiel the son of Ocran. 78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of
the children of Naphtali, offered: 79 His offering was one silver charger, the
weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled
with oil for a meat offering: 80 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense:
81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 82

One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 83 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings,
two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the
offering of Ahira the son of Enan. 84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the
day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver,
twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold: 85 Each charger of silver weighing
an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed
two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 86 The
golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after
the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty
shekels. 87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams
twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids
of the goats for sin offering twelve. 88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the
peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty,
the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it
was anointed. 89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the
congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto
him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between
the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

Numbers 8
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto Aaron, and say

unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over
against the candlestick. 3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over
against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses. 4 And this work of the
candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof,
was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed
Moses, so he made the candlestick. 5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 7 And

thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon
them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so
make themselves clean. 8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat
offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou
take for a sin offering. 9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of
the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of
Israel together: 10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the
children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 11 And Aaron shall offer
the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they
may execute the service of the LORD. 12 And the Levites shall lay their hands
upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering,
and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the
Levites. 13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and
offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 14 Thus shalt thou separate the
Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And
after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 16 For
they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such
as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel,
have I taken them unto me. 17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are
mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of
Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the
firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to
Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the
children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an
atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children
of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. 20 And
Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the
Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the
Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. 21 And the Levites were purified,
and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the
LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And after
that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation
before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses
concerning the Levites, so did they unto them. 23 And the LORD spake unto
Moses, saying, 24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five
years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle
of the congregation: 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting
upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 26 But shall minister with their
brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do
no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

Numbers 9
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first

month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. 3 In

the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed
season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies
thereof, shall ye keep it. 4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they
should keep the passover. 5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of
the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD
commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. 6 And there were certain men,
who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the
passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
7 And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man:

wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in
his appointed season among the children of Israel? 8 And Moses said unto them,
Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. 9 And
the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel,
saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a
dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the
LORD. 11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and
eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They shall leave none of it unto
the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the
passover they shall keep it. 13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey,
and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from
among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his
appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 14 And if a stranger shall sojourn
among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the
ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do:
ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in
the land. 15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered
the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the
tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. 16 So it was
alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And
when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of
Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of
Israel pitched their tents. 18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of
Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as
the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. 19 And when the
cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept
the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 20 And so it was, when the cloud
was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the
LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the
LORD they journeyed. 21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto
the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they
journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they
journeyed. 22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud
tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in
their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. 23 At
the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the
commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD,
at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

Numbers 10
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of

silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the
calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they
shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one
trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather
themselves unto thee. 5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the
east parts shall go forward. 6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the
camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm
for their journeys. 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye
shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests,
shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever
throughout your generations. 9 And if ye go to war in your land against the
enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and
ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from
your enemies. 10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and
in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your
burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be
to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God. 11 And it
came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that
the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 12 And the
children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the
cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran. 13 And they first took their journey
according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 14 In the
first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to
their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab. 15 And over
the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar. 16
And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of
Helon. 17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the
sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle. 18 And the standard of the
camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was
Elizur the son of Shedeur. 19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of
Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 20 And over the host of the tribe
of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel. 21 And the Kohathites set
forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against
they came. 22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set
forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of
Ammihud. 23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was
Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur. 24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of
Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni. 25 And the standard of the camp of the
children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout
their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. 26 And over
the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran. 27 And
over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies,

when they set forward. 29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the
Midianite, Moses’ father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the
LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for
the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel. 30 And he said unto him, I will
not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred. 31 And he said,
Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in
the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes. 32 And it shall be, if
thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us,
the same will we do unto thee. 33 And they departed from the mount of the
LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went
before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them. 34
And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the
camp. 35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up,
LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before
thee. 36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands
of Israel.

Numbers 11
 Numbers 11
1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD

heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them,
and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. 2 And the
people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was
quenched. 3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the
LORD burnt among them. 4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a
lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us
flesh to eat? 5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the
cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6 But
now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our
eyes. 7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the
colour of bdellium. 8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it
in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the
taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in
the night, the manna fell upon it. 10 Then Moses heard the people weep
throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the
LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 11 And Moses said unto
the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not
found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest

say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking
child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 13 Whence should I
have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us
flesh, that we may eat. 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is
too heavy for me. 15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of
hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness. 16
And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of
Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them;
and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there
with thee. 17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of
the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the
burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. 18 And say
thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat
flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh
to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh,
and ye shall eat. 19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither
ten days, nor twenty days; 20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your
nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD
which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out
of Egypt? 21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred
thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a
whole month. 22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them?
or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 23
And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD’s hand waxed short? thou shalt
see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not. 24 And Moses
went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy
men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. 25 And
the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that
was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that,
when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. 26 But
there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and
the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of
them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied
in the camp. 27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and
Medad do prophesy in the camp. 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of
Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the

LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon
them! 30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel. 31 And
there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let
them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a
day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits
high upon the face of the earth. 32 And the people stood up all that day, and all
that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered
least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round
about the camp. 33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was
chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD
smote the people with a very great plague. 34 And he called the name of that
place Kibroth-hattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted. 35 And
the people journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at
Hazeroth.

Numbers 12
1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian

woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 And
they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken
also by us? And the LORD heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very meek,
above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 4 And the LORD
spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye
three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. 5 And
the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the
tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. 6 And he
said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will
make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 7
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8 With him will I
speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the
similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to
speak against my servant Moses? 9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled
against them; and he departed. 10 And the cloud departed from off the
tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron
looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said unto
Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have
done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, of
whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb. 13
And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should

she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days,
and after that let her be received in again. 15 And Miriam was shut out from the
camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the

wilderness of Paran.

Numbers 13
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Send thou men, that they may

search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe
of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them. 3 And Moses
by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all
those men were heads of the children of Israel. 4 And these were their names: of
the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. 5 Of the tribe of Simeon,
Shaphat the son of Hori. 6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 7
Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. 8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea
the son of Nun. 9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. 10 Of the tribe
of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. 11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the
tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. 12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son
of Gemalli. 13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. 14 Of the tribe of
Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. 15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of
Machi. 16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land.
And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua. 17 And Moses sent them to
spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward,
and go up into the mountain: 18 And see the land, what it is; and the people that
dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 19 And what the
land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that
they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 20 And what the land is,
whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of
good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of
the firstripe grapes. 21 So they went up, and searched the land from the
wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. 22 And they ascended by
the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the
children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in
Egypt.) 23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a
branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and
they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. 24 The place was called the
brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut
down from thence. 25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty
days. 26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh;
and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed
them the fruit of the land. 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land
whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the
fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the
cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak
there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the
Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by
the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 30 And Caleb stilled the people before
Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to
overcome it. 31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up
against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32 And they brought up an evil
report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying,
The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the
inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great
stature. 33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the
giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their
sight.

Numbers 14
1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people

wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and
against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we
had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3
And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword,
that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to
return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let
us return into Egypt. 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the
assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of
Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the
land, rent their clothes: 7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of
Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding
good land. 8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and
give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9 Only rebel not ye against
the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their
defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 10 But
all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD
appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. 11
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and
how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed
among them? 12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and
will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they. 13 And Moses said
unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this
people in thy might from among them;) 14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants
of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou
LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou
goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by
night. 15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which
have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 16 Because the LORD was not
able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he
hath slain them in the wilderness. 17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of
my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 18 The LORD is
longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by
no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation. 19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of
this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven
this people, from Egypt even until now. 20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned
according to thy word: 21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with
the glory of the LORD. 22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and
my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me
now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 Surely they shall
not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that
provoked me see it: 24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with
him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he
went; and his seed shall possess it. 25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites
dwelt in the valley.) To morrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the
way of the Red sea. 26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,
saying, 27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur
against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they
murmur against me. 28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye
have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 29 Your carcases shall fall in this
wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number,
from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, 30
Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make
you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and

they shall know the land which ye have despised. 32 But as for you, your
carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children shall wander in
the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be
wasted in the wilderness. 34 After the number of the days in which ye searched
the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even
forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise. 35 I the LORD have said, I
will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against
me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die. 36 And
the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the
congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37
Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the
plague before the LORD. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still. 39
And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people
mourned greatly. 40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into
the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place
which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned. 41 And Moses said,
Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall
not prosper. 42 Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten
before your enemies. 43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before
you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD,
therefore the LORD will not be with you. 44 But they presumed to go up unto the
hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed
not out of the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites
which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto
Hormah.

Numbers 15
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations,
which I give unto you, 3 And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a
burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in
your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of
the flock: 4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat
offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil. 5
And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with
the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb. 6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare
for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin
of oil. 7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine,
for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a
burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the
LORD: 9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals
of flour mingled with half an hin of oil. 10 And thou shalt bring for a drink
offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the LORD. 11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a
lamb, or a kid. 12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to
every one according to their number. 13 All that are born of the country shall do
these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet
savour unto the LORD. 14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be
among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a
sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do. 15 One ordinance shall be
both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with
you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be
before the LORD. 16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the
stranger that sojourneth with you. 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the

land whither I bring you, 19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the
land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD. 20 Ye shall offer up a
cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering
of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it. 21 Of the first of your dough ye shall
give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations. 22 And if ye have
erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken
unto Moses, 23 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of
Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward
among your generations; 24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance
without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer
one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with
his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of
the goats for a sin offering. 25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the
congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is
ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the
LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 26 And it
shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger
that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance. 27 And if
any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for
a sin offering. 28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth
ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an
atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him. 29 Ye shall have one law for him
that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of
Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. 30 But the soul that
doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the
same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his
people. 31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his
commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that

gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering
sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34 And
they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35
And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the
congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36 And all the
congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he
died; as the LORD commanded Moses. 37 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them
fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that
they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: 39 And it shall be unto
you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments
of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your
own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: 40 That ye may remember, and do
all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. 41 I am the LORD your God,
which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD
your God.

Numbers 16
1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and

Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of
Reuben, took men: 2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children
of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the
congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against
Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you,
seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among
them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 5 And he spake unto Korah
and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are
his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom
he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. 6 This do; Take you
censers, Korah, and all his company; 7 And put fire therein, and put incense in
them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD
doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. 8 And
Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 9 Seemeth it but a
small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the
congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the
tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto
them? 10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of
Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 11 For which cause both thou
and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron,
that ye murmur against him? 12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the
sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 13 Is it a small thing that thou
hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in
the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 14
Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey,
or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of
these men? we will not come up. 15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto
the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them,
neither have I hurt one of them. 16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all
thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: 17 And
take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the
LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and
Aaron, each of you his censer. 18 And they took every man his censer, and put
fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation with Moses and Aaron. 19 And Korah gathered all the
congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation. 20 And the
LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 21 Separate yourselves from
among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 22 And they
fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall
one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 23 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up
from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 And Moses rose up
and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 And
he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of
these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their
sins. 27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on
every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their
tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 28 And Moses said,
Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I
have not done them of mine own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of
all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath
not sent me. 30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her
mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go
down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked
the LORD. 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these
words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth
opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men
that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that
appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon
them: and they perished from among the congregation. 34 And all Israel that
were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth
swallow us up also. 35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed
the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. 36 And the LORD spake unto
Moses, saying, 37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up
the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are
hallowed. 38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make
them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the
LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of
Israel. 39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that
were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the
altar: 40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is
not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be
not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of
Moses. 41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel
murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people
of the LORD. 42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered
against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD
appeared. 43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the
congregation. 44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from
among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they
fell upon their faces. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire
therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the
congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from
the LORD; the plague is begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and
ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among
the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And
he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now
they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside
them that died about the matter of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Numbers 17
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of

Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their
fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods:
write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name
upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their
fathers. 4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before
the testimony, where I will meet with you. 5 And it shall come to pass, that the
man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from
me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes

gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses,
even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7 And Moses laid
up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 8 And it came to pass,
that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the
rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and
bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 9 And Moses brought out all the rods
from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took
every man his rod. 10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again
before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt
quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. 11 And Moses did
so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he. 12 And the children of Israel spake
unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. 13 Whosoever
cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be
consumed with dying?

Numbers 18
1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house

with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee
shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of
Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto
thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister
before the tabernacle of witness. 3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the
charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the
sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. 4 And they shall be
joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for
all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you. 5
And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that
there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. 6 And I, behold, I have
taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they
are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation. 7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s
office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have
given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that
cometh nigh shall be put to death. 8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I
also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed
things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the
anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. 9 This shall be thine of the
most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat
offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of
theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy
sons. 10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be
holy unto thee. 11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the
wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy
sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean
in thy house shall eat of it. 12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine,
and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD,
them have I given thee. 13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they
shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house
shall eat of it. 14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine. 15 Every thing that
openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be
of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou
surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem. 16 And
those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to
thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary,
which is twenty gerahs. 17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep,
or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle
their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire,
for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the
wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine. 19 All the heave offerings of the
holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee,
and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of
salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. 20 And the
LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither
shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among
the children of Israel. 21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the
tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the
service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 22 Neither must the children of
Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear
sin, and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever
throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no
inheritance. 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an
heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I
have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no
inheritance. 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak unto the
Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes
which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an
heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. 27 And this your
heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the
threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. 28 Thus ye also shall offer an
heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children
of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD’s heave offering to Aaron the
priest. 29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD,
of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 30 Therefore thou
shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall
be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the
increase of the winepress. 31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your
households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the
congregation. 32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved
from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of
Israel, lest ye die.

Numbers 19
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 This is the

ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the
children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no
blemish, and upon which never came yoke: 3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar
the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her
before his face: 4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger,
and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation
seven times: 5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh,
and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 6 And the priest shall take cedar
wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the
heifer. 7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in
water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean
until the even. 8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and
bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 9 And a man that is
clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in
a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel
for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. 10 And he that gathereth the
ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it
shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among
them, for a statute for ever. 11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall
be unclean seven days. 12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on
the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then
the seventh day he shall not be clean. 13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of
any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the
LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation
was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon
him. 14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent,
and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 And every open vessel,
which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean. 16 And whosoever toucheth
one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a
man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 And for an unclean person they
shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running
water shall be put thereto in a vessel: 18 And a clean person shall take hyssop,
and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and
upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain,
or one dead, or a grave: 19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean
on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify
himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at
even. 20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul
shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the
sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon
him; he is unclean. 21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that
sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the
water of separation shall be unclean until even. 22 And whatsoever the unclean
person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean
until even.

Numbers 20
 Numbers 20
1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the

desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam
died there, and was buried there. 2 And there was no water for the congregation:
and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3 And
the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died
when our brethren died before the LORD! 4 And why have ye brought up the
congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die
there? 5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in
unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of
pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink. 6 And Moses and Aaron went
from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD
appeared unto them. 7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8 Take the rod,
and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye
unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt
bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and
their beasts drink. 9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he
commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together
before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you
water out of this rock? 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he
smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation
drank, and their beasts also. 12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron,
Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel,
therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given
them. 13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with
the LORD, and he was sanctified in them. 14 And Moses sent messengers from
Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all
the travail that hath befallen us: 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and
we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
16 And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel,

and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in
the uttermost of thy border: 17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we
will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink
of the water of the wells: we will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to
the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. 18 And Edom
said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the
sword. 19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way:
and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only,
without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. 20 And he said, Thou shalt
not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a
strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border:
wherefore Israel turned away from him. 22 And the children of Israel, even the
whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor. 23 And
the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land
of Edom, saying, 24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not
enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye
rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah. 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his
son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: 26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and
put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and
shall die there. 27 And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up
into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. 28 And Moses stripped Aaron
of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the
top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount. 29 And
when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron
thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

Numbers 21
 1 And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell

that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took
some of them prisoners. 2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If
thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their
cities. 3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the
Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the
name of the place Hormah. 4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of
the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much
discouraged because of the way. 5 And the people spake against God, and
against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the
wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul
loatheth this light bread. 6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people,
and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7 Therefore the people
came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the
LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents
from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said unto Moses,
Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that
every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a
serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had
bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 10 And the
children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth. 11 And they journeyed from
Oboth, and pitched at Ije-abarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab,
toward the sunrising. 12 From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of
Zared. 13 From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon,
which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for
Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. 14 Wherefore it
is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in
the brooks of Arnon, 15 And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the
dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab. 16 And from thence they
went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the
people together, and I will give them water. 17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring
up, O well; sing ye unto it: 18 The princes digged the well, the nobles of the
people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the
wilderness they went to Mattanah: 19 And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from
Nahaliel to Bamoth: 20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of
Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon. 21 And Israel sent
messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 22 Let me pass through thy
land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of
the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king’s high way, until we be
past thy borders. 23 And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border:
but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the
wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. 24 And Israel smote
him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok,
even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was
strong. 25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the
Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof. 26 For Heshbon was the
city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king
of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon. 27 Wherefore
they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be
built and prepared: 28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the
city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of
Arnon. 29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath
given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of
the Amorites. 30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon,
and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba. 31
Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites. 32 And Moses sent to spy out
Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were
there. 33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of
Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei. 34
And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy
hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto
Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. 35 So they smote him, and
his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they
possessed his land.

Numbers 22
1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab

on this side Jordan by Jericho. 2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel
had done to the Amorites. 3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because
they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel. 4
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all
that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the
son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. 5 He sent messengers
therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land
of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come
out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over
against me: 6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are
too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that
I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed,
and he whom thou cursest is cursed. 7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of
Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came
unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. 8 And he said unto them,
Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak
unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. 9 And God came unto
Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 10 And Balaam said unto God,
Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 11 Behold,
there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come
now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive
them out. 12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt
not curse the people: for they are blessed. 13 And Balaam rose up in the morning,
and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD
refuseth to give me leave to go with you. 14 And the princes of Moab rose up,
and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. 15 And
Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. 16 And they
came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let
nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 17 For I will promote
thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come
therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. 18 And Balaam answered and said
unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and
gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. 19
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what
the LORD will say unto me more. 20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and
said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet
the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. 21 And Balaam rose up
in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 22 And
God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in
the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his
two servants were with him. 23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing
in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the
way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on

this side, and a wall on that side. 25 And when the ass saw the angel of the
LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the
wall: and he smote her again. 26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and
stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to
the left. 27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under
Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. 28
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What
have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 29 And
Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a
sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30 And the ass said unto Balaam,
Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this
day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. 31 Then the LORD
opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the
way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat
on his face. 32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou
smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because
thy way is perverse before me: 33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these
three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and
saved her alive. 34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned;
for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it
displease thee, I will get me back again. 35 And the angel of the LORD said unto
Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that
thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 36 And when Balak
heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab,
which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. 37 And Balak said
unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest
thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 38 And
Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to
say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak. 39 And
Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjath-huzoth. 40 And Balak
offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with
him. 41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought
him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of
the people.

Numbers 23
1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me
here seven oxen and seven rams. 2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and
Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram. 3 And Balaam said
unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD
will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he
went to an high place. 4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have
prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram. 5
And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and
thus thou shalt speak. 6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt
sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab. 7 And he took up his parable, and said,
Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the
east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel. 8 How shall I curse,
whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not
defied? 9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him:
lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. 10
Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let
me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 11 And Balak
said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine
enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether. 12 And he answered and
said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?
13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from

whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and
shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence. 14 And he brought him
into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered
a bullock and a ram on every altar. 15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy
burnt offering, while I meet the Lord yonder. 16 And the LORD met Balaam, and
put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus. 17 And
when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of
Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? 18 And
he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou
son of Zippor: 19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man,
that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and
shall he not make it good? 20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless:
and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. 21 He hath not beheld iniquity in
Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with
him, and the shout of a king is among them. 22 God brought them out of Egypt;
he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. 23 Surely there is no enchantment
against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this
time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! 24 Behold,
the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he
shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. 25
And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. 26
But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the
LORD speaketh, that I must do? 27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray
thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that
thou mayest curse me them from thence. 28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the
top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon. 29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build
me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams. 30
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every
altar.

Numbers 24
1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went

not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the
wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his
tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him. 3 And he
took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man
whose eyes are open hath said: 4 He hath said, which heard the words of God,
which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes
open: 5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As
the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of
lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. 7
He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters,
and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. 8 God
brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he
shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them
through with his arrows. 9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion:
who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that
curseth thee. 10 And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his
hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies,
and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times. 11 Therefore
now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo,
the LORD hath kept thee back from honour. 12 And Balaam said unto Balak,
Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, 13 If
Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the
commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but
what the LORD saith, that will I speak? 14 And now, behold, I go unto my
people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy
people in the latter days. 15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son
of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 16 He hath said,
which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High,
which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes
open: 17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall
come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite
the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. 18 And Edom shall be
a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do
valiantly. 19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall
destroy him that remaineth of the city. 20 And when he looked on Amalek, he
took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter
end shall be that he perish for ever. 21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up
his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a
rock. 22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee
away captive. 23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when
God doeth this! 24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall
afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever. 25 And
Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his
way.

Numbers 25
1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom

with the daughters of Moab. 2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of
their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3 And Israel
joined himself unto Baal-peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against
Israel. 4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and
hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the
LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5 And Moses said unto the judges of
Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baal-peor. 6 And, behold,
one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish
woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the
children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation. 7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his
hand; 8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them
through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was
stayed from the children of Israel. 9 And those that died in the plague were
twenty and four thousand. 10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 11
Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath
away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them,
that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Wherefore say,
Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: 13 And he shall have it, and his
seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was
zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. 14 Now
the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish
woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the
Simeonites. 15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was
Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in
Midian. 16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17 Vex the Midianites, and
smite them: 18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled
you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of
Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor’s sake.

Numbers 26
1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses

and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 2 Take the sum of all the
congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward,
throughout their fathers’ house, all that are able to go to war in Israel. 3 And
Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan
near Jericho, saying, 4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and
upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went
forth out of the land of Egypt. 5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of
Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the
family of the Palluites: 6 Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the
family of the Carmites. 7 These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that
were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and
thirty. 8 And the sons of Pallu; Eliab. 9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and
Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the
congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of
Korah, when they strove against the LORD: 10 And the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what
time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign. 11
Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not. 12 The sons of Simeon after
their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of
the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites: 13 Of Zerah, the family of
the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites. 14 These are the families of
the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred. 15 The children of
Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the
family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites: 16 Of Ozni, the
family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: 17 Of Arod, the family of
the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites. 18 These are the families of the
children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand
and five hundred. 19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died
in the land of Canaan. 20 And the sons of Judah after their families were; of
Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of
Zerah, the family of the Zarhites. 21 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the
family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 22 These are the
families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and
sixteen thousand and five hundred. 23 Of the sons of Issachar after their families:
of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites: 24 Of
Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.
25 These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of

them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred. 26 Of the sons of Zebulun
after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of
the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 27 These are the families of
the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore
thousand and five hundred. 28 The sons of Joseph after their families were
Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the
Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the
Gileadites. 30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the
Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites: 31 And of Asriel, the family of
the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites: 32 And of
Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the
Hepherites. 33 And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters:
and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah,
Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were
numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred. 35 These are the
sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites:
of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 36
And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites. 37 These
are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of
them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph
after their families. 38 The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the
family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the
family of the Ahiramites: 39 Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of
Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and
Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the
Naamites. 41 These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that
were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred. 42 These
are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the
Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families. 43 All the families
of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were
threescore and four thousand and four hundred. 44 Of the children of Asher after
their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the
Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites. 45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber,
the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 46 And
the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah. 47 These are the families of the
sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty
and three thousand and four hundred. 48 Of the sons of Naphtali after their
families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the
Gunites: 49 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the
Shillemites. 50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and
they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.
51 These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a

thousand seven hundred and thirty. 52 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the

number of names. 54 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few
thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given
according to those that were numbered of him. 55 Notwithstanding the land shall
be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall
inherit. 56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between
many and few. 57 And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after
their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family
of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites. 58 These are the
families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites,
the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the
Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram. 59 And the name of Amram’s wife was
Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she
bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister. 60 And unto Aaron
was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 And Nadab and Abihu
died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD. 62 And those that were
numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old
and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because
there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel. 63 These are
they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the
children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho. 64 But among
these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered,
when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the
LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was
not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of
Nun.

Numbers 27
1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of

Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the
son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and
Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah. 2 And they stood before Moses, and before
Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 3 Our father died in the wilderness,
and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against
the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons. 4
Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family,
because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren
of our father. 5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD. 6 And the
LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right:
thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father’s
brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them. 8
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have
no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter. 9 And if he
have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren. 10 And if
he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father’s brethren.
11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his

kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be
unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded
Moses. 12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim,
and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel. 13 And when
thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy
brother was gathered. 14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert
of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their
eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. 15 And
Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, 16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of
all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 17 Which may go out before them, and
which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may
bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no
shepherd. 18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun,
a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 19 And set him before
Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their
sight. 20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the
congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. 21 And he shall stand
before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of
Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall
come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the
congregation. 22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took
Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: 23
And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD
commanded by the hand of Moses.

Numbers 28
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of

Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by
fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due
season. 3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which
ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by
day, for a continual burnt offering. 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the
morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 5 And a tenth part of an
ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of
beaten oil. 6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai
for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. 7 And the drink
offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy
place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink
offering. 8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of
the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice
made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. 9 And on the sabbath day two
lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat
offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: 10 This is the burnt
offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink
offering. 11 And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering
unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year
without spot; 12 And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with
oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled
with oil, for one ram; 13 And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a
meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice
made by fire unto the LORD. 14 And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of
wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of
an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the
months of the year. 15 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD
shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering. 16
And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD. 17 And
in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread
be eaten. 18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner
of servile work therein: 19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt
offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of
the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish: 20 And their meat offering
shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock,
and two tenth deals for a ram; 21 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every
lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an
atonement for you. 23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the
morning, which is for a continual burnt offering. 24 After this manner ye shall
offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of
a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt
offering, and his drink offering. 25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy
convocation; ye shall do no servile work. 26 Also in the day of the firstfruits,
when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye
shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: 27 But ye shall offer
the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one
ram, seven lambs of the first year; 28 And their meat offering of flour mingled
with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram, 29 A
several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; 30 And one kid of
the goats, to make an atonement for you. 31 Ye shall offer them beside the
continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without
blemish) and their drink offerings.

Numbers 29
1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an

holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets

unto you. 2 And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the
LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without
blemish: 3 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth
deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, 4 And one tenth deal for one
lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 5 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering,
to make an atonement for you: 6 Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his
meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink
offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by
fire unto the LORD. 7 And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month
an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work
therein: 8 But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour;
one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto
you without blemish: 9 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with
oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram, 10 A several
tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 11 One kid of the goats for
a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt
offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings. 12 And on the
fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do
no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: 13 And ye
shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year;
they shall be without blemish: 14 And their meat offering shall be of flour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks,
two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams, 15 And a several tenth deal to each
lamb of the fourteen lambs: 16 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside
the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 17 And on
the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs
of the first year without spot: 18 And their meat offering and their drink offerings
for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their
number, after the manner: 19 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside
the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink
offerings. 20 And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of
the first year without blemish; 21 And their meat offering and their drink
offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to
their number, after the manner: 22 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the
continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering. 23 And on
the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year
without blemish: 24 Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the
bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number,
after the manner: 25 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the
continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 26 And on the
fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without
spot: 27 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the
rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 28
And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat
offering, and his drink offering. 29 And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two
rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 30 And their meat
offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 31 And one goat for
a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his
drink offering. 32 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen
lambs of the first year without blemish: 33 And their meat offering and their
drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be
according to their number, after the manner: 34 And one goat for a sin offering;
beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering. 35
On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work
therein: 36 But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet
savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year
without blemish: 37 Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock,
for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the
manner: 38 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering,
and his meat offering, and his drink offering. 39 These things ye shall do unto the
LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your
burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for
your peace offerings. 40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all
that the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 30
1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of

Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded. 2 If a man
vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he
shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his
mouth. 3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a
bond, being in her father’s house in her youth; 4 And her father hear her vow,
and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his
peace at her: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath
bound her soul shall stand. 5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he
heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul,
shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. 6
And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her
lips, wherewith she bound her soul; 7 And her husband heard it, and held his
peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds
wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. 8 But if her husband disallowed her on
the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that
which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect:
and the LORD shall forgive her. 9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is
divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. 10 And
if she vowed in her husband’s house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath;
11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not:

then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall
stand. 12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard
them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or
concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them
void; and the LORD shall forgive her. 13 Every vow, and every binding oath to
afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he

establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth
them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. 15 But if he
shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear
her iniquity. 16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses,
between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in
her youth in her father’s house.

Numbers 31
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Avenge the children of Israel

of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people. 3 And Moses
spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let
them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian. 4 Of every
tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war. 5 So
there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe,
twelve thousand armed for war. 6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of
every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the
holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand. 7 And they warred
against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the
males. 8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were
slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of
Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword. 9 And the
children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones,
and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods. 10
And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles,
with fire. 11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of
beasts. 12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses,
and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto
the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho. 13 And Moses,
and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet
them without the camp. 14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host,
with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from
the battle. 15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? 16
Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to
commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague
among the congregation of the LORD. 17 Now therefore kill every male among
the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. 18
But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep
alive for yourselves. 19 And do ye abide without the camp seven days:
whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify
both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day. 20
And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats’
hair, and all things made of wood. 21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of
war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD
commanded Moses; 22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin,
and the lead, 23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through
the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of
separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water. 24
And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and
afterward ye shall come into the camp. 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, 26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast,
thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation: 27 And
divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who
went out to battle, and between all the congregation: 28 And levy a tribute unto
the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred,
both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep: 29 Take
it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the
LORD. 30 And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of
fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner
of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the
tabernacle of the LORD. 31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD
commanded Moses. 32 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men
of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five
thousand sheep, 33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, 34 And
threescore and one thousand asses, 35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all,
of women that had not known man by lying with him. 36 And the half, which
was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred
thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep: 37 And the
LORD’s tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen. 38 And
the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD’s tribute was
threescore and twelve. 39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred;
of which the LORD’s tribute was threescore and one. 40 And the persons were
sixteen thousand; of which the LORD’s tribute was thirty and two persons. 41
And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD’s heave offering, unto
Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses. 42 And of the children of
Israel’s half, which Moses divided from the men that warred, 43 (Now the half
that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty
thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep, 44 And thirty and six
thousand beeves, 45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred, 46 And sixteen
thousand persons;) 47 Even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one
portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which
kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded
Moses. 48 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains
of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses: 49 And they said
unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under
our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us. 50 We have therefore brought an
oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains,
and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls
before the LORD. 51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them,
even all wrought jewels. 52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up
to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was
sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. 53 (For the men of war had
taken spoil, every man for himself.) 54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took
the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the
tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before
the LORD.

Numbers 32
1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great

multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead,
that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; 2 The children of Gad and the
children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and
unto the princes of the congregation, saying, 3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer,
and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 4
Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a
land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle: 5 Wherefore, said they, if we have
found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession,
and bring us not over Jordan. 6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to
the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 7
And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over
into the land which the LORD hath given them? 8 Thus did your fathers, when I
sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. 9 For when they went up unto the
valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of
Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them. 10
And the LORD’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, 11
Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and
upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto
Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 12 Save Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly
followed the LORD. 13 And the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and
he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that
had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. 14 And, behold, ye are
risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the
fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. 15 For if ye turn away from after him, he
will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our

cattle, and cities for our little ones: 17 But we ourselves will go ready armed
before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and
our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the
land. 18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have
inherited every man his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on
yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this
side Jordan eastward. 20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye
will go armed before the LORD to war, 21 And will go all of you armed over
Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him,
22 And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and

be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your
possession before the LORD. 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned
against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. 24 Build you cities for
your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out
of your mouth. 25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake
unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth. 26 Our little
ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of
Gilead: 27 But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the
LORD to battle, as my lord saith. 28 So concerning them Moses commanded
Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes
of the children of Israel: 29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and
the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to
battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall
give them the land of Gilead for a possession: 30 But if they will not pass over
with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan. 31
And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the
LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do. 32 We will pass over armed
before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance
on this side Jordan may be ours. 33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the
children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of
Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the
kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts,
even the cities of the country round about. 34 And the children of Gad built
Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and
Jogbehah, 36 And Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fenced cities: and folds for
sheep. 37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and
Kirjathaim, 38 And Nebo, and Baal-meon, (their names being changed,) and
Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded. 39 And the
children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and
dispossessed the Amorite which was in it. 40 And Moses gave Gilead unto
Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. 41 And Jair the son of
Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havoth-jair. 42
And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah,
after his own name.

Numbers 33
1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of

the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. 2 And
Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment
of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out. 3 And
they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first
month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an
high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. 4 For the Egyptians buried all their
firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the
LORD executed judgments. 5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses,
and pitched in Succoth. 6 And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in
Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness. 7 And they removed from Etham,
and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-zephon: and they
pitched before Migdol. 8 And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth, and passed
through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days’ journey in
the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah. 9 And they removed from
Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and
threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there. 10 And they removed from
Elim, and encamped by the Red sea. 11 And they removed from the Red sea, and
encamped in the wilderness of Sin. 12 And they took their journey out of the
wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah. 13 And they departed from
Dophkah, and encamped in Alush. 14 And they removed from Alush, and
encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink. 15 And they
departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai. 16 And they
removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibroth-hattaavah. 17 And they
departed from Kibroth-hattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth. 18 And they
departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah. 19 And they departed from
Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmon-parez. 20 And they departed from Rimmon-
parez, and pitched in Libnah. 21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at
Rissah. 22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah. 23 And
they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher. 24 And they removed
from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah. 25 And they removed from
Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth. 26 And they removed from Makheloth, and
encamped at Tahath. 27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah. 28
And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah. 29 And they went from
Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah. 30 And they departed from Hashmonah,
and encamped at Moseroth. 31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in
Bene-jaakan. 32 And they removed from Bene-jaakan, and encamped at Hor-
hagidgad. 33 And they went from Hor-hagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah. 34
And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah. 35 And they
departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Ezion-gaber. 36 And they removed
from Ezion-gaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh. 37 And
they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of
Edom. 38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of
the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were
come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month. 39 And Aaron
was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor. 40
And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan,
heard of the coming of the children of Israel. 41 And they departed from mount
Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah. 42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and
pitched in Punon. 43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth. 44
And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ije-abarim, in the border of Moab.
45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibon-gad. 46 And they removed

from Dibon-gad, and encamped in Almon-diblathaim. 47 And they removed

from Almon-diblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of

Moab by Jordan near Jericho. 49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Beth-
jesimoth even unto Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab. 50 And the LORD spake
unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 51 Speak unto
the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into
the land of Canaan; 52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from
before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images,
and quite pluck down all their high places: 53 And ye shall dispossess the
inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to
possess it. 54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your
families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye
shall give the less inheritance: every man’s inheritance shall be in the place
where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit. 55
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it
shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your
eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. 56
Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto
them.

Numbers 34
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Command the children of

Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the
land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the
coasts thereof:) 3 Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin
along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of
the salt sea eastward: 4 And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of
Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the
south to Kadesh-barnea, and shall go on to Hazar-addar, and pass on to Azmon:
5 And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and

the goings out of it shall be at the sea. 6 And as for the western border, ye shall
even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border. 7 And this
shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount
Hor: 8 From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of
Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: 9 And the border
shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazar-enan: this shall
be your north border. 10 And ye shall point out your east border from Hazar-enan
to Shepham: 11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the
east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of
the sea of Chinnereth eastward: 12 And the border shall go down to Jordan, and
the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts
thereof round about. 13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying,
This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to
give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: 14 For the tribe of the children of
Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of
Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and
half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance: 15 The two tribes and
the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho
eastward, toward the sunrising. 16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17
These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the
priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. 18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe,
to divide the land by inheritance. 19 And the names of the men are these: Of the
tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 20 And of the tribe of the children of
Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the
son of Chislon. 22 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the
son of Jogli. 23 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children
of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod. 24 And the prince of the tribe of the
children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 25 And the prince of the tribe
of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 26 And the prince of
the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 27 And the prince
of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 28 And the
prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. 29
These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the
children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Numbers 35
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near

Jericho, saying, 2 Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites
of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also
unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. 3 And the cities shall
they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for
their goods, and for all their beasts. 4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye
shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a
thousand cubits round about. 5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the
east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on
the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits;
and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. 6
And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six
cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee
thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. 7 So all the cities which ye
shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with
their suburbs. 8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of
the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from
them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the
Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth. 9 And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,
When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 11 Then ye shall appoint
you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which
killeth any person at unawares. 12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge
from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the
congregation in judgment. 13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities
shall ye have for refuge. 14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and
three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. 15
These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the
stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any
person unawares may flee thither. 16 And if he smite him with an instrument of
iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17
And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he
is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smite him
with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a
murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood
himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 20 But
if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 21 Or in
enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be
put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer,
when he meeteth him. 22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have
cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, 23 Or with any stone, wherewith
a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his
enemy, neither sought his harm: 24 Then the congregation shall judge between
the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 25 And the
congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood,
and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was
fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was
anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the
border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 27 And the revenger of
blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of
blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: 28 Because he should have
remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the
death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. 29
So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your
generations in all your dwellings. 30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer
shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify
against any person to cause him to die. 31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction
for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to
death. 32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his
refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the
priest. 33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the
land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the
blood of him that shed it. 34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit,
wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

Numbers 36
1 And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of

Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near,
and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children
of Israel: 2 And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for
an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by
the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of

Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers,
and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so
shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance. 4 And when the jubile of the
children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance
of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away
from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers. 5 And Moses commanded the
children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the
sons of Joseph hath said well. 6 This is the thing which the LORD doth
command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to
whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they
marry. 7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe
to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the
inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 8 And every daughter, that possesseth an
inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the
family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man
the inheritance of his fathers. 9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one
tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall
keep himself to his own inheritance. 10 Even as the LORD commanded Moses,
so did the daughters of Zelophehad: 11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and
Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father’s
brothers’ sons: 12 And they were married into the families of the sons of
Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the
family of their father. 13 These are the commandments and the judgments, which
the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the
plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

Deuteronomy 1
 Deuteronomy 1
1 These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan

in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and
Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2 (There are eleven days’
journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadesh-barnea.) 3 And it
came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the
month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the
LORD had given him in commandment unto them; 4 After he had slain Sihon
the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan,
which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: 5 On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab,
began Moses to declare this law, saying, 6 The LORD our God spake unto us in
Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 7 Turn you, and take
your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh
thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the
sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river,
the river Euphrates. 8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess
the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
to give unto them and to their seed after them. 9 And I spake unto you at that
time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 10 The LORD your God
hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for
multitude. 11 (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so
many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) 12 How can I
myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 13 Take
you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will
make them rulers over you. 14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing which
thou hast spoken is good for us to do. 15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise
men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and
captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and
officers among your tribes. 16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying,
Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every
man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. 17 Ye shall not respect
persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not
be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too
hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. 18 And I commanded you at that
time all the things which ye should do. 19 And when we departed from Horeb,
we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way
of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we
came to Kadesh-barnea. 20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain
of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us. 21 Behold, the
LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD
God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged. 22 And
ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us,
and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we
must go up, and into what cities we shall come. 23 And the saying pleased me
well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe: 24 And they turned and went
up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out. 25
And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us,
and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God
doth give us. 26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the
commandment of the LORD your God: 27 And ye murmured in your tents, and
said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of
Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Whither shall
we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater
and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we
have seen the sons of the Anakims there. 29 Then I said unto you, Dread not,
neither be afraid of them. 30 The LORD your God which goeth before you, he
shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes;
31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare

thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into
this place. 32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, 33 Who
went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in
fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day. 34
And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware,
saying, 35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that
good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers, 36 Save Caleb the son of
Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden
upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD. 37 Also
the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in
thither. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in
thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39 Moreover your
little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day
had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them
will I give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn you, and take your
journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea. 41 Then ye answered and
said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight,
according to all that the LORD our God commanded us. And when ye had
girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill. 42
And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am
not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies. 43 So I spake unto you;
and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and
went presumptuously up into the hill. 44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that
mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you
in Seir, even unto Hormah. 45 And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but
the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you. 46 So ye
abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.

Deuteronomy 2
1 Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of
the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many
days. 2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this
mountain long enough: turn you northward. 4 And command thou the people,
saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau,
which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto
yourselves therefore: 5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their
land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto
Esau for a possession. 6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat;
and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. 7 For the
LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy
walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath
been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing. 8 And when we passed by from our
brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain
from Elath, and from Ezion-gaber, we turned and passed by the way of the
wilderness of Moab. 9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites,
neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a
possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. 10
The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the
Anakims; 11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the
Moabites call them Emims. 12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the
children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before
them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession,
which the LORD gave unto them. 13 Now rise up, said I, and get you over the
brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. 14 And the space in which we
came from Kadesh-barnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty
and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from
among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. 15 For indeed the hand of the
LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were
consumed. 16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and
dead from among the people, 17 That the LORD spake unto me, saying, 18 Thou
art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: 19 And when thou
comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle
with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any
possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession. 20
(That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and
the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 21 A people great, and many, and tall,
as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded
them, and dwelt in their stead: 22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt
in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded
them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 23 And the Avims which dwelt
in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor,
destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.) 24 Rise ye up, take your journey, and
pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the
Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with
him in battle. 25 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee
upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee,
and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee. 26 And I sent messengers
out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of
peace, saying, 27 Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I
will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left. 28 Thou shalt sell me meat for
money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I
will pass through on my feet; 29 (As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir,
and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan
into the land which the LORD our God giveth us. 30 But Sihon king of Heshbon
would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and
made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth
this day. 31 And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and
his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land. 32 Then
Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz. 33 And the
LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all
his people. 34 And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the
men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain: 35
Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities
which we took. 36 From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and
from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too
strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us: 37 Only unto the land of
the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok,
nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God
forbad us.

Deuteronomy 3
1 Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of

Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. 2 And the
LORD said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and
his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king
of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon. 3 So the LORD our God delivered into
our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him
until none was left to him remaining. 4 And we took all his cities at that time,
there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the
region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 5 All these cities were fenced
with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many. 6 And we
utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying
the men, women, and children, of every city. 7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of
the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves. 8 And we took at that time out of the
hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from
the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon; 9 (Which Hermon the Sidonians call
Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;) 10 All the cities of the plain, and all
Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in
Bashan. 11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants;
behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children
of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it,
after the cubit of a man. 12 And this land, which we possessed at that time, from
Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof,
gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites. 13 And the rest of Gilead, and all
Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the
region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants. 14 Jair the
son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and
Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashan-havoth-jair, unto this
day. 15 And I gave Gilead unto Machir. 16 And unto the Reubenites and unto the
Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the
border even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of
Ammon; 17 The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth
even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdoth-pisgah eastward.
18 And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given

you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the
children of Israel, all that are meet for the war. 19 But your wives, and your little
ones, and your cattle, (for I know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your
cities which I have given you; 20 Until the LORD have given rest unto your
brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the
LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall ye return every
man unto his possession, which I have given you. 21 And I commanded Joshua at
that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done
unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou
passest. 22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.
23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, 24 O Lord GOD, thou hast

begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is
there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to
thy might? 25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond
Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. 26 But the LORD was wroth with
me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it
suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. 27 Get thee up into the top of
Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and
eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 28
But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over
before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt
see. 29 So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor.

Deuteronomy 4
1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments,

which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the
land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. 2 Ye shall not add unto
the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye
may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 3
Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baal-peor: for all the men
that followed Baal-peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among
you. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of
you this day. 5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the
LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go
to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your
understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and
say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what
nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God
is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation is there so great, that
hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you
this day? 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou
forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart
all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons; 10 Specially
the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD
said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my
words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the
earth, and that they may teach their children. 11 And ye came near and stood
under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven,
with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness. 12 And the LORD spake unto you out
of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude;
only ye heard a voice. 13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he
commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon
two tables of stone. 14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you
statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to
possess it. 15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner
of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst
of the fire: 16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the
similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 The likeness of any
beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18
The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish
that is in the waters beneath the earth: 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto
heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the
host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the
LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. 20 But the
LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of
Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. 21 Furthermore
the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go
over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD
thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: 22 But I must die in this land, I must not
go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. 23 Take heed
unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he
made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing,
which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. 24 For the LORD thy God is a
consuming fire, even a jealous God. 25 When thou shalt beget children, and
children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall
corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and
shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: 26 I call
heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish
from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong
your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27 And the LORD shall scatter
you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen,
whither the LORD shall lead you. 28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of
men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if
thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30 When thou art in
tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if
thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31 (For the
LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee,
nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. 32 For ask now
of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created
man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether
there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? 33
Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as
thou hast heard, and live? 34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation
from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and
by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors,
according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God;

there is none else beside him. 36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice,
that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and
thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because he loved thy
fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight
with his mighty power out of Egypt; 38 To drive out nations from before thee
greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an
inheritance, as it is this day. 39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine
heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath:
there is none else. 40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his
commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee,
and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the
earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. 41 Then Moses severed
three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 42 That the slayer might flee
thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times
past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 43 Namely, Bezer in
the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of
the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites. 44 And this is the law
which Moses set before the children of Israel: 45 These are the testimonies, and
the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel,
after they came forth out of Egypt, 46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over
against Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at
Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come
forth out of Egypt: 47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of
Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the
sunrising; 48 From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto
mount Sion, which is Hermon, 49 And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward,
even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.

Deuteronomy 5
1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the

statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn
them, and keep, and do them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in
Horeb. 3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even
us, who are all of us here alive this day. 4 The LORD talked with you face to
face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, 5 (I stood between the LORD and
you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by
reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying, 6 I am the LORD thy
God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7
Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 8 Thou shalt not make thee any
graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in
the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 Thou shalt not bow
down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of
them that love me and keep my commandments. 11 Thou shalt not take the name
of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that
taketh his name in vain. 12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy
God hath commanded thee. 13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 14
But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy
maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as
well as thou. 15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and
that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a
stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the
sabbath day. 16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath
commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with
thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 17 Thou shalt not kill. 18
Neither shalt thou commit adultery. 19 Neither shalt thou steal. 20 Neither shalt
thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. 21 Neither shalt thou desire thy
neighbour’s wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour’s house, his field, or his
manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy
neighbour’s. 22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the
mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a
great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone,
and delivered them unto me. 23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out
of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came
near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 24 And ye said,
Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we
have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God
doth talk with man, and he liveth. 25 Now therefore why should we die? for this
great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more,
then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the
living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 Go
thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us
all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and

the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people,
which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all

my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their
children for ever! 30 Go say to them, Get you into your tents again. 31 But as for
thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments,
and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may
do them in the land which I give them to possess it. 32 Ye shall observe to do
therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to
the right hand or to the left. 33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD
your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with
you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Deuteronomy 6
1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which

the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land
whither ye go to possess it: 2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep
all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy
son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be
prolonged. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well
with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers
hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O
Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy
God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And
these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou
shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou
sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest
down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write
them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. 10 And it shall be, when the
LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy
fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities,
which thou buildedst not, 11 And houses full of all good things, which thou
filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees,
which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12 Then beware
lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt,
from the house of bondage. 13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve
him, and shalt swear by his name. 14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods
of the people which are round about you; 15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous
God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee,
and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. 16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD
your God, as ye tempted him in Massah. 17 Ye shall diligently keep the
commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes,
which he hath commanded thee. 18 And thou shalt do that which is right and
good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou
mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,
19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken. 20
And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the
testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath
commanded you? 21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh’s
bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand:
22 And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon

Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: 23 And he brought us out
from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto
our fathers. 24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the
LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at
this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these
commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Deuteronomy 7
1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest

to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the
Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the
Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2 And
when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them,
and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew
mercy unto them: 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter
thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4
For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other
gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee
suddenly. 5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and
break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven
images with fire. 6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the
LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all
people that are upon the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set his love upon
you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye
were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and because
he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD
brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of
bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the
LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be

slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. 11 Thou shalt
therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I
command thee this day, to do them. 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye
hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God
shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the

fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil,
the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware
unto thy fathers to give thee. 14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there
shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. 15 And the
LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil
diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all
them that hate thee. 16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD
thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt
thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee. 17 If thou shalt say in
thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? 18 Thou
shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did
unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; 19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw,
and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm,
whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do
unto all the people of whom thou art afraid. 20 Moreover the LORD thy God will
send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from
thee, be destroyed. 21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy
God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. 22 And the LORD thy God will
put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume
them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. 23 But the LORD thy
God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty
destruction, until they be destroyed. 24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine
hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man
be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them. 25 The graven
images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or
gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an
abomination to the LORD thy God. 26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination
into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it,
and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

Deuteronomy 8
1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to

do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the
LORD sware unto your fathers. 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the
LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and
to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his
commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and
fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that
he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. 4 Thy
raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. 5
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the
LORD thy God chasteneth thee. 6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments
of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. 7 For the LORD thy
God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and
depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8 A land of wheat, and barley, and
vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9 A land
wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in
it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. 10
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for
the good land which he hath given thee. 11 Beware that thou forget not the
LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his
statutes, which I command thee this day: 12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art
full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 13 And when thy herds and
thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou
hast is multiplied; 14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy
God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage; 15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein
were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who
brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16 Who fed thee in the
wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee,
and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 17 And thou say in
thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 18
But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power
to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy
fathers, as it is this day. 19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy
God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify
against you this day that ye shall surely perish. 20 As the nations which the
LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be
obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 9
1 Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess

nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, 2
A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of
whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! 3
Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over
before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them
down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as
the LORD hath said unto thee. 4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the
LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my
righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the
wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee. 5
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to
possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God
doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which
the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6 Understand
therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for
thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people. 7 Remember, and forget not,
how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the
day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place,
ye have been rebellious against the LORD. 8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the
LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you. 9
When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables
of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty
days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water: 10 And the LORD
delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on
them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in
the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly. 11 And it came
to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two
tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. 12 And the LORD said unto me,
Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought
forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out
of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image. 13
Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and,
behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and
blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier
and greater than they. 15 So I turned and came down from the mount, and the
mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two
hands. 16 And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God,
and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way
which the LORD had commanded you. 17 And I took the two tables, and cast
them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes. 18 And I fell down
before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat
bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing
wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 19 For I was afraid
of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to
destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also. 20 And the
LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for
Aaron also the same time. 21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made,
and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was
as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of
the mount. 22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye
provoked the LORD to wrath. 23 Likewise when the LORD sent you from
Kadesh-barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then
ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed
him not, nor hearkened to his voice. 24 Ye have been rebellious against the
LORD from the day that I knew you. 25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty
days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he
would destroy you. 26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD,
destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through
thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27
Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the
stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin: 28 Lest the
land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to
bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he
hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness. 29 Yet they are thy people
and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy
stretched out arm.

Deuteronomy 10
1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like

unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of
wood. 2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables
which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark. 3 And I made an ark of
shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into
the mount, having the two tables in mine hand. 4 And he wrote on the tables,
according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake
unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and
the LORD gave them unto me. 5 And I turned myself and came down from the
mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the
LORD commanded me. 6 And the children of Israel took their journey from
Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was
buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest’s office in his stead. 7 From
thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of
rivers of waters. 8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the
ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto
him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. 9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor
inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the
LORD thy God promised him. 10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the
first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that
time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee. 11 And the LORD said unto
me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess
the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them. 12 And now, Israel,
what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to
walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all
thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and
his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 14 Behold, the heaven
and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’s thy God, the earth also, with all that
therein is. 15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he
chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day. 16
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. 17
For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a
mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He
doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger,
in giving him food and raiment. 19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt
thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. 21 He is thy
praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things,
which thine eyes have seen. 22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore
and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of
heaven for multitude.

Deuteronomy 11
1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his

statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway. 2 And know ye this
day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have
not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty
hand, and his stretched out arm, 3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in
the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land; 4 And
what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how
he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you,
and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day; 5 And what he did unto
you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place; 6 And what he did unto
Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened
her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all
the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: 7 But your
eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did. 8 Therefore shall ye
keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be
strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; 9 And that ye
may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to
give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey. 10 For
the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from
whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy
foot, as a garden of herbs: 11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land
of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 12 A land which the
LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it,
from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. 13 And it shall
come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I
command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all
your heart and with all your soul, 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in
his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy
corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. 15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy
cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. 16 Take heed to yourselves, that your
heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship
them; 17 And then the LORD’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the
heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye
perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. 18 Therefore
shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for
a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 And
ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine
house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou
risest up. 20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and
upon thy gates: 21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your
children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as
the days of heaven upon the earth. 22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these
commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God,
to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; 23 Then will the LORD drive out
all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and
mightier than yourselves. 24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall
tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river
Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be. 25 There shall no man
be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and
the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto
you. 26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if
ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this
day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your
God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after
other gods, which ye have not known. 29 And it shall come to pass, when the
LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess
it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon
mount Ebal. 30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun
goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over
against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh? 31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go
in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall
possess it, and dwell therein. 32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and
judgments which I set before you this day.

