The Contendings of the Apostles, Part 1

The Contendings of the Apostles, Part 1

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The Preaching of Saint Thomas in India

1 Here beginneth the Book of the Preaching of Saint Thomas, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he preached in the country of India. In the peace of our Lord. Amen. And it came to pass that, after the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, He appeared unto His holy disciples, and said unto them, "The peace of My Father be with you. What He gave Me I have not hidden from you; gather yourselves together, and divide ye the world into twelve portions, and let each one of you go unto his portion. And fear ye not, for I will be with you, and I know everything which shall come upon you, both the suffering and the tribulation which ye shall endure from men in this world; but bear ye patiently with them, for at length ye shall bring them back from error into faith in My Name. And remember ye the sufferings which came upon Me, and everything which they did unto Me for the sake of the children of men."

2 Now the lot went forth to Thomas to go unto the country of India. And he bowed down before the Lord, and said unto Him, "Why hath the lot gone forth that I should go unto the country of India? The people thereof are as strong as wild beasts, and their hearts are too hard to hear the Word of the Gospel; but be Thou with me, O my Lord, [until I arrive] in that country." And our Lord said unto him, "Behold, Peter will guide thee, and he will go forth with thee unto that country." Then all the Apostles made ready to go forth, each one of them unto the country which had fallen to him by lot, and Peter was going forth unto the city of Rome and the regions round about it, and Matthias unto the country of Persia. And Thomas said unto Peter, "O my father, rise up and go with me and my brother Matthias until thou hast brought us unto our countries;" and Peter said unto him, "I consent," and he went forth with them; and our Lord went up from them into heaven with great glory.

3 And it came to pass that after they had journeyed for forty days, they came unto a city which was half way [on the road] to the parts [of the world] wherein Thomas and Matthias had been ordained by lot [to preach the Gospel]; now as they were entering into the city they sat down in the highroad to the city like travellers. And our Lord Jesus Christ appeared into them in the guise of a learned man, and He said unto them, "Peace be upon you, O brethren; and they said unto Him, "And upon Thee also be peace; and He sat down to the right of them at no great distance from them. Then Thomas said unto Peter, "O my father, let us enter into this city and preach therein in the Name of God, for it is the first city unto which we have come; peradventure we shall be able to save the people and bring them back unto the rule of God. For God said, Whosoever shall preach in a great city and shall save many men shall have great reward in the kingdom of heaven. Now whilst they were sitting down there came unto them a certain officer of king Ḳanṭukōrōs (Gundaforus), king of India. And he looked at the Apostles as they were seated like travellers, and he said unto them, "Whence are ye, O brethren? And they said unto him, "Ask what ye desire; and he said unto them, "It is not evil but good [that I desire].

4 Now, I see that ye are men of exceedingly fine stature, and I am wanting to buy a slave who shall be like unto you. And Peter said unto him, "We are three servants of One God, Whose Name is Jesus Christ, Who is coming unto this city; and when He hath come He will sell unto you whichever one of us thou desirest; for our country is good, and all those who dwell in the districts thereof are of fine stature. Now our Lord Himself was listening unto what they were saying among themselves, and in that same hour our Lord appeared unto them, and held converse with them in a language which they understood, and said unto them, "Peace be unto you. 5 "O noble Peter and Thomas, ye believing ones, and thou wise and meek Matthias! Behold, I know you, for I am never separated from you, but am with you always. Behold, I have come, even as I told you, and I will go before you into every place whithersoever ye shall go." And it came to pass that, although the officer of the king of India was close by them, he did not understand the language wherein our Lord was conversing with them.

6 Then afterwards our Lord appeared unto the Apostles in the form of a rich man, and He sat down in a place in the midst of the city. Then the Apostles said unto the man who was the servant of the king, "Behold our Lord concerning Whose coming we informed thee; look and see which one of us thou desirest, and He will sell him to thee." And the royal officer said unto our Lord, "Peace be unto Thee, O good Man! The rumour of Thee and Thine appearance betoken Thee to be a man of noble rank; art Thou willing to sell me one of these men?" And our Lord said unto him, "[Tell Me] which of these two I am to sell unto thee. Now this one, the eldest, was born in a great country, and I cannot sell him." Then the man looked at Thomas and liked him, for he was a man whose body was strong and full of power, and he said unto our Lord, "Sell me this slave of thine." And our Lord said unto him, "His price is [three] artāl of gold;" and the man said unto Him, "Behold, I have bought him from Thee;" and he gave Him his price. Then he said unto our Lord, "Write me a bill of his price, according to the custom of the country." And our Lord said unto him, "Do not seek for a man to write the bill for thee, for I will myself write it with My own hands, and it shall be declared therein for thee that this servant, who was Mine, I have sold unto thee 'Arbásôs,' an officer of Kônṭôrôs (Gundaforus), the king of India." And He finished the writing as the officer desired, and then went up from them into heaven with great glory.

