2-1:1
Καὶ τὰ χθὲς δὲ καὶ πρώην ἐν τῇ πόλει ὑμῶν γενόμενα ἐπὶ Οὐρβίκου, ὦ Ῥωμαῖοι, καὶ τὰ πανταχοῦ ὁμοίως ὑπὸ τῶν ἡγουμένων ἀλόγως πραττόμενα ἐξηνάγκασέ με ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ὁμοιοπαθῶν ὄντων καὶ ἀδελφῶν, κἂν ἀγνοῆτε καὶ μὴ θέλητε διὰ τὴν δόξαν τῶν νομιζομένων ἀξιωμάτων, τὴν τῶνδε τῶν λόγων σύνταξιν ποιήσασθαι. Πανταχοῦ γάρ, ὃς ἂν σωφρονίζηται ὑπὸ πατρὸς ἢ γείτονος ἢ τέκνου ἢ φίλου ἢ ἀδελφοῦ ἢ ἀνδρὸς ἢ γυναικὸς κατ ἔλλειψιν, (χωρὶς τῶν πεισθέντων τοὺς ἀδίκους καὶ ἀκολάστους ἐν αἰωνίῳ πυρὶ κολασθήσεσθαι, τοὺςδ ἐναρέτους καὶ ὁμοίως Χριστῷ βιώσαντας ἐν ἀπαθείᾳ συγγενήσεσθαι τῷ θεῷ, λέγομεν δὲ τῶν γενομένων Χριστιαῶν), διὰ τὸ δυσμετάθετον καὶ φιλήδονον καὶ δυσκίνητον πρὸς τὸ καλὸν ὁρμῆσαι, καὶ οἱ φαῦλοι δαίμονες, ἐχθραίνοντες ἡμῖν καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους δικαστὰς ἔχοντες ὑποχειρίους καὶ λατρεύοντας, ὡς οὖν ἄρχοντας δαιμονιῶντας, φονεύειν ἡμᾶς παρασκευάζουσιν. Ὅπως δὲ καὶ ἡ αἰτία τοῦ παντὸς γενομένου ἐπὶ Οὐρβίκου φανερὸ ὑμῖν γένηται, τὰ πεπραγμένα ἀπαγγελῶ
羅馬人哪，昨日與前日在你們城中於烏爾比庫斯手下所發生的事，以及各處同樣由官長們無理而行的事，迫使我為你們的緣故撰寫這篇言論;因為你們與我們本性相同，也是我們的弟兄，雖然你們因看重那些自以為尊貴的名位而不肯承認、也不知道這一點。因為各處凡因過失受父親、鄰舍、兒女、朋友、弟兄、丈夫或妻子規勸的人——除了那些確信不義與放蕩之人必在永火中受刑，而有德且像基督而活之人必與神同住、脫離苦楚的人，就是那些已成為基督徒的人——都因難以改變、貪愛宴樂、又不肯趨向良善;那些邪惡的鬼魔既與我們為敵，又把這樣的審判官握在手中、視為僕役，像被鬼附的官長一般，便設法要殺害我們。但為叫那在烏爾比庫斯手下所發生之事的緣由向你們顯明，我要將所行的事述說出來。
Both the things that happened yesterday and the day before in your city under Urbicus, O Romans, and the things everywhere likewise being done unreasonably by the governors, have compelled me to compose this arrangement of words on your behalf, since you are men of like nature and our brethren, even though you do not know it and are unwilling because of the glory of your supposed dignities. For everywhere, whoever is corrected by father or neighbor or child or friend or brother or husband or wife on account of a fault—except for those who are persuaded that the unjust and licentious will be punished in eternal fire, while the virtuous and those who have lived like Christ will dwell with God in freedom from suffering, that is, those who have become Christians—because of the difficulty of change, and the love of pleasure, and the reluctance to move toward what is good, the wicked demons too, being hostile to us and holding such judges under their hand and as servants, like rulers possessed by demons, prepare to put us to death. But that the cause of all that happened under Urbicus may become plain to you, I will report what has been done.