232 And Trypho said, “The Scriptures compel me to admit it.” “Likewise I again ask you,” said I, “did God enjoin your fathers to present the offerings and sacrifices because He had need of them, or because of the hardness of their hearts and tendency to idolatry?” “The latter,” said he, “the Scriptures in like manner compel us to admit.” “Likewise,” said I, “did not the Scriptures predict that God promised to dispense a new covenant besides that which [was dispensed] in the mountain Horeb?” This, too, he replied, had been predicted. Then I said again, “Was not the old covenant laid on your fathers with fear and trembling, so that they could not give ear to God?” He admitted it. “What then?” said I: “God promised that there would be another covenant, not like that old one, and said that it would be laid on them without fear, and trembling, and lightnings, and that it would be such as to show what kind of commands and deeds God knows to be eternal and suited to every nation, and what commandments He has given, suiting them to the hardness of your people’s hearts, as He exclaims also by the prophets.” “To this also,” said he, “those who are lovers of truth and not lovers of strife must as- suredly assent.” Then I replied, “I know not how you speak of persons very fond of strife, [since] you yourself oftentimes were plainly acting in this very manner, frequently contradicting what you had agreed to.” 619 Chapter LXVII.—Trypho compares Jesus with Perseus; and would prefer [to…