# Fragments of lost works

- Author: [Justin Martyr](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/justin-martyr/)
- Latin title: *Fragmenta operum deperditorum*
- Date: ca. 150-165 (approximate)
- Source: J. C. T. de Otto, ed., Corpus apologetarum christianorum saeculi secundi, vol. 3, 3rd ed. (Jena: Mauke, 1879) (OCR made for this site)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/
- Passages: 18

## Justin, Fr. 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-3
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Tatian reports Justin's saying that the demons are like robbers.

### Greek text

Καὶ ὃ θαυμασιώτατος Ἰουστῖνος ὀρθῶς ἐξεφώνησεν ἐοικέναι τοὺς προειρημένους λῃσταῖς.

### English translation (Claude)

And the most admirable Justin rightly declared that the aforementioned are like robbers.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Tatian, Or. Graec. 18 (Oration to the Greeks): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- From Tatian, Oration to the Greeks 18 (on this site: tatian-oration 18), where “the aforementioned” are the demons who pretend to heal: like robbers who take people captive and release them for ransom, they cause diseases and then end them to win worship.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 3 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-3).

## Justin, Fr. 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-4
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Methodius reports Justin's explanation that the flesh is inherited by the kingdom rather than inheriting it.

### Greek text

Ἰουστῖνος δὲ ὃ Νεαπολίτης, ἀνὴρ οὔτε τῷ χρόνῳ πόῤῥω ὧν τῶν ἀποστόλων οὔτε τῇ ἀρετῇ, κληρονομεῖσθαι μὲν τὸ ἀποθνῆσκον, κληρονομεῖν δὲ τὸ ζῶν λέγει, καὶ ἀποθνήσκειν μὲν σάρκα, ζῆν δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.

### English translation (Claude)

Justin of Neapolis, a man not far from the apostles either in time or in virtue, says that what dies is inherited, while what lives inherits; and that the flesh dies, while the kingdom of heaven lives.

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 15:50: allusion, high confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Methodius, Res. 2.18 (On the Resurrection): quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- From Methodius, On the Resurrection 2.18 (on this site: methodius-de-resurrectione 2.18), probably from Justin's lost work on the resurrection. The point concerns 1 Cor 15:50 (“flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God”): the flesh does not inherit but is inherited.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 4 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-4).

## Justin, Fr. 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-5
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A fragment argues that because corruption entered human nature through the first transgression, the Word had to take a body to unite life with that nature, rather than save by a mere command.

### Greek text

Πλάσας ὃ θεὸς κατ᾽ ἀρχὰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον τῆς γνώμης αὐτοῦ τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἀπῃώρησεν, ἐντολῇ μιᾷ ποιησάμενος τὴν διάπειραν. Φυλάξαντα μὲν γὰρ ταύτην τῆς ἀθανάτου λήξεως πεποίηκεν ἔσεσθαι, παραβάντα δὲ τῆς ἐναντίας. Οὕτω γεγονὼς ὃ ἄνθρωπος καὶ πρὸς τὴν παράβασιν εὐθὺς ἐλθὼν τὴν φθορὰν φυσικῶς εἰσεδέξατο. Φύσει δὲ τῆς φθορᾶς προσγενομένης ἀναγκαῖον ἦν ὅτι σῶσαι βουλόμενος ἦν τὴν φθοροποιὸν οὐσίαν ἀφανίσας. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἑτέρως γενέσθαι, εἰ μήπερ κατὰ φύσιν ζωὴ προσεπλάκη τῷ τὴν φθορὰν δεξαμένῳ, ἀφανίζουσα μὲν τὴν φθοράν, ἀθάνατον δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ τὸ δεξάμενον διατηροῦσα. Διὰ τοῦτο τὸν λόγον ἐδέησεν ἐν σώματι γενέσθαι, ἵνα τοῦ θανάτου τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ἡμᾶς φθορᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃ. Εἰ γάρ, ὥς φατε, νεύματι μόνον τὸν θάνατον ἡμῶν ἀπεκώλυσεν, οὐ προσήει μὲν διὰ τὴν βούλησιν ὁ θάνατος, οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον φθαρτοὶ πάλιν ἦμεν, φυσικὴν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν φθορὰν περιφέροντες.

### English translation (Claude)

When God fashioned man in the beginning, he made the things of his nature hang on his will, making trial of him by a single command. For if he kept it, he made him to be of the immortal lot; if he transgressed, of the opposite. Man, having been made so and having at once gone on to transgression, received corruption into his nature. And since corruption had become part of his nature, it was necessary that the one who wished to save should be the one who did away with the substance that caused corruption. This could not happen otherwise than if life by nature were joined to what had received corruption, doing away with the corruption and keeping what had received it immortal from then on. For this reason the Word had to come to be in a body, so that he might free us from the death of natural corruption. For if, as you say, he had merely held back our death by a nod, death would not have come near because of his will, but we would none the less have been corruptible again, carrying natural corruption in ourselves.