Deuteronomy 12
1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the

land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days
that ye live upon the earth. 2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the
nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and
upon the hills, and under every green tree: 3 And ye shall overthrow their altars,
and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down
the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God. 5 But unto the place which the

LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even
unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 6 And thither ye
shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave
offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the
firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: 7 And there ye shall eat before the
LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and
your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. 8 Ye shall not
do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in
his own eyes. 9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance,
which the LORD your God giveth you. 10 But when ye go over Jordan, and
dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he
giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; 11
Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his
name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt
offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand,
and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: 12 And ye shall rejoice
before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your
menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates;
forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to thyself
that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: 14 But in the
place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer
thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee. 15
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy
soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath
given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as
of the hart. 16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as
water. 17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy
wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy
vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine
hand: 18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which
the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy
manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and
thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands
unto. 19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou
livest upon the earth. 20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he
hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth
to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. 21 If the
place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far
from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath
given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever
thy soul lusteth after. 22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt
eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike. 23 Only be sure that
thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life
with the flesh. 24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after

thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD. 26 Only thy
holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place
which the LORD shall choose: 27 And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the
flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy
sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou
shalt eat the flesh. 28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee,
that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when
thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God. 29
When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou
goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30
Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be
destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying,
How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt
not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which
he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters
they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32 What thing soever I command you,
observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Deuteronomy 13
1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth

thee a sign or a wonder, 2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he
spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known,
and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or
that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether
ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall
walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and
obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. 5 And that prophet,
or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn
you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of
Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the
way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the
evil away from the midst of thee. 6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy
son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine
own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which
thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 7 Namely, of the gods of the people
which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end
of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; 8 Thou shalt not consent unto
him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou
spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand
shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the
people. 10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath
sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of
the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 11 And all Israel shall hear, and
fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you. 12 If thou
shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to
dwell there, saying, 13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from
among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go
and serve other gods, which ye have not known; 14 Then shalt thou enquire, and
make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain,
that such abomination is wrought among you; 15 Thou shalt surely smite the
inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all
that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. 16 And thou
shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn
with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God:
and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again. 17 And there shall
cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from
the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon
thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; 18 When thou shalt
hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which
I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy
God.

Deuteronomy 14
1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves,

nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. 2 For thou art an holy
people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar
people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. 3 Thou shalt
not eat any abominable thing. 4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox,
the sheep, and the goat, 5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the
wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. 6 And every beast
that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud
among the beasts, that ye shall eat. 7 Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them
that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the
hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore
they are unclean unto you. 8 And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet
cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor
touch their dead carcase. 9 These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that
have fins and scales shall ye eat: 10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye
may not eat; it is unclean unto you. 11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat. 12 But these
are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 13
And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, 14 And every raven
after his kind, 15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk
after his kind, 16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, 17 And the
pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, 18 And the stork, and the heron
after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. 19 And every creeping thing that
flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. 20 But of all clean fowls ye
may eat. 21 Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it
unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it
unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God. Thou shalt
not seethe a kid in his mother’s milk. 22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of
thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 23 And thou shalt eat before
the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there,
the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds
and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. 24
And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the
place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his
name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 25 Then shalt thou turn
it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place
which the LORD thy God shall choose: 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for
whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for
strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before
the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, 27 And the
Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor
inheritance with thee. 28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the
tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 29 And
the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger,
and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and
shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work
of thine hand which thou doest.

Deuteronomy 15
1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. 2 And this is the

manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall
release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is
called the LORD’s release. 3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that
which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 4 Save when there shall
be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which
the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: 5 Only if thou
carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these
commandments which I command thee this day. 6 For the LORD thy God
blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but
thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not
reign over thee. 7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within
any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not
harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 8 But thou shalt
open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need,
in that which he wanteth. 9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked
heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be
evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the
LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 10 Thou shalt surely give him, and
thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this
thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou
puttest thine hand unto. 11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land:
therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. 12 And if thy brother, an
Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years;
then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. 13 And when thou
sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: 14 Thou
shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy
winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt
give unto him. 15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land
of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this
thing to day. 16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee;
because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; 17 Then
thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be
thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise. 18 It
shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for
he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and
the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest. 19 All the firstling
males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD
thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the
firstling of thy sheep. 20 Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year
in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household. 21 And if
there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish,
thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God. 22 Thou shalt eat it within thy
gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as
the hart. 23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the
ground as water.

Deuteronomy 16
1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy

God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of
Egypt by night. 2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy
God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to
place his name there. 3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt
thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou
camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the
day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. 4
And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days;
neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at
even, remain all night until the morning. 5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the
passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee: 6 But at
the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou
shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season
that thou camest forth out of Egypt. 7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place
which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and
go unto thy tents. 8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh
day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work
therein. 9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven
weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. 10 And thou
shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill
offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God, according
as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 11 And thou shalt rejoice before the
LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and
thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the
fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy
God hath chosen to place his name there. 12 And thou shalt remember that thou
wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes. 13 Thou
shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in
thy corn and thy wine: 14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son,
and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the
stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates. 15 Seven
days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which
the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine
increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.
16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in

the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast
of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the
LORD empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of
the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. 18 Judges and officers shalt thou
make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy
tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 Thou shalt not
wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth
blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 20 That which
is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land
which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any
trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. 22
Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.

Deuteronomy 17
1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep,

wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the

LORD thy God. 2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which
the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in
the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 3 And hath gone
and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of
the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; 4 And it be told thee, and thou
hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing
certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: 5 Then shalt thou bring forth
that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy
gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they
die. 6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy
of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to
death. 7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death,
and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from
among you. 8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood
and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters
of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the
place which the LORD thy God shall choose; 9 And thou shalt come unto the
priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire;
and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: 10 And thou shalt do
according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall
choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they
inform thee: 11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee,
and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou
shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand,
nor to the left. 12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken
unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto
the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously. 14

When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and
shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me,
like as all the nations that are about me; 15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king
over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren
shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is
not thy brother. 16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the
people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch
as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. 17
Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither
shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 18 And it shall be, when he
sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law
in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be
with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to
fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do
them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not
aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he
may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

Deuteronomy 18
1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor

inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire,
and his inheritance. 2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their
brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them. 3 And this
shall be the priest’s due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice,
whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and
the two cheeks, and the maw. 4 The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of
thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. 5 For the
LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the
name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever. 6 And if a Levite come from any
of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of
his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose; 7 Then he shall minister
in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand
there before the LORD. 8 They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which
cometh of the sale of his patrimony. 9 When thou art come into the land which
the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations
of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his
son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an
observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter
with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things
are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the
LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect
with the LORD thy God. 14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess,
hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD
thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. 15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto
thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye
shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in
Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the
LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And
the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18
I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will
put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall
command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken
unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 20 But
the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not
commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even
that prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the
word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the
name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing
which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Deuteronomy 19
1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD
thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and
in their houses; 2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. 3 Thou shalt prepare thee a
way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to
inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. 4 And this is the case
of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his
neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; 5 As when a man goeth
into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke
with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and
lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities,
and live: 6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot,
and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not
worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. 7 Wherefore I
command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. 8 And if the
LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give
thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; 9 If thou shalt keep
all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the
LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities
more for thee, beside these three: 10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon
thee. 11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up
against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these
cities: 12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver
him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Thine eye shall not
pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it
may go well with thee. 14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark,
which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in
the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it. 15 One witness shall
not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he
sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall
the matter be established. 16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify
against him that which is wrong; 17 Then both the men, between whom the
controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges,
which shall be in those days; 18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition:
and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against
his brother; 19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto
his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. 20 And those which
remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil
among you. 21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye,
tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Deuteronomy 20
1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and

chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy
God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 2 And it shall
be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and
speak unto the people, 3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach
this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and
do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 4 For the LORD your
God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that

hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his
house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it. 6 And what man is
he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and
return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it. 7 And
what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go
and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her. 8
And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What
man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his
house, lest his brethren’s heart faint as well as his heart. 9 And it shall be, when
the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people, that they shall make
captains of the armies to lead the people. 10 When thou comest nigh unto a city
to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. 11 And it shall be, if it make thee
answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is
found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. 12 And if it
will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt
besiege it: 13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands,
thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: 14 But the
women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the
spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine
enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. 15 Thus shalt thou do unto
all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these
nations. 16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give
thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: 17 But thou
shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the
Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy
God hath commanded thee: 18 That they teach you not to do after all their
abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the
LORD your God. 19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war
against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe
against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for
the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege: 20 Only the trees
which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut
them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with
thee, until it be subdued.

Deuteronomy 21
1 If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to
possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him: 2 Then thy
elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities
which are round about him that is slain: 3 And it shall be, that the city which is
next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which
hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; 4 And the
elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is
neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley: 5
And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God
hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by
their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: 6 And all the elders
of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the
heifer that is beheaded in the valley: 7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands
have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it. 8 Be merciful, O LORD,
unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood
unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. 9 So
shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt
do that which is right in the sight of the LORD. 10 When thou goest forth to war
against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine
hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 11 And seest among the captives a
beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy
wife; 12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her
head, and pare her nails; 13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from
off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a
full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she
shall be thy wife. 14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt
let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt
not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her. 15 If a man have
two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children,
both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16
Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he
may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which
is indeed the firstborn: 17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the
firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the
beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his. 18 If a man have a
stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the
voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken
unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring
him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they
shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he
will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his
city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from
among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 22 And if a man have committed a
sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23
His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury
him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not
defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Deuteronomy 22
1 Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself

from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. 2 And if thy
brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it
unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and
thou shalt restore it to him again. 3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and
so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother’s, which
he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide
thyself. 4 Thou shalt not see thy brother’s ass or his ox fall down by the way, and
hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again. 5 The
woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put
on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy
God. 6 If a bird’s nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the
ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the
young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: 7 But thou
shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well
with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days. 8 When thou buildest a new
house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood
upon thine house, if any man fall from thence. 9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard
with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of
thy vineyard, be defiled. 10 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.
11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen

together. 12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture,
wherewith thou coverest thyself. 13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her,
and hate her, 14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil
name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her
not a maid: 15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring
forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: 16
And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this
man to wife, and he hateth her; 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech
against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens
of my daughter’s virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of
the city. 18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 19
And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto
the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin
of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 20 But
if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: 21
Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father’s house, and the
men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath
wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father’s house: so shalt thou put
evil away from among you. 22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to
an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the
woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel. 23 If a damsel
that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and
lie with her; 24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and
ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not,
being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so
thou shalt put away evil from among you. 25 But if a man find a betrothed
damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only
that lay with her shall die: 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is
in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his
neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 27 For he found her in the
field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. 28 If a man
find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie
with her, and they be found; 29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the
damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath
humbled her, he may not put her away all his days. 30 A man shall not take his
father’s wife, nor discover his father’s skirt.

Deuteronomy 23
1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall

not enter into the congregation of the LORD. 2 A bastard shall not enter into the
congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into
the congregation of the LORD. 3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into
the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter
into the congregation of the LORD for ever: 4 Because they met you not with
bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because
they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to
curse thee. 5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam;
but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the
LORD thy God loved thee. 6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity
all thy days for ever. 7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother:
thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. 8 The
children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD
in their third generation. 9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then
keep thee from every wicked thing. 10 If there be among you any man, that is not
clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go
abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 11 But it shall be,
when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is
down, he shall come into the camp again. 12 Thou shalt have a place also without
the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 13 And thou shalt have a paddle
upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt
dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: 14 For
the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give
up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no
unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. 15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his
master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: 16 He shall dwell
with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy
gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him. 17 There shall be no
whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. 18 Thou
shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the
LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the
LORD thy God. 19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of
money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: 20 Unto a
stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend
upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine
hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 21 When thou shalt vow a
vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy
God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 22 But if thou shalt
forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 23 That which is gone out of thy lips
thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast
vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth. 24
When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes
thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 25 When
thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the
ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s
standing corn.

Deuteronomy 24
1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that

she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her:
then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her
out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be
another man’s wife. 3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of
divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the
latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 4 Her former husband, which
sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for
that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. 5 When a man hath
taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any
business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife
which he hath taken. 6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to
pledge: for he taketh a man’s life to pledge. 7 If a man be found stealing any of
his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth
him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you. 8
Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do
according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded
them, so ye shall observe to do. 9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto
Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt. 10 When thou
dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his
pledge. 11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall
bring out the pledge abroad unto thee. 12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not
sleep with his pledge: 13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again
when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee:
and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God. 14 Thou shalt
not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy
brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15 At his day
thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor,
and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin
unto thee. 16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall
the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for
his own sin. 17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the
fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge: 18 But thou shalt remember that
thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence:
therefore I command thee to do this thing. 19 When thou cuttest down thine
harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to
fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the
LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20 When thou
beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for
the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When thou gatherest the
grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the
stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22 And thou shalt remember that
thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this
thing.

Deuteronomy 25
1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that

the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn
the wicked. 2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the
judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to
his fault, by a certain number. 3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed:
lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy
brother should seem vile unto thee. 4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he
treadeth out the corn. 5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have
no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her
husband’s brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform
the duty of an husband’s brother unto her. 6 And it shall be, that the firstborn
which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his
name be not put out of Israel. 7 And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife,
then let his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My
husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will
not perform the duty of my husband’s brother. 8 Then the elders of his city shall
call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her;
9 Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and

loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So
shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house. 10 And
his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed. 11
When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near
for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth
forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: 12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand,
thine eye shall not pity her. 13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a
great and a small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great
and a small. 15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just
measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the
LORD thy God giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, and all that do
unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. 17 Remember what
Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 18
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were
feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God. 19
Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine
enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an
inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek
from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.

Deuteronomy 26
1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy

God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; 2 That
thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of
thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and
shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name
there. 3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto
him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country
which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. 4 And the priest shall take
the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy
God. 5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready
to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with
a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 6 And the
Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 7
And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our
voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: 8 And
the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an
outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land

that floweth with milk and honey. 10 And now, behold, I have brought the
firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it
before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: 11 And thou
shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee,
and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. 12
When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third
year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger,
the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; 13
Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the
hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite,
and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy
commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy
commandments, neither have I forgotten them: 14 I have not eaten thereof in my
mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor
given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD
my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me. 15 Look
down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the
land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that
floweth with milk and honey. 16 This day the LORD thy God hath commanded
thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them
with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 17 Thou hast avouched the LORD this
day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his
commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: 18 And the
LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath
promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 19 And to
make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name,
and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God,
as he hath spoken.

Deuteronomy 27
1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep

all the commandments which I command you this day. 2 And it shall be on the
day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God
giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with
plaister: 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou
art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God
giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy
fathers hath promised thee. 4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan,
that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal,
and thou shalt plaister them with plaister. 5 And there shalt thou build an altar
unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool
upon them. 6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones:
and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: 7 And thou
shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy
God. 8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very
plainly. 9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying,
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the
LORD thy God. 10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God,
and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day. 11
And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 12 These shall stand upon
mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and
Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: 13 And these shall
stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan,
and Naphtali. 14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel
with a loud voice, 15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten
image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman,
and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. 16
Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people
shall say, Amen. 17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And
all the people shall say, Amen. 18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander
out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. 19 Cursed be he that
perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the
people shall say, Amen. 20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because
he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. 21 Cursed be
he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. 22
Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter
of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 23 Cursed be he that lieth with
his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen. 24 Cursed be he that
smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen. 25 Cursed be
he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say,
Amen. 26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them.
And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 28
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of

the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I
command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all
nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake
thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3 Blessed shalt
thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the
fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the
increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket
and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt
thou be when thou goest out. 7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up
against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one
way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8 The LORD shall command the blessing
upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he
shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 9 The LORD
shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if
thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the

LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11 And the LORD shall make thee
plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in
the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to
give thee. 12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to
give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand:
and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13 And the
LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only,
and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of
the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this

day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But it
shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God,
to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee
this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16 Cursed
shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be
thy basket and thy store. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of
thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 19 Cursed shalt
thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20
The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou
settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish
quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken
me. 21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have
consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 22 The LORD
shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation,
and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with
mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. 23 And thy heaven that is
over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 24 The
LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it
come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 25 The LORD shall cause thee to
be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and
flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the
earth. 26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the
beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. 27 The LORD will smite
thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with
the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 28 The LORD shall smite thee with
madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: 29 And thou shalt grope at
noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy
ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall
save thee. 30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou
shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard,
and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. 31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine
eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from
before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto
thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. 32 Thy sons and thy
daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail
with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.
33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest

not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 34 So that thou
shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 35 The LORD shall
smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed,
from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. 36 The LORD shall bring thee,
and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor
thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all

nations whither the LORD shall lead thee. 38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into
the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39 Thou
shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor
gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. 40 Thou shalt have olive trees
throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine
olive shall cast his fruit. 41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt
not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. 42 All thy trees and fruit of thy
land shall the locust consume. 43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up
above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. 44 He shall lend to
thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the
tail. 45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee,
and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the
voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which
he commanded thee: 46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder,
and upon thy seed for ever. 47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God
with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 48
Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against
thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he
shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. 49 The
LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as
swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; 50 A
nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor
shew favour to the young: 51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit
of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn,
wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have
destroyed thee. 52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and
fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he
shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy
God hath given thee. 53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh
of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in
the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: 54 So
that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil
toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of
his children which he shall leave: 55 So that he will not give to any of them of
the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in
the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all
thy gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not
adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and
tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward
her son, and toward her daughter, 57 And toward her young one that cometh out
from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she
shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness,
wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. 58 If thou wilt not observe
to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear
this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59 Then the LORD will
make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues,
and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60
Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast
afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61 Also every sickness, and every
plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring
upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 62 And ye shall be left few in number,
whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not
obey the voice of the LORD thy God. 63 And it shall come to pass, that as the
LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will
rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be
plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. 64 And the LORD
shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the
other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers
have known, even wood and stone. 65 And among these nations shalt thou find
no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee
there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 66 And thy life
shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have
none assurance of thy life: 67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were
even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of
thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou
shalt see. 68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the
way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye
shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall
buy you.

Deuteronomy 29
1 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses

to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant
which he made with them in Horeb. 2 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said
unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of
Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; 3 The great
temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: 4
Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears
to hear, unto this day. 5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your
clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye

might know that I am the LORD your God. 7 And when ye came unto this place,
Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto
battle, and we smote them: 8 And we took their land, and gave it for an
inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of
Manasseh. 9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may
prosper in all that ye do. 10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your
God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the
men of Israel, 11 Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy
camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: 12 That thou
shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which
the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: 13 That he may establish thee to
day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath
said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and
to Jacob. 14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; 15 But
with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also
with him that is not here with us this day: 16 (For ye know how we have dwelt in
the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; 17
And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and
gold, which were among them:) 18 Lest there should be among you man, or
woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD
our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among
you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 19 And it come to pass, when he
heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall
have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness
to thirst: 20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and
his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in
this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under
heaven. 21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of
Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of
the law: 22 So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after
you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see
the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; 23
And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not
sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom,
and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger,
and in his wrath: 24 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done
thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? 25 Then men shall
say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers,
which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they

knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: 27 And the anger of the LORD
was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in
this book: 28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath,
and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day. 29 The
secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are
revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the
words of this law.

Deuteronomy 30
1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the

blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to
mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 2 And
shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all
that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul; 3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have
compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations,
whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 4 If any of thine be driven out
unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather
thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 5 And the LORD thy God will bring
thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he
will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. 6 And the LORD thy God
will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God
with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 7 And the LORD
thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee,
which persecuted thee. 8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD,
and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. 9 And the LORD
thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy
body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the
LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 10 If
thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his
commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if
thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 11
For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from
thee, neither is it far off. 12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall
go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13
Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea
for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14 But the word is
very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. 15 See,
I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16 In that I
command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to
keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest
live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither
thou goest to possess it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear,
but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce
unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your
days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call
heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life
and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy
seed may live: 20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou
mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life,
and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD
sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

Deuteronomy 31
1 And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel. 2 And he said unto

them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and
come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. 3
The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these
nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go
over before thee, as the LORD hath said. 4 And the LORD shall do unto them as
he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them,
whom he destroyed. 5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that
ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have
commanded you. 6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of
them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee,
nor forsake thee. 7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight
of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people
unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and
thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before
thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not,
neither be dismayed. 9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the
priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and
unto all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end
of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of
tabernacles, 11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in
the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their
hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy
stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and
fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 13 And
that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear
the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to
possess it. 14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that
thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the
congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and
presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation. 15 And the LORD
appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood
over the door of the tabernacle. 16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou
shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after
the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will
forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. 17 Then my
anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I
will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and
troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils
come upon us, because our God is not among us? 18 And I will surely hide my
face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are
turned unto other gods. 19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it
the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for
me against the children of Israel. 20 For when I shall have brought them into the
land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they
shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto
other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. 21 And it
shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this
song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the
mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even
now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware. 22 Moses therefore
wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel. 23 And he gave
Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for
thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and
I will be with thee. 24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of
writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 25 That Moses
commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD,
saying, 26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the
covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with

you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more
after my death? 28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers,
that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record
against them. 29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt
yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil
will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the
LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. 30 And Moses
spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until
they were ended.

Deuteronomy 32
 Deuteronomy 32
1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of

my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the
dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: 3
Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our
God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God
of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. 5 They have corrupted
themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and
crooked generation. 6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and
unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and
established thee? 7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many
generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell
thee. 8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he
separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the
number of the children of Israel. 9 For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is
the lot of his inheritance. 10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste
howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the
apple of his eye. 11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young,
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12 So the
LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. 13 He made
him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the
fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty
rock; 14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the
breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst
drink the pure blood of the grape. 15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou
art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he
forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. 16
They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked
they him to anger. 17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they
knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. 18 Of
the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed
thee. 19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking
of his sons, and of his daughters. 20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I
will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children
in whom is no faith. 21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not
God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them
to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with
a foolish nation. 22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the
lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the
foundations of the mountains. 23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend
mine arrows upon them. 24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with
burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon
them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. 25 The sword without, and terror
within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with
the man of gray hairs. 26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make
the remembrance of them to cease from among men: 27 Were it not that I feared
the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves
strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not
done all this. 28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any
understanding in them. 29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that
they would consider their latter end! 30 How should one chase a thousand, and
two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD
had shut them up? 31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies
themselves being judges. 32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the
fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: 33
Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. 34 Is not this
laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? 35 To me belongeth
vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of
their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. 36
For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when
he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. 37 And he
shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, 38 Which did
eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let
them rise up and help you, and be your protection. 39 See now that I, even I, am
he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal:
neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. 40 For I lift up my hand to
heaven, and say, I live for ever. 41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand
take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward
them that hate me. 42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword
shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from
the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. 43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his
people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance
to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people. 44 And
Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he,
and Hoshea the son of Nun. 45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these
words to all Israel: 46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words
which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to
observe to do, all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a vain thing for you;
because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the
land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it. 48 And the LORD spake unto
Moses that selfsame day, saying, 49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto
mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and
behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a
possession: 50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto
thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his
people: 51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the
waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me
not in the midst of the children of Israel. 52 Yet thou shalt see the land before
thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of
Israel.

Deuteronomy 33
1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the

children of Israel before his death. 2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai,
and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came
with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. 3
Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy
feet; every one shall receive of thy words. 4 Moses commanded us a law, even
the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. 5 And he was king in Jeshurun,
when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together. 6
Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few. 7 And this is the
blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him
unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him
from his enemies. 8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be
with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst
strive at the waters of Meribah; 9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I
have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own
children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. 10 They shall
teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee,
and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. 11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and
accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against
him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again. 12 And of Benjamin he
said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall
cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. 13 And of
Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of
heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, 14 And for the
precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by
the moon, 15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the
precious things of the lasting hills, 16 And for the precious things of the earth and
fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the
blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that
was separated from his brethren. 17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock,
and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people
together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and
they are the thousands of Manasseh. 18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice,
Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. 19 They shall call the
people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for
they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand. 20
And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and
teareth the arm with the crown of the head. 21 And he provided the first part for
himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came
with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his
judgments with Israel. 22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap
from Bashan. 23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and
full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south. 24 And
of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his
brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. 25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and
as thy days, so shall thy strength be. 26 There is none like unto the God of
Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the
sky. 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:
and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a

land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. 29 Happy art thou,
O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy
help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found
liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Deuteronomy 34
 1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo,

to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all
the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and
Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, 3 And the south, and
the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. 4 And the
LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac,
and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it
with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. 5 So Moses the servant of the
LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6
And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but
no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. 7 And Moses was an hundred
and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force
abated. 8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty
days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. 9 And Joshua
the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands
upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD
commanded Moses. 10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto
Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 In all the signs and the wonders,
which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his
servants, and to all his land, 12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great
terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

Joshua 1
1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass,

that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, 2
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all
this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto

you, as I said unto Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the
great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea
toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 5 There shall not any man
be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will
be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good
courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which
I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very
courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which
Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the
left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law
shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night,
that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then
thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid,
neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever
thou goest. 10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 Pass
through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for
within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land,
which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. 12 And to the Reubenites,
and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 13
Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you,
saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which

Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren
armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; 15 Until the LORD have
given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the
land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land
of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’s servant gave you on
this side Jordan toward the sunrising. 16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All
that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will
go. 17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken
unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 18
Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken
unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be
strong and of a good courage.

Joshua 2
1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly,

saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s
house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho,
saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to
search out the country. 3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring
forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they
be come to search out all the country. 4 And the woman took the two men, and
hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they
were: 5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was
dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them
quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 6 But she had brought them up to the roof of
the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon
the roof. 7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and
as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. 8
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; 9 And
she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that
your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because
of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea
for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the
Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly
destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt,
neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the
LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 12 Now
therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you
kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a
true token: 13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my
brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business.

And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly
and truly with thee. 15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window:
for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall. 16 And she
said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide
yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye
go your way. 17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine
oath which thou hast made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land,
thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us
down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and
all thy father’s household, home unto thee. 19 And it shall be, that whosoever
shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his
head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his
blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. 20 And if thou utter this our
business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. 21
And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and
they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. 22 And they went,
and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were
returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them
not. 23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed
over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell
them: 24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our
hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of
us.

Joshua 3
 1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim,

and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before
they passed over. 2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went
through the host; 3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the
ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing
it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. 4 Yet there shall be a
space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near
unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed
this way heretofore. 5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for
to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 6 And Joshua spake unto the
priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people.
And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. 7 And the
LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all
Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. 8
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying,
When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in
Jordan. 9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the
words of the LORD your God. 10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that
the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before
you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the
Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the
covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. 12 Now
therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a
man. 13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests
that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of
Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down
from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. 14 And it came to pass, when the
people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the
ark of the covenant before the people; 15 And as they that bare the ark were
come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the
brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap

very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down
toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the
people passed over right against Jericho. 17 And the priests that bare the ark of
the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and
all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed
clean over Jordan.

Joshua 4
1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan,

that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Take you twelve men out of the
people, out of every tribe a man, 3 And command ye them, saying, Take you
hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood
firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the
lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. 4 Then Joshua called the twelve
men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 5
And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into
the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder,
according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 6 That this may
be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come,
saying, What mean ye by these stones? 7 Then ye shall answer them, That the
waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when
it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be
for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. 8 And the children of Israel
did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of
Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of
the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they
lodged, and laid them down there. 9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst
of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the
covenant stood: and they are there unto this day. 10 For the priests which bare the
ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD
commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses
commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over. 11 And it came to
pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD
passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people. 12 And the children of
Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over
armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them: 13 About forty
thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the
plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all
Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life. 15 And
the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 16 Command the priests that bear the ark
of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan. 17 Joshua therefore
commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan. 18 And it came to
pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come
up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up
unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed
over all his banks, as they did before. 19 And the people came up out of Jordan
on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of
Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua
pitch in Gilgal. 21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your
children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on

dry land. 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before
you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which
he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: 24 That all the people of the
earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the
LORD your God for ever.

Joshua 5
 Joshua 5
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on

the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by
the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the
children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was
there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. 2 At that time the
LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the
children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and
circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the
cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that
were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after
they came out of Egypt. 5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised:
but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth
out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 6 For the children of Israel walked
forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which
came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the
LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land,
which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that
floweth with milk and honey. 7 And their children, whom he raised up in their
stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had
not circumcised them by the way. 8 And it came to pass, when they had done
circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they
were whole. 9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the
reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal
unto this day. 10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the
passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. 11
And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover,
unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. 12 And the manna
ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither
had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the
land of Canaan that year. 13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho,
that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against
him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto
him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain
of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the
earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
15 And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from

off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Joshua 6
1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none

went out, and none came in. 2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have
given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of
valour. 3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about
the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear before
the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the
city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5 And it shall
come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye
hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and
the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man
straight before him. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto
them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets
of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD. 7 And he said unto the people, Pass
on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the
LORD. 8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the
seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the
LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD
followed them. 9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the
trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing
with the trumpets. 10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall
not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed
out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. 11 So the
ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the
camp, and lodged in the camp. 12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the
priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 And seven priests bearing seven
trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and
blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward
came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the
trumpets. 14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into
the camp: so they did six days. 15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that
they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the
same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the

trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the
city. 17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the
LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the
house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And ye, in any wise keep
yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye
take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 19
But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto
the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. 20 So the people
shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the
people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout,
that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man
straight before him, and they took the city. 21 And they utterly destroyed all that
was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass,
with the edge of the sword. 22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had
spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the
woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 23 And the young men that
were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and
her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left
them without the camp of Israel. 24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that
was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron,
they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25 And Joshua saved Rahab
the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she
dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which
Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying,
Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city
Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest
son shall he set up the gates of it. 27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame
was noised throughout all the country.

Joshua 7
1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for

Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of
Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled
against the children of Israel. 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is
beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go
up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they
returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about
two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to
labour thither; for they are but few. 4 So there went up thither of the people about
three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai
smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the
gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the
hearts of the people melted, and became as water. 6 And Joshua rent his clothes,
and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide,
he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 7 And Joshua said,
Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan,
to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had
been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say,
when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all
the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off
our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? 10 And the
LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 11
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I
commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also
stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. 12
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned
their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be
with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Up,
sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O
Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed
thing from among you. 14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according
to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come
according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take
shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall
come man by man. 15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed
thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath
transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in
Israel. 16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their
tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 17 And he brought the family of Judah;
and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites
man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 18 And he brought his household man by
man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the
tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray
thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell
me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 20 And Achan answered
Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus
and thus have I done: 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish
garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels
weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the
earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 22 So Joshua sent
messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the
silver under it. 23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought
them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before
the LORD. 24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah,
and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his
daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he
had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, Why
hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel
stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them
with stones. 26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So
the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that
place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

Joshua 8
1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take

all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy
hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: 2 And thou shalt
do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil
thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee
an ambush for the city behind it. 3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to
go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour,
and sent them away by night. 4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye
shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the
city, but be ye all ready: 5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will
approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us,
as at the first, that we will flee before them, 6 (For they will come out after us)
till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as
at the first: therefore we will flee before them. 7 Then ye shall rise up from the
ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your
hand. 8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on
fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have
commanded you. 9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in
ambush, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua
lodged that night among the people. 10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning,
and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the
people to Ai. 11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him,
went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side
of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai. 12 And he took about five
thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the
west side of the city. 13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that
was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua
went that night into the midst of the valley. 14 And it came to pass, when the
king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went
out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the
plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled

by the way of the wilderness. 16 And all the people that were in Ai were called
together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn
away from the city. 17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went
not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. 18 And
the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai;
for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had
in his hand toward the city. 19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place,
and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the
city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. 20 And when the men of Ai
looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to
heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that
fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. 21 And when Joshua and all
Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city
ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. 22 And the other
issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on
this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of
them remain or escape. 23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to
Joshua. 24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the
inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and
when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed,
that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. 25
And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve
thousand, even all the men of Ai. 26 For Joshua drew not his hand back,
wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the
inhabitants of Ai. 27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a
prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he
commanded Joshua. 28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even
a desolation unto this day. 29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until
eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should
take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the
city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day. 30
Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, 31 As
Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is
written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no
man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the
LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And he wrote there upon the stones a
copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of
Israel. 33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on
this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the
ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born
among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over
against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before,
that they should bless the people of Israel. 34 And afterward he read all the words
of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book
of the law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua
read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little
ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

Joshua 9
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in

the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against
Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite,
and the Jebusite, heard thereof; 2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight
with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. 3 And when the inhabitants of
Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work
wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks
upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; 5 And old shoes
and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of
their provision was dry and mouldy. 6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at
Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far
country: now therefore make ye a league with us. 7 And the men of Israel said
unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a
league with you? 8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua
said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? 9 And they said unto
him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the
LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan,

to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. 11

Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying,
Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them,
We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us. 12 This our bread
we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go
unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 13 And these bottles of
wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our
garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. 14
And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the
LORD. 15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to
let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. 16 And it
came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them,
that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third

day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-
jearim. 18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the
congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the
congregation murmured against the princes. 19 But all the princes said unto all
the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now
therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them; we will even let
them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood

and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised
them. 22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore
have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among
us? 23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from
being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my
God. 24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy
servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you
all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you,
therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this
thing. 25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right
unto thee to do unto us, do. 26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out
of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 27 And Joshua
made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation,
and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should
choose.

Joshua 10
1 Now it came to pass, when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem had heard how

Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and
her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon
had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 2 That they feared greatly,
because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was
greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. 3 Wherefore Adoni-zedek
king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of
Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made

peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. 5 Therefore the five kings of
the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the
king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up,
they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. 6
And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not
thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for
all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together
against us. 7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with
him, and all the mighty men of valour. 8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear
them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of
them stand before thee. 9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went
up from Gilgal all night. 10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and
slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that
goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah. 11 And
it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to
Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto
Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they
whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12 Then spake Joshua to the
LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children
of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and
thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13 And the sun stood still, and the moon
stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this
written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and
hasted not to go down about a whole day. 14 And there was no day like that
before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the
LORD fought for Israel. 15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the
camp to Gilgal. 16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at
Makkedah. 17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a
cave at Makkedah. 18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the
cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 19 And stay ye not, but pursue after
your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their
cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. 20 And it
came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying
them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which
remained of them entered into fenced cities. 21 And all the people returned to the
camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the
children of Israel. 22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring
out those five kings unto me out of the cave. 23 And they did so, and brought
forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of
Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. 24 And
it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua
called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war
which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings.
And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. 25 And Joshua
said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for
thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. 26 And
afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and
they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. 27 And it came to pass at the
time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them
down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and
laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day. 28 And
that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the
king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let
none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of
Jericho. 29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto
Libnah, and fought against Libnah: 30 And the LORD delivered it also, and the
king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword,
and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king
thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho. 31 And Joshua passed from Libnah,
and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought
against it: 32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which
took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the
souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33 Then
Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his
people, until he had left him none remaining. 34 And from Lachish Joshua passed
unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought
against it: 35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the
sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according
to all that he had done to Lachish. 36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all
Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it: 37 And they took it, and
smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities
thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to
all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were
therein. 38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought
against it: 39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and
they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls
that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to
Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king. 40
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and
of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed
all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. 41 And Joshua smote
them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even
unto Gibeon. 42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time,
because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. 43 And Joshua returned, and
all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

Joshua 11
1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things,

that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king
of Achshaph, 2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of
the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on
the west, 3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite,
and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the
Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. 4 And they went out, they and all
their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in
multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 5 And when all these kings were
met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight
against Israel. 6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them:
for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou
shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. 7 So Joshua came, and
all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly;
and they fell upon them. 8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel,
who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephoth-maim,
and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left
them none remaining. 9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he
houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. 10 And Joshua at that
time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for
Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. 11 And they smote all the
souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there
was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire. 12 And all the cities of
those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the
edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded. 13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel
burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. 14 And all the spoil
of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto
themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had
destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe. 15 As the LORD commanded
Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left
nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses. 16 So Joshua took all
that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the
valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; 17
Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baal-gad in the
valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote
them, and slew them. 18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. 19
There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites
the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. 20 For it was of the LORD
to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he
might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might
destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. 21 And at that time came
Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir,
from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of
Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities. 22 There was none of the
Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in
Ashdod, there remained. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that
the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel
according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

Joshua 12
1 Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote,

and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun,
from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east: 2 Sihon
king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is
upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half
Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of
Ammon; 3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the
sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Beth-jeshimoth; and
from the south, under Ashdoth-pisgah: 4 And the coast of Og king of Bashan,
which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 5
And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border
of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon
king of Heshbon. 6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of
Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto
the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. 7 And these are
the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this
side Jordan on the west, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the
mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel
for a possession according to their divisions; 8 In the mountains, and in the
valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the
south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites: 9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is
beside Beth-el, one; 10 The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11
The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12 The king of Eglon, one;
the king of Gezer, one; 13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; 14 The
king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; 15 The king of Libnah, one; the king
of Adullam, one; 16 The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Beth-el, one; 17 The
king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 18 The king of Aphek, one; the
king of Lasharon, one; 19 The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; 20
The king of Shimron-meron, one; the king of Achshaph, one; 21 The king of
Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 22 The king of Kedesh, one; the king of
Jokneam of Carmel, one; 23 The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of
the nations of Gilgal, one; 24 The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and
one.

Joshua 13
1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him,

Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be
possessed. 2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines,
and all Geshuri, 3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of
Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines;
the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the
Ekronites; also the Avites: 4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and
Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:
5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baal-

gad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath. 6 All the inhabitants of
the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephoth-maim, and all the Sidonians,
them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot
unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee. 7 Now therefore
divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of
Manasseh, 8 With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their
inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses
the servant of the LORD gave them; 9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the
river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of
Medeba unto Dibon; 10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which
reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon; 11 And Gilead,
and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and
all Bashan unto Salcah; 12 All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in
Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did
Moses smite, and cast them out. 13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled
not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the
Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. 14 Only unto the tribe of
Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made
by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them. 15 And Moses gave unto the
tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families. 16 And
their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city
that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba; 17 Heshbon, and all
her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Bethbaal-meon, 18
And Jahazah, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, 19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah,
and Zareth-shahar in the mount of the valley, 20 And Beth-peor, and Ashdoth-
pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, 21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the
kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom
Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and
Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country. 22 Balaam also the
son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among
them that were slain by them. 23 And the border of the children of Reuben was
Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of
Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof. 24 And Moses
gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according
to their families. 25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and
half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah; 26
And from Heshbon unto Ramath-mizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim
unto the border of Debir; 27 And in the valley, Beth-aram, and Beth-nimrah, and
Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan
and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side
Jordan eastward. 28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their
families, the cities, and their villages. 29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the
half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the
children of Manasseh by their families. 30 And their coast was from Mahanaim,
all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair,
which are in Bashan, threescore cities: 31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and
Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children
of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by
their families. 32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for
inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.
33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of

Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Joshua 14
1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the

land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the
heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for
inheritance to them. 2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by
the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. 3 For Moses had
given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but
unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them. 4 For the children of
Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto
the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle
and for their substance. 5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of
Israel did, and they divided the land. 6 Then the children of Judah came unto
Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him,
Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God
concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. 7 Forty years old was I when Moses
the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I
brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 8 Nevertheless my brethren that
went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the
LORD my God. 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land
whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for
ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. 10 And now,
behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even
since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel
wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years
old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as
my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to
come in. 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in
that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the
cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be
able to drive them out, as the LORD said. 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave
unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14 Hebron therefore
became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this
day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel. 15 And the name
of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba; which Arba was a great man among the
Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

Joshua 15
1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families;
even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost
part of the south coast. 2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt
sea, from the bay that looketh southward: 3 And it went out to the south side to
Maaleh-acrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side
unto Kadesh-barnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and
fetched a compass to Karkaa: 4 From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went
out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this
shall be your south coast. 5 And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the
end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea
at the uttermost part of Jordan: 6 And the border went up to Beth-hogla, and
passed along by the north of Beth-arabah; and the border went up to the stone of
Bohan the son of Reuben: 7 And the border went up toward Debir from the
valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the
going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border
passed toward the waters of En-shemesh, and the goings out thereof were at En-
rogel: 8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the
south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the
top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at
the end of the valley of the giants northward: 9 And the border was drawn from
the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the
cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjath-
jearim: 10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir,
and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north
side, and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed on to Timnah: 11 And the
border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to
Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the
goings out of the border were at the sea. 12 And the west border was to the great
sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about
according to their families. 13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a
part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD
to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. 14 And
Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai,
the children of Anak. 15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and
the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher. 16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth
Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 17
And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him
Achsah his daughter to wife. 18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that
she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb
said unto her, What wouldest thou? 19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for
thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her
the upper springs, and the nether springs. 20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of
the children of Judah according to their families. 21 And the uttermost cities of
the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were
Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, 22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 23 And
Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, 25 And Hazor,
Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor, 26 Amam, and Shema, and
Moladah, 27 And Hazar-gaddah, and Heshmon, and Beth-palet, 28 And Hazar-
shual, and Beer-sheba, and Bizjothjah, 29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem, 30 And
Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and
Sansannah, 32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities
are twenty and nine, with their villages: 33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and
Zoreah, and Ashnah, 34 And Zanoah, and En-gannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 35
Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and
Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages: 37 Zenan, and
Hadashah, and Migdal-gad, 38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, 39
Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, 41
And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their
villages: 42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan, 43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and
Nezib, 44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages:
45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages: 46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all
that lay near Ashdod, with their villages: 47 Ashdod with her towns and her
villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the
great sea, and the border thereof: 48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir,
and Socoh, 49 And Dannah, and Kirjath-sannah, which is Debir, 50 And Anab,
and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities
with their villages: 52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, 53 And Janum, and Beth-
tappuah, and Aphekah, 54 And Humtah, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, and
Zior; nine cities with their villages: 55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, 56
And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, 57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities
with their villages: 58 Halhul, Beth-zur, and Gedor, 59 And Maarath, and Beth-
anoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages: 60 Kirjath-baal, which is
Kirjath-jearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages: 61 In the wilderness,
Beth-arabah, Middin, and Secacah, 62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and En-
gedi; six cities with their villages. 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites
dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

Joshua 16
1 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the

water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho
throughout mount Beth-el, 2 And goeth out from Beth-el to Luz, and passeth
along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth, 3 And goeth down westward to the
coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer: and the
goings out thereof are at the sea. 4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and
Ephraim, took their inheritance. 5 And the border of the children of Ephraim
according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the
east side was Ataroth-addar, unto Bethhoron the upper; 6 And the border went
out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about
eastward unto Taanath-shiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah; 7 And it
went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and
went out at Jordan. 8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river
Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the
tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families. 9 And the separate cities for
the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of
Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. 10 And they drave not out the
Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites
unto this day, and serve under tribute.

Joshua 17
1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of

Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead:
because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. 2 There was
also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the
children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel,
and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the
children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of
Joseph by their families. 3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead,
the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these
are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 4
And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun,
and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an
inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the
LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father. 5 And
there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which
were on the other side Jordan; 6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an
inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh’s sons had the land of
Gilead. 7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth
before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the
inhabitants of En-tappuah. 8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but
Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; 9 And
the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of
Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on
the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea: 10 Southward it
was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and
they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east. 11 And
Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Beth-shean and her towns, and Ibleam
and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of
Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the
inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries. 12 Yet the children
of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the
Canaanites would dwell in that land. 13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of
Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not
utterly drive them out. 14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying,
Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a
great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto? 15 And Joshua
answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country,
and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if
mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. 16 And the children of Joseph said, The
hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the
valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Beth-shean and her towns, and
they who are of the valley of Jezreel. 17 And Joshua spake unto the house of
Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and
hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: 18 But the mountain shall be
thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be
thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and
though they be strong.

Joshua 18
 1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together

at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was
subdued before them. 2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven
tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance. 3 And Joshua said unto the
children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the
LORD God of your fathers hath given you? 4 Give out from among you three
men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the
land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come
again to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their
coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the
north. 6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the
description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our
God. 7 But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD
is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have
received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of
the LORD gave them. 8 And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged
them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and
describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the
LORD in Shiloh. 9 And the men went and passed through the land, and
described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the
host at Shiloh. 10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and
there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their
divisions. 11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up
according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the
children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 12 And their border on the north
side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north
side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof
were at the wilderness of Beth-aven. 13 And the border went over from thence
toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Beth-el, southward; and the border
descended to Ataroth-adar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether
Bethhoron. 14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of
the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the
goings out thereof were at Kirjath-baal, which is Kirjath-jearim, a city of the
children of Judah: this was the west quarter. 15 And the south quarter was from
the end of Kirjath-jearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to
the well of waters of Nephtoah: 16 And the border came down to the end of the
mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the
valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the
side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to En-rogel, 17 And was drawn from
the north, and went forth to En-shemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which
is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan
the son of Reuben, 18 And passed along toward the side over against Arabah
northward, and went down unto Arabah: 19 And the border passed along to the
side of Beth-hoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north
bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast. 20 And
Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the
children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their
families. 21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to
their families were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and the valley of Keziz, 22 And
Beth-arabah, and Zemaraim, and Beth-el, 23 And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
24 And Chephar-haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their

villages: 25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, 26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah,
and Mozah, 27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, 28 And Zelah, Eleph, and
Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their
villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their
families.

Joshua 19
1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children
of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the
inheritance of the children of Judah. 2 And they had in their inheritance Beer-
sheba, or Sheba, and Moladah, 3 And Hazar-shual, and Balah, and Azem, 4 And
Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, 5 And Ziklag, and Beth-marcaboth, and Hazar-
susah, 6 And Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages: 7 Ain,
Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages: 8 And all the
villages that were round about these cities to Baalath-beer, Ramath of the south.
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their
families. 9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the
children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them:
therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of
them. 10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their
families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid: 11 And their border
went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to
the river that is before Jokneam; 12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the
sunrising unto the border of Chisloth-tabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and
goeth up to Japhia, 13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittah-
hepher, to Ittah-kazin, and goeth out to Remmon-methoar to Neah; 14 And the
border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof
are in the valley of Jiphthah-el: 15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and
Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages. 16 This is the inheritance
of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their
villages. 17 And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar
according to their families. 18 And their border was toward Jezreel, and
Chesulloth, and Shunem, 19 And Hapharaim, and Shion, and Anaharath, 20 And
Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez, 21 And Remeth, and En-gannim, and En-
haddah, and Beth-pazzez; 22 And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah,
and Beth-shemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen
cities with their villages. 23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of
Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages. 24 And the fifth
lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 25
And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph, 26 And
Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to
Shihor-libnath; 27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth
to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the north side of Beth-emek,
and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand, 28 And Hebron, and Rehob,
and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon; 29 And then the coast turneth
to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the
outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib: 30 Ummah also, and
Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages. 31 This is the
inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these
cities with their villages. 32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali,
even for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 33 And their coast
was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel,
unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan: 34 And then the coast
turneth westward to Aznoth-tabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and
reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side,
and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising. 35 And the fenced cities are
Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth, 36 And Adamah, and
Ramah, and Hazor, 37 And Kedesh, and Edrei, and En-hazor, 38 And Iron, and
Migdal-el, Horem, and Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh; nineteen cities with their
villages. 39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali
according to their families, the cities and their villages. 40 And the seventh lot
came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. 41 And
the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Ir-shemesh, 42 And
Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah, 43 And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron,
44 And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, 45 And Jehud, and Bene-berak, and

Gath-rimmon, 46 And Me-jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho. 47
And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the
children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with
the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem,
Dan, after the name of Dan their father. 48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of
the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages. 49
When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts,
the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:
50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked,

even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.
51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of

Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided
for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.

Joshua 20
1 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, 2 Speak to the children of

Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by
the hand of Moses: 3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and
unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of
blood. 4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the
entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the
elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a
place, that he may dwell among them. 5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after
him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his
neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. 6 And he shall dwell in
that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death
of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and
come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he
fled. 7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in
mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah. 8
And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the
wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out
of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh. 9 These
were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that
sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might
flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood
before the congregation.

Joshua 21
1 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the

priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the
tribes of the children of Israel; 2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land
of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us
cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. 3 And the children of
Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the
LORD, these cities and their suburbs. 4 And the lot came out for the families of
the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites,
had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the
tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities. 5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by
lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and
out of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities. 6 And the children of Gershon had
by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher,
and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan,
thirteen cities. 7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of
Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve
cities. 8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with
their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. 9 And they gave
out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of
Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name, 10 Which the children of
Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi,
had: for theirs was the first lot. 11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father
of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs
thereof round about it. 12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave
they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession. 13 Thus they gave to the
children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for
the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs, 14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and
Eshtemoa with her suburbs, 15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her
suburbs, 16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Beth-
shemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes. 17 And out of the
tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs, 18 Anathoth
with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities. 19 All the cities of the
children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 20 And the
families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of
Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim. 21 For
they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of
refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, 22 And Kibzaim with her
suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities. 23 And out of the tribe of
Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, 24 Aijalon with her
suburbs, Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; four cities. 25 And out of the half tribe
of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs; two
cities. 26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children
of Kohath that remained. 27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of
the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan
with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her
suburbs; two cities. 28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs,
Dabareh with her suburbs, 29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, En-gannim with her
suburbs; four cities. 30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs,
Abdon with her suburbs, 31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her
suburbs; four cities. 32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with
her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammoth-dor with her
suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities. 33 All the cities of the
Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs. 34
And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the
tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs, 35
Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities. 36 And out of
the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, 37
Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. 38 And
out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge
for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs, 39 Heshbon with her suburbs,
Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all. 40 So all the cities for the children of
Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites,
were by their lot twelve cities. 41 All the cities of the Levites within the
possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were

all these cities. 43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to
give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 44 And the
LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their
fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD
delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 There failed not ought of any good
thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Joshua 22
1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of

Manasseh, 2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the
LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded
you: 3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have
kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 4 And now the
LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them:
therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your
possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side
Jordan. 5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which
Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and
to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him,
and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. 6 So Joshua blessed
them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents. 7 Now to the one half
of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the
other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan
westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he
blessed them, 8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto
your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass,
and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies
with your brethren. 9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and
the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out
of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the
land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of
the LORD by the hand of Moses. 10 And when they came unto the borders of
Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of
Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to
see to. 11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben
and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over
against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the
children of Israel. 12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole
congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to
go up to war against them. 13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of
Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the
land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 14 And with him ten
princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each
one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. 15
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to
the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them,
saying, 16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this
that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from
following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel
this day against the LORD? 17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which
we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the
congregation of the LORD, 18 But that ye must turn away this day from
following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD,
that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel. 19
Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over
unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD’s tabernacle
dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor
rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.
20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and

wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in
his iniquity. 21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half
tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he

shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us

not this day,) 23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD,
or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace
offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it; 24 And if we have not rather
done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak
unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel? 25
For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of
Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your
children make our children cease from fearing the LORD. 26 Therefore we said,
Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
27 But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us,

that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings,
and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not
say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD. 28 Therefore
said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in
time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the
LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it
is a witness between us and you. 29 God forbid that we should rebel against the
LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt
offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our
God that is before his tabernacle. 30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the
princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with
him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the
children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar
the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the
children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us,
because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have
delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD. 32 And Phinehas
the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of
Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of
Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 33 And the thing
pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not
intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of
Reuben and Gad dwelt. 34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad
called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.