7 And after this our Lord appeared unto Thomas, and said unto him, "Take the price of thy sale and distribute it among the poor, and the needy, and the widows, and the orphans, in the place whither thou art going, for I sold thee for three artûl of gold because thou art the servant of the Holy Trinity of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost." And Thomas answered and said unto Him, "Let Thy grace be with me;" and when our Lord had spoken these words unto Thomas, He departed from him. Then Thomas girded up his loins after the manner of a slave, and he came unto Peter and Matthias, and said unto them, "Remember me in your prayers;" and they embraced each other in a spiritual embrace, for this was the last of their meetings in this world, and each and all gave thanks together, and in peace, with a spiritual embrace, they parted. And Thomas went with his lord, and Peter and Matthias went on their way.

8 Then the royal servant enquired of Thomas concerning his handicraft, and Thomas said unto him, "I am a stone-mason, and a carpenter, and a physician ". As a carpenter I am skilled in making measures, and balances, and mattocks, and hoes, and spades for digging up from the ground thorns, and whatever else men may wish to dig up therefrom. As a stone-mason I am skilled in building temples, and fortresses, and lofty towers which are excellent for kings; and as a physician I can heal the wounds which work decay in the flesh." Now when the officer heard these words from Thomas he rejoiced and said, "Right and good; the king seeketh a man of this kind;" and after many days they came unto the country of India. Then the officer entered into the king's presence and told him concerning Thomas, and he shewed him the writing which [his Master] had written for him with His own hand; and when the king saw Thomas he marvelled. Then the officer told the king all the handicrafts wherein Thomas was skilled, and he rejoiced because of this exceedingly, and said unto him, "Take this man and bring him to Lûkiyânôs (Vecius) the governor, and let him give him the materials which he requireth, so that he may build a great palace for me;" so the officer went to the governor and told him everything which the king had commanded him, and Lûkiyânôs (Vecius) gave unto Thomas everything which he desired.

9 Now after these things Lûkiyôs (Vecius) departed to the city of the king, [but before he went] he commanded his wife 'Arsônwâ (Arsenia), and said unto her, "Let not this man who hath come unto us in these [last] days do work like the [other] slaves, but let him work at his handicraft until I come back from the presence of the king. And after Lúkiyós had departed Thomas came to 'Arsónwá (Arsenia) the wife of the governor, and read to her the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and the prophecies of the Prophets. And he said unto her, "I see that thou art in great darkness and art serving these gods of gold and silver, and thou sayest that they are gods, but they are not gods. What thou doest with them profiteth thee nothing whatsoever, for they can neither speak nor hear, nor see, and if the earth were to be shaken they would have no power to help themselves, but would fall down and break in pieces. I beseech thee to bring me unto the temple wherein ye bow down before them that I may see their strength; so the woman [went] to shew Thomas her gods.

10 And when Thomas saw them he lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed, saying, "O God, the Sustainer of the universe, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son and Thy beloved One, and [of] the Holy Spirit, Whom when they hear all the devils tremble, Thou art the Good Shepherd, Thou art the good Lamb, Thou art the true Light which shineth in our hearts, Thou art He Whose Name all creation feareth, Thou art He Who did send me into this city that I might bring back unto Thee those who dwell therein, Thou art the Creator of all the races of the children of men, and all created things are subject unto Thee. When Thou lookest upon the earth it trembleth; and the sea, and all that therein is, and all the creatures thereof, and all the waves thereof are silent when they hear Thy voice; and vipers and all reptiles bow low before Thee, because Thou art He Who judgeth them. Yea, O my Lord and God, Jesus Christ, make manifest through me wonders and marvellous signs in this city, so that [the people thereof] may praise Thee; for unto Thee belong glory and thanksgiving for ever and ever. Amen."

11 Now as the Apostle was praying thus the house wherein were all the gods trembled, and all the gods who were resting upon their stands fell down upon their faces on the earth, and the devils that dwelt in them cried out, saying, "Woe unto us! Woe unto us! For behold, our power is destroyed, and our shame is multiplied; and henceforward there shall be no God except Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. And when 'Arsōnwā (Arsenia) had seen what had befallen the gods she feared exceedingly, and she fell upon the earth before (literally, between) the hands of Saint Thomas, and he stretched out his hands and raised her up. Then she took hold of him, and made supplication unto him, and said unto him, "O servant of the Good God, who hast come into my house, art thou, O man, a slave, or a god? And what is this Name of Jesus whereon thou didst call? For when thou didst make mention of His Name the house shook, and all the gods wherein I was putting my hope fell down upon their faces on the ground, and they became like wind. Hide not thou from me this power which is with thee, O servant of the Good God, for behold, from this hour I will put away the dominion of false gods from me, and I will go up in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and I will believe in thy God.

