Against Celsus 3.64

And since he also says, “What then is this preference for sinners?” and adds similar things, we shall answer that the sinner is not preferred absolutely to one who is not a sinner. But there are times when a sinner who is aware of his own sin, and for that reason goes to repentance humbled by his sins, is preferred to one who is thought to be less of a sinner, but who does not consider himself a sinner, and is elated over certain better things of which he seems to be conscious in himself, and is puffed up about them. This is shown, to those who wish to read the Gospels fairly, by the parable about the tax collector who said, “Be merciful to me, the sinner,” and about the Pharisee who boasted with a certain wicked conceit and said, “I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.” For Jesus adds to the account of both: “This man went down to his house justified rather than that one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” We do not, then, blaspheme God or lie about him when we teach every person whatever to be aware of human smallness compared with God's greatness, and always to ask from him what is lacking to our nature, since he alone can fill up our deficiencies.