Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History, Books I–X

Chapter VIII.—The Statements of Irenæus in regard to the Divine Scriptures.

1. Since, in the beginning of this work, ^{Edition note 1} we promised to give, when needful, the words of the ancient presbyters and writers of the Church, in which they have declared those traditions which came down to them concerning the canonical books, and since Irenæus was one of them, we will now give his words and, first, what he says of the sacred Gospels: ^{Edition note 2}

2. “Matthew published his Gospel among the Hebrews in their own language, ^{Edition note 3} while Peter and Paul were preaching and founding the church in Rome. ^{Edition note 4}

3. After their departure Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, also transmitted to us in writing those things which Peter had preached; ^{Edition note 5} and Luke, the attendant of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel which Paul had declared. ^{Edition note 6}

4. Afterwards John, the disciple of the Lord, who also reclined on his bosom, published his Gospel, while staying at Ephesus in Asia.” ^{Edition note 7}

5. He states these things in the third book of his above-mentioned work. In the fifth book he speaks as follows concerning the Apocalypse of John, and the number of the name of Antichrist: ^{Edition note 8}

6. And farther on he says concerning the same: ^{Edition note 11}

7. He states these things concerning the Apocalypse ^{Edition note 13} in the work referred to. He also mentions the first Epistle of John, ^{Edition note 14} taking many proofs from it, and likewise the first Epistle of Peter. ^{Edition note 15} And he not only knows, but also receives, The Shepherd, ^{Edition note 16} writing as follows: ^{Edition note 17}

&c.

8. And he uses almost the precise words of the Wisdom of Solomon, saying: ^{Edition note 20} “The vision of God produces immortality, but immortality renders us near to God.” He mentions also the memoirs ^{Edition note 21} of a certain apostolic presbyter, ^{Edition note 22} whose name he passes by in silence, and gives his expositions of the sacred Scriptures.

9. And he refers to Justin the Martyr, ^{Edition note 23} and to Ignatius, ^{Edition note 24} using testimonies also from their writings. Moreover, he promises to refute Marcion from his own writings, in a special work. ^{Edition note 25}

10. Concerning the translation of the inspired ^{Edition note 26} Scriptures by the Seventy, hear the very words which he writes: ^{Edition note 27}

11. Shortly after he adds:

“For before the Romans had established their empire, while the Macedonians were still holding Asia, Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, ^{Edition note 31} being desirous of adorning the library which he had founded in Alexandria with the meritorious writings of all men, requested the people of Jerusalem to have their Scriptures translated into the Greek language.

12. But, as they were then subject to the Macedonians, they sent to Ptolemy seventy elders, who were the most skilled among them in the Scriptures and in both languages. Thus God accomplished his purpose. ^{Edition note 32}

13. But wishing to try them individually, as he feared lest, by taking counsel together, they might conceal the truth of the Scriptures by their interpretation, he separated them from one another, and commanded all of them to write the same translation. ^{Edition note 33} He did this for all the books.

14. But when they came together in the presence of Ptolemy, and compared their several translations, God was glorified, and the Scriptures were recognized as truly divine. For all of them had rendered the same things in the same words and with the same names from beginning to end, so that the heathen perceived that the Scriptures had been translated by the inspiration ^{Edition note 34} of God.

15. And this was nothing wonderful for God to do, who, in the captivity of the people under Nebuchadnezzar, when the Scriptures had been destroyed, and the Jews had returned to their own country after seventy years, afterwards, in the time of Artaxerxes, king of the Persians, inspired Ezra the priest, of the tribe of Levi, to relate all the words of the former prophets, and to restore to the people the legislation of Moses.” ^{Edition note 35}

Such are the words of Irenæus.