### Scripture references

- Gen 2:16–17: allusion, medium confidence

### Extrabiblical texts

- Athanasius, Inc. 44 (On the Incarnation): echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Cited under Justin's name by Leontius (Against the Nestorians and Eutychians, book 2). The genuineness of this fragment is doubtful: the argument (“why not by a nod?”) closely resembles Athanasius, On the Incarnation 44 (on this site: athanasius-incarnatione 44.1), and the language suggests a later date than Justin. The allusion to the single command is Gen 2:16–17.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 5 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-5).

## Justin, Fr. 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-6
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Ignorance of God harms not God but ourselves, depriving us of his friendship.

### Greek text

Οὐ τὸν θεὸν βλάψομεν ἀγνοοῦντες αὐτόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστερήσομεν τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλίας.

### English translation (Claude)

We shall not harm God by being ignorant of him, but we shall deprive ourselves of his friendship.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in a manuscript collection under Justin's name; genuineness uncertain, as with most of these short sayings preserved in later anthologies.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 6 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-6).

## Justin, Fr. 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-7
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Truth, like light, cannot become its opposite or be overcome.

### Greek text

Οὔτε τὸ φῶς ἔσται σκότος ποτέ, ἕως ἂν ἦ φῶς, οὔτε ἣ τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια διελεγχθήσεται. doe γάρ ἐστι, καὶ ταύτης ἰσχυρότερον οὐδέν.

### English translation (Claude)

Neither will light ever be darkness, as long as it is light, nor will the truth of what we hold be refuted. For it is [truth], and nothing is stronger than it.

### Translation notes

- The word after the stop is garbled in the digital text (“doe”); the sense requires something like “truth” (ἀλήθεια), supplied in brackets. Genuineness uncertain. A further sentence found in some collections (“Everyone who could speak the truth and does not will be judged by God”) is not in this text.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 7 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-7).

## Justin, Fr. 8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-8
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A hard heart repels a sound word.

### Greek text

Πρὸς σκληρὰν καὶ ἀπειθῆ καρδίαν λόγος ὑγιὴς οὐκ εἰσἔρχεται, ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἀντιτυπούμενος πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπανέρχεται.

### English translation (Claude)

Into a hard and disobedient heart a sound word does not enter, but, as if struck back, it returns to itself.

### Translation notes

- Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 8 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-8).

## Justin, Fr. 9

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-9
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Knowledge of God is the soul's health and makes it like God.

### Greek text

Ὡς δὲ σώματος ἀγαθὸν ὑγεία, οὕτως ψυχῆς ἀγαθὸν γνῶσις θεοῦ, ὑγεία τις οὖσα ψυχῆς, καθ᾽ ἣν πρὸς θεὸν ὁμοίωσις γίνεται.

### English translation (Claude)

As health is the good of the body, so the knowledge of God is the good of the soul, being a kind of health of the soul, by which likeness to God comes about.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of John of Damascus (Sacra Parallela). Genuineness uncertain. On likeness to God compare fragment 18.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 9 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-9).

## Justin, Fr. 10

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-10
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As bodies cast shadows, so God's justice necessarily repays each person according to his choices.

### Greek text

Ὥσπερ πᾶσι τοῖς γενομένοις σώμασιν ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ συνυπάρχει καὶ τὸ σκιὰν ἔχειν, οὕτως καὶ τῷ θεῷ, δικαίῳ ὄντι, τοῖς τὰ καλὰ ἑλομένοις καὶ τοῖς τὰ κακὰ προτιμήσασιν ἀκόλουθόν ἐστι τὸ κατ᾽ ἀξίαν ἑκάστῳ ἀπονεῖμαι.

### English translation (Claude)

As it goes along with all the bodies made by God that they have a shadow, so it follows for God, who is just, to assign to each, to those who chose good things and to those who preferred evil ones, what he deserves.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of John of Damascus (Sacra Parallela). Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 10 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-10).

## Justin, Fr. 11

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-11
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The soul finds it hard to return to the good it has left and to leave the evil it is used to.