Joshua 23
1 And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto

Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in
age. 2 And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads,
and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and
stricken in age: 3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto
all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought
for you. 4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be
an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut
off, even unto the great sea westward. 5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel
them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall
possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. 6 Be ye
therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the
law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 7
That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither
make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither
serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: 8 But cleave unto the LORD your
God, as ye have done unto this day. 9 For the LORD hath driven out from before
you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand
before you unto this day. 10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the
LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. 11 Take
good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God. 12 Else if
ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even
these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in
unto them, and they to you: 13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God
will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be
snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes,
until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given
you. 14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in
all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good
things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass
unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. 15 Therefore it shall come to
pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God
promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have
destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given
you. 16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which
he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves
to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall
perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

Joshua 24
1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the

elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers;
and they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said unto all the
people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side
of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of
Nachor: and they served other gods. 3 And I took your father Abraham from the
other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and
multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau:
and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went
down into Egypt. 5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according
to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 6 And I
brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians
pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7 And
when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the
Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes
have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long
season. 8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the
other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that
ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 9 Then Balak
the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and
called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 10 But I would not hearken unto
Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And
ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought
against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them
into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from
before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with
thy bow. 13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities
which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which
ye planted not do ye eat. 14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in
sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the
other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seem
evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve;
whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the
flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my
house, we will serve the LORD. 16 And the people answered and said, God
forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; 17 For the LORD
our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from
the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved
us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we
passed: 18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the
Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he
is our God. 19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for
he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions
nor your sins. 20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will
turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. 21 And
the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. 22 And Joshua
said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen
you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. 23 Now therefore
put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart
unto the LORD God of Israel. 24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD
our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. 25 So Joshua made a
covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in
Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and
took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of
the LORD. 27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a
witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto
us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 28 So Joshua
let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. 29 And it came to pass after
these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an
hundred and ten years old. 30 And they buried him in the border of his
inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of
the hill of Gaash. 31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all
the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works
of the LORD, that he had done for Israel. 32 And the bones of Joseph, which the
children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of
ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an
hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained

to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Judges 1
1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel

asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to
fight against them? 2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have
delivered the land into his hand. 3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother,
Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I
likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. 4 And Judah
went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their
hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men. 5 And they found
Adoni-bezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the
Canaanites and the Perizzites. 6 But Adoni-bezek fled; and they pursued after
him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. 7 And Adoni-
bezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes
cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited
me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. 8 Now the children of
Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the
edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. 9 And afterward the children of Judah
went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the
south, and in the valley. 10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in
Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba:) and they slew
Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai. 11 And from thence he went against the
inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher: 12 And
Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjath-sepher, and taketh it, to him will I give
Achsah my daughter to wife. 13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger
brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 14 And it came to
pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and
she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou? 15 And she
said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me
also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether
springs. 16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of
the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah,
which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people. 17
And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that
inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called
Hormah. 18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the
coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof. 19 And the LORD was with
Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out
the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron. 20 And they gave
Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of
Anak. 21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that
inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in
Jerusalem unto this day. 22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against
Beth-el: and the LORD was with them. 23 And the house of Joseph sent to
descry Beth-el. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.) 24 And the spies saw
a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee,
the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy. 25 And when he shewed
them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword;
but they let go the man and all his family. 26 And the man went into the land of
the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name
thereof unto this day. 27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Beth-
shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and
her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of
Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 28 And it
came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and
did not utterly drive them out. 29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites
that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them. 30 Neither
did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol;
but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries. 31 Neither did
Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of
Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob: 32 But the
Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did
not drive them out. 33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-
shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites,
the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of
Beth-anath became tributaries unto them. 34 And the Amorites forced the
children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down
to the valley: 35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in
Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became
tributaries. 36 And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim,
from the rock, and upward.

Judges 2
 Judges 2
1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I

made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I
sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. 2
And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw
down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? 3
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall
be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. 4 And it came
to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of
Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 5 And they called the name
of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD. 6 And when
Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his
inheritance to possess the land. 7 And the people served the LORD all the days
of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all
the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. 8 And Joshua the son of
Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 9 And
they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount
of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. 10 And also all that generation
were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them,
which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. 11
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of

the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were
round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to
anger. 13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 14 And
the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the
hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their
enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their
enemies. 15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against
them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them:
and they were greatly distressed. 16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges,
which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. 17 And yet they
would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods,
and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their
fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.
18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the

judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the
judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them
that oppressed them and vexed them. 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was
dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in
following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not
from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. 20 And the anger of the
LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath
transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not
hearkened unto my voice; 21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before
them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: 22 That through them I may
prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as
their fathers did keep it, or not. 23 Therefore the LORD left those nations,
without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of
Joshua.

Judges 3
1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them,

even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; 2 Only that the
generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least
such as before knew nothing thereof; 3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and
all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount
Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath. 4 And they
were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the
commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of
Moses. 5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and
Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 6 And they took their
daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served
their gods. 7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and
forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. 8 Therefore the
anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of
Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served
Chushan-rishathaim eight years. 9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the
LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered
them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 And the Spirit
of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the
LORD delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and
his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim. 11 And the land had rest forty
years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 12 And the children of Israel did evil
again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of
Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. 13
And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and
smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. 14 So the children of Israel
served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. 15 But when the children of Israel
cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of
Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a
present unto Eglon the king of Moab. 16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had
two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right
thigh. 17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a
very fat man. 18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away
the people that bare the present. 19 But he himself turned again from the quarries
that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said,
Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him. 20 And Ehud came
unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself
alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of
his seat. 21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right
thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and
the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his
belly; and the dirt came out. 23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut
the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them. 24 When he was gone out,
his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were
locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber. 25 And
they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the
parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was
fallen down dead on the earth. 26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and
passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath. 27 And it came to pass,
when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the
children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them. 28
And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your
enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took
the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 29 And
they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of
valour; and there escaped not a man. 30 So Moab was subdued that day under the
hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years. 31 And after him was
Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with
an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.

Judges 4
1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when

Ehud was dead. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of
Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which
dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the
LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily
oppressed the children of Israel. 4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of
Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. 5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of
Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim: and the children of
Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 And she sent and called Barak the son of
Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of
Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee
ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? 7
And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army,
with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand. 8 And
Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not
go with me, then I will not go. 9 And she said, I will surely go with thee:
notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the
LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went
with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and
he went up with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him. 11
Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the father in law of
Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and pitched his tent unto the plain
of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh. 12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son
of Abinoam was gone up to mount Tabor. 13 And Sisera gathered together all his
chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with
him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon. 14 And Deborah
said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera
into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee? So Barak went down
from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men after him. 15 And the LORD
discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the
sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on
his feet. 16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto
Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the
sword; and there was not a man left. 17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to
the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin
the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael went out to
meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And
when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. 19
And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am
thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him.
20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any

man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou
shalt say, No. 21 Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an
hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his
temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he
died. 22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him, and
said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest. And
when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his
temples. 23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the
children of Israel. 24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and
prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king
of Canaan.

Judges 5
1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 2

Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered
themselves. 3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto
the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. 4 LORD, when thou
wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth
trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. 5 The
mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD
God of Israel. 6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the
highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways. 7 The
inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah
arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; then was war in the
gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My
heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among
the people. Bless ye the LORD. 10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit
in judgment, and walk by the way. 11 They that are delivered from the noise of
archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous
acts of the LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages
in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates. 12 Awake,
awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity
captive, thou son of Abinoam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth have
dominion over the nobles among the people: the LORD made me have dominion
over the mighty. 14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek;
after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors,
and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 15 And the princes of
Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot
into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 16
Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For
the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead abode
beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea
shore, and abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that
jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field. 19 The kings
came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of
Megiddo; they took no gain of money. 20 They fought from heaven; the stars in
their courses fought against Sisera. 21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that
ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 22
Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, the pransings of
their mighty ones. 23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye
bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD,
to the help of the LORD against the mighty. 24 Blessed above women shall Jael
the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25
He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter in a lordly dish.
26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer;

and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head, when she had
pierced and stricken through his temples. 27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay
down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28
The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why
is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots? 29 Her
wise ladies answered her, yea, she returned answer to herself, 30 Have they not
sped? have they not divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a
prey of divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers colours
of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that take the spoil? 31
So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun
when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

Judges 6
1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the

LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of
Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of
Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong
holds. 3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and
the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; 4
And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till
thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor
ass. 5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as
grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number:
and they entered into the land to destroy it. 6 And Israel was greatly
impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the
LORD. 7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD
because of the Midianites, 8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of
Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you
up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 9 And I
delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that
oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; 10
And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. 11 And
there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah,
that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by
the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the LORD
appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man
of valour. 13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us,
why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers
told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the
LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. 14
And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt
save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? 15 And he said
unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor
in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And the LORD said
unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one
man. 17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew
me a sign that thou talkest with me. 18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come
unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will
tarry until thou come again. 19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and
unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put
the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. 20
And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes,
and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. 21 Then the
angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and
touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the
rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the
LORD departed out of his sight. 22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an
angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an
angel of the LORD face to face. 23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto
thee; fear not: thou shalt not die. 24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the
LORD, and called it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the
Abi-ezrites. 25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him,
Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and
throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is
by it: 26 And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in
the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with
the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down. 27 Then Gideon took ten men
of his servants, and did as the LORD had said unto him: and so it was, because
he feared his father’s household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it
by day, that he did it by night. 28 And when the men of the city arose early in the
morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down
that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was built.
29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when they

enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing. 30
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die:
because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the
grove that was by it. 31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye
plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to
death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because
one hath cast down his altar. 32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal,
saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar. 33
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were
gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. 34 But the
Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was
gathered after him. 35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who
also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto
Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. 36 And Gideon said
unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, 37 Behold, I
will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it
be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by
mine hand, as thou hast said. 38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the
morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a
bowl full of water. 39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot
against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once
with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground
let there be dew. 40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece
only, and there was dew on all the ground.

Judges 7
1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him,

rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the
Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 2
And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for
me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against
me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. 3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in
the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and
depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and
two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 4 And the LORD said unto
Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I
will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This
shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto
thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go. 5 So he brought down the
people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth
of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself;
likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink. 6 And the number
of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men:
but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water. 7 And
the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save
you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go
every man unto his place. 8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their
trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained
those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley. 9
And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him, Arise, get thee
down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine hand. 10 But if thou fear to
go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down to the host: 11 And thou shalt
hear what they say; and afterward shall thine hands be strengthened to go down
unto the host. Then went he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the
armed men that were in the host. 12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and
all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude;
and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.
13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto

his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread
tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell,
and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said,
This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel:
for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. 15 And it was so,
when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that
he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the
LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. 16 And he divided the
three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s
hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto
them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of
the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet,
I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the
camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the
hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the
beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they
blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the
three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in
their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they
cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 21 And they stood every man in
his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled. 22 And
the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword
against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Beth-shittah
in Zererath, and to the border of Abel-meholah, unto Tabbath. 23 And the men of
Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of
all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 24 And Gideon sent messengers
throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and
take before them the waters unto Beth-barah and Jordan. Then all the men of
Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Beth-barah and
Jordan. 25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they
slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and
pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other
side Jordan.

Judges 8
1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that

thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they
did chide with him sharply. 2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in
comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the
vintage of Abiezer? 3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian,
Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their
anger was abated toward him, when he had said that. 4 And Gideon came to
Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him,
faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray
you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am
pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of
Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we
should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the
LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your
flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. 8 And he went up thence
to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as
the men of Succoth had answered him. 9 And he spake also unto the men of
Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower. 10
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about
fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east:
for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword. 11 And
Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and
Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure. 12 And when Zebah and
Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah
and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. 13 And Gideon the son of Joash
returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the
men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of
Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he
came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with
whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in
thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he
took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them
he taught the men of Succoth. 17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and
slew the men of the city. 18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What
manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou
art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king. 19 And he said,
They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye
had saved them alive, I would not slay you. 20 And he said unto Jether his
firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared,
because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and
fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew
Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’
necks. 22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou,
and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of
Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my
son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them,
I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of
his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And
they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did
cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 26 And the weight of the golden
earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold;
beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of
Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. 27 And
Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all
Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon,
and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so
that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty
years in the days of Gideon. 29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in
his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten:
for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare
him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash
died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in
Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites. 33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead,
that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and
made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the
LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies
on every side: 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal,
namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.

Judges 9
1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s

brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his
mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of
Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which
are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?
remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren
spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their
hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they
gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith,
wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. 5 And
he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of
Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet
Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the
men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and
made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. 7 And
when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and
lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of
Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8 The trees went forth on a time to
anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9
But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me
they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10 And the
trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11 But the fig tree said
unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be
promoted over the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and
reign over us. 13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which
cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14 Then said all the
trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said
unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your
trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the
cedars of Lebanon. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that
ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his
house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For
my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of
the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day,
and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have
made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem,
because he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with
Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him
also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour
the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men
of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. 21 And Jotham
ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his
brother. 22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 23 Then God
sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of
Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24 That the cruelty done to the
threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon
Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which
aided him in the killing of his brethren. 25 And the men of Shechem set liers in
wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that
way by them: and it was told Abimelech. 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with
his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their
confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their
vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of
their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of
Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?
is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor
the father of Shechem: for why should we serve him? 29 And would to God this
people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to
Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out. 30 And when Zebul the ruler of
the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And
he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of
Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city
against thee. 32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee,
and lie in wait in the field: 33 And it shall be, that in the morning, as soon as the
sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon the city: and, behold, when he and
the people that is with him come out against thee, then mayest thou do to them
as thou shalt find occasion. 34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that
were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of the gate of the

city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from lying in
wait. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there come
people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou
seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men. 37 And Gaal spake again
and said, See there come people down by the middle of the land, and another
company come along by the plain of Meonenim. 38 Then said Zebul unto him,
Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we
should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray
now, and fight with them. 39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and
fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him,
and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate. 41
And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren,
that they should not dwell in Shechem. 42 And it came to pass on the morrow,
that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech. 43 And he took
the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and
looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up
against them, and smote them. 44 And Abimelech, and the company that was
with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and
the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew
them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city,
and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with
salt. 46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered
into an hold of the house of the god Berith. 47 And it was told Abimelech, that all
the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech gat
him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and
Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and
took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him,
What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done. 49 And all the
people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and
put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of
the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. 50 Then went
Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. 51 But there
was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and
all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. 52
And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto
the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman cast a piece of
a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. 54 Then he called
hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy
sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young
man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that
Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place. 56 Thus God
rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying
his seventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render
upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

Judges 10
 1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of Puah, the

son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in mount Ephraim. 2

And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in
Shamir. 3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two
years. 4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty
cities, which are called Havoth-jair unto this day, which are in the land of
Gilead. 5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon. 6 And the children of Israel
did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and
the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of
the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD,
and served not him. 7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of
Ammon. 8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel:
eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the
land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 Moreover the children of Ammon
passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against
the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. 10 And the children of
Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because
we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. 11 And the LORD said unto
the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the
Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? 12 The
Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye
cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. 13 Yet ye have forsaken me,
and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. 14 Go and cry unto
the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your
tribulation. 15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned:
do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray
thee, this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and
served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 17 Then the
children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the
children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh. 18
And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that
will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he shall be head over all the
inhabitants of Gilead.

Judges 11
1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the

son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah. 2 And Gilead’s wife bare him sons;
and his wife’s sons grew up, and they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him,
Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange
woman. 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of Tob:
and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with him. 4 And it
came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against
Israel. 5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against
Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob: 6 And
they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the
children of Ammon. 7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye
hate me, and expel me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me
now when ye are in distress? 8 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah,
Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight
against the children of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of
Gilead. 9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again
to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me,
shall I be your head? 10 And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD
be witness between us, if we do not so according to thy words. 11 Then Jephthah
went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over
them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh. 12 And
Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What
hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land? 13
And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of
Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt,
from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those
lands again peaceably. 14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of
the children of Ammon: 15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took
not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: 16 But when
Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red sea,
and came to Kadesh; 17 Then Israel sent messengers unto the king of Edom,
saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would
not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he
would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. 18 Then they went along through
the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and
came by the east side of the land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of
Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of
Moab. 19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king
of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land
into my place. 20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon
gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
21 And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand

of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites,
the inhabitants of that country. 22 And they possessed all the coasts of the
Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto
Jordan. 23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from
before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? 24 Wilt not thou possess
that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD
our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess. 25 And now art
thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever
strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them, 26 While Israel dwelt in
Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be
along by the coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not
recover them within that time? 27 Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but
thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be judge this day
between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon. 28 Howbeit the king
of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the words of Jephthah which he
sent him. 29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed
over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from
Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon. 30 And Jephthah
vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the
children of Ammon into mine hands, 31 Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh
forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the
children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt
offering. 32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against
them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands. 33 And he smote them from
Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of
the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were
subdued before the children of Israel. 34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his
house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with
dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.
35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas,

my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that
trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the

LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth;

forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of
the children of Ammon. 37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done
for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the
mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows. 38 And he said, Go. And
he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and
bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 39 And it came to pass at the end of
two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his
vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
40 That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah

the Gileadite four days in a year.

Judges 12
1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went

northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against
the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine
house upon thee with fire. 2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were
at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered
me not out of their hands. 3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my
life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD
delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day,
to fight against me? 4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and
fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said,
Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the
Manassites. 5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the
Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped
said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an
Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and
he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took
him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the
Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years.
Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. 8
And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 And he had thirty sons, and
thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad
for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 10 Then died Ibzan, and was
buried at Bethlehem. 11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he
judged Israel ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in
Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a
Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode
on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 15 And Abdon
the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of
Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

Judges 13
1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the

LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years. 2 And there
was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was
Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. 3 And the angel of the LORD
appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and
bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. 4 Now therefore beware, I
pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 5
For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head:
for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to
deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. 6 Then the woman came and told
her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like
the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he
was, neither told he me his name: 7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt
conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat
any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the
day of his death. 8 Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let
the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we
shall do unto the child that shall be born. 9 And God hearkened to the voice of
Manoah; and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the
field: but Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 And the woman made haste,
and ran, and shewed her husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath
appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. 11 And Manoah arose, and
went after his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man
that spakest unto the woman? And he said, I am. 12 And Manoah said, Now let
thy words come to pass. How shall we order the child, and how shall we do unto
him? 13 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the
woman let her beware. 14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine,
neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all that I
commanded her let her observe. 15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the
LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for
thee. 16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I
will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it
unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. 17
And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy
sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 18 And the angel of the LORD
said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? 19 So
Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the
LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 20
For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar,
that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and
his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 21 But the angel of the
LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that
he was an angel of the LORD. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall
surely die, because we have seen God. 23 But his wife said unto him, If the
LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a
meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor
would as at this time have told us such things as these. 24 And the woman bare a
son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed
him. 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of
Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Judges 14
 1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the

daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his
mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the
Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his
mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy
brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the
uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for
she pleaseth me well. 4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the
LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the
Philistines had dominion over Israel. 5 Then went Samson down, and his father
and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold,
a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily
upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his
hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went
down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 And after a
time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion:
and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9
And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and
mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had
taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. 10 So his father went down unto
the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 11
And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to
be with him. 12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto
you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find
it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: 13 But if
ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of
garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 14
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong
came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. 15
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife,
Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and
thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?
16 And Samson’s wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and

lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and
hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor
my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 17 And she wept before him the seven days,
while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her,
because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her
people. 18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the
sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?
And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found
out my riddle. 19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down
to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change
of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled,
and he went up to his father’s house. 20 But Samson’s wife was given to his
companion, whom he had used as his friend.

Judges 15
1 But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that

Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the
chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in. 2 And her father said, I
verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy
companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee,
instead of her. 3 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more
blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. 4 And Samson
went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail,
and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 5 And when he had set the
brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt
up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. 6
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the
son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his
companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. 7
And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of
you, and after that I will cease. 8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great
slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. 9 Then the
Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 10 And
the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To
bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. 11 Then three
thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson,
Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou
hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done
unto them. 12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we
may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them,
Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. 13 And they spake unto
him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but
surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and
brought him up from the rock. 14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines
shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and
the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and
his bands loosed from off his hands. 15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass,
and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. 16 And
Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an
ass have I slain a thousand men. 17 And it came to pass, when he had made an
end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that
place Ramath-lehi. 18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and
said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and
now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? 19 But God
clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and
when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called
the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day. 20 And he judged
Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

Judges 16
1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.
2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they

compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and
were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him.
3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the

gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put
them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before
Hebron. 4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of
Sorek, whose name was Delilah. 5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto
her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and
by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him:
and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver. 6 And
Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth,
and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 7 And Samson said unto
her, If they bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall I be
weak, and be as another man. 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to
her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them. 9
Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the chamber. And she
said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as
a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was not
known. 10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and
told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be bound. 11 And
he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied,
then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 12 Delilah therefore took new ropes,
and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee,
Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them
from off his arms like a thread. 13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou
hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound.
And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The Philistines be upon

thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of the
beam, and with the web. 15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love
thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times,
and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 16 And it came to pass,
when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was
vexed unto death; 17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath
not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my
mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall
become weak, and be like any other man. 18 And when Delilah saw that he had
told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying,
Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the
Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. 19 And she made
him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave
off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength
went from him. 20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he
awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake
myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. 21 But the
Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and
bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. 22 Howbeit
the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. 23 Then the lords
of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon
their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our
enemy into our hand. 24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god:
for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the
destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. 25 And it came to pass, when
their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us
sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them
sport: and they set him between the pillars. 26 And Samson said unto the lad that
held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house
standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and
women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the
roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made
sport. 28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember
me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may
be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. 29 And Samson took hold
of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne
up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30 And Samson
said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might;
and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So
the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his
life. 31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took
him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the
buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

Judges 17
1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And

he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken
from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold,
the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the
LORD, my son. 3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver
to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD
from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now
therefore I will restore it unto thee. 4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother;
and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder,
who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the
house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an
ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right
in his own eyes. 7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah of the
family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And the man
departed out of the city from Bethlehem-judah to sojourn where he could find a
place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. 9
And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a
Levite of Bethlehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. 10 And
Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I
will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy
victuals. So the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the
man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. 12 And Micah
consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the
house of Micah. 13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me
good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

Judges 18
1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the

Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their
inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel. 2 And the
children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour,
from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said
unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the
house of Micah, they lodged there. 3 When they were by the house of Micah,
they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and
said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and
what hast thou here? 4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with
me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest. 5 And they said unto him, Ask
counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go
shall be prosperous. 6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the
LORD is your way wherein ye go. 7 Then the five men departed, and came to
Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the
manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the
land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the
Zidonians, and had no business with any man. 8 And they came unto their
brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye? 9
And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land,
and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to
possess the land. 10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a
large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want
of any thing that is in the earth. 11 And there went from thence of the family of
the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with
weapons of war. 12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath-jearim, in Judah:
wherefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan unto this day: behold, it is behind
Kirjath-jearim. 13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto
the house of Micah. 14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the
country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these
houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now
therefore consider what ye have to do. 15 And they turned thitherward, and came
to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and
saluted him. 16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war,
which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate. 17 And the
five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the
graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the
priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were
appointed with weapons of war. 18 And these went into Micah’s house, and
fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image.
Then said the priest unto them, What do ye? 19 And they said unto him, Hold thy
peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a
priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou
be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel? 20 And the priest’s heart was glad,
and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the
midst of the people. 21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and
the cattle and the carriage before them. 22 And when they were a good way from
the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah’s house were
gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan. 23 And they cried unto the
children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth
thee, that thou comest with such a company? 24 And he said, Ye have taken
away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what
have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee? 25 And the
children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry
fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household. 26
And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too
strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house. 27 And they took the
things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto
Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the
edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire. 28 And there was no deliverer,
because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it
was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. And they built a city, and dwelt
therein. 29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their
father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the
first. 30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son
of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of
Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. 31 And they set them up Micah’s
graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

Judges 19
 1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that

there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to
him a concubine out of Bethlehem-judah. 2 And his concubine played the whore
against him, and went away from him unto her father’s house to Bethlehem-
judah, and was there four whole months. 3 And her husband arose, and went
after her, to speak friendly unto her, and to bring her again, having his servant
with him, and a couple of asses: and she brought him into her father’s house: and
when the father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him. 4 And his father
in law, the damsel’s father, retained him; and he abode with him three days: so
they did eat and drink, and lodged there. 5 And it came to pass on the fourth day,
when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel’s
father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and
afterward go your way. 6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them
together: for the damsel’s father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray thee,
and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry. 7 And when the man rose up to
depart, his father in law urged him: therefore he lodged there again. 8 And he
arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel’s father
said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they
did eat both of them. 9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his
concubine, and his servant, his father in law, the damsel’s father, said unto him,
Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all night: behold,
the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart may be merry; and to
morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go home. 10 But the man
would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against
Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his
concubine also was with him. 11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far
spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in
into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. 12 And his master said unto him,
We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children
of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah. 13 And he said unto his servant, Come,
and let us draw near to one of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in
Ramah. 14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon
them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin. 15 And they
turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah: and when he went in, he sat
him down in a street of the city: for there was no man that took them into his
house to lodging. 16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of
the field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in Gibeah:
but the men of the place were Benjamites. 17 And when he had lifted up his eyes,
he saw a wayfaring man in the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither
goest thou? and whence comest thou? 18 And he said unto him, We are passing
from Bethlehem-judah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and
I went to Bethlehem-judah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD; and
there is no man that receiveth me to house. 19 Yet there is both straw and
provender for our asses; and there is bread and wine also for me, and for thy
handmaid, and for the young man which is with thy servants: there is no want of
any thing. 20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy
wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street. 21 So he brought him into his
house, and gave provender unto the asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat
and drink. 22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of
the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and beat at the door,
and spake to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man
that came into thine house, that we may know him. 23 And the man, the master
of the house, went out unto them, and said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I
pray you, do not so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into mine house, do
not this folly. 24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them
I will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth good
unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing. 25 But the men would not
hearken to him: so the man took his concubine, and brought her forth unto them;
and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning: and when the
day began to spring, they let her go. 26 Then came the woman in the dawning of
the day, and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her lord was, till it
was light. 27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the
house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his concubine was
fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold. 28
And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none answered. Then the man
took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him unto his place. 29 And
when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid hold on his
concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent
her into all the coasts of Israel. 30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There
was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up
out of the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your
minds.

Judges 20
1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was

gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, with the land of
Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh. 2 And the chief of all the people, even of all
the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God,
four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword. 3 (Now the children of
Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said
the children of Israel, Tell us, how was this wickedness? 4 And the Levite, the
husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that
belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge. 5 And the men of Gibeah
rose against me, and beset the house round about upon me by night, and thought
to have slain me: and my concubine have they forced, that she is dead. 6 And I
took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her throughout all the country
of the inheritance of Israel: for they have committed lewdness and folly in Israel.
7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and counsel. 8 And

all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of us go to his tent,
neither will we any of us turn into his house. 9 But now this shall be the thing
which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it; 10 And we will take
ten men of an hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a
thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the people, that
they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly
that they have wrought in Israel. 11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against
the city, knit together as one man. 12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all
the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah,

that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of
Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:
14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities

unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel. 15 And the children
of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six
thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were
numbered seven hundred chosen men. 16 Among all this people there were seven
hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth,
and not miss. 17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four
hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war. 18 And the
children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of
God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of
Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first. 19 And the children of
Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. 20 And the men of
Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves
in array to fight against them at Gibeah. 21 And the children of Benjamin came
forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day
twenty and two thousand men. 22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged
themselves, and set their battle again in array in the place where they put
themselves in array the first day. 23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept
before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go
up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD
said, Go up against him.) 24 And the children of Israel came near against the
children of Benjamin the second day. 25 And Benjamin went forth against them
out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children
of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword. 26 Then all the
children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God,
and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 27 And the
children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was
there in those days, 28 And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood
before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the
children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up;
for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand. 29 And Israel set liers in wait
round about Gibeah. 30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of
Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at
other times. 31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and
were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill,
as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God,
and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel. 32 And the
children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But
the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the
highways. 33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put
themselves in array at Baal-tamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out
of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah. 34 And there came against
Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but
they knew not that evil was near them. 35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before
Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and
five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword. 36 So the children
of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the
Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside
Gibeah. 37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in
wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword. 38
Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait,
that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city. 39 And
when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of
the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten
down before us, as in the first battle. 40 But when the flame began to arise up out
of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and,
behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven. 41 And when the men of
Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil
was come upon them. 42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of
Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them
which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them. 43 Thus they
inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down
with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising. 44 And there fell of
Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour. 45 And they
turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they
gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them
unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them. 46 So that all which fell that
day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all
these were men of valour. 47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the
wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote

them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and
all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

Judges 21
1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall not any

of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife. 2 And the people came to the
house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices,
and wept sore; 3 And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in
Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel? 4 And it came to
pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and
offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. 5 And the children of Israel said,
Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the
congregation unto the LORD? For they had made a great oath concerning him
that came not up to the LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.
6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said,

There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day. 7 How shall we do for wives for
them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them
of our daughters to wives? 8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of
Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none
to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly. 9 For the people were
numbered, and, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead
there. 10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the
valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of
Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children. 11
And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy every male, and
every woman that hath lain by man. 12 And they found among the inhabitants of
Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with
any male: and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of
Canaan. 13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of
Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto them. 14
And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives which they
had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead: and yet so they sufficed them
not. 15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had
made a breach in the tribes of Israel. 16 Then the elders of the congregation said,
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are
destroyed out of Benjamin? 17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for
them that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of Israel. 18
Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel
have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin. 19 Then they
said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh yearly in a place which is on
the north side of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from
Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah. 20 Therefore they commanded
the children of Benjamin, saying, Go and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21 And see,
and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come
ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of
Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. 22 And it shall be, when their fathers or
their brethren come unto us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be
favourable unto them for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his
wife in the war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be
guilty. 23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according
to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and they went and
returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the cities, and dwelt in them. 24 And
the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to
his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance. 25 In
those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his
own eyes.

Ruth 1
1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a

famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem-judah went to sojourn in the
country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 2 And the name of the man
was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons
Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came into the
country of Moab, and continued there. 3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died;
and she was left, and her two sons. 4 And they took them wives of the women of
Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they
dwelled there about ten years. 5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them;
and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. 6 Then she arose with
her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she
had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in
giving them bread. 7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was,
and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto
the land of Judah. 8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return
each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt
with the dead, and with me. 9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of
you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their
voice, and wept. 10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto
thy people. 11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with
me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?
12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband.

If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should
also bear sons; 13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay
for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for
your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. 14 And they lifted
up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth
clave unto her. 15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. 16 And Ruth said,
Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither
thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be
my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I
be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and
me. 18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left
speaking unto her. 19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it
came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved
about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not
Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I
went out full, and the LORD hath brought me home again empty: why then call
ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath
afflicted me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in
law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to
Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Ruth 2
1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty man of wealth, of

the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said
unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in
whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. 3 And
she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to
light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of
Elimelech. 4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers,
The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. 5 Then
said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers, Whose damsel is this? 6
And the servant that was set over the reapers answered and said, It is the
Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 7 And
she said, I pray you, let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves:
so she came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she
tarried a little in the house. 8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my
daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here
fast by my maidens: 9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go
thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?
and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young
men have drawn. 10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest
take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? 11 And Boaz answered and said
unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in
law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy
mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou
knewest not heretofore. 12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward
be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to
trust. 13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that thou
hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto thine handmaid,
though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens. 14 And Boaz said unto her,
At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the
vinegar. And she sat beside the reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and
she did eat, and was sufficed, and left. 15 And when she was risen up to glean,
Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves,
and reproach her not: 16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her,
and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not. 17 So she gleaned
in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an
ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in
law saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that she
had reserved after she was sufficed. 19 And her mother in law said unto her,
Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that
did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she
had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. 20
And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath
not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her,
The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. 21 And Ruth the
Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men,
until they have ended all my harvest. 22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter
in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet
thee not in any other field. 23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean
unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother
in law.
 Ruth 3
1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I not

seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee? 2 And now is not Boaz of our
kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night
in the threshingfloor. 3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy
raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known
unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking. 4 And it shall be,
when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the place where he shall lie, and thou
shalt go in, and uncover his feet, and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what
thou shalt do. 5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. 6
And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in
law bade her. 7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he
went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and
uncovered his feet, and laid her down. 8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the
man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. 9 And
he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread
therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman. 10 And he
said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more
kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not
young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to
thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a
virtuous woman. 12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there
is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that
if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s
part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of
a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning. 14 And she
lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another.
And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor. 15 Also he
said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it,
he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the
city. 16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my
daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her. 17 And she said,
These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto
thy mother in law. 18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how
the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the
thing this day.

Ruth 4
1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and, behold, the

kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! turn
aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down. 2 And he took ten men
of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down. 3 And he
said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the country of Moab,
selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech’s: 4 And I thought to
advertise thee, saying, Buy it before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my
people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell
me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I am after
thee. And he said, I will redeem it. 5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the
field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife
of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance. 6 And the
kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own inheritance:
redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot redeem it. 7 Now this was the
manner in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing,
for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his
neighbour: and this was a testimony in Israel. 8 Therefore the kinsman said unto
Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew off his shoe. 9 And Boaz said unto the elders,
and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was
Elimelech’s, and all that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 10
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my
wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the
dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye
are witnesses this day. 11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders,
said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine
house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do
thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem: 12 And let thy house be
like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare unto Judah, of the seed which the
LORD shall give thee of this young woman. 13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was
his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she
bare a son. 14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which
hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in
Israel. 15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine
old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than
seven sons, hath born him. 16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her
bosom, and became nurse unto it. 17 And the women her neighbours gave it a
name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he
is the father of Jesse, the father of David. 18 Now these are the generations of
Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat
Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21
And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and
Jesse begat David.

1 Samuel 1
1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim,

and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of
Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 2 And he had two wives; the name of the
one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had
children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city
yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the
two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 4
And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and
to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy
portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. 6 And her
adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had
shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the
house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8
Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why
eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten
sons? 9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had
drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. 10
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11
And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on
the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine
handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him
unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his
head. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli
marked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved,
but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And
Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful

spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul
before the LORD. 16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out
of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli
answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that
thou hast asked of him. 18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy
sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no
more sad. 19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the
LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew
Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. 20 Wherefore it came to pass,
when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son,
and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. 21
And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the
yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her
husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him,
that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever. 23 And Elkanah
her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have
weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave
her son suck until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took
him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of
wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was
young. 25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said,
Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here,
praying unto the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me
my petition which I asked of him: 28 Therefore also I have lent him to the
LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the
LORD there.

1 Samuel 2
1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn

is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I

rejoice in thy salvation. 2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none
beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. 3 Talk no more so exceeding
proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of
knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty men are
broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. 5 They that were full
have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that
the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. 6
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and
bringeth up. 7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and
lifteth up. 8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from
the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of
glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon
them. 9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in
darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. 10 The adversaries of the LORD
shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD
shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and
exalt the horn of his anointed. 11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And
the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest. 12 Now the sons of
Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD. 13 And the priests’ custom
with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant
came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his
hand; 14 And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all
the Israelites that came thither. 15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s
servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the
priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. 16 And if any man said
unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as
thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now:
and if not, I will take it by force. 17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was
very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD. 18 But
Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 19
Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to
year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli
blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman
for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home. 21
And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and
two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD. 22 Now Eli was
very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the
women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 23 And
he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all
this people. 24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the
LORD’s people to transgress. 25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall
judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him?
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the
LORD would slay them. 26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour
both with the LORD, and also with men. 27 And there came a man of God unto
Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house
of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? 28 And did I choose
him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn
incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father
all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel? 29 Wherefore kick ye at
my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation;
and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all
the offerings of Israel my people? 30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I
said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me
for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I
will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the
days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that
there shall not be an old man in thine house. 32 And thou shalt see an enemy in
my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not
be an old man in thine house for ever. 33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not
cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart:
and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 And this
shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and
Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them. 35 And I will raise me up a
faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my
mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed
for ever. 36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house
shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and
shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a
piece of bread.

1 Samuel 3
1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word

of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 2 And it
came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes
began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3 And ere the lamp of God went out in
the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down
to sleep; 4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. 5 And he
ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not;
lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the LORD called yet again,
Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst
call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel
did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed
unto him. 8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and
went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that
the LORD had called the child. 9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down:
and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant
heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 And the LORD came, and
stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered,
Speak; for thy servant heareth. 11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will
do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall
tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken
concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13 For I have told
him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth;
because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14 And
therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall
not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. 15 And Samuel lay until the
morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to
shew Eli the vision. 16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And
he answered, Here am I. 17 And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said
unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if
thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. 18 And
Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the
LORD: let him do what seemeth him good. 19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD
was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel
from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet
of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD
revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

1 Samuel 4
1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against

the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Eben-ezer: and the Philistines pitched
in Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when
they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the
army in the field about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come
into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to
day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out
of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand
of our enemies. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence
the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the
cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the
ark of the covenant of God. 5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD
came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang
again. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What
meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they
understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. 7 And the
Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said,
Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore. 8 Woe unto us!
who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods
that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness. 9 Be strong, and
quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the
Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight. 10 And
the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his
tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand
footmen. 11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain. 12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and
came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.
13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his

heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told
it, all the city cried out. 14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said,
What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told
Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he
could not see. 16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army,
and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son? 17
And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and
there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also,
Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. 18 And it came to
pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat
backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an
old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. 19 And his daughter in
law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard
the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her
husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon
her. 20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto
her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she
regard it. 21 And she named the child I-chabod, saying, The glory is departed
from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law
and her husband. 22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark
of God is taken.

1 Samuel 5
1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer

unto Ashdod. 2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. 3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on
the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark
of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. 4 And when
they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face
to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the
palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon
was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into
Dagon’s house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. 6 But
the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them,
and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof. 7 And when
the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel
shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god. 8
They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and
said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let
the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark
of the God of Israel about thither. 9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it
about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction:
and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in
their secret parts. 10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to
pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They
have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said,

Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that
it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all
the city; the hand of God was very heavy there. 12 And the men that died not
were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

1 Samuel 6
1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines seven

months. 2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners, saying, What
shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we shall send it to his
place. 3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send it not
empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye shall be healed,
and it shall be known to you why his hand is not removed from you. 4 Then said
they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall return to him? They
answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden mice, according to the number
of the lords of the Philistines: for one plague was on you all, and on your lords. 5
Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that
mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will
lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land. 6
Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and Pharaoh
hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among them, did they
not let the people go, and they departed? 7 Now therefore make a new cart, and
take two milch kine, on which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the
cart, and bring their calves home from them: 8 And take the ark of the LORD,
and lay it upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a
trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away, that it may go.
9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to Beth-shemesh, then he
hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand
that smote us; it was a chance that happened to us. 10 And the men did so; and
took two milch kine, and tied them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home:
11 And they laid the ark of the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice

of gold and the images of their emerods. 12 And the kine took the straight way to
the way of Beth-shemesh, and went along the highway, lowing as they went, and
turned not aside to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines
went after them unto the border of Beth-shemesh. 13 And they of Beth-shemesh
were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and
saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it. 14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a
Beth-shemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the
wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD. 15 And
the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer that was with it,
wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the great stone: and the men of
Beth-shemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto
the LORD. 16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they
returned to Ekron the same day. 17 And these are the golden emerods which the
Philistines returned for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for
Gaza one, for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 18 And the golden mice,
according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five
lords, both of fenced cities, and of country villages, even unto the great stone of
Abel, whereon they set down the ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto
this day in the field of Joshua, the Beth-shemite. 19 And he smote the men of
Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he
smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people
lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great
slaughter. 20 And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before this
holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us? 21 And they sent
messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, The Philistines have
brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and fetch it up to you.
 1 Samuel 7
1 And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD,

and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his
son to keep the ark of the LORD. 2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in
Kirjath-jearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house
of Israel lamented after the LORD. 3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of
Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away
the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto
the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the
Philistines. 4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and
served the LORD only. 5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I
will pray for you unto the LORD. 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and
drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said
there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of
Israel in Mizpeh. 7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel
were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against
Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the
Philistines. 8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the
LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines. 9
And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto
the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard
him. 10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew
near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on
that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten
before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel
took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it
Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us. 13 So the Philistines were
subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the
LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which
the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even
unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the
Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15 And
Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went from year to year in
circuit to Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.
17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged

Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

1 Samuel 8
1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges

over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his
second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his
ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel
unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in
thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6 But the thing
displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel
prayed unto the LORD. 7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the
voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee,
but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all
the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of
Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other
gods, so do they also unto thee. 9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice:
howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king
that shall reign over them. 10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto
the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said, This will be the manner of
the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for
himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his
chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over
fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make
his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your
daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 And he will
take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them,
and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of
your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take
your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and
your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and
ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king
which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. 19
Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay;
but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and
that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And
Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of
the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and
make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man
unto his city.

1 Samuel 9
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of

Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a
mighty man of power. 2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice
young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a
goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any
of the people. 3 And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to
Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the
asses. 4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of
Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim,
and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but
they found them not. 5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said
to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave
caring for the asses, and take thought for us. 6 And he said unto him, Behold
now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he
saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us
our way that we should go. 7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go,
what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is
not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 8 And the servant
answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a
shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way. 9
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come,
and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime
called a Seer.) 10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So
they went unto the city where the man of God was. 11 And as they went up the
hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto
them, Is the seer here? 12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is
before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a
sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: 13 As soon as ye be come into the
city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for
the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and
afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time
ye shall find him. 14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come
into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high
place. 15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came,
saying, 16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of
Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he
may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon
my people, because their cry is come unto me. 17 And when Samuel saw Saul,
the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same
shall reign over my people. 18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and
said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. 19 And Samuel answered
Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall
eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is
in thine heart. 20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy
mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it
not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? 21 And Saul answered and said, Am
not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least
of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to
me? 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour,
and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which
were about thirty persons. 23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion
which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee. 24 And the cook took
up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel
said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath
it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with
Samuel that day. 25 And when they were come down from the high place into the
city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 26 And they arose
early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to
the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and
they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 27 And as they were going
down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before
us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word
of God.

1 Samuel 10
1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed

him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over
his inheritance? 2 When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find
two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they
will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy
father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I
do for my son? 3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt
come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God
to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread,
and another carrying a bottle of wine: 4 And they will salute thee, and give thee
two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. 5 After that thou
shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall
come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a
company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a
tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: 6 And the
Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and
shalt be turned into another man. 7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto
thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee. 8 And thou shalt
go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer
burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt
thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do. 9 And it was so,
that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another
heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. 10 And when they came thither
to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came
upon him, and he prophesied among them. 11 And it came to pass, when all that
knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then
the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is
Saul also among the prophets? 12 And one of the same place answered and said,
But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the
prophets? 13 And when he had made an end of prophesying, he came to the high
place. 14 And Saul’s uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went ye?
And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no where, we
came to Samuel. 15 And Saul’s uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel
said unto you. 16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses
were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he told
him not. 17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh; 18
And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I
brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of them that oppressed you:
19 And ye have this day rejected your God, who himself saved you out of all

your adversities and your tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a
king over us. Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes,
and by your thousands. 20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to
come near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken. 21 When he had caused the tribe of
Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul
the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found. 22
Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come
thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.
23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people,

he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 And
Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that
there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and
said, God save the king. 25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the
kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel
sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to
Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.
27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they

despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.

1 Samuel 11
1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-
gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a covenant with us,
and we will serve thee. 2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this
condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right
eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel. 3 And the elders of Jabesh said
unto him, Give us seven days’ respite, that we may send messengers unto all the
coasts of Israel: and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to
thee. 4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the
ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept. 5 And,
behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul said, What aileth the
people that they weep? And they told him the tidings of the men of Jabesh. 6
And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings, and his
anger was kindled greatly. 7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in
pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of
messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so
shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the people, and
they came out with one consent. 8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the
children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty
thousand. 9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say unto
the men of Jabesh-gilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot, ye shall have
help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men of Jabesh; and they
were glad. 10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out
unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you. 11 And it was
so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came
into the midst of the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites until
the heat of the day: and it came to pass, that they which remained were scattered,
so that two of them were not left together. 12 And the people said unto Samuel,
Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put
them to death. 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day:
for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel. 14 Then said Samuel to the
people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. 15 And all
the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in
Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD;
and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

1 Samuel 12
1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice

in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold,
the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons
are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. 3
Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his
anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I
defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe
to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. 4 And they said, Thou
hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any
man’s hand. 5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his
anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they
answered, He is witness. 6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that
advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of
Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD
of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. 8
When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then
the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt,
and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgat the LORD their God,
he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the
hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought
against them. 10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned,
because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth:
but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. 11
And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and
delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled
safe. 12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came
against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the
LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye
have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king
over you. 14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not
rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the
king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: 15 But if ye
will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the
LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your
fathers. 16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do
before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD,
and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your
wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you
a king. 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain
that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the
people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we
die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 20 And
Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn
not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21
And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot
profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake his people
for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his
people. 23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in
ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: 24 Only
fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great
things he hath done for you. 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be
consumed, both ye and your king.

1 Samuel 13
 1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2

Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with
Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in
Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3
And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the
Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying,
Let the Hebrews hear. 4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison
of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the
Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 5 And the
Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand
chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea
shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from
Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the
people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in
thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews
went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in
Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8 And he tarried seven days,
according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to
Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 And Saul said, Bring hither a
burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10
And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt
offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might
salute him. 11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I
saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the
days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at
Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to
Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself
therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast
done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God,
which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy
kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the
LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath
commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that
which the LORD commanded thee. 15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from
Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were
present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and
the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the
Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of
the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth
to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 18 And another company turned the way to
Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to
the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith found
throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make
them swords or spears: 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to
sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21 Yet
they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for
the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that
there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that
were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there
found. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of
Michmash.

1 Samuel 14
1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto

the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’
garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. 2 And Saul tarried in
the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and
the people that were with him were about six hundred men; 3 And Ahiah, the son
of Ahitub, I-chabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’s
priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was
gone. 4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the
Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on
the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other
Seneh. 5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash,
and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6 And Jonathan said to the young
man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these
uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no
restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few. 7 And his armourbearer said
unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according
to thy heart. 8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and
we will discover ourselves unto them. 9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we
come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath

delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us. 11 And both of
them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the
Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had
hid themselves. 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his
armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And
Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath
delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his
hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before
Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. 14 And that first slaughter, which
Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were
an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. 15 And there was
trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the
spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great
trembling. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and,
behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who
is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his
armourbearer were not there. 18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark
of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19 And it
came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host
of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw
thine hand. 20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled
themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was
against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 21 Moreover the
Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with
them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be
with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of
Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the
Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the
LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven. 24 And
the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people,
saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be
avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 25 And all they
of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 And when
the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put
his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan heard not
when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end
of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand
to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then answered one of the
people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying,
Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. 29
Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine
eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much
more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies
which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among
the Philistines? 31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to
Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 32 And the people flew upon the spoil,
and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the
people did eat them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the
people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye
have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. 34 And Saul said, Disperse
yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his
ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the
LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox
with him that night, and slew them there. 35 And Saul built an altar unto the
LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD. 36 And Saul
said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the
morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever
seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt

thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day. 38
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see
wherein this sin hath been this day. 39 For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth
Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a
man among all the people that answered him. 40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be
ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the
people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. 41 Therefore Saul said
unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were
taken: but the people escaped. 42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and
Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell
me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little
honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. 44 And
Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. 45
And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great
salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of
his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people
rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46 Then Saul went up from following the
Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place. 47 So Saul took the
kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against
Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the
kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself,
he vexed them. 48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and
delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. 49 Now the sons of
Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-shua: and the names of his two
daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the
younger Michal: 50 And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of
Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner,
Saul’s uncle. 51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner
was the son of Abiel. 52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the
days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took
him unto him.

1 Samuel 15
1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be king

over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the voice of the
words of the LORD. 2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which
Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up
from Egypt. 3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have,
and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and
sheep, camel and ass. 4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered
them in Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.
5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley. 6 And Saul said

unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest I
destroy you with them: for ye shewed kindness to all the children of Israel, when
they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.
7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is

over against Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and
utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9 But Saul and the
people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the
fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy
them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10
Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 11 It repenteth me that I
have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath
not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the
LORD all night. 12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it
was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a
place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal. 13 And
Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the LORD: I
have performed the commandment of the LORD. 14 And Samuel said, What
meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen
which I hear? 15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites:
for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the
LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. 16 Then Samuel said
unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night.
And he said unto him, Say on. 17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in
thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the
LORD anointed thee king over Israel? 18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey,
and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against
them until they be consumed. 19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of
the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and

have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of
Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the
spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly
destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. 22 And Samuel said,
Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying
the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken
than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he
hath also rejected thee from being king. 24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have
sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words:
because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 25 Now therefore, I pray
thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. 26
And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the
word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over
Israel. 27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of
his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the
kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine,
that is better than thou. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent:
for he is not a man, that he should repent. 30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet
honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel,
and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. 31 So Samuel
turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD. 32 Then said Samuel,
Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites. And Agag came unto
him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. 33 And
Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be
childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in
Gilgal. 34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah
of Saul. 35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death:
nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had
made Saul king over Israel.

1 Samuel 16
1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul,
seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and
go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king
among his sons. 2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill
me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to
sacrifice to the LORD. 3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee
what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 4
And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the
elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? 5
And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify
yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his
sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 6 And it came to pass, when they were
come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before
him. 7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the
height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man
seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the
heart. 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he
said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass
by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 10 Again, Jesse made seven
of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath
not chosen these. 11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And
he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he
come hither. 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal
of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise,
anoint him: for this is he. 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him
in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from
that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 14 But the Spirit of the
LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15
And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God
troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee,
to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass,
when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and
thou shalt be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man
that can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants,
and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in
playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters,
and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent
messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the
sheep. 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid,
and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood
before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22 And
Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath
found favour in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God
was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was
refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

1 Samuel 17
1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were

gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between

Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were
gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array
against the Philistines. 3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side,
and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between
them. 4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named
Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 And he had an
helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the
weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. 6 And he had greaves of
brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. 7 And the staff
of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred
shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. 8 And he stood and
cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set
your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a
man for you, and let him come down to me. 9 If he be able to fight with me, and
to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill
him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. 10 And the Philistine said, I defy
the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. 11 When
Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and
greatly afraid. 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem-judah,
whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for
an old man in the days of Saul. 13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and
followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle
were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14
And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul. 15 But David
went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. 16 And the
Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days. 17
And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this
parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to thy brethren; 18 And
carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy
brethren fare, and take their pledge. 19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of
Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 And David rose
up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as
Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going
forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle. 21 For Israel and the Philistines had
put the battle in array, army against army. 22 And David left his carriage in the
hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted
his brethren. 23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion,
the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and
spake according to the same words: and David heard them. 24 And all the men of
Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 25 And the
men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel
is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich
him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s
house free in Israel. 26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying,
What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the
reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should
defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him after this
manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. 28 And Eliab his
eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled
against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast
thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the
naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the
battle. 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30 And
he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the
people answered him again after the former manner. 31 And when the words
were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for
him. 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy
servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art
not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth,
and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant
kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of
the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his
mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him,
and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this
uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the
armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me
out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out
of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be
with thee. 38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of
brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded
his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And
David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And
David put them off him. 40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five
smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had,
even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare

the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw
David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair
countenance. 43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest
to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the
Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of
the air, and to the beasts of the field. 45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou
comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to
thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom
thou hast defied. 46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I
will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the
host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of
the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 And all this
assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the
battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hands. 48 And it came to
pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that
David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put
his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the
Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon
his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and
with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in
the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and
took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off
his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they
fled. 52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the
Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the
wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath,
and unto Ekron. 53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the
Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. 54 And David took the head of the
Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent. 55 And
when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the
captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul
liveth, O king, I cannot tell. 56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the
stripling is. 57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner
took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his
hand. 58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David
answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.

1 Samuel 18
1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that

the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as
his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home
to his father’s house. 3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he
loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was
upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his
bow, and to his girdle. 5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and
behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was
accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. 6
And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter
of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and
dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of
musick. 7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul
hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. 8 And Saul was very
wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto
David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can
he have more but the kingdom? 9 And Saul eyed David from that day and
forward. 10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God
came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played
with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand. 11 And
Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And
David avoided out of his presence twice. 12 And Saul was afraid of David,
because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. 13 Therefore Saul
removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went
out and came in before the people. 14 And David behaved himself wisely in all
his ways; and the LORD was with him. 15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he
behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah
loved David, because he went out and came in before them. 17 And Saul said to
David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will I give thee to wife: only be
thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles. For Saul said, Let not mine
hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him. 18 And David
said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel,
that I should be son in law to the king? 19 But it came to pass at the time when
Merab Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given unto
Adriel the Meholathite to wife. 20 And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and
they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 And Saul said, I will give him her,
that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be
against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law
in the one of the twain. 22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune
with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his
servants love thee: now therefore be the king’s son in law. 23 And Saul’s
servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to
you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and
lightly esteemed? 24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner
spake David. 25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not
any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the
king’s enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the
Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David
well to be the king’s son in law: and the days were not expired. 27 Wherefore
David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred
men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale to the
king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his
daughter to wife. 28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and
that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him. 29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of
David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually. 30 Then the princes of the
Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David
behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was
much set by.

1 Samuel 19
1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they

should kill David. 2 But Jonathan Saul’s son delighted much in David: and
Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I
pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and
hide thyself: 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where
thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will
tell thee. 4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto
him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not
sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: 5
For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD
wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice:
wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a
cause? 6 And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the
LORD liveth, he shall not be slain. 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan
shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in
his presence, as in times past. 8 And there was war again: and David went out,
and fought with the Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they
fled from him. 9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in
his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand. 10 And
Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away
out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled,
and escaped that night. 11 Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to
watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him,
saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain. 12 So
Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. 13
And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair
for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 14 And when Saul sent messengers to
take David, she said, He is sick. 15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see
David, saying, Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him. 16 And when
the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a
pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster. 17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou
deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal
answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee? 18 So David
fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul had
done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. 19 And it was told
Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in Ramah. 20 And Saul sent messengers
to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and
Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the
messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. 21 And when it was told Saul, he
sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers
again the third time, and they prophesied also. 22 Then went he also to Ramah,
and came to a great well that is in Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are
Samuel and David? And one said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah. 23 And
he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also,
and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. 24 And he
stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and
lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also
among the prophets?

