XXXII.

Theudas said unto him, "Behold, it is evident that our religion was instituted by many mighty wise men, and interpreters, marvellous in virtue and learning; and all the kings and rulers of the earth have received it as good and sure in every point. But that of the Galileans was preached by some country peasants, poor and common men, a mere handful, not exceeding twelve in number. How then should one prefer the preaching of these few obscure countrymen to the ordinance of the many that are mighty and brilliantly wise? What is the proof that your teachers be right and the others wrong?"

Again the king's son made answer, "Belike, Theudas, you are the ass of the proverb, that heard but heeded not the harp; or rather the adder that stoppeth her ears, that she may not hear the voice of the charmers. Well, therefore, spoke the prophet concerning you, If the Ethiopian can change his skin, or the leopard his spots, then mayest you also do good, that hast been taught to do evil. Thou fool and blind, why doth not the force of truth bring you to your senses? The very fact that your foul idols are commended by many men of marvellous wisdom, and established by kings, while the Gospel is preached by a few men of no mark, sheweth the might of our religion and the weakness and deadliness of your wicked doctrines. Because your side, despite its having wise advocates and mighty champions, is dying down, and waxing weak, whilst our religion, though possessed of no human help, shineth from afar brighter than the sun, and has won the fulness of the world. If it had been set up by orators and philosophers, and had had kings for its succour, you that art evil wouldst have found occasion to declare that it was wholly of human power. But now, seeing, as you dost, that the holy Gospel, though composed but by common fishermen, and persecuted by every tyrant, has after this won the whole world for its sound has gone out into all lands, and its words into the ends of the world--what canst you say but that it is a divine and unconquerable power establishing its own cause for the salvation of mankind? But what proof seekest you, O fool, that your prophets are liars and ours true, better than the truths I have told you? Except your cause had been vain talk and falsehood, it could not, possessing such human support as it did, have suffered loss and decline. For he says, 'I have seen the ungodly in great power, and exalted like the cedars of Libanus: and I went by and lo, he was gone: and I sought him but his place could nowhere be found.'

"Concerning you, the defenders of idolatry, were these words spoken by the prophet. For a very, very little while and your place shall not be found: but, like as the smoke vanisheth, and like as wax melteth in face of the fire, so shall ye fail. But, as touching the divine wisdom of the Gospel, thus says the Lord, 'Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.' And again the Psalmist says, 'Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of your hands. They shall perish, but you endurest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt you fold them up, and they shall be changed, but you are the same, and your years shall not fail!' And those divine preachers of the coming of Christ, those wise fishers of the world, whose nets drew all men from the depths of deceit, whom you, in your vileness and bondage to sin, dost vilify, did by signs and wonders and manifold powers shine as the sun in the world, giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, motion to the lame, and life to the dead. Their shadows alone healed all the ailments of men. The devils, whom ye dread as gods, they not only cast forth from men's bodies, but even drave out of the world itself by the sign of the cross, whereby they destroyed all sorcery, and rendered witchcraft powerless. And these men, by curing every disease of man by the power of Christ, and renewing all creation, are rightly admired as preachers of truth by all men of sound mind. But what hast you thyself to say of your wise men and orators, whose wisdom God has made foolish, the advocates of the devil? What worthy memorial have they bequeathed to the world? Tell me. And what canst you tell of them but unreason and shamefulness, and vain craft that with glosing words concealeth the mire of their unsavoury worship?

