To Autolycus 3.7–3.23

Theophilus of Antioch · To Autolycus · ca. 180–185 · Antioch · 17 passages

Greek text: Otto, CorpApol 8 (Greek text: J. C. T. Otto, Theophili episcopi Antiocheni ad Autolycum libri tres (Corpus apologetarum Christianorum saeculi secundi 8, 1861), digitized by the Perseus Digital Library and published by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2 (1885).

Chapter 3

3.7Otto 8:202–210

Θεοὺς γὰρ φήσαντες εἶναι πάλιν εἰς οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς ἡγήσαντο. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀτόμων αὐτοὺς ἔφασαν συνεστάναι, οἱ δʼ αὖ χωρεῖν εἰς ἀτόμους, καὶ μηδὲν πλεῖον ἀνθρώπων δύνασθαι τοὺς θεούς φασιν. Πλάτων δέ, θεοὺς εἰπὼν εἶναι, ὑλικοὺς αὐτοὺς βούλεται συνιστᾶν. Πυθαγόρας δέ, τοσαῦτα μοχθήσας περὶ θεῶν καὶ τὴν ἄνω κάτω πορείαν ποιησάμενος, ἔσχατον ὁρίζει φύσιν καὶ αὐτοματισμὸν εἶναί φησιν τῶν πάντων· θεοὺς ἀνθρώπων μηδὲν φροντίζειν. Ὁπόσα τε Κλιτόμαχος ὁ Ἀκαδημαϊκὸς περὶ ἀθεότητος εἰσηγήσατο. Τί δʼ οὐχὶ καὶ Κριτίας καὶ Πρωταγόρας ὁ Ἀβδηρίτης λέγων· Εἴτε γὰρ εἰσὶν θεοί, οὐ δύναμαι περὶ αὐτῶν λέγειν, οὔτε ὁποῖοί εἰσιν δηλῶσαι· πολλὰ γάρ ἐστιν τὰ κωλύοντά με; Τὰ γὰρ περὶ Εὐημέρου τοῦ ἀθεωτάτου περισσὸν ἡμῖν καὶ λέγειν. Πολλὰ γὰρ περὶ θεῶν τολμήσας φθέγξασθαι ἔσχατον καὶ τὸ ἐξόλου μὴ εἶναι θεούς, ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα αὐτοματισμῷ διοικεῖσθαι βούλεται. Πλάτων δέ, ὁ τοσαῦτα εἰπὼν περὶ μοναρχίας θεοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς ἀνθρώπου, φάσκων ἀθάνατον εἶναι τὴν ψυχήν, οὐκ αὐτὸς ὕστερον εὑρίσκεται ἐναντία ἑαυτῷ λέγων, τὰς μὲν ψυχὰς μετέρχεσθαι εἰς ἑτέρους ἀνθρώπους, ἐνίων δὲ καὶ εἰς ἄλογα ζῶα χωρεῖν; Πῶς οὐ δεινὸν καὶ ἀθέμιτον δόγμα αὐτοῦ τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσι φανήσεται, ἵνα ὅ ποτε ἄνθρωπος πάλιν ἔσται λύκος ἢ κύων ἢ ὄνος ἢ ἄλλο τι ἄλογον κτῆνος; Τούτῳ ἀκόλουθα καὶ Πυθαγόρας εὑρίσκεται φλυαρῶν, πρὸς τῷ καὶ πρόνοιαν ἐκκόπτειν. Τίνι οὖν αὐτῶν πιστεύσωμεν, Φιλήμονι τῷ κωμικῷ, λέγοντι· Οἱ γὰρ θεὸν σέβοντες ἐλπίδας καλὰς Ἔχουσιν εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἢ οἷς προειρήκαμεν Εὐημέρῳ καὶ Ἐπικούρῳ καὶ Πυθαγόρᾳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀρνουμένοις εἶναι θεοσέβειαν καὶ πρόνοιαν ἀναιροῦσιν; Περὶ μὲν οὖν θεοῦ καὶ προνοίας Ἀρίστων ἔφη· Θάρσει, βοηθεῖν πᾶσι [μὲν] τοῖς ἀξίοις Εἴωθεν ὁ θεός, τοῖς δὲ τοιούτοις σφόδρα. Εἰ μὴ παρέσται προεδρία τις κειμένη Τοῖς ζῶσιν ὡς δεῖ, τί πλέον ἐστὶν εὐσεβεῖν; Εἴη γὰρ οὕτως· ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν ὁρῶ Τοὺς εὐσεβῶς μὲν ἑλομένους διεξάγειν Πράττοντας ἀτόπως, τοὺς δὲ μηδὲν ἕτερον ἢ Τὸ λυσιτελὲς τὸ κατʼ αὐτοὺς μόνον, Ἐντιμοτέραν ἔχοντας ἡμῶν διάθεσιν. Ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος· ἀλλὰ δεῖ πόῤῥω βλέπειν Καὶ τὴν ἁπάντων ἀναμένειν καταστροφήν. Οὐχ ὃν τρόπον γὰρ παρʼ ἐνίοις ἴσχυκέ τις Δόξα κακοήθης τῷ βίῳ τʼ ἀνωφελής, Φορά τις ἔστʼ αὐτόματος, ἢ βραβεύεται Ὡς ἔτυχε· ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα κρίνουσιν ἔχειν Ἐφόδια πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον οἱ φαῦλοι τρόπον. Ἔστιν δὲ καὶ τοῖς ζῶσιν ὁσίως προεδρία, Καὶ τοῖς πονηροῖς ὡς προσῆκʼ ἐπιτιμία· Χωρὶς προνοίας γίνεται γὰρ οὐδὲ ἕν. Ὁπόσα τε καὶ ἄλλοι καὶ σχεδόν γε οἱ πλείους εἶπον περὶ θεοῦ καὶ προνοίας, ὁρᾶν ἔστιν πῶς ἀνακόλουθα ἀλλήλοις ἔφασαν· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὸ ἐξόλου θεὸν καὶ πρόνοιαν εἶναι ἀνεῖλον, οἱ δʼ αὖ συνέστησαν θεὸν καὶ πάντα προνοίᾳ διοικεῖσθαι ὡμολόγησαν. Τὸν οὖν συνετὸν ἀκροατὴν καὶ ἀναγινώσκοντα προσέχειν ἀκριβῶς τοῖς λεγομένοις δεῖ, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Σιμύλος ἔφη· Κοινῶς ποιητὰς ἔθος ἐστὶν καλεῖν, Καὶ τοὺς περιττοὺς τῇ φύσει καὶ τοὺς καλούς· Ἔδει δὲ κρίνειν. Καθάπερ καὶ ὁ Φιλήμων· Χαλεπὸν ἀκροατὴς ἀσύνετος καθήμενος· Ὑπὸ γὰρ ἀνοίας οὐχ ἑαυτὸν μέμφεται. Χρὴ οὖν προσέχειν καὶ νοεῖν τὰ λεγόμενα κριτικῶς ἐξετάζοντα τὰ ὑπὸ τῶν φιλοσόφων καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ποιητῶν εἰρημένα.

Theous gar phēsantes einai palin eis ouden autous hēgēsanto. Hoi men gar ex atomōn autous ephasan synestanai, hoi dʼ au chōrein eis atomous, kai mēden pleion anthrōpōn dynasthai tous theous phasin. Platōn de, theous eipōn einai, hylikous autous bouletai synistan. Pythagoras de, tosauta mochthēsas peri theōn kai tēn anō katō poreian poiēsamenos, eschaton horizei physin kai automatismon einai phēsin tōn pantōn; theous anthrōpōn mēden phrontizein. Hoposa te Klitomachos ho Akadēmaïkos peri atheotētos eisēgēsato. Ti dʼ ouchi kai Kritias kai Prōtagoras ho Abdēritēs legōn; Eite gar eisin theoi, ou dynamai peri autōn legein, oute hopoioi eisin dēlōsai; polla gar estin ta kōlyonta me? Ta gar peri Euēmerou tou atheōtatou perisson hēmin kai legein. Polla gar peri theōn tolmēsas phthenxasthai eschaton kai to exolou mē einai theous, alla ta panta automatismǭ dioikeisthai bouletai. Platōn de, ho tosauta eipōn peri monarchias theou kai psychēs anthrōpou, phaskōn athanaton einai tēn psychēn, ouk autos hysteron heurisketai enantia heautǭ legōn, tas men psychas meterchesthai eis heterous anthrōpous, eniōn de kai eis aloga zōa chōrein? Pōs ou deinon kai athemiton dogma autou tois ge noun echousi phanēsetai, hina ho pote anthrōpos palin estai lykos ē kyōn ē onos ē allo ti alogon ktēnos? Toutǭ akoloutha kai Pythagoras heurisketai phlyarōn, pros tǭ kai pronoian ekkoptein. Tini oun autōn pisteusōmen, Philēmoni tǭ kōmikǭ, legonti; Hoi gar theon sebontes elpidas kalas Echousin eis sōtērian, ē hois proeirēkamen Euēmerǭ kai Epikourǭ kai Pythagorą kai tois loipois arnoumenois einai theosebeian kai pronoian anairousin? Peri men oun theou kai pronoias Aristōn ephē; Tharsei, boēthein pasi [men] tois axiois Eiōthen ho theos, tois de toioutois sphodra. Ei mē parestai proedria tis keimenē Tois zōsin hōs dei, ti pleon estin eusebein? Eiē gar houtōs; alla kai lian horō Tous eusebōs men helomenous diexagein Prattontas atopōs, tous de mēden heteron ē To lysiteles to katʼ autous monon, Entimoteran echontas hēmōn diathesin. Epi tou parontos; alla dei porrhō blepein Kai tēn hapantōn anamenein katastrophēn. Ouch hon tropon gar parʼ eniois ischyke tis Doxa kakoēthēs tǭ biǭ tʼ anōphelēs, Phora tis estʼ automatos, ē brabeuetai Hōs etyche; tauta gar panta krinousin echein Ephodia pros ton idion hoi phauloi tropon. Estin de kai tois zōsin hosiōs proedria, Kai tois ponērois hōs prosēkʼ epitimia; Chōris pronoias ginetai gar oude hen. Hoposa te kai alloi kai schedon ge hoi pleious eipon peri theou kai pronoias, horan estin pōs anakoloutha allēlois ephasan; hoi men gar to exolou theon kai pronoian einai aneilon, hoi dʼ au synestēsan theon kai panta pronoią dioikeisthai hōmologēsan. Ton oun syneton akroatēn kai anaginōskonta prosechein akribōs tois legomenois dei, kathōs kai ho Simylos ephē; Koinōs poiētas ethos estin kalein, Kai tous perittous tę̄ physei kai tous kalous; Edei de krinein. Kathaper kai ho Philēmōn; Chalepon akroatēs asynetos kathēmenos; Hypo gar anoias ouch heauton memphetai. Chrē oun prosechein kai noein ta legomena kritikōs exetazonta ta hypo tōn philosophōn kai tōn loipōn poiētōn eirēmena.

Having said that there are gods, they then treated them as nothing. Some said that the gods are made of atoms, others that they dissolve into atoms, and they say that the gods can do no more than human beings. Plato, having said that there are gods, would make them material. Pythagoras, after laboring so hard over the gods and traveling up and down the world, finally defines nature and says that all things happen by chance, and that the gods care nothing for human beings. Then there is all that Clitomachus the Academic introduced on atheism. And what of Critias, and of Protagoras of Abdera, who says: “Whether there are gods, I cannot say, nor can I show what they are like; for many things hinder me”? As for Euhemerus, the most godless of all, it is superfluous for us even to speak of him. After daring to say many things about the gods, in the end he would have it that there are no gods at all, but that all things are governed by chance. And Plato, who said so much about the sole sovereignty of God and about the soul of man, saying that the soul is immortal, is he not later found contradicting himself, saying that souls pass into other human beings, and that some even go into irrational animals? How will his teaching not appear terrible and unlawful to anyone with sense: that one who was once a human being will later be a wolf or a dog or an ass or some other irrational beast? Pythagoras too is found talking the same nonsense, besides doing away with providence. Which of them, then, shall we believe? Philemon the comic poet, who says, “Those who worship God have good hopes of salvation,” or those we have mentioned, Euhemerus and Epicurus and Pythagoras and the rest, who deny that there is any religion and abolish providence? About God and providence Ariston said: “Take heart: God is accustomed to help all who are worthy, [indeed,] and such people above all. If there is no reward of honor laid up for those who live as they should, what more is there in being godly? Suppose it were so; yet I see all too often those who choose to live godly lives faring badly, while those who seek nothing but their own advantage enjoy a more honored position than we do, for the present. But one must look far ahead and await the final outcome of all things. For it is not as some think, a malicious opinion and useless for life, that there is some random drift, or that things are awarded as chance falls; the wicked judge all these ideas to be provisions for their own way of life. There is a reward of honor for those who live holy lives, and a fitting punishment for the wicked; for without providence nothing at all happens.” From all that others, and indeed most of them, have said about God and providence, one can see how inconsistently they spoke: some abolished God and providence altogether, while others affirmed God and confessed that all things are governed by providence. The intelligent listener and reader, then, must pay close attention to what is said, as Simylus also said: “It is the custom to call poets alike both those who are extraordinary by nature and those who are fine; but one ought to judge.” And as Philemon says: “A senseless listener sitting there is a trial; in his folly he never blames himself.” One must, then, pay attention and understand what is said, examining critically what the philosophers and the poets have said.

Notes and citation

Summary: The philosophers contradict themselves about the gods and providence; some comic poets affirm providence and reward; readers must judge critically.

Plato's teaching on the transmigration of souls is in the Phaedrus (249b) and Republic 10 (620a–d).
The lines of Philemon, Ariston, and Simylus are fragments of Greek comedy known chiefly from this passage and from Stobaeus.

