Chapter XVIII.—Christians would observe the law, if they did not know why it was instituted.

“For since you have read, O Trypho, as you yourself admitted, the doctrines taught by our Saviour, I do not think that I have done foolishly in adding some short utterances of His to the prophetic statements. Wash therefore, and be now clean, and put away iniquity from your souls, as God bids you be washed in this laver, and be circumcised with the true circumcision. For we too would observe the fleshly circumcision, and the Sabbaths, and in short all the feasts, if we did not know for what reason they were enjoined you,—namely, on account of your transgressions and the hardness of your hearts. For if we patiently endure all things contrived against us by wicked men and demons, so that even amid cruelties unutterable, death and torments, we pray for mercy to those who inflict such things upon us, and do not wish to give the least retort to any one, even as the new Lawgiver commanded us: how is it, Trypho, that we would not observe those rites which do not harm us, —I speak of fleshly circumcision, and Sabbaths, and feasts?

[18] Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀνέγνως, ὦ Τρύφων, ὡς αὐτὸς ὁμολογήσας ἔφης, τὰ ὑπ' ἐκείνου τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν διδαχθέντα, οὐκ ἄτοπον νομίζω πεποιηκέναι καὶ βραχέα τῶν ἐκείνου λόγια πρὸς τοῖς προφητικοῖς ἐπιμνησθείς. Λούσασθε οὖν καὶ νῦν καθαροὶ γένεσθε καὶ ἀφέλεσθε τὰς πονηρίας ἀπὸ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν, ὡς δὲ λούσασθαι ὑμῖν τοῦτο τὸ λουτρὸν κελεύει ὁ θεὸς καὶ περιτέμνεσθαι τὴν ἀληθινὴν περιτομήν. ἡμεῖς γὰρ καὶ ταύτην ἂν τὴν περιτομὴν τὴν κατὰ σάρκα καὶ τὰ σάββατα καὶ τὰς ἑορτὰς πάσας ἁπλῶς ἐφυλάσσομεν, εἰ μὴ ἔγνωμεν δι' ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ ὑμῖν προσετάγη, τοῦτ' ἔστι διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ὑμῶν καὶ τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν. εἰ γὰρ ὑπομένομεν πάντα τὰ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων καὶ δαιμόνων φαύλων ἐνεργούμενα εἰς ἡμᾶς φέρειν, ὡς καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἀρρήτων, θανάτου καὶ τιμωριῶν, εὐχόμενοι ἐλεηθῆναι καὶ τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα διατιθέντας ἡμᾶς, καὶ μηδὲ μικρὸν ἀμείβεσθαι μηδένα βουλόμενοι, ὡς ὁ καινὸς νομοθέτης ἐκέλευσεν ἡμῖν, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ τὰ μηδὲ βλάπτοντα ἡμᾶς, περιτομὴν δὲ σαρκικὴν λέγω καὶ σάββατα καὶ τὰς ἑορτάς, ἐφυλάσσομεν, ὦ Τρύφων;