Ἦν μὲν οὖν πρὸ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσί ας εἰς δικαιοσύνην Ἕλλησιν ἀναγκαία φιλοσοφία, νυνὶ δὲ χρησίμη πρὸς θεοσέβειαν γίνεται, προπαιδεία τις οὖσα τοῖς τὴν πίστιν δι' ἀποδείξεως καρπουμένοις, ὅτι «ὁ πούς σου» φησὶν «οὐ μὴ προσκόψῃ», ἐπὶ τὴν πρόνοιαν τὰ καλὰ ἀναφέροντος , ἐάν τε Ἑλληνικὰ ᾖ ἐάν τε ἡμέτερα. πάντων μὲν γὰρ αἴτιος τῶν καλῶν ὁ θεός , ἀλλὰ τῶν μὲν κατὰ προηγούμενον ὡς τῆς τε διαθήκης τῆς παλαιᾶς καὶ τῆς νέας, τῶν δὲ κατ' ἐπακολούθημα ὡς τῆς φιλοσοφίας. τάχα δὲ καὶ προηγουμένως τοῖς Ἕλλησιν ἐδόθη τότε πρὶν ἢ τὸν Κύριον καλέσαι καὶ τοὺς Ἕλληνας· ἐπαιδαγώγει γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν ὡς ὁ νόμος τοὺς Ἑβραίους εἰς Χριστόν. προπαρασκευάζει τοίνυν ἡ φιλοσοφία προοδοποιοῦσα τὸν ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ τεκειούμενον. ... μία μὲν οὖν ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ὁδός, ἀλλ' εἰς αὐτὴν καθάπερ εἰς ἀέναον ποταμὸν ἐκρέουσι τὰ ῥεῖθρα ἄλλα ἄλλοθεν.

Philosophy then before the coming of the Lord was necessary to the Greeks for righteousness, but now it is profitable for piety, seeing that it is a sort of training for those who by means of demonstration have the enjoyment of faith, for 'Your foot shall not stumble,' says he, if thou refer good things to providence, whether they be Greek or Christian. For God is the cause of all good things, but of some primarily, as of the old and new covenants, and of others indirectly, as of philosophy. Perhaps also it was given primarily to the Greeks in times before the Lord called also the Greeks; for this was a schoolmaster to the Greek world as the law was to the Hebrews to bring them unto Christ. Philosophy therefore is a preparation, making ready the way for him who is being perfected by Christ. ... The way then of truth is one; but into it as into a never-failing river flow the streams from all sides.