Justin Martyr, First Apology 44

The holy prophetic Spirit taught us these things, declaring through Moses to the first man created by God: "Behold, before you lie the good and the evil; choose the good." Again, through Isaiah, another prophet, the word came from the Father of all and the Master, God, saying: "Wash yourselves, become clean, remove your evil deeds from my sight; learn to do good, seek justice, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as wool; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like snow. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall devour you; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 1:16-20). The earlier statement "the sword shall devour you" does not mean that the disobedient will be killed by physical swords; rather, the sword of God is fire, and its fuel is those who choose to do evil. Therefore it says: "The sword shall devour you; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." If it were speaking of a sword that cuts and destroys at once, it would not have said "devour." So also Plato, when he said, "The cause lies with the one who chooses; God is blameless," took this from Moses the prophet, for Moses is older than all the writers among the Greeks. And all that philosophers and poets have said about the immortality of the soul, or punishments after death, or the contemplation of heavenly things, or similar doctrines—they received their starting points from the prophets, and were able to understand and explain them. Hence there appear to be seeds of truth among all people; yet they are convicted of not having understood accurately whenever they contradict themselves. When we say that future events were prophesied, we do not say this because they happen by the necessity of fate; but because God is foreknowing, knowing what all human beings will do, and because there is a decree with Him to repay each person according to their deeds. Through the prophetic Spirit He foretells what will befall each according to their works, ever leading the human race to knowledge and remembrance, showing that He cares for them and provides for them. By the operation of evil demons, death was appointed against those who read the books of Hystaspes, or the Sibyl, or the prophets, so that through fear they might turn away from the knowledge of good things those who approach these writings, and hold in bondage those who serve the demons; yet they were not able to accomplish this in the end. For we approach these writings without fear, and we bring them to you, as you see, for examination, knowing they will prove pleasing to all; and even if we persuade only a few, we shall have gained the greatest things, for as good farmers we shall receive the reward from the Master.