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.7 (Otto 8:202–210; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-7).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.8Otto 8:210–212

Ἀρνούμενοι γὰρ θεοὺς εἶναι πάλιν ὁμολογοῦσιν αὐτοί, καὶ τούτους πράξεις ἀθέσμους ἐπιτελεῖν ἔφασαν. Καὶ πρώτου γε τοῦ Διὸς οἱ ποιηταὶ εὐφωνότερον ᾄδουσιν τὰς χαλεπὰς πράξεις. Χρύσιππος δέ, ὁ πολλὰ φλυαρήσας, πῶς οὐχὶ εὑρίσκεται σημαίνων τὴν Ἥραν στόματι μιαρῷ συγγίνεσθαι τῷ Διΐ; Τί γάρ μοι καταλέγειν τὰς ἀσελγείας τῆς μητρὸς θεῶν λεγομένης, ἢ Διὸς τοῦ Λατεαρίου διψῶντος αἵματος ἀνθρωπείου, ἢ Ἄττου τοῦ ἀποκοπτομένου, ἢ ὅτι ὁ Ζεὺς ὁ καλούμενος Τραγῳδός, κατακαύσας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χεῖρα, ὥς φασιν, νῦν παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις θεὸς τιμᾶται; Σιγῶ τὰ Ἀντινόου τεμένη καὶ τὰ τῶν λοιπῶν καλουμένων θεῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ἱστορούμενα τοῖς συνετοῖς καταγέλωτα φέρει. Ἤτοι οὖν περὶ ἀθεότητος αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων δογμάτων ἐλέγχονται οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα φιλοσοφήσαντες, ἢ καὶ περὶ πολυμιξίας καὶ ἀθέσμου κοινωνίας· ἔτι μὴν καὶ ἀνθρωποβορία παρʼ αὐτοῖς εὑρίσκεται διʼ ὧν συνέγραψαν γραφῶν, καὶ πρώτους γε οὓς τετιμήκασιν θεοὺς ταῦτα πεπραχότας ἀναγράφουσιν.

Arnoumenoi gar theous einai palin homologousin autoi, kai toutous praxeis athesmous epitelein ephasan. Kai prōtou ge tou Dios hoi poiētai euphōnoteron ądousin tas chalepas praxeis. Chrysippos de, ho polla phlyarēsas, pōs ouchi heurisketai sēmainōn tēn Hēran stomati miarǭ synginesthai tǭ Diï? Ti gar moi katalegein tas aselgeias tēs mētros theōn legomenēs, ē Dios tou Lateariou dipsōntos haimatos anthrōpeiou, ē Attou tou apokoptomenou, ē hoti ho Zeus ho kaloumenos Tragǭdos, katakausas tēn heautou cheira, hōs phasin, nyn para Rhōmaiois theos timatai? Sigō ta Antinoou temenē kai ta tōn loipōn kaloumenōn theōn. Kai gar historoumena tois synetois katagelōta pherei. Ētoi oun peri atheotētos autoi hypo tōn idiōn dogmatōn elenchontai hoi ta toiauta philosophēsantes, ē kai peri polymixias kai athesmou koinōnias; eti mēn kai anthrōpoboria parʼ autois heurisketai diʼ hōn synegrapsan graphōn, kai prōtous ge hous tetimēkasin theous tauta peprachotas anagraphousin.

Denying that there are gods, they then acknowledge them again, and say that these gods commit lawless deeds. And first of all the poets sing, in their sweetest tones, the grievous deeds of Zeus. And Chrysippus, who talked a great deal of nonsense, is he not found suggesting that Hera had intercourse with Zeus with a foul mouth? Why should I list the licentiousness of the so-called mother of the gods, or of Zeus Latiaris thirsting for human blood, or of Attis castrated, or how Zeus called Tragoedus, having burned his own hand, as they say, is now honored as a god among the Romans? I pass over in silence the precincts of Antinous and of the other so-called gods; for when these stories are told, they make intelligent people laugh. So those who have philosophized in this way are convicted by their own teachings, whether of atheism or of promiscuity and lawless intercourse; and cannibalism too is found among them in the writings they composed, and they record that the very gods they have honored were the first to do these things.

Notes and citation

Summary: The philosophers and poets ascribe incest, lust, and bloodshed to their gods; so the charges of atheism, promiscuity, and cannibalism rebound on them.

“Zeus Latiaris thirsting for human blood”: see Tatian, Or. Graec. 29. Antinous: see Tatian, Or. Graec. 10.

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.8 (Otto 8:210–212; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-8).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.9Otto 8:212–214

Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ θεὸν ὁμολογοῦμεν, ἀλλʼ ἕνα, τὸν κτίστην καὶ ποιητὴν καὶ δημιουργὸν τοῦδε τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου, καὶ προνοίᾳ τὰ πάντα διοικεῖσθαι ἐπιστάμεθα, ἀλλʼ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ μόνου, καὶ νόμον ἅγιον μεμαθήκαμεν, ἀλλὰ νομοθέτην ἔχομεν τὸν ὄντως θεόν, ὃς καὶ διδάσκει ἡμᾶς δικαιοπραγεῖν καὶ εὐσεβεῖν καὶ καλοποιεῖν. Καὶ περὶ μὲν εὐσεβείας λέγει· Οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ. Οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον οὐδὲ παντὸς ὁμοίωμα, ὅσα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω ἢ ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω ἢ ὅσα ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς. Οὐ προσκυνήσεις αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲ μὴ λατρεύσεις αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεός σου. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ καλοποιεῖν ἔφη· Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς ἐγὼ δίδωμί σοι κύριος ὁ θεός. Ἔτι περὶ δικαιοσύνης· Οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ, οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πλησίον σου, οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ τὸν ἀγρὸν αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ τὴν παιδίσκην αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ τοῦ βοὸς αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ τοῦ ὑποζυγίου αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ παντὸς κτήνους αὐτοῦ οὔτε ὅσα ἐστὶν τῷ πλησίον σου. Οὐ διαστρέψεις κρῖμα πένητος ἐν κρίσει αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥήματος ἀδίκου διαποστήσει, ἀθῶον καὶ δίκαιον οὐκ ἀποκτενεῖς, οὐ δικαιώσεις τὸν ἀσεβῆ καὶ δῶρα οὐ λήψῃ· τὰ γὰρ δῶρα ἀποτυφλοῖ ὀφθαλμοὺς βλεπόντων καὶ λυμαίνεται ῥήματα δίκαια. Τούτου μὲν οὖν τοῦ θείου νόμου διάκονος γεγένηται Μωσῆς, ὁ καὶ θεράπων τοῦ θεοῦ, παντὶ μὲν τῷ κόσμῳ, παντελῶς δὲ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις, τοῖς καὶ Ἰουδαίοις καλουμένοις, οὓς κατεδουλώσατο ἀρχῆθεν βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, τυγχάνοντας σπέρμα δίκαιον ἀνδρῶν θεοσεβῶν καὶ ὁσίων, Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ· ὧν ὁ θεὸς μνησθεὶς καὶ ποιήσας θαυμάσια καὶ τέρατα διὰ Μωσέως παράδοξα ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἀγαγὼν αὐτοὺς διὰ τῆς ἐρήμου καλουμένης· οὓς καὶ ἀπεκατέστησεν εἰς τὴν Χαναναίαν γῆν, μετέπειτα δὲ Ἰουδαίαν ἐπικληθεῖσαν, καὶ νόμον παρέθετο καὶ ἐδίδαξεν αὐτοὺς ταῦτα. Τοῦ μὲν οὖν νόμου μεγάλου καὶ θαυμασίου πρὸς πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην ὑπάρχοντος δέκα κεφάλαια, ἃ προειρήκαμεν, τοιαῦτά ἐστιν.

Hēmeis de kai theon homologoumen, allʼ hena, ton ktistēn kai poiētēn kai dēmiourgon toude tou pantos kosmou, kai pronoią ta panta dioikeisthai epistametha, allʼ hypʼ autou monou, kai nomon hagion memathēkamen, alla nomothetēn echomen ton ontōs theon, hos kai didaskei hēmas dikaiopragein kai eusebein kai kalopoiein. Kai peri men eusebeias legei; Ouk esontai soi theoi heteroi plēn emou. Ou poiēseis seautǭ eidōlon oude pantos homoiōma, hosa en tǭ ouranǭ anō ē hosa en tę̄ gę̄ katō ē hosa en tois hydasin hypokatō tēs gēs. Ou proskynēseis autois, oude mē latreuseis autois; egō gar eimi kyrios ho theos sou. Peri de tou kalopoiein ephē; Tima ton patera sou kai tēn mētera sou, hina eu soi genētai kai hina makrochronios esę̄ epi tēs gēs, hēs egō didōmi soi kyrios ho theos. Eti peri dikaiosynēs; Ou moicheuseis, ou phoneuseis, ou klepseis, ou pseudomartyrēseis kata tou plēsion sou martyrian pseudē, ouk epithymēseis tēn gynaika tou plēsion sou, ouk epithymēseis tēn oikian autou oude ton agron autou oude ton paida autou oude tēn paidiskēn autou oude tou boos autou oude tou hypozygiou autou oude pantos ktēnous autou oute hosa estin tǭ plēsion sou. Ou diastrepseis krima penētos en krisei autou, apo pantos rhēmatos adikou diapostēsei, athōon kai dikaion ouk apokteneis, ou dikaiōseis ton asebē kai dōra ou lēpsę̄; ta gar dōra apotyphloi ophthalmous blepontōn kai lymainetai rhēmata dikaia. Toutou men oun tou theiou nomou diakonos gegenētai Mōsēs, ho kai therapōn tou theou, panti men tǭ kosmǭ, pantelōs de tois Hebraiois, tois kai Ioudaiois kaloumenois, hous katedoulōsato archēthen basileus Aigyptou, tynchanontas sperma dikaion andrōn theosebōn kai hosiōn, Abraam kai Isaak kai Iakōb; hōn ho theos mnēstheis kai poiēsas thaumasia kai terata dia Mōseōs paradoxa errhysato autous kai exēgagen ek tēs Aigyptou, agagōn autous dia tēs erēmou kaloumenēs; hous kai apekatestēsen eis tēn Chananaian gēn, metepeita de Ioudaian epiklētheisan, kai nomon paretheto kai edidaxen autous tauta. Tou men oun nomou megalou kai thaumasiou pros pasan dikaiosynēn hyparchontos deka kephalaia, ha proeirēkamen, toiauta estin.

We too confess God, but one God, the Founder, Maker, and Creator of this whole world; and we know that all things are governed by providence, but by his alone. We have learned a holy law; but we have as lawgiver the true God, who teaches us to act justly, to be godly, and to do good. About godliness he says: “You shall have no other gods besides me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, nor the likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them; for I am the Lord your God.” About doing good he said: “Honor your father and your mother, that it may go well with you and that you may live long on the land that I, the Lord your God, am giving you.” And about justice: “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife; you shall not covet his house, nor his field, nor his servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his beast of burden, nor any of his cattle, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor. You shall not pervert the justice due to the poor in his lawsuit; you shall keep far from every unjust word; you shall not put to death the innocent and the righteous; you shall not acquit the ungodly, and you shall not take bribes; for bribes blind the eyes of those who see and corrupt the words of the righteous.” Of this divine law Moses became the minister, he who was also the servant of God: to the whole world, but above all to the Hebrews, also called Jews. The king of Egypt had enslaved them long before, though they were the righteous offspring of godly and holy men, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God remembered them, and through Moses worked wonders and astonishing signs, rescued them, and brought them out of Egypt, leading them through what is called the desert. He brought them back to the land of Canaan, later called Judea, gave them a law, and taught them these things. Such, then, are the ten chief points of this great and wonderful law, which leads to all righteousness, as we said before.

Exod 20:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 20:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 23:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 23:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 23:8 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians confess one God, who governs all things by providence and gave the holy law of the Ten Commandments through Moses to Israel and, through them, to the world.

The quotations are Exod 20:3–5, 12–17 and Exod 23:6–8, from the Septuagint.

Topics: Ethics, Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.9 (Otto 8:212–214; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-9).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.10Otto 8:214–216

Ἐπειδὴ οὖν προσήλυτοι ἐγενήθησαν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ὄντες τὸ γένος Ἑβραῖοι ἀπὸ γῆς τῆς Χαλδαϊκῆς (κατʼ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ λιμοῦ γενομένης ἀνάγκην ἔσχον μετελθεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον σιτίων ἐκεῖ πιπρασκομένων, ἔνθα καὶ χρόνῳ παρῴκησαν· ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῖς συνέβη κατὰ προαναφώνησιν θεοῦ), παροικήσαντες οὖν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἔτεσι τετρακοσίοις καὶ τριάκοντα, ἐν τῷ τὸν Μωσῆν μέλλειν ἐξάγειν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὁ θεὸς ἐδίδαξεν αὐτοὺς διὰ τοῦ νόμου λέγων· Προσήλυτον οὐ θλίψετε· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οἴδατε τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ προσηλύτου· αὐτοὶ γὰρ προσήλυτοι ἦτε ἐν τῇ γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ.

Epeidē oun prosēlytoi egenēthēsan en gę̄ Aigyptǭ ontes to genos Hebraioi apo gēs tēs Chaldaïkēs (katʼ ekeino kairou limou genomenēs anankēn eschon metelthein eis Aigypton sitiōn ekei pipraskomenōn, entha kai chronǭ parǭkēsan; tauta de autois synebē kata proanaphōnēsin theou), paroikēsantes oun en Aigyptǭ etesi tetrakosiois kai triakonta, en tǭ ton Mōsēn mellein exagein autous eis tēn erēmon ho theos edidaxen autous dia tou nomou legōn; Prosēlyton ou thlipsete; hymeis gar oidate tēn psychēn tou prosēlytou; autoi gar prosēlytoi ēte en tę̄ gę̄ Aigyptǭ.

The Hebrews by race had come as sojourners into the land of Egypt from the land of the Chaldeans. At that time, when a famine had come, they were forced to move to Egypt, where grain was being sold, and they sojourned there for some time; and this happened to them as God had foretold. After they had sojourned in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years, when Moses was about to lead them out into the desert, God taught them through the law, saying: “You shall not oppress a sojourner; for you know the soul of a sojourner, since you yourselves were sojourners in the land of Egypt.”