"Moreover such of your poets as have been able to soar a little above this great madness have said, with more truth, that they, which are called gods, were men; and because certain of them had been rulers of regions and cities, and others had done something of no great account in their lifetime, men were so deceived as to call them gods. It standeth on record that the man Seruch was the first to bring in the use of images. For it is said that in the old times he honoured those who had achieved some memorable deed of courage, friendship, or any other such virtue with statues and pillars. But after generations forgat the intention of their ancestors: and, whereas it was only for remembrance sake that they had set up statues and pillars to the doers of noble deeds, now they were, little by little, led astray through the working of the prince of evil, the devil, and treated as immortal gods men of like passions and corruptible as themselves and further devised sacrifices and drink-offerings for them,--the devils, you mayest know, taking up their abode in these images and diverting to themselves these honours and sacrifices. Accordingly these devils persuade men, who refuse to have God in their knowledge, to consider them as gods for two reasons: first, that they may be glorified by this title (for they are puffed up with arrogance, and delight to be honoured as gods) next, that they may drag their poor dupes into the unquenchable fire prepared for themselves. Hence they teach men all iniquity and filthiness, seeing that they have once subjected themselves to their deceit. So when men had arrived at this pinnacle of evil, they, being darkened, set up every man an idol of his own vice and his own lust, and call it a god. They were abominable in their error, more abominable in the absurdity of the objects that they chose to worship, until the Lord came, and of his tender mercy redeemed us that trust in him from this wicked and deadly error, and taught men the true knowledge of God. For there is no salvation except in him, and there is none other God, neither in heaven, nor in earth, except him only, the Maker of all, who moveth all things by the word of his power: for he says, 'By the word of the Lord were the heavens made stedfast, and all the power of them by the breath of his mouth,' and, 'All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.'"

When Theudas had heard these sayings, and seen that the word was full of divine wisdom, like one thunder-struck, he was smitten dumb. Now late in time, and with difficulty, came he to understand his own misery, for the word of salvation had touched the darkened vision of his heart, and there fell upon him deep remorse for his past sins. He renounced the error of his idols, and ran towards the light of godliness, and from henceforth departed from his miserable life, and made himself as bitter an enemy of vile affections and sorceries as he before had pledged himself their devoted friend, For at this season he stood up in the midst of the assembly, and cried with a loud voice, saying, "Verily, O king, the Spirit of God dwelleth in your son. Verily, we are defeated, and have no further apology, and have no strength to face the words that he has uttered. Mighty therefore, in sooth, is the God of the Christians: mighty is their faith: mighty are their mysteries."

Then he turned him round toward the king's son and said, "Tell me now, you man, whose soul is enlightened, will Christ accept me, if I forsake my evil deeds and turn to him?" "Yea," said that preacher of truth; "Yea, he receiveth you and all that turn to him. And he not only receiveth you, but he goeth out to meet you returning out of the way of iniquity, as though it were a son returning from a far country. And he falleth on his neck and kisseth him, and he strippeth him of the shameful robe of sin, and putteth on him a cloak of brightest glory, making mystic gladness for the powers on high, keeping feast for the return of the lost sheep. The Lord himself says, 'There is exceeding great joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth': and again, 'I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.' And he says also by the Prophet, 'As I live, says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner, and the ungodly, but that he should turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil way. And why will ye die, O house of Israel?' For the wickedness of the wicked shall not hurt him in the day that he turneth from his wickedness, if he do righteousness and walk in the statutes of life, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him. Because he has done the decree of righteousness, he shall live thereby. And again he cries by the mouth of another prophet, 'Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil: learn to do well. Come now, and let us reason together: though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; though they be red like crimson, I will make them white as wool.' Such therefore being the promises made by God to them that turn to him, tarry not, O you man, nor make delay: but draw nigh to Christ, our loving God, and be enlightened, and your face shall not be ashamed. For as soon as you goest down into the laver of Holy Baptism, all the defilement of the old man, and all the burden of your many sins, is buried in the water, and passes into nothingness, and you comest up from thence a new man, pure from all pollution, with no spot or wrinkle of sin upon you; and thenceforward it is in your power ever to keep for thyself the purity that you gainest hereby through the tender mercy of our God."

When Theudas had been thus instructed, he went out immediately and gat him to his evil den, and took his magical books, and, because they were the beginnings of all evil, and the storehouses of devilish mysteries, burnt them with fire. And he betook himself to the cave of that same holy man, to whom Nachor also had resorted, and told him that which had befallen him, casting dust upon his head, and groaning deeply, and watering himself with his tears, and telling the aged man the full tale of his loathly deeds. He, well skilled in the saving of a soul and the snatching it from the jaw of the wily serpent, charmed away his sorrow with words of salvation, and pledged him forgiveness and promised him a merciful Judge. Then, after he had instructed and charged him to fast many days, he cleansed him in Holy Baptism. And all the days of his life Theudas heartily repented him of his misdeeds, with tears and sighs seeking the favour of God.