12 Then Thomas, the blessed Apostle, answered and said unto her, "O 'Arsônwá (Arsenia), if thou believest with all thy heart, forsake this fleeting world which quickly passeth away, and know thou that thy glorying in gold and in silver, and in beautiful apparel which perisheth, and which the moth consumeth, and in the perishable beauty of the flesh, and in everything in which man glorieth in this world, quickly cometh to an end. For when a man looketh upon one after the beauty [hath passed away], he seeth that the appearance and the face are miserable, and that the eyes have become blind, and that the tongue speaketh not. And where shall man be then? For he goeth unto his everlasting home. Seek God, O Arsônwá, and thou shalt find Him; and be not remote from those who seek Him with all their hearts. Concerning God the prophet saith, I am the Living God, and I cling close to thee like the garment which thou dost put on.' And again he saith, Repent, O ye children of Israel, for I am a God Who desireth not the death of a sinner, and I desire that he will return and save his soul alive.' And again he saith, Turn ye unto Me, O ye children who have transgressed against Me; return, and ye shall find Me, for he who seeketh after God shall find Him, and unto him that calleth upon Him He hearkeneth.'"

13 123a. 14 And it came to pass that when 'Arsōnwâ, the wife of the governor, had hearkened unto him, her heart was turned unto the fear of God, and He opened the eyes of her heart; and all those who were in her house believed in God, and many of the men of the city also believed in Him. Then she went into her habitation, and threw off her beautiful apparel, and bowed down upon her face, and sprinkled ashes about (literally, under) her; and made supplication, and gave thanks unto God, saying, "I believe in Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Thou God of this stranger who hath come into my house, and hath become my guide into the path of life. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, Thou merciful One, Whom I have only learned to know this day (and yet, behold, Thou hast held me worthy of the knowledge of Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God), to forgive me all the sins which I have in times past committed, and the error wherein I have dwelt until this day under the dominion of impure gods. And behold now, I have turned unto Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Thou art my Light and my Deliverer, Thou art my Hope and my Strength, Thou art my hiding-place, and in Thee have I put my trust.

15 And it came to pass that when she had finished her prayer she went out to the Apostle, having her face covered [literally, filled] with ashes, and she said unto Thomas, "O servant of the Good God, rise up and baptize me in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, whereby thou canst deliver me. And the Apostle rejoiced at her faith, and he said unto her, "O good woman, behold the grace of God hath descended upon thee. Then the woman answered and said unto him, "The faith of thy God dwelleth in my heart, and mind, and soul, and I give thanks unto my Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath brought back the sheep which were cast away." 16 Then Thomas rose up quickly and baptized her, and all those who dwelt in her abode, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And he took pure bread, and a cup full of wine, and he gave thanks, and brake [the bread], and gave unto the people who had been baptized the Body of our Lord and His precious Blood; and he and all the brethren who had been baptized sang the Psalms of David far into the night (or all night), and prayed. Then they brought unto him all those who were sick of divers kinds of diseases, and those who were possessed of devils, and the blind, and the lame, and the lepers, and he healed them all. And Thomas went out into the city every day and preached in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and told them the story of the Holy Gospel; and he said unto them, "Bring forth unto me all the sick folk, and I will heal them for nought, and I wish for no reward from any man." Then they were all gathered together unto the house of 'Arsônwa, the wife of the governor, who had believed on the words of Thomas, and all the men of the city became believers and Christians. And the Apostle used to read unto them the Gospel, and the books of the Prophets, and to teach them the Law of Faith, and after these things he baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And he dwelt with them from the time that he had entered into the city, that is to say, four years, and their faith waxed strong in our Lord Jesus Christ.