### Greek text

Δυσαναβίβαστος ἣ ψυχὴ πρὸς ταῦτα ἀφ᾽ ὧν ὠλίσθησε καλῶν, δυσεκβίβαστός τε τούτων ὧν συνειθίσθη κακῶν. [Εἰ μὲν σαυτόν ποτε ἠθέλησας μέμψασθαι, τῷ φαρμάκῳ τῆς μετανοίας τάχα ἂν χρηστάς τινας ἐλπίδας ἐθρεψάμην ἐπὶ σοί , ἐπειδὴ δὲ τελείως κατεφρόνησας τοῦ φόβου καὶ αὐτῆς κατέπτυσας τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως, βέλτιόν σοι ὑπῆρχεν ἵνα μὴ ἐγενήθης ἀπὸ γαστρός.

### English translation (Claude)

The soul is hard to bring back up to the good things from which it slipped, and hard to bring out of the evil things to which it has grown accustomed. [If you had ever been willing to blame yourself, I might perhaps have nourished some good hopes for you through the medicine of repentance; but since you have utterly despised the fear [of God] and spat upon faith in Christ itself, it would have been better for you not to have been born from the womb.]

### Scripture references

- Matt 26:24: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of John of Damascus (Sacra Parallela). The editor brackets the second part, which is not Justin's: according to Otto's note (partly preserved in the digital text after fragment 12) it is ascribed to St. Nilus. Its last clause echoes Matt 26:24. Genuineness of the first sentence uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 11 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-11).

## Justin, Fr. 12

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-12
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The believer, thought mad by others, knows he has been freed from error by the one unchanging truth.

### Greek text

Λανθάνει μέν, ὡς εἰκός, αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐκ πλάνης τῇ ἀληθείᾳ διὰ τῆς ὄντως πίστεως ἐξεστηκώς, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀληθῶς οἶδεν ἑαυτόν, οὐχ, ὃ φασιν ἐκεῖνοι, μαινόμενον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀστάτου καὶ ἀλλοιωτῆς περὶ τὴν παντοδαπῆ τῆς πλάνης ποικιλίαν φθορᾶς διὰ τῆς ἁπλῆς καὶ ἀεὶ ὡσαύτως ἐχούσης ἀληθείας ἠλευθερωμένον.

### English translation (Claude)

It escapes them, as is likely, that he has gone out of error into the truth through true faith; but he himself truly knows himself, not raving, as they say, but set free, through the simple truth that is always the same, from the unstable and changeable corruption that goes with the manifold variety of error.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of John of Damascus (Sacra Parallela). Otto's Latin note, which leaked into the digital text after the fragment, has been removed. “Gone out” renders ἐξεστηκώς, which also means “out of his mind”: a play on the charge that he is raving. Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 12 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-12).

## Justin, Fr. 13

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-13
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Living well means living by the truth, which requires understanding the nature of things.

### Greek text

Τὸ εὖ πράττειν ἡγοῦμαι, ὦ ἄνδρες, οὐκ ἄλλο τι εἶναι ἢ τὸ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ζῆν τὸ δὲ εὑ ζῆν ἢ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἄνευ τοῦ κατανοῆσαι τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων φύσιν.

### English translation (Claude)

To do well, men, I think is nothing other than to live according to truth; and to live well, that is, according to truth, is not possible without understanding the nature of things.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of John of Damascus (Sacra Parallela), which ascribes it to “the fifth part of his Apology”; it is not in the surviving Apologies. Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 13 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-13).

## Justin, Fr. 14

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-14
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: An unskilled teacher ruins his pupils, and careless pupils endanger their teacher.

### Greek text

Ἢ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἀπειρία ἀπολλύει τοὺς μαθητευομένους, καὶ ἡ τῶν μαθητευομένων ἀμέλεια κίνδυνον φέρει τῷ διδασκάλῳ, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν παρὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀνεπιστημοσύνην ῥᾴθυμοι εἶεν ἐκεῖνοι.

### English translation (Claude)

The inexperience of the teacher destroys the learners, and the negligence of the learners brings danger to the teacher, especially when they are careless because of his lack of knowledge.

### Translation notes

- Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 14 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-14).

## Justin, Fr. 15

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-15
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Yielding to the passions is slavery; mastering them is freedom.

### Greek text

Τὸ ὑποπεσεῖν καὶ παραχωρῆσαι τοῖς πάθεσιν ἐσχάτη δουλεία, ὥσπερ τὸ κρατεῖν τούτων ἐλευθερία μόνη.

### English translation (Claude)

To give in and yield to the passions is the utmost slavery, just as to master them is the only freedom.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of Antonius Melissa. Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 15 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-15).

## Justin, Fr. 16

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-16
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Not sinning is best, being punished is second best, and the unpunished wrongdoer is most wretched.

