Chapter III.—Claim of judicial investigation.
Chapter IV.—Christians unjustly condemned for their mere name.
Chapter V.—Christians charged with atheism.
Chapter VI.—Charge of atheism refuted.
Chapter VII.—Each Christian must be tried by his own life.
Chapter VIII.—Christians confess their faith in God.
Chapter IX.—Folly of idol worship.
Chapter X.—How God is to be served.
Chapter XI.—What kingdom Christians look for.
Chapter XII.—Christians live as under God’s eye.
Chapter XIII.—Christians serve God rationally.
Chapter XIV.—The demons misrepresent Christian doctrine.
Chapter XV.—What Christ himself taught.
Chapter XVI.—Concerning patience and swearing.
Chapter XVII.—Christ taught civil obedience.
Chapter XVIII.—Proof of immortality and the resurrection.
Chapter XIX.—The resurrection possible.
Chapter XX.—Heathen analogies to Christian doctrine.
Chapter XXI.—Analogies to the history of Christ.
Chapter XXII.—Analogies to the sonship of Christ.
Chapter XXIV.—Varieties of heathen worship.
Chapter XXV.—False Gods abandoned by Christians.
Chapter XXVI.—Magicians not trusted by Christians.
Chapter XXVII.—Guilt of exposing children.
Chapter XXVIII.—God’s care for men.
Chapter XXIX.—Continence of Christians.
Chapter XXX.—Was Christ not a magician?
Chapter XXXI.—Of the Hebrew prophets.
Chapter XXXII.—Christ predicted by Moses.
Chapter XXXIII.—Manner of Christ’s birth predicted.
Chapter XXXIV.—Place of Christ’s birth foretold.
Chapter XXXV.—Other fulfilled prophecies.
Chapter XXXVI.—Different modes of prophecy.
Chapter XXXVII.—Utterances of the Father.
Chapter XXXVIII.—Utterances of the Son.
Chapter XXXIX.—Direct predictions by the Spirit.
Chapter XL.—Christ’s advent foretold.
Chapter XLI.—The crucifixion predicted.
Chapter XLII.—Prophecy using the past tense.
Chapter XLIII.—Responsibility asserted.
Chapter XLIV.—Not nullified by prophecy.
Chapter XLV.—Christ’s session in heaven foretold.
Chapter XLVI.—The Word in the world before Christ.
Chapter XLVII.—Desolation of Judæa foretold.
Chapter XLVIII.—Christ’s work and death foretold.
Chapter XLIX.—His rejection by the Jews foretold.
Chapter L.—His humiliation predicted.
Chapter LI.—The majesty of Christ.
Chapter LII.—Certain fulfilment of prophecy.
Chapter LIII.—Summary of the prophecies.
Chapter LIV.—Origin of heathen mythology.
Chapter LV.—Symbols of the cross.
Chapter LVI.—The demons still mislead men.
Chapter LVII.—And cause persecution.
Chapter LVIII.—And raise up heretics.
Chapter LIX.—Plato’s obligation to Moses.
Chapter LX.—Plato’s doctrine of the cross.
Chapter LXI.—Christian baptism.
Chapter LXII.—Its imitation by demons.
Chapter LXIII.—How God appeared to Moses.
Chapter LXIV.—Further misrepresentations of the truth.
Chapter LXV.—Administration of the sacraments.
Chapter LXVI.—Of the Eucharist.
Chapter LXVII.—Weekly worship of the Christians.
Epistle of Adrian in behalf of the Christians.
Reason directs those who are truly pious and philosophical to honour and love only what is true, declining to follow traditional opinions,1 Literally, “the opinions of the ancients.” if these be worthless. For not only does sound reason direct us to refuse the guidance of those who did or taught anything wrong, but it is incumbent on the lover of truth, by all means, and if death be threatened, even before his own life, to choose to do and say what is right. Do you, then, since ye are called pious and philosophers, guardians of justice and lovers of learning, give good heed, and hearken to my address; and if ye are indeed such, it will be manifested. For we have come, not to flatter you by this writing, nor please you by our address, but to beg that you pass judgment, after an accurate and searching investigation, not flattered by prejudice or by a desire of pleasing superstitious men, nor induced by irrational impulse or evil rumours which have long been prevalent, to give a decision which will prove to be against yourselves. For as for us, we reckon that no evil can be done us, unless we be convicted as evil-doers or be proved to be wicked men; and you, you can kill, but not hurt us.
[2] Τοὺς κατὰ ἀλήθειαν εὐσεβεῖς καὶ φιλοσόφους μόνον τἀληθὲς τιμᾶν καὶ στέργειν ὁ λόγος ὑπαγορεύει, παραιτουμένους δόξαις παλαιῶν ἐξακολουθεῖν, ἂν φαῦλαι ὦσιν: οὐ γὰρ μόνον μὴ ἕπεσθαι τοῖς ἀδίκως τι πράξασιν ἢ δογματίσασιν ὁ σώφρων λόγος ὑπαγορεύει, ἀλλ' ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς τὸν φιλαλήθη, κἂν θάνατος ἀπειλῆται, τὰ δίκαια λέγειν τε καὶ πράττειν αἱρεῖσθαι δεῖ. ὑμεῖς μὲν οὖν ὅτι λέγεσθε εὐσεβεῖς καὶ φιλόσοφοι καὶ φύλακες δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἐρασταὶ παιδείας, ἀκούετε πανταχοῦ: εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπάρχετε, δειχθήσεται. οὐ γὰρ κολακεύσοντες ὑμᾶς διὰ τῶνδε τῶν γραμμάτων οὐδὲ πρὸς χάριν ὁμιλήσοντες, ἀλλ' ἀπαιτήσοντες κατὰ τὸν ἀκριβῆ καὶ ἐξεταστικὸν λόγον τὴν κρίσιν ποιήσασθαι προσεληλύθειμεν, μὴ προλήψει μηδ' ἀνθρωπαρεσκείᾳ τῇ δεισιδαιμόνων κατεχομένους ἢ ἀλόγῳ ὁρμῇ καὶ χρονίᾳ προκατεσχηκυίᾳ φήμῃ κακῇ τὴν καθ' ἑαυτῶν ψῆφον φέροντας. ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ πρὸς οὐδενὸς πείσεσθαί τι κακὸν δύνασθαι λελογίσμεθα, ἢν μὴ κακίας ἐργάται ἐλεγχώμεθα ἢ πονηροὶ διεγνώσμεθα: ὑμεῖς δ' ἀποκτεῖναι μὲν δύνασθε, βλάψαι δ' οὔ.