Epistle to Diognetus 4

1But as to their scrupulosity concerning meats, and their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about circumcision, and their fancies about fasting and the new moons, which are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice,—I do not think that you require to learn anything from me. For, to accept some of those things which have been formed by God for the use of men as properly formed, and to reject others as useless and redundant,—how can this be lawful? And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do what is good on the Sabbath-days,—how is not this impious? And to glory in the circumcision of the flesh as a proof of election, and as if, on account of it, they were specially beloved by God,—how is it not a subject of ridicule? And as to their observing months and days, as if waiting upon the stars and the moon, and their distributing, according to their own tendencies, the appointments of God, and the vicissitudes of the seasons, some for festivities, and others for mourning,—who would deem this a part of divine worship, and not much rather a manifestation of folly? I suppose, then, you are sufficiently convinced that the Christians properly abstain from the vanity and error common [to both Jews and Gentiles], and from the busy-body spirit and vain boasting of the Jews; but you must not hope to learn the mystery of their peculiar mode of worshipping God from any mortal.

᾿Αλλὰ μὴν τό γε περὶ τὰς βρώσεις αὐτῶν ψοφοδεές, καὶ τὴν περὶ τὰ σάββατα δεισιδαιμονίαν, καὶ τὴν τῆς περι- τομῆς ἀλαζονείαν, καὶ τὴν τῆς νηστείας καὶ νουμηνίας εἰρωνείαν, καταγέλαστα καὶ οὐδενὸς ἄξια λόγου [ov] νομίζω σε χρήζειν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ μαθεῖν. τό τε γὰρ τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κτισθέντων εἰς χρῆσιν ἀνθρώπων ἃ μὲν ὡς καλῶς κτισθέντα παραδέχεσθαι, ἃ δ' ὡς ἄχρηστα καὶ περισσὰ παραιτεῖσθαι, πῶς οὐκ ἀθέμεστον; τὸ δὲ καταψεύδεσθαι Θεοῦ ὡς κωλύοντος ἐν τῇ τῶν σαββάτων ἡμέρᾳ κι ποιεῖν, πῶς οὐκ ἀσεβές; τὸ δὲ, καὶ τὴν alan ἐξαιρέτως ἠγαπημένους ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, πῶς οὐ χλεύης 5, τὸ δὲ παρεδρεύοντας αὐτοὺς ἄστροις καὶ σελή "παρατήρησιν τῶν μηνῶν καὶ τῶν ἡμερῶν ποιεῖσέ “tds οἰκονομίας Θεοῦ καὶ τὰς τῶν καιρῶν ἀλλαγὰ" διαιρεῖν πρὸς τὰς αὐτῶν ὁρμάς, ἃς μὲν εἰς ἑορτάς, ἃ πένθη" τίς Gv θεοσεβείας καὶ οὐκ ἀφροσύνης πολὺ A | ἡγήσαιτο δεῖγμα; τῆς μὲν οὖν κοινῆς εἶκας τὸς καὶ ἀπάτης καὶ τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίων πολυπραγμοσύνης καὶ ψονείας [ὡς] ὀρθῶς ἀπέχονται Χριστιανοί, ἀρκούντως σε νομίξω με- μαθηκέναι" τὸ δὲ τῆς ἰδίας αὐτῶν θεοσεβείας μυστήριον μὴ προσδοκήσῃς δύνασθαι παρὰ ἀνθρώπου μαθεῖν.