1 Samuel 20
1 And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before

Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before
thy father, that he seeketh my life? 2 And he said unto him, God forbid; thou
shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he
will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3
And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have
found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be
grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step
between me and death. 4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul
desireth, I will even do it for thee. 5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to
morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but
let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6 If thy
father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might
run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7
If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth,
then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly
with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD
with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why
shouldest thou bring me to thy father? 9 And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee:
for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee,
then would not I tell it thee? 10 Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me?
or what if thy father answer thee roughly? 11 And Jonathan said unto David,
Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the
field. 12 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have
sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if
there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee; 13
The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do
thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in
peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father. 14 And thou
shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not

when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of
the earth. 16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let
the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies. 17 And Jonathan
caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved
his own soul. 18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and
thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty. 19 And when thou hast
stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where
thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the
stone Ezel. 20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot
at a mark. 21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. If I
expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them;
then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth. 22
But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy
way: for the LORD hath sent thee away. 23 And as touching the matter which
thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.
24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king

sat him down to eat meat. 25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times,
even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side,
and David’s place was empty. 26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day:
for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not
clean. 27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the
month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son,
Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day? 28
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to
Bethlehem: 29 And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice
in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I
have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my
brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table. 30 Then Saul’s anger
was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse
rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine
own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness? 31 For as
long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor
thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely
die. 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore
shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite
him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.
34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the

second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had
done him shame. 35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out
into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36 And
he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad
ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37 And when the lad was come to the place of
the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not
the arrow beyond thee? 38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste,
stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39
But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40
And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them
to the city. 41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward
the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and
they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of
us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and
between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan
went into the city.

1 Samuel 21
1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was

afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no
man with thee? 2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest, The king hath
commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no man know any thing
of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee: and I
have appointed my servants to such and such a place. 3 Now therefore what is
under thine hand? give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is
present. 4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread
under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept
themselves at least from women. 5 And David answered the priest, and said unto
him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I
came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a
manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. 6 So the
priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread,
that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was
taken away. 7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day,
detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of
the herdmen that belonged to Saul. 8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is
there not here under thine hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my
sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste. 9
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in
the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou
wilt take that, take it: for there is no other save that here. And David said, There
is none like that; give it me. 10 And David arose, and fled that day for fear of
Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said
unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another
of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten
thousands? 12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of
Achish the king of Gath. 13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and
feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and
let his spittle fall down upon his beard. 14 Then said Achish unto his servants,
Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? 15 Have I
need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my
presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

1 Samuel 22
1 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and

when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to
him. 2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and
every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a
captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. 3 And
David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let
my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know
what God will do for me. 4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and
they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. 5 And the prophet
Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of
Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth. 6 When Saul
heard that David was discovered, and the men that were with him, (now Saul
abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his spear in his hand, and all his
servants were standing about him;) 7 Then Saul said unto his servants that stood
about him, Hear now, ye Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you
fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of
hundreds; 8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is none that
sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of Jesse, and there is
none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto me that my son hath stirred up
my servant against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? 9 Then answered Doeg the
Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of
Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he enquired of the
LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the
Philistine. 11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub,
and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them
to the king. 12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered,
Here I am, my lord. 13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against
me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword,
and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait,
as at this day? 14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so
faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king’s son in law, and
goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house? 15 Did I then begin to
enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto
his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all
this, less or more. 16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou,
and all thy father’s house. 17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about
him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with
David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the
servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the
LORD. 18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And
Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day
fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod. 19 And Nob, the city of
the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children
and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword. 20
And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped,
and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the
LORD’s priests. 22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg
the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the
death of all the persons of thy father’s house. 23 Abide thou with me, fear not:
for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in
safeguard.

1 Samuel 23
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah,

and they rob the threshingfloors. 2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD,
saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David,
Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David’s men said unto
him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to
Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David enquired of the LORD
yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for
I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David and his men went to
Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote
them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 And it
came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that
he came down with an ephod in his hand. 7 And it was told Saul that David was
come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is
shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. 8 And Saul called all the
people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9
And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to
Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. 10 Then said David, O LORD God of
Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to
destroy the city for my sake. 11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his
hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I
beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. 12 Then
said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of
Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. 13 Then David and his
men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went
whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from
Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. 14 And David abode in the wilderness in
strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul
sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. 15 And David
saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of
Ziph in a wood. 16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the
wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for
the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel,
and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. 18 And they
two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and
Jonathan went to his house. 19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah,
saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the
hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? 20 Now therefore, O king,
come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part
shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. 21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of
the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. 22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and
know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is
told me that he dealeth very subtilly. 23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all
the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the
certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land,
that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. 24 And they
arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the
wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. 25 Saul also and his
men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a
rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he
pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. 26 And Saul went on this side of
the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David
made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David
and his men round about to take them. 27 But there came a messenger unto Saul,
saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. 28
Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the
Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth. 29 And David
went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.

1 Samuel 24
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the

Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of
En-gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went
to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to
the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet:
and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4 And the men of
David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold,
I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall
seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe
privily. 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because
he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I
should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine
hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 7 So David stayed his
servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul
rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, and
went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when
Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed
himself. 9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying,
Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how
that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some
bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine
hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed. 11 Moreover, my father,
see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy
robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor
transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest
my soul to take it. 12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD
avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13 As saith the proverb
of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall
not be upon thee. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost
thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15 The LORD therefore be judge, and
judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of
thine hand. 16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking
these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul
lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous
than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18
And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch
as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 19 For
if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD
reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 20 And now, behold, I
know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be
established in thine hand. 21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that
thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name
out of my father’s house. 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home;
but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

1 Samuel 25
1 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together, and

lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Paran. 2 And there was a man in Maon, whose
possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three
thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and

she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the
man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. 4 And
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep. 5 And David sent
out ten young men, and David said unto the young men, Get you up to Carmel,
and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name: 6 And thus shall ye say to him that
liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and
peace be unto all that thou hast. 7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers:
now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there
ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel. 8 Ask thy young
men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the young men find favour in thine
eyes: for we come in a good day: give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine
hand unto thy servants, and to thy son David. 9 And when David’s young men
came, they spake to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David,
and ceased. 10 And Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, Who is David?
and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away
every man from his master. 11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my
flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not
whence they be? 12 So David’s young men turned their way, and went again, and
came and told him all those sayings. 13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on
every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also
girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and
two hundred abode by the stuff. 14 But one of the young men told Abigail,
Nabal’s wife, saying, Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to
salute our master; and he railed on them. 15 But the men were very good unto us,
and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were
conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 16 They were a wall unto us
both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. 17
Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined
against our master, and against all his household: for he is such a son of Belial,
that a man cannot speak to him. 18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two
hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five
measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred
cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. 19 And she said unto her servants, Go on
before me; behold, I come after you. But she told not her husband Nabal. 20 And
it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the covert of the hill,
and, behold, David and his men came down against her; and she met them. 21
Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the
wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him: and he
hath requited me evil for good. 22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of
David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth
against the wall. 23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the
ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, 24 And
fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be: and let
thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine audience, and hear the words of thine
handmaid. 25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal:
for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine
handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send. 26 Now
therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD
hath withholden thee from coming to shed blood, and from avenging thyself
with thine own hand, now let thine enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord,
be as Nabal. 27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto
my lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord. 28 I pray
thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the LORD will certainly make
my lord a sure house; because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil
hath not been found in thee all thy days. 29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and
to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with
the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as
out of the middle of a sling. 30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall
have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning
thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 31 That this shall be no grief
unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood
causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have
dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. 32 And David said to
Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet
me: 33 And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this
day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.
34 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back

from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there
had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the
wall. 35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him, and said
unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and
have accepted thy person. 36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a
feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within
him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more,
until the morning light. 37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was
gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died
within him, and he became as a stone. 38 And it came to pass about ten days
after, that the LORD smote Nabal, that he died. 39 And when David heard that
Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of
my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the
LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David
sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. 40 And when the
servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying,
David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife. 41 And she arose, and bowed
herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant
to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. 42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and
rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went
after the messengers of David, and became his wife. 43 David also took Ahinoam
of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. 44 But Saul had given
Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of
Gallim.
 1 Samuel 26
1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide

himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon? 2 Then Saul arose, and
went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of
Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. 3 And Saul pitched in
the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in
the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. 4 David
therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come in very deed. 5 And
David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld
the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and
Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. 6 Then answered
David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah,
brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And
Abishai said, I will go down with thee. 7 So David and Abishai came to the
people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear
stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand

this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the
earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. 9 And David said to
Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’s
anointed, and be guiltless? 10 David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the
LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into
battle, and perish. 11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand
against the LORD’s anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at
his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. 12 So David took the spear and
the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw
it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep
from the LORD was fallen upon them. 13 Then David went over to the other
side, and stood on the top of an hill afar off; a great space being between them:
14 And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying,

Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that
criest to the king? 15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a valiant man? and
who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept thy lord the king?
for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord. 16 This thing is
not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because
ye have not kept your master, the LORD’s anointed. And now see where the
king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his bolster. 17 And Saul knew
David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is
my voice, my lord, O king. 18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue
after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand? 19 Now
therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the
LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be
the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me
out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve
other gods. 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of
the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth
hunt a partridge in the mountains. 21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my
son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in
thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.
22 And David answered and said, Behold the king’s spear! and let one of the

young men come over and fetch it. 23 The LORD render to every man his
righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to
day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24
And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be
much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all
tribulation. 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou
shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way,
and Saul returned to his place.
 1 Samuel 27
1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of

Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the
land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any
coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. 2 And David arose, and he
passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of
Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men,
every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife. 4 And it was told Saul
that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him. 5 And David
said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a
place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy
servant dwell in the royal city with thee? 6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that
day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the
time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four
months. 8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the
Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the
land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the
land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the
oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to
Achish. 10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David
said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and
against the south of the Kenites. 11 And David saved neither man nor woman
alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did
David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the
Philistines. 12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people
Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

1 Samuel 28
 1 Samuel 28
1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their

armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David,
Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.
2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do.

And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for
ever. 3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him
in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar
spirits, and the wizards, out of the land. 4 And the Philistines gathered
themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all
Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa. 5 And when Saul saw the host of the
Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 6 And when Saul
enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by
Urim, nor by prophets. 7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that
hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants
said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. 8 And
Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with
him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto
me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee. 9
And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how
he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land:
wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die? 10 And Saul
sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no
punishment happen to thee for this thing. 11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I
bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. 12 And when the woman
saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying,
Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. 13 And the king said unto her, Be
not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods
ascending out of the earth. 14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she
said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul
perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and
bowed himself. 15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to
bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make
war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more,
neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest
make known unto me what I shall do. 16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost
thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine
enemy? 17 And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD
hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to
David: 18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his
fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee
this day. 19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand
of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD
also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. 20 Then Saul
fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words
of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the
day, nor all the night. 21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was
sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice,
and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which
thou spakest unto me. 22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the
voice of thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat,
that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way. 23 But he refused,
and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, compelled
him; and he hearkened unto their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon
the bed. 24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and killed
it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof: 25 And
she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they did eat. Then they
rose up, and went away that night.

1 Samuel 29
 1 Samuel 29
1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the

Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the

Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men
passed on in the rereward with Achish. 3 Then said the princes of the Philistines,
What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the
Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath
been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since
he fell unto me unto this day? 4 And the princes of the Philistines were wroth
with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow
return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let
him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for
wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the
heads of these men? 5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in
dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 6 Then
Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast
been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in
my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me
unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not. 7 Wherefore now return,
and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. 8 And David
said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant
so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the
enemies of my lord the king? 9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know
that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of
the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. 10 Wherefore
now rise up early in the morning with thy master’s servants that are come with
thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart. 11 So
David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land
of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
 1 Samuel 30
1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the

third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten
Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were
therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went
on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was
burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken
captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice
and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David’s two wives were
taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the
Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning
him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and
for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. 7 And
David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither
the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. 8 And David
enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake
them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and
without fail recover all. 9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were
with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.
10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind,

which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. 11 And they
found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread,
and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 12 And they gave him a piece of
a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came
again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and
three nights. 13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence
art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and
my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick. 14 We made an invasion
upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah,
and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire. 15 And David said
to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me
by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my
master, and I will bring thee down to this company. 16 And when he had brought
him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and
drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of
the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17 And David smote
them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped
not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and
fled. 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and
David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither
small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they
had taken to them: David recovered all. 20 And David took all the flocks and the
herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David’s spoil.
21 And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could

not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and
they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and
when David came near to the people, he saluted them. 22 Then answered all the
wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because
they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have
recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them
away, and depart. 23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that
which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the
company that came against us into our hand. 24 For who will hearken unto you in
this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be
that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. 25 And it was so from that day
forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. 26
And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah,
even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies
of the LORD; 27 To them which were in Beth-el, and to them which were in
south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir, 28 And to them which were in
Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in
Eshtemoa, 29 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the
cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites, 30
And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chor-ashan, and
to them which were in Athach, 31 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all
the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt.

1 Samuel 31
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from

before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines
followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan,
and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, Saul’s sons. 3 And the battle went sore against
Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then
said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through
therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me.
But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a
sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he
fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 So Saul died, and his three
sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7 And when
the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on
the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons
were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt
in them. 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip
the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And
they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent into the land of the
Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the
people. 10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened
his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead
heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; 12 All the valiant men arose,
and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the
wall of Beth-shan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13 And they took
their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

2 Samuel 1
1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned

from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2
It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp
from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he
came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3 And David said unto
him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel
am I escaped. 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell
me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the
people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul
and Jonathan his son be dead? 6 And the young man that told him said, As I
happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear;
and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he
looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9
He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is
come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10 So I stood upon him, and
slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I
took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and
have brought them hither unto my lord. 11 Then David took hold on his clothes,
and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they
mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and
for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen
by the sword. 13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art
thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14 And David
said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the
LORD’s anointed? 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go
near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto
him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee,
saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed. 17 And David lamented with this
lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 18 (Also he bade them teach
the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of
Jasher.) 19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty
fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the
daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised
triumph. 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain,
upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast
away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 22 From
the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not
back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan were
lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they
were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 Ye daughters of Israel,
weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on
ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst
of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26 I am distressed
for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to
me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How are the mighty fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!

2 Samuel 2
1 And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying,

Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go
up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2 So
David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and
Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite. 3 And his men that were with him did David
bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house
of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they
that buried Saul. 5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead,
and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this
kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now the
LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this
kindness, because ye have done this thing. 7 Therefore now let your hands be
strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house
of Judah have anointed me king over them. 8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain
of Saul’s host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to
Mahanaim; 9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over
Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth
Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned
two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David
was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. 12
And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went
out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants
of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down,
the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And
Joab said, Let them arise. 15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve
of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the
servants of David. 16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and
thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that
place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17 And there was a very
sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the
servants of David. 18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and
Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. 19 And
Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to
the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art
thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. 21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside
to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and
take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him. 22
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore
should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy
brother? 23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder
end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind
him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that
as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24
Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they
were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the
wilderness of Gibeon. 25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves
together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill. 26
Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest
thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere
thou bid the people return from following their brethren? 27 And Joab said, As
God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had
gone up every one from following his brother. 28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all
the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any
more. 29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and
passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.
30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the

people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31
But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that
three hundred and threescore men died. 32 And they took up Asahel, and buried
him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his
men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

2 Samuel 3
1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of

David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed
weaker and weaker. 2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his
firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3 And his second, Chileab, of
Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of
Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4 And the fourth, Adonijah the
son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 And the sixth,
Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 6 And it
came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of
David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a
concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said
to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine? 8 Then was
Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog’s head,
which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father,
to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of
David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman? 9 So do
God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so
I do to him; 10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the
throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba. 11
And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him. 12 And
Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose is the land? saying
also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with thee, to bring
about all Israel unto thee. 13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee:
but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou
first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face. 14 And
David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul’s son, saying, Deliver me my wife
Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15
And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son
of Laish. 16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to
Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned. 17 And Abner
had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in
times past to be king over you: 18 Now then do it: for the LORD hath spoken of
David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out
of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19 And
Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the
ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to
the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty
men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto

my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest
reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went
in peace. 22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a
troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in
Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace. 23 When Joab and
all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son
of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace. 24
Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came
unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone? 25 Thou
knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy
going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest. 26 And when Joab
was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him
again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. 27 And when Abner was
returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly,
and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his
brother. 28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are
guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: 29
Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail
from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on
a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. 30 So Joab and Abishai
his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in
the battle. 31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him,
Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And
king David himself followed the bier. 32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and
the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people
wept. 33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool
dieth? 34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth
before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him. 35
And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day,
David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought
else, till the sun be down. 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased
them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people. 37 For all the people and
all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of
Ner. 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince
and a great man fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am this day weak, though
anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD
shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

2 Samuel 4
1 And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands

were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. 2 And Saul’s son had two men
that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of
the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin:
(for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin: 3 And the Beerothites fled to
Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) 4 And Jonathan, Saul’s son,
had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came
of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it
came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his
name was Mephibosheth. 5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and
Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth,
who lay on a bed at noon. 6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as
though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib:
and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 For when they came into the
house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him,
and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all
night. 8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and
said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy,
which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of
Saul, and of his seed. 9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the
sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who
hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 10 When one told me, saying,
Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him,
and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for
his tidings: 11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person
in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of
your hand, and take you away from the earth? 12 And David commanded his
young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and
hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth,
and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

2 Samuel 5
1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake,

saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 Also in time past, when Saul
was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the
LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain
over Israel. 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king
David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed
David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six
months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and
Judah. 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the
inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away
the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot
come in hither. 7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is
the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the
gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of
David’s soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and
the lame shall not come into the house. 9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it
the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. 10 And
David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. 11
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and
carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. 12 And David perceived
that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his
kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. 13 And David took him more concubines
and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet
sons and daughters born to David. 14 And these be the names of those that were
born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
15 Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16 And Elishama, and Eliada,

and Eliphalet. 17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David
king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it,
and went down to the hold. 18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves
in the valley of Rephaim. 19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I
go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD
said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine
hand. 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and
said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach
of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 21 And there
they left their images, and David and his men burned them. 22 And the
Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but

fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry
trees. 24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the
mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out
before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. 25 And David did so, as the
LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou
come to Gazer.

2 Samuel 6
1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty

thousand. 2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him
from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is
called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. 3
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of
Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave
the new cart. 4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at
Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. 5 And
David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of
instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels,
and on cornets, and on cymbals. 6 And when they came to Nachon’s
threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it;
for the oxen shook it. 7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah;
and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. 8
And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah:
and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day. 9 And David was
afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to
me? 10 So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city
of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11
And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three
months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household. 12 And it was
told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and
all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and
brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David
with gladness. 13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD
had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before
the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So
David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting,
and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the
city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king
David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst

of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings
and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And as soon as David had made an end
of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the
name of the LORD of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among
the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake
of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people
departed every one to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household.
And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How
glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes
of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself! 21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD,
which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler
over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and
of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

2 Samuel 7
1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had

given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king said unto
Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God
dwelleth within curtains. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine
heart; for the LORD is with thee. 4 And it came to pass that night, that the word
of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus
saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I
have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel
out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In
all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word
with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel,
saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? 8 Now therefore so shalt thou
say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the
sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine
enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of
the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my
people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own,
and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any
more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be
over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also
the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12 And when thy days be
fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee,
which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He
shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom
for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I
will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I

put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established
for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all
these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. 18
Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O
Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 19 And
this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of
thy servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O
Lord GOD? 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD,
knowest thy servant. 21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart,
hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. 22
Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is
there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23
And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God
went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for
you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou
redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 For thou hast
confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou,
LORD, art become their God. 25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou
hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for
ever, and do as thou hast said. 26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying,
The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David
be established before thee. 27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast
revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy
servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. 28 And now, O Lord
GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this
goodness unto thy servant: 29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house
of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD,
hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for
ever.

2 Samuel 8
1 And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and

subdued them: and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the

ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line
to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts. 3
David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to
recover his border at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him a thousand
chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David
houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots. 5
And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah,
David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 6 Then David put
garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and
brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. 7 And
David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and
brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of
Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass. 9 When Toi king of Hamath
heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer, 10 Then Toi sent Joram
his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought
against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And
Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of
brass: 11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and
gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; 12 Of Syria, and of
Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and
of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David gat him a
name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being
eighteen thousand men. 14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom
put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD
preserved David whithersoever he went. 15 And David reigned over all Israel;
and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. 16 And Joab the
son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was
recorder; 17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar,
were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; 18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief
rulers.

2 Samuel 9
1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I

may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 2 And there was of the house of
Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David,
the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. 3 And the
king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness
of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is
lame on his feet. 4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto
the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. 5
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of
Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the
son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And
David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! 7 And David
said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy
father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt
eat bread at my table continually. 8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy
servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? 9 Then the king
called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master’s
son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. 10 Thou therefore, and thy
sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the
fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s
son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty
servants. 11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king
hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said
the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth
had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of
Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem:
for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.

2 Samuel 10
1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon

died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. 2 Then said David, I will shew
kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me.
And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And
David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. 3 And the princes
of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David
doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David
rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to
overthrow it? 4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one
half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their
buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet
them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho
until your beards be grown, and then return. 6 And when the children of Ammon
saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the
Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and
of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men. 7 And
when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 8 And
the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of
the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were
by themselves in the field. 9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was
against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put
them in array against the Syrians: 10 And the rest of the people he delivered into
the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the
children of Ammon. 11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then
thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I
will come and help thee. 12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our
people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him
good. 13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle
against the Syrians: and they fled before him. 14 And when the children of
Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and
entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to
Jerusalem. 15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel,
they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the
Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the
captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them. 17 And when it was told
David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to
Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with
him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven
hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote
Shobach the captain of their host, who died there. 19 And when all the kings that
were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made
peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of
Ammon any more.

2 Samuel 11
1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go

forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and
they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried
still at Jerusalem. 2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from
off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he
saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3
And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-
sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4 And David sent
messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she
was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. 5 And the
woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child. 6 And
David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to
David. 7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how
Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered. 8 And David said
to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of
the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. 9 But
Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and
went not down to his house. 10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah
went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy
journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house? 11 And Uriah said
unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and
the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into
mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing. 12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to
day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that
day, and the morrow. 13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink
before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed
with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. 14 And it came to
pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of
Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the
hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die. 16 And it
came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place
where he knew that valiant men were. 17 And the men of the city went out, and
fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and
Uriah the Hittite died also. 18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things
concerning the war; 19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast
made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king, 20 And if so be that
the king’s wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh
unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the
wall? 21 Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a
piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went
ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 22 So
the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and

came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of
the gate. 24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some
of the king’s servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25
Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this
thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy
battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. 26
And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she
mourned for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and
fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the
thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

2 Samuel 12
1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said

unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. 2
The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 3 But the poor man had
nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it
grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and
drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. 4
And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own
flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto
him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to
him. 5 And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to
Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: 6
And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he
had no pity. 7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the
hand of Saul; 8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into
thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been
too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9
Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his
sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to
be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast
despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus
saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house,
and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour,
and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For thou didst it
secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. 13 And
David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto
David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit,
because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD
to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 15 And Nathan
departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare
unto David, and it was very sick. 16 David therefore besought God for the child;
and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. 17 And the elders
of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would
not, neither did he eat bread with them. 18 And it came to pass on the seventh
day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the
child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake
unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex
himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? 19 But when David saw that his
servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David
said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 20 Then
David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his
apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to
his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou

didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead,
thou didst rise and eat bread. 22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I
fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me,
that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I
bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 24 And
David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her:
and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name

Jedidiah, because of the LORD. 26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the
children of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to
David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.
28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the

city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name. 29 And David
gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and
took it. 30 And he took their king’s crown from off his head, the weight whereof
was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David’s head.
And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance. 31 And he brought
forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows
of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and
thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the
people returned unto Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 13
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair

sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 And
Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin;
and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. 3 But Amnon had a
friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and
Jonadab was a very subtil man. 4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the
king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto
him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. 5 And Jonadab said unto him,
Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to
see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat,
and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. 6 So
Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see
him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make
me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. 7 Then David sent
home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him
meat. 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down.
And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the
cakes. 9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to
eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man
from him. 10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that
I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and
brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 And when she had
brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie
with me, my sister. 12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me;
for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. 13 And I,
whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the
fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not
withhold me from thee. 14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but,
being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her
exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love
wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 16 And
she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than
the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. 17 Then he
called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out
from me, and bolt the door after her. 18 And she had a garment of divers colours
upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins
apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19
And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that
was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. 20 And Absalom
her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now
thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained
desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 But when king David heard of all
these things, he was very wroth. 22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon
neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his
sister Tamar. 23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all
the king’s sons. 24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy
servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with
thy servant. 25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go,
lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go,
but blessed him. 26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon
go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? 27 But
Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28
Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when
Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then
kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. 29
And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded.
Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and
fled. 30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to
David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of
them left. 31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and
all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. 32 And Jonadab, the son of
Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they
have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the
appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced
his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his
heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead. 34 But
Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and
looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind
him. 35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy
servant said, so it is. 36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of
speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept:
and the king also and all his servants wept very sore. 37 But Absalom fled, and
went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for
his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three
years. 39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he
was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

2 Samuel 14
1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward

Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said
unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning
apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time
mourned for the dead: 3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto
him. So Joab put the words in her mouth. 4 And when the woman of Tekoah
spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said,
Help, O king. 5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered,
I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead. 6 And thy handmaid
had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to
part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him. 7 And, behold, the whole
family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his
brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we
will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and
shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth. 8 And
the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge
concerning thee. 9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O
king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house: and the king and his
throne be guiltless. 10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring
him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more. 11 Then said she, I pray thee,
let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the
revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said,
As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth. 12 Then
the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord
the king. And he said, Say on. 13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou
thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this
thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his
banished. 14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which
cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he
devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him. 15 Now therefore that
I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people
have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it
may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid. 16 For the king
will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy
me and my son together out of the inheritance of God. 17 Then thine handmaid
said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of
God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy
God will be with thee. 18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide
not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let
my lord the king now speak. 19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with
thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord
the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord
the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these
words in the mouth of thine handmaid: 20 To fetch about this form of speech
hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the
wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth. 21 And the
king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the
young man Absalom again. 22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and
bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth
that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath
fulfilled the request of his servant. 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and
brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own
house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and
saw not the king’s face. 25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised
as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his
head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at
every year’s end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore
he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the
king’s weight. 27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one
daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance. 28 So
Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king’s face. 29
Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not
come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. 30
Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath
barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. 31
Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him,
Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? 32 And Absalom answered
Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the
king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to
have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any
iniquity in me, let him kill me. 33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and
when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his
face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

2 Samuel 15
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and

horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood
beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a
controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and
said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of
Israel. 3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but
there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 4 Absalom said moreover, Oh
that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause
might come unto me, and I would do him justice! 5 And it was so, that when any
man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him,
and kissed him. 6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the
king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7 And it
came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let
me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. 8 For
thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD
shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. 9 And the
king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. 10 But
Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear
the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. 11 And
with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and
they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. 12 And Absalom sent
for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh,
while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people
increased continually with Absalom. 13 And there came a messenger to David,
saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. 14 And David said
unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for
we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake
us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the
sword. 15 And the king’s servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are
ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. 16 And the king went
forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were
concubines, to keep the house. 17 And the king went forth, and all the people
after him, and tarried in a place that was far off. 18 And all his servants passed on
beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six
hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. 19
Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return
to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. 20
Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down
with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren:
mercy and truth be with thee. 21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the
LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the
king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. 22 And
David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all
his men, and all the little ones that were with him. 23 And all the country wept
with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed
over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the
wilderness. 24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the
ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went
up, until all the people had done passing out of the city. 25 And the king said
unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the
eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his
habitation: 26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let
him do to me as seemeth good unto him. 27 The king said also unto Zadok the
priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with
you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will tarry in
the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me. 29
Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and
they tarried there. 30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept
as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the
people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up,
weeping as they went up. 31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among
the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the
counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. 32 And it came to pass, that when David
was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the
Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: 33 Unto
whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto
me: 34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant,
O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy
servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 And hast
thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be,
that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to
Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, they have there with them their two
sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall
send unto me every thing that ye can hear. 37 So Hushai David’s friend came
into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 16
1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the

servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon
them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an
hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2 And the king said unto Ziba,
What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s
household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat;
and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. 3 And the king
said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he
abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the
kingdom of my father. 4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that
pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may
find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. 5 And when king David came to
Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul,
whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he
came. 6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and
all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7
And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man,
and thou man of Belial: 8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the
house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered
the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy
mischief, because thou art a bloody man. 9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah
unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over,
I pray thee, and take off his head. 10 And the king said, What have I to do with
you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him,
Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? 11 And David
said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my
bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him
alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. 12 It may be that the
LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for
his cursing this day. 13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went
along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw
stones at him, and cast dust. 14 And the king, and all the people that were with
him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. 15 And Absalom, and all the
people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And it
came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom,
that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. 17 And
Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not
with thy friend? 18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD,
and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will
I abide. 19 And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of
his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence. 20
Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. 21
And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which
he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of
thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. 22 So they
spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his
father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 And the counsel of Ahithophel,
which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of
God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

2 Samuel 17
1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve

thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 And I will
come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid:
and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 3
And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as
if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 4 And the saying pleased
Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then said Absalom, Call now
Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith. 6 And when
Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath
spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou. 7 And
Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good
at this time. 8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be
mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in
the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9
Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to
pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it
will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. 10 And he
also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all
Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are
valiant men. 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto
thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude;
and that thou go to battle in thine own person. 12 So shall we come upon him in
some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew
falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall
not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all
Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not
one small stone found there. 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The
counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the
LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that
the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and
to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the
elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. 16 Now therefore send
quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the
wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the
people that are with him. 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; for
they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them;
and they went and told king David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told
Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man’s house
in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down. 19 And the
woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground
corn thereon; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom’s servants
came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan?
And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And
when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21
And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well,
and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over
the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. 22 Then David arose,
and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the
morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan. 23
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass,
and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in
order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his
father. 24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he
and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the
host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an
Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s
mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. 27 And it came to
pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of
Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar,
and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen
vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and
lentiles, and parched pulse, 29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of
kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The
people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

2 Samuel 18
1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of

thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third
part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of
Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of
Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you
myself also. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee
away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but
now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou
succour us out of the city. 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best
I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by
hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and
Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.
And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle
was in the wood of Ephraim; 7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the
servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty
thousand men. 8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the
country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and

the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of
the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule
that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and
said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto the man
that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him
there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a
girdle. 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand
shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the
king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying,
Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise I should have
wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the
king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14 Then said Joab, I
may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them
through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15
And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote
Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned
from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took
Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of
stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his
lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale:
for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the
pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place. 19 Then
said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how
that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto him,
Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but
this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead. 21 Then said
Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself
unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab,
But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said,
Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? 23 But
howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran
by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. 24 And David sat between the two
gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and
lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the
watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is
tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman
saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said,
Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the

running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and
cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is
well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said,
Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up
their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man
Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and
me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king
said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31
And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the
LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And
the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered,
The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be
as that young man is. 33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the
chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son
Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom,
my son, my son!

2 Samuel 19
1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for

Absalom. 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the
people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. 3
And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being
ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But the king covered his face, and
the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my
son! 5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this
day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives
of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy
concubines; 6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou
hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this
day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it
had pleased thee well. 7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably
unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not
tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil
that befell thee from thy youth until now. 8 Then the king arose, and sat in the
gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the
gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to
his tent. 9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel,
saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us
out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore

why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? 11 And king David sent to
Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah,
saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the
speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. 12 Ye are my brethren,
ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the
king? 13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God
do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me
continually in the room of Joab. 14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of
Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king,
Return thou, and all thy servants. 15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan.
And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over
Jordan. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim,
hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 And there
were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of
Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over
Jordan before the king. 18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the
king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera
fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; 19 And said unto the
king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that
which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of
Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20 For thy servant doth know
that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house
of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. 21 But Abishai the son of
Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he
cursed the LORD’s anointed? 22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye
sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any
man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king
over Israel? 23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the
king sware unto him. 24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet
the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his
clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. 25
And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the
king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? 26 And
he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I
will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy
servant is lame. 27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but
my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
28 For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet

didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right
therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? 29 And the king said unto
him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba
divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all,
forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house. 31
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan
with the king, to conduct him over Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged
man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while
he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 And the king said unto
Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. 34
And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up
with the king unto Jerusalem? 35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I
discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink?
can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore
then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? 36 Thy servant
will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king
recompense it me with such a reward? 37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back
again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father
and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my
lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. 38 And the king
answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall
seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for
thee. 39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over,
the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place. 40
Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the
people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. 41 And,
behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have
our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and
his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan? 42 And all the men of
Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us:
wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s
cost? or hath he given us any gift? 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of
Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in
David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first
had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer
than the words of the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 20
1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba,

the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part
in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents,
O Israel. 2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba
the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even
to Jerusalem. 3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the
ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in
ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the
day of their death, living in widowhood. 4 Then said the king to Amasa,
Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present. 5 So
Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set
time which he had appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba
the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s
servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us. 7 And
there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and
all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the
son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa
went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him,
and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof;
and as he went forth it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my
brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. 10
But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him
therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him
not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the
son of Bichri. 11 And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that
favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab. 12 And Amasa
wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all
the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and
cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab,

to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 14 And he went through all the tribes of
Israel unto Abel, and to Beth-maachah, and all the Berites: and they were
gathered together, and went also after him. 15 And they came and besieged him
in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in
the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it
down. 16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you,
unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. 17 And when he was
come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he.
Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I
do hear. 18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying,
They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter. 19 I am one
of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city
and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?
20 And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should

swallow up or destroy. 21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim,
Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even
against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman
said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall. 22 Then
the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of
Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they
retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto
the king. 23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 24 And Adoram was
over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder: 25 And Sheva
was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests: 26 And Ira also the Jairite
was a chief ruler about David.

2 Samuel 21
1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year;

and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and
for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. 2 And the king called the
Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of
Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn
unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and
Judah.) 3 Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you?
and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of
the LORD? 4 And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold
of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he
said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you. 5 And they answered the king, The
man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed
from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel, 6 Let seven men of his sons be
delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul,
whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them. 7 But the king
spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the
LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of
Saul. 8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she
bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the
daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the
Meholathite: 9 And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they
hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell all seven together, and
were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of
barley harvest. 10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it
for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon
them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by
day, nor the beasts of the field by night. 11 And it was told David what Rizpah
the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 And David went and
took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of
Jabesh-gilead, which had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the
Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: 13
And he brought up from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his
son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged. 14 And the bones of
Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the
sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded.
And after that God was intreated for the land. 15 Moreover the Philistines had yet
war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and
fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. 16 And Ishbi-benob, which
was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred
shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have
slain David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the
Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou
shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel. 18
And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at
Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the
giant. 19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan
the son of Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite,
the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 And there was yet a battle
in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers,
and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to
the giant. 21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother
of David slew him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the
hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

2 Samuel 22
1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that

the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the
hand of Saul: 2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer; 3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn
of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from
violence. 4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be
saved from mine enemies. 5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods
of ungodly men made me afraid; 6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the
snares of death prevented me; 7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and
cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did
enter into his ears. 8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of
heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. 9 There went up a smoke out of
his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 10 He
bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. 11
And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the
wind. 12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and
thick clouds of the skies. 13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire
kindled. 14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his
voice. 15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited
them. 16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were
discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters; 18 He

delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were
too strong for me. 19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the
LORD was my stay. 20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered
me, because he delighted in me. 21 The LORD rewarded me according to my
righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from

my God. 23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did
not depart from them. 24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself
from mine iniquity. 25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to
my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight. 26 With the
merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt
shew thyself upright. 27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the
froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury. 28 And the afflicted people thou wilt
save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down. 29
For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness. 30 For
by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. 31 As
for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all
them that trust in him. 32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock,
save our God? 33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
34 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places. 35 He
teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 36 Thou
hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me
great. 37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. 38 I
have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had
consumed them. 39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they
could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet. 40 For thou hast girded me
with strength to battle: them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me.
41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them

that hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD,
but he answered them not. 43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the
earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad. 44
Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people, thou hast kept me
to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not shall serve me. 45 Strangers
shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient
unto me. 46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their close
places. 47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of
the rock of my salvation. 48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down
the people under me, 49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also
hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered
me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD,
among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. 51 He is the tower of
salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his
seed for evermore.

2 Samuel 23
1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the

man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet
psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was
in my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that
ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4 And he shall be as the
light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the
tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 5 Although my
house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire,
although he make it not to grow. 6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as
thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 7 But the man that
shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall
be utterly burned with fire in the same place. 8 These be the names of the mighty
men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the
captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight
hundred, whom he slew at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of
Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied
the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel
were gone away: 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary,
and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that
day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11 And after him was
Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered
together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people
fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and
defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 13
And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time
unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of
Rephaim. 14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines
was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give
me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 16 And the
three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out
of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to
David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the
LORD. 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not
this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would
not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18 And Abishai, the
brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his
spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. 19
Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he
attained not unto the first three. 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a
valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of
Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21
And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his
hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the
Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was more
honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set
him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan
the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26
Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite,
Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29
Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of
the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of
Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the
Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam
the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the
Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek
the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

2 Samuel 24
1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he
moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 2 For the king
said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the
tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I
may know the number of the people. 3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the
LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold,
and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king
delight in this thing? 4 Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab,
and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went
out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 5 And they
passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in
the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: 6 Then they came to Gilead, and
to the land of Tahtim-hodshi; and they came to Dan-jaan, and about to Zidon, 7
And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of
the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer-sheba. 8 So
when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of
nine months and twenty days. 9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the
people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant
men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand
men. 10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.
And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and
now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have
done very foolishly. 11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the
LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 Go and say unto
David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them,
that I may do it unto thee. 13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto
him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee
three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three
days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to
him that sent me. 14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall
now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall
into the hand of man. 15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the
morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even
to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. 16 And when the angel stretched out his
hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said
to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the
angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 And
David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and
said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have
they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s
house. 18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an
altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. 19 And
David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD commanded. 20
And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him:
and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the
ground. 21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his
servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto
the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people. 22 And Araunah said
unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him:
behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other
instruments of the oxen for wood. 23 All these things did Araunah, as a king,
give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept
thee. 24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a
price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which
doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty
shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered
burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and
the plague was stayed from Israel.

1 Kings 1
 1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with

clothes, but he gat no heat. 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be
sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and
let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get
heat. 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and
found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was
very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her
not. 5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king:
and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done
so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.
7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest:

and they following Adonijah helped him. 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty
men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. 9 And Adonijah slew
sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and
called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s
servants: 10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and
Solomon his brother, he called not. 11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba
the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of
Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? 12 Now therefore come,
let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and
the life of thy son Solomon. 13 Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto
him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying,
Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? 14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there
with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words. 15 And Bath-
sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and
Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. 16 And Bath-sheba bowed,
and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? 17 And
she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine
handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall
sit upon my throne. 18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord
the king, thou knowest it not: 19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep
in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest,
and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called. 20
And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou
shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his
fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders. 22 And, lo, while
she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. 23 And they told
the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before
the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 24 And
Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and
he shall sit upon my throne? 25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen
and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the
captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink
before him, and say, God save king Adonijah. 26 But me, even me thy servant,
and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon,
hath he not called. 27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not
shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after
him? 28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came
into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. 29 And the king sware, and
said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 30 Even
as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy
son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so
will I certainly do this day. 31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth,
and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever. 32
And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. 33 The king also
said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my
son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 34 And let
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and
blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. 35 Then ye shall
come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be
king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over
Judah. 36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen:
the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. 37 As the LORD hath been with
my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than
the throne of my lord king David. 38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites,
went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought
him to Gihon. 39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle,
and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God
save king Solomon. 40 And all the people came up after him, and the people
piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the
sound of them. 41 And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as
they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet,
he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 42 And while he
yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah
said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings. 43
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath
made Solomon king. 44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and
Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and
the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule: 45 And
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and
they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the
noise that ye have heard. 46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the
kingdom. 47 And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king
David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make
his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed. 48
And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath
given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it. 49 And all the
guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his
way. 50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and
caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51 And it was told Solomon, saying,
Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the
horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will
not slay his servant with the sword. 52 And Solomon said, If he will shew
himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if
wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die. 53 So king Solomon sent, and
they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king
Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

1 Kings 2
1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged

Solomon his son, saying, 2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore,
and shew thyself a man; 3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in
his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and
his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in
all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 4 That the LORD may
continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take
heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their
soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. 5 Moreover
thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the
two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa
the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the
blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were
on his feet. 6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go
down to the grave in peace. 7 But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the
Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me
when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. 8 And, behold, thou hast with thee
Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a
grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet
me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to
death with the sword. 9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise
man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring
thou down to the grave with blood. 10 So David slept with his fathers, and was
buried in the city of David. 11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were
forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned
he in Jerusalem. 12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and
his kingdom was established greatly. 13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came
to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably?
And he said, Peaceably. 14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee.
And she said, Say on. 15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine,
and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom
is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD. 16
And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say

thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife. 18 And Bath-sheba
said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. 19 Bath-sheba therefore went unto
king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet
her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat
to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand. 20 Then she said, I
desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said
unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay. 21 And she said, Let
Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. 22 And king
Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the
Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder
brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of
Zeruiah. 23 Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me,
and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life. 24
Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on
the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised,
Adonijah shall be put to death this day. 25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died. 26 And unto
Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for
thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because
thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou
hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted. 27 So Solomon thrust
out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of
the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh. 28 Then
tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not
after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold
on the horns of the altar. 29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled
unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon
sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him. 30 And Benaiah
came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king,
Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king
word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. 31 And the king
said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou
mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the
house of my father. 32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head,
who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with
the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner,
captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of
Judah. 33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the
head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his
house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD. 34 So
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he
was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 And the king put Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put
in the room of Abiathar. 36 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said
unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth
thence any whither. 37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest
over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy
blood shall be upon thine own head. 38 And Shimei said unto the king, The
saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei
dwelt in Jerusalem many days. 39 And it came to pass at the end of three years,
that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of
Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath. 40 And
Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his
servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And it was
told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come
again. 42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not
make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a
certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou
shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good. 43
Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I
have charged thee with? 44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all
the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father:
therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; 45 And
king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established
before the LORD for ever. 46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was
established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings 3
 1 And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took

Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an
end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of
Jerusalem round about. 2 Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there
was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days. 3 And Solomon
loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed
and burnt incense in high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice
there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon
offer upon that altar. 5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by
night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 6 And Solomon said, Thou hast
shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked
before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee;
and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to
sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made
thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know
not how to go out or come in. 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people
which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for
multitude. 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this
thy so great a people? 10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had
asked this thing. 11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing,
and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor
hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to
discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have
given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee
before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 13 And I have also
given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there
shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. 14 And if thou wilt
walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father
David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. 15 And Solomon awoke; and,
behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of
the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace
offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. 16 Then came there two women,
that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. 17 And the one woman
said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a
child with her in the house. 18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was
delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was
no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 19 And this woman’s
child died in the night; because she overlaid it. 20 And she arose at midnight, and
took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her
bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. 21 And when I rose in the morning
to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the
morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. 22 And the other woman
said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No;
but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the
king. 23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son
is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the
living. 24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before
the king. 25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the
one, and half to the other. 26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was
unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord,
give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be
neither mine nor thine, but divide it. 27 Then the king answered and said, Give
her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof. 28 And all
Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the
king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

1 Kings 4
1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel. 2 And these were the princes
which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest, 3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the
sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder. 4 And
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the
priests: 5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the
son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king’s friend: 6 And Ahishar was
over the household: and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute. 7 And
Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king
and his household: each man his month in a year made provision. 8 And these
are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: 9 The son of Dekar, in
Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan: 10 The son of
Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: 11 The
son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of
Solomon to wife: 12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and
Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Beth-
shean to Abel-meholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam: 13 The son
of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of
Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which
is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars: 14 Ahinadab the
son of Iddo had Mahanaim: 15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath
the daughter of Solomon to wife: 16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and
in Aloth: 17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: 18 Shimei the son of
Elah, in Benjamin: 19 Geber the son of Uri was in the country of Gilead, in the
country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and of Og king of Bashan; and he was
the only officer which was in the land. 20 Judah and Israel were many, as the
sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry. 21
And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the
Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served
Solomon all the days of his life. 22 And Solomon’s provision for one day was
thirty measures of fine flour, and threescore measures of meal, 23 Ten fat oxen,
and twenty oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and
roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl. 24 For he had dominion over all the
region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on
this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him. 25 And Judah
and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from
Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon. 26 And Solomon had forty
thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. 27 And
those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king
Solomon’s table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. 28 Barley also
and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place where the
officers were, every man according to his charge. 29 And God gave Solomon
wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the
sand that is on the sea shore. 30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of
all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31 For he was
wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and
Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. 32 And he
spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. 33 And
he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop
that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of
creeping things, and of fishes. 34 And there came of all people to hear the
wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

1 Kings 5
1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard

that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a
lover of David. 2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 3 Thou knowest how that
David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God
for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them
under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on
every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent. 5 And, behold, I
purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD
spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in
thy room, he shall build an house unto my name. 6 Now therefore command thou
that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy
servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou
shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to
hew timber like unto the Sidonians. 7 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the
words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this
day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. 8 And Hiram
sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me
for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning
timber of fir. 9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea:
and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me,
and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and
thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 10 So Hiram
gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire. 11 And
Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his
household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year
by year. 12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and
there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league
together. 13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was
thirty thousand men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by
courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram
was over the levy. 15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare
burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 16 Beside the chief of
Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred,
which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 17 And the king
commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to
lay the foundation of the house. 18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders
did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build
the house.

1 Kings 6
1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the

children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of
Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that
he began to build the house of the LORD. 2 And the house which king Solomon
built for the LORD, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth
thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits. 3 And the porch before
the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the
breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house. 4
And for the house he made windows of narrow lights. 5 And against the wall of
the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round
about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
6 The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits

broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house
he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in
the walls of the house. 7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of
stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer
nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. 8 The
door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up
with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.
9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and

boards of cedar. 10 And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits
high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar. 11 And the word of the
LORD came to Solomon, saying, 12 Concerning this house which thou art in
building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep
all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee,
which I spake unto David thy father: 13 And I will dwell among the children of
Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. 14 So Solomon built the house, and
finished it. 15 And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar,
both the floor of the house, and the walls of the cieling: and he covered them on
the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir. 16
And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls
with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even
for the most holy place. 17 And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty
cubits long. 18 And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and
open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen. 19 And the oracle he
prepared in the house within, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 20
And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in
breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure
gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar. 21 So Solomon overlaid the
house within with pure gold: and he made a partition by the chains of gold
before the oracle; and he overlaid it with gold. 22 And the whole house he
overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that
was by the oracle he overlaid with gold. 23 And within the oracle he made two
cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high. 24 And five cubits was the one
wing of the cherub, and five cubits the other wing of the cherub: from the
uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten
cubits. 25 And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of one
measure and one size. 26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was
it of the other cherub. 27 And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and
they stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the one
touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the other wall;
and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house. 28 And he
overlaid the cherubims with gold. 29 And he carved all the walls of the house
round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers,
within and without. 30 And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, within
and without. 31 And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree:
the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall. 32 The two doors also were
of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and
open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims,
and upon the palm trees. 33 So also made he for the door of the temple posts of
olive tree, a fourth part of the wall. 34 And the two doors were of fir tree: the two
leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were
folding. 35 And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers:
and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work. 36 And he built the
inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams. 37 In the
fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif:
38 And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the

house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion
of it. So was he seven years in building it.

1 Kings 7
1 But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished

all his house. 2 He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length
thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the
height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams
upon the pillars. 3 And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay
on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row. 4 And there were windows in three rows,
and light was against light in three ranks. 5 And all the doors and posts were
square, with the windows: and light was against light in three ranks. 6 And he
made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth
thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was before them: and the other pillars and the
thick beam were before them. 7 Then he made a porch for the throne where he
might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from
one side of the floor to the other. 8 And his house where he dwelt had another
court within the porch, which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house
for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch. 9 All
these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed
with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so
on the outside toward the great court. 10 And the foundation was of costly stones,
even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits. 11 And above
were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones, and cedars. 12 And the
great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar
beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of
the house. 13 And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14 He was a
widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker
in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work
all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work. 15
For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of
twelve cubits did compass either of them about. 16 And he made two chapiters of
molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter
was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits: 17 And nets
of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon
the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter.
18 And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to

cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for
the other chapiter. 19 And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were
of lily work in the porch, four cubits. 20 And the chapiters upon the two pillars
had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network:
and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other
chapiter. 21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the
right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and
called the name thereof Boaz. 22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily work:
so was the work of the pillars finished. 23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits
from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five
cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 24 And under the
brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit,
compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was
cast. 25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three
looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking
toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts
were inward. 26 And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was
wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand
baths. 27 And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base,
and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it. 28 And the
work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were
between the ledges: 29 And on the borders that were between the ledges were
lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and
beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. 30 And
every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners
thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of
every addition. 31 And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit:
but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half:
and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not
round. 32 And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the
wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a
cubit. 33 And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their
axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten. 34
And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the
undersetters were of the very base itself. 35 And in the top of the base was there a
round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof
and the borders thereof were of the same. 36 For on the plates of the ledges
thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees,
according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about. 37 After this
manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one
size. 38 Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and
every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver. 39
And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of
the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against
the south. 40 And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So
Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the
house of the LORD: 41 The two pillars, and the two bowls of the chapiters that
were on the top of the two pillars; and the two networks, to cover the two bowls
of the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; 42 And four hundred
pomegranates for the two networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one
network, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars; 43
And the ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; 44 And one sea, and twelve oxen
under the sea; 45 And the pots, and the shovels, and the basons: and all these
vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for the house of the LORD, were of
bright brass. 46 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground
between Succoth and Zarthan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed,
because they were exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found
out. 48 And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of the
LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the shewbread was, 49
And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the right side, and five on the left,
before the oracle, with the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, 50 And
the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of
pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most
holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple. 51 So was ended
all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the LORD. And Solomon
brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and
the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the
LORD.

1 Kings 8
 1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the

tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in
Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of
the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled
themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the
seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the
ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did
the priests and the Levites bring up. 5 And king Solomon, and all the
congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the
ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for
multitude. 6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto
his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the
wings of the cherubims. 7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over
the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof
above. 8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out
in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there
they are unto this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of
stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with
the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it came to
pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the
house of the LORD, 11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of
the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. 12 Then
spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. 13 I
have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for
ever. 14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of
Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;) 15 And he said, Blessed be the
LORD God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and
hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying, 16 Since the day that I brought forth my
people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build
an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my
people Israel. 17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for
the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18 And the LORD said unto David my
father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst
well that it was in thine heart. 19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but
thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my
name. 20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen
up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD
promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 21
And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD,
which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the

congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23 And he said,
LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth
beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before
thee with all their heart: 24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that
thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with
thine hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with
thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not
fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take
heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me. 26
And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou
spakest unto thy servant David my father. 27 But will God indeed dwell on the
earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much
less this house that I have builded? 28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of
thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry
and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: 29 That thine
eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of
which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the
prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to
the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray
toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou
hearest, forgive. 31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid
upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this
house: 32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning
the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give
him according to his righteousness. 33 When thy people Israel be smitten down
before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to
thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this
house: 34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and
bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. 35 When
heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if
they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when
thou afflictest them: 36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein
they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy
people for an inheritance. 37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence,
blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in
the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be; 38 What
prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel,
which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his
hands toward this house: 39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and
forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou
knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of
men;) 40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which
thou gavest unto our fathers. 41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of
thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; 42 (For
they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched
out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; 43 Hear thou in heaven
thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for:
that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people
Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by
thy name. 44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever
thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou
hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name: 45 Then hear
thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. 46 If
they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry
with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives
unto the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in
the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication
unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned,
and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; 48 And so return unto
thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies,
which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou
gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I
have built for thy name: 49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in
heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 And forgive thy people
that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have
transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried
them captive, that they may have compassion on them: 51 For they be thy people,
and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst
of the furnace of iron: 52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of
thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them
in all that they call for unto thee. 53 For thou didst separate them from among all
the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of
Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer

and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD,
from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood,
and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed be
the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he
promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he
promised by the hand of Moses his servant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as
he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: 58 That he may
incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his
commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our
fathers. 59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before
the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the
cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter
shall require: 60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is
God, and that there is none else. 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the
LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at
this day. 62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the
LORD. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered
unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty
thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of
the LORD. 64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was
before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat
offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was
before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat
offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. 65 And at that time Solomon held a
feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of
Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and
seven days, even fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away:
and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for
all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his
people.

