Re: The Early Christians: Creed, Confession and Scripture

God has foreknowledge of what all men will do, and it is his principle to 
reward or punish every person in the future according to the merits of his

actions. Therefore he foretells through the prophetic Spirit what will
come 
to them from him according to the merit of their actions. In this way he 
leads the human race to reflection and consideration at all times, showing

men that he cares for them and provides for them. At the instigation of 
evil spirits, the death penalty was decreed on all those who read the
books 
of Hystaspes, or the Sibyl, or the prophets. Thus, fear was to prevent 
people into whose hands these books might fall from acquiring knowledge of

good things from them; fear was to keep them in servitude to the demons. 
However, they were not able to achieve this permanently, for we occupied 
ourselves with these writings fearlessly. As you see, we even offer them
to 
you for examination because we are convinced that they will find
everyone’s 
approval.

There were individual men among the Jews who came forward as prophets of 
God. Through them the prophetic Spirit predicted the things of the future 
before they actually happened. Successive kings reigning over the Jews got

possession of these prophecies written down by the prophets themselves in 
their own Hebrew language exactly as they were spoken, and preserved them 
carefully. [Seventy] men were asked to translate them into Greek. This was

done, and the books remained with the Egyptians to the present day. They 
are also in the hands of all the Jews wherever they may be. However,
though 
they read these books, they do not understand their meaning.

Justin, First Apology 44, 31.