Dialogue with Trypho

Now, although these and all other such unexpected and marvelous works were performed among and seen by you at different times, you are convicted by the prophets of having gone to the extent of offering your own children to demons; and besides all this, of having dared to do such things against Christ; and you still dare to do them: for all of which may it be granted to you to obtain mercy and salvation from God and His Christ.

For God, knowing beforehand that you would do such things, pronounced this curse upon you through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Woe to their soul! They have devised evil counsel against themselves, saying, Let us bind the righteous man, for he is distasteful to us. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own actions. Woe to the wicked! Evil, according to the works of his hands, shall befall him. O my people, your exactors glean you, and those who extort from you shall rule over you.

O my people, those who call you blessed cause you to err, and disorder the way of your paths.

But now the Lord shall assist His people to judgment, and He shall enter into judgment with the elders of the people and their princes.

But why have you destroyed my vineyard? And why is the spoil of the poor found in your houses? Why do you wrong my people, and put to shame the face of the humble?’ Again, in other words, the same prophet spoke similarly: ‘Woe to those who draw their iniquity as with a long cord, and their transgressions as with the harness of an ox’s yoke: who say, Let His speed come near, and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel come, that we may know it.

Woe to those that call evil good, and good evil! That put light for darkness, and darkness for light! That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to those who are mighty among you, who drink wine, who are strong men, who mix strong drink! Who justify the wicked for a reward and take away justice from the righteous! Therefore, as stubble shall be burnt by the coal of fire, and utterly consumed by the burning flame, their root shall be as wool, and their flower shall rise like dust.

For they would not have the law of the Lord of Hosts, but despised the word of the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. And the Lord of Hosts was very angry, and laid His hands upon them, and struck them; and He was provoked against the mountains, and their carcasses were in the midst like dung on the road. And for all this, they have not repented, but their hand is still high.’ For truly your hand is high to commit evil, because you killed the Christ, and do not repent of it; but far from that, you hate and murder us who have believed through Him in the God and Father of all, as often as you can; and you curse Him without ceasing, as well as those who side with Him; while all of us pray for you, and for all people, as our Christ and Lord taught us to do, when He instructed us to pray even for our enemies, and to love those who hate us, and to bless those who curse us.