Gen 15:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 42:5 (allusion, low confidence) · Exod 12:40 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 23:9 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Because Israel had been strangers in Egypt for 430 years, God's law commanded them not to oppress strangers.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.10 (Otto 8:214–216; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-10).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.11Otto 8:216–218

Τὸν μὲν οὖν νόμον, τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ δεδομένον αὐτοῖς, ἐν τῷ παραβῆναι τὸν λαὸν ἀγαθὸς ὢν καὶ οἰκτίρμων ὁ θεός, μὴ βουλόμενος διαφθεῖραι αὐτούς, πρὸς τῷ δεδωκέναι τὸν νόμον ὕστερον καὶ προφήτας ἐξέπεμψεν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν, πρὸς τὸ διδάσκειν καὶ ἀναμιμνήσκειν τὰ τοῦ νόμου αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπιστρέφειν εἰς μετάνοιαν τοῦ μηκέτι ἁμαρτάνειν· εἰ δὲ ἐπιμένοιεν ταῖς φαύλαις πράξεσιν, προανεφώνησαν ὑποχειρίους αὐτοὺς παραδοθῆναι πάσαις ταῖς βασιλείαις τῆς γῆς· καὶ ὅτι ταῦτα αὐτοῖς ἤδη ἀπέβη φανερὸν μέν ἐστιν. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῆς μετανοίας Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης κοινῶς μὲν πρὸς πάντας, διαῤῥήδην δὲ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν λέγει· Ζητήσατε τὸν κύριον, καὶ ἐν τῷ εὑρίσκειν αὐτὸν ἐπικαλέσασθε· ἡνίκα δʼ ἂν ἐγγίζῃ ὑμῖν, ἀπολιπέτω ὁ ἀσεβῆς τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνὴρ ἄνομος τὰς βουλὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπιστραφήτω ἐπὶ κύριον τὸν θεὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλεηθήσεται, ὅτι ἐπὶ πολὺ ἀφήσει τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὑμῶν. Καὶ ἕτερος προφήτης Ἐζεκιήλ φησιν· Ἐὰν ἀποστραφῇ ὁ ἄνομος ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν ὧν ἐποίησεν καὶ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ ποιήσῃ τὰ δικαιώματά μου, ζωῇ ζήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ· πᾶσαι αἱ ἀδικίαι αὐτοῦ ἃς ἐποίησεν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ ᾗ ἐποίησεν ζήσεται, ὅτι οὐ βούλομαι τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἀνόμου, λέγει κύριος, ὡς ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς καὶ ζῆν αὐτόν. Πάλιν ὁ Ἠσαΐας· Ἐπιστράφητε οἱ τὴν βαθεῖαν βουλὴν βουλευόμενοι καὶ ἄνομον, ἵνα σωθήσεσθε. Καὶ ἕτερος Ἱερεμίας· Ἐπιστράφητε ἐπὶ κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν, ὡς ὁ τρυγῶν ἐπὶ τὸν κάρταλλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλεηθήσεσθε. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναρίθμητά ἐστιν τὰ ἐν ταῖς ἁγίαις γραφαῖς εἰρημένα περὶ μετανοίας, ἀεὶ τοῦ θεοῦ βουλομένου ἐπιστρέφειν τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν.

Ton men oun nomon, ton hypo tou theou dedomenon autois, en tǭ parabēnai ton laon agathos ōn kai oiktirmōn ho theos, mē boulomenos diaphtheirai autous, pros tǭ dedōkenai ton nomon hysteron kai prophētas exepempsen autois ek tōn adelphōn autōn, pros to didaskein kai anamimnēskein ta tou nomou autous kai epistrephein eis metanoian tou mēketi hamartanein; ei de epimenoien tais phaulais praxesin, proanephōnēsan hypocheirious autous paradothēnai pasais tais basileiais tēs gēs; kai hoti tauta autois ēdē apebē phaneron men estin. Peri men oun tēs metanoias Ēsaïas ho prophētēs koinōs men pros pantas, diarrhēdēn de pros ton laon legei; Zētēsate ton kyrion, kai en tǭ heuriskein auton epikalesasthe; hēnika dʼ an engizę̄ hymin, apolipetō ho asebēs tas hodous autou, kai anēr anomos tas boulas autou, kai epistraphētō epi kyrion ton theon autou, kai eleēthēsetai, hoti epi poly aphēsei tas hamartias hymōn. Kai heteros prophētēs Ezekiēl phēsin; Ean apostraphę̄ ho anomos apo pasōn tōn anomiōn hōn epoiēsen kai phylaxę̄ tas entolas mou kai poiēsę̄ ta dikaiōmata mou, zōę̄ zēsetai kai ou mē apothanę̄; pasai hai adikiai autou has epoiēsen ou mē mnēsthōsin, alla tę̄ dikaiosynę̄ hę̄ epoiēsen zēsetai, hoti ou boulomai ton thanaton tou anomou, legei kyrios, hōs epistrepsai apo tēs hodou tēs ponēras kai zēn auton. Palin ho Ēsaïas; Epistraphēte hoi tēn batheian boulēn bouleuomenoi kai anomon, hina sōthēsesthe. Kai heteros Hieremias; Epistraphēte epi kyrion ton theon hymōn, hōs ho trygōn epi ton kartallon autou, kai eleēthēsesthe. Polla men oun mallon de anarithmēta estin ta en tais hagiais graphais eirēmena peri metanoias, aei tou theou boulomenou epistrephein to genos tōn anthrōpōn apo pasōn tōn hamartiōn.

When the people transgressed the law God had given them, God, being good and merciful and not wishing to destroy them, besides giving the law, later also sent them prophets from among their brothers, to teach them and remind them of the things of the law, and to turn them to repentance, so that they would sin no more. And they foretold that if the people persisted in their evil deeds, they would be handed over as subjects to all the kingdoms of the earth; and that this has already happened to them is plain. About repentance, the prophet Isaiah, speaking to all in general but expressly to the people, says: “Seek the Lord, and when you find him, call upon him; when he draws near to you, let the ungodly forsake his ways and the lawless man his plans, and let him return to the Lord his God, and he will find mercy, for he will abundantly forgive your sins.” And another prophet, Ezekiel, says: “If the lawless man turns away from all the lawless deeds he has done, and keeps my commandments and does my ordinances, he shall surely live and shall not die. None of the wrongs he has done shall be remembered, but by the righteousness he has done he shall live; for I do not desire the death of the lawless, says the Lord, but that he should turn from his evil way and live.” Again Isaiah: “Turn back, you who devise deep and lawless plans, so that you may be saved.” And another, Jeremiah: “Turn back to the Lord your God, like the grape-gatherer to his basket, and you will find mercy.” Many, indeed countless, are the sayings in the holy Scriptures about repentance, since God always wishes to turn the human race away from all its sins.

Deut 18:15 (echo, low confidence) · Isa 55:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 55:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 18:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 18:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 18:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 31:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 6:9 (quotation, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: God sent the prophets to call Israel to repentance; Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah show that God desires the sinner's return, not his death.

The quotations are Isa 55:6–7; Ezek 18:21–23; Isa 31:6; and Jer 6:9 (the grape-gatherer's basket), all close to the Septuagint.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misspelling: κάρτελλον for κάρταλλον (“basket”), as in Jer 6:9 LXX): ἐπὶ τὸν κάρτελλον αὐτοῦ → ἐπὶ τὸν κάρταλλον αὐτοῦ.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.11 (Otto 8:216–218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-11).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.12Otto 8:218–220

Ἔτι μὴν καὶ περὶ δικαιοσύνης, ἧς ὁ νόμος εἴρηκεν, ἀκόλουθα εὑρίσκεται καὶ τὰ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ τῶν εὐαγγελίων ἔχειν, διὰ τὸ τοὺς πάντας πνευματοφόρους ἑνὶ πνεύματι θεοῦ λελαληκέναι. Ὁ γοῦν Ἠσαΐας οὕτως ἔφη· Ἀφέλετε τὰς πονηρίας ἀπὸ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν, μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν, ἐκζητήσατε κρίσιν, ῥύσασθε ἀδικούμενον, κρίνατε ὀρφανῷ, καὶ δικαιώσατε χήραν. Ἔτι ὁ αὐτός· Διάλυε, φησίν, πάντα σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας, λύε στραγγαλιὰς βιαίων συναλλαγμάτων, ἀπόστελλε τεθραυσμένους ἐν ἀφέσει, καὶ πᾶσαν συγγραφὴν ἄδικον διάσπα, διάθρυπτε πεινῶντι τὸν ἄρτον σου, καὶ πτωχοὺς ἀστέγους εἰσάγαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου· ἐὰν ἴδῃς γυμνόν, περίβαλλε, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων τοῦ σπέρματός σου οὐχ ὑπερόψῃ. Τότε ῥαγήσεται πρώϊμον τὸ φῶς σου, καὶ τὰ ἰάματά σου ταχὺ ἀνατελεῖ, καὶ προπορεύσεται ἔμπροσθέν σου ἡ δικαιοσύνη σου. Ὁμοίως καὶ Ἱερεμίας· Στῆτε, φησίν, ἐπὶ ταῖς ὁδοῖς καὶ ἴδετε, καὶ ἐπερωτήσατε ποία ἐστὶν ἡ ὁδὸς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἡ ἀγαθή, καὶ βαδίζετε ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν. Κρῖμα δίκαιον κρίνετε, ὅτι ἐν τούτοις ἐστὶν τὸ θέλημα κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν. Ὡσαύτως καὶ Ὠσηὲ λέγει· Φυλάσσεσθε κρῖμα καὶ ἐγγίζετε πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν, τὸν στερεώσαντα τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ κτίσαντα τὴν γῆν. Καὶ ἕτερος Ἰωὴλ ἀκόλουθα τούτοις ἔφη· Συναγάγετε λαόν, ἁγιάσατε ἐκκλησίαν, εἰσδέξασθε πρεσβυτέρους, συναγάγετε νήπια θηλάζοντα μασθούς· ἐξελθέτω νυμφίος ἐκ τοῦ κοιτῶνος αὐτοῦ καὶ νύμφη ἐκ τοῦ παστοῦ αὐτῆς. Καὶ εὔξασθε πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν ἐκτενῶς, ὅπως ἐλεήσῃ ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐξαλείψει τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ὑμῶν. Ὁμοίως καὶ ἕτερος Ζαχαρίας· Τάδε λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ· Κρῖμα ἀληθείας κρίνετε, καὶ ἔλεος καὶ οἰκτιρμὸν ποιεῖτε ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ, καὶ χήραν καὶ ὀρφανὸν καὶ προσήλυτον μὴ καταδυναστεύσητε, καὶ κακίαν ἕκαστος μὴ μνησικακείτω τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν, λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ.

Eti mēn kai peri dikaiosynēs, hēs ho nomos eirēken, akoloutha heurisketai kai ta tōn prophētōn kai tōn euangeliōn echein, dia to tous pantas pneumatophorous heni pneumati theou lelalēkenai. Ho goun Ēsaïas houtōs ephē; Aphelete tas ponērias apo tōn psychōn hymōn, mathete kalon poiein, ekzētēsate krisin, rhysasthe adikoumenon, krinate orphanǭ, kai dikaiōsate chēran. Eti ho autos; Dialye, phēsin, panta syndesmon adikias, lye strangalias biaiōn synallagmatōn, apostelle tethrausmenous en aphesei, kai pasan syngraphēn adikon diaspa, diathrypte peinōnti ton arton sou, kai ptōchous astegous eisagage eis ton oikon sou; ean idę̄s gymnon, periballe, kai apo tōn oikeiōn tou spermatos sou ouch hyperopsę̄. Tote rhagēsetai prōïmon to phōs sou, kai ta iamata sou tachy anatelei, kai proporeusetai emprosthen sou hē dikaiosynē sou. Homoiōs kai Hieremias; Stēte, phēsin, epi tais hodois kai idete, kai eperōtēsate poia estin hē hodos kyriou tou theou hēmōn hē agathē, kai badizete en autę̄, kai heurēsete anapausin tais psychais hymōn. Krima dikaion krinete, hoti en toutois estin to thelēma kyriou tou theou hymōn. Hōsautōs kai Ōsēe legei; Phylassesthe krima kai engizete pros kyrion ton theon hymōn, ton stereōsanta ton ouranon kai ktisanta tēn gēn. Kai heteros Iōēl akoloutha toutois ephē; Synagagete laon, hagiasate ekklēsian, eisdexasthe presbyterous, synagagete nēpia thēlazonta masthous; exelthetō nymphios ek tou koitōnos autou kai nymphē ek tou pastou autēs. Kai euxasthe pros kyrion ton theon hymōn ektenōs, hopōs eleēsę̄ hymas, kai exaleipsei ta hamartēmata hymōn. Homoiōs kai heteros Zacharias; Tade legei kyrios pantokratōr; Krima alētheias krinete, kai eleos kai oiktirmon poieite hekastos pros ton plēsion autou, kai chēran kai orphanon kai prosēlyton mē katadynasteusēte, kai kakian hekastos mē mnēsikakeitō tǭ adelphǭ autou en tais kardiais hymōn, legei kyrios pantokratōr.

Moreover, concerning righteousness, of which the law spoke, the teaching of the prophets and of the Gospels is found to agree with it, because all the Spirit-bearers spoke by the one Spirit of God. Isaiah said this: “Put away the wickedness from your souls; learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the wronged; defend the orphan and vindicate the widow.” And again the same prophet: “Loose every bond of injustice,” he says, “untie the knots of violent contracts, set the broken free, and tear up every unjust bond. Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; if you see someone naked, clothe him, and do not disregard your own kin. Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will spring up quickly, and your righteousness will go before you.” Likewise Jeremiah: “Stand by the roads,” he says, “and look, and ask which is the good way of the Lord our God, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. Judge with righteous judgment, for in these things is the will of the Lord your God.” So too Hosea says: “Keep justice and draw near to the Lord your God, who made firm the heaven and created the earth.” And another, Joel, spoke in agreement with them: “Gather the people, sanctify the assembly, bring in the elders, gather the infants at the breast; let the bridegroom come out of his chamber and the bride out of her bridal room. And pray earnestly to the Lord your God, that he may have mercy on you, and he will blot out your sins.” Likewise another, Zechariah: “Thus says the Lord Almighty: Judge with true judgment, and show mercy and compassion each to his neighbor; do not oppress the widow and the orphan and the sojourner; and let none of you bear a grudge in your hearts against his brother, says the Lord Almighty.”

