For since, Trypho, you have read what He our Saviour taught, as you have yourself acknowledged, I think that I have not acted in an unseemly fashion in also adding some short sayings of His to those found in the prophets.
Wash therefore, and now become clean,Isaiah 1:16 and put away the iniquities from your souls, as indeed God bids you wash yourselves with this laver, and (bids you) be circumcised with the true circumcision. For we should, in fact, be keeping even this circumcision which is according to the flesh, and the sabbaths, and all the festivals, if we did not know the reason why it all was enjoined even on you, namely, because of your transgressions and hardness of heart.
For if we endure all that men and evil demons work out for us to bear, so that even in the extremity of pains too great to tell, and death and punishments, we pray that even they who ordered us such sufferings may obtain mercy, and desire that no one be requited with even a little of them, as the new Lawgiver commanded us — how should we not also, Trypho, keep those things that hurt us not at all, namely circumcision of the flesh and sabbaths and the festivals?