1 Kings 9
 1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house

of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was
pleased to do, 2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had
appeared unto him at Gibeon. 3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy
prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this
house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and
mine heart shall be there perpetually. 4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as
David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according
to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I

promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the
throne of Israel. 6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your
children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set
before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: 7 Then will I cut off
Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have
hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb
and a byword among all people: 8 And at this house, which is high, every one
that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why
hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house? 9 And they shall
answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their
fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have
worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them
all this evil. 10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon
had built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, 11 (Now
Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and
with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram
twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the
cities which Solomon had given him; and they pleased him not. 13 And he said,
What cities are these which thou hast given me, my brother? And he called them
the land of Cabul unto this day. 14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of
gold. 15 And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to
build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of
Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. 16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt
had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt it with fire, and slain the Canaanites
that dwelt in the city, and given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon’s
wife. 17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, 18 And Baalath,
and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, 19 And all the cities of store that
Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities for his horsemen, and that
which Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land
of his dominion. 20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites,
Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, 21
Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel
also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of
bondservice unto this day. 22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no
bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his
captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen. 23 These were the chief of
the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare
rule over the people that wrought in the work. 24 But Pharaoh’s daughter came
up out of the city of David unto her house which Solomon had built for her: then
did he build Millo. 25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt
offerings and peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and
he burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished the
house. 26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is
beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram
sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the
servants of Solomon. 28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold,
four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

1 Kings 10
 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning

the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she
came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very
much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she
communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her
questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4
And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon’s wisdom, and the house
that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and
the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his
ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more
spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine
own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words,
until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me:
thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy
men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that
hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to
set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever,
therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10 And she gave the
king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and
precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which
the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that
brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and
precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of
the LORD, and for the king’s house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there
came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 13 And king Solomon
gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that
which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own
country, she and her servants. 14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon
in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 15 Beside that he
had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the
kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 16 And king Solomon made
two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one
target. 17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold
went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best

gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind:
and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood
beside the stays. 20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other
upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 21 And all king
Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the
forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing
accounted of in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had at sea a navy of
Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of
Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 23 So king
Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 24 And
all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his
heart. 25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels
of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by
year. 26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a
thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he
bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 27 And the
king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the
sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 28 And Solomon had horses
brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen
yarn at a price. 29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred
shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings
of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

1 Kings 11
 1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter

of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and

Hittites; 2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of
Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely
they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines:

and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was
old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not
perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For
Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom
the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the
LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. 7 Then did
Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill
that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of
Ammon. 8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and
sacrificed unto their gods. 9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because
his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto
him twice, 10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not
go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 11
Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and
thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee,
I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12
Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will
rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the
kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for
Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen. 14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary
unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. 15 For it
came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was
gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom; 16 (For six
months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in
Edom:) 17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father’s servants with
him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child. 18 And they arose out of
Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they
came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and
appointed him victuals, and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favour in
the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the
sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath
his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house: and Genubath was in
Pharaoh’s household among the sons of Pharaoh. 21 And when Hadad heard in
Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was
dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.
22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold,

thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let
me go in any wise. 23 And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son
of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: 24 And he
gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them
of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in
Damascus. 25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside
the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. 26
And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant,
whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand
against the king. 27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the
king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his
father. 28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon
seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the
charge of the house of Joseph. 29 And it came to pass at that time when
Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him
in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were
alone in the field: 30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and
rent it in twelve pieces: 31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for
thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of
the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: 32 (But he shall have one
tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I
have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) 33 Because that they have forsaken
me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the
god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have
not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my
statutes and my judgments, as did David his father. 34 Howbeit I will not take the
whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his
life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my
commandments and my statutes: 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s
hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. 36 And unto his son will I give
one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem,
the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. 37 And I will take thee,
and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over
Israel. 38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and
wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and
my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build
thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. 39 And I
will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever. 40 Solomon sought
therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto
Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. 41 And the
rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not
written in the book of the acts of Solomon? 42 And the time that Solomon
reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. 43 And Solomon slept with
his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son
reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 12
 1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to

make him king. 2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who
was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king
Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) 3 That they sent and called him. And
Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam,
saying, 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the
grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter,
and we will serve thee. 5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then
come again to me. And the people departed. 6 And king Rehoboam consulted
with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and
said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? 7 And they spake unto
him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve
them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy
servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had
given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and
which stood before him: 9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we
may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which
thy father did put upon us lighter? 10 And the young men that were grown up
with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that
spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it
lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker
than my father’s loins. 11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy
yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will
chastise you with scorpions. 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to
Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again
the third day. 13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old
men’s counsel that they gave him; 14 And spake to them after the counsel of the
young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your
yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with
scorpions. 15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause
was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake
by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 So when all Israel
saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying,
What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse:
to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed
unto their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who
was over the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died.
Therefore king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to
Jerusalem. 19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. 20 And
it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they
sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel:
there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only. 21
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of
Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen
men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the
kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came
unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of
Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to
the remnant of the people, saying, 24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up,
nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his
house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the
LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD. 25 Then
Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out
from thence, and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the
kingdom return to the house of David: 27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in
the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn
again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me,
and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 Whereupon the king took counsel,
and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up
to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of
Egypt. 29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. 30 And this
thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto
Dan. 31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of
the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast
in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is
in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the
calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places
which he had made. 33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-
el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised
of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered
upon the altar, and burnt incense.

1 Kings 13
1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the

LORD unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 2 And he
cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus
saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by
name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn
incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee. 3 And he gave a
sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken;
Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God,

which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the
altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him,
dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. 5 The altar also was rent,
and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of
God had given by the word of the LORD. 6 And the king answered and said unto
the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me,
that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the
LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was
before. 7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and
refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 8 And the man of God said unto the
king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will
I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 9 For so was it charged me by the word
of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same
way that thou camest. 10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way
that he came to Beth-el. 11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el; and his
sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in
Beth-el: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to
their father. 12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons
had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 13 And he
said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode
thereon, 14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak:
and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he
said, I am. 15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16 And
he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread
nor drink water with thee in this place: 17 For it was said to me by the word of
the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by
the way that thou camest. 18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art;
and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back
with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied
unto him. 19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank
water. 20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD
came unto the prophet that brought him back: 21 And he cried unto the man of
God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou
hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment
which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 22 But camest back, and hast eaten
bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no
bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy
fathers. 23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk,
that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought
back. 24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and
his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the
carcase. 25 And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and
the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the
old prophet dwelt. 26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way
heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word
of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath
torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake
unto him. 27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they
saddled him. 28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass
and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn
the ass. 29 And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it
upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn
and to bury him. 30 And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned
over him, saying, Alas, my brother! 31 And it came to pass, after he had buried
him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the
sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: 32
For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth-
el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of
Samaria, shall surely come to pass. 33 After this thing Jeroboam returned not
from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high
places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests
of the high places. 34 And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam,
even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

1 Kings 14
 1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to

his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the
wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet,
which told me that I should be king over this people. 3 And take with thee ten
loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee
what shall become of the child. 4 And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and
went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for
his eyes were set by reason of his age. 5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah,
Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is
sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in,
that she shall feign herself to be another woman. 6 And it was so, when Ahijah
heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in,
thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to
thee with heavy tidings. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel,
Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over
my people Israel, 8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and
gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my
commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which
was right in mine eyes; 9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for
thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to
anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: 10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil
upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth
against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the
remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in

the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the LORD hath spoken it. 12 Arise thou
therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the
child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only
of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good
thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover the
LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of
Jeroboam that day: but what? even now. 15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a
reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land,
which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because
they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger. 16 And he shall give
Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to
sin. 17 And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when
she came to the threshold of the door, the child died; 18 And they buried him;
and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he
spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet. 19 And the rest of the acts of
Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 20 And the days which Jeroboam
reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his
son reigned in his stead. 21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah.
Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the
tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an
Ammonitess. 22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked
him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their
fathers had done. 23 For they also built them high places, and images, and
groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. 24 And there were also
sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the
nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 25 And it came to
pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up
against Jerusalem: 26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD,
and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away
all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 27 And king Rehoboam made
in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of
the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house. 28 And it was so, when the
king went into the house of the LORD, that the guard bare them, and brought
them back into the guard chamber. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and
all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 31
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city
of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his
son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 15
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned

Abijam over Judah. 2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s
name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 3 And he walked in all the sins
of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with
the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless for David’s
sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after
him, and to establish Jerusalem: 5 Because David did that which was right in the
eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him
all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 6 And there
was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 7 Now the rest
of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and
Jeroboam. 8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of
David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. 9 And in the twentieth year of
Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 10 And forty and one years
reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of
Abishalom. 11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did
David his father. 12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and
removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 And also Maachah his mother,
even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a
grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. 14 But the
high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the
LORD all his days. 15 And he brought in the things which his father had
dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the
LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels. 16 And there was war between Asa and
Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against
Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa
king of Judah. 18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the
treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and
delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-
hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at
Damascus, saying, 19 There is a league between me and thee, and between my
father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold;
come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from
me. 20 So Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts
which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-
beth-maachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 21 And it came to
pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in
Tirzah. 22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was
exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof,
wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin,
and Mizpah. 23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he
did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was
diseased in his feet. 24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his
stead. 25 And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second
year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. 26 And he did evil
in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin
wherewith he made Israel to sin. 27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house
of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which
belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. 28
Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in
his stead. 29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of
Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him,
according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah
the Shilonite: 30 Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he
made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of
Israel to anger. 31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 32 And there was
war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 33 In the third year of
Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in
Tirzah, twenty and four years. 34 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and
walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 16
1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against

Baasha, saying, 2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee
prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the way of Jeroboam, and
hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me to anger with their sins; 3
Behold, I will take away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house;
and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 4 Him that
dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the
fields shall the fowls of the air eat. 5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and
what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Israel? 6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah:
and Elah his son reigned in his stead. 7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu
the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his
house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking
him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam;
and because he killed him. 8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah
began Elah the son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years. 9 And his
servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in
Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in
Tirzah. 10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty and
seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead. 11 And it came to
pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the
house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his
kinsfolks, nor of his friends. 12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha,
according to the word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the
prophet, 13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by which they
sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking the LORD God of
Israel to anger with their vanities. 14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that
he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 15
In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri reign seven days
in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to
the Philistines. 16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath
conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made Omri, the
captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp. 17 And Omri went up
from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. 18 And it
came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the
palace of the king’s house, and burnt the king’s house over him with fire, and
died, 19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in
walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to
sin. 20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 21 Then were the
people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son
of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri. 22 But the people that
followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of
Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 23 In the thirty and first year of Asa
king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he
in Tirzah. 24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver,
and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the
name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria. 25 But Omri wrought evil in the
eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him. 26 For he walked
in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made
Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities. 27
Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 28 So Omri
slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in
his stead. 29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab
the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over
Israel in Samaria twenty and two years. 30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in
the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as
if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the
Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. 32 And he reared up
an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And
Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to
anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. 34 In his days did Hiel the
Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn,
and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of
the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

1 Kings 17
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto

Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be
dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. 2 And the word of the
LORD came unto him, saying, 3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and
hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 4 And it shall be, that
thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee
there. 5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went
and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought
him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he
drank of the brook. 7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up,
because there had been no rain in the land. 8 And the word of the LORD came
unto him, saying, 9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and
dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 10
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city,
behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her,
and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 11 And
as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a
morsel of bread in thine hand. 12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I
have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and,
behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my
son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do
as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me,
and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of
Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until
the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did
according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many
days. 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail,
according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 17 And it came to
pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell
sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18 And
she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou
come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? 19 And he
said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried
him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 20 And he
cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil
upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched
himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD
my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 22 And the LORD
heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he
revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber
into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son
liveth. 24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man
of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

1 Kings 18
1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to

Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain
upon the earth. 2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a
sore famine in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of
his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: 4 For it was so, when
Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred
prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and
unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules
alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6 So they divided the land between them to
pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another
way by himself. 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and
he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? 8 And
he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 9 And he said,
What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of
Ahab, to slay me? 10 As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or
kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is
not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. 11
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 12 And it shall
come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall
carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot
find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth. 13
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD,
how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed
them with bread and water? 14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold,
Elijah is here: and he shall slay me. 15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts
liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. 16 So
Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 And
it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that
troubleth Israel? 18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and
thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD,
and thou hast followed Baalim. 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all
Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and
the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. 20 So Ahab
sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto
mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt
ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then
follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22 Then said Elijah unto
the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets
are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and
let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on
wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on
wood, and put no fire under: 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will
call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be
God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Elijah said
unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it
first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and
called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear
us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the
altar which was made. 27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them,
and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he
is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they
cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till
the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And it came to pass, when midday was past,
and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that
there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 30 And Elijah
said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto
him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. 31 And Elijah
took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,
unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: 32
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a
trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he
put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood,
and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on
the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time.
And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35 And the water
ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. 36 And it came
to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet
came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be
known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I
have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this
people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their
heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt
sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that
was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and
they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 40 And Elijah
said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they
took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them
there. 41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a
sound of abundance of rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah
went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put
his face between his knees, 43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward
the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go
again seven times. 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said,
Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said,
Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop
thee not. 45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black
with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to
Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins,
and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

1 Kings 19
1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had

slain all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto
Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as
the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. 3 And when he saw that, he
arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah,
and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the
wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for
himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my
life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper
tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6 And
he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water
at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 7 And the angel
of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and
eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 8 And he arose, and did eat and
drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto
Horeb the mount of God. 9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there;
and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What
doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD
God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down
thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left;
and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon
the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and
strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD;
but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the
LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the
LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so,
when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and
stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him,
and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14 And he said, I have been very jealous
for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I,
even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 15 And the LORD
said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when
thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi
shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-
meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 17 And it shall come to
pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that
escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 18 Yet I have left me seven
thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every
mouth which hath not kissed him. 19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the
son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he
with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And
he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father
and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back
again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took
a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the
oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after
Elijah, and ministered unto him.

1 Kings 20
1 And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there

were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and
besieged Samaria, and warred against it. 2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king
of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad, 3 Thy silver and
thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. 4
And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy
saying, I am thine, and all that I have. 5 And the messengers came again, and
said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying,
Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 6
Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall
search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that
whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it
away. 7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I
pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my
wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him
not. 8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him,
nor consent. 9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my
lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but
this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word
again. 10 And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and
more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that
follow me. 11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him
that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off. 12 And it came
to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the
kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And
they set themselves in array against the city. 13 And, behold, there came a
prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen
all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and
thou shalt know that I am the LORD. 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said,
Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces.
Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. 15 Then he
numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two
hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the
children of Israel, being seven thousand. 16 And they went out at noon. But Ben-
hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty
and two kings that helped him. 17 And the young men of the princes of the
provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying,
There are men come out of Samaria. 18 And he said, Whether they be come out
for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and

the army which followed them. 20 And they slew every one his man: and the
Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped
on an horse with the horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the
horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. 22 And the
prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and
mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will
come up against thee. 23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him,
Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us
fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And
do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains
in their rooms: 25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost,
horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the
plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their
voice, and did so. 26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad
numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. 27 And the
children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them:
and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but
the Syrians filled the country. 28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto
the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said,
The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I
deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the
LORD. 29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it
was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew
of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day. 30 But the rest fled to
Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the
men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner
chamber. 31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the
kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth
on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel:
peradventure he will save thy life. 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and
put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant
Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my
brother. 33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come
from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then
he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused
him to come up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities,
which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets
for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send
thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him
away. 35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in
the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD,

behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon
as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. 37 Then he found
another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in
smiting he wounded him. 38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by
the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. 39 And as the king
passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the
midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me,
and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for
his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. 40 And as thy servant was busy
here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy
judgment be; thyself hast decided it. 41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away
from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. 42
And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy
hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for
his life, and thy people for his people. 43 And the king of Israel went to his house
heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

1 Kings 21
1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a

vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2
And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it
for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it
a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of
it in money. 3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should
give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 4 And Ahab came into his house
heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had
spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers.
And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no
bread. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit
so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto
Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or
else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I
will not give thee my vineyard. 7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou
now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be
merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8 So she wrote
letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto
the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9 And
she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among
the people: 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness
against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry
him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11 And the men of his city, even the
elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent
unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And there
came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial
witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people,
saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out
of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel,
saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. 15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel
heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise,
take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to
give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead. 16 And it came to pass,
when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. 17 And the word of the
LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king
of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither
he is gone down to possess it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus
saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt
speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the
blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. 20 And Ahab said to
Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found
thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. 21
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut
off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left
in Israel, 22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation
wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin. 23 And of
Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of
Jezreel. 24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that
dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat. 25 But there was none like unto
Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD,
whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26 And he did very abominably in following
idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out
before the children of Israel. 27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those
words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and
lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah
the Tishbite, saying, 29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me?
because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but
in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

1 Kings 22
1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2

And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came
down to the king of Israel. 3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know
ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand
of the king of Syria? 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to
battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou
art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 5 And Jehoshaphat said
unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. 6
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men,
and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?
And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 7
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we
might enquire of him? 8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is
yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD:
but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And
Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 9 Then the king of Israel called an
officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah. 10 And the king of
Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on
their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the
prophets prophesied before them. 11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made
him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push
the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. 12 And all the prophets prophesied
so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it
into the king’s hand. 13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake
unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the
king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them,
and speak that which is good. 14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what
the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. 15 So he came to the king. And the
king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or
shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall
deliver it into the hand of the king. 16 And the king said unto him, How many
times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the
name of the LORD? 17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as
sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let
them return every man to his house in peace. 18 And the king of Israel said unto
Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me,
but evil? 19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the
LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his
right hand and on his left. 20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that
he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and
another said on that manner. 21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before
the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him,
Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth
of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go
forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in
the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning
thee. 24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the
cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto
thee? 25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go
into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 26 And the king of Israel said, Take
Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash
the king’s son; 27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and
feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in
peace. 28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not
spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. 29 So the king
of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30 And
the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the
battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and
went into the battle. 31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two
captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor
great, save only with the king of Israel. 32 And it came to pass, when the captains
of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel.
And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And it
came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king
of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34 And a certain man drew a
bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness:
wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me
out of the host; for I am wounded. 35 And the battle increased that day: and the
king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the
blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. 36 And there went a
proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every
man to his city, and every man to his own country. 37 So the king died, and was
brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. 38 And one washed the
chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they
washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. 39
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which
he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah
his son reigned in his stead. 41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign
over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty
and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years
in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And
he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing
that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were
not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. 45 Now the rest of the

acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 And the
remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took
out of the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king. 48
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not;
for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber. 49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab
unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But
Jehoshaphat would not. 50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son
reigned in his stead. 51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in
Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two
years over Israel. 52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the
way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the
son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 53 For he served Baal, and worshipped
him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his
father had done.

2 Kings 1
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah

fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was
sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the
god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. 3 But the angel of the
LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the
king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel,
that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus saith
the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up,
but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. 5 And when the messengers turned
back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 6 And they said
unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto
the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because
there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of
Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone
up, but shalt surely die. 7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he
which came up to meet you, and told you these words? 8 And they answered
him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And
he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty
with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill.
And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down. 10
And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then
let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came
down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again also he sent
unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto
him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. 12 And Elijah
answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from
heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from
heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. 13 And he sent again a captain of the
third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell
on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God,
I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy
sight. 14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two
captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be
precious in thy sight. 15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down
with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the
king. 16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast
sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because
there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come
down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 17 So he died
according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram
reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of
Judah; because he had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he
did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

2 Kings 2
1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by

a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said unto
Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Beth-el. And
Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave
thee. So they went down to Beth-el. 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at
Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD
will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it;
hold ye your peace. 4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee;
for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. 5 And the sons of
the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest
thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he
answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry,
I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the
LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and

they two stood by Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together,
and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two
went over on dry ground. 9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that
Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from
thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I

am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 11 And it
came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a
chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went
up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my
father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more:
and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13 He took up
also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the
bank of Jordan; 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote
the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had
smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 15 And
when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said,
The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed
themselves to the ground before him. 16 And they said unto him, Behold now,
there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek
thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast
him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send. 17
And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent
therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. 18 And when
they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not
say unto you, Go not? 19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray
thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is
naught, and the ground barren. 20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put
salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21 And he went forth unto the spring of
the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have
healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren
land. 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of
Elisha which he spake. 23 And he went up from thence unto Beth-el: and as he
was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and
mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the
LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and
two children of them. 25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from
thence he returned to Samaria.

2 Kings 3
1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the

eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And
he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his
mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3
Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made
Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 4 And Mesha king of Moab was a
sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs,
and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab
was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 And king
Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he
went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath
rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I
will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy
horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way
through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of
Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’
journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed
them. 10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three
kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! 11 But Jehoshaphat said,
Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by
him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha
the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And
Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and
Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 And Elisha said unto
the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy
father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him,
Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into
the hand of Moab. 14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before
whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 15 But now bring me a
minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the
LORD came upon him. 16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley
full of ditches. 17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall
ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye,
and your cattle, and your beasts. 18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the
LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19 And ye shall smite
every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop
all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. 20 And it came
to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there
came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 And
when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them,
they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the
border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the
water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: 23 And
they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one
another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24 And when they came to the camp
of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before
them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. 25 And
they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his
stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the
good trees: only in Kir-haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers
went about it, and smote it. 26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle
was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to
break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. 27 Then he took
his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt
offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they
departed from him, and returned to their own land.

2 Kings 4
1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets

unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy
servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two
sons to be bondmen. 2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell
me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any
thing in the house, save a pot of oil. 3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels
abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. 4 And when
thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt
pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5 So she
went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the
vessels to her; and she poured out. 6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were
full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her,
There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 7 Then she came and told the man
of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy
children of the rest. 8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where
was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as
oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. 9 And she said unto her
husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth
by us continually. 10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and
let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it
shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 11 And it fell on a
day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. 12 And
he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called
her, she stood before him. 13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold,
thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee?
wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she
answered, I dwell among mine own people. 14 And he said, What then is to be
done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is
old. 15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt

embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto
thine handmaid. 17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that
Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life. 18 And when the child was
grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19 And he
said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his
mother. 20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on
her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed
of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 And she called
unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one
of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 23 And he said,
Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And
she said, It shall be well. 24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant,
Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 25 So she
went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass,
when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant,
Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and
say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the
child? And she answered, It is well. 27 And when she came to the man of God to
the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away.
And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the
LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 28 Then she said, Did I desire a
son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 29 Then he said to Gehazi,
Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet
any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay
my staff upon the face of the child. 30 And the mother of the child said, As the
LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and
followed her. 31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the
face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went
again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 32 And when
Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his
bed. 33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed
unto the LORD. 34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth
upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and
he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35
Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched
himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his
eyes. 36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her.
And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 37 Then she went
in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and
went out. 38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land;
and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his
servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets. 39
And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and
gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot
of pottage: for they knew them not. 40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And
it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said,
O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. 41
But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out
for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot. 42 And there
came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the
firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And
he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. 43 And his servitor said, What,
should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that
they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. 44
So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word
of the LORD.

2 Kings 5
1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man

with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given
deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 2
And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out
of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she
said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in
Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. 4 And one went in, and told
his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. 5 And
the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel.
And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces
of gold, and ten changes of raiment. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of
Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith
sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy. 7
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his
clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send
unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see
how he seeketh a quarrel against me. 8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of
God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the
king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and
he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 9 So Naaman came with his horses
and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 10 And Elisha
sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy
flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 11 But Naaman was
wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to
me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand
over the place, and recover the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of
Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be
clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 And his servants came near, and
spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great
thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to
thee, Wash, and be clean? 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven
times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came
again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 15 And he returned to
the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he
said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now
therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. 16 But he said, As the
LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to
take it; but he refused. 17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be
given to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth
offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. 18
In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the
house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow
myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of
Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing. 19 And he said unto him,
Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way. 20 But Gehazi, the servant of
Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian,
in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I
will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 21 So Gehazi followed after
Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from
the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? 22 And he said, All is well. My
master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount
Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a
talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 23 And Naaman said, Be content,
take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags,
with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they
bare them before him. 24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from
their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they
departed. 25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto
him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. 26
And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned
again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive
garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants,
and maidservants? 27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee,
and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as
snow.

2 Kings 6
1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place

where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto
Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there,
where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 3 And one said, Be content, I
pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 4 So he went
with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 5 But as one
was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas,
master! for it was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he
shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the
iron did swim. 7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand,
and took it. 8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with
his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9 And the man
of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a
place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 10 And the king of Israel sent to the
place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself
there, not once nor twice. 11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore
troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye
not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12 And one of his servants
said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the
king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. 13 And he said,
Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him,
saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots,
and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. 15 And
when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an
host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto
him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they
that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and
said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened
the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 18 And when they came down to
him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with
blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19
And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow
me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said,

LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened
their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 And
the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite
them? shall I smite them? 22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them:
wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and
with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and
go to their master. 23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they
had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the
bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. 24 And it came to pass after
this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and
besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they
besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the
fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. 26 And as the king of
Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help,
my lord, O king. 27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I
help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? 28 And the king said
unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give
thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. 29 So we
boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy
son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. 30 And it came to pass, when
the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by
upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon
his flesh. 31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha
the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. 32 But Elisha sat in his house, and
the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the
messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer
hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the
door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind
him? 33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down
unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for
the LORD any longer?

2 Kings 7
1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD,

To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and
two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2 Then a lord on
whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the
LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said,
Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 3 And there
were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to
another, Why sit we here until we die? 4 If we say, We will enter into the city,
then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we
die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they
save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. 5 And they rose
up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come
to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. 6 For
the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise
of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the
king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the
Egyptians, to come upon us. 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and
left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled
for their life. 8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp,
they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and
gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another
tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. 9 Then they said one to
another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our
peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now
therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household. 10 So they came
and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the
camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man,
but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. 11 And he called the
porters; and they told it to the king’s house within. 12 And the king arose in the
night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have
done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the
camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we
shall catch them alive, and get into the city. 13 And one of his servants answered
and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left
in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it:
behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are
consumed:) and let us send and see. 14 They took therefore two chariot horses;
and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. 15 And they
went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and
vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers
returned, and told the king. 16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of
the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures
of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. 17 And the king
appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and
the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said,
who spake when the king came down to him. 18 And it came to pass as the man
of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and
a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the
gate of Samaria: 19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now,
behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?
And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 20
And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he
died.
 2 Kings 8
1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life,

saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou
canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come
upon the land seven years. 2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of
the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of
the Philistines seven years. 3 And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the
woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto
the king for her house and for her land. 4 And the king talked with Gehazi the
servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that
Elisha hath done. 5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had
restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored
to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My
lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto

her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the
field since the day that she left the land, even until now. 7 And Elisha came to
Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him,
saying, The man of God is come hither. 8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a
present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by
him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and
took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’
burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of
Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 10 And Elisha
said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the
LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. 11 And he settled his
countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. 12 And
Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil
that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on
fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their
children, and rip up their women with child. 13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy
servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The
LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 14 So he departed
from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee?
And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. 15 And it came
to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and
spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead. 16 And in
the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then
king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight
years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the
house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the
sight of the LORD. 19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his
servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.
20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king

over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him:
and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and
the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom
revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the
same time. 23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24 And Joram slept
with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and
Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. 25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of
Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he

reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the
daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 And he walked in the way of the house of
Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he
was the son in law of the house of Ahab. 28 And he went with Joram the son of
Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians
wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the
wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against
Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down
to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

2 Kings 9
1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said

unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to
Ramoth-gilead: 2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of
Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among
his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; 3 Then take the box of oil, and
pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king
over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. 4 So the young man,
even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 And when he came,
behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to
thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O
captain. 6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his
head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed
thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. 7 And thou shalt smite
the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the
prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 8
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that
pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: 9 And I will
make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like
the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: 10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the
portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door,
and fled. 11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto
him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto
them, Ye know the man, and his communication. 12 And they said, It is false; tell
us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the
LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. 13 Then they hasted, and took
every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew
with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. 14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of
Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead, he and
all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. 15 But king Joram was returned to be
healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he
fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let
none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. 16 So Jehu rode
in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah
was come down to see Joram. 17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in
Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company.
And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it
peace? 18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the
king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee
behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he
cometh not again. 19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to
them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast
thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. 20 And the watchman told, saying,
He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the
driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously. 21 And Joram said,
Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and
Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against
Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 And it came to pass,
when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What
peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are
so many? 23 And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is
treachery, O Ahaziah. 24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote
Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk
down in his chariot. 25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast
him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that,
when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden
upon him; 26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of
his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD.
Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word
of the LORD. 27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the
way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also
in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And
he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 28 And his servants carried him in a chariot
to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of
David. 29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to
reign over Judah. 30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and
she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 31 And as
Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? 32
And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And
there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down.
So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and
on the horses: and he trode her under foot. 34 And when he was come in, he did
eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is
a king’s daughter. 35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her
than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Wherefore they came
again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake
by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat
the flesh of Jezebel: 37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face
of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

2 Kings 10
 1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent

to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up
Ahab’s children, saying, 2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your
master’s sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced
city also, and armour; 3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master’s
sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. 4 But
they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him:
how then shall we stand? 5 And he that was over the house, and he that was over
the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying,
We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any
king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 6 Then he wrote a letter the
second time to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice,
take ye the heads of the men your master’s sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to
morrow this time. Now the king’s sons, being seventy persons, were with the
great men of the city, which brought them up. 7 And it came to pass, when the
letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons, and slew seventy persons,
and put their heads in baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel. 8 And there came a
messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king’s
sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate until
the morning. 9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood,
and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my
master, and slew him: but who slew all these? 10 Know now that there shall fall
unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake
concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by
his servant Elijah. 11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in
Jezreel, and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left him
none remaining. 12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he
was at the shearing house in the way, 13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah
king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of
Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of
the queen. 14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew
them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any
of them. 15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son
of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine
heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be,
give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into
the chariot. 16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So
they made him ride in his chariot. 17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all
that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the
saying of the LORD, which he spake to Elijah. 18 And Jehu gathered all the
people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall
serve him much. 19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his
servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do
to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty,
to the intent that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal. 20 And Jehu said,
Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it. 21 And Jehu sent
through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a
man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of
Baal was full from one end to another. 22 And he said unto him that was over the
vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought
them forth vestments. 23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into
the house of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that
there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of
Baal only. 24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu
appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I have
brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life shall be for the
life of him. 25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay
them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and
the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house of
Baal. 26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned
them. 27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of
Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out
of Israel. 29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that
were in Beth-el, and that were in Dan. 30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because
thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done
unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of
the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel. 31 But Jehu took no heed to
walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not
from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. 32 In those days the LORD
began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel; 33
From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites,
and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and
Bashan. 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might,
are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 35 And
Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his
son reigned in his stead. 36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria
was twenty and eight years.

2 Kings 11
1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she

arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king
Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from
among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his
nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3 And he was
with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the
land. 4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds,
with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the
LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house
of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son. 5 And he commanded them,
saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the
sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; 6 And a third part
shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall
ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down. 7 And two parts of all
you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of
the LORD about the king. 8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every
man with his weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him
be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in. 9 And the
captains over the hundreds did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest
commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the
sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the
priest. 10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David’s
spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 And the guard stood,
every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right
corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the
temple. 12 And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and
gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they
clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. 13 And when Athaliah heard
the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple
of the LORD. 14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the
manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of
the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and
cried, Treason, Treason. 15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of
the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without
the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had
said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD. 16 And they laid hands on
her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s
house: and there was she slain. 17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the
LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people;
between the king also and the people. 18 And all the people of the land went into
the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in
pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the
priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD. 19 And he took the rulers
over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land;
and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the
way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the
kings. 20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and
they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king’s house. 21 Seven years old
was Jehoash when he began to reign.

2 Kings 12
1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years

reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2

And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days
wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But the high places were not taken
away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places. 4 And
Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought
into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the
account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into
any man’s heart to bring into the house of the LORD, 5 Let the priests take it to
them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the
house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. 6 But it was so, that in the three
and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of
the house. 7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other
priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now
therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the
breaches of the house. 8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of
the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house. 9 But Jehoiada the priest
took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the
right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept
the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.
10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the

king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the
money that was found in the house of the LORD. 11 And they gave the money,
being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the
house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that
wrought upon the house of the LORD, 12 And to masons, and hewers of stone,
and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the
LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. 13 Howbeit there
were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basons,
trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought
into the house of the LORD: 14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired
therewith the house of the LORD. 15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men,
into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they
dealt faithfully. 16 The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the
house of the LORD: it was the priests’. 17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up,
and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to
Jerusalem. 18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that
Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had
dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the
treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king’s house, and sent it to
Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. 19 And the rest of the
acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 And his servants arose, and made a
conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla. 21
For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his
servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city
of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 13
1 In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah

Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned
seventeen years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and
followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he
departed not therefrom. 3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel,
and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of
Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days. 4 And Jehoahaz besought the
LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel,
because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (And the LORD gave Israel a
saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the
children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. 6 Nevertheless they departed
not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked
therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.) 7 Neither did he leave of
the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand
footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the
dust by threshing. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and
his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel? 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria:
and Joash his son reigned in his stead. 10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash
king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria,
and reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who
made Israel sin: but he walked therein. 12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and
all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of
Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13
And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash
was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of
his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him,
and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel,
and the horsemen thereof. 15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows.
And he took unto him bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put
thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands
upon the king’s hands. 17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he
opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the
LORD’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt
smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. 18 And he said, Take
the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon
the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. 19 And the man of God was wroth
with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst
thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite
Syria but thrice. 20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the
Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. 21 And it came to pass,
as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they
cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and
touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet. 22 But Hazael
king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 And the LORD was
gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them,
because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy
them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet. 24 So Hazael king of Syria
died; and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead. 25 And Jehoash the son of
Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities,
which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times
did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.

2 Kings 14
 1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned

Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. 2 He was twenty and five years old
when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his
mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 3 And he did that which was right
in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all
things as Joash his father did. 4 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as
yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places. 5 And it came
to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his
servants which had slain the king his father. 6 But the children of the murderers
he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of
Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to
death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every
man shall be put to death for his own sin. 7 He slew of Edom in the valley of salt
ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this
day. 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of
Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. 9 And
Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that
was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter
to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and
trode down the thistle. 10 Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath
lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to
thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? 11 But
Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and
Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth-shemesh, which
belongeth to Judah. 12 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they
fled every man to their tents. 13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of
Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh, and came to
Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto
the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 14 And he took all the gold and silver, and
all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of
the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria. 15 Now the rest of the
acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah
king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel? 16 And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the
kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead. 17 And Amaziah the
son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king
of Israel fifteen years. 18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 19 Now they made a
conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after
him to Lachish, and slew him there. 20 And they brought him on horses: and he
was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. 21 And all the
people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king
instead of his father Amaziah. 22 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after
that the king slept with his fathers. 23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of
Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in
Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. 24 And he did that which was evil in
the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 25 He restored the coast of Israel from the
entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD
God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of
Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher. 26 For the LORD saw the
affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any
left, nor any helper for Israel. 27 And the LORD said not that he would blot out
the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of
Jeroboam the son of Joash. 28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that
he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and
Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of
the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 29 And Jeroboam slept with his fathers,
even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 15
 2 Kings 15
1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah

son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign. 2 Sixteen years old was he when he
began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his
mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 3 And he did that which was right in
the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done; 4 Save
that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense
still on the high places. 5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper
unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king’s
son was over the house, judging the people of the land. 6 And the rest of the acts
of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Judah? 7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him
with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead. 8 In
the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of
Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months. 9 And he did that which was
evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the
sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 10 And Shallum the
son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew
him, and reigned in his stead. 11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold,
they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 12 This was
the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on
the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass. 13
Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah
king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. 14 For Menahem the son
of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son
of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead. 15 And the rest of
the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 16 Then Menahem smote
Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because
they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that
were with child he ripped up. 17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of
Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years
in Samaria. 18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin. 19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem
gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm
the kingdom in his hand. 20 And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of
all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the
king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the
land. 21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 22 And Menahem
slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead. 23 In the fiftieth
year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over
Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. 24 And he did that which was evil in
the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of
his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king’s
house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he
killed him, and reigned in his room. 26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and
all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel. 27 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son
of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. 28
And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from
the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. 29 In the days of
Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and
Abel-beth-maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and
Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria. 30 And
Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah,
and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of
Jotham the son of Uzziah. 31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he
did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham

the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. 33 Five and twenty years old was he
when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his
mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did that which
was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah
had done. 35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed
and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house
of the LORD. 36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 37 In those days
the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the
son of Remaliah. 38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 16
1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of

Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he
began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which
was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father. 3 But he
walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through
the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out
from before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the
high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 5 Then Rezin king of
Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war:
and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. 6 At that time Rezin king
of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians
came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. 7 So Ahaz sent messengers to
Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up,
and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king
of Israel, which rise up against me. 8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was
found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and
sent it for a present to the king of Assyria. 9 And the king of Assyria hearkened
unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and
carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin. 10 And king Ahaz went to
Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at
Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and
the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof. 11 And Urijah the
priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so
Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus. 12 And when
the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king
approached to the altar, and offered thereon. 13 And he burnt his burnt offering
and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of
his peace offerings, upon the altar. 14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which
was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar
and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar. 15 And king
Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the
morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king’s burnt
sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the
land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all
the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen
altar shall be for me to enquire by. 16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all
that king Ahaz commanded. 17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases,
and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen
oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones. 18 And the covert
for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king’s entry without,
turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria. 19 Now the rest
of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was
buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his
stead.

2 Kings 17
1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to

reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him. 3 Against
him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and
gave him presents. 4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he
had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of
Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up,
and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the
land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6 In the ninth year of
Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria,
and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of
the Medes. 7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the
LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from
under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8 And
walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the
children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9 And the
children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD
their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of
the watchmen to the fenced city. 10 And they set them up images and groves in
every high hill, and under every green tree: 11 And there they burnt incense in all
the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them;
and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 12 For they served
idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. 13 Yet
the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by
all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments
and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and
which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. 14 Notwithstanding they would
not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not
believe in the LORD their God. 15 And they rejected his statutes, and his
covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified
against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the
heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged
them, that they should not do like them. 16 And they left all the commandments
of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and
made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 17 And
they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used
divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the
LORD, to provoke him to anger. 18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with
Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of
Judah only. 19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God,
but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20 And the LORD rejected
all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of
spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. 21 For he rent Israel from the
house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam
drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. 22 For the
children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed
not from them; 23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said
by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land
to Assyria unto this day. 24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon,
and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and
placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they
possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25 And so it was at the
beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the
LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them. 26 Wherefore they
spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and
placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land:
therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because
they know not the manner of the God of the land. 27 Then the king of Assyria
commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from
thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of
the God of the land. 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from
Samaria came and dwelt in Beth-el, and taught them how they should fear the
LORD. 29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the
houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their
cities wherein they dwelt. 30 And the men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, and
the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 And the
Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire
to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 So they feared
the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high
places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33 They feared
the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom
they carried away from thence. 34 Unto this day they do after the former
manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after
their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD
commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 35 With whom the
LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other
gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: 36 But
the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a
stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall
ye do sacrifice. 37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the
commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and
ye shall not fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye
shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. 39 But the LORD your God ye
shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 40
Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. 41 So these
nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children,
and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

2 Kings 18
1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel,

that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 Twenty and five
years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years
in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah. 3 And
he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David
his father did. 4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down
the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto
those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it
Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none
like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he
clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his
commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was
with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against
the king of Assyria, and served him not. 8 He smote the Philistines, even unto
Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced
city. 9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the
seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of
Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. 10 And at the end of three
years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of
Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11 And the king of Assyria did carry
away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of
Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: 12 Because they obeyed not the voice of
the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the
servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them. 13
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria
come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them. 14 And Hezekiah
king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended;
return from me: that which thou puttest on me will I bear. And the king of
Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver
and thirty talents of gold. 15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found
in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house. 16 At that
time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD,
and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to
the king of Assyria. 17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and
Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem.
And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they
came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the
fuller’s field. 18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the
scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder. 19 And Rabshakeh said unto
them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria,
What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? 20 Thou sayest, (but they are but
vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou
trust, that thou rebellest against me? 21 Now, behold, thou trustest upon the staff
of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his
hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him. 22 But
if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high
places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and hath said to Judah and
Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem? 23 Now therefore, I
pray thee, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee
two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. 24 How
then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s
servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Am I now
come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to
me, Go up against this land, and destroy it. 26 Then said Eliakim the son of
Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy
servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the
Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall. 27 But Rabshakeh
said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak
these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may
eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you? 28 Then Rabshakeh stood
and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spake, saying, Hear the
word of the great king, the king of Assyria: 29 Thus saith the king, Let not
Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand: 30
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will
surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of
Assyria. 31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an
agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man
of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters
of his cistern: 32 Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a
land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of
honey, that ye may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he
persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us. 33 Hath any of the gods of
the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 34
Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of
Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? 35
Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their
country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine
hand? 36 But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the
king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not. 37 Then came Eliakim the
son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah
the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him
the words of Rabshakeh.

2 Kings 19
 1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes,

and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. 2
And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and
the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of
Amoz. 3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of
trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth,
and there is not strength to bring forth. 4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear
all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to
reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God
hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left. 5 So the
servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus
shall ye say to your master, Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words
which thou hast heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have
blasphemed me. 7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a
rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the
sword in his own land. 8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria
warring against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. 9
And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to
fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying, 10 Thus shall
ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou
trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of
the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have
done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered? 12
Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as
Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in
Thelasar? 13 Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king
of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah? 14 And Hezekiah received the
letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the
house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed
before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the
cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth;
thou hast made heaven and earth. 16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open,
LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent
him to reproach the living God. 17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have
destroyed the nations and their lands, 18 And have cast their gods into the fire:
for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone: therefore
they have destroyed them. 19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee,
save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that
thou art the LORD God, even thou only. 20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to
Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast
prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard. 21 This is the
word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of
Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem
hath shaken her head at thee. 22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed?
and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high?
even against the Holy One of Israel. 23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached
the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the
height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar
trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of
his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel. 24 I have digged and drunk strange
waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged
places. 25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient times
that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay
waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps. 26 Therefore their inhabitants were of
small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the
field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted
before it be grown up. 27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy
coming in, and thy rage against me. 28 Because thy rage against me and thy
tumult is come up into mine ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and
my bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.
29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of

themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the
third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof. 30
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root
downward, and bear fruit upward. 31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a
remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts
shall do this. 32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria,
He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it
with shield, nor cast a bank against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same
shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. 34 For I will
defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.
35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and

smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and
when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36 So
Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at
Nineveh. 37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch
his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and
they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esar-haddon his son reigned in his
stead.

2 Kings 20
1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the

son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine
house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live. 2 Then he turned his face to the
wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying, 3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember
now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have
done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. 4 And it came to
pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD
came to him, saying, 5 Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people,
Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I
have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up
unto the house of the LORD. 6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I
will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will
defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. 7 And
Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he
recovered. 8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the
LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third
day? 9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD
will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees,
or go back ten degrees? 10 And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the
shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten
degrees. 11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the
shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz. 12
At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters
and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. 13
And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his
precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious
ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures:
there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed
them not. 14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto
him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon. 15 And he
said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the
things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my
treasures that I have not shewed them. 16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear
the word of the LORD. 17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house,
and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried
into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. 18 And of thy sons that shall
issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be
eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah,
Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not
good, if peace and truth be in my days? 20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah,
and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into
the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
21 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his

stead.

2 Kings 21
1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty

and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzi-bah. 2 And he
did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the
heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built up
again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up
altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all
the host of heaven, and served them. 4 And he built altars in the house of the
LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. 5 And he
built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used

enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much
wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 7 And he set a
graven image of the grove that he had made in the house, of which the LORD
said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I
have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8 Neither will
I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their
fathers; only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded
them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. 9
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did
the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 And the
LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, 11 Because Manasseh king of
Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the
Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his
idols: 12 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing
such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears
shall tingle. 13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the
plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a
dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down. 14 And I will forsake the remnant of
mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall
become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; 15 Because they have done that
which was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day their
fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day. 16 Moreover Manasseh shed
innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another;
beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in
the sight of the LORD. 17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he
did, and his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles
of the kings of Judah? 18 And Manasseh slept with his fathers, and was buried in
the garden of his own house, in the garden of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in
his stead. 19 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Meshullemeth, the
daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD, as his father Manasseh did. 21 And he walked in all the way that his
father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped
them: 22 And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the
way of the LORD. 23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew
the king in his own house. 24 And the people of the land slew all them that had
conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son
king in his stead. 25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 26 And he was buried
in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah his son reigned in his stead.
 2 Kings 22
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty

and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of
Adaiah of Boscath. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right
hand or to the left. 3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah,
that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe,
to the house of the LORD, saying, 4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may
sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers
of the door have gathered of the people: 5 And let them deliver it into the hand of
the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let
them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to
repair the breaches of the house, 6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons,
and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 7 Howbeit there was no
reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand,
because they dealt faithfully. 8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the
scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah
gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the
king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the
money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them
that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. 10 And
Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me
a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 11 And it came to pass, when the
king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 12 And
the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and
Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of
the king’s, saying, 13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people,
and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the
wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not
hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is
written concerning us. 14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and
Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the
son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in
Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 15 And she said unto
them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 16
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the
inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath
read: 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other
gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands;
therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be
quenched. 18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD,
thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the
words which thou hast heard; 19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast
humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this
place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation
and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard
thee, saith the LORD. 20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers,
and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see
all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word
again.

2 Kings 23
1 And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and

of Jerusalem. 2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the
men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and
the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all
the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the
LORD. 3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD,
to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and
his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this
covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second

order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD
all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of
heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and
carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests,
whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the
cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned
incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the
host of heaven. 6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD,
without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron,
and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of
the children of the people. 7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that
were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.
8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high

places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beer-sheba, and brake
down the high places of the gates that were in the entering in of the gate of
Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of
the city. 9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of
the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their
brethren. 10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of
Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire
to Molech. 11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to
the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-
melech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of
the sun with fire. 12 And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of
Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had
made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and
brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand

of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for
Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination
of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did
the king defile. 14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves,
and filled their places with the bones of men. 15 Moreover the altar that was at
Beth-el, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel
to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned
the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove. 16 And as
Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and
sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar,
and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God
proclaimed, who proclaimed these words. 17 Then he said, What title is that that
I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God,
which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against
the altar of Beth-el. 18 And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones.
So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of
Samaria. 19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of
Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the Lord to anger, Josiah
took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Beth-el.
20 And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars,

and burned men’s bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem. 21 And the king
commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God,
as it is written in the book of this covenant. 22 Surely there was not holden such a
passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the
kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23 But in the eighteenth year of king
Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem. 24
Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and
the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in
Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law
which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the
LORD. 25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the
LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according
to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. 26
Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath,
wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations
that Manasseh had provoked him withal. 27 And the LORD said, I will remove
Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city
Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be
there. 28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29 In his days
Pharaoh-nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river
Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when
he had seen him. 30 And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from
Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre.
And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him,
and made him king in his father’s stead. 31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years
old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his
mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did
that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers
had done. 33 And Pharaoh-nechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of
Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an
hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaoh-nechoh made
Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room of Josiah his father, and turned his
name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died
there. 35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the
land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted
the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his
taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-nechoh. 36 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years
old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his
mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37 And he did
that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers
had done.

2 Kings 24
1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim

became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And
the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and
bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them
against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake
by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely at the commandment of the LORD came
this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh,
according to all that he did; 4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he
filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon. 5 Now
the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his
fathers: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 7 And the king of Egypt
came not again any more out of his land: for the king of Babylon had taken from
the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in

Jerusalem three months. And his mother’s name was Nehushta, the daughter of
Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD, according to all that his father had done. 10 At that time the servants of
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was
besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his
servants did besiege it. 12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king
of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his
officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign. 13 And
he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the
treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which
Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had
said. 14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty
men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths:
none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land. 15 And he carried
away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and
his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from
Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and
craftsmen and smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them
the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. 17 And the king of Babylon
made Mattaniah his father’s brother king in his stead, and changed his name to
Zedekiah. 18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal,
the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did that which was evil in the
sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For through the
anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast
them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

2 Kings 25
1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in

the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and
all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against
it round about. 2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king
Zedekiah. 3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the
city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. 4 And the city was broken
up, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two
walls, which is by the king’s garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city
round about:) and the king went the way toward the plain. 5 And the army of the
Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and
all his army were scattered from him. 6 So they took the king, and brought him
up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7 And
they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah,
and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. 8 And in the
fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of
king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the
guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the
house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and
every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees,
that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round
about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives
that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did
Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carry away. 12 But the captain of the
guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. 13 And the
pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the
brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did the Chaldees break in pieces,
and carried the brass of them to Babylon. 14 And the pots, and the shovels, and
the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they
ministered, took they away. 15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things
as were of gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took
away. 16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made for
the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without weight. 17 The
height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the chapiter upon it was brass:
and the height of the chapiter three cubits; and the wreathen work, and
pomegranates upon the chapiter round about, all of brass: and like unto these had
the second pillar with wreathen work. 18 And the captain of the guard took
Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers
of the door: 19 And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of
war, and five men of them that were in the king’s presence, which were found in
the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which mustered the people of the
land, and threescore men of the people of the land that were found in the city: 20
And Nebuzar-adan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king
of Babylon to Riblah: 21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at
Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land. 22
And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon had left, even over them he made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam,
the son of Shaphan, ruler. 23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and
their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there
came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan
the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and
Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men. 24 And Gedaliah sware
to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the
Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well
with you. 25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him,
and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with
him at Mizpah. 26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of
the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the Chaldees. 27
And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin
king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the seven and twentieth day of the
month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the year that he began to reign did
lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 28 And he spake kindly
to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in
Babylon; 29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat bread continually
before him all the days of his life. 30 And his allowance was a continual
allowance given him of the king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his
life.

1 Chronicles 1
 1 Chronicles 1
1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh, 2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, 3 Henoch, Methuselah,

Lamech, 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 5 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and
Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 6 And the
sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 7 And the sons of
Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 8 The sons of Ham; Cush,
and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 9 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and
Sabta, and Raamah, and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth. 11 And

Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 12 And
Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphthorim. 13
And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth, 14 The Jebusite also, and the
Amorite, and the Girgashite, 15 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 16
And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. 17 The sons of Shem;
Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and
Gether, and Meshech. 18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber. 19
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in
his days the earth was divided: and his brother’s name was Joktan. 20 And Joktan
begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 21 Hadoram also, and
Uzal, and Diklah, 22 And Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 23 And Ophir, and
Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 24 Shem, Arphaxad,
Shelah, 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah, 27 Abram; the same is
Abraham. 28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. 29 These are their
generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and
Mibsam, 30 Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish,
and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32 Now the sons of Keturah,
Abraham’s concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian,
and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan. 33 And the
sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All
these are the sons of Keturah. 34 And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac;
Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and
Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz, and
Timna, and Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and
Mizzah. 38 And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and
Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan. 39 And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and
Timna was Lotan’s sister. 40 The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal,
Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah. 41 The sons of
Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban, and Ithran, and
Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of Dishan;
Uz, and Aran. 43 Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before
any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name
of his city was Dinhabah. 44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of
Bozrah reigned in his stead. 45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of
the Temanites reigned in his stead. 46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the
son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and
the name of his city was Avith. 47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of
Masrekah reigned in his stead. 48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of
Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. 49 And when Shaul was dead, Baal-
hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 50 And when Baal-hanan was dead,
Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife’s
name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51
Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke
Jetheth, 52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 53 Duke Kenaz, duke
Teman, duke Mibzar, 54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of
Edom.

