Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily XIX/Chapter 2

Chapter II.&#8212;The Existence of the Devil Affirmed.

&#8220;Do you maintain that there is any prince of evil or not? &#160; For if you say that there is not, I can prove to you from many statements, and those too of your teacher, that there is; but if you honestly allow that the evil one exists, then I shall speak in accordance with this belief.&#8221;&#160; And Peter said:&#160; &#8220;It is impossible for me to deny the assertion of my Teacher.&#160; Wherefore I allow that the evil one exists, because my Teacher, who spoke the truth in all things, has frequently asserted that he exists.&#160; For instance, then, he acknowledges that he conversed with Him, and tempted Him for forty days. &#160;And I know that He has said somewhere else, &#8216;If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself:&#160; how then is his kingdom to stand?&#8217; &#160; And He pointed out that He saw the evil one like lightning falling down from heaven. &#160; And elsewhere He said, &#8216;He who sowed the bad seed is the devil.&#8217; &#160; And again, &#8216;Give no pretext to the evil one.&#8217; &#160; Moreover, in giving advice, He said, &#8216;Let your yea be yea, and your nay nay; for what is more than these is of the evil one.&#8217; &#160; Also, in the prayer which He delivered to us, we have it said, &#8216;Deliver us from the evil one.&#8217; &#160; And in another place, He promised that He would say to those who are impious, &#8216;Go ye into outer darkness, which the Father prepared for the devil and his angels.&#8217; &#160; And not to prolong this statement further, I know that my Teacher often said that there is an evil one.&#160; Wherefore I also agree in thinking that he exists.&#160; If, then, in future you have anything to say in accordance with this belief, say it, as you promised.&#8221;