17 And it came to pass that Lúkiyós (Vecius), who had been with the king, returned unto his city, and his wife and all the people went forth to meet him. Now when he looked at his wife and saw that she was clothed in wretched apparel, he was greatly grieved thereat, for he imagined that thieves had stolen everything which he had in his dwelling. Then he called one of her servants and said unto him, "What hath happened in my abode?" And the servant said unto him, "Nothing evil, and only good hath happened [therein] since thou hast gone away from it;" so Lúkiyós went to the bath, and then returned to his abode. And he called for his wife 'Arsónwá (Arsenia), and when she had come unto him he spake unto her according to the custom of the men of this world, concerning union with her. Then she answered and said unto him with tears, "O my lord, behold, God hath removed from my heart this impure thing wherein there is no profit, and this day is the Sabbath of God." And he answered in great wrath and said unto her, "What are these words which thou sayest to me? I never heard [the like] from thee [before]. Thou shalt not separate thyself from me this day until I have known thee. Woe be unto thee! Peradventure that strange slave who hath come unto us during these [last] days hath bewitched thee."

18 Then 'Arsónwá answered and said unto him, "O my lord, God forbid that thou shouldst say thus concerning him, for sorcerers cannot heal dead bodies, but this man healeth not only dead bodies but souls also. Speak thou not one foul word against him, but do thou thyself also hear his words." And when Lûkiyôs heard these words from his wife the wrath of Satan filled his heart, and he answered and said unto her, "If he be a sorcerer and a worker of magic let him heal himself of the scourgings which shall come upon him." And in that same hour he commanded the soldiers of his guard to bring unto him all the executioners who were in the city, and they brought them unto him. And he cried out unto Thomas, and said unto him, "O thou wicked slave, thou sorcerer, where is the work of thy handicraft concerning which thou didst tell me, 'I can do it?' Where are the temples (or shrines) which thou wast to build? Where are the palaces concerning which thou didst say, 'I will build [them] for the king'? Where are the measures, and the balances, and the mattocks, and the hoes, and the spades, concerning which thou didst say, 'I can make [them]'? Where is the work, and the healing by medicines, and the good which thou hast wrought?" And Thomas answered, saying, "Behold, I have finished all my handiwork, and I have made an end thereof." Then Lûkiyôs said unto him, "Wouldst thou make a mock of me? I will scourge thee, O thou wicked servant, until thou diest." And Thomas said unto him, "I will inform thee rightly without scourging concerning the things which I have not made known unto thee until this day, and I will tell thee truly. The temples and palaces which I have built are the souls who have made themselves pure and have believed;

19 "these are the palaces which I have made beautiful for the heavenly King who liveth in them. And the mattocks, and the hoes, and the spades are the Holy Gospels, wherewith all hatred is dug out from the hearts of those who believe and who seek God with all their hearts. And the work which belongeth to the craft of the physician are the Holy Mysteries which root out every evil thought, and every pain, and every desire, from the hearts of all those who seek after purity. This is the honourable craft which God hath taught me." And Lúkiyós said unto him in wrath, "O thou wicked slave, where is [the fulfilment of] the word which thou didst speak unto me?" Then he commanded them to put Thomas in prison, and they stretched him out there. 20 And they made a wheel in the ground and bound him upon it, and Lúkiyós commanded the executioners to strip the skin from his body, and said unto him, "I will torture thee, and I will not let thee die quickly, but only when I please." Then the men of the city wept with a sore weeping and said, "Woe be unto us, for what can we do for this righteous man who hath healed us of every kind of sickness? If we lay our hands upon him his God will be wroth with us, and will make His anger to descend upon us, and He will send fire from heaven which will consume us, yet, if we do not do what this wicked man hath commanded us, he will kill us. Behold, we have seen many wonderful deeds [wrought] by this holy man. One day a boar of the desert came into the fields of a poor old woman, and the young men were unable to drive him away. Then the woman herself came and bowed down before this righteous man, and entreated him, saying, 'O my lord, help me,' and he had compassion upon her. For he went out into the field and said unto the wild beast, 'Get thee out from the fields of this poor woman, and destroy not her standing crop;' and when the boar refused to depart in that same hour fire came down [from heaven] and consumed him. Now we are exceedingly afraid of this man's God."

21 Then Saint Thomas answered and said unto them, "Rise up and fulfil the commands which he hath given you, for I know that ye have received your commands, and that ye perform them not of your own will, but through fear of the foolish governor;" so Lúkiyós commanded them to flay the holy Apostle. Then Thomas lifted up his eyes to heaven, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Son of the Living God, help me in this hour, [and save me] from this tribulation." And when 'Arsónwá heard the words of the executioners and of the people who were weeping (now she was looking at them from a hidden window in her habitation), and saw the skin being stripped off the body of the Apostle, she was greatly moved, and she fell down upon her face and died straightway. Then Lúkiyós cried out and said, "Behold, my wife has died for thy sake, O thou wicked slave, but I will remove all my strength from thee' until I know the full wickedness of the work which thou hast done."