Isa 1:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 58:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 6:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 7:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Hos 12:6 (12:7 LXX) (quotation, medium confidence) · Amos 4:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Joel 2:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Joel 2:17 (quotation, medium confidence) · Zech 7:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Zech 7:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The prophets, speaking by the one Spirit, agree with the law in teaching justice, mercy, and care for the poor, the orphan, and the widow.

Theophilus places “the Gospels” alongside the law and the prophets as inspired by the one Spirit (see also 3.13–14).
The quotations are Isa 1:16–17; 58:6–8; Jer 6:16 with 7:3; Hos 12:6 with Amos 4:13; Joel 2:16–17; Zech 7:9–10.

Topics: Ethics, Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.12 (Otto 8:218–220; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-12).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.13Otto 8:220–222

Καὶ περὶ σεμνότητος οὐ μόνον διδάσκει ἡμᾶς ὁ ἅγιος λόγος τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν ἔργῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρις ἐννοίας, τὸ μηδὲ τῇ καρδίᾳ ἐννοηθῆναι περί τινος κακοῦ, ἢ θεασάμενον τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀλλοτρίαν γυναῖκα ἐπιθυμῆσαι. Σολομὼν μὲν οὖν, ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ προφήτης γενόμενος, ἔφη· Οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου ὀρθὰ βλεπέτωσαν, τὰ δὲ βλέφαρά σου νευέτω δίκαια· ὀρθὰς ποίει τροχιὰς σοῖς ποσίν. Ἡ δὲ εὐαγγέλιος φωνὴ ἐπιτατικώτερον διδάσκει περὶ ἁγνείας λέγουσα· Πᾶς ὁ ἰδὼν γυναῖκα ἀλλοτρίαν πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι αὐτὴν ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ὁ γαμῶν, φησίν, ἀπολελυμένην ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς μοιχεύει, καὶ ὃς ἀπολύει γυναῖκα παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας ποιεῖ αὐτὴν μοιχευθῆναι. Ἔτι ὁ Σολομών φησιν· Ἀποδήσει τις πῦρ ἐν ἱματίῳ, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ οὐ κατακαύσει; Ἢ περιπατήσει τις ἐπʼ ἀνθράκων πυρός, τοὺς δὲ πόδας οὐ κατακαύσει; Οὕτως ὁ εἰσπορευόμενος πρὸς γυναῖκα ὕπανδρον οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσεται.

Kai peri semnotētos ou monon didaskei hēmas ho hagios logos to mē hamartanein ergǭ, alla kai mechris ennoias, to mēde tę̄ kardią ennoēthēnai peri tinos kakou, ē theasamenon tois ophthalmois allotrian gynaika epithymēsai. Solomōn men oun, ho basileus kai prophētēs genomenos, ephē; Hoi ophthalmoi sou ortha blepetōsan, ta de blephara sou neuetō dikaia; orthas poiei trochias sois posin. Hē de euangelios phōnē epitatikōteron didaskei peri hagneias legousa; Pas ho idōn gynaika allotrian pros to epithymēsai autēn ēdē emoicheusen autēn en tę̄ kardią autou. Kai ho gamōn, phēsin, apolelymenēn apo andros moicheuei, kai hos apolyei gynaika parektos logou porneias poiei autēn moicheuthēnai. Eti ho Solomōn phēsin; Apodēsei tis pyr en himatiǭ, ta de himatia autou ou katakausei? Ē peripatēsei tis epʼ anthrakōn pyros, tous de podas ou katakausei? Houtōs ho eisporeuomenos pros gynaika hypandron ouk athǭōthēsetai.

And concerning chastity, the holy word teaches us not only not to sin in deed, but not even in thought: not even to entertain any evil in the heart, or to look at another man's wife with the eyes and desire her. Solomon, who was king and prophet, said: “Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids nod what is right; make straight paths for your feet.” And the voice of the Gospel teaches about purity even more strictly, saying: “Everyone who looks at another man's wife to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” “And he who marries,” it says, “a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery; and whoever divorces his wife except on the ground of sexual immorality makes her commit adultery.” Again Solomon says: “Can anyone tie fire up in his garment and not burn his clothes? Or can anyone walk on burning coals and not burn his feet? So he who goes in to a married woman will not go unpunished.”

Prov 4:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 4:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 6:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 6:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 6:29 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Scripture forbids unchastity even in thought; the Gospel forbids lustful looks, marrying a divorced woman, and divorce except for sexual immorality.

The Gospel sayings are Matt 5:28 and 5:32 (in reverse order); “except on the ground of sexual immorality” renders παρεκτὸς λόγου πορνείας, as in Matt 5:32.
The Proverbs quotations are 4:25–26 and 6:27–29.

Topics: Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage, Ethics, Divorce and remarriage

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.13 (Otto 8:220–222; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-13).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.14Otto 8:222

Καὶ τοῦ μὴ μόνον ἡμᾶς εὐνοεῖν τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις, ὡς οἴονταί τινες, Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης ἔφη· Εἴπατε τοῖς μισοῦσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ τοῖς βδελυσσομένοις Ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν ἔστε, ἵνα τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου δοξασθῇ καὶ ὀφθῇ ἐν τῇ εὐφροσύνῃ αὐτῶν. Τὸ δὲ εὐαγγέλιον· Ἀγαπᾶτε, φησίν, τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, ποῖον μισθὸν ἔχετε; Τοῦτο καὶ οἱ λῃσταὶ καὶ οἱ τελῶναι ποιοῦσιν. Τοὺς δὲ ποιοῦντας τὸ ἀγαθὸν διδάσκει μὴ καυχᾶσθαι, ἵνα μὴ ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι ὦσιν. Μὴ γνώτω γάρ, φησίν, ἡ χείρ σου ἡ ἀριστερὰ τί ποιεῖ ἡ χείρ σου ἡ δεξιά. Ἔτι μὴν καὶ περὶ τοῦ ὑποτάσσεσθαι ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις καὶ εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν κελεύει ἡμᾶς ὁ θεῖος λόγος, ὅπως ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν. Καὶ διδάσκει ἀποδιδόναι πᾶσιν τὰ πάντα, τῷ τὴν τιμὴν τὴν τιμήν, τῷ τὸν φόβον τὸν φόβον, τῷ τὸν φόρον τὸν φόρον, μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλειν ἢ μόνον τὸ ἀγαπᾶν πάντας.

Kai tou mē monon hēmas eunoein tois homophylois, hōs oiontai tines, Ēsaïas ho prophētēs ephē; Eipate tois misousin hymas kai tois bdelyssomenois Adelphoi hēmōn este, hina to onoma kyriou doxasthę̄ kai ophthę̄ en tę̄ euphrosynę̄ autōn. To de euangelion; Agapate, phēsin, tous echthrous hymōn kai proseuchesthe hyper tōn epēreazontōn hymas. Ean gar agapate tous agapōntas hymas, poion misthon echete? Touto kai hoi lę̄stai kai hoi telōnai poiousin. Tous de poiountas to agathon didaskei mē kauchasthai, hina mē anthrōpareskoi ōsin. Mē gnōtō gar, phēsin, hē cheir sou hē aristera ti poiei hē cheir sou hē dexia. Eti mēn kai peri tou hypotassesthai archais kai exousiais kai euchesthai hyper autōn keleuei hēmas ho theios logos, hopōs ēremon kai hēsychion bion diagōmen. Kai didaskei apodidonai pasin ta panta, tǭ tēn timēn tēn timēn, tǭ ton phobon ton phobon, tǭ ton phoron ton phoron, mēdeni mēden opheilein ē monon to agapan pantas.

And to show that we are to be well disposed not only toward our own people, as some think, the prophet Isaiah said: “Say to those who hate you and abhor you, You are our brothers, so that the name of the Lord may be glorified and be seen in their joy.” And the Gospel says: “Love your enemies, and pray for those who mistreat you. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even robbers and tax collectors do this.” It teaches those who do good not to boast, so that they may not be people-pleasers: “Do not let your left hand know,” it says, “what your right hand is doing.” Moreover, the divine word commands us to be subject to rulers and authorities and to pray for them, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life. And it teaches us to render to all what is due: honor to whom honor is due, fear to whom fear, tax to whom tax; and to owe no one anything, except to love all.

Isa 66:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:44 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:46 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Titus 3:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 13:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:8 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians are taught to love their enemies, to do good without boasting, and to obey and pray for the authorities.

Isa 66:5 is quoted from the Septuagint. In Matt 5:46 Theophilus has “robbers” where the Gospel has “tax collectors” alone (or “sinners” in Luke 6:32).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misspelling: ὀφελεῖν (“help”) for ὀφείλειν (“owe”), as in Rom 13:8): μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφελεῖν → μηδενὶ μηδὲν ὀφείλειν.

Topics: Ethics, Prayer

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.14 (Otto 8:222; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-14).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.15Otto 8:222–226

Σκόπει τοίνυν εἰ οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα μανθάνοντες δύνανται ἀδιαφόρως ζῆν καὶ συμφύρεσθαι ταῖς ἀθεμίτοις μίξεσιν, ἤ, τὸ ἀθεώτατον πάντων, σαρκῶν ἀνθρωπείων ἐφάπτεσθαι, ὅπου γε καὶ τὰς θέας τῶν μονομάχων ἡμῖν ἀπείρηται ὁρᾶν, ἵνα μὴ κοινωνοὶ καὶ συνίστορες φόνων γενώμεθα. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τὰς λοιπὰς θεωρίας ὁρᾶν χρή, ἵνα μὴ μολύνωνται ἡμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ τὰ ὦτα, γινόμενα συμμέτοχα τῶν ἐκεῖ φωνῶν ᾀδομένων. Εἰ γὰρ εἴποι τις περὶ ἀνθρωποβορίας, ἐκεῖ τὰ Θυέστου καὶ Τηρέως τέκνα ἐσθιόμενα· εἰ δὲ περὶ μοιχείας, οὐ μόνον περὶ ἀνθρώπων ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ θεῶν, ὧν καταγγέλλουσιν εὐφώνως μετὰ τιμῶν καὶ ἄθλων, παρʼ αὐτοῖς τραγῳδεῖται. Μακρὰν δὲ ἀπείη Χριστιανοῖς ἐνθυμηθῆναί τι τοιοῦτο πρᾶξαι, παρʼ οἷς σωφροσύνη πάρεστιν, ἐγκράτεια ἀσκεῖται, μονογαμία τηρεῖται, ἁγνεία φυλάσσεται, ἀδικία ἐκπορθεῖται, ἁμαρτία ἐκριζοῦται, δικαιοσύνη μελετᾶται, νόμος πολιτεύεται, θεοσέβεια πράσσεται, θεὸς ὁμολογεῖται, ἀλήθεια βραβεύει, χάρις συντηρεῖ, εἰρήνη περισκέπει, λόγος ἅγιος ὁδηγεῖ, σοφία διδάσκει, ζωὴ βραβεύει, θεὸς βασιλεύει. Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν ἔχοντες λέγειν περὶ τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς πολιτείας καὶ τῶν δικαιωμάτων τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ δημιουργοῦ πάσης κτίσεως, τὰ νῦν αὐτάρκως ἡγούμεθα ἐπιμεμνῆσθαι, εἰς τὸ καί σε ἐπιστῆσαι μάλιστα ἐξ ὧν ἀναγινώσκεις ἕως τοῦ δεῦρο, ἵνα ὡς φιλομαθὴς ἐγενήθης ἕως τοῦ δεῦρο οὕτως καὶ φιλομαθὴς ἔσῃ.

Skopei toinyn ei hoi ta toiauta manthanontes dynantai adiaphorōs zēn kai symphyresthai tais athemitois mixesin, ē, to atheōtaton pantōn, sarkōn anthrōpeiōn ephaptesthai, hopou ge kai tas theas tōn monomachōn hēmin apeirētai horan, hina mē koinōnoi kai synistores phonōn genōmetha. Allʼ oude tas loipas theōrias horan chrē, hina mē molynōntai hēmōn hoi ophthalmoi kai ta ōta, ginomena symmetocha tōn ekei phōnōn ądomenōn. Ei gar eipoi tis peri anthrōpoborias, ekei ta Thyestou kai Tēreōs tekna esthiomena; ei de peri moicheias, ou monon peri anthrōpōn alla kai peri theōn, hōn katangellousin euphōnōs meta timōn kai athlōn, parʼ autois tragǭdeitai. Makran de apeiē Christianois enthymēthēnai ti toiouto praxai, parʼ hois sōphrosynē parestin, enkrateia askeitai, monogamia tēreitai, hagneia phylassetai, adikia ekportheitai, hamartia ekrizoutai, dikaiosynē meletatai, nomos politeuetai, theosebeia prassetai, theos homologeitai, alētheia brabeuei, charis syntērei, eirēnē periskepei, logos hagios hodēgei, sophia didaskei, zōē brabeuei, theos basileuei. Polla men oun echontes legein peri tēs kathʼ hēmas politeias kai tōn dikaiōmatōn tou theou kai dēmiourgou pasēs ktiseōs, ta nyn autarkōs hēgoumetha epimemnēsthai, eis to kai se epistēsai malista ex hōn anaginōskeis heōs tou deuro, hina hōs philomathēs egenēthēs heōs tou deuro houtōs kai philomathēs esę̄.