XXXII

Ἔφη δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Θευδᾶς: Ἰδοὺ φανερόν ἐστιν, ὅτι τὴν καθ' ἡμᾶς θρησκείαν πολλοὶ καὶ μεγάλοι σοφοί, καὶ ἐξηγηταί, καὶ θαυμαστοὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἐπιστήμην, ἐνομοθέτησαν, καὶ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ δυνάσται ὡς καλὴν καὶ μηδὲν σφαλερὸν ἔχουσαν ἐδέξαντο, τὴν δὲ τῶν Γαλιλαίων ἄγροικοί τινες, πτωχοί τε καὶ εὐτελεῖς ἐκήρυξαν ἄνδρες, καὶ αὐτοὶ εὐαρίθμητοι καὶ μὴ τῶν δώδεκα τὸ μέτρον ὑπερβαίνοντες. πῶς οὖν τῶν ὀλίγων, ἀσήμων τε καὶ ἀγροίκων, τὸ κήρυγμα προτιμητέον τῆς τῶν πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων καὶ σοφίᾳ τοσαύτῃ λαμψάντων νομοθεσίας; τίς δὲ ἡ ἀπόδειξις τούτους ἀληθεύειν, κἀκείνους ψεύδεσθαι;

Αὖθις οὖν ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως υἱὸς ἀπεκρίνατο: Τάχα, Θευδᾶ, ὄνος εἶ, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, λύρας ἀκούων καὶ ἀσύνετος μένων, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀσπὶς βύων τὰ ὦτα τοῦ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς ἐπᾳδόντων. καλῶς οὖν ὁ προφήτης εἶπε περὶ σοῦ: εἰ ἀλλάξεται Αἰθίοψ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ καὶ πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς, καὶ σὺ δυνήσῃ εὖ ποιῆσαι μεμαθηκὼς κακά. μωρὲ καὶ τυφλέ, πῶς οὐκ ἄγει σε εἰς αἴσθησιν ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ἰσχύς; τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸ τὸ παρὰ πολλῶν μὲν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ θαυμαζομένων ἐπαινεῖσθαι τὰ μιαρά σου σεβάσματα, παρὰ πολλῶν δὲ βασιλέων κρατύνεσθαι, τὸ δὲ κήρυγμα τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου παρ' ὀλίγων καὶ ἀσήμων ἀνδρῶν κηρυχθῆναι, δεικνύει τῆς ἡμῶν θεοσεβείας τὴν ἰσχὺν καὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων πονηρῶν δογμάτων τὸ ἀσθενὲς καὶ ὀλέθριον: ὅτι τὰ μὲν ὑμέτερα, καὶ συνηγόρους ἔχοντα σοφοὺς καὶ ἀντιλήπτορας ἰσχυρούς, ὅμως σβέννυται καὶ ἀσθενεῖ, τὰ δὲ τῆς θεοσεβείας, μηδεμίαν ἀνθρωπίνην κεκτημένα βοήθειαν, λάμπει τηλαυγέστερον ἡλίου καὶ τοῦ κόσμου κατέσχε τὰ πληρώματα. εἰ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ ῥητόρων τε καὶ φιλοσόφων ἐξετέθη, βασιλεῖς δὲ καὶ δυνάστας εἶχε συνεργοῦντας, εὗρες ἂν σὺ ὁ πονηρὸς εἰπεῖν ἀνθρωπίνης δυνάμεως τὸ πᾶν γεγενῆσθαι: νυνὶ δέ, ὁρῶν παρὰ ἁλιέων μὲν εὐτελῶν τὸ ἅγιον συντεθὲν Εὐαγγέλιον, παρὰ πάντων δὲ τυράννων διωχθέν, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο τὴν οἰκουμένην κατασχὸν (εἰς πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ), τί ἂν εἴποις, ἢ θείαν εἶναι καὶ ἄμαχον δύναμιν ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ ἑαυτῆς βεβαιοῦσαν; τίνα δὲ ἀπόδειξιν ζητεῖς, ἀνόητε, τοῦ ψεύδεσθαι μὲν τοὺς σούς, ἀληθεύειν δὲ τοὺς ἡμετέρους, κρείττονα τῶν εἰρημένων; εἰ μὴ γὰρ λῆρος ἦν καὶ ψεῦδος πάντα τὰ σά, οὐκ ἄν, τοσαύτην ἔχοντα παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἰσχύν, ἠλαττοῦτο καὶ ἐξησθένει. Εἶδον γάρ, φησί, τὸν ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου: καὶ παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐζήτησα αὐτόν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ.