22 And it came to pass that when the parents and the brethren [of 'Arsónwá] heard these things they came and wept, and made lamentation over her, and cried out, and I. e., "I will desist in my harsh treatment of thee." said, "Woe be unto us! Woe be unto us! Thy death would not have taken place except for this stranger; still our hearts rejoice at thy death, because it hath taken place in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and through the commands of His blessed Apostle." Then Thomas answered and said unto them, "Weep ye not, but be silent. Since she hath died through me I will raise her up." And Lúkiyós said unto him, "Think not that thou shalt end [thy sufferings in this way], for I will torture thee as I wish, and I will not let thee escape." 23 Then he commanded them to bring unto him vinegar and salt that he might rub them into the body of the saint. And the Apostle cried out, saying, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, help me in this mine hour of tribulation, for behold, my heart, and my body, and my spirit, are on fire, and they have become very weak. O my Lord Jesus Christ, Thou merciful and compassionate God, let Thy help draw nigh unto me, and be Thou mindful that I am a stranger, and that I have no kinsfolk [here]. I have here neither father, nor mother, nor brethren, I have no kinsman in this city, and I have no acquaintance therein. O my Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Son of the Living God, Thou art my Helper, and in Thee have I put my trust; Thou art my Redeemer; it is Thou Who hast sent me into this city, and I have not transgressed Thy commandments, O my Lord and God. I have hated everything of this world for Thy Name's sake; my father, and my mother, and my kinsfolk, and everything which I have I forsook as soon as I heard Thy voice. It is Thou Who hast sent me into this city to deliver the people [thereof], and behold, Thou seest what hath come upon me therein. Since Thou, O God, didst suffer for me, it is meet that I also should bear patiently and with joy the suffering which hath come upon me here.

24 Remember Thou Thy Word on the day wherein Thou didst appear unto Thy beloved Apostles, when Thou didst rise from the dead. Now I was not with them, and when they told me that they had seen Thee [I did not believe them], for I remembered Thy word which said, 'Make trial of the spirits, for many shall come in My Name, and shall lead astray many.' Then I spake unto my brethren the Apostles and said unto them, 'Unless I see our Lord, and unless I see His hands wherein they drove the nails, and put my fingers in the places wherein the nails were driven, and put my hand into [the wound] in His side, I will not believe.' And Thou didst appear unto me and didst shew me what I sought from Thee, and I believed in Thy Resurrection and was reproached for the littleness of my faith. And if on my account Thou didst suffer this thing, O my Lord Jesus Christ, I beseech Thee, O Lord, to forgive me, for Thou art the Good God, and the Merciful God, and dost turn unto those who turn unto Thee with all their heart".

25 And it came to pass that when he had spoken these words and was weeping, our Lord had compassion upon him, and He appeared unto him upon a shining cloud, and said unto him, "O My beloved Thomas, bear patiently and with joy, and be strong, for thou shalt overcome thine enemies and all those who fight against thee. St. Matthew xxiv. 5; St. Mark xiii. 6; St. Luke xxi. 8. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, all the weariness, and all the scourgings which shall come upon thee for the sake of the sons of men, until I have delivered them from the hands of the Enemy, are not [to be compared with] one hour of the rest which I shall make thee to feel, or with the gift which I shall give thee, or with the position which thou shalt have at My right hand in My kingdom; now thou wast surnamed 'Twin', and thou art beloved by Me. Endure patiently, for thy reward shall be abundant, and thine honour shall be great with Me, and through thy skin a multitude of wonderful deeds shall be made manifest. Let thine heart be strong, and haste thee to make manifest thy true faith and My dominion in this city. And after these things thou shalt depart and go out unto a city in the East which is called Kantōryā (Quantaria), and thou shalt dwell therein, and shalt turn the people [thereof] unto the faith in My Name. Behold, the whole world is filled with the grace of My Father, and His mercy is upon all created beings through My Blood, which was shed for the salvation of the world." And saying these words unto Thomas our Lord laid [His hand] upon him, and touched his flesh, and healed his wounds; and then He was no longer seen by him.

26 And Thomas, having been made whole, rose up, and came unto the place where the wife of Lūkiyōs was, and he laid upon her the skin which they had flayed off him, and said, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of His Father, and of the Holy Spirit, let the word which came to Lazarus raise thee up. And in that same hour she opened her eyes, and saw the Apostle standing by her head, and she rose up and bowed down before him. And it came to pass that when Lûkiyôs saw this wonderful thing, and the great miracle which had been made manifest by Thomas the Apostle, he rose up in fear and bowed down before him, and said, "In truth there is no god except thy God, Whom thou servest. I beseech thee, O servant of the Good God, to forgive me the evil which I have done unto thee, for I did it in ignorance. Then Thomas raised him up, and said unto him, "Fear thou not, for God doth not take vengeance upon those who repent and confess their sins. And in that same hour Lûkiyôs and all the other men of his dominion believed, and forthwith Thomas baptized him and all the nobles of the city, for they all had believed with him. Then Thomas commanded them to bring forth bread and a cup [of wine], and he prayed and administered unto them all the Holy Mysteries, and they all became Christians.

27 And Thomas appointed Lûkiyôs over them, and gave them the commandments of the Law of Faith and the admonitions of the Gospel; and he dwelt with them three days, teaching them each day from the Holy Scriptures. And he said unto them, "If it be the will of God I shall return unto you, but behold, our Lord hath commanded me to go unto Him in a certain city which lieth to the east of you. And he departed from them, and with tears they sent him away, saying unto him, "Stay not away from us too long, for we are only young plants. And the Apostle prayed over them, and blessed them, and gave them the salutation of peace, and departed unto Kan- 28 Y ṭīryā (Quantaria) that he might preach therein, even as our Lord had commanded him. And it came to pass that when he had arrived at the city he entered in through the gates thereof, and found an old man [there] who was shedding tears in abundance, and his apparel was rent, and his appearance was miserable. And the Apostle came up to him, and said unto him, "O aged man, why do I see thee in such a state of sorrow, and shedding tears so

29 "abundantly? Behold, thou art inflicting sorrow on thine heart. Then the old man said unto him, "Depart from me, O my brother, for my sorrow is great. And the Apostle said unto him, "I beseech thee to tell me what hath happened to thee, for peradventure my Lord Jesus Christ will work [thy] healing through my hands. And the old man said unto him, "Hearken unto my words. I had three sons, and I betrothed the eldest of them to the daughter of an elder of the city that she might become his wife. And it came to pass that when the time for the marriage had come, he said unto me, 'O my father, be not angry with me because of the marriage, for I will not marry [any] woman. Behold, I have forsaken this world and all the lust thereof.' And when I heard this from him, I was grieved in my heart, and he seemed to me to be mad (or foolish) when he spake these words unto me, and I said unto him, 'Behold, the time hath arrived when I wish to bring thy wife for thee to marry, and yet thou speakest these words unto me.' Then he said unto me, 'I have sworn by the Majesty of the King, Who is the King of kings, ' Jesus Christ, that inasmuch as thou hast commanded me concerning this thing I will depart into the desert, and that thou shalt never again see me after this day.' And I said unto him, 'Tell me;

30 what is it thou hast seen?' And he said unto me, 'I will tell thee what I have seen. Last night I was sleeping on my couch, and I saw a young Man with a beautiful face Who was dressed in apparel which was brighter than the sun, and the odour of flowers went forth from Him, and the place was filled with the scent thereof. On His head was a royal crown and in His hand was a sceptre of gold, and when I saw Him I was afraid of Him exceedingly, and I fell down upon my face at His feet, like a dead man. And He stretched out His hands and lifted me up, and said unto me, Take good heed unto thyself, and hearken not unto those who would counsel thee to marry a wife, but guard thy body that it may be pure, and that thou mayest become like unto Myself, and mayest be the head of the Church. Behold, the Apostle Saint Thomas shall come into this city, and he shall bring thee into the faith, and shall give unto thee the sign thereof, and shall devote himself to thee, and shall make thee worthy to receive the Holy Mysteries. And know that I am the God who made Himself incarnate for your sakes, and it is meet that ye should not be slothful concerning the salvation and life of your souls.

31 And as He was saying these words unto me He laid his hands upon my head, and blessed me, and went up into heaven with great glory until He went beyond my sight. For this reason, O my father, I shall not forsake the gift of grace which God hath given unto me, so 32 Y° that this King may not be wroth with me, and may not blot me out because of my transgression of His word." "And it came to pass that when I heard these words from my son I was silent, and was deeply grieved in my heart, [thinking] that perhaps it was the god of this city who had made himself manifest unto him. So I came unto certain men among the nobles of the city, and I told them all which my son had told me, and I sent to the father of the damsel and told him all which they had heard from me. Now he was exceedingly angry, and said unto me, 'Dost thou treat my rank and dignity with contempt? Wouldst thou put to shame my daughter by such lying words as these?' Then he came to the king, and he took us, that is to say, myself and my son, into his presence, and said, 'They have stolen the property of the temple;' and the king sent and killed all my seven children at one time. This is the reason why thou seest me weeping and sorrowful. And besides this, the money which I had borrowed (and which I gave to the damsel), they now require of me, and since the death of my children I am smitten with fear, and I have no means whereby I can restore their money. If only one of my sons had been left to me he would have helped me to give them what they demand from me."

33 Now when the Apostle heard these words from him, he answered and said unto him, "Weep not, O aged man. Behold, I have heard thy words, and thou must bring me, Thomas, unto the place where thy children are, and my Lord Jesus Christ will graciously grant unto them the gift of life." Then the old man went unto the place where his children were buried, and many people followed them, saying, "If this counsel be right we our-selves will believe in the God of this man." And it came to pass that when they had come unto the grave, the Apostle gave his flesh (i. e., skin) unto the old man, and said unto him, "Go thou into the grave and lay this skin upon all thy children, and thou shalt say, 'In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, rise up, O my children, and become living beings as ye were formerly;' for Thomas may not do [this] lest they say of me, 'He is a sorcerer!'" So the old man did as Thomas had commanded him, and he laid the Apostle's skin upon his children, and they became as they had been formerly. Now there were in the grave a number of children of other folk who had died before his own children, and because of what was done they all rose up alive; and they were in number fifteen men. And they went forth unto the place where the blessed Apostle was, and they bowed down before him, and said unto him, "We beseech thee, O Apostle of our God, to give unto us baptism, which is the fulfilment of life."

34 And when the multitude saw these wonderful things they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Truly there is no god but Jesus Christ, the Son of the One Living God, the God of Thomas. Then certain of those men went to the temple of Apollo, and told the priest of the temple everything which had happened. Now when the priest heard the Name of Jesus he rent his garments and said, "Woe unto me! This man is one of the disciples of Jesus who came forth from the land of Judaea, and who go round about all the world and lead into error all those who hearken unto them. They are the disciples of the Man called Jesus, Who was a sorcerer, Whom, as we have heard, Pilate crucified; and these men stole His Body, and they go about in the world, and say that He hath risen from the dead. Then the priests said unto them, "Rise up, O people, and let us go forth unto him and heap curses upon him, and revile him, and tell him that his words are not true, and that all that he doeth is by means of sorcery. So the priest rose up, and all the people with him, [and they went] unto the place where Thomas was, and they found him in the highway of the city, and the people were gathered together [there], for he was casting out Satan from a man who had been possessed of him.

35 Then the priests said unto Thomas, "What doest thou in this city, O thou sorcerer and deceiver? Were not the land of Judaea and those who dwell therein sufficient for thee but thou must come [also] into this city? Who is this Jesus? If He was God, why did He not deliver Him- 128b. self from the cross? [And why did] ye steal His Body, and why have ye all become witnesses unto all created beings that He rose from the dead? Know thou that the people of this city are men of understanding, and that they cannot be led astray like the other peoples whom thou hast made to err. Then turning his face towards the people he said unto them, "Let each of you take a stone in his hands and cast it at this sorcerer, so that he may not find an opportunity of leading astray the people after these days; and they did even as the priest had commanded them, and stooped to take up stones to throw at Saint Thomas, but at that same moment their hands withered, [and they could not take up] the stones, and they were unable to stand. Then they all cried out with a loud voice, and said, "We entreat thee, O servant of the Good God, to beseech thy Lord God to have mercy upon us, and to deliver us [from this evil], that we may rise up and stand upon our feet.

36 Then will we also believe in thy God, and behold, we shall know that there is no God but thine, either in heaven or upon the earth; do not thou reward us according to our folly." 37 Then the Apostle prayed and said, "I give thanks unto thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, for behold, Thou hast not slept [in performing for me that] which I requested of Thee, and I have made manifest Thy story unto these multitudes which are gathered together before Thee. I beseech Thee to send down from the heights of heaven Thy divine power, which shall make this heathen man to be suspended head downwards in the air, for he hath blasphemed Thy holy Name." And straightway the priest was suspended in mid-air head "downwards, [and he was carried] round about among the people;" and the people saw the might of God the Exalted One, which had worked this thing upon him. Then he who was suspended [in mid-air] cried out, saying, "I believe in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I do not believe in the gods. For indeed Thou art my God, Whom I blasphemed in my folly, and Thou art not a god of the gods which are the work of the hand of man, which it is not seemly for men to call gods. Nay, Thou alone art God [Who didst exist] before all the world, and Thou, O God of heaven, and of earth, and of whatsoever is under the earth, Thou, O Jesus Christ, art He in Whom I have placed my confidence, Thou art my King, and Thou art my hope."

