Unbelief at both beginnings
And I think this is enough for anyone who wishes to show that the unbelief of the Jews toward Jesus was consistent with what was recorded about the people from the beginning. For to the Jew in Celsus who says, “What god, when present among men, is disbelieved, and that when he appears to those who are hoping for him? Or why ever is he not recognized by those who have long been expecting him?”, I would say this: Are you willing, sirs, to answer our questions? Which mighty works seem greater to you, so far as your own judgment goes: those in Egypt and in the wilderness, or those which we said Jesus did among you? If in your view those are greater than these, is it not plain at once that despising the lesser also fits the character of those who disbelieved the greater? For this is what is supposed about the things we tell of Jesus.
But if the mighty works told of Jesus are said to be equal to those recorded by Moses, what is strange in what has happened to a people that disbelieved at the beginning of both orders of things? For the beginning of the giving of the law came in the time of Moses, and in it the sins of the unbelievers and the sinners among you are recorded; and we acknowledge that the beginning of a second giving of law and of a second covenant came about with Jesus. And by your unbelief toward Jesus you bear witness that you are sons of those who in the wilderness disbelieved the divine manifestations (compare Matthew 23:31). And what our Savior said will be said to you also, who disbelieved him: “So you are witnesses, and you approve the deeds of your fathers” (Luke 11:48). And in you the prophecy is fulfilled that says, “Your life will be hanging before your eyes, and you will not believe your life” (Deuteronomy 28:66). For you did not believe the Life that had come to dwell among the human race.
Greek
Καὶ ἱκανά γε νομίζω ταῦτα εἶναι τῷ βουλομένῳ παραστῆσαι τὴν Ἰουδαίων πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀπιστίαν, ὅτι ἀκόλουθος ἦν αὕτη τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ἀναγεγραμμένοις. εἴποιμι γὰρ ἂν πρὸς τὸν λέγοντα παρὰ τῷ Κέλσῳ Ἰουδαῖον· τίς θεὸς παρὼν εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἀπιστεῖται, καὶ ταῦτα οἷς ἐλπίζουσιν ἐπιφαίνεται; ἢ τί δή ποτε τοῖς πάλαι προσδεχομένοις οὐ γνωρίζεται; ὅτι βούλεσθε, ὦ οὗτοι, πρὸς τὰς πεύσεις ἡμῶν ἀποκρίνεσθαι; ποῖαι δυνάμεις μείζους ὅσον ἐπὶ ὑμετέρᾳ ὑπολήψει εἶναι ὑμῖν φαίνονται, αἱ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἢ ἃ ἔφαμεν ἡμεῖς πεποιηκέναι τὸν Ἰησοῦν παρ᾿ ὑμῖν; εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖναι μείζους τούτων καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς εἰσιν, πῶς οὐκ αὐτόθεν δείκνυται ὅτι κατὰ τὸ ἦθος τῶν τοῖς μείζοσιν ἀπιστησάντων ἐστὶ καὶ τὸ τῶν ἡττόνων καταφρονεῖν; τοῦτο γὰρ ὑπολαμβάνεται περὶ ὧν λέγομεν περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ· εἰ δὲ ἴσαι λέγονται (αἱ) περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ταῖς ἀναγεγραμμέναις ὑπὸ Μωϋσέως, τί ξένον ἀπήντησε λαῷ κατ᾿ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς ἀρχὰς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπιστοῦντι; ἀρχὴ μὲν γὰρ νομοθεσίας ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως ἦν, ἐν ᾗ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα τῶν ἀπίστων καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ὑμῶν ἀναγέγραπται· ἀρχὴ δὲ νομοθεσίας καὶ διαθήκης δευτέρας κατὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἡμῖν γεγονέναι ὁμολογεῖται. καὶ μαρτυρεῖτε δι᾿ ὧν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἀπιστεῖτε ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἀπιστησάντων ταῖς θείαις ἐπιφανείαις· καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν εἰρημένον καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς λελέξεται ἀπιστήσαντας αὐτῷ, ὅτι „ἄρα μάρτυρές ἐστε καὶ συνευδοκεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν“· καὶ πληροῦται ἐν ὑμῖν ἡ λέγουσα προφητεία· „ἔσται ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν κρεμαμένη ἐνώπιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε τῇ ζωῇ ὑμῶν“· οὐ γὰρ ἐπιστεύσατε τῇ ἐπιδεδημηκυίᾳ τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ζωῇ.