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The Second Apology

Justin Martyr

Chapter 14

About this work

A shorter defense responding to recent judicial violence against Christians and arguing that persecution, philosophical reason, human freedom, and Christian hope must be judged justly.

Author: Justin Martyr
Date: c. AD 150–160
Origin: Rome
Genre: Apology

Chapter XIV.—Justin prays that this appeal be published.

And we therefore pray you to publish this little

‹ Chapter 13 Chapter 15 ›

book

,

appending

what

you

think

right

,

that

our

opinions

may

he

known

to

others

,

and

that

these

persons

may

have

a

fair

chalice

of

being

freed

from

erroneous

notions

and

ignorance

of

good

,

who

by

their

own

fault

are

become

subject

to

punishment

;

that

so

these

things

may

be

published

to

men

,

because

it

is

in

the

nature

of

man

to

know

good

and

evil

;

and

by

their

condemning

us

,

whom

they

do

not

understand

,

for

actions

which

they

say

are

wicked

,

and

by

delighting

in

the

gods

who

did

such

things

,

and

even

now

require

similar

actions

from

men

,

and

by

inflicting

on

us

death

or

bonds

or

some

other

such

punishment

,

as

if

we

were

guilty

of

these

things

,

they

condemn

themselves

,

so

that

there

is

no

need

of

other

judges

.