Dialogue with Trypho

And now I will again recite the words I have spoken to prove this point. When Scripture says, ‘The Lord rained fire from the Lord out of heaven,’ the prophetic word indicates there were two: One on the earth, who, it says, came down to see the cry of Sodom; Another in heaven, who also is Lord of the Lord on earth, as He is Father and God; the cause of His power and of His being Lord and God.

Again, when Scripture records that God said in the beginning, ‘Behold, Adam has become like one of Us,’ this phrase, ‘like one of Us,’ also indicates number; and the words do not allow a figurative meaning, as those who twist the words try to suggest, who are unable to tell or understand the truth. And it is written in the book of Wisdom: ‘If I should tell you daily events, I would recall them from the beginning. The Lord created me as the beginning of His ways for His works.

From everlasting, He established me at the beginning, before He formed the earth, and before He made the depths, and before the springs of water came forth, before the mountains were settled; He begets me before all the hills.’ When I repeated these words, I added: “You see, my listeners, if you pay attention, that Scripture has declared that this Offspring was begotten by the Father before all created things; and anyone will admit that which is begotten is numerically distinct from that which begets.”