Consider, then, whether those who learn such things can live promiscuously and be defiled by forbidden sexual relations, or, most godless of all, eat human flesh, when we are forbidden even to watch the gladiatorial shows, so that we may not become partners and accomplices in murder. Nor may we watch the other spectacles, lest our eyes and ears be defiled by sharing in the songs sung there. For if one speaks of cannibalism, there the children of Thyestes and Tereus are eaten; and if of adultery, not only of men but also of gods, it is put on as tragedy among them, and they proclaim it melodiously, with honors and prizes. But far be it from Christians even to think of doing any such thing. Among them self-control is present, continence is practiced, monogamy is kept, chastity is guarded, injustice is cast out, sin is rooted out, righteousness is practiced, the law is their way of life, godliness is lived out, God is confessed, truth rules, grace preserves, peace shelters, the holy word guides, wisdom teaches, life governs, God reigns. We have much more to say about our way of life and about the ordinances of God, the Creator of all creation; but for now we think we have said enough to make you reflect, especially in the light of what you have read up to now, so that, as you have been a lover of learning up to now, you may go on being one.

Notes and citation

Summary: Christians, who may not even watch gladiatorial shows or immoral plays, cannot be guilty of promiscuity or cannibalism; their life is marked by chastity, monogamy, righteousness, and the rule of God.

“Monogamy is kept” (μονογαμία τηρεῖται) may mean faithfulness within one marriage, or marrying only once (cf. Athenagoras, Leg. 33).
“Forbidden sexual relations”: Greek ἀθέμιτοι μίξεις, intercourse that is against divine and natural right (ἀθέμιτος, “impious, forbidden”), not “unlawful” in the sense of legally invalid. Theophilus is answering the charge he reported in 3.4, that Christians hold their wives in common and commit incest.
“Monogamy is kept” (μονογαμία τηρεῖται): in second-century Christian usage μονογαμία can mean a single marriage for life, without remarriage even after a spouse’s death (compare Athenagoras, Plea 33); Theophilus does not say which sense he means.

Topics: Ethics, Marriage, Persecution, Divorce and remarriage

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.15 (Otto 8:222–226; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-15).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.16Otto 8:226–228

Θέλω δέ σοι καὶ τὰ τῶν χρόνων θεοῦ παρέχοντος νῦν ἀκριβέστερον ἐπιδεῖξαι, ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς ὅτι οὐ πρόσφατος οὐδὲ μυθώδης ἐστὶν ὁ καθʼ ἡμᾶς λόγος, ἀλλʼ ἀρχαιότερος καὶ ἀληθέστερος ἁπάντων ποιητῶν καὶ συγγραφέων, τῶν ἐπʼ ἀδήλῳ συγγραψάντων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὸν κόσμον ἀγένητον εἰπόντες εἰς τὸ ἀπέραντον ἐχώρησαν, ἕτεροι δὲ γενητὸν φήσαντες εἶπον ὡς ἤδη μυριάδας ἐτῶν πεντεκαίδεκα ἐληλυθέναι καὶ τρισχίλια ἑβδομήκοντα πέντε ἔτη. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ Αἰγύπτιος ἱστορεῖ. Πλάτων δέ, ὁ δοκῶν Ἑλλήνων σοφώτερος γεγενῆσθαι, εἰς πόσην φλυαρίαν ἐχώρησεν ! Ἐν γὰρ ταῖς Πολιτείαις αὐτοῦ ἐπιγραφομέναις ῥητῶς κεῖται· Πῶς γὰρ ἄν, εἴ γε ἔμενε τάδε οὕτως πάντα χρόνον ὡς νῦν διακοσμεῖται, καινὸν ἀνευρίσκετό ποτε ὁτιοῦν [τοῦτο]; Ὅτι μὲν μυριάκις μυρία ἔτη διελάνθανεν ἄρα τοὺς τότε· χίλια δʼ ἀφʼ οὗ γέγονεν ἢ δὶς τοσαῦτα ἔτη· τὰ μὲν ἀπὸ Δαιδάλου καταφανῆ γέγονεν, τὰ δὲ ἀπὸ Ὀρφέως, τὰ δὲ ἀπὸ Παλαμήδους. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν γεγενῆσθαι, τὰ μὲν μυριάκις μυρία ἔτη ἀπὸ κατακλυσμοῦ ἕως Δαιδάλου δηλοῖ. Καὶ πολλὰ φήσας περὶ πόλεων κατὰ κόσμον καὶ οἰκήσεων καὶ ἐθνῶν, ὁμολογεῖ εἰκασμῷ ταῦτα εἰρηκέναι. Λέγει γάρ· Εἰ γοῦν, ὦ ξένε, τις ἡμῖν ὑπόσχηται θεὸς ὡς, ἂν ἐπιχειρήσωμεν τῇ τῆς νομοθεσίας σκέψει, τῶν νῦν εἰρημένων—. Δηλονότι εἰκασμῷ ἔφη· εἰ δὲ εἰκασμῷ, οὐκ ἄρα ἀληθῆ ἐστιν τὰ ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ εἰρημένα.

Thelō de soi kai ta tōn chronōn theou parechontos nyn akribesteron epideixai, hina epignǭs hoti ou prosphatos oude mythōdēs estin ho kathʼ hēmas logos, allʼ archaioteros kai alēthesteros hapantōn poiētōn kai syngrapheōn, tōn epʼ adēlǭ syngrapsantōn. Hoi men gar ton kosmon agenēton eipontes eis to aperanton echōrēsan, heteroi de genēton phēsantes eipon hōs ēdē myriadas etōn pentekaideka elēlythenai kai trischilia hebdomēkonta pente etē. Tauta men oun Apollōnios ho Aigyptios historei. Platōn de, ho dokōn Hellēnōn sophōteros gegenēsthai, eis posēn phlyarian echōrēsen ! En gar tais Politeiais autou epigraphomenais rhētōs keitai; Pōs gar an, ei ge emene tade houtōs panta chronon hōs nyn diakosmeitai, kainon aneurisketo pote hotioun [touto]? Hoti men myriakis myria etē dielanthanen ara tous tote; chilia dʼ aphʼ hou gegonen ē dis tosauta etē; ta men apo Daidalou kataphanē gegonen, ta de apo Orpheōs, ta de apo Palamēdous. Kai tauta eipōn gegenēsthai, ta men myriakis myria etē apo kataklysmou heōs Daidalou dēloi. Kai polla phēsas peri poleōn kata kosmon kai oikēseōn kai ethnōn, homologei eikasmǭ tauta eirēkenai. Legei gar; Ei goun, ō xene, tis hēmin hyposchētai theos hōs, an epicheirēsōmen tę̄ tēs nomothesias skepsei, tōn nyn eirēmenōn—. Dēlonoti eikasmǭ ephē; ei de eikasmǭ, ouk ara alēthē estin ta hypʼ autou eirēmena.

Now I wish, God permitting, to show you more precisely the matter of chronology, so that you may know that our teaching is not recent or mythical, but older and truer than all the poets and writers, who wrote about what they could not know. Some said that the world is uncreated and went on into infinity; others said it was created and that 153,075 years have already passed. This is what Apollonius the Egyptian relates. And Plato, who is thought to have been the wisest of the Greeks, what nonsense he came to! In the work he calls the Republic it is written in so many words: “For how, if these things had remained for all time as they are now ordered, would anything new ever have been discovered? For ten thousand times ten thousand years these things were unknown to the people of those times; it is a thousand years, or twice as many, since they came to be: some were made known by Daedalus, some by Orpheus, some by Palamedes.” And in saying that these things came about, he indicates ten thousand times ten thousand years from the flood to Daedalus. And after saying much about the cities of the world, their settlements and nations, he admits that he has said these things by guesswork. For he says: “If, stranger, some god were to promise us that, if we undertook the examination of legislation, what has now been said …” Clearly he spoke by guesswork; and if by guesswork, then what he said is not true.

Notes and citation

Summary: Theophilus turns to chronology: the Greek philosophers' vast ages for the world are guesswork, as Plato himself admits.

The Plato passages are from the Laws (3.677c–d and 3.683e), not the Republic. The word in square brackets is marked by the editor as doubtful.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misprint: ἔρα for ἄρα): διελάνθανεν ἔρα → διελάνθανεν ἄρα.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Leg. 677c (Plato (works); quotation); Plato, Leg. 683e (Plato (works); quotation)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.16 (Otto 8:226–228; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-16).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.17Otto 8:228–230

Δεῖ οὖν μᾶλλον μαθητὴν γενέσθαι τῆς νομοθεσίας τοῦ θεοῦ, καθὼς καὶ αὐτὸς ὡμολόγηκεν ἄλλως μὴ δύνασθαι τὸ ἀκριβὲς μαθεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ θεὸς διδάξῃ διὰ τοῦ νόμου. Τί δέ; Οὐχὶ καὶ οἱ ποιηταὶ Ὅμηρος καὶ Ἡσίοδος καὶ Ὀρφεὺς ἔφασαν ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ θείας προνοίας μεμαθηκέναι; Ἔτι μὴν μάντεις καὶ προγνώστας γεγενῆσθαι κατὰ τοὺς συγγραφεῖς, καὶ τοὺς παρʼ αὐτῶν μαθόντας ἀκριβῶς συγγεγραφέναι φασίν. Πόσῳ οὖν μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς τὰ ἀληθῆ εἰσόμεθα, οἱ μανθάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν, τῶν χωρησάντων τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ; Διὸ σύμφωνα καὶ φίλα ἀλλήλοις οἱ πάντες προφῆται εἶπον, καὶ προεκήρυξαν τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι παντὶ τῷ κόσμῳ. Τοὺς γὰρ φιλομαθεῖς μᾶλλον δὲ φιλαληθεῖς δύναται αὐτὴ ἡ ἔκβασις τῶν προαναπεφωνημένων πραγμάτων καὶ ἤδη ἀπηρτισμένων ἐκδιδάσκειν ὄντως ἀληθῆ εἶναι τὰ διʼ αὐτῶν κεκηρυγμένα περί τε χρόνων καὶ καιρῶν τῶν πρὸ κατακλυσμοῦ, ἀφʼ οὗ ἔκτισται ὁ κόσμος ἕως τοῦ δεῦρο, ὡς συνέστηκε τὰ ἔτη, εἰς τὸ ἐπιδεῖξαι τὴν φλυαρίαν τοῦ ψεύδους τῶν συγγραφέων, ὅτι οὐκ ἀληθῆ ἐστιν τὰ διʼ αὐτῶν ῥηθέντα.

Dei oun mallon mathētēn genesthai tēs nomothesias tou theou, kathōs kai autos hōmologēken allōs mē dynasthai to akribes mathein, ean mē ho theos didaxę̄ dia tou nomou. Ti de? Ouchi kai hoi poiētai Homēros kai Hēsiodos kai Orpheus ephasan heautous apo theias pronoias memathēkenai? Eti mēn manteis kai prognōstas gegenēsthai kata tous syngrapheis, kai tous parʼ autōn mathontas akribōs syngegraphenai phasin. Posǭ oun mallon hēmeis ta alēthē eisometha, hoi manthanontes apo tōn hagiōn prophētōn, tōn chōrēsantōn to hagion pneuma tou theou? Dio symphōna kai phila allēlois hoi pantes prophētai eipon, kai proekēryxan ta mellonta esesthai panti tǭ kosmǭ. Tous gar philomatheis mallon de philalētheis dynatai autē hē ekbasis tōn proanapephōnēmenōn pragmatōn kai ēdē apērtismenōn ekdidaskein ontōs alēthē einai ta diʼ autōn kekērygmena peri te chronōn kai kairōn tōn pro kataklysmou, aphʼ hou ektistai ho kosmos heōs tou deuro, hōs synestēke ta etē, eis to epideixai tēn phlyarian tou pseudous tōn syngrapheōn, hoti ouk alēthē estin ta diʼ autōn rhēthenta.

One must rather become a disciple of God's legislation, as Plato himself admitted that the exact truth cannot be learned otherwise, unless God teaches it through the law. And did not the poets Homer, Hesiod, and Orpheus say that they had learned from divine providence? Moreover, they say that according to the historians there were seers and foretellers, and that those who learned from them wrote accurately. How much more, then, shall we know the truth, who learn from the holy prophets, who received the Holy Spirit of God? That is why all the prophets spoke in agreement and friendship with one another, and proclaimed beforehand what would happen to the whole world. For the very fulfillment of the things foretold, which have already been accomplished, can teach those who love learning, or rather those who love the truth, that what the prophets proclaimed is truly true, including the times and seasons before the flood and the reckoning of the years from the creation of the world to the present day; and so it can show the nonsense and falsehood of the historians, and that what they said is not true.

Notes and citation

Summary: Since the pagan poets themselves claimed divine teaching, much more should the Christians trust the Spirit-inspired prophets, whose predictions have been fulfilled, also on chronology.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.17 (Otto 8:228–230; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-17).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.18Otto 8:230–232

Πλάτων γάρ, ὡς προειρήκαμεν, δηλώσας κατακλυσμὸν γεγενῆσθαι, ἔφη μὴ πάσης τῆς γῆς· ἀλλὰ τῶν πεδίων μόνον γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ τοὺς διαφυγόντας ἐπὶ τοῖς ὑψηλοτάτοις ὄρεσιν αὐτοὺς διασεσῶσθαι. Ἕτεροι δὲ λέγουσι γεγονέναι Δευκαλίωνα καὶ Πύῤῥαν, καὶ τούτους ἐν λάρνακι διασεσῶσθαι, καὶ τὸν Δευκαλίωνα μετὰ τὸ ἐλθεῖν ἐκ τῆς λάρνακος λίθους εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω πεπομφέναι, καὶ ἀνθρώπους ἐκ τῶν λίθων γεγενῆσθαι· ὅθεν φασὶν λαοὺς προσαγορεύεσθαι τὸ πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων. Ἄλλοι δʼ αὖ Κλύμενον εἶπον ἐν δευτέρῳ κατακλυσμῷ γεγονέναι. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἄθλιοι καὶ πάνυ δυσσεβεῖς καὶ ἀνόητοι εὑρίσκονται οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα συγγράψαντες καὶ φιλοσοφήσαντες ματαίως, ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων δῆλόν ἐστιν. Ὁ δὲ ἡμέτερος προφήτης καὶ θεράπων τοῦ θεοῦ Μωσῆς, περὶ τῆς γενέσεως τοῦ κόσμου ἐξιστορῶν, διηγήσατο τίνι τρόπῳ γεγένηται ὁ κατακλυσμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ᾧ τρόπῳ γέγονεν, οὐ Πύῤῥαν οὐδὲ Δευκαλίωνα ἢ Κλύμενον μυθεύων, οὐδὲ μὴν τὰ πεδία μόνον κατακεκλύσθαι, καὶ τοὺς διαφυγόντας ἐπὶ τοῖς ὄρεσι μόνους διασεσῶσθαι.

