First Apology 4
Summary: Christians are punished for the name alone, not for proven crimes; the rulers should judge conduct, not the name.
Greek text · Rauschen, 12–14
Ὀνόματος μὲν οὖν προσωνυμίᾳ οὔτε ἀγαθὸν οὔτε κακὸν κρίνεται ἄνευ τῶν ὑποπιπτουσῶν τῷ ὀνόματι πράξεων· ἐπεί, ὅσον γε ἐκ τοῦ κατηγορουμένου ἡμῶν ὀνόματος, χρηστότατοι ὑπάρχομεν. Ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ οὐ τοῦτο δίκαιον ἡγοίμεθα, διὰ τὸ ὄνομα, ἐὰν κακοὶ ἐλεγχώμεθα, αἰτεῖν ἀφίεσθαι, πάλιν, εἰ μηδὲν διά τε τὴν προσηγορίαν τοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ διὰ τὴν πολιτείαν εὑρισκόμεθα ἀδικοῦντες, ὑμέτερον ἀγωνιᾶσαί ἐστι, μὴ ἀδίκως κολάζοντες τοὺς μὴ ἐλεγχομένους τῇ δίκῃ κόλασιν ὀφλήσητε. Ἐξ ὀνόματος μὲν γὰρ ἢ ἔπαινος ἢ κόλασις οὐκ ἂν εὐλόγως γένοιτο, ἢν μή τι ἐνάρετον ἢ φαῦλον διʼ ἔργων ἀποδείκνυσθαι δύνηται. Καὶ γὰρ τοὺς κατηγορουμένους ἐφʼ ὑμῶν πάντας πρὶν ἐλεγχθῆναι οὐ τιμωρεῖτε· ἐφʼ ἡμῶν δὲ τὸ ὄνομα ὡς ἔλεγχον λαμβάνετε, καίπερ, ὅσον γε ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος, τοὺς κατηγοροῦντας μᾶλλον κολάζειν ὀφείλετε. Χριστιανοὶ γὰρ εἶναι κατηγορούμεθα· τὸ δὲ χρηστὸν μισεῖσθαι οὐ δίκαιον. Καὶ πάλιν· ἐὰν μέν τις τῶν κατηγορουμένων ἔξαρνος γένηται τῇ φωνῇ μὴ εἶναι φήσας, ἀφίετε αὐτὸν ὡς μηδὲν ἐλέγχειν ἔχοντες ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἐὰν δέ τις ὁμολογήσῃ εἶναι, διὰ τὴν ὁμολογίαν κολάζετε· δέον καὶ τὸν τοῦ ὁμολογοῦντος βίον εὐθύνειν καὶ τοῦ ἀρνουμένου, ὅπως διὰ τῶν πράξεων ὁποῖός ἐστιν ἕκαστος φαίνηται. Ὃν γὰρ τρόπον παραλαβόντες τινὲς παρὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου Χριστοῦ μὴ ἀρνεῖσθαι ἐξεταζόμενοι παρακελεύονται, τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον κακῶς ζῶντες ἴσως ἀφορμὰς παρέχουσι τοῖς ἄλλως καταλέγειν τῶν πάντων Χριστιανῶν ἀσέβειαν καὶ ἀδικίαν αἱρουμένοις. Οὐκ ὀρθῶς μὲν οὐδὲ τοῦτο πράττεται· καὶ γάρ τοι φιλοσοφίας ὄνομα καὶ σχῆμα ἐπιγράφονταί τινες, οἵ οὐδὲν ἄξιον τῆς ὑποσχέσεως πράττουσι· γινώσκετε δʼ ὅτι καὶ οἱ τὰ ἐναντία δοξάσαντες καὶ δογματίσαντες τῶν παλαιῶν τῷ ἑνὶ ὀνόματι προσαγορεύονται φιλόσοφοι. Καὶ τούτων τινὲς ἀθεότητα ἐδίδαξαν, καὶ τὸν Δία ἀσελγῆ ἅμα τοῖς αὐτοῦ παισὶν οἱ γενόμενοι ποιηταὶ καταγγέλλουσι· κἀκείνων τὰ διδάγματα οἱ μετερχόμενοι οὐκ εἴργονται πρὸς ὑμῶν, ἆθλα δὲ καὶ τιμὰς τοῖς εὐφώνως ὑβρίζουσι τούτους τίθετε.
English · Claude translation
By the mere designation of a name nothing is judged good or bad apart from the actions implied by the name; indeed, as far as the name with which we are accused goes, we are most excellent. But since we do not think it just to ask to be released because of the name, if we are convicted as evildoers, so again, if we are found to do no wrong either in the designation of the name or in our conduct, it is your concern to take care lest, by unjustly punishing those who are not convicted, you yourselves incur punishment from justice. For neither praise nor punishment could reasonably come from a name, unless something virtuous or base could be shown through deeds. For those accused before you, you do not punish before they are convicted; but in our case you take the name as proof, although, as far as the name goes, you ought rather to punish the accusers. For we are accused of being Christians; but it is not just to hate what is excellent. And again, if one of the accused denies it with his voice, saying he is not a Christian, you release him, as having nothing to convict him of wrongdoing; but if anyone confesses that he is, you punish him because of the confession; when you ought to examine the life both of the one who confesses and of the one who denies, so that by his actions it may be seen what kind of person each is. For just as some, having learned from the teacher Christ not to deny when examined, urge others likewise, so in the same way some who live wickedly perhaps give occasion to those who in any case choose to accuse all Christians of impiety and injustice. But this too is not done rightly; for some assume the name and dress of philosophy who do nothing worthy of their profession; and you know that even those of the ancients who held and taught contrary opinions are called by the one name of philosophers. And some of these taught atheism; and the poets proclaim the licentiousness of Zeus together with his children; and those who follow their teachings are not restrained by you, but you award prizes and honors to those who insult them in fine language.
About this passage
Notes
Translation notes
- “Most excellent” (χρηστότατοι): a play on words, since “Christian” (Χριστιανός) sounded like χρηστός, “good, excellent”; the name Christus was often pronounced Chrestus.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (punctuation slip in the digital text (missing full stop)): οὐ δίκαιον Καὶ πάλιν → οὐ δίκαιον. Καὶ πάλιν.
Cite this passage
Justin, 1 Apol. 4 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-1-apology/4/).
Plain text
Justin, 1 Apol. 4 (trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/justin-1-apology/4/).
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