1 Chronicles 2
1 These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar,
and Zebulun, 2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 3 The
sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the
daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the
sight of the LORD; and he slew him. 4 And Tamar his daughter in law bare him
Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. 5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron,
and Hamul. 6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol,
and Dara: five of them in all. 7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of
Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed. 8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.
9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and Ram, and

Chelubai. 10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon,

prince of the children of Judah; 11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat
Boaz, 12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, 13 And Jesse begat his
firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the third, 14 Nethaneel
the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh: 16 Whose
sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab,
and Asahel, three. 17 And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was
Jether the Ishmeelite. 18 And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah
his wife, and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon. 19
And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare him Hur.
20 And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel. 21 And afterward Hezron went in

to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was
threescore years old; and she bare him Segub. 22 And Segub begat Jair, who had
three and twenty cities in the land of Gilead. 23 And he took Geshur, and Aram,
with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even
threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.
24 And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb-ephratah, then Abiah Hezron’s wife

bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa. 25 And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of
Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah. 26
Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of
Onam. 27 And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and
Jamin, and Eker. 28 And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the
sons of Shammai; Nadab, and Abishur. 29 And the name of the wife of Abishur
was Abihail, and she bare him Ahban, and Molid. 30 And the sons of Nadab;
Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without children. 31 And the sons of Appaim;
Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And the children of Sheshan; Ahlai. 32 And
the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and Jonathan: and Jether died
without children. 33 And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the
sons of Jerahmeel. 34 Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan
had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha. 35 And Sheshan gave his
daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai. 36 And Attai begat
Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad, 37 And Zabad begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat
Obed, 38 And Obed begat Jehu, and Jehu begat Azariah, 39 And Azariah begat
Helez, and Helez begat Eleasah, 40 And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai
begat Shallum, 41 And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.
42 Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his firstborn,

which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the father of Hebron. 43
And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema. 44 And
Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat Shammai. 45 And
the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of Beth-zur. 46 And
Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat
Gazez. 47 And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Geshan, and Pelet,
and Ephah, and Shaaph. 48 Maachah, Caleb’s concubine, bare Sheber, and
Tirhanah. 49 She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of
Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. 50
These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal
the father of Kirjath-jearim, 51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father
of Beth-gader. 52 And Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim had sons; Haroeh, and
half of the Manahethites. 53 And the families of Kirjath-jearim; the Ithrites, and
the Puhites, and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the
Zareathites, and the Eshtaulites. 54 The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the
Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the Manahethites, the
Zorites. 55 And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites,
the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath,
the father of the house of Rechab.

1 Chronicles 3
1 Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron;

the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail
the Carmelitess: 2 The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of
Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith: 3 The fifth,
Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife. 4 These six were born
unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in
Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years. 5 And these were born unto him in
Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua
the daughter of Ammiel: 6 Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, 7 And Nogah,
and Nepheg, and Japhia, 8 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9
These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar
their sister. 10 And Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son,
Jehoshaphat his son, 11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, 12
Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 13 Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his
son, Manasseh his son, 14 Amon his son, Josiah his son. 15 And the sons of
Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the
fourth Shallum. 16 And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his
son. 17 And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son, 18 Malchiram also, and
Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah. 19 And the sons of
Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam,
and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister: 20 And Hashubah, and Ohel, and
Berechiah, and Hasadiah, Jushab-hesed, five. 21 And the sons of Hananiah;
Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of
Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah. 22 And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and
the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat,
six. 23 And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam, three. 24
And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub,
and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.

1 Chronicles 4
1 The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. 2

And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and
Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. 3 And these were of the father of
Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was
Hazelelponi: 4 And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah.
These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem. 5
And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6 And Naarah
bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the
sons of Naarah. 7 And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan. 8
And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of
Harum. 9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother
called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10 And Jabez
called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and
enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest
keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which
he requested. 11 And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the
father of Eshton. 12 And Eshton begat Beth-rapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the
father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Rechah. 13 And the sons of Kenaz;
Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath. 14 And Meonothai begat
Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they
were craftsmen. 15 And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and
Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz. 16 And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph,
and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel. 17 And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered,
and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father
of Eshtemoa. 18 And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and
Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the
sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took. 19 And the sons of
his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and
Eshtemoa the Maachathite. 20 And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and
Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Ben-
zoheth. 21 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and
Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that
wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea, 22 And Jokim, and the men of
Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubi-
lehem. And these are ancient things. 23 These were the potters, and those that
dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work. 24
The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul: 25
Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. 26 And the sons of Mishma;
Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son. 27 And Shimei had sixteen
sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all
their family multiply, like to the children of Judah. 28 And they dwelt at Beer-
sheba, and Moladah, and Hazar-shual, 29 And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at
Tolad, 30 And at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag, 31 And at Beth-
marcaboth, and Hazar-susim, and at Beth-birei, and at Shaaraim. These were
their cities unto the reign of David. 32 And their villages were, Etam, and Ain,
Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities: 33 And all their villages that were
round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their
genealogy. 34 And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah the son of Amaziah, 35
And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36
And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and
Jesimiel, and Benaiah, 37 And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of
Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah; 38 These mentioned by their
names were princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased
greatly. 39 And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the
valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. 40 And they found fat pasture and good,
and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt
there of old. 41 And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of
Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and
destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was
pasture there for their flocks. 42 And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon,
five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and
Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. 43 And they smote the rest
of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.

1 Chronicles 5
1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the firstborn;

but, forasmuch as he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given unto the
sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the
birthright. 2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief
ruler; but the birthright was Joseph’s:) 3 The sons, I say, of Reuben the firstborn
of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 4 The sons of Joel;
Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5 Micah his son, Reaia his son,
Baal his son, 6 Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried
away captive: he was prince of the Reubenites. 7 And his brethren by their
families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned, were the chief,
Jeiel, and Zechariah, 8 And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of
Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baal-meon: 9 And eastward he
inhabited unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates:
because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead. 10 And in the days of
Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who fell by their hand: and they dwelt in
their tents throughout all the east land of Gilead. 11 And the children of Gad
dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah: 12 Joel the chief,
and Shapham the next, and Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 13 And their brethren
of the house of their fathers were, Michael, and Meshullam, and Sheba, and
Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber, seven. 14 These are the children of Abihail
the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son
of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son
of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers. 16 And they dwelt in Gilead in
Bashan, and in her towns, and in all the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders. 17
All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah, and
in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel. 18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites,
and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and
sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand
seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war. 19 And they made war
with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab. 20 And they were helped
against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were
with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them;
because they put their trust in him. 21 And they took away their cattle; of their
camels fifty thousand, and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses
two thousand, and of men an hundred thousand. 22 For there fell down many
slain, because the war was of God. And they dwelt in their steads until the
captivity. 23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land:
they increased from Bashan unto Baal-hermon and Senir, and unto mount
Hermon. 24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher,
and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty
men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers. 25 And they
transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods
of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26 And the God of
Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgath-
pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the
Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and
Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

1 Chronicles 6
1 The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 2 And the sons of

Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. 3 And the children of Amram;
Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu,
Eleazar, and Ithamar. 4 Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua, 5 And
Abishua begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi, 6 And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and
Zerahiah begat Meraioth, 7 Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,
8 And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz, 9 And Ahimaaz begat

Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan, 10 And Johanan begat Azariah, (he it is that
executed the priest’s office in the temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:) 11
And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub, 12 And Ahitub begat
Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum, 13 And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah
begat Azariah, 14 And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak, 15
And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and
Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. 16 The sons of Levi; Gershom,
Kohath, and Merari. 17 And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni,
and Shimei. 18 And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron,
and Uzziel. 19 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the families
of the Levites according to their fathers. 20 Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his
son, Zimmah his son, 21 Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his
son. 22 The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, 23
Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son, 24 Tahath his son, Uriel
his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. 25 And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai,
and Ahimoth. 26 As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and
Nahath his son, 27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. 28 And the
sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah. 29 The sons of Merari; Mahli,
Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza his son, 30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son,
Asaiah his son. 31 And these are they whom David set over the service of song in
the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest. 32 And they ministered before
the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until
Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on
their office according to their order. 33 And these are they that waited with their
children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son
of Shemuel, 34 The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son
of Toah, 35 The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of
Amasai, 36 The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of
Zephaniah, 37 The son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son
of Korah, 38 The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of
Israel. 39 And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the
son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea, 40 The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah,
the son of Malchiah, 41 The son of Ethni, the son of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 42
The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah, the son of Shimei, 43 The son of Jahath,
the son of Gershom, the son of Levi. 44 And their brethren the sons of Merari
stood on the left hand: Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of
Malluch, 45 The son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 46
The son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer, 47 The son of Mahli, the
son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi. 48 Their brethren also the
Levites were appointed unto all manner of service of the tabernacle of the house
of God. 49 But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering,
and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most
holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the
servant of God had commanded. 50 And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his
son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, 51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah
his son, 52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, 53 Zadok his son,
Ahimaaz his son. 54 Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles
in their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites: for theirs
was the lot. 55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs
thereof round about it. 56 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they
gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the
cities of Judah, namely, Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs,
and Jattir, and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs, 58 And Hilen with her suburbs,
Debir with her suburbs, 59 And Ashan with her suburbs, and Beth-shemesh with
her suburbs: 60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin; Geba with her suburbs, and
Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with her suburbs. All their cities
throughout their families were thirteen cities. 61 And unto the sons of Kohath,
which were left of the family of that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe,
namely, out of the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities. 62 And to the sons of
Gershom throughout their families out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the
tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh
in Bashan, thirteen cities. 63 Unto the sons of Merari were given by lot,
throughout their families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad,
and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. 64 And the children of Israel gave
to the Levites these cities with their suburbs. 65 And they gave by lot out of the
tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and
out of the tribe of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by
their names. 66 And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of
their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim. 67 And they gave unto them, of the cities
of refuge, Shechem in mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer
with her suburbs, 68 And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her
suburbs, 69 And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gath-rimmon with her suburbs: 70
And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and Bileam with
her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of Kohath. 71 Unto the
sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh,
Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs: 72 And out of
the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs, 73
And Ramoth with her suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs: 74 And out of the
tribe of Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs, 75 And
Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs: 76 And out of the tribe of
Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon with her suburbs,
and Kirjathaim with her suburbs. 77 Unto the rest of the children of Merari were
given out of the tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her
suburbs: 78 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of Jordan,
were given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the wilderness with her
suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs, 79 Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and
Mephaath with her suburbs: 80 And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead
with her suburbs, and Mahanaim with her suburbs, 81 And Heshbon with her
suburbs, and Jazer with her suburbs.

1 Chronicles 7
1 Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and Shimron,

four. 2 And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai, and
Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father’s house, to wit, of Tola: they were
valiant men of might in their generations; whose number was in the days of
David two and twenty thousand and six hundred. 3 And the sons of Uzzi;
Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael, and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five:
all of them chief men. 4 And with them, by their generations, after the house of
their fathers, were bands of soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men: for
they had many wives and sons. 5 And their brethren among all the families of
Issachar were valiant men of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies
fourscore and seven thousand. 6 The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and
Jediael, three. 7 And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and
Jerimoth, and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour;
and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand and thirty and
four. 8 And the sons of Becher; Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and Elioenai, and
Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and Alameth. All these are the
sons of Becher. 9 And the number of them, after their genealogy by their
generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of valour, was
twenty thousand and two hundred. 10 The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the
sons of Bilhan; Jeush, and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and
Tharshish, and Ahishahar. 11 All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their
fathers, mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred
soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle. 12 Shuppim also, and Huppim, the
children of Ir, and Hushim, the sons of Aher. 13 The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel,
and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum, the sons of Bilhah. 14 The sons of Manasseh;
Ashriel, whom she bare: (but his concubine the Aramitess bare Machir the father
of Gilead: 15 And Machir took to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose
sister’s name was Maachah;) and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and
Zelophehad had daughters. 16 And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and
she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his
sons were Ulam and Rakem. 17 And the sons of Ulam; Bedan. These were the
sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh. 18 And his sister
Hammoleketh bare Ishod, and Abiezer, and Mahalah. 19 And the sons of
Shemida were, Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and Aniam. 20 And the sons of
Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath his son, and Eladah his son,
and Tahath his son, 21 And Zabad his son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and
Elead, whom the men of Gath that were born in that land slew, because they
came down to take away their cattle. 22 And Ephraim their father mourned many
days, and his brethren came to comfort him. 23 And when he went in to his wife,
she conceived, and bare a son, and he called his name Beriah, because it went
evil with his house. 24 (And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the
nether, and the upper, and Uzzen-sherah.) 25 And Rephah was his son, also
Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son, 26 Laadan his son, Ammihud his
son, Elishama his son, 27 Non his son, Jehoshua his son. 28 And their possessions
and habitations were, Beth-el and the towns thereof, and eastward Naaran, and
westward Gezer, with the towns thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof,
unto Gaza and the towns thereof: 29 And by the borders of the children of
Manasseh, Beth-shean and her towns, Taanach and her towns, Megiddo and her
towns, Dor and her towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of Israel.
30 The sons of Asher; Imnah, and Isuah, and Ishuai, and Beriah, and Serah their

sister. 31 And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel, who is the father of
Birzavith. 32 And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their
sister. 33 And the sons of Japhlet; Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are
the children of Japhlet. 34 And the sons of Shamer; Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah,
and Aram. 35 And the sons of his brother Helem; Zophah, and Imna, and
Shelesh, and Amal. 36 The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and
Beri, and Imrah, 37 Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and
Beera. 38 And the sons of Jether; Jephunneh, and Pispah, and Ara. 39 And the
sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia. 40 All these were the children of
Asher, heads of their father’s house, choice and mighty men of valour, chief of
the princes. And the number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to
the war and to battle was twenty and six thousand men.

1 Chronicles 8
1 Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and Aharah

the third, 2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. 3 And the sons of Bela were,
Addar, and Gera, and Abihud, 4 And Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, 5 And
Gera, and Shephuphan, and Huram. 6 And these are the sons of Ehud: these are
the heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to
Manahath: 7 And Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat
Uzza, and Ahihud. 8 And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after
he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives. 9 And he begat of
Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and Malcham, 10 And Jeuz, and
Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons, heads of the fathers. 11 And of
Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal. 12 The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham,
and Shamed, who built Ono, and Lod, with the towns thereof: 13 Beriah also, and
Shema, who were heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove
away the inhabitants of Gath: 14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 15 And
Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader, 16 And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha, the sons of
Beriah; 17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and Heber, 18 Ishmerai
also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal; 19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and
Zabdi, 20 And Elienai, and Zilthai, and Eliel, 21 And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and
Shimrath, the sons of Shimhi; 22 And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel, 23 And
Abdon, and Zichri, and Hanan, 24 And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah, 25
And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak; 26 And Shamsherai, and
Shehariah, and Athaliah, 27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri, the sons of
Jeroham. 28 These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men.
These dwelt in Jerusalem. 29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose
wife’s name was Maachah: 30 And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish,
and Baal, and Nadab, 31 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher. 32 And Mikloth
begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their brethren in Jerusalem, over
against them. 33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat
Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 34 And the son of
Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal begat Micah. 35 And the sons of
Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and Ahaz. 36 And Ahaz begat
Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri
begat Moza, 37 And Moza begat Binea: Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel
his son: 38 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru,
and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of
Azel. 39 And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his firstborn, Jehush the
second, and Eliphelet the third. 40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of
valour, archers, and had many sons, and sons’ sons, an hundred and fifty. All
these are of the sons of Benjamin.

1 Chronicles 9
 1 So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written

in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon
for their transgression. 2 Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions
in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims. 3 And
in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin, and
of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh; 4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son
of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the children of Pharez the son of
Judah. 5 And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. 6 And of the
sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred and ninety. 7 And of the
sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of
Hasenuah, 8 And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham, and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son
of Michri, and Meshullam the son of Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of
Ibnijah; 9 And their brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and
fifty and six. All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their fathers.
10 And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin, 11 And Azariah the son

of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son
of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God; 12 And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the
son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of
Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 13
And their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven
hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house
of God. 14 And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of
Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 15 And Bakbakkar,
Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son of Zichri, the son of
Asaph; 16 And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of
Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the
villages of the Netophathites. 17 And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and
Talmon, and Ahiman, and their brethren: Shallum was the chief; 18 Who hitherto
waited in the king’s gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the
children of Levi. 19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of
Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites, were over the
work of the service, keepers of the gates of the tabernacle: and their fathers,
being over the host of the LORD, were keepers of the entry. 20 And Phinehas the
son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time past, and the LORD was with
him. 21 And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. 22 All these which were chosen to be porters in
the gates were two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy
in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office.
23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the house of the

LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards. 24 In four quarters were
the porters, toward the east, west, north, and south. 25 And their brethren, which
were in their villages, were to come after seven days from time to time with
them. 26 For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set office, and
were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. 27 And they lodged
round about the house of God, because the charge was upon them, and the
opening thereof every morning pertained to them. 28 And certain of them had the
charge of the ministering vessels, that they should bring them in and out by tale.
29 Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all the

instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine, and the oil, and the
frankincense, and the spices. 30 And some of the sons of the priests made the
ointment of the spices. 31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the
firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were
made in the pans. 32 And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites,
were over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath. 33 And these are the
singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were
free: for they were employed in that work day and night. 34 These chief fathers
of the Levites were chief throughout their generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem.
35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife’s name was

Maachah: 36 And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and Kish, and Baal, and
Ner, and Nadab, 37 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth. 38 And
Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their brethren at Jerusalem,
over against their brethren. 39 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and
Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. 40 And the
son of Jonathan was Merib-baal: and Merib-baal begat Micah. 41 And the sons of
Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and Ahaz. 42 And Ahaz begat
Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat
Moza; 43 And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, Azel
his son. 44 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru,
and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons of
Azel.

1 Chronicles 10
1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from

before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines
followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan,
and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 And the battle went sore
against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. 4 Then
said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith;
lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not;
for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his
armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died. 6
So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together. 7 And when all
the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his
sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came
and dwelt in them. 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines
came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa.
9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent

into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and
to the people. 10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened
his head in the temple of Dagon. 11 And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the
Philistines had done to Saul, 12 They arose, all the valiant men, and took away
the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and
buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days. 13 So Saul
died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against
the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one
that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14 And enquired not of the LORD:
therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

1 Chronicles 11
1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying,

Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 And moreover in time past, even when
Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the
LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt
be ruler over my people Israel. 3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the
king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the
LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the
LORD by Samuel. 4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus;
where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5 And the inhabitants of
Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the
castle of Zion, which is the city of David. 6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth
the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went
first up, and was chief. 7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it
the city of David. 8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round
about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 So David waxed greater and
greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him. 10 These also are the chief of the
mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his
kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the
LORD concerning Israel. 11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom
David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his
spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. 12 And after him was
Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. 13 He
was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together
to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from
before the Philistines. 14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and
delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great
deliverance. 15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David,
into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley
of Rephaim. 16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was
then at Bethlehem. 17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me
drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! 18 And the three
brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of
Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David
would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD, 19 And said, My God
forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that
have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought
it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest. 20 And
Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear
against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three. 21 Of the
three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he
attained not to the first three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant
man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab:
also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. 23 And he slew an
Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand
was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and
plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.
24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the

three mighties. 25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not
to the first three: and David set him over his guard. 26 Also the valiant men of
the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of
Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of
Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the
Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33
Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 The sons of Hashem the
Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the
Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan,

Mibhar the son of Haggeri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the
armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the
Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of
Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and
Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his
brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of
Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

1 Chronicles 12
1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept

himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty
men, helpers of the war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the
right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even
of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of
Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and
Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite, 4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man
among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan,
and Josabad the Gederathite, 5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and
Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel,
and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons
of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto
David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the
battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of
lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; 9 Ezer the first, Obadiah
the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai
the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah
the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh. 14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of
the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown

all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east,
and toward the west. 16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to
the hold unto David. 17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and
said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be
knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no
wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 18 Then
the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine
are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and
peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them,
and made them captains of the band. 19 And there fell some of Manasseh to
David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped
them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying,
He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads. 20 As he went to
Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and
Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were
of Manasseh. 21 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they
were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host. 22 For at that time
day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the
host of God. 23 And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to
the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him,
according to the word of the LORD. 24 The children of Judah that bare shield
and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war. 25 Of the
children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one
hundred. 26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. 27 And
Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and
seven hundred; 28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father’s
house twenty and two captains. 29 And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred
of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward
of the house of Saul. 30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and
eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their
fathers. 31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were
expressed by name, to come and make David king. 32 And of the children of
Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what
Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren
were at their commandment. 33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert
in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they
were not of double heart. 34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them
with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand. 35 And of the Danites expert in
war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. 36 And of Asher, such as went
forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand. 37 And on the other side of Jordan,
of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all
manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand. 38
All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron,
to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one
heart to make David king. 39 And there they were with David three days, eating
and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them. 40 Moreover they that
were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on
asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs,
and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for
there was joy in Israel.

1 Chronicles 13
1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and

with every leader. 2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem
good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our
brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to
the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather
themselves unto us: 3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we
enquired not at it in the days of Saul. 4 And all the congregation said that they
would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5 So David
gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of
Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath-jearim. 6 And David went up, and
all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjath-jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring
up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims,
whose name is called on it. 7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of
the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart. 8 And David and all
Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps,
and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets. 9
And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand
to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the LORD was
kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and
there he died before God. 11 And David was displeased, because the LORD had
made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.
12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring the ark of

God home to me? 13 So David brought not the ark home to himself to the city of
David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the
ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months.
And the LORD blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had.
 1 Chronicles 14
1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars,

with masons and carpenters, to build him an house. 2 And David perceived that
the LORD had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on
high, because of his people Israel. 3 And David took more wives at Jerusalem:
and David begat more sons and daughters. 4 Now these are the names of his
children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and
Solomon, 5 And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, 6 And Nogah, and Nepheg, and
Japhia, 7 And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet. 8 And when the Philistines
heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to
seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them. 9 And the
Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 10 And David
enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou
deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto him, Go up; for I will
deliver them into thine hand. 11 So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David
smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by
mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of
that place Baal-perazim. 12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave
a commandment, and they were burned with fire. 13 And the Philistines yet again
spread themselves abroad in the valley. 14 Therefore David enquired again of
God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and
come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when thou
shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt
go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the
Philistines. 16 David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the
host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer. 17 And the fame of David
went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.

1 Chronicles 15
 1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for

the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. 2 Then David said, None ought to carry
the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark
of God, and to minister unto him for ever. 3 And David gathered all Israel
together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he
had prepared for it. 4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the
Levites: 5 Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred
and twenty: 6 Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two
hundred and twenty: 7 Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren
an hundred and thirty: 8 Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his
brethren two hundred: 9 Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren
fourscore: 10 Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an
hundred and twelve. 11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and
for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and
Amminadab, 12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the
Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the
ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. 13 For
because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a breach upon us, for
that we sought him not after the due order. 14 So the priests and the Levites
sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel. 15 And the
children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves
thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD. 16 And
David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers
with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by
lifting up the voice with joy. 17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel;
and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their
brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 18 And with them their brethren of the
second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and
Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and
Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters. 19 So the singers, Heman,
Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; 20 And
Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and
Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth; 21 And Mattithiah, and
Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on
the Sheminith to excel. 22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he
instructed about the song, because he was skilful. 23 And Berechiah and Elkanah
were doorkeepers for the ark. 24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and
Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did
blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were
doorkeepers for the ark. 25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains
over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the
house of Obed-edom with joy. 26 And it came to pass, when God helped the
Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven
bullocks and seven rams. 27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen,
and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master
of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. 28 Thus
all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and
with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise
with psalteries and harps. 29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of
the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking
out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in
her heart.

1 Chronicles 16
1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that

David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings
before God. 2 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings
and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 And
he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of
bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. 4 And he appointed
certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and
to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel: 5 Asaph the chief, and next to him
Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and
Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph
made a sound with cymbals; 6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with
trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day
David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and
his brethren. 8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his
deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his
wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that
seek the LORD. 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the
judgments of his mouth; 13 O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob,
his chosen ones. 14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.
15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a

thousand generations; 16 Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham,

and of his oath unto Isaac; 17 And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law,
and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, 18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the
land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 19 When ye were but few, even a
few, and strangers in it. 20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from
one kingdom to another people; 21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea,
he reproved kings for their sakes, 22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do
my prophets no harm. 23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day
to day his salvation. 24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous
works among all nations. 25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he
also is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but
the LORD made the heavens. 27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength
and gladness are in his place. 28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people,
give unto the LORD glory and strength. 29 Give unto the LORD the glory due
unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in
the beauty of holiness. 30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be
stable, that it be not moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice:
and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32 Let the sea roar, and
the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33 Then shall the
trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to
judge the earth. 34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever. 35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us
together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy
name, and glory in thy praise. 36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever
and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD. 37 So he left
there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to
minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required: 38 And Obed-
edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of
Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters: 39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the
priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon,
40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering

continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the
law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel; 41 And with them Heman and
Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give
thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever; 42 And with them
Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a
sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were
porters. 43 And all the people departed every man to his house: and David
returned to bless his house.

1 Chronicles 17
1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan

the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the
LORD remaineth under curtains. 2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in
thine heart; for God is with thee. 3 And it came to pass the same night, that the
word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith
the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 5 For I have not dwelt
in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone
from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Wheresoever I have
walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I
commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of
cedars? 7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith
the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the
sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel: 8 And I have been with
thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from
before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are
in the earth. 9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant
them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither
shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning, 10
And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel.
Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD
will build thee an house. 11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired
that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee,
which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build me
an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. 13 I will be his father, and he
shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from
him that was before thee: 14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my
kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 15 According
to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto
David. 16 And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am
I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 17
And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of
thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to
the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God. 18 What can David speak
more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant. 19 O
LORD, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done
all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 O LORD, there is
none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have
heard with our ears. 21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel,
whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of
greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom
thou hast redeemed out of Egypt? 22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine
own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God. 23 Therefore now,
LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning
his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said. 24 Let it even be
established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of
hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy
servant be established before thee. 25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant
that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to
pray before thee. 26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this
goodness unto thy servant: 27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house
of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD,
and it shall be blessed for ever.

1 Chronicles 18
1 Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and

subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines. 2
And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought
gifts. 3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to
stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him a
thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen:
David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred
chariots. 5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of
Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. 6 Then David
put garrisons in Syria-damascus; and the Syrians became David’s servants, and
brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. 7 And
David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and
brought them to Jerusalem. 8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of
Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the
brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass. 9 Now when Tou king of
Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah; 10
He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to
congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him;
(for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold
and silver and brass. 11 Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with
the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and
from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from
Amalek. 12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the
valley of salt eighteen thousand. 13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the
Edomites became David’s servants. Thus the LORD preserved David
whithersoever he went. 14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed
judgment and justice among all his people. 15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was
over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder. 16 And Zadok the son
of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha
was scribe; 17 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the
Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.

1 Chronicles 19
1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of

Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead. 2 And David said, I will shew
kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to
me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the
servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to
comfort him. 3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun,
Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters
unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow,
and to spy out the land? 4 Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved
them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent
them away. 5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served.
And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said,
Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return. 6 And when the
children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun
and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots
and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah.
7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and

his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon
gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle. 8 And when
David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 9 And the
children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the
city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field. 10 Now when
Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of
all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest
of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set
themselves in array against the children of Ammon. 12 And he said, If the
Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of
Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will help thee. 13 Be of good courage, and
let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God:
and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight. 14 So Joab and the people
that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled
before him. 15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then
Joab came to Jerusalem. 16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the
worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were
beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before
them. 17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over
Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when
David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18
But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand
men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach
the captain of the host. 19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they
were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his
servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.

1 Chronicles 20
1 And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time that kings

go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and wasted the country of
the children of Ammon, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried at
Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and destroyed it. 2 And David took the
crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and
there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David’s head: and he
brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city. 3 And he brought out the
people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and
with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And
David and all the people returned to Jerusalem. 4 And it came to pass after this,
that there arose war at Gezer with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the
Hushathite slew Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were
subdued. 5 And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of
Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a
weaver’s beam. 6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great
stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each hand, and six
on each foot: and he also was the son of the giant. 7 But when he defied Israel,
Jonathan the son of Shimea David’s brother slew him. 8 These were born unto
the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his
servants.

1 Chronicles 21
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2

And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from
Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know
it. 3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many
more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? why
then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?
4 Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed,

and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5 And Joab gave the sum
of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand
thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four
hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. 6 But Levi and
Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king’s word was abominable to
Joab. 7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. 8 And
David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but
now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very
foolishly. 9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10 Go and tell
David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one
of them, that I may do it unto thee. 11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him,
Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee 12 Either three years’ famine; or three months
to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh
thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land,
and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now
therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me. 13
And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of
the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of
man. 14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy
thousand men. 15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he
was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to
the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the
LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 16 And David lifted up
his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the
heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then
David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their
faces. 17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be
numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these
sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on
me, and on my father’s house; but not on thy people, that they should be
plagued. 18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that
David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of
Ornan the Jebusite. 19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake
in the name of the LORD. 20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his
four sons with him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat. 21 And as
David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the
threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. 22 Then
David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build
an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the
plague may be stayed from the people. 23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to
thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee
the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and
the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all. 24 And king David said to Ornan,
Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is
thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. 25 So David gave to
Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. 26 And David built
there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings,
and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the
altar of burnt offering. 27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up
his sword again into the sheath thereof. 28 At that time when David saw that the
LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he
sacrificed there. 29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the
wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high
place at Gibeon. 30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he
was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 22
1 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar

of the burnt offering for Israel. 2 And David commanded to gather together the
strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought
stones to build the house of God. 3 And David prepared iron in abundance for
the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance
without weight; 4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of
Tyre brought much cedar wood to David. 5 And David said, Solomon my son is
young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be
exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will
therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his
death. 6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house
for the LORD God of Israel. 7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it
was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: 8 But
the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly,
and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because
thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. 9 Behold, a son shall be
born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his
enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and
quietness unto Israel in his days. 10 He shall build an house for my name; and he
shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his
kingdom over Israel for ever. 11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and
prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.
12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge

concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. 13 Then
shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which
the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good
courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. 14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have
prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a
thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is
in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add
thereto. 15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and
workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of
work. 16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is no number.
Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee. 17 David also
commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, 18 Is not
the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? for
he hath given the inhabitants of the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued
before the LORD, and before his people. 19 Now set your heart and your soul to
seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the
LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels
of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 23
1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son king

over Israel. 2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the priests
and the Levites. 3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years
and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and eight
thousand. 4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work of
the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges: 5 Moreover
four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the
instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. 6 And David divided
them into courses among the sons of Levi, namely, Gershon, Kohath, and
Merari. 7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei. 8 The sons of Laadan;
the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. 9 The sons of Shimei;
Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief of the fathers of
Laadan. 10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah.
These four were the sons of Shimei. 11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the
second: but Jeush and Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one
reckoning, according to their father’s house. 12 The sons of Kohath; Amram,
Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. 13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and
Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his
sons for ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to
bless in his name for ever. 14 Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons
were named of the tribe of Levi. 15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and
Eliezer. 16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief. 17 And the sons of
Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer had none other sons; but the sons
of Rehabiah were very many. 18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief. 19 Of
the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and
Jekameam the fourth. 20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah the first, and Jesiah the
second. 21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli; Eleazar,
and Kish. 22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their brethren
the sons of Kish took them. 23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and
Jeremoth, three. 24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers;
even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names by their
polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the LORD, from the age
of twenty years and upward. 25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath
given rest unto his people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever: 26 And also
unto the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels of it for
the service thereof. 27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered
from twenty years old and above: 28 Because their office was to wait on the sons
of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the courts, and in the
chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things, and the work of the service of
the house of God; 29 Both for the shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat
offering, and for the unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan,
and for that which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; 30 And to
stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even; 31 And
to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the sabbaths, in the new moons,
and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them,
continually before the LORD: 32 And that they should keep the charge of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge
of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 24
1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron;

Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 2 But Nadab and Abihu died before
their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the
priest’s office. 3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar,
and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of

Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were
sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of
Ithamar according to the house of their fathers. 5 Thus were they divided by lot,
one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the
house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar. 6 And
Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before
the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of
Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one
principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar. 7 Now
the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, 8 The third to Harim,
the fourth to Seorim, 9 The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 10 The
seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, 11 The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to
Shecaniah, 12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 13 The thirteenth to
Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 14 The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to
Immer, 15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses, 16 The nineteenth
to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, 17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the
two and twentieth to Gamul, 18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and
twentieth to Maaziah. 19 These were the orderings of them in their service to
come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their
father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him. 20 And the rest of the
sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael;
Jehdeiah. 21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was Isshiah.
22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath. 23 And the sons

of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the
fourth. 24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir. 25 The
brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah; Zechariah. 26 The sons of
Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah; Beno. 27 The sons of Merari
by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Ibri. 28 Of Mahli came Eleazar,
who had no sons. 29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel. 30 The
sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the
Levites after the house of their fathers. 31 These likewise cast lots over against
their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok,
and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the
principal fathers over against their younger brethren.

1 Chronicles 25
 1 Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of

the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with
harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen
according to their service was: 2 Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and
Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which
prophesied according to the order of the king. 3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of
Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six,
under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give
thanks and to praise the LORD. 4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman; Bukkiah,
Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti,
and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: 5 All these
were the sons of Heman the king’s seer in the words of God, to lift up the horn.
And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 All these were
under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals,
psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s
order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. 7 So the number of them, with their
brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were
cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight. 8 And they cast lots, ward against
ward, as well the small as the great, the teacher as the scholar. 9 Now the first lot
came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to Gedaliah, who with his brethren
and sons were twelve: 10 The third to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve: 11 The fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 12 The
fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 13 The sixth to
Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 14 The seventh to
Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 15 The eighth to Jeshaiah,
he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his
sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve: 18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve: 19 The twelfth to Hashabiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve: 20 The thirteenth to Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
21 The fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 22

The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 23 The
sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 24 The
seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25 The
eighteenth to Hanani, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 26 The
nineteenth to Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 27 The
twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 28 The one and
twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 29 The two and
twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 30 The three
and twentieth to Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 31 The
four and twentieth to Romamti-ezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve.

1 Chronicles 26
1 Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was Meshelemiah

the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. 2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were,
Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the
fourth, 3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh. 4 Moreover
the sons of Obed-edom were, Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second,
Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and Nethaneel the fifth, 5 Ammiel the sixth,
Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for God blessed him. 6 Also unto
Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout the house of their father:
for they were mighty men of valour. 7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and
Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and
Semachiah. 8 All these of the sons of Obed-edom: they and their sons and their
brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obed-
edom. 9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen. 10 Also
Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the chief, (for though he was
not the firstborn, yet his father made him the chief;) 11 Hilkiah the second,
Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were
thirteen. 12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the chief
men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house of the LORD. 13
And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to the house of their
fathers, for every gate. 14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for
Zechariah his son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out
northward. 15 To Obed-edom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.
16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate

Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward. 17 Eastward
were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four a day, and toward
Asuppim two and two. 18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at
Parbar. 19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore, and
among the sons of Merari. 20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures
of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. 21 As
concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers,
even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli. 22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and
Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the LORD. 23 Of
the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: 24 And
Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures. 25 And
his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his
son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son. 26 Which Shelomith and his
brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the
king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the
captains of the host, had dedicated. 27 Out of the spoils won in battles did they
dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD. 28 And all that Samuel the seer, and
Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had
dedicated; and whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of
Shelomith, and of his brethren. 29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were
for the outward business over Israel, for officers and judges. 30 And of the
Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of valour, a thousand and seven
hundred, were officers among them of Israel on this side Jordan westward in all
the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king. 31 Among the
Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the Hebronites, according to the
generations of his fathers. In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were
sought for, and there were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of
Gilead. 32 And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven
hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the
Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and
affairs of the king.

1 Chronicles 27
1 Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and

captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any
matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout
all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand. 2
Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and
in his course were twenty and four thousand. 3 Of the children of Perez was the
chief of all the captains of the host for the first month. 4 And over the course of
the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the
ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand. 5 The third captain
of the host for the third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest:
and in his course were twenty and four thousand. 6 This is that Benaiah, who was
mighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad
his son. 7 The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of
Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand. 8 The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and
in his course were twenty and four thousand. 9 The sixth captain for the sixth
month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and
four thousand. 10 The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the
Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand. 11 The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the
Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. 12
The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the Anetothite, of the
Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. 13 The tenth
captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in
his course were twenty and four thousand. 14 The eleventh captain for the
eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in
his course were twenty and four thousand. 15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth
month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty
and four thousand. 16 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the
Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son
of Maachah: 17 Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites,
Zadok: 18 Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the
son of Michael: 19 Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali,
Jerimoth the son of Azriel: 20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of
Azaziah: of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah: 21 Of the half
tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the
son of Abner: 22 Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of
the tribes of Israel. 23 But David took not the number of them from twenty years
old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the
stars of the heavens. 24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished
not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in
the account of the chronicles of king David. 25 And over the king’s treasures was
Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities,
and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah: 26 And
over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son
of Chelub: 27 And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the
increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite: 28 And
over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baal-
hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash: 29 And over the herds
that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the
valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai: 30 Over the camels also was Obil the
Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite: 31 And over the
flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which
was king David’s. 32 Also Jonathan David’s uncle was a counsellor, a wise man,
and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons: 33 And
Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king’s
companion: 34 And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and
Abiathar: and the general of the king’s army was Joab.

1 Chronicles 28
1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes,

and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the
captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards
over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the
officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.
2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren,

and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the
ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had
made ready for the building: 3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an
house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. 4
Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to
be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the
house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he
liked me to make me king over all Israel: 5 And of all my sons, (for the LORD
hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the
throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. 6 And he said unto me, Solomon
thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my
son, and I will be his father. 7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if
he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. 8 Now
therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the
audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD
your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for
your children after you for ever. 9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the
God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind:
for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the
thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he
will cast thee off for ever. 10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to
build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. 11 Then David gave to
Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the
treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours
thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, 12 And the pattern of all that he had
by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers
round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the
dedicated things: 13 Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all
the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of
service in the house of the LORD. 14 He gave of gold by weight for things of
gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments
of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service: 15 Even the
weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their lamps of gold, by weight for
every candlestick, and for the lamps thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by
weight, both for the candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the
use of every candlestick. 16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of
shewbread, for every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver: 17 Also
pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the golden
basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise silver by weight for
every bason of silver: 18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and
gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings,
and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD. 19 All this, said David, the
LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works
of this pattern. 20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good
courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God,
will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished
all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. 21 And, behold, the
courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the
service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of
workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the
princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.

1 Chronicles 29
1 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my

son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is
great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. 2 Now I have
prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be
made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass,
the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones
to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious
stones, and marble stones in abundance. 3 Moreover, because I have set my
affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and
silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have
prepared for the holy house, 4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of
Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the
houses withal: 5 The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver,
and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then
is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD? 6 Then the chief of
the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and
of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly, 7 And gave for
the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and ten thousand
drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen thousand talents,
and one hundred thousand talents of iron. 8 And they with whom precious stones
were found gave them to the treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of
Jehiel the Gershonite. 9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly,
because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the
king also rejoiced with great joy. 10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before
all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our
father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and
the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the
earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above
all. 12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in
thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give
strength unto all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy
glorious name. 14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able
to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own
have we given thee. 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were
all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house

for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 17 I know also,
my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in
the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now
have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto
thee. 18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for
ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare
their heart unto thee: 19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep
thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things,
and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision. 20 And David said
to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the
congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their
heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king. 21 And they sacrificed sacrifices
unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings unto the LORD, on the morrow after
that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with
their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel: 22 And did eat
and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And they made
Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the
LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest. 23 Then Solomon sat on
the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and
all Israel obeyed him. 24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the
sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king. 25
And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and
bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him
in Israel. 26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 And the time
that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron,
and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 28 And he died in a good old
age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. 29
Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the
book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book
of Gad the seer, 30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over
him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

2 Chronicles 1
1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the

LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly. 2 Then Solomon
spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and to the
judges, and to every governor in all Israel, the chief of the fathers. 3 So Solomon,
and all the congregation with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for
there was the tabernacle of the congregation of God, which Moses the servant of
the LORD had made in the wilderness. 4 But the ark of God had David brought
up from Kirjath-jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had
pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem. 5 Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the
son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD:
and Solomon and the congregation sought unto it. 6 And Solomon went up
thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the
congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it. 7 In that night did
God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 8 And
Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father,
and hast made me to reign in his stead. 9 Now, O LORD God, let thy promise
unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people
like the dust of the earth in multitude. 10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge,
that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy
people, that is so great? 11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine
heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine
enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge
for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee
king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches,
and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been
before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 13 Then Solomon
came from his journey to the high place that was at Gibeon to Jerusalem, from
before the tabernacle of the congregation, and reigned over Israel. 14 And
Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four
hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he placed in the chariot
cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 15 And the king made silver and gold at
Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees
that are in the vale for abundance. 16 And Solomon had horses brought out of
Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price. 17
And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for six hundred
shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so brought they out
horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, by their means.

2 Chronicles 2
 2 Chronicles 2
1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD,

and an house for his kingdom. 2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten
thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain,
and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them. 3 And Solomon sent to
Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father, and
didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with
me. 4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it
to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread,
and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the
new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an
ordinance for ever to Israel. 5 And the house which I build is great: for great is
our God above all gods. 6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the
heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should
build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him? 7 Send me now
therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron,
and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning
men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did
provide. 8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon:
for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my
servants shall be with thy servants, 9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance:
for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great. 10 And, behold,
I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures
of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand
baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil. 11 Then Huram the king of Tyre
answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved
his people, he hath made thee king over them. 12 Huram said moreover, Blessed
be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who hath given to
David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might
build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom. 13 And now I have
sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s, 14 The
son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre,
skilful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in
purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of
graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning
men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father. 15 Now therefore
the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of,
let him send unto his servants: 16 And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much
as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou
shalt carry it up to Jerusalem. 17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that
were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had
numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three
thousand and six hundred. 18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to
be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and
three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

2 Chronicles 3
1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in

mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that
David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 And he began
to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign. 3
Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the building of the
house of God. The length by cubits after the first measure was threescore cubits,
and the breadth twenty cubits. 4 And the porch that was in the front of the house,
the length of it was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the
height was an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure gold. 5
And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold,
and set thereon palm trees and chains. 6 And he garnished the house with
precious stones for beauty: and the gold was gold of Parvaim. 7 He overlaid also
the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors thereof, with
gold; and graved cherubims on the walls. 8 And he made the most holy house,
the length whereof was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and
the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to
six hundred talents. 9 And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And
he overlaid the upper chambers with gold. 10 And in the most holy house he
made two cherubims of image work, and overlaid them with gold. 11 And the
wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing of the one cherub was
five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other wing was likewise
five cubits, reaching to the wing of the other cherub. 12 And one wing of the
other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house: and the other
wing was five cubits also, joining to the wing of the other cherub. 13 The wings
of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty cubits: and they stood on
their feet, and their faces were inward. 14 And he made the vail of blue, and
purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubims thereon. 15 Also he
made before the house two pillars of thirty and five cubits high, and the chapiter
that was on the top of each of them was five cubits. 16 And he made chains, as in
the oracle, and put them on the heads of the pillars; and made an hundred
pomegranates, and put them on the chains. 17 And he reared up the pillars before
the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name
of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

2 Chronicles 4
1 Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and

twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof. 2 Also he
made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five
cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 3
And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten
in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it
was cast. 4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three
looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking
toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts
were inward. 5 And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it
like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held
three thousand baths. 6 He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand,
and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt
offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in. 7 And he
made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and set them in the
temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left. 8 He made also ten tables, and
placed them in the temple, five on the right side, and five on the left. And he
made an hundred basons of gold. 9 Furthermore he made the court of the priests,
and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with
brass. 10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over against the
south. 11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And
Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the house of
God; 12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the chapiters which were
on the top of the two pillars, and the two wreaths to cover the two pommels of
the chapiters which were on the top of the pillars; 13 And four hundred
pomegranates on the two wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to
cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars. 14 He made
also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases; 15 One sea, and twelve oxen
under it. 16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their
instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house of the
LORD of bright brass. 17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the
clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah. 18 Thus Solomon made all these
vessels in great abundance: for the weight of the brass could not be found out. 19
And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden
altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set; 20 Moreover the
candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the
oracle, of pure gold; 21 And the flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he
of gold, and that perfect gold; 22 And the snuffers, and the basons, and the
spoons, and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner doors
thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of the temple, were of
gold.

2 Chronicles 5
1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was

finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had
dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the
treasures of the house of God. 2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel,
and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel,
unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city
of David, which is Zion. 3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves
unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month. 4 And all the elders of
Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. 5 And they brought up the ark, and
the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the
tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up. 6 Also king Solomon,
and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark,
sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. 7
And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to
the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the
cherubims: 8 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the
ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. 9 And they
drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark
before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. 10
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at
Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they
came out of Egypt. 11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the
holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then
wait by course: 12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph,
of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white
linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar,
and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came
even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be
heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice
with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the
LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the
house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests
could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD
had filled the house of God.

2 Chronicles 6
1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick

darkness. 2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy
dwelling for ever. 3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole
congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood. 4 And he said,
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his hands fulfilled that which
he spake with his mouth to my father David, saying, 5 Since the day that I
brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the
tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I
any man to be a ruler over my people Israel: 6 But I have chosen Jerusalem, that
my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel. 7
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the
LORD God of Israel. 8 But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it
was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in
thine heart: 9 Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which
shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. 10 The
LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken: for I am risen up
in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the LORD
promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 11
And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, that he made
with the children of Israel. 12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the
presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: 13 For
Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad,
and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he
stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel,
and spread forth his hands toward heaven, 14 And said, O LORD God of Israel,
there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant,
and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts:
15 Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast

promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand,
as it is this day. 16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant
David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail
thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children
take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou hast walked before me. 17 Now
then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which thou hast spoken
unto thy servant David. 18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the
earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much
less this house which I have built! 19 Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy
servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and
the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: 20 That thine eyes may be open
upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou
wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant
prayeth toward this place. 21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy
servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear
thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
22 If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to make him

swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house; 23 Then hear thou from
heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by
recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by
giving him according to his righteousness. 24 And if thy people Israel be put to
the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; and shall
return and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this
house; 25 Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people
Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to them and to their
fathers. 26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have
sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and
turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them; 27 Then hear thou from heaven,
and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast
taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy
land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance. 28 If there be
dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts,
or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land;
whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be: 29 Then what prayer or what
supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when
every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his
hands in this house: 30 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and
forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart
thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:) 31 That
they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which
thou gavest unto our fathers. 32 Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not
of thy people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name’s sake,
and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this
house; 33 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do
according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth
may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that
this house which I have built is called by thy name. 34 If thy people go out to war
against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto
thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built
for thy name; 35 Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their
supplication, and maintain their cause. 36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no
man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over
before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or
near; 37 Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried
captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We
have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; 38 If they return to
thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity,
whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou
gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward
the house which I have built for thy name: 39 Then hear thou from the heavens,
even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain
their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee. 40 Now, my
God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let thine ears be attent unto the
prayer that is made in this place. 41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy
resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be
clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. 42 O LORD God,
turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy
servant.

2 Chronicles 7
1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down

from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory
of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of
the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house. 3 And
when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the
LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground
upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is
good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 4 Then the king and all the people offered
sacrifices before the LORD. 5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty
and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king
and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 And the priests waited on their
offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David
the king had made to praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever,
when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before
them, and all Israel stood. 7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court
that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and
the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made
was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat. 8
Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him,
a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of
Egypt. 9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the
dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10 And on the three
and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents,
glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David,
and to Solomon, and to Israel his people. 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of
the LORD, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make
in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12
And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard
thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 13 If I
shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the
land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent
unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and
sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and
mine heart shall be there perpetually. 17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before
me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded
thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; 18 Then will I stablish the
throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father,
saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. 19 But if ye turn
away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before
you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20 Then will I pluck
them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house,
which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it
to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. 21 And this house, which is
high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall
say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22 And it
shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which
brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and
worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon
them.

2 Chronicles 8
1 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon had built

the house of the LORD, and his own house, 2 That the cities which Huram had
restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and caused the children of Israel to
dwell there. 3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and prevailed against it. 4
And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in
Hamath. 5 Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether, fenced
cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that
Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all
that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all
the land of his dominion. 7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and
the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which were
not of Israel, 8 But of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom
the children of Israel consumed not, them did Solomon make to pay tribute until
this day. 9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his
work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and captains of his
chariots and horsemen. 10 And these were the chief of king Solomon’s officers,
even two hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people. 11 And Solomon
brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that
he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David
king of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath
come. 12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar of
the LORD, which he had built before the porch, 13 Even after a certain rate every
day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on
the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the
feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of
tabernacles. 14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the
courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise
and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also
by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded. 15
And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the priests and
Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures. 16 Now all the work
of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the
LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected. 17
Then went Solomon to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in the land of
Edom. 18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants
that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to
Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty talents of gold, and brought them
to king Solomon.

2 Chronicles 9
 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to

prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company,
and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and
when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her
heart. 2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid from
Solomon which he told her not. 3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the
wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 4 And the meat of his table,
and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their
apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went
up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 5 And she said to
the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of
thy wisdom: 6 Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes
had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told
me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. 7 Happy are thy men, and happy are
these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. 8
Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne,
to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved Israel, to establish
them for ever, therefore made he thee king over them, to do judgment and
justice. 9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of
spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any such spice as
the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon. 10 And the servants also of Huram, and
the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees
and precious stones. 11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the
house of the LORD, and to the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for
singers: and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah. 12 And king
Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside
that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her
own land, she and her servants. 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon
in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; 14 Beside that
which chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and
governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And king
Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of
beaten gold went to one target. 16 And three hundred shields made he of beaten
gold: three hundred shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in
the house of the forest of Lebanon. 17 Moreover the king made a great throne of
ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne,
with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each
side of the sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: 19 And twelve lions
stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the
like made in any kingdom. 20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were
of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure
gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the days of
Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram:
every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver,
ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of the
earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence
of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. 24 And they
brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and
raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 25 And
Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand
horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and with the king at
Jerusalem. 26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land
of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. 27 And the king made silver in
Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the
low plains in abundance. 28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt,
and out of all lands. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are
they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of
Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son
of Nebat? 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31
And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his
father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 10
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come to

make him king. 2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who
was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard
it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. So
Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, 4 Thy father made
our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of
thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. 5 And
he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people
departed. 6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood
before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me
to return answer to this people? 7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be
kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be
thy servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him,
and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood
before him. 9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return
answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the
yoke that thy father did put upon us? 10 And the young men that were brought up
with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake
unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat
lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than
my father’s loins. 11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will
put more to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise
you with scorpions. 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the
third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. 13 And
the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the
old men, 14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My
father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you
with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 So the king hearkened not
unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his
word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of
Nebat. 16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the
people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have
none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now,
David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the
children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children

of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king Rehoboam made speed to
get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19 And Israel rebelled against the
house of David unto this day.

2 Chronicles 11
1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of

Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which
were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to
Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God,
saying, 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all
Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go
up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing
is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from
going against Jeroboam. 5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for
defence in Judah. 6 He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-
zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 And
Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron,
which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. 11 And he fortified the strong
holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And
in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong,
having Judah and Benjamin on his side. 13 And the priests and the Levites that
were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the Levites left
their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for
Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto
the LORD: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils,
and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all the tribes of
Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem,
to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the
kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years:
for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. 18 And Rehoboam
took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and
Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 19 Which bare him children;
Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the
daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and
Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all
his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore
concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.) 22 And
Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his
brethren: for he thought to make him king. 23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed
of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto
every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many
wives.

2 Chronicles 12
1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and

had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with
him. 2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king
of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the
LORD, 3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and
the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims,
the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fenced cities which
pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to
Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem
because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken
me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. 6 Whereupon the
princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is
righteous. 7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of
the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore
I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath
shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless
they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the
kingdoms of the countries. 9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against
Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the
treasures of the king’s house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of
gold which Solomon had made. 10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made
shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that
kept the entrance of the king’s house. 11 And when the king entered into the
house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again
into the guard chamber. 12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the
LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in
Judah things went well. 13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem,
and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had
chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s
name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, because he prepared not
his heart to seek the LORD. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they
not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning
genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam
continually. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 13
1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over

Judah. 2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was
Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah
and Jeroboam. 3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men
of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in
array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of
valour. 4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount
Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 5 Ought ye not to
know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for
ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? 6 Yet Jeroboam the son
of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled
against his lord. 7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of
Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon,
when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them. 8
And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons
of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with you golden calves,
which Jeroboam made you for gods. 9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the
LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the
manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate
himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them
that are no gods. 10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not
forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of
Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: 11 And they burn unto the
LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the
shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold
with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the
LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him. 12 And, behold, God himself is with
us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against
you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for
ye shall not prosper. 13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about
behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and

they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets. 15 Then
the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass,
that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16 And the
children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand. 17
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down
slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men. 18 Thus the children of Israel
were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because
they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers. 19 And Abijah pursued after
Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and
Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephrain with the towns thereof. 20 Neither
did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the LORD struck
him, and he died. 21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and
begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters. 22 And the rest of the acts of
Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet
Iddo.

