And Trypho, somewhat indignant, yet reverencing the Scriptures, as was evident from his face, said to me: "The things of God are holy, but your interpretations are contrived, as appears even from those you have expounded—indeed, they are even blasphemous; for you say that there are angels who did evil and departed from God."
And I, with a gentler tone, wishing to dispose him to listen to me, answered, saying: "I admire this piety of yours, O man, and I pray that you may have the same disposition also concerning Him whom the angels are written to serve, as Daniel says—that as a son of man He is brought before the Ancient of Days, and to Him is given all dominion forever and ever. But that you may know, O man, I said, that it is not by our own boldness that we have made this interpretation which you blame, I will give you a testimony from Isaiah himself, that he says evil angels have dwelt, and do dwell, even in Tanis, the Egyptian country."
And these are the words: "Woe, rebellious children, says the Lord! You have made a plan not by me, and covenants not by my Spirit, to add sins to sins—you who go down to Egypt, but did not ask me, that you might be helped by Pharaoh and sheltered by the shelter of the Egyptians. For the shelter of Pharaoh shall be to you a disgrace, and to those who trust in the Egyptians a reproach, because there are in Tanis evil ruling angels. In vain shall they labor toward a people who will not profit them for help, but for disgrace and reproach."
But Zechariah also says, as you yourself have mentioned, that the devil stood at the right hand of Jesus the priest, to oppose him, and that the Lord said: "The Lord rebuke you, He who has chosen Jerusalem." And again it is written in Job, as you yourself said, that the angels came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came along with them. And we have it written by Moses, in the beginning of Genesis, that the serpent deceived Eve and was cursed. And we know that in Egypt the magi attempted to rival the power wrought through the faithful servant Moses by God. And you know that David said that "the gods of the nations are demons."