The First Apology

Nor can the devils convince people that there will be no fire for the punishment of the wicked, just as they were unable to keep Christ hidden after He came. They can only convince those who live irrationally, were raised in immoral habits, and are biased in their own views to kill and hate us. We, on the other hand, do not hate them, but as it is shown, we pity and try to lead them to repentance. We do not fear death, since it is accepted that we must surely die; and nothing is new, everything continues the same in this governance of things. If those who experience even one year of these things grow weary, they should consider our teachings, so they may live eternally without suffering or need. But if they believe there is nothing after death and claim those who die become insensible, then they become our benefactors by freeing us from the sufferings and needs of this life, proving themselves to be wicked, inhuman, and prejudiced. They kill us not to deliver us, but to deprive us of life and joy.