Further, what is said in the Law, Cursed is every one which hangeth on a tree, strengthens our hope in its dependence on the crucified Christ, not because He who has been crucified is accursed of God, but because God foretold what would be done by all of you and such as you, when you did not know that this is He who was before all things and the eternal priest of God, and King, and Christ.
Now this you can see taking place with your own eyes. For you curse in your synagogues all who have become Christians through Him. And the other nations, who make the curse effective, are slaying them who only acknowledge that they are Christians; to all of whom we say: Ye are our brethren,Isaiah 66:5 recognize therefore rather the truth of God. But when neither they nor you obey us, but do your utmost that we should deny the name of Christ, we prefer rather to be put to death, and we endure it, being assured that all the good things which God hath promised us by Christ will He requite to us.
And in addition to all this we pray for you that you may receive mercy at Christ’s hands. For He taught us to pray even for our enemies, saying: Be ye kind and full of pity, as also is your heavenly Father. For we see also that the Almighty God is kind and full of pity, making His sun arise on unthankful and righteous, and giving rain on holy and evil, though He has taught us that He will also judge them all.