### Greek text

Μεγίστου ὄντος ἀγαθοῦ τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν, δεύτερον ἀγαθὸν τὸ δικαιωθῆναι ὅστις δὲ πολὺν χρόνον ἀδικῶν ἀκόλαστος μένει, τοῦτον δεῖ νομίζειν τὸν ἀτυχέστατον.

### English translation (Claude)

Since not sinning is the greatest good, the second good is to be set right by punishment; but whoever does wrong for a long time and remains unpunished must be thought the most unfortunate of all.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Plato, Gorg. 478c–479e (Plato (works)): echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of Antonius Melissa. “To be set right by punishment” renders δικαιωθῆναι, here in its classical sense “to be punished” (not “justified” in Paul's sense). The thought is Plato's (Gorgias 478c–479e). Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 16 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-16).

## Justin, Fr. 17

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-17
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: As a charioteer's skill or failure decides his team's fate, so with the guide of a life.

### Greek text

Ἀνάγκη ἀπειρίᾳ καὶ κακίᾳ ἡνιόχου τὰ ὑπεζευγμένα κατὰ κρημνῶν φέρεσθαι, ὥσπερ ἐμπειρίᾳ καὶ ἀρετῇ διασώζεσθαι.

### English translation (Claude)

Through the inexperience and badness of a charioteer the yoked horses are bound to be carried over cliffs, just as by his experience and virtue they are kept safe.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Plato, Phaedr. 246a–248b (Plato (works)): echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of Antonius Melissa. The image recalls Plato's charioteer (Phaedrus 246a–248b). Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 17 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-17).

## Justin, Fr. 18

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-18
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The aim of philosophy is likeness to God.

### Greek text

Τέλος τῷ φιλοσοφοῦντι ἣ πρὸς θεὸν ὁμοίωσις κατὰ τὸ δυνατόν.

### English translation (Claude)

The goal for one who pursues philosophy is likeness to God, as far as possible.

### Extrabiblical texts

- Plato, Tht. 176b (Plato (works)): quotation, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Preserved in the anthology of Antonius Melissa. The phrase is Plato's (Theaetetus 176b). Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 18 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-18).

## Justin, Fr. 19

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-19
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Nothing is too cramped or too numerous for God.

### Greek text

Οὔτε στενοχωρία παρὰ θεῷ οὔτε ἀναρίθμητόν τι.

### English translation (Claude)

With God there is neither lack of room nor anything beyond number.

### Translation notes

- Preserved in a manuscript collection under Justin's name. “Beyond number” renders ἀναρίθμητον; the older English translation (ANF 1) renders “nothing that is not absolutely perfect,” apparently from a different reading. Otto compares a sentence printed in the digital text at the end of fragment 20: “God does all things in measure and order, and with him nothing is without measure, since nothing is beyond number.” Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 19 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-19).

## Justin, Fr. 20

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-20
- Source: Otto, CorpApol 3 3
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: A fragment explains a prophecy as directed at Israel acting like the nations, citing Jeremiah's charge of idolatry.

### Greek text

Οὐ περὶ ἐθνῶν ἀλλοφύλων φησίν, ἀλλὰ περὶ !vo? συμφωνοῦντος τοῖς ἔθνεσιν κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ Ἱερεμίου Πικρόν σοι τὸ καταλιπεῖν ἐμέ, λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός σου, ὅτι ἀπ αἰῶνος συνέτριψας ζυγόν σου καὶ διέῤῥηξας τοὺς δεσμούς σου καὶ εἶπας Οὐ δουλεύσω ἀλλὰ πορεύσομαι ἐπὶ πᾶν ὄρος ὑψηλὸν καὶ ὑποκάτω παντὸς ξύλου, καὶ ἐκεῖ διάλυθήσομαι ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ μου.

### English translation (Claude)

He speaks not about foreign nations, but about the people that agrees with the nations, according to what was said by Jeremiah: “It is bitter for you to have forsaken me, says the Lord your God; for from of old you broke your yoke and burst your bonds and said, I will not serve, but I will go upon every high mountain and under every tree, and there I will be dissolved in my sexual immorality.”

### Scripture references

- Jer 2:19–20: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The quotation is Jer 2:19–20; the Septuagint reads διαχυθήσομαι (“I will sprawl”) where this text has διαλυθήσομαι (“I will be dissolved”). The word for “people” is garbled in the digital text and is translated by sense. The digital text ends with a heading, “Of Saint Justin, from the work against the Jews,” Otto's note comparing Dialogue with Trypho 127, and a sentence that belongs with fragment 19; these have been removed. Genuineness uncertain.

### Citation (SBL)

Justin, Frag. 20 (Otto, CorpApol 3 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-fragmenta/3/#p-20).