Platōn gar, hōs proeirēkamen, dēlōsas kataklysmon gegenēsthai, ephē mē pasēs tēs gēs; alla tōn pediōn monon gegenēsthai, kai tous diaphygontas epi tois hypsēlotatois oresin autous diasesōsthai. Heteroi de legousi gegonenai Deukaliōna kai Pyrrhan, kai toutous en larnaki diasesōsthai, kai ton Deukaliōna meta to elthein ek tēs larnakos lithous eis ta opisō pepomphenai, kai anthrōpous ek tōn lithōn gegenēsthai; hothen phasin laous prosagoreuesthai to plēthos anthrōpōn. Alloi dʼ au Klymenon eipon en deuterǭ kataklysmǭ gegonenai. Hoti men oun athlioi kai pany dyssebeis kai anoētoi heuriskontai hoi ta toiauta syngrapsantes kai philosophēsantes mataiōs, ek tōn proeirēmenōn dēlon estin. Ho de hēmeteros prophētēs kai therapōn tou theou Mōsēs, peri tēs geneseōs tou kosmou existorōn, diēgēsato tini tropǭ gegenētai ho kataklysmos epi tēs gēs, ou mēn alla kai ta tou kataklysmou hǭ tropǭ gegonen, ou Pyrrhan oude Deukaliōna ē Klymenon mytheuōn, oude mēn ta pedia monon katakeklysthai, kai tous diaphygontas epi tois oresi monous diasesōsthai.

Plato, as we said, having indicated that a flood took place, said that it was not over the whole earth, but only over the plains, and that those who fled to the highest mountains were saved. Others say that there were Deucalion and Pyrrha, who were saved in a chest, and that Deucalion, after coming out of the chest, threw stones behind him, and human beings came from the stones; that is why, they say, the mass of human beings is called “peoples” (λαοί). Others again said that Clymenus lived at the time of a second flood. That those who wrote such things and philosophized so vainly are found to be wretched, utterly impious, and senseless is clear from what has been said. But our prophet and the servant of God, Moses, in narrating the genesis of the world, told how the flood came upon the earth, and how the events of the flood took place, without telling tales of Pyrrha or Deucalion or Clymenus, or saying that only the plains were flooded and only those who fled to the mountains were saved.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Greek flood stories (Plato's partial flood, Deucalion and Pyrrha) are fables compared with Moses' account.

“Peoples” (λαοί) was derived from λᾶας (“stone”) because of the stones Deucalion threw.
Plato's flood of the plains is in Laws 3.677b.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent on the wrong letter: Πὑῤῥαν for Πύῤῥαν): Δευκαλίωνα καὶ Πὑῤῥαν → Δευκαλίωνα καὶ Πύῤῥαν.

Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Leg. 677b (Plato (works); allusion)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.18 (Otto 8:230–232; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-18).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.19Otto 8:232–234

Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ δεύτερον κατακλυσμὸν γεγονέναι δηλοῖ, ἀλλὰ μὲν οὖν ἔφη μηκέτι τῷ κόσμῳ κατακλυσμὸν ὕδατος ἔσεσθαι, οἷον οὔτε γέγονεν οὔτε μὴν ἔσται. Ὀκτὼ δέ φησιν τὰς πάσας ψυχὰς ἀνθρώπων ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ διασεσῶσθαι, ἐν τῇ κατασκευασθείσῃ προστάγματι θεοῦ, οὐχ ὑπὸ Δευκαλίωνος, ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ τοῦ Νῶς ἑβραϊστί, ὃς διερμηνεύεται τῇ ἑλλάδι γλώσσῃ ἀνάπαυσις, καθὼς καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ λόγῳ ἐδηλώσαμεν ὡς Νῶε, καταγγέλλων τοῖς τότε ἀνθρώποις μέλλειν κατακλυσμὸν ἔσεσθαι, προεφήτευσεν αὐτοῖς λέγων· Δεῦτε, καλεῖ ὑμᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς μετάνοιαν· διὸ οἰκείως Δευκαλίων ἐκλήθη. Τούτῳ δὲ τῷ Νῶε υἱοὶ τρεῖς ἦσαν, καθὼς καὶ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ τόμῳ ἐδηλώσαμεν, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστιν Σὴμ καὶ Χὰμ καὶ Ἰάφεθ, οἷς καὶ γυναῖκες τρεῖς ἦσαν τὸ καθʼ ἕνα αὐτῶν, καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ. Τοῦτον τὸν ἄνδρα ἔνιοι Εὐνοῦχον προσηγορεύκασιν. Ὀκτὼ οὖν αἱ πᾶσαι ψυχαὶ ἀνθρώπων διεσώθησαν, οἱ ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ εὑρεθέντες. Τὸν δὲ κατακλυσμὸν ἐσήμανεν ὁ Μωσῆς ἐπὶ ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα καὶ νύκτας τεσσαράκοντα γεγενῆσθαι, ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῶν καταρακτῶν ῥυέντων καὶ πασῶν τῶν πηγῶν τῆς ἀβύσσου βλυσάντων, ὥστε τὸ ὕδωρ ὑψωθῆναι ἐπάνω παντὸς ὄρους ὑψηλοῦ πεντεκαίδεκα πήχεις. Καὶ οὕτως διεφθάρη τὸ γένος πάντων τῶν τότε ἀνθρώπων, μόνοι δὲ διεσώθησαν οἱ φυλαχθέντες ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, οὓς προειρήκαμεν ὀκτώ· ἧς κιβωτοῦ τὰ λείψανα μέχρις τοῦ δεῦρο δείκνυται εἶναι ἐν τοῖς Ἀραβικοῖς ὄρεσιν. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ κεφαλαιωδῶς τοιαύτην ἔχει τὴν ἱστορίαν.

Allʼ oude deuteron kataklysmon gegonenai dēloi, alla men oun ephē mēketi tǭ kosmǭ kataklysmon hydatos esesthai, hoion oute gegonen oute mēn estai. Oktō de phēsin tas pasas psychas anthrōpōn en tę̄ kibōtǭ diasesōsthai, en tę̄ kataskeuastheisę̄ prostagmati theou, ouch hypo Deukaliōnos, allʼ hypo tou Nōs hebraïsti, hos diermēneuetai tę̄ helladi glōssę̄ anapausis, kathōs kai en heterǭ logǭ edēlōsamen hōs Nōe, katangellōn tois tote anthrōpois mellein kataklysmon esesthai, proephēteusen autois legōn; Deute, kalei hymas ho theos eis metanoian; dio oikeiōs Deukaliōn eklēthē. Toutǭ de tǭ Nōe huioi treis ēsan, kathōs kai en tǭ deuterǭ tomǭ edēlōsamen, hōn ta onomata estin Sēm kai Cham kai Iapheth, hois kai gynaikes treis ēsan to kathʼ hena autōn, kai autos kai hē gynē autou. Touton ton andra enioi Eunouchon prosēgoreukasin. Oktō oun hai pasai psychai anthrōpōn diesōthēsan, hoi en tę̄ kibōtǭ heurethentes. Ton de kataklysmon esēmanen ho Mōsēs epi hēmeras tessarakonta kai nyktas tessarakonta gegenēsthai, apo tou ouranou tōn kataraktōn rhyentōn kai pasōn tōn pēgōn tēs abyssou blysantōn, hōste to hydōr hypsōthēnai epanō pantos orous hypsēlou pentekaideka pēcheis. Kai houtōs diephtharē to genos pantōn tōn tote anthrōpōn, monoi de diesōthēsan hoi phylachthentes en tę̄ kibōtǭ, hous proeirēkamen oktō; hēs kibōtou ta leipsana mechris tou deuro deiknytai einai en tois Arabikois oresin. Ta men oun tou kataklysmou kephalaiōdōs toiautēn echei tēn historian.

Nor does Moses indicate that there was a second flood. On the contrary, he said that there would never again be a flood of water on the world, such as has never been and never will be. He says that eight human souls in all were saved in the ark, which was built by God's command, not by Deucalion but by the one called in Hebrew Noah, which is interpreted in the Greek language as “rest.” As we have shown in another work, Noah announced to the people of his time that a flood was coming, and prophesied to them, saying, “Come (δεῦτε), God is calling (καλεῖ) you to repentance”; so he was fittingly called Deucalion. This Noah had three sons, as we showed in the second volume, whose names are Sem, Cham, and Japheth; they had three wives, one each, and there were Noah himself and his wife. Some have called this man Eunuch. Eight human souls in all, then, were saved, those who were found in the ark. Moses indicated that the flood lasted forty days and forty nights, as the floodgates of heaven poured and all the springs of the abyss gushed forth, so that the water rose fifteen cubits above every high mountain. And so the race of all the people of that time was destroyed, and only those kept safe in the ark were saved, the eight we mentioned. The remains of the ark are shown to this day in the Arabian mountains. Such, in summary, is the history of the flood.

Gen 9:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 7:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Pet 3:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 6:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 7:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 7:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 7:20 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Pet 2:5 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Moses tells of one universal flood, from which only Noah (the Greeks' Deucalion) and his family, eight in all, were saved in the ark.

The name Deucalion is derived by Theophilus from Noah's cry δεῦτε, καλεῖ (“Come, he calls”).
The “other work” and “second volume” are lost works of Theophilus (cf. 2.30).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (misprint: κατασπευασθείσῃ for κατασκευασθείσῃ; misprint: νῇ for τῇ; wrong breathing: οἶον for οἷον): κατακλυσμὸν ὕδατος ἔσεσθαι, οἶον → κατακλυσμὸν ὕδατος ἔσεσθαι, οἷον; ἐν τῇ κατασπευασθείσῃ → ἐν τῇ κατασκευασθείσῃ; διερμηνεύεται νῇ ἑλλάδι γλώσσῃ → διερμηνεύεται τῇ ἑλλάδι γλώσσῃ.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.19 (Otto 8:232–234; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-19).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.20Otto 8:234–240

Ὁ δὲ Μωσῆς ὁδηγήσας τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ὡς ἔφθημεν εἰρηκέναι, ἐκβεβλημένους ἀπὸ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὑπὸ βασιλέως Φαραώ, οὗ τοὔνομα Τέθμωσις, ὅς, φασίν, μετὰ τὴν ἐκβολὴν τοῦ λαοῦ ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη εἴκοσι πέντε καὶ μῆνας δʼ, ὡς ὑφῄρηται Μαναιθώς. Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Χεβρῶν ἔτη ιγ΄, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Ἀμένωφις ἔτη κ΄, μῆνας ζ΄, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ἡ ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ Ἀμέσση ἔτη κα΄, μῆνα α΄, μετὰ δὲ ταύτην Μήφρης ἔτη ιβ΄, μῆνας θ΄, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Μηφραμμούθωσις ἔτη κ΄, μῆνας ι΄, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Τυθμώσης ἔτη θ΄, μῆνας η΄, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Δαμφενόφις ἔτη λ΄, μῆνας ι΄, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Ὦρος ἔτη λς΄, μῆνας ε΄, τούτου δὲ θυγάτηρ ἔτη ι΄, μῆνας γ΄, μετὰ δὲ ταύτην Μερχερὴς ἔτη ιβ΄, μῆνας γ΄, τοῦ δὲ Ἄρμαϊς ἔτη δ΄, μῆνα α΄, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Ῥαμέσσης ἐνιαυτόν, μῆνας δ΄, μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Μέσσης Μιαμμοὺ ἔτη [ξ]ς΄ καὶ μῆνας β΄, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον Ἀμένωφις ἔτη ιθ΄, μῆνας ς΄, τοῦ δὲ Θοῖσσος καὶ Ῥαμέσσης ἔτη ι΄, οὓς φασιν ἐσχηκέναι πολλὴν δύναμιν ἱππικῆς καὶ παράταξιν ναυτικῆς κατὰ τοὺς ἰδίους χρόνους. Οἱ μὲν Ἑβραῖοι, κατʼ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ παροικήσαντες ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ καταδουλωθέντες ὑπὸ βασιλέως ὃς προείρηται Τέθμωσις, ᾠκοδόμησαν αὐτῷ πόλεις ὀχυράς, τήν τε Πειθὼ καὶ Ῥαμεσσῆ καὶ Ὤν, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἡλίου πόλις· ὥστε καὶ τῶν πόλεων τῶν τότε ὀνομαστῶν κατʼ Αἰγυπτίους δείκνυνται προγενέστεροι οἱ Ἑβραῖοι ὄντες, οἳ καὶ προπάτορες ἡμῶν, ἀφʼ ὧν καὶ τὰς ἱερὰς βίβλους ἔχομεν ἀρχαιοτέρας οὔσας ἁπάντων συγγραφέων, καθὼς προειρήκαμεν. Αἴγυπτος δὲ ἡ χώρα ἐκλήθη ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Σέθως· τὸ γὰρ Σέθως, φασίν, Αἴγυπτος καλεῖται. Τῷ δὲ Σέθως ἦν ἀδελφὸς ᾧ ὄνομα Ἄρμαϊς· οὗτος Δαναὸς κέκληται ὁ εἰς Ἄργος ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου παραγενόμενος, οὗ μέμνηνται οἱ λοιποὶ συγγραφεῖς ὡς πάνυ ἀρχαίου τυγχάνοντος.

Ho de Mōsēs hodēgēsas tous Ioudaious, hōs ephthēmen eirēkenai, ekbeblēmenous apo gēs Aigyptou hypo basileōs Pharaō, hou tounoma Tethmōsis, hos, phasin, meta tēn ekbolēn tou laou ebasileusen etē eikosi pente kai mēnas dʼ, hōs hyphę̄rētai Manaithōs. Kai meta touton Chebrōn etē ig΄, meta de touton Amenōphis etē k΄, mēnas z΄, meta de touton hē adelphē autou Amessē etē ka΄, mēna a΄, meta de tautēn Mēphrēs etē ib΄, mēnas th΄, meta de touton Mēphrammouthōsis etē k΄, mēnas i΄, kai meta touton Tythmōsēs etē th΄, mēnas ē΄, kai meta touton Damphenophis etē l΄, mēnas i΄, meta de touton Ōros etē ls΄, mēnas e΄, toutou de thygatēr etē i΄, mēnas g΄, meta de tautēn Mercherēs etē ib΄, mēnas g΄, tou de Armaïs etē d΄, mēna a΄, kai meta touton Rhamessēs eniauton, mēnas d΄, meta de touton Messēs Miammou etē [x]s΄ kai mēnas b΄, kai meta touton Amenōphis etē ith΄, mēnas s΄, tou de Thoissos kai Rhamessēs etē i΄, hous phasin eschēkenai pollēn dynamin hippikēs kai parataxin nautikēs kata tous idious chronous. Hoi men Hebraioi, katʼ ekeino kairou paroikēsantes en tę̄ Aigyptǭ kai katadoulōthentes hypo basileōs hos proeirētai Tethmōsis, ǭkodomēsan autǭ poleis ochyras, tēn te Peithō kai Rhamessē kai Ōn, hētis estin Hēliou polis; hōste kai tōn poleōn tōn tote onomastōn katʼ Aigyptious deiknyntai progenesteroi hoi Hebraioi ontes, hoi kai propatores hēmōn, aphʼ hōn kai tas hieras biblous echomen archaioteras ousas hapantōn syngrapheōn, kathōs proeirēkamen. Aigyptos de hē chōra eklēthē apo tou basileōs Sethōs; to gar Sethōs, phasin, Aigyptos kaleitai. Tǭ de Sethōs ēn adelphos hǭ onoma Armaïs; houtos Danaos keklētai ho eis Argos apo Aigyptou paragenomenos, hou memnēntai hoi loipoi syngrapheis hōs pany archaiou tynchanontos.

Moses, as we have said, led out the Jews, who had been driven from the land of Egypt by King Pharaoh, whose name was Tethmosis. After the expulsion of the people, they say, he reigned twenty-five years and four months, as Manetho relates. After him Chebron reigned 13 years; after him Amenophis, 20 years and 7 months; after him his sister Amesse, 21 years and 1 month; after her Mephres, 12 years and 9 months; after him Mephrammouthosis, 20 years and 10 months; after him Tythmoses, 9 years and 8 months; after him Damphenophis, 30 years and 10 months; after him Horus, 36 years and 5 months; his daughter, 10 years and 3 months; after her Mercheres, 12 years and 3 months; his son Armais, 4 years and 1 month; after him Ramesses, 1 year and 4 months; after him Messes Miammou, [6]6 years and 2 months; after him Amenophis, 19 years and 6 months; and his sons Thoissos and Ramesses, 10 years, who, they say, had a great force of cavalry and a naval fleet in their time. The Hebrews, who at that time were sojourning in Egypt and had been enslaved by the king called Tethmosis, built for him fortified cities, Peitho and Ramesse and On, which is Heliopolis. So the Hebrews are shown to be older even than the cities that were then famous among the Egyptians. They are our forefathers, from whom we have the sacred books, which are older than all the historians, as we said. The country was called Egypt after King Sethos; for Sethos, they say, is called Aegyptus. Sethos had a brother named Armais; he is the one called Danaus, who came from Egypt to Argos, and whom the other historians mention as being very ancient.

Exod 1:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 12:51 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: From Manetho's list of Egyptian kings Theophilus shows that the Exodus under “Tethmosis” preceded famous Egyptian cities and the Greek hero Danaus.

The king list comes from Manetho, probably through Josephus (Against Apion 1.94–102). The bracketed digit is supplied by the editor.
Theophilus calls the Hebrews “our forefathers,” claiming Israel's history as the church's own.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (accent: grave on οὓς before a following word): οὕς φασιν ἐσχηκέναι → οὓς φασιν ἐσχηκέναι.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, C. Ap. 1.94–102 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.20 (Otto 8:234–240; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-20).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.21Otto 8:240–244

Μαναιθὼς δέ, ὁ κατʼ Αἰγυπτίους πολλὰ φλυαρήσας, ἔτι μὴν καὶ βλάσφημα εἰπὼν εἴς τε Μωσέα καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ Ἑβραίους, ὡς δῆθεν διὰ λέπραν ἐκβληθέντας ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, οὐχ εὗρεν τὸ ἀκριβὲς τῶν χρόνων εἰπεῖν. Ποιμένας μὲν γὰρ αὐτοὺς εἰπὼν καὶ πολεμίους Αἰγυπτίων, τὸ μὲν ποιμένας ἄκων εἶπεν, ἐλεγχόμενος ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας· ἦσαν γὰρ ὄντως ποιμένες οἱ προπάτορες ἡμῶν, οἱ παροικήσαντες ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, ἀλλʼ οὐ λεπροί. Παραγενόμενοι γὰρ εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν καλουμένην Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἔνθα καὶ μεταξὺ κατῴκησαν, δηλοῦται ᾧ τρόπῳ οἱ ἱερεῖς αὐτῶν, διὰ προστάγματος θεοῦ προσκαρτεροῦντες τῷ ναῷ, τότε ἐθεράπευον πᾶσαν νόσον, ὥστε καὶ λεπρῶντας καὶ πάντα μῶμον ἰῶντο. Ναὸν ᾠκοδόμησεν Σολομὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς Ἰουδαίας. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ πεπλανῆσθαι τὸν Μαναιθὼ περὶ τῶν χρόνων ἐκ τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ εἰρημένων δῆλόν ἐστιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ ἐκβαλόντος αὐτούς, Φαραὼ τοὔνομα. Οὐκέτι γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐβασίλευσεν· καταδιώξας γὰρ Ἑβραίους μετὰ τοῦ στρατεύματος κατεποντίσθη εἰς τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν. Ἔτι μὴν καὶ οὓς ἔφη ποιμένας πεπολεμηκέναι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους ψεύδεται· πρὸ ἐτῶν γὰρ τριακοσίων δεκατριῶν ἐξῆλθον ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ᾤκησαν ἔκτοτε τὴν χώραν, τὴν ἔτι καὶ νῦν καλουμένην Ἰουδαίαν, πρὸ τοῦ καὶ Δαναὸν εἰς Ἄργος ἀφικέσθαι. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτον ἀρχαιότερον ἡγοῦνται τῶν λοιπῶν κατὰ Ἕλληνας οἱ πλείους, σαφές ἐστιν. Ὥστε ὁ Μαναιθὼς δύο τάξεις ἄκων τῆς ἀληθείας μεμήνυκεν ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ γραμμάτων, πρῶτον μὲν ποιμένας αὐτοὺς ὁμολογήσας, δεύτερον εἰπὼν καὶ τὸ ἐξεληλυθέναι αὐτοὺς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου· ὥστε καὶ ἐκ τούτων τῶν ἀναγραφῶν δείκνυσθαι προγενέστερον εἶναι τὸν Μωσῆν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐνακοσίους ἢ καὶ χιλίους [ἐνιαυτοὺς] πρὸ τοῦ Ἰλιακοῦ πολέμου.

Manaithōs de, ho katʼ Aigyptious polla phlyarēsas, eti mēn kai blasphēma eipōn eis te Mōsea kai tous syn autǭ Hebraious, hōs dēthen dia lepran ekblēthentas ek tēs Aigyptou, ouch heuren to akribes tōn chronōn eipein. Poimenas men gar autous eipōn kai polemious Aigyptiōn, to men poimenas akōn eipen, elenchomenos hypo tēs alētheias; ēsan gar ontōs poimenes hoi propatores hēmōn, hoi paroikēsantes en Aigyptǭ, allʼ ou leproi. Paragenomenoi gar eis tēn gēn tēn kaloumenēn Hierosolyma, entha kai metaxy katǭkēsan, dēloutai hǭ tropǭ hoi hiereis autōn, dia prostagmatos theou proskarterountes tǭ naǭ, tote etherapeuon pasan noson, hōste kai leprōntas kai panta mōmon iōnto. Naon ǭkodomēsen Solomōn ho basileus tēs Ioudaias. Peri de tou peplanēsthai ton Manaithō peri tōn chronōn ek tōn hypʼ autou eirēmenōn dēlon estin; alla kai peri tou basileōs tou ekbalontos autous, Pharaō tounoma. Ouketi gar autōn ebasileusen; katadiōxas gar Hebraious meta tou strateumatos katepontisthē eis tēn erythran thalassan. Eti mēn kai hous ephē poimenas pepolemēkenai tous Aigyptious pseudetai; pro etōn gar triakosiōn dekatriōn exēlthon ek tēs Aigyptou kai ǭkēsan ektote tēn chōran, tēn eti kai nyn kaloumenēn Ioudaian, pro tou kai Danaon eis Argos aphikesthai. Hoti de touton archaioteron hēgountai tōn loipōn kata Hellēnas hoi pleious, saphes estin. Hōste ho Manaithōs dyo taxeis akōn tēs alētheias memēnyken hēmin dia tōn autou grammatōn, prōton men poimenas autous homologēsas, deuteron eipōn kai to exelēlythenai autous ek gēs Aigyptou; hōste kai ek toutōn tōn anagraphōn deiknysthai progenesteron einai ton Mōsēn kai tous syn autǭ enakosious ē kai chilious [eniautous] pro tou Iliakou polemou.

Manetho, who talked a great deal of nonsense on behalf of the Egyptians, and even said blasphemous things against Moses and the Hebrews with him, as though they had been driven out of Egypt because of leprosy, did not manage to state the chronology accurately. In calling them shepherds and enemies of the Egyptians, he said “shepherds” against his will, convicted by the truth; for our forefathers who sojourned in Egypt were indeed shepherds, but not lepers. When they came to the land called Jerusalem, where they afterward settled, it is shown how their priests, attending the temple by God's command, used to heal every disease, so that they cured even lepers and every blemish. It was Solomon, the king of Judea, who built the temple. That Manetho was wrong about the chronology is clear from what he himself said; and also about the king who drove them out, whose name was Pharaoh. For he reigned over them no longer: he pursued the Hebrews with his army and was drowned in the Red Sea. He also lies in saying that those he called shepherds made war on the Egyptians; for they had left Egypt 313 years earlier, and from then on lived in the country that is still called Judea, before Danaus even came to Argos. And it is clear that most people consider Danaus more ancient than the other Greek figures. So Manetho, without meaning to, has pointed us to two points of truth in his writings: first, he admitted that they were shepherds; second, he said that they left the land of Egypt. So from these records too it is shown that Moses and those with him lived nine hundred or even a thousand [years] before the Trojan War.

Gen 46:34 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 14:28 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 6:1 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Manetho's slanders (that the Hebrews were expelled lepers) are refuted, but he confirms that they were shepherds who left Egypt, long before the Trojan War.

Manetho's account and its refutation come from Josephus, Against Apion 1.227–287. The bracketed word is supplied by the editor.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, C. Ap. 1.227–287 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.21 (Otto 8:240–244; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-21).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.22Otto 8:244–248

Ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ναοῦ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τοῦ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, ὃν ᾠκοδόμησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Σολομὼν μετὰ ἔτη πεντακόσια ἑξήκοντα ἓξ τῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐξοδίας τῶν Ἰουδαίων, παρὰ Τυρίοις ἀναγέγραπται ὡς ὁ ναὸς ᾠκοδόμηται, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀρχείοις αὐτῶν πεφύλακται τὰ γράμματα, ἐν αἷς ἀναγραφαῖς εὑρίσκεται γεγονὼς ὁ ναὸς πρὸ τοῦ τοὺς Τυρίους τὴν Καρχηδόνα κτίσαι θᾶττον ἔτεσιν ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα τέσσαρσιν, μησὶν ὀκτώ· (Ἀνεγράφη ὑπὸ Ἱερώμου τοὔνομα βασιλέως Τυρίων, υἱοῦ δὲ Ἀβειβάλου, διὰ τὸ ἐκ πατρικῆς συνηθείας τὸν Ἱέρωμον γεγενῆσθαι φίλον τοῦ Σολομῶνος, ἅμα καὶ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν σοφίαν, ἣν ἔσχεν ὁ Σολομών. Ἐν γὰρ προβλήμασιν ἀλλήλους συνεχῶς ἐγύμναζον· τεκμήριον δὲ τούτου, καὶ ἀντίγραφα ἐπιστολῶν αὐτῶν φασιν μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο παρὰ τοῖς Τυρίοις πεφυλαγμένα· γράμματά τε ἀλλήλοις διέπεμπον.) — καθὼς μέμνηται Μένανδρος ὁ Ἐφέσιος, ἱστορῶν περὶ τῆς Τυρίων βασιλείας, λέγων οὕτως· Τελευτήσαντος γὰρ Ἀβειβάλου, βασιλέως Τυρίων, διεδέξατο τὴν βασιλείαν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Ἱέρωμος, βιώσας ἔτη πεντήκοντα τρία. Τοῦτον δὲ διεδέξατο Βάζωρος, βιώσας ἔτη μγ΄, ὃς ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ιζ΄. Μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον Μεθουάσταρτος, βιώσας ἔτη νδ΄, ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ιβ΄. Μετὰ δὲ τοῦτον ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ Ἀθάρυμος, βιώσας ἔτη νή, ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη θ΄. Τοῦτον ἀνεῖλεν ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ Ἕλλης τοὔνομα, ὃς βιώσας ἔτη ν΄ ἐβασίλευσεν μῆνας η΄. Τοῦτον ἀνεῖλεν Ἰουθώβαλος, ἱερεὺς τῆς Ἀστάρτης, ὃς βιώσας ἔτη μ΄ ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ιβ΄. Τοῦτον διεδέξατο ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ Βάζωρος, ὃς βιώσας ἔτη με΄ ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ζ΄. Υἱὸς δὲ τούτου Μέττηνος, βιώσας ἔτη λβ΄, ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη κθ΄. Τοῦτον διεδέξατο Πυγμαλίων, ὃς βιώσας ἔτη νς΄ ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ζ΄. Ἐν δὲ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ εἰς Λιβύην φυγοῦσα πόλιν ᾠκοδόμησεν τὴν μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο Καρχηδονίαν καλουμένην, Συνάγεται οὖν πᾶς χρόνος ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερώμου βασιλείας μέχρι Καρχηδόνος κτίσεως ἔτη ρνε΄, μῆνες ὀκτώ. Τῷ δὲ δωδεκάτῳ ἔτει τῆς Ἱερώμου βασιλείας ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ὁ ναὸς ᾠκοδομήθη, ὥστε τὸν πάντα χρόνον γεγενῆσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ ναοῦ οἰκοδομῆς μέχρι Καρχηδόνος κτίσεως ἔτη ρλγ΄, μῆνες η΄.

