Christians are the salt that preserves the world
But on Celsus’s supposition, if all the Romans were persuaded, by praying they will overcome their enemies, or they will not even make war at all, guarded by the divine power which promised to save five whole cities for the sake of fifty righteous men (compare Genesis 18:24–26). For the men of God are salt that preserves the order of the world on earth, and the things on earth hold together as long as the salt does not go bad. For “if the salt has lost its taste,” it “is no longer fit either for the soil or for the dunghill,” but “is thrown out” and will be trampled “by men” (Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34–35). “He who has ears, let him hear” (Luke 14:35) how these things are said.
We too, when God allows the tempter and gives him authority to persecute us, are persecuted; but when God does not wish us to suffer this, even in a world that hates us (compare John 15:18) we live in peace, against all expectation, and take courage from Him who said: “Take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And truly He has overcome “the world”; therefore the world has power only so far as He who overcame it wills, since He received from the Father the power to overcome “the world.” And we take courage from His victory.
But if He wishes us once more to contend and struggle for piety, let the adversaries come, and we will say to them: “I can do all things in Him who strengthens me, Christ Jesus our Lord” (Philippians 4:13; 1 Timothy 1:12). For when two sparrows are sold “for a penny,” as Scripture names the price, “not one falls into a snare without the Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:29). And divine providence has embraced all things so fully that not even the hairs “of our head” have escaped being numbered by Him (Matthew 10:30).
Greek
Ἀλλ᾿ οἱ καθ᾿ ὑπόθεσιν Κέλσου πάντες ἂν πεισθέντες Ῥωμαῖοι εὐχόμενοι περιέσονται τῶν πολεμίων ἢ οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν πολεμήσονται. φρουρούμενοι ὑπὸ θείας δυνάμεως, τῆς διὰ πεντήκοντα δικαίους πέντε πόλεις ὅλας ἐπαγγειλαμένης διασῶσαι. ἅλες γὰρ εἰσι τηρητικοὶ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς συστάσεων τοῦ κόσμου οἱ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ συνέστηκε τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς, ὅσον οἱ ἅλες οὐ τρέπονται· „ἐὰν γὰρ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ,“ „οὔτ᾿ εἰς γῆν οὔτ᾿ εἰς κόπρον“ „ἰσχύει ἔτι“ ἀλλὰ „βληθὲν ἔξω“ καταπατηθήσεται „ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.“ „ὁ δ᾿ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω,“ πῶς ταῦτα λέγεται. καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ, ὅτε μὲν ἐπιτρέπει ὁ θεὸς τῷ πειράζοντι δοὺς ἐξουσίαν τὴν τοῦ διώκειν ἡμᾶς, διωκόμεθα· ὅτε δ᾿ ὁ θεὸς (οὐ) βούλεται τοῦθ᾿ ἡμᾶς πάσχειν, καὶ ἐν μισοῦντι ἡμᾶς τῷ κόσμῳ παραδόξως εἰρήνην ἄγομεν καὶ θαῤῥοῦμεν ἐπὶ τῷ εἰπόντι· „θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον.“ καὶ ἀληθῶς νενίκηκε „τὸν κόσμον,“ διόπερ (ἰσχύει ὁ κόσμος) εἰς ὅσον νικήσας αὐτὸν βούλεται, λαβὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τὸ νικᾶν „τὸν κόσμον·“ θαῤῥοῦμεν δὲ τῇ ἐκείνου νίκῃ. εἰ δὲ βούλεται πάλιν ἡμᾶς ἀθλεῖν καὶ ἀγωνίζεσθαι περὶ εὐσεβείας, ἡκέτωσαν ἀνταγωνισταὶ, πρὸς οὓς ἐροῦμεν· „πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν.“ καὶ γὰρ δύο στρουθίων πιπρασκομένων, ὡς ὠνόμασεν ἡ γραφὴ, „ἀσσαρίου,“ „ἓν εἰς παγίδα οὐ πίπτει ἄνευ τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς πατρός.“ καὶ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον πάντα ἡ θεία περιείληφε πρόνοια, ὡς μηδὲ τὰς τρίχας „τῆς κεφαλῆς“ ἡμῶν ἐκπεφευγέναι τὸ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἠριθμῆσθαι.