at all among canonical books, because no ecclesiastical writer, either of the ancients or of our own time, ever made general use of testimonies from them. But, as my history goes on, I shall do my diligence to signify along with the successions, who of the ecclesiastical writers from time to 5 time used disputed books, and which of them they used, and also what they have said concerning the canonical and acknowledged books, and all that they have said concerning those that are not such. But so many are the writings that bear the name of Peter; and of them I recognize one 10 single Epistle as genuine and acknowledged by the ancient elders. Of Paul the fourteen are manifest and clear. It is not indeed right to ignore the fact that some have rejected that to the Hebrews, saying that it is disputed by the Roman Church as not being Paul's; but I will set out 15 at suitable opportunities what has been said by our predecessors concerning this Epistle too. The so-called Acts however of Paul I have not understood to be among the undisputed books. But whereas the same Apostle in the final salutations of the Epistle to the Romans mentions 20 among others Hermas, whose work the so-called Shepherd is said to be, it ought to be known that this too has been disputed by some, and on their account must not be set down among the acknowledged books, but by others it has been judged indispensable for those who specially need 25 elementary instruction. Hence, as we know, it has actually been read in public in churches, and I have found some even of the oldest writers using it. Let this serve to show those of the divine writings which are undisputed, and those which are not acknowledged by all.

Of the Canon of the New Testament.

Now that we have reached this point, it is reasonable to sum up the writings of the New Testament already mentioned. Well, then, we must set in the first place the holy

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τακτέον ἐν πρώτοις τὴν ἁγίαν τῶν Εὐαγγελίων τετρακτύν, οἷς ἕπεται ἡ τῶν Πράξεων τῶν ἀποστόλων γραφή. μετὰ δὲ ταύτην, τὰς Παύλου καταλεκτέον Επιστολάς, αἷς ἑξῆς τὴν φερομένην ̓Ιωάννου προτέραν, καὶ ὁμοίως τὴν Πέτρου 5 κυρωτέον Επιστολήν. ἐπὶ τούτοις τακτέον, εἴγε φανείη, τὴν ̓Αποκάλυψιν Ἰωάννου, περὶ ἧς τὰ δόξαντα κατὰ καιρὸν ἐκθησόμεθα. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐν ὁμολογουμένοις. τῶν δ ̓ ἀντιλεγομένων, γνωρίμων δ ̓ οὖν ὅμως τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἡ λεγομένη Ιακώβου φέρεται καὶ ἡ ̓Ιούδα, ἥ τε Πέτρου 1ο δευτέρα Επιστολή, καὶ ἡ ὀνομαζομένη δευτέρα καὶ τρίτη Ιωάννου, εἴτε τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ τυγχάνουσαι, εἴτε καὶ ἑτέρου ὁμωνύμου ἐκείνῳ. ἐν τοῖς νόθοις κατατετάχθω καὶ τῶν Παύλου Πράξεων ἡ γραφή, ὅ τε λεγόμενος Ποιμήν, καὶ ἡ ̓Αποκάλυψις Πέτρου, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, 15 ἡ φερομένη Βαρνάβα ἐπιστολή, καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων αἱ λεγόμεναι Διδαχαί· ἔτι τε, ὡς ἔφην, ἡ Ἰωάννου ̓Αποκάλυψις, εἰ φανείη, ἥν τινες, ὡς ἔφην, ἀθετοῦσιν, ἕτεροι δὲ ἐγκρίνουσι τοῖς ὁμολογουμένοις. ἤδη δ ̓ ἐν τούτοις τινες καὶ τὸ καθ' ̔Εβραίους Εὐαγγέλιον κατέλεξαν, ᾧ μάλιστα 20 ̔Εβραίων οἱ τὸν Χριστὸν παραδεξάμενοι χαίρουσι. ταῦτα μὲν πάντα τῶν ἀντιλεγομένων ἂν εἴη. ἀναγκαίως δὲ καὶ τούτων ὅμως τὸν κατάλογον πεποιήμεθα, διακρίναντες τάς τε κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν παράδοσιν ἀληθεῖς καὶ ἀπλάστους καὶ ἀνωμολογημένας γραφάς, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας 25 παρὰ ταύτας, οὐκ ἐνδιαθήκους μέν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀντιλεγομένας, ὅμως δὲ παρὰ πλείστοις τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικών γιγνωσκομένας, ἵν ̓ εἰδέναι ἔχοιμεν αὐτάς τε ταύτας, καὶ τὰς ὀνόματι τῶν ἀποστόλων πρὸς τῶν αἱρετικῶν προφερομένας, ἤτοι ὡς Πέτρου καὶ Θωμᾶ καὶ Ματθία, ἢ καί 3ο τινων παρὰ τούτους ἄλλων εὐαγγέλια περιεχούσας, ὡς ̓Ανδρέου καὶ ̓Ιωάννου καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποστόλων πράξεις, ὧν οὐδὲν οὐδαμῶς ἐν συγγράμματι τῶν κατὰ τὰς

quaternion of the Gospels, which are followed by the writing of the Acts of the Apostles. After this we have to place on the list the Epistles of Paul; and next to these we must maintain the current Former Epistle of John, and likewise that of Peter. In addition to these we must set down, if 5 it do seem right, the Apocalypse of John; but the opinions which have been held concerning this book we will set forth in due course. And these are counted as acknowledged. But of the disputed books, which are nevertheless familiar to most [writers], the so-called Epistle of James is current, 10 and that of Jude; also the Second of Peter, and those called Second and Third of John, whether they be the work of the Evangelist, or possibly of some other John. Among the spurious we must set down the writing of the Acts of Paul, and the so-called Shepherd, and the Apocalypse 15 of Peter; and in addition to these the current Epistle of Barnabas, and the so-called Teachings of the Apostles, and, moreover, as I said, the Apocalypse of John if it seem good; though some, as I said, reject it, while others include it in the acknowledged books. Some moreover have 20 also counted in this class the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which is in especial honour with those of the Hebrews who have received the Christ. Now all these will belong to the disputed books. We have been obliged to include these also in our list notwithstanding [the doubts 25 about them], distinguishing the writings which according to orthodox tradition are true and genuine and fully acknowledged, from the others outside their number, which are not canonical but disputed, yet recognized by most orthodox [writers], that we might be able to mark these 30 books, and those put forward by the heretics in the name of the Apostles, whether as containing Gospels of Peter and Thomas and Matthias or also of others beside them, or as Acts of Andrew and John and the other Apostlesbooks of which no one of the succession of ecclesiastical 35

διαδοχὰς ἐκκλησιαστικῶν τις ἀνὴρ εἰς μνήμην ἀγαγεῖν ἠξίωσεν. πόρρω δέ που καὶ ὁ τῆς φράσεως παρὰ τὸ ἦθος τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἐναλλάττει χαρακτήρ· ἥ τε γνώμη καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς φερομένων προαίρεσις, πλεῖστον ὅσον 5τῆς ἀληθοῦς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀπᾴδουσα, ὅτι δὴ αἱρετικῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀναπλάσματα τυγχάνει, σαφῶς παρίστησιν· ὅθεν οὐδ ̓ ἐν νόθοις αὐτὰ κατατακτέον, ἀλλ ̓ ὡς ἄτοπα πάντη καὶ δυσσεβῆ παραιτητέον.

XIII.

Ibid. iii. 25.

Τοῦ δὲ Παπία συγγράμματα πέντε τὸν ἀριθμὸν φέρε ιο ται, ἃ καὶ ἐπιγέγραπται, ‘Λογίων Κυριακῶν Ἐξηγήσεις. τούτων καὶ Εἰρηναῖος ὡς μόνων αὐτῷ γραφέντων μνημονεύει, ὧδέ πως λέγων· Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ Παπίας ὁ Ἰωάννου μὲν ἀκουστής, Πολυκάρπου δὲ ἑταῖρος γεγονώς, ἀρχαῖος ἀνήρ, ἐγγράφως ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ 15 βιβλίων. ἔστι γὰρ αὐτῷ πέντε βιβλία συντεταγμένα.

Καὶ ὁ μὲν Εἰρηναῖος ταῦτα. αὐτός γε μὴν ὁ Παπίας κατὰ τὸ προοίμιον τῶν αὐτοῦ λόγων ἀκροατὴν μὲν καὶ αὐτόπτην οὐδαμῶς ἑαυτὸν γενέσθαι τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων ἐμφαίνει, παρειληφέναι δὲ τὰ τῆς πίστεως παρὰ τῶν 20 ἐκείνοις γνωρίμων διδάσκει δι ̓ ὧν φησι λέξεων

Οὐκ ὀκνήσω δέ σοι καὶ ὅσα ποτε παρὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων καλῶς ἔμαθον καὶ καλῶς ἐμνημόνευσα, συγκατατάξαι ταῖς ἑρμηνείαις, διαβεβαιούμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀλήθειαν. οὐ γὰρ τοῖς τὰ πολλὰ λέγουσιν ἔχαιρον ὥσπερ οἱ πολλοί, 25 ἀλλὰ τοῖς τἀληθῆ διδάσκουσιν, οὐδὲ τοῖς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἐντολὰς μνημονεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου τῇ πίστει δεδομένας καὶ ἀπ ̓ αὐτῆς παραγινομένας τῆς ἀληθείας. εἰ δέ που καὶ παρηκολουθηκώς τις τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις ἔλθοι, τοὺς τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἀνέκρινον 30 λόγους· τί Ανδρέας ἢ τί Πέτρος εἶπεν ἢ τί Φίλιππος ἢ

τί Θωμᾶς ἢ Ιάκωβος ἢ τί Ἰωάννης ἢ Ματθαῖος ἤ τις

[writers] ever condescended to make any mention in his writings. Moreover, the character of their language differs greatly from the apostolic spirit, and the sentiment and purpose of their contents, which is in the highest degree discordant with true orthodoxy, plainly shows that they are forgeries of heretics; so that we must not count them even among the spurious books, but reject them as in every way monstrous and impious.

Papias.

FIVE books of Papias are extant, which bear the title Expositions of Oracles of the Lord. Of these Irenaeus 10 also makes mention as the only works written by him, in the following words: 'These things Papias, who was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp, an ancient worthy, witnesseth in writing in the fourth of his books. For there are five books composed by him.' So far Irenaeus. 15 Yet Papias himself, in the preface to his discourses, certainly does not declare that he himself was a hearer and eye-witness of the holy Apostles, but he shows, by the language which he uses, that he received the matters of the faith from those who were their friends ::

20

But I will not scruple also to give a place for you along with my interpretations to everything that I learnt carefully and remembered carefully in time past from the elders, guaranteeing its truth. For, unlike the many, I did not take pleasure in those who have so very much to say, but 25 in those who teach the truth; nor in those who relate foreign commandments, but in those [who record] such as were given from the Lord to the Faith, and are derived from the Truth itself. And again, on any occasion when a person came [in my way] who had been a follower of the 30 Elders, I would inquire about the discourses of the elders -what was said by Andrew, or by Peter, or by Philip, or by Thomas or James, or by John or Matthew or any other