2 Chronicles 14
1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David:

and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years. 2
And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God: 3
For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake
down the images, and cut down the groves: 4 And commanded Judah to seek the
LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. 5 Also he
took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the
kingdom was quiet before him. 6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land
had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him
rest. 7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about
them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because
we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us
rest on every side. So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of men
that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of
Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore
thousand: all these were mighty men of valour. 9 And there came out against
them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three
hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. 10 Then Asa went out against him,
and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And
Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to
help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD
our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O
LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 12 So the LORD
smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. 13
And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and the
Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they
were destroyed before the LORD, and before his host; and they carried away
very much spoil. 14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear
of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was
exceeding much spoil in them. 15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried
away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 15
1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: 2 And he went
out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and
Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he
will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. 3 Now for a long
season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and
without law. 4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of
Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. 5 And in those times there was no
peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were
upon all the inhabitants of the countries. 6 And nation was destroyed of nation,
and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity. 7 Be ye strong
therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. 8
And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he
took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and
Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and
renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD. 9 And
he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim
and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in
abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. 10 So they
gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth
year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of
the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with

all their heart and with all their soul; 13 That whosoever would not seek the
LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man
or woman. 14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with
shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the
oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole
desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about. 16
And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from
being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her
idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were
not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his
days. 18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had
dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19
And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

2 Chronicles 16
1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came

up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or
come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the
treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-
hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between
me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent
thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may
depart from me. 4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the
captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan,
and Abel-maim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 5 And it came to pass, when
Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. 6
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah,
and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith
Geba and Mizpah. 7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah,
and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied
on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of
thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very
many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he
delivered them into thine hand. 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from
henceforth thou shalt have wars. 10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put
him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And
Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. 11 And, behold, the acts of
Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel. 12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his
feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the
LORD, but to the physicians. 13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the
one and fortieth year of his reign. 14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres,
which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed
which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the
apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.

2 Chronicles 17
1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself

against Israel. 2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set
garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father
had taken. 3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first
ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; 4 But sought to the Lord
God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of
Israel. 5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah
brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance. 6
And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away
the high places and groves out of Judah. 7 Also in the third year of his reign he
sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to
Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he
sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and
Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah,
Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. 9 And they taught in
Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about
throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. 10 And the fear of the
LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so
that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Also some of the Philistines
brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him
flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven
hundred he goats. 12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in
Judah castles, and cities of store. 13 And he had much business in the cities of
Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem. 14 And
these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah,
the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour
three hundred thousand. 15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with
him two hundred and fourscore thousand. 16 And next him was Amasiah the son
of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two
hundred thousand mighty men of valour. 17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty
man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred
thousand. 18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and
fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. 19 These waited on the king,
beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.

2 Chronicles 18
1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity

with Ahab. 2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And
Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had
with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead. 3 And Ahab
king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to
Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy
people; and we will be with thee in the war. 4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the
king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. 5 Therefore
the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto
them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said,
Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand. 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is
there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? 7
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we
may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto
me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said,
Let not the king say so. 8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and
said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. 9 And the king of Israel and
Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes,
and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the
prophets prophesied before them. 10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had
made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt
push Syria until they be consumed. 11 And all the prophets prophesied so,
saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into
the hand of the king. 12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to
him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one
assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou
good. 13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that
will I speak. 14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him,
Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said,
Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15 And the
king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but
the truth to me in the name of the LORD? 16 Then he said, I did see all Israel
scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD
said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in
peace. 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he
would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? 18 Again he said, Therefore hear the
word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of
heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19 And the LORD said, Who
shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?
And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice
him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? 21 And he said, I will go out,
and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou
shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. 22 Now
therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy
prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee. 23 Then Zedekiah the son
of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which
way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? 24 And Micaiah
said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber
to hide thyself. 25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him
back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 26 And say,
Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of
affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace. 27 And Micaiah
said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me.
And he said, Hearken, all ye people. 28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said unto
Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy
robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. 30
Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were
with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of
Israel. 31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat,
that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to
fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved
them to depart from him. 32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the
chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from
pursuing him. 33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king
of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man,
Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. 34
And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in
his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going
down he died.
 2 Chronicles 19
1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to

Jerusalem. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said
to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate
the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD. 3 Nevertheless
there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out
of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God. 4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt
at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beer-sheba to
mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers. 5
And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by
city, 6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man,
but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. 7 Wherefore now let the fear
of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the
LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. 8 Moreover in
Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief
of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies,
when they returned to Jerusalem. 9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye
do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. 10 And what
cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities,
between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and
judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD,
and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not
trespass. 11 And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of
the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for
all the king’s matters: also the Levites shall be officers before you. Deal
courageously, and the LORD shall be with the good.

2 Chronicles 20
 1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children

of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against
Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying,
There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side
Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi. 3 And
Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast
throughout all Judah. 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of
the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 5
And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house
of the LORD, before the new court, 6 And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art
not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the
heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to
withstand thee? 7 Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of
this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend
for ever? 8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy
name, saying, 9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or
pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy
name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and
help. 10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir,
whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of
Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; 11 Behold, I say, how
they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given
us to inherit. 12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might
against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do:
but our eyes are upon thee. 13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their
little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of
Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of
the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou

king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by
reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 To
morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and
ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 Ye
shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the
salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be
dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. 18
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and
the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. 19
And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the
Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high.
20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of

Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah,
and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be
established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had
consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should
praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise
the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and
to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab,
and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. 23 For
the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir,
utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the
inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah
came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude,
and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. 25 And
when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they
found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious
jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away:
and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. 26 And on the
fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they
blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called, The valley
of Berachah, unto this day. 27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and
Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem
with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies. 28 And
they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of
the LORD. 29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries,
when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. 30 So
the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about. 31
And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he
began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his
mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 32 And he walked in the way
of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the
sight of the LORD. 33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet
the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers. 34 Now the
rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book
of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. 35
And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of
Israel, who did very wickedly: 36 And he joined himself with him to make ships
to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. 37 Then Eliezer the
son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, Because
thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And
the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

2 Chronicles 21
1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in

the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 2 And he had
brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and
Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat
king of Israel. 3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and
of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to
Jehoram; because he was the firstborn. 4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the
kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the
sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty and two
years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 And
he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he
had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes
of the LORD. 7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David,
because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to
give a light to him and to his sons for ever. 8 In his days the Edomites revolted
from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. 9 Then Jehoram
went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by
night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the
chariots. 10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.
The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had
forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 11 Moreover he made high places in the
mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit
fornication, and compelled Judah thereto. 12 And there came a writing to him
from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father,
Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the
ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel,
and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the
whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s
house, which were better than thyself: 14 Behold, with a great plague will the
LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: 15
And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall
out by reason of the sickness day by day. 16 Moreover the LORD stirred up
against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near
the Ethiopians: 17 And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried
away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and
his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of
his sons. 18 And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an
incurable disease. 19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of
two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore
diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his
fathers. 20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit
they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

2 Chronicles 22
1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in

his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain
all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2 Forty and
two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in
Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. 3 He also
walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do
wickedly. 4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of
Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his
destruction. 5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son
of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and
the Syrians smote Joram. 6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of
the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king
of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see
Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick. 7 And the destruction
of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come, he went out
with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to
cut off the house of Ahab. 8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing
judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons
of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. 9 And he
sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought
him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they,
he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the
house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom. 10 But when Athaliah
the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the
seed royal of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king,
took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons that
were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the
daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister
of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not. 12 And he was
with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

2 Chronicles 23
1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the

captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of
Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and
Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. 2 And they went about in
Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the
fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3 And all the congregation made a
covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the
king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David. 4 This is the
thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering on the sabbath, of the priests
and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors; 5 And a third part shall be at the
king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people
shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6 But let none come into the
house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they
shall go in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the
LORD. 7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with
his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the house, he shall be
put to death: but be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out.
8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that Jehoiada the priest

had commanded, and took every man his men that were to come in on the
sabbath, with them that were to go out on the sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest
dismissed not the courses. 9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the
captains of hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king
David’s, which were in the house of God. 10 And he set all the people, every
man having his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left
side of the temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about. 11
Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him
the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and
said, God save the king. 12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people
running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the
LORD: 13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the
entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of
the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments
of musick, and such as taught to sing praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and
said, Treason, Treason. 14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of
hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the
ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest
said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD. 15 So they laid hands on her; and
when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king’s house, they
slew her there. 16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all
the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD’s people. 17
Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his
altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the
altars. 18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the
hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the
LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of
Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. 19 And he
set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was
unclean in any thing should enter in. 20 And he took the captains of hundreds,
and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land,
and brought down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through
the high gate into the king’s house, and set the king upon the throne of the
kingdom. 21 And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after
that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

2 Chronicles 24
1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty

years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2 And
Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada
the priest. 3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and
daughters. 4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the
house of the LORD. 5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and
said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to
repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter.
Howbeit the Levites hastened it not. 6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief,
and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of
Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of
Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the
tabernacle of witness? 7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had
broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the
LORD did they bestow upon Baalim. 8 And at the king’s commandment they
made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD. 9 And they
made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the
collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness. 10
And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the
chest, until they had made an end. 11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the
chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when
they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s
officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again.
Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. 12 And the king
and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the
LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and
also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD. 13 So the
workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house
of God in his state, and strengthened it. 14 And when they had finished it, they
brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made
vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal,
and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in
the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada. 15 But Jehoiada
waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old
was he when he died. 16 And they buried him in the city of David among the
kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his
house. 17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made
obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. 18 And they left the
house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath
came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass. 19 Yet he sent prophets to
them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but
they would not give ear. 20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son
of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus
saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot
prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you. 21 And
they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of
the king in the court of the house of the LORD. 22 Thus Joash the king
remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but
slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up

against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes
of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king
of Damascus. 24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men,
and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had
forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against
Joash. 25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great
diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of
Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in
the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings. 26 And
these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an
Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess. 27 Now
concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the
repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of
the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 25
1 Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he

reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was
Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the
LORD, but not with a perfect heart. 3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom
was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his
father. 4 But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the
book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die
for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall
die for his own sin. 5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made
them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the
houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered
them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand
choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield. 6 He
hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an
hundred talents of silver. 7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king,
let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit,
with all the children of Ephraim. 8 But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the
battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help,
and to cast down. 9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do
for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of
God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this. 10 Then
Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim,
to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and
they returned home in great anger. 11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and
led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of
Seir ten thousand. 12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah
carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them
down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces. 13 But the
soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him
to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and
smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil. 14 Now it came to pass, after
that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the
gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down
himself before them, and burned incense unto them. 15 Wherefore the anger of
the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which
said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could
not deliver their own people out of thine hand? 16 And it came to pass, as he
talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s
counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and
said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done
this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel. 17 Then Amaziah king of Judah
took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of
Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face. 18 And Joash king of
Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon
sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to
wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the
thistle. 19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth
thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt,
that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? 20 But Amaziah would
not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their
enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash the king of
Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king
of Judah, at Beth-shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. 22 And Judah was put to
the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent. 23 And Joash the
king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz,
at Beth-shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of
Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits. 24
And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the
house of God with Obed-edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the
hostages also, and returned to Samaria. 25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of
Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written

in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 Now after the time that Amaziah
did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in
Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew
him there. 28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers
in the city of Judah.

2 Chronicles 26
1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and

made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Eloth, and restored
it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. 3 Sixteen years old was
Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did that which was
right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. 5
And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the
visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. 6
And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of
Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about
Ashdod, and among the Philistines. 7 And God helped him against the
Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. 8
And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to
the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. 9 Moreover
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at
the turning of the wall, and fortified them. 10 Also he built towers in the desert,
and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in
the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel:
for he loved husbandry. 11 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that
went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand
of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of
the king’s captains. 12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the
mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. 13 And under their
hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred,
that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 And
Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and
helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. 15 And he made in
Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the
bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far
abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 16 But when he was
strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the
LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the
altar of incense. 17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him
fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18 And they withstood
Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn
incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated
to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it
be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a
censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the
leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD,
from beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests,
looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust
him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had
smitten him. 21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and
dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the
LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the
land. 22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet,
the son of Amoz, write. 23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him
with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they
said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 27
1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he

reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the
daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple
of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly. 3 He built the high gate of the
house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much. 4 Moreover he built
cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. 5
He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them. And
the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver, and
ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the
children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third. 6 So
Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.
7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are

written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was five and twenty
years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 And
Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz
his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 28
1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen

years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
like David his father: 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and
made also molten images for Baalim. 3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley
of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of
the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 4 He
sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under
every green tree. 5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of
the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of
them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into
the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. 6 For Pekah
the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day,
which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their
fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son,
and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. 8
And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred
thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from
them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there,
whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria,
and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth
with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a
rage that reacheth up unto heaven. 10 And now ye purpose to keep under the
children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are
there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God? 11 Now
hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of
your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. 12 Then certain of
the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the
son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of
Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, 13 And said unto them, Ye
shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the
LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our
trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 14 So the armed men left
the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 15 And the
men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the
spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them,
and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble
of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their
brethren: then they returned to Samaria. 16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto
the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and
smitten Judah, and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines also had invaded the
cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-
shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and
Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they
dwelt there. 19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel;
for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD. 20 And
Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but
strengthened him not. 21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the
LORD, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the
king of Assyria: but he helped him not. 22 And in the time of his distress did he
trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed
unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of
the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may
help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24 And Ahaz gathered
together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the
house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him
altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every several city of Judah he
made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the
LORD God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first
and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in
Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel:
and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 29
1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he

reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah,
the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the
LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 3 He in the first year of
his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and
repaired them. 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered
them together into the east street, 5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites,
sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your
fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. 6 For our fathers have
trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and
have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the
LORD, and turned their backs. 7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch,
and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in
the holy place unto the God of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was
upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to
astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9 For, lo, our fathers have
fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in
captivity for this. 10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD
God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not
now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him,
and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense. 12 Then the Levites
arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the
Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son
of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son
of Joah: 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of
Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: 14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and
Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 15 And they gathered
their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the
commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of
the LORD. 16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD,
to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of
the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to
carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron. 17 Now they began on the first day of
the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the
porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and
in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end. 18 Then they went in to
Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and
the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table,
with all the vessels thereof. 19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his
reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and,
behold, they are before the altar of the LORD. 20 Then Hezekiah the king rose
early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven

he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah.
And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the
LORD. 22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and
sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled
the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood
upon the altar. 23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before
the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 24 And the
priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar,
to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt
offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 25 And he set the
Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps,
according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and
Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the

trumpets. 27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar.
And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the
trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. 28 And all
the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded:
and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 And when they
had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed
themselves, and worshipped. 30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes
commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David,
and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed
their heads and worshipped. 31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have
consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and
thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in
sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt
offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation
brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred
lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 And the consecrated
things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were
too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their
brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other
priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to
sanctify themselves than the priests. 35 And also the burnt offerings were in
abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every
burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. 36 And
Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the
thing was done suddenly.

2 Chronicles 30
1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to

Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. 2 For the king had
taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the
passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at that time, because
the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people
gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4 And the thing pleased the king and
all the congregation. 5 So they established a decree to make proclamation
throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to
keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not
done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. 6 So the posts went with the
letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and
according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn
again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to
the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7
And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against
the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye
see. 8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto
the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and
serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from
you. 9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall
find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come
again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will
not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. 10 So the posts passed
from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto
Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless
divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to
Jerusalem. 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD. 13 And
there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread
in the second month, a very great congregation. 14 And they arose and took away
the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away,
and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then they killed the passover on the
fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were
ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the
house of the LORD. 16 And they stood in their place after their manner,
according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood,
which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the
congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the
killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto
the LORD. 18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and
Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat
the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them,
saying, The good LORD pardon every one 19 That prepareth his heart to seek
God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the
purification of the sanctuary. 20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and
healed the people. 21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem
kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the
Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud
instruments unto the LORD. 22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the
Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat
throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession
to the LORD God of their fathers. 23 And the whole assembly took counsel to
keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. 24 For
Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and
seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand
bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified
themselves. 25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the
Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that
came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was
great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of
Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests the Levites arose
and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to
his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

2 Chronicles 31
1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the

cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and
threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in
Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all
the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their

courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt
offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in
the gates of the tents of the LORD. 3 He appointed also the king’s portion of his
substance for the burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt
offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and
for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD. 4 Moreover he
commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests
and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the LORD. 5 And as
soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in
abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase
of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6 And
concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they
also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which
were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps. 7 In the
third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in
the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the
heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah
questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah
the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people
began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to
eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which
is left is this great store. 11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in
the house of the LORD; and they prepared them, 12 And brought in the offerings
and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the
Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13 And Jehiel, and
Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth, and Jozabad, and Eliel, and
Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were overseers under the hand of
Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king,
and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14 And Kore the son of Imnah the
Levite, the porter toward the east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to
distribute the oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things. 15 And next him
were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah,
in the cities of the priests, in their set office, to give to their brethren by courses,
as well to the great as to the small: 16 Beside their genealogy of males, from
three years old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of
the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges according to their
courses; 17 Both to the genealogy of the priests by the house of their fathers, and
the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their charges by their courses;
18 And to the genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and

their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office they
sanctified themselves in holiness: 19 Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which
were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every several city, the men that
were expressed by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and
to all that were reckoned by genealogies among the Levites. 20 And thus did
Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and
truth before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the
service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek
his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

2 Chronicles 32
1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of

Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities,
and thought to win them for himself. 2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib
was come, and that he was purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 3 He took
counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains
which were without the city: and they did help him. 4 So there was gathered
much people together, who stopped all the fountains, and the brook that ran
through the midst of the land, saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come,
and find much water? 5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall
that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and
repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance. 6
And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in
the street of the gate of the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying, 7 Be
strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor
for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to
fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah
king of Judah. 9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to
Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his power with
him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that were at Jerusalem,
saying, 10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye
abide in the siege in Jerusalem? 11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over
yourselves to die by famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall
deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria? 12 Hath not the same Hezekiah
taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem,
saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense upon it? 13 Know ye
not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the
gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of
mine hand? 14 Who was there among all the gods of those nations that my
fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that
your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? 15 Now therefore let
not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe
him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of
mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God
deliver you out of mine hand? 16 And his servants spake yet more against the
LORD God, and against his servant Hezekiah. 17 He wrote also letters to rail on
the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against him, saying, As the gods of the
nations of other lands have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall
not the God of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand. 18 Then they cried
with a loud voice in the Jews’ speech unto the people of Jerusalem that were on
the wall, to affright them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city. 19
And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people
of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man. 20 And for this cause
Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to
heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of
valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he
returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the
house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the
sword. 22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from
the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all other, and
guided them on every side. 23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to
Jerusalem, and presents to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in
the sight of all nations from thenceforth. 24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to
the death, and prayed unto the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a
sign. 25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him;
for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah
and Jerusalem. 26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of
his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the
LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah. 27 And Hezekiah had
exceeding much riches and honour: and he made himself treasuries for silver,
and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all
manner of pleasant jewels; 28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and
wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks. 29
Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in
abundance: for God had given him substance very much. 30 This same Hezekiah
also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the
west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works. 31
Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent
unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try
him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 32 Now the rest of the acts of
Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the
prophet, the son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 33
And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the chiefest of the
sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

2 Chronicles 33
 1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned

fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out
before the children of Israel. 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah
his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made
groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 Also he built
altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall
my name be for ever. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two
courts of the house of the LORD. 6 And he caused his children to pass through
the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used
enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with
wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to
anger. 7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of
God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and
in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my
name for ever: 8 Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the
land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all
that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and
the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9 So Manasseh made Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the
LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10 And the LORD spake to
Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11 Wherefore the
LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which
took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to
Babylon. 12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and
humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him:
and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again
to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was
God. 14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side
of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed
about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all
the fenced cities of Judah. 15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out
of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the
house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 And he
repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank
offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17
Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD
their God only. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his
God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the LORD God
of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer
also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the
places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before
he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers. 20 So
Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and
Amon his son reigned in his stead. 21 Amon was two and twenty years old when
he began to reign, and reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did that which
was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did Manasseh his father: for Amon
sacrificed unto all the carved images which Manasseh his father had made, and
served them; 23 And humbled not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his
father had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. 24 And his
servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. 25 But the people
of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people
of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.

2 Chronicles 34
1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in

Jerusalem one and thirty years. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of
the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to
the right hand, nor to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was
yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth
year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the
groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. 4 And they brake down
the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above
them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten
images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the
graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. 5 And he burnt the bones of the
priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so did he in
the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their
mattocks round about. 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the
groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the
idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. 8 Now in the
eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent
Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the
son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. 9 And
when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was
brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had
gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel,
and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem. 10 And they put
it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD,
and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to
repair and amend the house: 11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to
buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the
kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the
overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari;
and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward;
and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick. 13 Also
they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the
work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and
officers, and porters. 14 And when they brought out the money that was brought
into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the
LORD given by Moses. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe,
I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah
delivered the book to Shaphan. 16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and
brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy
servants, they do it. 17 And they have gathered together the money that was
found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the
overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the
king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it
before the king. 19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the
law, that he rent his clothes. 20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam
the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and
Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 21 Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and
for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book
that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us,
because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is
written in this book. 22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went
to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of
Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and
they spake to her to that effect. 23 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, 24 Thus saith the LORD,
Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even
all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of
Judah: 25 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other
gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands;
therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be
quenched. 26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the
LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning
the words which thou hast heard; 27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou
didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this
place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and
didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the
LORD. 28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to
thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon
this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word
again. 29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and
Jerusalem. 30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men
of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and
all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book
of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD. 31 And the king stood
in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD,
and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his
heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are
written in this book. 32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and
Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the
covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 And Josiah took away all the
abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and
made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God.
And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their
fathers.

2 Chronicles 35
1 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they

killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the
priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the
LORD, 3 And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto
the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king
of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the
LORD your God, and his people Israel, 4 And prepare yourselves by the houses
of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of
Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. 5 And stand in the holy
place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the
people, and after the division of the families of the Levites. 6 So kill the
passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do
according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 7 And Josiah gave to
the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that
were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks:
these were of the king’s substance. 8 And his princes gave willingly unto the
people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers
of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two
thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. 9 Conaniah also,
and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad,
chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand
small cattle, and five hundred oxen. 10 So the service was prepared, and the
priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the
king’s commandment. 11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled
the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them. 12 And they removed
the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the
families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of
Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 13 And they roasted the passover with fire
according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in
caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people. 14 And
afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the
priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat
until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the
sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place,
according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun
the king’s seer; and the porters waited at every gate; they might not depart from
their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them. 16 So all the
service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to
offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the
commandment of king Josiah. 17 And the children of Israel that were present
kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. 18
And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the
prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept,
and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and
the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was
this passover kept. 20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho
king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah
went out against him. 21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to
do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against
the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear
thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. 22
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that
he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the
mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23 And the archers
shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am
sore wounded. 24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him
in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he
died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and
Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the
singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this
day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the
lamentations. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according
to that which was written in the law of the LORD, 27 And his deeds, first and
last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.

2 Chronicles 36
 1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made

him king in his father’s stead in Jerusalem. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty and three
years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3
And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned the land in an
hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 And the king of Egypt made
Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and turned his name to
Jehoiakim. And Necho took Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt. 5
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD his God. 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and
bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of
the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at
Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he
did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the
kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his stead. 9
Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three
months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of
the LORD. 10 And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and
brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the LORD, and
made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem. 11 Zedekiah was one
and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in
Jerusalem. 12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God,
and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth
of the LORD. 13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had
made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from
turning unto the LORD God of Israel. 14 Moreover all the chief of the priests,
and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen;
and polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15
And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up
betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his
dwelling place: 16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his
words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his
people, till there was no remedy. 17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of
the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their
sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him
that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the
house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and
the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. 19
And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and
burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels
thereof. 20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to
Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the
kingdom of Persia: 21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah,
until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept
sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years. 22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king
of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he
made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing,
saying, 23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the
LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house
in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The
LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

Ezra 1
1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD

by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom,
and put it also in writing, saying, 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD
God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged
me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Who is there among
you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem,
which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the
God,) which is in Jerusalem. 4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he
sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with
goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is
in Jerusalem. 5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and
the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up
to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all they that were
about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with
goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly
offered. 7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the
LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put
them in the house of his gods; 8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth
by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar,
the prince of Judah. 9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a
thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives, 10 Thirty basons of gold,
silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All

these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up
from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

Ezra 2
1 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the

captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem
and Judah, every one unto his city; 2 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua,
Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum,
Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 The children of Parosh,
two thousand an hundred seventy and two. 4 The children of Shephatiah, three
hundred seventy and two. 5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and
five. 6 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two
thousand eight hundred and twelve. 7 The children of Elam, a thousand two
hundred fifty and four. 8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. 9
The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. 10 The children of Bani,
six hundred forty and two. 11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and
three. 12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. 13 The
children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. 14 The children of Bigvai, two
thousand fifty and six. 15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. 16
The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 17 The children of Bezai,
three hundred twenty and three. 18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. 20 The children of

Gibbar, ninety and five. 21 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and
three. 22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six. 23 The men of Anathoth, an
hundred twenty and eight. 24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. 25 The
children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and
three. 26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one. 27 The
men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two. 28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two
hundred twenty and three. 29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two. 30 The
children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six. 31 The children of the other Elam,
a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 32 The children of Harim, three hundred
and twenty. 33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and
five. 34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. 35 The children of
Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. 36 The priests: the children of
Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. 37 The children
of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. 38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two
hundred forty and seven. 39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. 40
The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah,
seventy and four. 41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and
eight. 42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of
Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the
children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine. 43 The Nethinims: the
children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 44 The
children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, 45 The children
of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, 46 The children of
Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, 47 The children of
Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, 48 The children of Rezin,
the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 49 The children of Uzza, the
children of Paseah, the children of Besai, 50 The children of Asnah, the children
of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, 51 The children of Bakbuk, the children
of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52 The children of Bazluth, the children of
Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera,
the children of Thamah, 54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 55
The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of
Sophereth, the children of Peruda, 56 The children of Jaalah, the children of
Darkon, the children of Giddel, 57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of
Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami. 58 All the
Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety
and two. 59 And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa,
Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, and
their seed, whether they were of Israel: 60 The children of Delaiah, the children
of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. 61 And of the
children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children
of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and
was called after their name: 62 These sought their register among those that were
reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as
polluted, put from the priesthood. 63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they
should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and
with Thummim. 64 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand
three hundred and threescore, 65 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom
there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among
them two hundred singing men and singing women. 66 Their horses were seven
hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; 67 Their camels,
four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
68 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the

LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in
his place: 69 They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore
and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one
hundred priests’ garments. 70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the
people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities,
and all Israel in their cities.

Ezra 3
1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in

the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2
Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the
God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses
the man of God. 3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them
because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings
thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 They kept
also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings
by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required; 5 And
afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all
the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly
offered a freewill offering unto the LORD. 6 From the first day of the seventh
month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of
the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7 They gave money also unto the
masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon,
and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa,
according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. 8 Now in the second
year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month,
began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the
remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come
out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years
old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD. 9 Then stood
Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah,
together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad,
with their sons and their brethren the Levites. 10 And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with
trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD,
after the ordinance of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang together by course
in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy
endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout,
when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD
was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who
were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this
house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted
aloud for joy: 13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy
from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud
shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Ezra 4
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children

of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel; 2 Then they
came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us
build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him
since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3 But
Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said
unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we
ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the
king of Persia hath commanded us. 4 Then the people of the land weakened the
hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5 And hired
counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of
Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. 6 And in the reign of
Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation
against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes
wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto
Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian
tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. 8 Rehum the chancellor and
Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in
this sort: 9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the
rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the
Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and
the Elamites, 10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar
brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side
the river, and at such a time. 11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto
him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river,
and at such a time. 12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up
from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad
city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. 13 Be it
known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again,
then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the
revenue of the kings. 14 Now because we have maintenance from the king’s
palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour, therefore have we
sent and certified the king; 15 That search may be made in the book of the
records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know
that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that
they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this
city destroyed. 16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the
walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the
river. 17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to
Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria,
and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. 18 The letter which
ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 19 And I commanded, and
search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made
insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made
therein. 20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled
over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto
them. 21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this
city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me. 22 Take
heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the
kings? 23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum,
and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to
Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. 24 Then
ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the
second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 5
1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo,

prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the
God of Israel, even unto them. 2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at
Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. 3 At the same
time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai,
and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to
build this house, and to make up this wall? 4 Then said we unto them after this
manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? 5 But the eye of
their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to
cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter
concerning this matter. 6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side
the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which
were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: 7 They sent a letter unto
him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace. 8 Be it known
unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great
God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this
work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. 9 Then asked we those elders,
and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make
up these walls? 10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write
the names of the men that were the chief of them. 11 And thus they returned us
answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build
the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel
builded and set up. 12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven
unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon,
the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into
Babylon. 13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king
Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. 14 And the vessels also of gold
and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple
that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did
Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto
one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 15 And said
unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem,
and let the house of God be builded in his place. 16 Then came the same
Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem:
and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not
finished. 17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made
in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a
decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and
let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Ezra 6
1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of

the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 2 And there was found at
Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein
was a record thus written: 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the
king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be
builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof
be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof
threescore cubits; 4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber:
and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house: 5 And also let the golden
and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of
the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and
brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and
place them in the house of God. 6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the
river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are
beyond the river, be ye far from thence: 7 Let the work of this house of God
alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of
God in his place. 8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of
these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even
of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that
they be not hindered. 9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks,
and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt,
wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem,
let it be given them day by day without fail: 10 That they may offer sacrifices of
sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of
his sons. 11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let
timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged
thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. 12 And the God that hath
caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to
their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I
Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed. 13 Then Tatnai, governor
on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that
which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. 14 And the elders of the
Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet
and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to
the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of
Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And this house was finished
on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of
Darius the king. 16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and
the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God
with joy, 17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred
bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all
Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And
they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the
service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. 19
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of
the first month. 20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of
them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and
for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. 21 And the children of Israel,
which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated
themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the
LORD God of Israel, did eat, 22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven
days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the
king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of
God, the God of Israel.
 Ezra 7
1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the

son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2 The son of Shallum, the
son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the
son of Meraioth, 4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5 The
son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
chief priest: 6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the
law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted
him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. 7 And
there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites,
and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the
seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth
month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For upon the first day of the
first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth
month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and

to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. 11 Now this is the copy of the letter that
the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the
words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. 12
Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of
heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the
people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of
their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. 14 Forasmuch as thou art
sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and
Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; 15 And to
carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered
unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16 And all the silver and
gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill
offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their
God which is in Jerusalem: 17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and
offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18 And
whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of
the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. 19 The vessels also that
are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before
the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of
thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s
treasure house. 21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the
treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe
of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, 22
Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to
an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without
prescribing how much. 23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it
be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be
wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24 Also we certify you, that
touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers
of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom,
upon them. 25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand,
set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the
river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them
not. 26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king,
let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to
banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 27 Blessed be the
LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart,
to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem: 28 And hath extended
mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s
mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was
upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
 Ezra 8
1 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them

that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king. 2 Of the
sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David;
Hattush. 3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and
with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty. 4 Of the
sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred
males. 5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three
hundred males. 6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with
him fifty males. 7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and
with him seventy males. 8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of
Michael, and with him fourscore males. 9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son
of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. 10 And of the sons of
Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.
11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty

and eight males. 12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and
with him an hundred and ten males. 13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose
names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there

abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found
there none of the sons of Levi. 16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for
Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and
for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan,
men of understanding. 17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the
chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and
to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto
us ministers for the house of our God. 18 And by the good hand of our God upon
us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi,
the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 19 And
Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their
sons, twenty; 20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had
appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all
of them were expressed by name. 21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river
of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right
way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. 22 For I was
ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us
against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The
hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his
wrath is against all them that forsake him. 23 So we fasted and besought our God
for this: and he was intreated of us. 24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the
priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 25 And
weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of
the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all
Israel there present, had offered: 26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred
and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an
hundred talents; 27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two
vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. 28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy
unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a
freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. 29 Watch ye, and keep
them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and
chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the
LORD. 30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the
gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. 31
Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month,
to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us
from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. 32 And we
came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. 33 Now on the fourth day was the
silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand
of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of
Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of
Binnui, Levites; 34 By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight
was written at that time. 35 Also the children of those that had been carried away,
which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of
Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven
lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the
LORD. 36 And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s
lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the
people, and the house of God.

Ezra 9
1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The

people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves
from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the
Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they have taken of their
daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled
themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers
hath been chief in this trespass. 3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment
and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat
down astonied. 4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the
words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been
carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice. 5 And at the evening
sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my
mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my

God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up
unto the heavens. 7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass
unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been
delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and
to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8 And now for a little space
grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to
escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes,
and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9 For we were bondmen; yet our
God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the
sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God,
and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in
Jerusalem. 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have
forsaken thy commandments, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants
the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land
with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which
have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. 12 Now therefore
give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your
sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat
the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 13
And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass,
seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and
hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy
commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations?
wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there
should be no remnant nor escaping? 15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art
righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee
in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

Ezra 10
1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and
casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of
Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people
wept very sore. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam,
answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have
taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel
concerning this thing. 3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to
put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of
my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be
done according to the law. 4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also
will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it. 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the
chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to
this word. And they sware. 6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God,
and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came
thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the
transgression of them that had been carried away. 7 And they made proclamation
throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they
should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; 8 And that whosoever would
not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the
elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the
congregation of those that had been carried away. 9 Then all the men of Judah
and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It
was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in
the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great
rain. 10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed,
and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 11 Now therefore
make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and
separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 12
Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast
said, so must we do. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain,
and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for
we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14 Let now our rulers of all the
congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities
come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges
thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us. 15
Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed
about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them. 16 And
the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the
fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were
separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the

first day of the first month. 18 And among the sons of the priests there were
found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of
Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19
And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being
guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. 20 And of the sons of
Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. 21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and
Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. 22 And of the sons of Pashur;
Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. 23 Also of the
Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah,
Judah, and Eliezer. 24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum,
and Telem, and Uri. 25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and
Jeziah, and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah. 26
And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and
Jeremoth, and Eliah. 27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah,
and Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza. 28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan,
Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. 29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch,
and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, and Ramoth. 30 And of the sons of Pahath-moab;
Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and
Manasseh. 31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah,
Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. 33 Of the sons of Hashum;
Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. 34 Of the
sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Chelluh, 36
Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasau, 38 And Bani,
and Binnui, Shimei, 39 And Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 40
Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42
Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph. 43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad,
Zebina, Jadau, and Joel, Benaiah. 44 All these had taken strange wives: and some
of them had wives by whom they had children.

Nehemiah 1
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the

month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 2 That
Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked
them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and
concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the
captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of
Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. 4 And
it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and
mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, 5 And
said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that
keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his
commandments: 6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou
mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and
night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children
of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have
sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the
commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst
thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou
commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you
abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my
commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the
uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring
them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 Now these are
thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and
by thy strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to
the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy
name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the
sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

Nehemiah 2
1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of

Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave
it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. 2 Wherefore
the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this
is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, 3 And said unto
the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad,
when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates
thereof are consumed with fire? 4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost
thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said unto the king,
If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou
wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may
build it. 6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how
long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to
send me; and I set him a time. 7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the
king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may
convey me over till I come into Judah; 8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of
the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the
palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the
house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good
hand of my God upon me. 9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and
gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and
horsemen with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the
Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to
seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was
there three days. 12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me;
neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem:
neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon. 13 And I
went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to
the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and
the gates thereof were consumed with fire. 14 Then I went on to the gate of the
fountain, and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was
under me to pass. 15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the
wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 16
And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it
to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest
that did the work. 17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in,
how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and
let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. 18 Then I
told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s
words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So
they strengthened their hands for this good work. 19 But when Sanballat the
Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian,
heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing
that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? 20 Then answered I them, and said
unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will
arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 3
 1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and

they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even
unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. 2 And next
unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of
Imri. 3 But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams
thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. 4
And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And
next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of
Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. 5 And next
unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work
of their Lord. 6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and
Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the
doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. 7 And next unto them
repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon,
and of Mizpah, unto the throne of the governor on this side the river. 8 Next unto
him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also
repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified
Jerusalem unto the broad wall. 9 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son
of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. 10 And next unto them repaired
Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him
repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah. 11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and
Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the
furnaces. 12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler
of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. 13 The valley gate repaired
Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof,
the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the
dung gate. 14 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of
part of Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof. 15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of
Col-hozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the
doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of
Siloah by the king’s garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of
David. 16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half
part of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the
pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty. 17 After him repaired the
Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of
the half part of Keilah, in his part. 18 After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the
son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. 19 And next to him repaired
Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going
up to the armoury at the turning of the wall. 20 After him Baruch the son of
Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning of the wall unto the
door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him repaired Meremoth the
son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of
Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. 22 And after him repaired the
priests, the men of the plain. 23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over
against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of
Ananiah by his house. 24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another
piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the
corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the
tower which lieth out from the king’s high house, that was by the court of the
prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh. 26 Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in
Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower
that lieth out. 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the
great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. 28 From above the horse
gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house. 29 After them repaired
Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also
Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate. 30 After him
repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph,
another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against
his chamber. 31 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith’s son unto the place
of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to
the going up of the corner. 32 And between the going up of the corner unto the
sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.

Nehemiah 4
1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he

was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake
before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble
Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in
a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are
burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which
they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O
our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and
give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and
let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to
anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined
together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work. 7 But it came
to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites,
and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the
breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 8 And conspired all of
them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them
day and night, because of them. 10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of
burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build
the wall. 11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we
come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 12
And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said
unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be
upon you. 13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the
higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their
spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles,
and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them:
remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your
sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to pass,
when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their
counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought

in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the
bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. 17
They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that
laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other
hand held a weapon. 18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his
side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. 19 And I said
unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great
and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 20 In what
place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our
God shall fight for us. 21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the
spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22 Likewise at the
same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within
Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. 23
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which
followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off
for washing.

Nehemiah 5
1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their

brethren the Jews. 2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters,
are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 3 Some
also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses,
that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. 4 There were also that said, We
have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and
vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as
their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be
servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is
it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. 6
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7 Then I consulted
with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye
exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. 8
And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews,
which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall
they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. 9
Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God
because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? 10 I likewise, and my
brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let
us leave off this usury. 11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands,
their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the
money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them. 12 Then said
they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as
thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should
do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out
every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise,
even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen,
and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise. 14
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of
Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes
the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the
governor. 15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable
unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of
silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I,
because of the fear of God. 16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,
neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the
work. 17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and
rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep;

also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine:
yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was
heavy upon this people. 19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all
that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 6
1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the

Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that
there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors
upon the gates;) 2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us
meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought
to do me mischief. 3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great
work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it,
and come down to you? 4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I
answered them after the same manner. 5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me
in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; 6 Wherein was
written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the
Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be
their king, according to these words. 7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to
preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be
reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us
take counsel together. 8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things
done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. 9 For they all
made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be
not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. 10 Afterward I came unto
the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut
up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and
let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the
night will they come to slay thee. 11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and
who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will
not go in. 12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he
pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they
might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 My God,
think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the
prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty

and two days. 16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof,
and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast
down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our
God. 17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto
Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. 18 For there were many in
Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of
Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of
Berechiah. 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my
words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

Nehemiah 7
1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors,

and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2 That I gave my
brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for
he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. 3 And I said unto them, Let
not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand
by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
4 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the

houses were not builded. 5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together
the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by
genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the
first, and found written therein, 6 These are the children of the province, that
went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to
Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city; 7 Who came with Zerubbabel,
Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth,
Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel
was this; 8 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two. 9
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. 10 The children of
Arah, six hundred fifty and two. 11 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children
of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The
children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 13 The children of
Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. 14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and
threescore. 15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight. 16 The
children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. 17 The children of Azgad, two
thousand three hundred twenty and two. 18 The children of Adonikam, six
hundred threescore and seven. 19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand
threescore and seven. 20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five. 21 The
children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 22 The children of Hashum, three
hundred twenty and eight. 23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and
four. 24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve. 25 The children of
Gibeon, ninety and five. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred
fourscore and eight. 27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. 28
The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two. 29 The men of Kirjath-jearim,
Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three. 30 The men of Ramah
and Geba, six hundred twenty and one. 31 The men of Michmas, an hundred and
twenty and two. 32 The men of Beth-el and Ai, an hundred twenty and three. 33
The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two. 34 The children of the other Elam, a
thousand two hundred fifty and four. 35 The children of Harim, three hundred
and twenty. 36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. 37 The
children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one. 38 The children
of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. 39 The priests: the children of
Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. 40 The children
of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. 41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two
hundred forty and seven. 42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. 43
The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah,
seventy and four. 44 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and
eight. 45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children
of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai,
an hundred thirty and eight. 46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children
of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 47 The children of Keros, the children of
Sia, the children of Padon, 48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba,
the children of Shalmai, 49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the
children of Gahar, 50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children
of Nekoda, 51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of
Phaseah, 52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of
Nephishesim, 53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children
of Harhur, 54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of
Harsha, 55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 57 The children of Solomon’s

servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 59 The

children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of

Zebaim, the children of Amon. 60 All the Nethinims, and the children of
Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two. 61 And these were they
which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer:
but they could not shew their father’s house, nor their seed, whether they were of
Israel. 62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of
Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. 63 And of the priests: the children of
Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name. 64
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it
was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. 65 And
the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till
there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. 66 The whole congregation
together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, 67 Beside
their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand
three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing
men and singing women. 68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their
mules, two hundred forty and five: 69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five:
six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses. 70 And some of the chief of the
fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams
of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments. 71 And some of
the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams
of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver. 72 And that which
the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two
thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests’ garments. 73 So the
priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people,
and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh
month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

Nehemiah 8
1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street
that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the
book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. 2 And
Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women,
and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh
month. 3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate
from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that
could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of
the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made
for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and
Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand,
Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah,
and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for
he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: 6
And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen,
Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped
the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and
Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah,
Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the
law: and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book in the law of
God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 9
And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the
Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the
LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard
the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and
drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for
this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is
your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace,
for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. 12 And all the people went their way to
eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had
understood the words that were declared unto them. 13 And on the second day
were gathered together the chief of the fathers of all the people, the priests, and
the Levites, unto Ezra the scribe, even to understand the words of the law. 14
And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses,
that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh
month: 15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in
Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine
branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees,
to make booths, as it is written. 16 So the people went forth, and brought them,
and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their
courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate,
and in the street of the gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the congregation of them that
were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for
since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of
Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. 18 Also day by day, from the
first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept
the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according
unto the manner.

Nehemiah 9
1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were

assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. 2 And the
seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed
their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place,
and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the
day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their
God. 4 Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel,
Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice
unto the LORD their God. 5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani,
Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and
bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name,
which is exalted above all blessing and praise. 6 Thou, even thou, art LORD
alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the
earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou
preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. 7 Thou art the
LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of
the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; 8 And foundest his heart
faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the
Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and
the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for
thou art righteous: 9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and
heardest their cry by the Red sea; 10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon
Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou
knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it
is this day. 11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went
through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest
into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters. 12 Moreover thou leddest them
in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them
light in the way wherein they should go. 13 Thou camest down also upon mount
Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and
true laws, good statutes and commandments: 14 And madest known unto them
thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the
hand of Moses thy servant: 15 And gavest them bread from heaven for their
hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and
promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst
sworn to give them. 16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their
necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, 17 And refused to obey, neither
were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their
necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but
thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of
great kindness, and forsookest them not. 18 Yea, when they had made them a
molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had
wrought great provocations; 19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them
not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to
lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and
the way wherein they should go. 20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct
them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water
for their thirst. 21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so
that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into

corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of
Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 Their children also multipliedst
thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which
thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it. 24 So the
children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the
inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with
their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they
would. 25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full
of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in
abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted
themselves in thy great goodness. 26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and
rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets
which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great
provocations. 27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies,
who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou
heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest
them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. 28 But after
they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the
hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they
returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times
didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies; 29 And testifiedst against them,
that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and
hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments,
(which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and
hardened their neck, and would not hear. 30 Yet many years didst thou forbear
them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they
not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them,

nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God. 32 Now therefore,
our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and
mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on
our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our
fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this
day. 33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done
right, but we have done wickedly: 34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our
priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and
thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them. 35 For they have not
served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them,
and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they
from their wicked works. 36 Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land
that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof,
behold, we are servants in it: 37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings
whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over
our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. 38
And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes,
Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

Nehemiah 10
1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of
Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, 2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 3 Pashur, Amariah,
Malchijah, 4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 5 Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, 6
Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 7 Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, 8 Maaziah, Bilgai,
Shemaiah: these were the priests. 9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of
Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10 And their brethren,
Shebaniah, Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 12
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu. 14 The chief of the
people; Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani, 15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 16
Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 17 Ater, Hizkijah, Azzur, 18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 19
Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, 20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 21 Meshezabeel,
Zadok, Jaddua, 22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub, 24
Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek, 25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, 26 And Ahijah,
Hanan, Anan, 27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah. 28 And the rest of the people, the
priests, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had
separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their
wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having
understanding; 29 They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a
curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the
servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our
Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; 30 And that we would not give our
daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons: 31
And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to
sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that
we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. 32 Also we
made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel
for the service of the house of our God; 33 For the shewbread, and for the
continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of
the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin
offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of
our God. 34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people,
for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of
our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD
our God, as it is written in the law: 35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground,
and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the
LORD: 36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the
law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our
God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: 37 And that we
should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all
manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house
of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites
might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. 38 And the priest the son of
Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites
shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers,
into the treasure house. 39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall
bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers,
where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the
porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.

Nehemiah 11
1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also

cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to
dwell in other cities. 2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered
themselves to dwell at Jerusalem. 3 Now these are the chief of the province that
dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in
their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the
children of Solomon’s servants. 4 And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children
of Judah, and of the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the
son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah,
the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez; 5 And Maaseiah the son of
Baruch, the son of Col-hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of
Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni. 6 All the sons of Perez that
dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred threescore and eight valiant men. 7 And
these are the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the
son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son
of Jesaiah. 8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight. 9 And
Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son of Senuah was
second over the city. 10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin. 11
Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of
Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the house of God. 12 And their
brethren that did the work of the house were eight hundred twenty and two: and
Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of
Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah, 13 And his brethren, chief of
the fathers, two hundred forty and two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son
of Ahasai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 14 And their brethren,
mighty men of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was
Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men. 15 Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the
son of Hashub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 16
And Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the
outward business of the house of God. 17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the
son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in
prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of
Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun. 18 All the Levites in the holy
city were two hundred fourscore and four. 19 Moreover the porters, Akkub,
Talmon, and their brethren that kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.
20 And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities

of Judah, every one in his inheritance. 21 But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and
Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims. 22 The overseer also of the Levites at
Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah,
the son of Micha. Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the
house of God. 23 For it was the king’s commandment concerning them, that a
certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day. 24 And Pethahiah the
son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s
hand in all matters concerning the people. 25 And for the villages, with their
fields, some of the children of Judah dwelt at Kirjath-arba, and in the villages
thereof, and at Dibon, and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the
villages thereof, 26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Beth-phelet, 27 And at
Hazar-shual, and at Beer-sheba, and in the villages thereof, 28 And at Ziklag, and
at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof, 29 And at En-rimmon, and at Zareah,
and at Jarmuth, 30 Zanoah, Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the
fields thereof, at Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beer-
sheba unto the valley of Hinnom. 31 The children also of Benjamin from Geba
dwelt at Michmash, and Aija, and Beth-el, and in their villages, 32 And at
Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, 34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,
35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of craftsmen. 36 And of the Levites were divisions in

Judah, and in Benjamin.

Nehemiah 12
1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with Zerubbabel

the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, 2 Amariah, Malluch,
Hattush, 3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 4 Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah, 5 Miamin,
Maadiah, Bilgah, 6 Shemaiah, and Joiarib, Jedaiah, 7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah,
Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of
Jeshua. 8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and
Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren. 9 Also
Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them in the watches. 10
And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and Eliashib begat
Joiada, 11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan begat Jaddua. 12 And in the
days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of
Jeremiah, Hananiah; 13 Of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 14 Of
Melicu, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; 15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth,
Helkai; 16 Of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 17 Of Abijah, Zichri;
of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; 18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah,
Jehonathan; 19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 20 Of Sallai, Kallai; of
Amok, Eber; 21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethaneel. 22 The Levites in
the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and Jaddua, were recorded chief of the
fathers: also the priests, to the reign of Darius the Persian. 23 The sons of Levi,
the chief of the fathers, were written in the book of the chronicles, even until the
days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. 24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah,
Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them,
to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of
God, ward over against ward. 25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah,
Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of
the gates. 26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of
Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the
scribe. 27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites
out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep the dedication with
gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with singing, with cymbals, psalteries,
and with harps. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both
out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages of
Netophathi; 29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the fields of Geba and
Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages round about Jerusalem. 30
And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, and
the gates, and the wall. 31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall,
and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went
on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate: 32 And after them went
Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, 33 And Azariah, Ezra, and
Meshullam, 34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, 35 And
certain of the priests’ sons with trumpets; namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan,
the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of
Zaccur, the son of Asaph: 36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai,
Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of
David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them. 37 And at the fountain
gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of
David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the
water gate eastward. 38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went
over against them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall,
from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall; 39 And from
above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and
the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and
they stood still in the prison gate. 40 So stood the two companies of them that
gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me: 41 And
the priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and
Hananiah, with trumpets; 42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and
Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang
loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. 43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices,
and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and
the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. 44
And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for
the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the
fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah
rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. 45 And both the singers
and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification,
according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. 46 For in the
days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of
praise and thanksgiving unto God. 47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel,
and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters,
every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the
Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.
 Nehemiah 13
1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people;

and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not
come into the congregation of God for ever; 2 Because they met not the children
of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he
should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 Now it
came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the
mixed multitude. 4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of
the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: 5 And he had
prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings,
the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and
the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and
the porters; and the offerings of the priests. 6 But in all this time was not I at
Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I
unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 7 And I came to
Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing
him a chamber in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me sore:
therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then
I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the
vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense. 10 And
I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the
Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11
Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken?
And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then brought all
Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. 13
And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest, and Zadok the
scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them was Hanan the son of
Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were counted faithful, and their office was
to distribute unto their brethren. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this,
and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and
for the offices thereof. 15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine
presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine,
grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem
on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold
victuals. 16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all
manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in
Jerusalem. 17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them,
What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? 18 Did not your
fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city?
yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. 19 And it came to
pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I
commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be
opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that
there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. 20 So the merchants
and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. 21 Then I
testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do
so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the
sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves,
and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the
greatness of thy mercy. 23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives
of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab: 24 And their children spake half in the
speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to
the language of each people. 25 And I contended with them, and cursed them,
and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by
God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their
daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel
sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who
was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless
even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 27 Shall we then hearken unto you
to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in

law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29 Remember
them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of
the priesthood, and of the Levites. 30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers,
and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits.

Remember me, O my God, for good.

Esther 1
1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which

reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty
provinces:) 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of
his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he
made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media,
the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 4 When he shewed the
riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many
days, even an hundred and fourscore days. 5 And when these days were expired,
the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace,
both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s
palace; 6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of
fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold
and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. 7
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from
another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. 8 And
the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had
appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every
man’s pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal
house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. 10 On the seventh day, when the heart
of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,
Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in
the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king
with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was
fair to look on. 12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s
commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his
anger burned in him. 13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the
times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 14
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the
king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) 15 What shall we do unto the
queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the
commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? 16 And Memucan
answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong
to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the
provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad
unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it
shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be
brought in before him, but she came not. 18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia
and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed
of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. 19 If it please
the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written
among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti
come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto
another that is better than she. 20 And when the king’s decree which he shall
make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives
shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small. 21 And the saying
pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of
Memucan: 22 For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province
according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that
every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published
according to the language of every people.

Esther 2
1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he

remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. 2
Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young
virgins sought for the king: 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the
provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young
virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of
Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for
purification be given them: 4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be
queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so. 5 Now in
Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son
of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; 6 Who had been carried
away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with
Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried
away. 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for
she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom
Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. 8
So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and
when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the
custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the
custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. 9 And the maiden pleased him, and she
obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification,
with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be
given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the
best place of the house of the women. 10 Esther had not shewed her people nor
her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it. 11 And
Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how
Esther did, and what should become of her. 12 Now when every maid’s turn was
come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months,
according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their
purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months
with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) 13
Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given
her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king’s house. 14 In the
evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the
women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, which kept the
concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her,
and that she were called by name. 15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter
of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come
to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s
chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in
the sight of all them that looked upon her. 16 So Esther was taken unto king
Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in
the seventh year of his reign. 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women,
and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that
he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18
Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even
Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according
to the state of the king. 19 And when the virgins were gathered together the
second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate. 20 Esther had not yet shewed
her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the
commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him. 21 In
those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s
chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth,
and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. 22 And the thing was known to
Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king
thereof in Mordecai’s name. 23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it
was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in
the book of the chronicles before the king.

