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Chapter
II.—The Existence of the Devil Affirmed.
“Do you maintain that there is any prince of
evil or not?1403
1403 [Compare with
this discussion respecting the origin of the evil one,
Recognitions, ix. 55, 56; x. 3, etc. In
Recognitions, iii. 15–23, the existence of evil is
discussed.—R.] | For if you
say that there is not, I can prove to you from many statements, and
those too of your teacher, that there is; but if you honestly allow
that the evil one exists, then I shall speak in accordance with this
belief.” And Peter said: “It is impossible for
me to deny the assertion of my Teacher. Wherefore I allow that
the evil one exists, because my Teacher, who spoke the truth in all
things, has frequently asserted that he exists. For instance,
then, he acknowledges that he conversed with Him, and tempted Him for
forty days.1404 And I know
that He has said somewhere else, ‘If Satan casts out Satan, he is
divided against himself: how then is his kingdom to
stand?’1405 And He
pointed out that He saw the evil one like lightning falling down from
heaven.1406 And
elsewhere He said, ‘He who sowed the bad seed is the
devil.’1407 And again,
‘Give no pretext to the evil one.’1408
1408 This passage is not
found in the New Testament. It resembles Eph. iv. 27. | Moreover, in giving advice, He
said, ‘Let your yea be yea, and your nay nay; for what is more
than these is of the evil one.’1409 Also, in the prayer which He
delivered to us, we have it said, ‘Deliver us from the evil
one.’1410 And in
another place, He promised that He would say to those who are impious,
‘Go ye into outer darkness, which the Father prepared for the
devil and his angels.’1411 And not to
prolong this statement further, I know that my Teacher often said that
there is an evil one. Wherefore I also agree in thinking that he
exists. If, then, in future you have anything to say in
accordance with this belief, say it, as you
promised.”
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