Justin’s First Apology

Brief description:

Justin’s First Apology is a written defence of Christianity addressed to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, who was Emperor from 138 to 161. The First Apology is usually dated in the 150s A.D. based on a reference to a recent interaction with the Roman Prefect Felix in Alexandria (who held office between 151 and 154 A.D.). Justin’s First Apology defends Christians against common false charges of the day and appeals for them to be judged according to their deeds and not just punished for having the name Christian. It contains some of the earliest descriptions of Christian practices such as what they did when they gathered together.

Suggested first translation(s):

An easy-to-read, modern English translation that is freely available is the one by Edward Rochie Hardy from 1953 listed below.

English translations:

• William Reeves (translated ~1709)
  • The apologies of Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Minutius Felix…, Volume 1 (published 1709) — facsimile
  • The First Apology of Justin Martyr: Addressed to the Emperor Antoninus Pius (published 1912) [reprinting of First Apology with modern type and extensive introduction by John Kaye] — facsimile
• Temple Chevallier (translated ~1833)
  • A translation of the epistles of Clement of Rome, Polycarp, and Ignatius : and of the apologies of Justin Martyr and Tertullian (published 1833) — facsimile
    • second edition (published 1851) — facsimile
• G. J. Davies (translated ~1861)
  • The Works Now Extant of S. Justin the Martyr, volume 40 or 42 of A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (published 1861) — facsimile
• Marcus Dods (translated ~1867)
  • Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 (published 1885)
    • read online
• Thomas B. Falls (translated ~1948)
  • Justin Martyr: The First Apology, The Second Apology, Dialogue with Trypho, Exhortation to the Greeks, Discourse to the Greeks, The Monarchy of the Rule of God, Volume 6 of Fathers of the Church (published 1948)
• Edward Rochie Hardy (translated ~1953)
  • Early Christian Fathers (published 1953)
    • read online
• David Bercot/Jeleta Eckheart (translated ~1989)
  • We Don’t Speak Great Things—We Live Them!, Scroll Publishing (published 1989)
    • This book contains a major revision of the translation by Marcus Dods. The revision involves an update of the language as well as a rearrangement of the order of the material.
• Leslie William Barnard (translated ~1997)
  • St. Justin Martyr: The First and Second Apologies, Volume 56 of Ancient Christian Writers (published 1997)
• Denis Minns and Paul Parvis (translated ~2009)
  • Justin, Philosopher and Martyr: Apologies, Oxford University Press (published 2009) — facsimile/preview