Alla kai peri tou naou tēs oikodomēs tou en tę̄ Ioudaią, hon ǭkodomēsen ho basileus Solomōn meta etē pentakosia hexēkonta hex tēs Aigyptou exodias tōn Ioudaiōn, para Tyriois anagegraptai hōs ho naos ǭkodomētai, kai en tois archeiois autōn pephylaktai ta grammata, en hais anagraphais heurisketai gegonōs ho naos pro tou tous Tyrious tēn Karchēdona ktisai thatton etesin hekaton triakonta tessarsin, mēsin oktō; (Anegraphē hypo Hierōmou tounoma basileōs Tyriōn, huiou de Abeibalou, dia to ek patrikēs synētheias ton Hierōmon gegenēsthai philon tou Solomōnos, hama kai dia tēn hyperballousan sophian, hēn eschen ho Solomōn. En gar problēmasin allēlous synechōs egymnazon; tekmērion de toutou, kai antigrapha epistolōn autōn phasin mechri tou deuro para tois Tyriois pephylagmena; grammata te allēlois diepempon.) — kathōs memnētai Menandros ho Ephesios, historōn peri tēs Tyriōn basileias, legōn houtōs; Teleutēsantos gar Abeibalou, basileōs Tyriōn, diedexato tēn basileian ho huios autou Hierōmos, biōsas etē pentēkonta tria. Touton de diedexato Bazōros, biōsas etē mg΄, hos ebasileusen etē iz΄. Meta de touton Methouastartos, biōsas etē nd΄, ebasileusen etē ib΄. Meta de touton ho adelphos autou Atharymos, biōsas etē nē, ebasileusen etē th΄. Touton aneilen ho adelphos autou Hellēs tounoma, hos biōsas etē n΄ ebasileusen mēnas ē΄. Touton aneilen Iouthōbalos, hiereus tēs Astartēs, hos biōsas etē m΄ ebasileusen etē ib΄. Touton diedexato ho huios autou Bazōros, hos biōsas etē me΄ ebasileusen etē z΄. Huios de toutou Mettēnos, biōsas etē lb΄, ebasileusen etē kth΄. Touton diedexato Pygmaliōn, hos biōsas etē ns΄ ebasileusen etē z΄. En de tǭ hebdomǭ etei tēs basileias autou eis Libyēn phygousa polin ǭkodomēsen tēn mechri tou deuro Karchēdonian kaloumenēn, Synagetai oun pas chronos apo tēs Hierōmou basileias mechri Karchēdonos ktiseōs etē rne΄, mēnes oktō. Tǭ de dōdekatǭ etei tēs Hierōmou basileias en Hierosolymois ho naos ǭkodomēthē, hōste ton panta chronon gegenēsthai apo tēs tou naou oikodomēs mechri Karchēdonos ktiseōs etē rlg΄, mēnes ē΄.

Also concerning the building of the temple in Judea, which King Solomon built 566 years after the Jews came out of Egypt, it is recorded among the Tyrians how the temple was built, and the documents are preserved in their archives. In these records the temple is found to have been built 134 years and eight months before the Tyrians founded Carthage. (It was recorded by Hieromus, king of the Tyrians, son of Abibalus, because Hieromus had become Solomon's friend through a friendship inherited from his father, and also because of Solomon's surpassing wisdom. They constantly tested each other with riddles; as proof of this, they say that copies of their letters are preserved among the Tyrians to this day, and that they sent writings to each other.) So Menander of Ephesus records in his history of the kingdom of the Tyrians, speaking as follows: “When Abibalus, king of the Tyrians, died, his son Hieromus succeeded to the kingdom; he lived 53 years. He was succeeded by Bazorus, who lived 43 years and reigned 17. After him Methouastartus, who lived 54 years, reigned 12. After him his brother Atharymus, who lived 58 years, reigned 9. He was killed by his brother, named Helles, who lived 50 years and reigned 8 months. He was killed by Iouthobalus, priest of Astarte, who lived 40 years and reigned 12. He was succeeded by his son Bazorus, who lived 45 years and reigned 7. His son Mettenus, who lived 32 years, reigned 29. He was succeeded by Pygmalion, who lived 56 years and reigned 7. In the seventh year of his reign, his sister fled to Libya and built the city that to this day is called Carthage. So the whole time from the reign of Hieromus to the founding of Carthage adds up to 155 years and eight months. And the temple in Jerusalem was built in the twelfth year of the reign of Hieromus; so the whole time from the building of the temple to the founding of Carthage was 133 years and eight months.”

1 Kgs 6:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 5:1 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 10:1 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The Tyrian archives, as reported by Menander of Ephesus, date Solomon's temple, built with the help of Hiram of Tyre, about 134 years before the founding of Carthage.

The Tyrian king list comes from Menander of Ephesus by way of Josephus (Against Apion 1.116–126). “Hieromus” is Hiram.
The Greek does not name the one who fled to Libya; it was Pygmalion's sister Elissa (Dido).
Theophilus's figure of 566 years from the Exodus to the temple differs from 1 Kgs 6:1 (480 years; 440 in the Septuagint).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (numeral misprint: τβ΄ (312) for ιβ΄ (12), as in Josephus, Against Apion 1.122): νδ΄, ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη τβ΄ → νδ΄, ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτη ιβ΄.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, C. Ap. 1.116–126 (Josephus (works); allusion)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.22 (Otto 8:244–248; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-22).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.

3.23Otto 8:248–252

Τῆς μὲν οὖν Φοινίκων καὶ Αἰγυπτίων μαρτυρίας, ὡς ἱστορήκασιν περὶ τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς χρόνων οἱ συγγράψαντες Μαναιθὼς ὁ Αἰγύπτιος καὶ ὁ Μένανδρος ὁ Ἐφέσιος, ἔτι δὲ καὶ Ἰώσηππος ὁ ἀναγράψας τὸν Ἰουδαϊκὸν πόλεμον τὸν γενόμενον αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων, ἀρκετῶς ἤτω ἡμῖν τὰ εἰρημένα. Ἐκ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ἀρχαίων δείκνυται καὶ τὰ τῶν λοιπῶν συγγράμματα ἔσχατα εἶναι τῶν διὰ Μωσέως ἡμῖν δεδομένων γραμμάτων, ἔτι μὴν καὶ τῶν μεταξὺ προφητῶν· ὁ γὰρ ὕστερος τῶν προφητῶν γενόμενος Ζαχαρίας ὀνόματι ἤκμασεν κατὰ τὴν Δαρείου βασιλείαν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ νομοθέται πάντες μεταξὺ εὑρίσκονται νομοθετοῦντες. Εἰ γάρ τις εἴποι Σόλωνα τὸν Ἀθηναῖον, οὗτος γέγονεν κατὰ τοὺς χρόνους Κύρου καὶ Δαρείου τῶν βασιλέων, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον Ζαχαρίου τοῦ προειρημένου προφήτου, μεταξὺ γεγενημένου πάνυ πολλοῖς ἔτεσιν· ἤτοι καὶ περὶ Λυκούργου ἢ Δράκοντος ἢ Μίνω τῶν νομοθετῶν, τούτων ἀρχαιότητι προάγουσιν αἱ ἱεραὶ βίβλοι, ὅπου γε καὶ τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Κρητῶν βασιλεύσαντος, ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοῦ Ἰλιακοῦ πολέμου δείκνυται προάγοντα τὰ γράμματα τοῦ θείου νόμου τοῦ διὰ Μωσέως ἡμῖν δεδομένου. Ἵνα δὲ ἀκριβεστέραν ποιήσωμεν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τῶν καιρῶν καὶ χρόνων, θεοῦ ἡμῖν παρέχοντος οὐ μόνον τὰ μετὰ κατακλυσμὸν ἱστοροῦντες ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πρὸ κατακλυσμοῦ, εἰς τὸ καὶ τῶν ἁπάντων κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν εἰπεῖν ἡμῖν τὸν ἀριθμόν, νυνὶ ποιησόμεθα, ἀναδραμόντες ἐπὶ τὴν ἀνέκαθεν ἀρχὴν τῆς τοῦ κόσμου κτίσεως, ἣν ἀνέγραψεν Μωσῆς ὁ θεράπων τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου. Εἰπὼν γὰρ τὰ περὶ κτίσεως καὶ γενέσεως κόσμου, τοῦ πρωτοπλάστου ἀνθρώπου, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἑξῆς γεγενημένων, ἐσήμανεν καὶ τὰ πρὸ κατακλυσμοῦ ἔτη γενόμενα. Ἐγὼ δʼ αἰτοῦμαι χάριν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ τἀληθῆ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ πάντα ἀκριβῶς εἰπεῖν, ὅκως καὶ σὺ καὶ πᾶς ὁ τούτοις ἐντυγχάνων ὁδηγῆται ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ χάριτος αὐτοῦ. Ἄρξομαι δὴ πρῶτον ἀπὸ τῶν ἀναγεγραμμένων γενεαλογιῶν, λέγω δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ πρωτοπλάστου ἀνθρώπου τὴν ἀρχὴν ποιησάμενος.

Tēs men oun Phoinikōn kai Aigyptiōn martyrias, hōs historēkasin peri tōn kathʼ hēmas chronōn hoi syngrapsantes Manaithōs ho Aigyptios kai ho Menandros ho Ephesios, eti de kai Iōsēppos ho anagrapsas ton Ioudaïkon polemon ton genomenon autois hypo Rhōmaiōn, arketōs ētō hēmin ta eirēmena. Ek gar toutōn tōn archaiōn deiknytai kai ta tōn loipōn syngrammata eschata einai tōn dia Mōseōs hēmin dedomenōn grammatōn, eti mēn kai tōn metaxy prophētōn; ho gar hysteros tōn prophētōn genomenos Zacharias onomati ēkmasen kata tēn Dareiou basileian. Alla kai hoi nomothetai pantes metaxy heuriskontai nomothetountes. Ei gar tis eipoi Solōna ton Athēnaion, houtos gegonen kata tous chronous Kyrou kai Dareiou tōn basileōn, kata ton chronon Zachariou tou proeirēmenou prophētou, metaxy gegenēmenou pany pollois etesin; ētoi kai peri Lykourgou ē Drakontos ē Minō tōn nomothetōn, toutōn archaiotēti proagousin hai hierai bibloi, hopou ge kai tou Dios tou Krētōn basileusantos, alla mēn kai tou Iliakou polemou deiknytai proagonta ta grammata tou theiou nomou tou dia Mōseōs hēmin dedomenou. Hina de akribesteran poiēsōmen tēn apodeixin tōn kairōn kai chronōn, theou hēmin parechontos ou monon ta meta kataklysmon historountes alla kai ta pro kataklysmou, eis to kai tōn hapantōn kata to dynaton eipein hēmin ton arithmon, nyni poiēsometha, anadramontes epi tēn anekathen archēn tēs tou kosmou ktiseōs, hēn anegrapsen Mōsēs ho therapōn tou theou dia pneumatos hagiou. Eipōn gar ta peri ktiseōs kai geneseōs kosmou, tou prōtoplastou anthrōpou, kai ta tōn hexēs gegenēmenōn, esēmanen kai ta pro kataklysmou etē genomena. Egō dʼ aitoumai charin para tou monou theou, eis to talēthē kata to thelēma autou panta akribōs eipein, hokōs kai sy kai pas ho toutois entynchanōn hodēgētai hypo tēs alētheias kai charitos autou. Arxomai dē prōton apo tōn anagegrammenōn genealogiōn, legō de apo tou prōtoplastou anthrōpou tēn archēn poiēsamenos.

Let what has been said suffice for the testimony of the Phoenicians and Egyptians, as recorded about our times by the historians Manetho the Egyptian and Menander of Ephesus, and also by Josephus, who wrote the history of the Jewish war waged against them by the Romans. From these ancient records it is shown that the writings of the others are later than the writings given to us through Moses, and even later than the prophets who came after him. The last of the prophets, called Zechariah, flourished in the reign of Darius. And all the lawgivers are found to have made their laws in the intervening time. If one mentions Solon the Athenian, he lived in the times of the kings Cyrus and Darius, in the time of the prophet Zechariah just mentioned, who lived very many years after Moses. And as for the lawgivers Lycurgus, Draco, or Minos, the sacred books are older than they; for the writings of the divine law given to us through Moses are shown to be older even than Zeus, who reigned over the Cretans, and than the Trojan War. To make the demonstration of seasons and times more precise, God enabling us, we will now recount not only what happened after the flood but also what happened before it, so as to give, as far as possible, the total number of all the years; and we will go back to the very beginning of the creation of the world, which Moses, the servant of God, recorded through the Holy Spirit. Having told of the creation and genesis of the world, of the first-formed human being, and of what followed, he also indicated the years that passed before the flood. I ask grace from the only God to say everything truly and precisely according to his will, so that you and everyone who reads these things may be guided by his truth and grace. I will begin, then, from the recorded genealogies, taking my starting point from the first-formed human being.

Notes and citation

Summary: The Hebrew Scriptures are older than all Greek lawgivers and writers; Theophilus now begins a chronology from creation, based on Moses.

Extrabiblical texts: Josephus (Josephus (works); allusion)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theophilus, Autol. 3.23 (Otto 8:248–252; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/theophilus-autolycus/3-7/#p-3-23).

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Otto (1861); made independently of existing English translations.