Περὶ ὑμῶν ταῦτα εἴρηκεν ὁ Προφήτης τῶν ὑπασπιστῶν τῆς εἰδωλομανίας. μικρὸν γὰρ ὅσον ὅσον καὶ οὐ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὁ τόπος ὑμῶν, ἀλλ', ὡς ἐκλείπει καπνός, ἐκλείψετε, καὶ ὡς τήκεται κηρὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου πυρός. περὶ δὲ τῆς Εὐαγγελικῆς θεογνωσίας εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος: Ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται, οἱ δὲ λόγοι μου οὐ μὴ παρέλθωσι. καί: Σὺ κατ' ἀρχάς, Κύριε, φησὶν αὖθις ὁ ψαλμῳδός, τὴν γῆν ἐθεμελίωσας, καὶ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σού εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοί: αὐτοὶ ἀπολοῦνται: σὺ δὲ διαμένεις: καὶ πάντες ὡσεὶ ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ περιβόλαιον ἑλίξεις αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀλλαγήσονται, σὺ δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶ, καὶ τὰ ἔτη σου οὐκ ἐκλείψουσι. καὶ οἱ μὲν θεῖοι κήρυκες τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας, οἱ σοφοὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁλιεῖς, οἱ πάντας ἑλκύσαντες τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς ἀπάτης, οὓς ὁ εὐτελὴς σύ, καὶ δοῦλος ὄντως τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἐξευτελίζεις, ἔλαμψαν σημείοις καὶ τέρασι καὶ ποικίλαις δυνάμεσιν ὡς ἥλιος ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, τυφλοῖς τὸ φῶς δωρούμενοι, κωφοῖς τὸ ἀκούειν, χωλοῖς τὸ περιπατεῖν, νεκροῖς τὸ ζῆν χαριζόμενοι. αἱ σκιαὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν μόναι πάντα τὰ πάθη τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐθεράπευον. δαίμονας, οὓς ὑμεῖς φοβεῖσθε ὡς θεούς, οὐ μόνον τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀπήλαυνον σωμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῆς ἐδίωκον τῆς οἰκουμένης, τῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημείῳ, δι' οὗ πᾶσαν μὲν ἠφάνισαν μαγείαν πᾶσαν δὲ φαρμακείαν ἀνενέργητον ἔδειξαν. καὶ ἐκεῖνοι μέν, οὕτως τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἰασάμενοι ἀσθένειαν τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δυνάμει καὶ τὴν κτίσιν πᾶσαν καινουργήσαντες, ὡς τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκες θαυμάζονται παρὰ πάντων εἰκότως τῶν εὖ φρονούντων. τί δὲ ὃ αὐτὸς ἔχεις εἰπεῖν περὶ τῶν σοφῶν σου καὶ ῥητόρων, ὧν ἐμώρανεν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν σοφίαν, τῶν συνηγόρων τοῦ διαβόλου; τί μνήμης ἄξιον κατέλιπον τῷ βίῳ; εἰπέ. τί δ' ἂν εἴποις περὶ αὐτῶν, ἢ ἀλογίαν καὶ αἰσχρότητα, καὶ τέχνην ματαίαν, τῇ καλλιεπείᾳ τῶν λόγων τὸν βόρβορον συγκαλύπτουσαν τῆς δυσώδους αὐτῶν θρησκείας;

Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ποιητῶν ὅσοι μικρόν τι δεδύνηνται τῆς πολλῆς ἀνανεῦσαι μανίας, εἶπον τὸ ἀληθέστερον, ὅτι οἱ λεγόμενοι θεοὶ ἄνθρωποι ἦσαν, καί, διὰ τό τινας μὲν αὐτῶν ἄρξαι χωρῶν τε καὶ πόλεων, τινὰς δὲ ἄλλο τι οὐδαμινὸν κατὰ τὸν βίον ποιῆσαι, πλανηθέντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους θεοὺς αὐτοὺς καλέσαι. καταρχὰς μὲν γὰρ ὁ Σεροὺχ ἐκεῖνος ἱστόρηται τὰ τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ἐξευρεῖν. τοὺς γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πάλαι χρόνοις ἢ ἀνδρείας ἢ φιλίας, ἤ τινος ἑτέρας ἀνδραγαθίας ἔργον μνήμης ἄξιον ἐπιδειξαμένους ἀνδριάσι λέγεται καὶ στήλαις τιμῆσαι. οἱ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν τῶν προγόνων ἀγνοήσαντες γνώμην, καὶ ὅτι, μνήμης ἕνεκα μόνον, τοῖς ἐπαινετόν τι ποιήσασιν ἀνδριάντας καὶ στήλας ἀνέστησαν, κατὰ μικρὸν πλανώμενοι τῇ τοῦ ἀρχεκάκου δαίμονος ἐνεργείᾳ, ὡς ἀθανάτοις θεοῖς τοῖς ὁμοιοπαθέσι καὶ φθαρτοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσετέθησαν, καὶ θυσίας αὐτοῖς καὶ σπονδὰς ἐπενοήσαντο, τῶν δαιμόνων δηλονότι τοῖς ξοάνοις ἐνοικησάντων, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὰς θυσίας μεθελκυσάντων. ἐκεῖνοι τοίνυν τοὺς μὴ δοκιμάζοντας τὸν Θεὸν ἔχειν ἐν ἐπιγνώσει πείθουσι θεοὺς αὐτοὺς ἡγεῖσθαι, δυοῖν χάριν ἵν' αὐτοὶ μὲν τῇ προσηγορίᾳ δοξάζοιντο ταύτῃ (ἥδονται γάρ, ἅτε πλήρεις ἀλαζονείας ὄντες, ὡς θεοὶ τιμᾶσθαι), αὐτοὺς δὲ οὓς ἠπατήκασιν εἰς τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον αὐτοῖς ἄσβεστον ἑλκύσωσι πῦρ. ὅθεν πᾶσαν αὐτοὺς ἐδίδαξαν παρανομίαν καὶ αἰσχρότητα, ὡς ἅπαξ ὑποταγέντας τῇ ἐκείνων ἀπάτῃ. ἐπὶ τοῦτον οὖν τὸν κολοφῶνα τῶν κακῶν ἐλθόντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐσκοτισμένοι ὄντες, ἕκαστος τοῦ ἰδίου πάθους καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἔστησε στήλην, καὶ θεὸν ὠνόμασε, βδελυκτοὶ τῆς πλάνης, βδελυκτότεροι τῆς ἀτοπίας τῶν προσκυνουμένων γενόμενοι, ἕως ἐλθὼν ὁ Κύριος διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους αὐτοῦ ἐλυτρώσατο ἡμᾶς τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ τῆς πονηρᾶς ταύτης καὶ ὀλεθρίου πλάνης, καὶ ἐδίδαξε τὴν ἀληθῆ θεογνωσίαν. οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ σωτηρία, εἰ μὴ ἐν αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλος θεὸς οὔτε ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὔτε ἐπὶ γῆς, εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς μόνος ὁ τοῦ παντὸς ποιητής, ὁ πάντα φέρων τῷ ῥήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ. Τῷ λόγῳ γάρ, φησί, Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν, καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν: καί, πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἓν ὃ γέγονεν.

