Celsus describes the prophets of Phoenicia and Palestine

Since Celsus also promises to describe the manner of the oracles in Phoenicia and Palestine, as one who has heard them and learned all about them, come, let us look at this too. First he says that there are several kinds of prophecy, but he does not set them out; for he had none to set out, and was only making a false show. But let us see what he says is the most perfect kind among the men of that region.

“Many nameless men,” he says, “very readily and on any chance occasion, both in temples and outside temples, and others who go begging and roam about cities or army camps, are stirred, so they make out, as though uttering oracles. Each has ready on his lips the customary words: ‘I am God, or a son of God, or a divine spirit. And I have come; for already the world is perishing, and you, O men, are going to ruin because of your wrongdoing. But I wish to save you. And you will see me coming back again with heavenly power. Blessed is he who worships me now; but on all the rest I will cast eternal fire, on cities and on lands alike. And men who do not know the punishments in store for them will repent in vain and groan; but those who have been persuaded by me I will keep for ever.’”

Then next he says: “Having brandished all this, they go on to add unintelligible, frenzied and altogether obscure words, whose meaning no one with any sense could discover; for they are unclear and mean nothing, but they give any fool or sorcerer an opening to seize on what was said and make it his own, on any matter and in whatever way he wishes.”