47 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 47 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 32 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 46 pagesAbout this book
What does it mean to live as a foreigner at home—and as the soul within the world?
Diognetus, an educated outsider, wants clear answers about Christians. Why do they reject Greek gods and Jewish ceremonies? Who is their God, and why is their faith so new? In The Epistle to Diognetus, an unknown Christian writer replies with a calm argument that reads more like a speech than a quarrel.
The letter moves from criticism of idols and religious rites to a vivid portrait of ordinary believers. They share their neighbours’ cities, language and customs, yet understand their belonging differently. The writer then presents Christian teachings about God’s Word, patience and redemption, linking an account of divine love to a life of imitation.
What you’ll discover
- An outsider’s pointed questions Follow Diognetus’s inquiry into a faith whose beliefs and practices demand an explanation.
- Idols under close scrutiny Watch the writer challenge Greek worship by examining the shaped matter of its gods.
- A dispute over ritual Explore why the author accepts Jewish rejection of idols but argues against Jewish ceremonies.
- Foreigners in familiar streets Meet the letter’s Christians, outwardly like their neighbours yet described as the world’s soul.
- Patience and divine love Consider the author’s account of God’s patient plan and its call to imitate divine love.
Who will love it
Readers who enjoy plainspoken ancient voices and wonder how early Christians explained themselves to their neighbors will love this text, especially its vivid images of belonging, citizenship, and kindness.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A seeker's questions deserve a respectful answer
- Idols are made things, and their worshippers know it
- God needs no gifts, so worship must be different
- Christians live as citizens who feel like strangers
- Christians are the soul that holds the world together
- God sent his Son with gentleness, not force
- To know God is to love and imitate him
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 47 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 14 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 32 pages: USD 5.95 when you start free, USD 5.95 on its own.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 46 pages: USD 13.95 when you start free, USD 13.95 on its own.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in, 46 pages: USD 5.95 when you start free, USD 5.95 on its own.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in, 46 pages: USD 13.95 when you start free, USD 13.95 on its own.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook and the audiobook open when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The Epistle to Diognetus
by Anonymous · 150
A pagan nobleman asks why Christians live as they do, and the answer calls them the soul of the world.
ChallengingUnder 2 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then USD 0.14 a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
- Read or listen
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
“They love all people, and they are persecuted by all.”
In short
What would you say to a curious friend who asked why your community lives the way it does? A man named Diognetus puts exactly that question to a Christian writer in the ancient world, and the reply is one of the most admired short letters of early Christianity.
The Epistle to Diognetus at a glance
- Reading time
- About 15 min15 min fast, 20 min slow
- Length
- 3,860 words10 chapters
- Pages
- 32 pages46 in large print
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
- First published
- about AD 150by Anonymous
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
Keep listening. The whole audiobook, 47 min, and 200,000+ more, free to start. Renews every year; cancel anytime.
Listen freeOr hold it in print: paperback, hardcover or large print, at costFrom the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A seeker's questions deserve a respectful answer
The letter opens with a man of rank and a list of questions. Diognetus wants to know what God the Christians trust and how they worship him. He asks why they despise death and reject the gods the Greeks honor. He asks why they set aside Jewish customs, and what kind of love they have for one another.
One last question closes the list. Why has this new way of life appeared only now? The writer calls the questions precise and carefully considered, and he welcomes the eagerness behind them. He does not hear an attack.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer. Your place follows you, and you can make the type as big as you like.
- Audiobook
- For the walk, the drive and the evening. Read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
- Paperback
- Light and easy to carry. A real book for the bedside table and the beach.
- Hardcover
- Made to last. For the shelf, and for giving.
- Large print paperback
- Bigger, clearer type. Easy on the eyes for long evenings and for reading aloud.
- Large print hardcover
- Bigger, clearer type. Easy on the eyes for long evenings and for reading aloud.
See the type size
Pick a size and read a line at that size. Hold your phone at reading distance.
A pagan nobleman asks why Christians live as they do, and the answer calls them the soul of the world.
Shown close to the printed size on most screens.
Details
- First published
- 150
- Language
- English
- Listening time
- 47 min
- Level
- Challenging
- Paperback
- 32 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Hardcover
- 46 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print paperback
- 46 pages · 8.5 × 11 in
- Large print hardcover
- 46 pages · 8.5 × 11 in
- Delivery and returns
- Printed when you order. Usually here in 12 to 14 days.Arrives Fri 13 Nov to Thu 19 Novto United States, printed for you at cost
For Christmas, order by Thu 12 Nov
Cite this edition
The Epistle to Diognetus. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-letter-to-diognetus.
The epistle to Diognetus. (2026). Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-letter-to-diognetus (Original work published ca. 150)
The Epistle to Diognetus. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-letter-to-diognetus.
@book{anonymous2026epistle,
title = {The Epistle to Diognetus},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-letter-to-diognetus},
note = {First published ca. 150}
}
Make it personal
Your own message printed on a page of its own at the front of the book. Free with every printed copy.
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The Epistle to Diognetus
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy just the printed book?
Yes. The paperback costs USD 5.95 on its own. Start free and you pay the cost of printing: USD 5.95 for this paperback, and any other book at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is the Epistle to Diognetus about?
It is a letter answering a man named Diognetus, who asks why Christians reject the Greek gods, set aside Jewish customs, love one another, and live as they do. The writer begins with idols and Jewish practices, then describes Christian life and explains its divine source.
Who wrote the Epistle to Diognetus and when?
The author is unknown. Quadratus, Aristides, and Apollos have been suggested, but scholars have not agreed. Most place the letter in the second century, while some argue for a date a little earlier or later.
What does Christians are the soul of the world mean?
In chapter four the writer compares Christians to the soul in a body. They live in every city, are not owned by it, are hated without cause, and by their goodness hold the world together.
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
