Adversus Marcionem V.16 Programmatic Refutation of Marcion’s Antitheses through His (Allegedly) Redacted Luke

Irenaeus structural phrase or clause	English translation	Tertullian Latin parallel (with exact citation: work, book, chapter, section)	English translation
abstiterunt sententiis suis ab eo qui est Deus	departing from the true God	“Porro de ethnicis exigere poenas… non est dei eius qui naturaliter sit ignotus.” (Tertullian, Adversus Marcionem V.16.3)	“To exact punishment from the Gentiles… is not the act of that god who is naturally unknown.”
putaverunt semetipsos plus invenisse quam Apostoli	claiming superior doctrinal insight	“Sed flammam et ignem delendo haereticus extinxit…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.1)	“But by deleting flame and fire the heretic has extinguished them…”
alterum Deum adinvenientes	inventing another god	“non est dei eius qui naturaliter sit ignotus…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.3)	“it is not the god who is naturally unknown…”
Marcion… ad intercidendas conversi sunt scripturas	mutilation of scripture	“flammam et ignem delendo haereticus extinxit…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.1)	“the heretic erased the flame and fire by deleting them…”
Apostolos… annuntiasse Evangelium	apostolic gospel proclamation as normative	“cum ad ultionem venturum scribat apostolus dominum…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.2)	“when the apostle writes that the Lord will come for vengeance…”
se autem sinceriores et prudentiores Apostolis esse	heretical correction of apostolic teaching	“nolente Marcione, crematoris dei Christus…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.2)	“against Marcion’s will, Christ belongs to the burning/avenging God…”
Nos autem etiam ex his quae adhuc apud eos custodiuntur arguemus eos	arguing from texts retained by opponents	“Evangelio non obaudientes…” interpreted through Pauline text retained by Marcion (Adv. Marc. V.16.2–3)	“those who do not obey the gospel…”
ex his quae adhuc apud eos custodiuntur	refutation using opponent’s own materials	“Illius est ergo etiam ignorantes deum plectere…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.3)	“Therefore it belongs to him also to punish those ignorant of God…”
secundum Lucam… epistolas Pauli decurtantes	controversy centered on Pauline epistles retained by Marcion	“Cum enim ad ultionem venturum scribat apostolus dominum…” (Adv. Marc. V.16.2)	“For when the apostle writes that the Lord will come for vengeance…”

Irenaeus (parallel evidence) Tertullian (Adv. Marc. V.16 primary text) “He shall come… bringing in the apostasy… and the Lord shall send him into the lake of fire… and shall bring in for the righteous the times of the kingdom.” — Against Heresies V.28.2 (English translation). “Dominum et hic retributorem utriusque meriti dicimus circumferri ab apostolo… apud quem iustum sit afflictatoribus nostris rependi afflictationem… in revelatione domini Iesu venientis a caelo cum angelis virtutis suae et in flamma ignis.” “Here also we say that the Lord is presented by the apostle as the requiter of each merit… with whom it is just that affliction be repaid to our afflictors… at the revelation of the Lord Jesus coming from heaven with the angels of his power and in flaming fire.” Adv. Marc. V.16.1 “Those who do not obey Him… shall be justly judged… receiving punishment according to their deeds.” — Against Heresies IV.28.1 (English translation). “Cum enim ad ultionem venturum scribat apostolus dominum exigen­dam de eis qui deum ignorent et qui non obaudiant evangelio… poenam luituros exitialem, aeternam.” “For when the apostle writes that the Lord will come for vengeance to exact it from those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel… they will suffer eternal destructive punishment.” Adv. Marc. V.16.2 “For the knowledge of God is manifest through creation… so that none may plead ignorance.” — Against Heresies II.6.1 (English translation). “Creatori autem etiam naturalis agnitio debetur, ex operibus intellegendo… Illius est ergo etiam ignorantes deum plectere, quem non liceat ignorare.” “But to the Creator even natural recognition is owed, by understanding from His works… therefore it belongs to Him also to punish those ignorant of God, whom it is not permitted to ignore.” Adv. Marc. V.16.3 “The apostasy… the Antichrist… shall exalt himself against God and sit in the temple.” — Against Heresies V.25.1 (English translation). “Quis est autem homo delicti, filius perditionis… extollens se super omne quod deus dicitur… consessurus in templo dei… Secundum nos quidem antichristus…” “Who is the man of sin, the son of perdition… exalting himself above all that is called God… sitting in the temple of God… according to us, this is Antichrist.” Adv. Marc. V.16.4 “God permits deception for those who refuse the truth… that they may be judged.” — Against Heresies IV.29.1 (English translation). “Propterea… quod dilectionem veritatis non susceperint… erit eis instinctum fallaciae… ut iudicentur omnes qui non crediderunt veritati.” “Because they did not receive the love of the truth… there will be for them an impulse of delusion… so that all who did not believe the truth may be judged.” Adv. Marc. V.16.5 “The same God both judges and saves… exercising justice and goodness together.” — Against Heresies IV.40.1 (English translation). “Si indubitatum est eius esse… veritatem et salutem cuius et ira et aemulatio… quis dignius irascetur?” “If it is certain that truth and salvation belong to Him whose are also wrath and zeal… who will more fittingly be angry?” Adv. Marc. V.16.6 “God from the beginning prepared humanity through works, benefits, punishments, and preaching for knowledge of Himself.” — Against Heresies IV.14.2 (English translation). “Qui a primordio rerum naturam operibus beneficiis plagis praedicationibus… ad agnitionem sui praestruxit.” “He who from the beginning prepared the nature of things by works, benefits, punishments, preachings… for the recognition of Himself.” Adv. Marc. V.16.7

In this passage the same polemical pattern appears in recognizable form: the opponent is portrayed as departing from the true apostolic teaching through selective interpretation and doctrinal innovation, implicitly claiming greater insight than the apostles themselves. Tertullian repeatedly frames Marcion as someone who alters or erases elements of Scripture (for example references to fire, judgment, or punishment) in order to avoid identifying Christ with the Creator, which mirrors the broader accusation that heretics invent “another god” by reshaping inherited texts rather than receiving them. The insistence that the apostolic message consistently presents a judging and retributive Lord, and that attempts to reinterpret this arise from doctrinal bias, aligns with the charge that innovators abandon the authentic tradition while imagining themselves more refined or spiritually advanced than earlier authorities. Moreover, the discussion of antichrist, deception, and divine judgment reinforces the rhetorical motif that deviation from apostolic teaching stems from error or satanic influence, echoing the idea that such groups believe themselves wiser than the apostles while actually departing from the true God and the original gospel proclamation.