Chapter XXIV.—The Christians’ circumcision far more excellent.

“Now, sirs,” I said, “it is possible for us to show how the eighth day possessed a certain mysterious import, which the seventh day did not possess, and which was promulgated by God through these rites. But lest I appear now to diverge to other subjects, understand what I say: the blood of that circumcision is obsolete, and we trust in the blood of salvation; there is now another covenant, and another law has gone forth from Zion. Jesus Christ circumcises all who will—as was declared above —with knives of stone;59    Josh. v. 2; Isa. xxvi. 2, 3. that they may be a righteous nation, a people keeping faith, holding to the truth, and maintaining peace. Come then with me, all who fear God, who wish to see the good of Jerusalem. Come, let us go to the light of the Lord; for He has liberated His people, the house of Jacob. Come, all nations; let us gather ourselves together at Jerusalem, no longer plagued by war for the sins of her people. ‘For I was manifest to them that sought Me not; I was found of them that asked not for Me;’60    Isa. lxv. 1–3. He exclaims by Isaiah: ‘I said, Behold Me, unto nations which were not called by My name. I have spread out My hands all the day unto a disobedient and gainsaying people, which walked in a way that was not good, but after their own sins. It is a people that provoketh Me to my face.’61    Isa. lxv. 1–3.

[24] Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν οὖν δυνατὸν ἦν ἡμῖν ἐπιδεῖξαι, ὦ ἄνδρες, ἔλεγον, ὅτι ἡ ἡμέρα ἡ ὀγδόη μυστήριόν τι εἶχε κηρυσσόμενον διὰ τούτων ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ μᾶλλον τῆς ἑβδόμης. ἀλλ' ἵνα τὰ νῦν μὴ ἐπ' ἄλλους ἐκτρέπεσθαι λόγους δοκῶ, σύνετε, βοῶ, ὅτι τὸ αἷμα τῆς περιτομῆς ἐκείνης κατήργηται, καὶ αἵματι σωτηρίῳ πεπιστεύκαμεν: ἄλλη διαθήκη τὰ νῦν, καὶ ἄλλος ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ Σιὼν νόμος. Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς πάντας τοὺς βουλομένους περιτέμνει, ὥσπερ ἄνωθεν ἐκηρύσσετο, πετρίναις μαχαίραις, ἵνα γένηται ἔθνος δίκαιον, λαὸς φυλάσσων πίστιν, ἀντιλαμβανόμενος ἀληθείας καὶ φυλάσσων εἰρήνην. δεῦτε σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν, οἱ θέλοντες τὰ ἀγαθὰ Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἰδεῖν. δεῦτε, πορευθῶμεν τῷ φωτὶ κυρίου: ἀνῆκε γὰρ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, τὸν οἶκον Ἰακώβ. δεῦτε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, συναχθῶμεν εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ τὴν μηκέτι πολεμουμένην διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας τῶν λαῶν. Ἐμφανὴς γὰρ ἐγενήθην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν, εὑρέθην τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ἐπερωτῶσι, βοᾷ διὰ Ἠσαίου. Εἶπα: ἰδού εἰμι, ἔθνεσιν οἳ οὐκ ἐπεκαλέσαντό μου τὸ ὄνομα. ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπὶ λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα, τοῖς πορευομένοις ὁδῷ οὐ καλῇ, ἀλλὰ ὀπίσω τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. λαὸς ὁ παροξύνων με ἐναντίον μου.