Ὁ δὲ Θευδᾶς, τούτων ἀκούσας τῶν ῥημάτων, καὶ ὅτι πλήρης ὁ λόγος θεοδιδάκτου σοφίας ἐτύγχανεν, οἷα βροντῆς ἤχῳ καταπλαγείς, ἀφωνίᾳ συνείχετο. ὀψὲ δὲ καὶ μόλις εἰς αἴσθησιν ἐλθὼν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀθλιότητος (ἥψατο γὰρ τῶν ἐσκοτισμένων ὀφθαλμῶν τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ ὁ σωτήριος λόγος, καὶ πολὺς τῶν προτέρων αὐτοῦ εἰσῄει μετάμελος), καὶ τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων πλάνης καταγνούς, τῷ φέγγει τῆς εὐσεβείας προσέδραμε. καὶ τὸ ἀπ' ἐκείνου οὕτω τῆς μοχθηρᾶς ἀγωγῆς ἀπέστη καὶ τοσοῦτον ἑαυτὸν τοῖς ἀτίμοις ἐξεπολέμωσε πάθεσι καὶ μαγείαις, ὅσην ἄρα πρὸ τούτου τὴν πρὸς αὐτὰ φιλίαν ἐσπείσατο. τότε μὲν γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ συνεδρίου ἑστώς, τοῦ βασιλέως προκαθεζομένου, μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ ἐβόησεν: Ἀληθῶς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, πνεῦμα Θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν τῷ υἱῷ σου: ἀληθῶς ἡττήμεθα, καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔτι ἀπολογίαν ἔχομεν, οὔτε ἀντοφθαλμῆσαι πρὸς τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ λεγόμενα ἰσχύομεν. μέγας οὖν τῷ ὄντι ὁ τῶν Χριστιανῶν Θεός, μεγάλη ἡ πίστις αὐτῶν, μεγάλα τὰ μυστήρια.

