The Holy Scripture
Chapter V
For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of mankind either in locality or in speech or in customs.
Χριστιανοὶ γὰρ οὔτε γῇ οὔτε φωνῇ οὔτε ἔθεσι διακεκριμένοι τῶν λοιπῶν εἰσιν ἀνθρώπων.
For they dwell not somewhere in cities of their own, neither do they use some different language, nor practice an extraordinary kind of life.
οὔτε γάρ που πόλεις ἰδίας κατοικοῦσιν οὔτε διαλέκτῳ τινὶ παρηλλαγμένῃ χρῶνται οὔτε βίον παράσημον ἀσκοῦσιν.
Nor again do they possess any invention discovered by any intelligence or study of ingenious men, nor are they masters of any human dogma as some are.
οὐ μὴν ἐπινοίᾳ τινὶ καὶ φροντίδι πολυπραγμόνων ἀνθρώπων μάθημα τοῦτ̓ αὐτοῖς ἐστιν εὑρημένον, οὐδὲ δόγματος ἀνθρωπίνου προεστᾶσιν, ὥσπερ ἔνιοι.
But while they dwell in cities of Greeks and barbarians as the lot of each is cast, and follow the native customs in dress and food and the other arrangements of life, yet the constitution of their own citizenship, which they set forth, is marvelous, and confessedly contradicts expectation.
κατοικοῦντες δὲ πόλεις ἑλληνίδας τε καὶ βαρβάρους, ὡς ἕκαστος ἐκληρώθη, καὶ τοῖς ἐγχωρίοις ἔθεσιν ἀκολουθοῦντες ἔν τε ἐσθῆτι καὶ διαίτῃ καὶ τῷ λοιπῷ βίῳ θαυμαστὴν καὶ ὁμολογουμένως παράδοξον ἐνδείκνυνται τὴν κατάστασιν τῆς ἑαυτῶν πολιτείας.
They dwell in their own countries, but only as sojourners; they bear their share in all things as citizens, and they endure all hardships as strangers. Every foreign country is a fatherland to them, and every fatherland is foreign.
πατρίδας οἰκοῦσιν ἰδίας, ἀλλ̓ ὡς πάροικοι: μετέχουσι πάντων ὡς πολῖται, καὶ πάνθ̓ ὑπομένουσιν ὡς ξένοι: πᾶσα ξένη πατρίς ἐστιν αὐτῶν, καὶ πᾶσα πατρὶς ξένη.
They marry like all other men and they beget children; but they do not cast away their offspring.
γαμοῦσιν ὡς πάντες, τεκνογονοῦσιν: ἀλλ̓ οὐ ῥίπτουσι τὰ γεννώμενα.
They have their meals in common, but not their wives.
τράπεζαν κοινὴν παρατίθενται, ἀλλ̓ οὐ κοίτην.
They find themselves in the flesh, and yet they live not after the flesh.
ἐν σαρκὶ τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλ̓ οὐ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶσιν.
Their existence is on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven.
ἐπὶ γῆς διατρίβουσιν, ἀλλ̓ ἐν οὐρανῷ πολιτεύονται.
They obey the established laws, and they surpass the laws in their own lives.
πείθονται τοῖς ὡρισμένοις νόμοις, καὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις βίοις νικῶσι τοὺς νόμους.
They love all men, and they are persecuted by all.
ἀγαπῶσι πάντας, καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων διώκονται.
They are ignored, and yet they are condemned. They are put to death, and yet they are endued with life.
ἀγνοοῦνται, καὶ κατακρίνονται: θανατοῦνται, καὶ ζωοποιοῦνται.
They are in beggary, and yet they make many rich. They are in want of all things, and yet they abound in all things.
πτωχεύουσι, καὶ πλουτίζουσι πολλούς: πάντων ὑστεροῦνται, καὶ ἐν πᾶσι περισσεύουσιν.
They are dishonored, and yet they are glorified in their dishonor. They are evil spoken of, and yet they are vindicated.
ἀτιμοῦνται, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀτιμίαις δοξάζονται. βλασφημοῦνται, καὶ δικαιοῦνται.
They are reviled, and they bless; they are insulted, and they respect
λοιδοροῦνται, καὶ εὐλογοῦσιν: ὑβρίζονται, καὶ τιμῶσιν.
Doing good they are punished as evil-doers; being punished they rejoice, as if they were thereby quickened by life.
ἀγαθοποιοῦντες ὡς κακοὶ κολάζονται: κολαζόμενοι χαίρουσιν ὡς ζωοποιούμενοι.
War is waged against them as aliens by the Jews, and persecution is carried on against them by the Greeks, and yet those that hate them cannot tell the reason of their hostility.
ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ὡς ἀλλόφυλοι πολεμοῦνται καὶ ὑπὸ Ἑλλήνων διώκονται: καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς ἔχθρας εἰπεῖν οἱ μισοῦντες οὐκ ἔχουσιν.