Esther 3
1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of

Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the
princes that were with him. 2 And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s
gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning
him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence. 3 Then the king’s servants,
which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the
king’s commandment? 4 Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him,
and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether
Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. 5 And
when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was
Haman full of wrath. 6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for
they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to
destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even
the people of Mordecai. 7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the
twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from
day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month
Adar. 8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered
abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and
their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws:
therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them. 9 If it please the king, let it
be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of
silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into
the king’s treasuries. 10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it
unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy. 11 And the
king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with
them as it seemeth good to thee. 12 Then were the king’s scribes called on the
thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that
Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that
were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province
according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the
name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring. 13 And
the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and
to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in
one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month
Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey. 14 The copy of the writing for a
commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that
they should be ready against that day. 15 The posts went out, being hastened by
the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And
the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

Esther 4
1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes,

and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and
cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 And came even before the king’s gate: for
none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every
province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there
was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and
many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came
and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to
clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had
appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to
know what it was, and why it was. 6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the
street of the city, which was before the king’s gate. 7 And Mordecai told him of
all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had
promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them. 8 Also he
gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to
destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to charge her
that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make
request before him for her people. 9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words
of Mordecai. 10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment
unto Mordecai; 11 All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces,
do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into
the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death,
except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live:
but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. 12 And they
told to Mordecai Esther’s words. 13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer
Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more
than all the Jews. 14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then
shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but
thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou
art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? 15 Then Esther bade them return
Mordecai this answer, 16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in
Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I
also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which
is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. 17 So Mordecai went his
way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

Esther 5
1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel,
and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house:
and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of
the house. 2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the
court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the
golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of
the sceptre. 3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and
what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom. 4 And
Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come
this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. 5 Then the king said,
Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and
Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 And the king said unto
Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee:
and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed. 7
Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; 8 If I have found
favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and
to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall
prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said. 9 Then went
Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw
Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full
of indignation against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and
when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. 11
And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his
children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had
advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. 12 Haman said
moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the
banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her
also with the king. 13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai
the Jew sitting at the king’s gate. 14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends
unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou
unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with
the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the
gallows to be made.

Esther 6
1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the

book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. 2 And it
was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the
king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king
Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to
Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There
is nothing done for him. 4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman
was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to
hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s
servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said,
Let him come in. 6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall
be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought
in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to

honour, 8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the
horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: 9
And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most
noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to
honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim
before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to
honour. 10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and
the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at
the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. 11 Then took Haman
the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback
through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done
unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. 12 And Mordecai came again
to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head
covered. 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that
had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If
Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou
shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him. 14 And while they
were yet talking with him, came the king’s chamberlains, and hasted to bring
Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Esther 7
1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen. 2 And the

king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is
thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request?
and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. 3 Then Esther the
queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it
please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my
request: 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to
perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my
tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage. 5 Then the
king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where
is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so? 6 And Esther said, The adversary
and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and
the queen. 7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into
the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the
queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king. 8 Then
the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine;
and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king,
Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the
king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 And Harbonah, one of the
chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high,
which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king,
standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. 10 So
they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was
the king’s wrath pacified.

Esther 8
1 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’

enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther
had told what he was unto her. 2 And the king took off his ring, which he had
taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the
house of Haman. 3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at
his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman the
Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews. 4 Then the king
held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the
king, 5 And said, If it please the king, and if I have found favour in his sight, and
the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be
written to reverse the letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the
Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king’s
provinces: 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my
people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? 7 Then the
king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I
have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the
gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. 8 Write ye also for the Jews, as
it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing
which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man
reverse. 9 Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that
is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written
according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants,
and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia,
an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the
writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews
according to their writing, and according to their language. 10 And he wrote in
the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by
posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: 11
Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves
together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all
the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones
and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 12 Upon one day in all the
provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth
month, which is the month Adar. 13 The copy of the writing for a commandment
to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews
should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. 14 So
the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed
on by the king’s commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the
palace. 15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel
of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine
linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. 16 The Jews had
light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. 17 And in every province, and in every
city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had
joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land
became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

Esther 9
1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of

the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in
execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over
them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that
hated them;) 2 The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout
all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt:
and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. 3
And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and
officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon
them. 4 For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out
throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater. 5
Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and
slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. 6
And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred men. 7 And
Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 8 And Poratha, and Adalia, and
Aridatha, 9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha, 10 The ten
sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but
on the spoil laid they not their hand. 11 On that day the number of those that
were slain in Shushan the palace was brought before the king. 12 And the king
said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men
in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the
rest of the king’s provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted
thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done. 13 Then said Esther, If it
please the king, let it be granted to the Jews which are in Shushan to do to
morrow also according unto this day’s decree, and let Haman’s ten sons be
hanged upon the gallows. 14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the
decree was given at Shushan; and they hanged Haman’s ten sons. 15 For the Jews
that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on the fourteenth day also of
the month Adar, and slew three hundred men at Shushan; but on the prey they
laid not their hand. 16 But the other Jews that were in the king’s provinces
gathered themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from their
enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but they laid not their
hands on the prey, 17 On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the
fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and
gladness. 18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the
thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of
the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. 19 Therefore the
Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day
of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of
sending portions one to another. 20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent
letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus,
both nigh and far, 21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the
fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22
As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which
was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day:
that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one
to another, and gifts to the poor. 23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had
begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; 24 Because Haman the son of
Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the
Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to
destroy them; 25 But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by
letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return
upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 26
Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all
the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter,
and which had come unto them, 27 The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and
upon their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it
should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing,
and according to their appointed time every year; 28 And that these days should
be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every
province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from
among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. 29 Then Esther
the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all
authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. 30 And he sent the letters unto
all the Jews, to the hundred twenty and seven provinces of the kingdom of
Ahasuerus, with words of peace and truth, 31 To confirm these days of Purim in
their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had
enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the
matters of the fastings and their cry. 32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these
matters of Purim; and it was written in the book.

Esther 10
1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of

the sea. 2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of
the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For
Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and
accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and
speaking peace to all his seed.

Job 1
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man

was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2 And there
were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His substance also was
seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of
oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man
was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 And his sons went and feasted in
their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat
and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were
gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning,
and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It
may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job
continually. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the
LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD,
and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that

there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth
God, and escheweth evil? 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job
fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his
hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand
now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 12 And the
LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon
himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the
LORD. 13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and
drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 14 And there came a messenger
unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15
And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the
servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 16
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is
fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and
consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 17 While he was yet
speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three
bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the
servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 18
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy
daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: 19 And,
behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners
of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am
escaped alone to tell thee. 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his
head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came
I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave,
and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this
Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Job 2
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves

before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before
the LORD. 2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And
Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and
from walking up and down in it. 3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou
considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and
an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth
fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without
cause. 4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a
man hath will he give for his life. 5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his
bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 6 And the LORD said unto
Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. 7 So went Satan forth from
the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his
foot unto his crown. 8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and
he sat down among the ashes. 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still
retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. 10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest
as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand
of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. 11
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they
came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the
Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together
to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. 12 And when they lifted up their
eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they
rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. 13
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and
none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job 3
1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 2 And Job spake, and

said, 3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said,
There is a man child conceived. 4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it
from above, neither let the light shine upon it. 5 Let darkness and the shadow of
death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. 6 As
for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the
year, let it not come into the number of the months. 7 Lo, let that night be
solitary, let no joyful voice come therein. 8 Let them curse it that curse the day,
who are ready to raise up their mourning. 9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be
dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from

mine eyes. 11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost
when I came out of the belly? 12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the
breasts that I should suck? 13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I
should have slept: then had I been at rest, 14 With kings and counsellors of the
earth, which built desolate places for themselves; 15 Or with princes that had
gold, who filled their houses with silver: 16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had
not been; as infants which never saw light. 17 There the wicked cease from
troubling; and there the weary be at rest. 18 There the prisoners rest together;
they hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19 The small and great are there; and the
servant is free from his master. 20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in
misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; 21 Which long for death, but it cometh
not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures; 22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and
are glad, when they can find the grave? 23 Why is light given to a man whose
way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? 24 For my sighing cometh before I
eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. 25 For the thing which I
greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 If we assay to commune

with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? 3
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4
Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the
feeble knees. 5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee,
and thou art troubled. 6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the
uprightness of thy ways? 7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being
innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? 8 Even as I have seen, they that
plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 9 By the blast of God they
perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. 10 The roaring of the
lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are

scattered abroad. 12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear
received a little thereof. 13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep
sleep falleth on men, 14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my
bones to shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood
up: 16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before
mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, 17 Shall mortal man be
more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? 18 Behold, he put
no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: 19 How much less
in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are
crushed before the moth? 20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they
perish for ever without any regarding it. 21 Doth not their excellency which is in
them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
 Job 5
1 Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints

wilt thou turn? 2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly
one. 3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. 4
His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there
any to deliver them. 5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out
of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance. 6 Although affliction
cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; 7 Yet
man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. 8 I would seek unto God, and
unto God would I commit my cause: 9 Which doeth great things and
unsearchable; marvellous things without number: 10 Who giveth rain upon the
earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: 11 To set up on high those that be low;
that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. 12 He disappointeth the devices
of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. 13 He taketh the
wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the

night. 15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the
hand of the mighty. 16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth. 17
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the
chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth,
and his hands make whole. 19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven
there shall no evil touch thee. 20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and
in war from the power of the sword. 21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the
tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 22 At
destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts
of the earth. 23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the
beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24 And thou shalt know that thy
tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.
25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the
grass of the earth. 26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of
corn cometh in in his season. 27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and
know thou it for thy good.

Job 6
1 But Job answered and said, 2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed,

and my calamity laid in the balances together! 3 For now it would be heavier
than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up. 4 For the arrows
of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the
terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. 5 Doth the wild ass bray
when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? 6 Can that which is
unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg? 7
The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. 8 Oh that I
might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! 9
Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand,
and cut me off! 10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in
sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. 11
What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should
prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13 Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? 14 To him that is

afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the
Almighty. 15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of
brooks they pass away; 16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein
the snow is hid: 17 What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they
are consumed out of their place. 18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they
go to nothing, and perish. 19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba
waited for them. 20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came
thither, and were ashamed. 21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down,
and are afraid. 22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your
substance? 23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the
hand of the mighty? 24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to
understand wherein I have erred. 25 How forcible are right words! but what doth
your arguing reprove? 26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of
one that is desperate, which are as wind? 27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless,
and ye dig a pit for your friend. 28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it
is evident unto you if I lie. 29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return
again, my righteousness is in it. 30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my
taste discern perverse things?

Job 7
1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also

like the days of an hireling? 2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as
an hireling looketh for the reward of his work: 3 So am I made to possess months
of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me. 4 When I lie down, I say,
When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro
unto the dawning of the day. 5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust;
my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s
shuttle, and are spent without hope. 7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye
shall no more see good. 8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no
more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 9 As the cloud is consumed and
vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 10 He
shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. 11
Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I
will complain in the bitterness of my soul. 12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou
settest a watch over me? 13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch
shall ease my complaint; 14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me
through visions: 15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my
life. 16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity. 17
What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine
heart upon him? 18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him
every moment? 19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I
swallow down my spittle? 20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou
preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a
burden to myself? 21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take
away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in
the morning, but I shall not be.

Job 8
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2 How long wilt thou speak

these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? 3
Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? 4 If thy
children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their
transgression; 5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy
supplication to the Almighty; 6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he
would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.
7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase. 8

For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of
their fathers: 9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days
upon earth are a shadow:) 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter
words out of their heart? 11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag
grow without water? 12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it
withereth before any other herb. 13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and
the hypocrite’s hope shall perish: 14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust
shall be a spider’s web. 15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he
shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. 16 He is green before the sun, and his
branch shooteth forth in his garden. 17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and
seeth the place of stones. 18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny
him, saying, I have not seen thee. 19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of
the earth shall others grow. 20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man,
neither will he help the evil doers: 21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and
thy lips with rejoicing. 22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and
the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

Job 9
1 Then Job answered and said, 2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should

man be just with God? 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one
of a thousand. 4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened
himself against him, and hath prospered? 5 Which removeth the mountains, and
they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. 6 Which shaketh the earth
out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. 7 Which commandeth the sun,
and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. 8 Which alone spreadeth out the
heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. 9 Which maketh Arcturus,
Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. 10 Which doeth great things
past finding out; yea, and wonders without number. 11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I
see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. 12 Behold, he taketh
away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou? 13 If God
will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him. 14 How much
less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? 15 Whom,
though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication
to my judge. 16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe
that he had hearkened unto my voice. 17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and
multiplieth my wounds without cause. 18 He will not suffer me to take my
breath, but filleth me with bitterness. 19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong:
and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? 20 If I justify myself, mine
own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me
perverse. 21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would
despise my life. 22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect
and the wicked. 23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the
innocent. 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces
of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? 25 Now my days are swifter
than a post: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They are passed away as the
swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. 27 If I say, I will forget my
complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself: 28 I am afraid of
all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent. 29 If I be wicked,
why then labour I in vain? 30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my
hands never so clean; 31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own
clothes shall abhor me. 32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him,
and we should come together in judgment. 33 Neither is there any daysman
betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. 34 Let him take his rod away
from me, and let not his fear terrify me: 35 Then would I speak, and not fear him;
but it is not so with me.

Job 10
1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will

speak in the bitterness of my soul. 2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me;
shew me wherefore thou contendest with me. 3 Is it good unto thee that thou
shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine
upon the counsel of the wicked? 4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man
seeth? 5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days, 6 That
thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin? 7 Thou knowest
that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand. 8 Thine
hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost
destroy me. 9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and
wilt thou bring me into dust again? 10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and
curdled me like cheese? 11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and hast
fenced me with bones and sinews. 12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and
thy visitation hath preserved my spirit. 13 And these things hast thou hid in thine
heart: I know that this is with thee. 14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou
wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. 15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be
righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see
thou mine affliction; 16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and
again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 17 Thou renewest thy witnesses
against me, and increasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are
against me. 18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh
that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me! 19 I should have been as
though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 20
Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a
little, 21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and
the shadow of death; 22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow
of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

Job 11
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2 Should not the

multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? 3

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no
man make thee ashamed? 4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am
clean in thine eyes. 5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against
thee; 6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double
to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine
iniquity deserveth. 7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out
the Almighty unto perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do?
deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 9 The measure thereof is longer than the
earth, and broader than the sea. 10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together,
then who can hinder him? 11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness
also; will he not then consider it? 12 For vain man would be wise, though man be
born like a wild ass’s colt. 13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine
hands toward him; 14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not
wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. 15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face
without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: 16 Because thou shalt
forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: 17 And thine age
shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the
morning. 18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig
about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. 19 Also thou shalt lie down, and
none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 20 But the eyes
of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the
giving up of the ghost.

Job 12
1 And Job answered and said, 2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom

shall die with you. 3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to
you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? 4 I am as one mocked of his
neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is
laughed to scorn. 5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in
the thought of him that is at ease. 6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they
that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. 7 But
ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they
shall tell thee: 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of
the sea shall declare unto thee. 9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of
the LORD hath wrought this? 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
and the breath of all mankind. 11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste
his meat? 12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 13
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. 14 Behold,
he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there
can be no opening. 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also
he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 16 With him is strength and
wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. 17 He leadeth counsellors away
spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. 18 He looseth the bond of kings, and
girdeth their loins with a girdle. 19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and
overthroweth the mighty. 20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and
taketh away the understanding of the aged. 21 He poureth contempt upon princes,
and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. 22 He discovereth deep things out of
darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. 23 He increaseth the
nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them
again. 24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and
causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. 25 They grope in
the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

Job 13
1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it. 2

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3 Surely I
would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. 4 But ye are
forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. 5 O that ye would altogether
hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. 6 Hear now my reasoning, and
hearken to the pleadings of my lips. 7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk
deceitfully for him? 8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 9 Is it
good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so
mock him? 10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons. 11
Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you? 12 Your
remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. 13 Hold your
peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will. 14
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand? 15
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways
before him. 16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come
before him. 17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. 18
Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified. 19 Who is
he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the
ghost. 20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.
21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid. 22

Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me. 23 How
many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my
sin. 24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? 25 Wilt
thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? 26 For
thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of
my youth. 27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto
all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. 28 And he, as a rotten
thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Job 14
1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 2 He

cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and
continueth not. 3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest
me into judgment with thee? 4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?
not one. 5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with
thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 6 Turn from him, that
he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day. 7 For there is hope
of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch
thereof will not cease. 8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the
stock thereof die in the ground; 9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and
bring forth boughs like a plant. 10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man
giveth up the ghost, and where is he? 11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the
flood decayeth and drieth up: 12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the
heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. 13 O
that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until
thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait,

till my change come. 15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a
desire to the work of thine hands. 16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou
not watch over my sin? 17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou
sewest up mine iniquity. 18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought,
and the rock is removed out of his place. 19 The waters wear the stones: thou
washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou
destroyest the hope of man. 20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he
passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. 21 His sons come
to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it
not of them. 22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him
shall mourn.

Job 15
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 2 Should a wise man utter

vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 3 Should he reason with
unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? 4 Yea, thou
castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. 5 For thy mouth uttereth thine
iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. 6 Thine own mouth
condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee. 7 Art thou
the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? 8 Hast thou
heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? 9 What
knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us? 10
With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with

thee? 12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, 13
That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy
mouth? 14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a
woman, that he should be righteous? 15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints;
yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. 16 How much more abominable and
filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? 17 I will shew thee, hear me;
and that which I have seen I will declare; 18 Which wise men have told from
their fathers, and have not hid it: 19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and
no stranger passed among them. 20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his
days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. 21 A dreadful sound is
in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. 22 He believeth not
that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword. 23 He
wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of
darkness is ready at his hand. 24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they
shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. 25 For he stretcheth out his
hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. 26 He runneth
upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers: 27 Because he
covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks. 28 And
he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are
ready to become heaps. 29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance
continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. 30 He
shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the
breath of his mouth shall he go away. 31 Let not him that is deceived trust in
vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. 32 It shall be accomplished before his
time, and his branch shall not be green. 33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as
the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive. 34 For the congregation of
hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. 35
They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

Job 16
 1 Then Job answered and said, 2 I have heard many such things: miserable

comforters are ye all. 3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee
that thou answerest? 4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s
stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. 5 But I
would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should
asswage your grief. 6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I
forbear, what am I eased? 7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made
desolate all my company. 8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a
witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth;

mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me. 10 They have gaped upon me with
their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have
gathered themselves together against me. 11 God hath delivered me to the
ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked. 12 I was at ease, but
he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to
pieces, and set me up for his mark. 13 His archers compass me round about, he
cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the
ground. 14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a
giant. 15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death; 17

Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is pure. 18 O earth, cover not
thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. 19 Also now, behold, my witness is
in heaven, and my record is on high. 20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye
poureth out tears unto God. 21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a
man pleadeth for his neighbour! 22 When a few years are come, then I shall go
the way whence I shall not return.

Job 17
1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. 2
Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in their
provocation? 3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will
strike hands with me? 4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding:
therefore shalt thou not exalt them. 5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends,
even the eyes of his children shall fail. 6 He hath made me also a byword of the
people; and aforetime I was as a tabret. 7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of
sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow. 8 Upright men shall be astonied at
this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. 9 The righteous
also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and
stronger. 10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one
wise man among you. 11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the
thoughts of my heart. 12 They change the night into day: the light is short
because of darkness. 13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in
the darkness. 14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou
art my mother, and my sister. 15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope,
who shall see it? 16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest
together is in the dust.

Job 18
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2 How long will it be ere ye

make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak. 3 Wherefore are we
counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight? 4 He teareth himself in his
anger: shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of
his place? 5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire
shall not shine. 6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be
put out with him. 7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own
counsel shall cast him down. 8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he
walketh upon a snare. 9 The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall
prevail against him. 10 The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him
in the way. 11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to
his feet. 12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at
his side. 13 It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of death
shall devour his strength. 14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle,
and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. 15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle,
because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. 16 His
roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off. 17 His
remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name in the street.
18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. 19 He

shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his
dwellings. 20 They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that
went before were affrighted. 21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and
this is the place of him that knoweth not God.

Job 19
1 Then Job answered and said, 2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break

me in pieces with words? 3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not
ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. 4 And be it indeed that I have
erred, mine error remaineth with myself. 5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves
against me, and plead against me my reproach: 6 Know now that God hath
overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net. 7 Behold, I cry out of
wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment. 8 He hath
fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths. 9 He
hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head. 10 He hath
destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like
a tree. 11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto
him as one of his enemies. 12 His troops come together, and raise up their way
against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. 13 He hath put my brethren
far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 14 My
kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me. 15 They that
dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in
their sight. 16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him
with my mouth. 17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the
children’s sake of mine own body. 18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose,
and they spake against me. 19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they
whom I loved are turned against me. 20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my
flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. 21 Have pity upon me, have
pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me. 22 Why do
ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh? 23 Oh that my
words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! 24 That they were
graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! 25 For I know that my
redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another;
though my reins be consumed within me. 28 But ye should say, Why persecute
we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me? 29 Be ye afraid of the
sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there
is a judgment.

Job 20
1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 2 Therefore do my

thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste. 3 I have heard the check
of my reproach, and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. 4
Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, 5 That the
triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?
6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the

clouds; 7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen
him shall say, Where is he? 8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be
found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. 9 The eye also
which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall his place any more behold
him. 10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore
their goods. 11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down
with him in the dust. 12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he
hide it under his tongue; 13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it still
within his mouth: 14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps
within him. 15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up
again: God shall cast them out of his belly. 16 He shall suck the poison of asps:
the viper’s tongue shall slay him. 17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the
brooks of honey and butter. 18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and
shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and
he shall not rejoice therein. 19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the
poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; 20
Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he
desired. 21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man look for
his goods. 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of
the wicked shall come upon him. 23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall
cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.
24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him

through. 25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering sword
cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him. 26 All darkness shall be hid in his
secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is
left in his tabernacle. 27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall
rise up against him. 28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall
flow away in the day of his wrath. 29 This is the portion of a wicked man from
God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

Job 21
 1 But Job answered and said, 2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be

your consolations. 3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken,
mock on. 4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not
my spirit be troubled? 5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon
your mouth. 6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on
my flesh. 7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in
power? 8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring
before their eyes. 9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God
upon them. 10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and
casteth not her calf. 11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their
children dance. 12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the
organ. 13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the
grave. 14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the
knowledge of thy ways. 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and
what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? 16 Lo, their good is not in their
hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 17 How oft is the candle of the
wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God
distributeth sorrows in his anger. 18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as
chaff that the storm carrieth away. 19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children:
he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. 20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and
he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. 21 For what pleasure hath he in his
house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst? 22 Shall
any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high. 23 One dieth in
his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. 24 His breasts are full of milk,
and his bones are moistened with marrow. 25 And another dieth in the bitterness
of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure. 26 They shall lie down alike in the
dust, and the worms shall cover them. 27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the
devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. 28 For ye say, Where is the
house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? 29 Have
ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, 30 That
the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to
the day of wrath. 31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay
him what he hath done? 32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain
in the tomb. 33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man
shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him. 34 How then comfort
ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 Can a man be profitable

unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3 Is it any pleasure
to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy
ways perfect? 4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into
judgment? 5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 6 For thou
hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their
clothing. 7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast
withholden bread from the hungry. 8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth;
and the honourable man dwelt in it. 9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and
the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 10 Therefore snares are round about
thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; 11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and
abundance of waters cover thee. 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and
behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13 And thou sayest, How doth
God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? 14 Thick clouds are a covering
to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. 15 Hast thou
marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16 Which were cut down
out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17 Which said unto
God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 18 Yet he filled
their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 19
The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 20
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire
consumeth. 21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good
shall come unto thee. 22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up
his words in thine heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up,
thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 24 Then shalt thou lay up
gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 25 Yea, the
Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 26 For then
shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt

pay thy vows. 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto
thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29 When men are cast down, then
thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. 30 He
shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of
thine hands.

Job 23
1 Then Job answered and said, 2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my

stroke is heavier than my groaning. 3 Oh that I knew where I might find him!
that I might come even to his seat! 4 I would order my cause before him, and fill
my mouth with arguments. 5 I would know the words which he would answer
me, and understand what he would say unto me. 6 Will he plead against me with
his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. 7 There the righteous
might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge. 8
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive
him: 9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth
himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10 But he knoweth the way that I
take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11 My foot hath held his
steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. 12 Neither have I gone back from
the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than
my necessary food. 13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what
his soul desireth, even that he doeth. 14 For he performeth the thing that is
appointed for me: and many such things are with him. 15 Therefore am I troubled
at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him. 16 For God maketh my heart
soft, and the Almighty troubleth me: 17 Because I was not cut off before the
darkness, neither hath he covered the darkness from my face.

Job 24
1 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know

him not see his days? 2 Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away
flocks, and feed thereof. 3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the
widow’s ox for a pledge. 4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the
earth hide themselves together. 5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they
forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for
them and for their children. 6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they
gather the vintage of the wicked. 7 They cause the naked to lodge without
clothing, that they have no covering in the cold. 8 They are wet with the showers
of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. 9 They pluck the
fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor. 10 They cause him to go
naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry; 11 Which
make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst. 12 Men
groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God
layeth not folly to them. 13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they
know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. 14 The murderer rising
with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 15 The eye
also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and
disguiseth his face. 16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had
marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light. 17 For the
morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in
the terrors of the shadow of death. 18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is
cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. 19 Drought and
heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. 20
The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no
more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree. 21 He evil
entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow. 22 He
draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are

upon their ways. 24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought
low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears
of corn. 25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my
speech nothing worth?

Job 25
1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 2 Dominion and fear are with

him, he maketh peace in his high places. 3 Is there any number of his armies?
and upon whom doth not his light arise? 4 How then can man be justified with
God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? 5 Behold even to the
moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6 How much less
man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Job 26
1 But Job answered and said, 2 How hast thou helped him that is without

power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength? 3 How hast thou
counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast thou plentifully declared the
thing as it is? 4 To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from
thee? 5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants
thereof. 6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. 7 He
stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon
nothing. 8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent
under them. 9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud
upon it. 10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night
come to an end. 11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his
reproof. 12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he
smiteth through the proud. 13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his
hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but
how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can
understand?

Job 27
1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, 2 As God liveth, who hath

taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; 3 All the
while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; 4 My lips shall
not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. 5 God forbid that I should
justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. 6 My
righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so
long as I live. 7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against
me as the unrighteous. 8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath
gained, when God taketh away his soul? 9 Will God hear his cry when trouble
cometh upon him? 10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always
call upon God? 11 I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the
Almighty will I not conceal. 12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then
are ye thus altogether vain? 13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and
the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty. 14 If his
children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied
with bread. 15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his widows
shall not weep. 16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as
the clay; 17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall
divide the silver. 18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the
keeper maketh. 19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he
openeth his eyes, and he is not. 20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest
stealeth him away in the night. 21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he
departeth: and as a storm hurleth him out of his place. 22 For God shall cast upon
him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand. 23 Men shall clap their
hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

Job 28
1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the stone. 3 He setteth

an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection: the stones of darkness, and
the shadow of death. 4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the
waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men. 5
As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire. 6
The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold. 7 There is a
path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: 8 The
lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. 9 He putteth
forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. 10 He
cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing. 11 He
bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to
light. 12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of
understanding? 13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the
land of the living. 14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not
with me. 15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the
price thereof. 16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious
onyx, or the sapphire. 17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the
exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. 18 No mention shall be made
of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. 19 The topaz of
Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold. 20 Whence
then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? 21 Seeing it is
hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air. 22
Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. 23 God
understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. 24 For he
looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; 25 To make
the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. 26 When he
made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: 27 Then
did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. 28 And unto
man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil
is understanding.

Job 29
1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, 2 Oh that I were as in

months past, as in the days when God preserved me; 3 When his candle shined
upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness; 4 As I was in
the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; 5 When
the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me; 6 When I
washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; 7 When I
went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 8 The
young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. 9 The
princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. 10 The nobles held
their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 11 When the ear
heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: 12
Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none
to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I
caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed
me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet
was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I
searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of
his teeth. 18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as
the sand. 19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon
my branch. 20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel. 22 After

my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon them. 23 And they
waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter
rain. 24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my
countenance they cast not down. 25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and
dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Job 30
1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I

would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock. 2 Yea, whereto
might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age was perished? 3 For
want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time
desolate and waste. 4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for
their meat. 5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as
after a thief;) 6 To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in
the rocks. 7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered
together. 8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were
viler than the earth. 9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. 10 They
abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. 11 Because he
hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before
me. 12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they
raise up against me the ways of their destruction. 13 They mar my path, they set
forward my calamity, they have no helper. 14 They came upon me as a wide
breaking in of waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me. 15
Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and my welfare
passeth away as a cloud. 16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of
affliction have taken hold upon me. 17 My bones are pierced in me in the night
season: and my sinews take no rest. 18 By the great force of my disease is my
garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. 19 He hath cast
me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. 20 I cry unto thee, and
thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not. 21 Thou art become
cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me. 22 Thou
liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my
substance. 23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house
appointed for all living. 24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave,
though they cry in his destruction. 25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble?
was not my soul grieved for the poor? 26 When I looked for good, then evil came
unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 27 My bowels boiled,
and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me. 28 I went mourning without
the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the congregation. 29 I am a brother to dragons,
and a companion to owls. 30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned
with heat. 31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice of
them that weep.

Job 31
1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the

Almighty from on high? 3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange

punishment to the workers of iniquity? 4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all
my steps? 5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; 6
Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity. 7 If
my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and
if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; 8 Then let me sow, and let another eat;
yea, let my offspring be rooted out. 9 If mine heart have been deceived by a
woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbour’s door; 10 Then let my wife grind
unto another, and let others bow down upon her. 11 For this is an heinous crime;
yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. 12 For it is a fire that
consumeth to destruction, and would root out all mine increase. 13 If I did
despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended
with me; 14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what
shall I answer him? 15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did
not one fashion us in the womb? 16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire,
or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 17 Or have eaten my morsel myself
alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 18 (For from my youth he was
brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s
womb;) 19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without
covering; 20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the
fleece of my sheep; 21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I
saw my help in the gate: 22 Then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and
mine arm be broken from the bone. 23 For destruction from God was a terror to
me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. 24 If I have made gold my
hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 25 If I rejoiced
because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; 26 If I
beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; 27 And my
heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: 28 This also
were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God
that is above. 29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up
myself when evil found him: 30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by
wishing a curse to his soul. 31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we
had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied. 32 The stranger did not lodge in the
street: but I opened my doors to the traveller. 33 If I covered my transgressions as
Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom: 34 Did I fear a great multitude, or
did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of
the door? 35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty
would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. 36 Surely I would
take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. 37 I would declare unto
him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him. 38 If my land
cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; 39 If I have eaten
the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their
life: 40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The
words of Job are ended.

Job 32
1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his

own eyes. 2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite,
of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified
himself rather than God. 3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled,
because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu
had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he. 5 When Elihu
saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath
was kindled. 6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am
young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine
opinion. 7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach
wisdom. 8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth
them understanding. 9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged
understand judgment. 10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine
opinion. 11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye
searched out what to say. 12 Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was
none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words: 13 Lest ye should
say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man. 14 Now he
hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your
speeches. 15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
16 When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and answered no
more;) 17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion. 18 For
I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. 19 Behold, my belly is
as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles. 20 I will speak,
that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer. 21 Let me not, I pray
you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. 22
For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take
me away.

Job 33
1 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my

words. 2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my

mouth. 3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall
utter knowledge clearly. 4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the
Almighty hath given me life. 5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order
before me, stand up. 6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also
am formed out of the clay. 7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither
shall my hand be heavy upon thee. 8 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing,
and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, 9 I am clean without
transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. 10 Behold, he
findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy, 11 He putteth my
feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths. 12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I
will answer thee, that God is greater than man. 13 Why dost thou strive against
him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. 14 For God speaketh once,
yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when
deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16 Then he openeth
the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17 That he may withdraw man from
his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
and his life from perishing by the sword. 19 He is chastened also with pain upon
his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: 20 So that his life
abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. 21 His flesh is consumed away, that it
cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. 22 Yea, his soul
draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. 23 If there be a
messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his
uprightness: 24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going
down to the pit: I have found a ransom. 25 His flesh shall be fresher than a
child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: 26 He shall pray unto God, and
he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will
render unto man his righteousness. 27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I
have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28 He
will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. 29 Lo,
all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, 30 To bring back his soul
from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. 31 Mark well, O Job,
hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak. 32 If thou hast any thing to
say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee. 33 If not, hearken unto me:
hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

Job 34
1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said, 2 Hear my words, O ye wise men;

and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. 3 For the ear trieth words, as the
mouth tasteth meat. 4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among
ourselves what is good. 5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken
away my judgment. 6 Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable
without transgression. 7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like
water? 8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with
wicked men. 9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight
himself with God. 10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far
be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he
should commit iniquity. 11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and
cause every man to find according to his ways. 12 Yea, surely God will not do
wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. 13 Who hath given him a
charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? 14 If he set his
heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; 15 All flesh
shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. 16 If now thou hast
understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words. 17 Shall even he that
hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? 18 Is it fit to
say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly? 19 How much
less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more
than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands. 20 In a moment shall they
die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty
shall be taken away without hand. 21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and
he seeth all his goings. 22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the
workers of iniquity may hide themselves. 23 For he will not lay upon man more
than right; that he should enter into judgment with God. 24 He shall break in
pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead. 25 Therefore he
knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are
destroyed. 26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; 27
Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: 28
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry
of the afflicted. 29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and
when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a
nation, or against a man only: 30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be
ensnared. 31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I
will not offend any more: 32 That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done
iniquity, I will do no more. 33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will
recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore
speak what thou knowest. 34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise
man hearken unto me. 35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words
were without wisdom. 36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because
of his answers for wicked men. 37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he
clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

Job 35
1 Elihu spake moreover, and said, 2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou

saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s? 3 For thou saidst, What advantage
will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? 4
I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. 5 Look unto the heavens, and
see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. 6 If thou sinnest, what
doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou
unto him? 7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of
thine hand? 8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness
may profit the son of man. 9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they
make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. 10
But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; 11 Who
teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls
of heaven? 12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of
evil men. 13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him;

therefore trust thou in him. 15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his
anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity: 16 Therefore doth Job open his
mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

Job 36
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said, 2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee

that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf. 3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 4 For truly my words shall not be
false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. 5 Behold, God is mighty, and
despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. 6 He preserveth not the
life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. 7 He withdraweth not his eyes
from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish
them for ever, and they are exalted. 8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be
holden in cords of affliction; 9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their
transgressions that they have exceeded. 10 He openeth also their ear to discipline,
and commandeth that they return from iniquity. 11 If they obey and serve him,
they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 12 But if
they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without
knowledge. 13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he
bindeth them. 14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean. 15 He
delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. 16 Even
so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is
no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take

hold on thee. 18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his
stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. 19 Will he esteem thy riches? no,
not gold, nor all the forces of strength. 20 Desire not the night, when people are
cut off in their place. 21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen
rather than affliction. 22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like
him? 23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought
iniquity? 24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold. 25 Every
man may see it; man may behold it afar off. 26 Behold, God is great, and we
know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. 27 For he
maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour
thereof: 28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. 29 Also
can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. 31

For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance. 32 With clouds
he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh
betwixt. 33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning
the vapour.

Job 37
1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2 Hear

attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3 He
directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he

will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5 God thundereth marvellously with
his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6 For he saith to
the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of
his strength. 7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his
work. 8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9 Out of the
south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 10 By the breath of God
frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11 Also by watering he
wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12 And it is turned round
about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon
the face of the world in the earth. 13 He causeth it to come, whether for
correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still,
and consider the wondrous works of God. 15 Dost thou know when God
disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? 16 Dost thou know the
balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in
knowledge? 17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the
south wind? 18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a
molten looking glass? 19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot
order our speech by reason of darkness. 20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a
man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. 21 And now men see not the bright
light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 22 Fair
weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty. 23 Touching the
Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment,
and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. 24 Men do therefore fear him: he
respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2 Who is

this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Gird up now thy
loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 4 Where wast
thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast
understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who
hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof
fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 7 When the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? 8 Or who shut up the sea with
doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb? 9 When I made
the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 10 And
brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto
shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? 12
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to
know his place; 13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the
wicked might be shaken out of it? 14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they
stand as a garment. 15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the
high arm shall be broken. 16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast
thou walked in the search of the depth? 17 Have the gates of death been opened
unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? 18 Hast thou
perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou knowest it all. 19 Where is the
way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof, 20
That thou shouldest take it to the bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know
the paths to the house thereof? 21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born?
or because the number of thy days is great? 22 Hast thou entered into the
treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 23 Which I have
reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war? 24 By
what way is the light parted, which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? 25
Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the
lightning of thunder; 26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the
wilderness, wherein there is no man; 27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground;
and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth? 28 Hath the rain a father?
or who hath begotten the drops of dew? 29 Out of whose womb came the ice?
and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it? 30 The waters are hid as
with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. 31 Canst thou bind the sweet
influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? 32 Canst thou bring forth
Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 33 Knowest
thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover

thee? 35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here
we are? 36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given
understanding to the heart? 37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who
can stay the bottles of heaven, 38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the
clods cleave fast together? 39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the
appetite of the young lions, 40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the
covert to lie in wait? 41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young
ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job 39
1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or

canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? 2 Canst thou number the months that
they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth? 3 They bow
themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows. 4 Their
young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return
not unto them. 5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the
bands of the wild ass? 6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren
land his dwellings. 7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he
the crying of the driver. 8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he
searcheth after every green thing. 9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or
abide by thy crib? 10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or
will he harrow the valleys after thee? 11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength
is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him? 12 Wilt thou believe him, that he
will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn? 13 Gavest thou the goodly
wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? 14 Which
leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, 15 And forgetteth that
the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. 16 She is
hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in
vain without fear; 17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he
imparted to her understanding. 18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she
scorneth the horse and his rider. 19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou
clothed his neck with thunder? 20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper?
the glory of his nostrils is terrible. 21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his
strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. 22 He mocketh at fear, and is not
affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. 23 The quiver rattleth against
him, the glittering spear and the shield. 24 He swalloweth the ground with
fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. 25 He
saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder
of the captains, and the shouting. 26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and
stretch her wings toward the south? 27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command,
and make her nest on high? 28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the
crag of the rock, and the strong place. 29 From thence she seeketh the prey, and
her eyes behold afar off. 30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the
slain are, there is she.

Job 40
 Job 40
1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth

with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. 3 Then
Job answered the LORD, and said, 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?
I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not
answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. 6 Then answered the LORD
unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I
will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 8 Wilt thou also disannul my
judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? 9 Hast thou an
arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? 10 Deck thyself now
with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. 11 Cast
abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.
12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the

wicked in their place. 13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in
secret. 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save
thee. 15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.
16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. 17

He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. 18
His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. 19 He is
the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach
unto him. 20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of
the field play. 21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and
fens. 22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook
compass him about. 23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth
that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose
pierceth through snares.

Job 41
 1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord

which thou lettest down? 2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw
through with a thorn? 3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he
speak soft words unto thee? 4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take
him for a servant for ever? 5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou
bind him for thy maidens? 6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall
they part him among the merchants? 7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons?
or his head with fish spears? 8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do
no more. 9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down even at
the sight of him? 10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to
stand before me? 11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him?
whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. 12 I will not conceal his parts, nor
his power, nor his comely proportion. 13 Who can discover the face of his
garment? or who can come to him with his double bridle? 14 Who can open the
doors of his face? his teeth are terrible round about. 15 His scales are his pride,
shut up together as with a close seal. 16 One is so near to another, that no air can
come between them. 17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that
they cannot be sundered. 18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are
like the eyelids of the morning. 19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and
sparks of fire leap out. 20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot
or caldron. 21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth. 22 In
his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy before him. 23 The
flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in themselves; they cannot
be moved. 24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether
millstone. 25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of
breakings they purify themselves. 26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot
hold: the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. 27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and
brass as rotten wood. 28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned
with him into stubble. 29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking
of a spear. 30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things upon
the mire. 31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of
ointment. 32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be
hoary. 33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear. 34 He
beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children of pride.

Job 42
1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 2 I know that thou canst do every

thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. 3 Who is he that hideth
counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not;
things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. 4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will
speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 5 I have heard of thee by
the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself,
and repent in dust and ashes. 7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken
these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is
kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me
the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8 Therefore take unto you now
seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for
yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I
accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the
thing which is right, like my servant Job. 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad
the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD
commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job. 10 And the LORD turned the
captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice
as much as he had before. 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all
his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat
bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over
all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a
piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 12 So the LORD blessed the
latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep,
and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the

first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third,
Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the
daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16
After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’
sons, even four generations. 17 So Job died, being old and full of days.

Psalms 1
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor

standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his
delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his

fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth
away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the
righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalms 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The

kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against
the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder,
and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the
Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath,
and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill
of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my
Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a
potter’s vessel. 10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of
the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but
a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalms 3
1 LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up

against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in
God. Selah. 3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up
of mine head. 4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his
holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained
me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves
against me round about. 7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast
smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the
ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people.
Selah.

Psalms 4
1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me

when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of
men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity,
and seek after leasing? Selah. 3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that
is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. 4 Stand in awe,
and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. 6 There be
many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy
countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the
time that their corn and their wine increased. 8 I will both lay me down in peace,
and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalms 5
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto

the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3 My voice
shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer
unto thee, and will look up. 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in
wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5 The foolish shall not stand in thy
sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak
leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. 7 But as for me, I
will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I
worship toward thy holy temple. 8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness
because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. 9 For there is
no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat
is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. 10 Destroy thou them, O
God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their
transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee. 11 But let all those that put
their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest
them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou, LORD, wilt
bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalms 6
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot

displeasure. 2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal
me; for my bones are vexed. 3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD,
how long? 4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’
sake. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give
thee thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to
swim; I water my couch with my tears. 7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief;
it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. 8 Depart from me, all ye workers of
iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD hath
heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. 10 Let all mine
enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.

Psalms 7
1 O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that

persecute me, and deliver me: 2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in
pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3 O LORD my God, if I have done this; if
there be iniquity in my hands; 4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at
peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) 5
Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life
upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. 6 Arise, O LORD, in
thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for
me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. 7 So shall the congregation of the
people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high. 8 The
LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my
righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. 9 Oh let the
wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous
God trieth the hearts and reins. 10 My defence is of God, which saveth the
upright in heart. 11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked
every day. 12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and
made it ready. 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he
ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. 14 Behold, he travaileth with
iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He made a
pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief
shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon
his own pate. 17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will
sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

Psalms 8
1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast

set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast
thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the
enemy and the avenger. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers,
the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art
mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made
him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put
all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8
The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the
paths of the seas. 9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Psalms 9
1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy

marvellous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy
name, O thou most High. 3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall
and perish at thy presence. 4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause;
thou satest in the throne judging right. 5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou
hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. 6 O
thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed
cities; their memorial is perished with them. 7 But the LORD shall endure for
ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. 8 And he shall judge the world in
righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. 9 The
LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 10
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast
not forsaken them that seek thee. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in
Zion: declare among the people his doings. 12 When he maketh inquisition for
blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. 13 Have
mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate
me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: 14 That I may shew forth all
thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation. 15
The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is
their own foot taken. 16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he
executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 18 For

the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not
perish for ever. 19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged
in thy sight. 20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves
to be but men. Selah. 21 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou
thyself in times of trouble? 22 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor:
let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. 23 For the wicked
boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD
abhorreth. 24 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek
after God: God is not in all his thoughts. 25 His ways are always grievous; thy
judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at
them. 26 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in
adversity. 27 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue
is mischief and vanity. 28 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the
secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the
poor. 29 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the
poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. 30 He croucheth,
and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. 31 He hath said
in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it. 32 Arise,
O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. 33 Wherefore doth
the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. 34
Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy
hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
35 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness

till thou find none. 36 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are
perished out of his land. 37 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou
wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 38 To judge the
fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Psalms 10
1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your

mountain? 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow
upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the
foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 4 The LORD is in his holy
temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the
children of men. 5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that
loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and
brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. 7 For
the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the
upright.

Psalms 11
1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among

the children of men. 2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with
flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. 3 The LORD shall cut off
all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: 4 Who have said,
With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? 5 For
the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith
the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 6 The words of
the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this
generation for ever. 8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are
exalted.

Psalms 12
1 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou

hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having
sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the
sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those
that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my
heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath
dealt bountifully with me.

Psalms 13
1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they

have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. 2 The LORD looked
down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did
understand, and seek God. 3 They are all gone aside, they are all together
become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 4 Have all the workers
of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not
upon the LORD. 5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of
the righteous. 6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is
his refuge. 7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the
LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel
shall be glad.

Psalms 14
1 LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy

hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the
truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his
neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile
person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that
sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money
to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall
never be moved.

Psalms 15
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. 2 O my soul, thou hast

said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; 3
But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my
delight. 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their
drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. 5
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest
my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly
heritage. 7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also
instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the LORD always before me:
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is
glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not
leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy

right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalms 16
 Psalms 16
1 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that

goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence;
let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3 Thou hast proved mine heart;
thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am
purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, by
the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Hold up my
goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. 6 I have called upon thee, for thou
wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. 7 Shew thy
marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put
their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. 8 Keep me as the apple of
the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress
me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. 10 They are inclosed in
their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly. 11 They have now compassed
us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12 Like as a
lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret
places. 13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from
the wicked, which is thy sword: 14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD,
from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly
thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of
their substance to their babes. 15 As for me, I will behold thy face in
righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Psalms 17
1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock, and my

fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my

buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the
LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me
afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented
me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard
my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and
were shaken, because he was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,
and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the
heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode
upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. 11 He
made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters
and thick clouds of the skies. 12 At the brightness that was before him his thick
clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. 13 The LORD also thundered in the
heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. 14 Yea, he
sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and
discomfited them. 15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations
of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath
of thy nostrils. 16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many
waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated
me: for they were too strong for me. 18 They prevented me in the day of my
calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 19 He brought me forth also into a large
place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. 20 The LORD rewarded me
according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he
recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not
wickedly departed from my God. 22 For all his judgments were before me, and I
did not put away his statutes from me. 23 I was also upright before him, and I
kept myself from mine iniquity. 24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me
according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his
eyesight. 25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright
man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure;
and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. 27 For thou wilt save the
afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28 For thou wilt light my
candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. 29 For by thee I have run
through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. 30 As for God, his
way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that
trust in him. 31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. 33 He

maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. 34 He
teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. 35 Thou
hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me
up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. 36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under
me, that my feet did not slip. 37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken
them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed. 38 I have wounded them
that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet. 39 For thou hast
girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that
rose up against me. 40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I
might destroy them that hate me. 41 They cried, but there was none to save them:
even unto the LORD, but he answered them not. 42 Then did I beat them small as
the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. 43 Thou
hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the
head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me. 44 As soon
as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves
unto me. 45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be

exalted. 47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me. 48 He
delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise
up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man. 49 Therefore will I
give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy
name. 50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his
anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

Psalms 18
 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his

handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth
knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4
Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the
world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom
coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His
going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and
there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of

the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also

than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and
in keeping of them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors?
cleanse thou me from secret faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from
presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright,
and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. 14 Let the words of my
mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my
strength, and my redeemer.

Psalms 19
1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob

defend thee; 2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of
Zion; 3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. 4 Grant
thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. 5 We will rejoice in
thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD
fulfil all thy petitions. 6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will
hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some
trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the
LORD our God. 8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand
upright. 9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

Psalms 20
1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how

greatly shall he rejoice! 2 Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not
withholden the request of his lips. Selah. 3 For thou preventest him with the
blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked
life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. 5 His
glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. 6 For
thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad
with thy countenance. 7 For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the
mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. 8 Thine hand shall find out all
thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. 9 Thou shalt
make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow
them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. 10 Their fruit shalt thou
destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men. 11 For
they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they
are not able to perform. 12 Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when
thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them. 13
Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy
power.

Psalms 21
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from

helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the
daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But
thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in
thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were
delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worm, and
no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me
laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He
trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he
delighted in him. 9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst
make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. 10 I was cast upon thee
from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. 11 Be not far from me;
for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me:
strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their
mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all
my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my
bowels. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my
jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. 16 For dogs have
compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my
hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 19 But be
not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20 Deliver
my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from
the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. 22 I will
declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise
thee. 23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him;
and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel. 24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he
cried unto him, he heard. 25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation:
I will pay my vows before them that fear him. 26 The meek shall eat and be
satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for
ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and
all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom is
the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations. 29 All they that be fat
upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow
before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 30 A seed shall serve him; it
shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall
declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Psalms 22
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down

in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul:

he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art
with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before
me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup
runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 23
1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that

dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the
floods. 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his
holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up
his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from
the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the
generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. 7 Lift up
your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of
glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up,
ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of
glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Psalms 24
1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let

me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none that
wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. 4
Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and
teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. 6
Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they
have been ever of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’
sake, O LORD. 8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners
in the way. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his
way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his
covenant and his testimonies. 11 For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine
iniquity; for it is great. 12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he
teach in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed
shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and
he will shew them his covenant. 15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he
shall pluck my feet out of the net. 16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon
me; for I am desolate and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O
bring thou me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain;
and forgive all my sins. 19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they
hate me with cruel hatred. 20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be
ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me;
for I wait on thee. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Psalms 25
 1 Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted

also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide. 2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove
me; try my reins and my heart. 3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and
I have walked in thy truth. 4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in
with dissemblers. 5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit
with the wicked. 6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine
altar, O LORD: 7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of
all thy wondrous works. 8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and
the place where thine honour dwelleth. 9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor
my life with bloody men: 10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is
full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be
merciful unto me. 12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will
I bless the LORD.

Psalms 26
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is

the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine
enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war
should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 4 One thing have I desired of
the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all
the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his
temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret
of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now
shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will
I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto
the LORD. 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon
me, and answer me. 8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto
thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy
servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me,
O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the
LORD will take me up. 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain
path, because of mine enemies. 12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine
enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out
cruelty. 13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living. 14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall
strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalms 27
1 Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be

silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my
supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy
oracle. 3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity,
which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give
them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their
endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.
5 Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his

hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. 6 Blessed be the LORD,
because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 7 The LORD is my strength
and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart
greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. 8 The LORD is their
strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 9 Save thy people, and
bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

Psalms 28
1 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and

strength. 2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD
in the beauty of holiness. 3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God
of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is
powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD
breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He
maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7
The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD
shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice
of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his
temple doth every one speak of his glory. 10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood;
yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. 11 The LORD will give strength unto his
people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Psalms 29
1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made

my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast
healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast
kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye
saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger
endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but
joy cometh in the morning. 6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be
moved. 7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong:
thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto
the LORD I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go
down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O
LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11 Thou hast
turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and
girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee,
and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Psalms 30
 Psalms 30
1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me

in thy righteousness. 2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou
my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3 For thou art my rock and
my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out
of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. 5 Into thine
hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. 6 I have
hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad
and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known
my soul in adversities; 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy:
thou hast set my feet in a large room. 9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am
in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10 For
my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth
because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. 11 I was a reproach
among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to
mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. 12 I am forgotten
as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. 13 For I have heard the
slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together
against me, they devised to take away my life. 14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD:
I said, Thou art my God. 15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand
of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. 16 Make thy face to shine
upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake. 17 Let me not be ashamed, O
LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be
silent in the grave. 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous
things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. 19 Oh how great is thy
goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast
wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! 20 Thou shalt hide
them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them
secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the LORD: for he
hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. 22 For I said in my
haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice
of my supplications when I cried unto thee. 23 O love the LORD, all ye his
saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud
doer. 24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope
in the LORD.

Psalms 31
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose
spirit there is no guile. 3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my
roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my
moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. 5 I acknowledged my sin
unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my
transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest

be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt

compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. 8 I will instruct thee and
teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. 9 Be
ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth
must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. 10 Many
sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall
compass him about. 11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout
for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 32
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument

of ten strings. 3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise. 4 For
the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth. 5 He loveth
righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. 6 By
the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the
breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he
layeth up the depth in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the
inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was done; he
commanded, and it stood fast. 10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen
to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 11 The counsel of
the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath
chosen for his own inheritance. 13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth
all the sons of men. 14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the
inhabitants of the earth. 15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he consi