Ἐπιστραφεὶς δὲ πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν ἔφη τοῦ βασιλέως: Λέγε μοι τοίνυν, ὦ πεφωτισμένε τὴν ψυχήν: δέχεταί με ὁ Χριστός, εἰ, ἐκ τῶν πονηρῶν μου πράξεων ἀποστάς, ἐπιστρέψω πρὸς αὐτόν; Ναί, φησὶν ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας κῆρυξ, ναί, δέχεται καὶ σὲ καὶ πάντας τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπιστρέφοντας. δέχεται δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ', ὡς υἱῷ ἀπὸ μακρᾶς ἐπιδημήσαντι χώρας, προσυπαντᾷ τῷ ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ τῶν ἀνομιῶν ἐπιστρέφοντι: καὶ τοῦτον περιλαβὼν κατασπάζεται, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αἶσχος περιελὼν αὐτίκα ἱμάτιον περιτίθησι σωτηρίου, καὶ στολὴν λαμπροτάτης περιβαλὼν δόξης, μυστικὴν ταῖς ἄνω δυνάμεσιν ἐπιτελεῖ εὐφροσύνην, τὴν ἐπιστροφὴν ἑορτάζων τοῦ ἀπολωλότος προβάτου. αὐτὸς γὰρ ἔφη ὁ Κύριος χαρὰν γίνεσθαι ἐν οὐρανῷ μεγίστην ἐπὶ ἑνὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι. καὶ πάλιν, Οὐκ ἦλθον, φησί, καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν. φησὶ δὲ καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου: Ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει Κύριος: οὐ βούλομαι τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ ἀσεβοῦς, ὡς τὸ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ζῆν αὐτόν: ἀποστροφῇ ἀποστρέψατε ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ ὑμῶν τῆς πονηρᾶς: καὶ ἱνατί ἀποθνήσκετε, οἶκος Ἰσραήλ; ἀνομία γὰρ ἀνόμου οὐ μὴ κακώσῃ αὐτόν: ἐν ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ ἀποστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ποιήσῃ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἐν προστάγματι ζωῆς διαπορεύσηται, ζωῇ ζήσεται καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ: πᾶσαι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτοῦ ἃς ἥμαρτεν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶσιν: ὅτι κρῖμα δικαιοσύνης ἐποίησεν, ἐν αὐτῇ ζήσεται. καὶ αὖθις, Λούσασθε, δι' ἑτέρου βοᾷ προφήτου, καθαροὶ γένεσθε, ἀφέλετε τὰς πονηρίας ἀπὸ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου: παύσασθε ἀπὸ τῶν πονηριῶν ὑμῶν: μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν: καὶ δεῦτε καὶ διαλεχθῶμεν: καὶ ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ, ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡσεὶ ἔριον λευκανῶ. τοιούτων οὖν προκειμένων ἐπαγγελιῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῖς ἐπιστρέφουσι, μὴ μέλλε, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μηδὲ ἀναβάλλου: ἀλλὰ πρόσελθε πρὸς Χριστὸν τὸν φιλάνθρωπον Θεὸν ἡμῶν, καὶ φωτίσθητι, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου οὐ μὴ καταισχυνθῇ. ἅμα γὰρ τῷ καταδῦναί σε τῇ κολυμβήθρᾳ τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος, ὅλον τὸ αἶσχος τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ὅλος ὁ φόρτος τῶν πολλῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐνθάπτεται τῷ ὕδατι καὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν χωρεῖ, νέος δὲ σὺ ἐκεῖθεν καὶ παντὸς ῥύπου καθαρὸς ἀνέρχῃ, μηδένα σπίλον ἢ ῥυτίδα ἁμαρτίας ἐπιφερόμενος, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ σοί ἐστι τὸ διαφυλάξαι ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἐκεῖθέν σοι προσγινομένην κάθαρσιν διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους Θεοῦ ἡμῶν.

Ὁ μὲν οὖν Θευδᾶς, τούτοις κατηχηθεὶς τοῖς ῥήμασιν, ἔξεισιν εὐθέως, καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐκεῖνο καταλαβὼν ἄντρον, καὶ τὰς ἑαυτοῦ λαβὼν μαγικὰς βίβλους, ὡς κακίας πάσης ἀπαρχάς, ὡς ὀργίων δαιμονικῶν θησαυρούς, πυρὶ κατέκαυσεν. αὐτὸς δὲ τὸ σπήλαιον καταλαμβάνει τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐκείνου, πρὸς ὃν καὶ ὁ Ναχὼρ ἀπεληλύθει, καὶ τὰ κατ' αὐτὸν διηγεῖται πάντα, κόνιν μὲν ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς καταχεάμενος, βαρεῖς τε ἀναφέρων στεναγμοὺς καὶ λούων τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἑαυτόν, καθεξῆς δὲ τῷ γέροντι τὰς μυσαρὰς αὐτοῦ διηγούμενος πράξεις. ἐκεῖνος δέ, περὶ τὸ σῶσαι ψυχὴν καὶ τῆς τοῦ δολίου δράκοντος ἐξαρπάσαι φάρυγγος εὐτεχνότατος ὤν, κατεπᾴδει αὐτὸν ῥήμασι σωτηρίοις, ἐγγυᾶται τὴν ἄφεσιν, ἵλεων ὑπισχνεῖται τὸν δικαστήν. εἶτα κατηχήσας καὶ νηστεύειν ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἐντειλάμενος ἡμέρας, τῷ θείῳ καθαίρει βαπτίσματι. καὶ ἦν ὁ ἄνθρωπος μετανοῶν γνησίως πάσας αὐτοῦ τὰς ἡμέρας, ἐφ' οἷς ἐπλημμέλησε, δάκρυσί τε καὶ στεναγμοῖς τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεούμενος.