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The Prescription Against Heretics

Tertullian

Chapter 17

About this work

Tertullian argues that apostolic churches possess the proper claim to interpret Christian Scripture and that rival teachers should not be granted equal standing in debates over the inherited rule of faith.

Author: Tertullian
Date: c. AD 200–210
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Heresiology

Chapter XVII.—Heretics, in Fact, Do Not Use, But Only Abuse, Scripture. No Common Ground Between Them and You.

Now this heresy of yours does not receive

‹ Chapter 16 Chapter 18 ›

certain

Scriptures

;

and

whichever

of

them

it

does

receive

,

it

perverts

by

means

of

additions

and

diminutions

,

for

the

accomplishment

of

it

own

purpose

;

and

such

as

it

does

receive

,

it

receives

not

in

their

entirety

;

but

even

when

it

does

receive

any

up

to

a

certain

point

as

entire

,

it

nevertheless

perverts

even

these

by

the

contrivance

of

diverse

interpretations

.

Truth

is

just

as

much

opposed

by

an

adulteration

of

its

meaning

as

it

is

by

a

corruption

of

its

text

.

Their

vain

presumptions

must

needs

refuse

to

acknowledge

the

(

writings

)

whereby

they

are

refuted

.

They

rely

on

those

which

they

have

falsely

put

together

,

and

which

they

have

selected

,

because

of

their

ambiguity

.

Though

most

skilled

in

the

Scriptures

,

you

will

make

no

progress

,

when

everything

which

you

maintain

is

denied

on

the

other

side

,

and

whatever

you

deny

is

(

by

them

)

maintained

.

As

for

yourself

,

indeed

,

you

will

lose

nothing

but

your

breath

,

and

gain

nothing

but

vexation

from

their

blasphemy

.

Notes

1
Ista hæresis.
2
Aliquatenus.
3
Stilus.
4
“De” has often the sense of “propter” in our author.
5
Literally, “O most skilled.”
6
Quid promovebis.