The teacher's authority and the Word's gift
The author is explaining to Diognetus why he, a disciple of the apostles, can teach the nations: the Word himself was sent and revealed the Father's mysteries to the faithful.
I am not speaking about things that are foreign, and I am not searching in a way that goes against reason. I became a disciple of the apostles, and now I am a teacher of the nations. I serve what has been handed down in a way worthy of those who are becoming disciples of the truth.
For who, after being rightly taught and becoming a friend of the Word, does not eagerly seek to learn clearly the things the Word showed openly to his disciples? The Word appeared and spoke with boldness. The unfaithful did not understand the Word, but the Word explained things to his disciples. Those whom he counted faithful came to know the mysteries of the Father.
For this reason he sent the Word, so that he might appear to the world. He was dishonored by his own people, preached through the apostles, and believed in by the nations.
This is the one who was from the beginning. He appeared new, yet was found to be old, and he is always being born new in the hearts of the holy.
This is the one who always exists, the one acknowledged as Son today. Through him the church is enriched, and grace, being unfolded among the holy, multiplies. This grace gives understanding, reveals mysteries, announces the seasons, rejoices over the faithful, and grants gifts to those who seek. Among them the oaths of faith are not broken, and the boundaries of the fathers are not overstepped.
Then the fear of the law is sung, the grace of the prophets is known, the faith of the gospels is established, the tradition of the apostles is guarded, and the church rejoices in grace.
If you do not grieve this grace, you will come to know what the Word says, as he wishes, whenever he wishes.
For whatever we have been moved to speak out with labor by the will of the Word who commands us, we become sharers with you out of love for the things that have been revealed to us.
Greek
Οὐ ξένα ὁμιλῶ οὐδὲ παραλόγως ζητῶ, ἀλλὰ ἀποστόλων γενόμενος μαθητὴς γίνομαι διδάσκαλος ἐθνῶν: τὰ παραδοθέντα ἀξίως ὑπηρετῶ γινομένοις ἀληθείας μαθηταῖς.
τίς γὰρ ὀρθῶς διδαχθεὶς καὶ λόγῳ προσφιλὴς γενηθεὶς οὐκ ἐπιζητεῖ σαφῶς μαθεῖν τὰ διὰ λόγου δειχθέντα φανερῶς μαθηταῖς, οἷς ἐφανέρωσεν ὁ λόγος φανείς, παρρησίᾳ λαλῶν, ὑπὸ ἀπίστων μὴ νοούμενος, μαθηταῖς δὲ διηγούμενος, οἳ πιστοὶ λογισθέντες ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ ἔγνωσαν πατρὸς μυστήρια;
οὗ χάριν ἀπέστειλε λόγον, ἵνα κόσμῳ φανῇ, ὃς ὑπὸ λαοῦ ἀτιμασθείς, διὰ ἀποστόλων κηρυχθείς, ὑπὸ ἐθνῶν ἐπιστεύθη.
οὗτος ὁ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς, ὁ καινὸς φανεὶς καὶ παλαιὸς εὑρεθεὶς καὶ πάντοτε νέος ἐν ἁγίων καρδίαις γεννώμενος.
οὗτος ὁ ἀεί, ὁ σήμερον υἱὸς λογισθείς, δἰ οὗ πλουτίζεται ἡ ἐκκλησία καὶ χάρις ἁπλουμένη ἐν ἁγίοις πληθύνεται, παρέχουσα νοῦν, φανεροῦσα μυστήρια, διαγγέλλουσα καιρούς, χαίρουσα ἐπὶ πιστοῖς, ἐπιζητοῦσι δωρουμένη, οἷς ὅρκια πίστεως οὐ θραύεται οὐδὲ ὅρια πατέρων παρορίζεται.
εἶτα φόβος νόμου ᾅδεται, καὶ προφητῶν χάρις γινώσκεται, καὶ εὐαγγελίων πίστις ἵδρυται, καὶ ἀποστόλων παράδοσις φυλάσσεται, καὶ ἐκκλησίας χάρις σκιρτᾷ.
ἣν χάριν μὴ λυπῶν ἐπιγνώσῃ, ἃ λόγος ὁμιλεῖ δἰ ὧν βούλεται, ὅτε θέλει.
ὅσα γὰρ θελήματι τοῦ κελεύοντος λόγου ἐκινήθημεν ἐξειπεῖν μετὰ πόνου, ἐξ ἀγάπης τῶν ἀποκαλυφθέντων ἡμῖν γινόμεθα ὑμῖν κοινωνοί.