2a And when our iniquity had been fully accomplished, and it had been made perfectly manifest that punishment and death were expected as its recompense, and the season came which God had ordained, when henceforth He should manifest His goodness and power (O the exceeding great kindness and love of God), He hated us not, neither rejected us, nor bore us malice, but was long-suffering and patient, and in pity for us took upon Himself our sins, and Himself parted with His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy for the lawless, (DIO) 2b the guileless for the evil, _the just for the unjust,_ the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal. (DIO) 3 For what else but His righteousness would have covered our sins? (DIO) 4 In whom was it possible for us lawless and ungodly men to have been justified, save only in the Son of God? (DIO) 5 O the sweet exchange, O the inscrutable creation, O the unexpected benefits; that the iniquity of many should be concealed in One Righteous Man, and the righteousness of One should justify many that are iniquitous! (DIO) 6 Having then in the former time demonstrated the inability of our nature to obtain life, and having now revealed a Saviour able to save even creatures which have no ability, He willed that for both reasons we should believe in His goodness and should regard Him as nurse, father, teacher, counsellor, physician, mind, light, honour, glory, strength and life. (DIO)
Epistle to Diognetus 9:2–6
Semantically similar passages
2 Corinthians 5:20–21
20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Epistle of Barnabas 7:1–3
1 Understand therefore, children of gladness, that the good Lord manifested all things to us beforehand, that we might know to whom we ought in all things to render thanksgiving and praise. (BRN) 2 If then the Son of God, being Lord and future Judge of quick and dead, s… (BRN)
Romans 3:24–26
24 and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Him as the atoning sacrifice through faith in His blood, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins commi…
2 Esdras 8:35–37
35 For in truth, there is no man among those who are born who has not done wickedly, and among those who have lived, there is none which have not done wrong. (WEB) 36 For in this, O Lord, your righteousness and your goodness will be declared, if you are merciful to those… (WEB) 37 … (WEB)
2 Esdras 7:138–140
138 and one who forgives, for if he didn’t forgive out of his goodness, that those who have committed iniquities might be relieved of them, not even one ten thousandth part of mankind would remain living; (WEB) 139 and a judge, for if he didn’t pardon those who were created… (WEB)
2 Clement 1:6–8
6 We who were maimed in our understanding, and worshipped stocks and stones and gold and silver and bronze, the works of men; and our whole life was nothing else but death. While then we were thus wrapped in darkness and oppressed with this thick mist in our vi… (2CL)
Sirach 28:4–6
4 Upon a man like himself he has no mercy, and does he make supplication for his own sins? (WEB) 5 He himself, being flesh, nourishes wrath. Who will make atonement for his sins? (WEB) 6 Remember your last end, and stop enmity. Remember corruption and death, and be true to the c… (WEB)
2 Esdras 7:49–51
49 He answered me, “Listen to me, and I will instruct you. I will admonish you yet again. (WEB) 50 For this reason, the Most High has not made one world, but two. (WEB) 51 For because you have said that the just are not many, but few, and the ungodly abound, hear the explanation. (WEB)
Search the collection All books and codes Translations and sources