38 And it came to pass when the priest had made this confession of faith, being suspended in midair, and whilst the people were looking at him, he descended to the earth. And the people who had seen him believed and were saved, and they asked the Apostle to baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And when they were con- firmed in the faith he took them to the temple and rooted up all the stands whereon the gods rested, and they made the temple into a church. And Thomas appointed the priest [of Apollo] to be bishop over them, and the seven (sic) brethren, the sons of the old man, whom he had raised from the dead, he appointed to be priests and deacons, and he placed them in the church that they might minister in the holy place. And he dwelt many days in the city, teaching the people all the mysteries of the faith, and many wonderful deeds were made manifest through him, and he used to carry his skin on his neck [and shoulders], and to take it about with him unto every place whithersoever he went. And after these things he departed from the city, giving thanks unto God and praising Him. Then afterwards our Lord appeared unto him, and took his skin and arrayed his body therein, and Thomas became as he was formerly. And He embraced him, and did away his grief and said unto him, "Sit thou

39 "upon this cloud, and it shall bring thee unto the place where thy brethren the Apostles are in peace. And I will be with thee [and them] in every place wherein thou shalt be, for ye are those whom my Father hath chosen to preach in the world;" and our Lord went up from him into heaven with great glory. Then Thomas mounted upon the cloud as our Lord had commanded him, and it bore him along and brought him to Mount Iya'onâdin- 'Ensis,' and he found the Apostles gathered together there, and Paul, and MARY, who gave birth to God, were among them. And he embraced them with a spiritual embrace, and they made mention of the wonderful things which God had wrought through them, and they remained assembled there for eighty days, and they glorified God among themselves. To God be glory, and honour, and thanksgiving, for ever and ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen.

The Martyrdom of Saint Thomas in India

1 241b.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, One God.

2 Here beginneth the Martyrdom of Saint Thomas, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, who finished his contending on the twenty-sixth day of the month Genf. In the peace of our Lord. Amen. And it came to pass that, after Thomas the Apostle had departed unto the country of India, he preached among the people thereof faithfully, and he declared unto them the Law of the Holy Gospel. Now Lúkiyós (Vecius) the governor had stripped off Thomas' skin from him, but the Apostle continued to carry it upon his neck for many days; and he went round about through [all] the countries, and laid it upon the dead and upon those who were sick; and our Lord opened the hearts of the people, and they believed. Then Thomas built for them a church, and he strengthened them in the Law of the Faith, and appointed unto them a bishop, and priests, and deacons, and administered unto them the Holy Mysteries, and he departed from them in the peace of God. Then our Lord appeared unto him and restored his skin, even as it was aforetime.

3 Now after these things he departed unto the city of Ḥakīt, which is by Macedonia, and he preached among the people thereof the knowledge of God; and when the magistrates heard thereof they were filled with wrath in their hearts, and they laid hold of Thomas and cast him into prison. Then Ṭerṭēbānī, the wife of [Mazdaī] the king, and Marḥanā his daughter, came unto him in prison, and many believers followed them; and the gates were opened unto them, and they cried out to the Apostle, and Thomas went forth to them, and said unto them, "O my beloved brethren and children, ye servants of Christ and ministers of God, hearken ye unto my words this day, and unto the end of my teaching, for I shall not see you again in the flesh in this world after this day. Behold, the Lord wisheth to remove me from this world, and to take me away from the weariness thereof into [His] rest. He gave Himself for us to save us from the service of Satan, and He chose unto Himself [us] Apostles, and made us worthy to preach in His Name in all the world. Behold, I have finished the strife and I have brought [to an end] my service, even as He hath commanded me. And behold, He desireth to make me to rest from the sufferings of this world, and to give unto me my reward which is laid up with Him;

4 for He is rich, and He hath gifts in abundance, and He giveth His grace in the measure which it pleaseth Him unto those who ask Him. Now I am the servant of Jesus Christ and a doer of His will. And behold, He desireth, even as ye have heard from me, that ye should take good heed and should not let an opportunity occur for [the entrance of] Satan into your hearts, and that he should not draw nigh unto you. Be ye watchful and await the second Coming of our Lord, so that He may receive you into His kingdom, which is in the heavens. And saying these things he left the women and went unto the prison-house, and they departed weeping; and they knew that he had delivered himself unto the magistrates, and that they would kill the holy man. 5 And it came to pass that when he had gone into the prison-house the doors thereof were closed as they had been formerly; and when the keepers saw [this] they cried out among themselves, and they were dismayed, and they marvelled, and said, "This man is a sorcerer. He opened the gates of the prison-house and wished to set free all those who were therein, but he could not find the way. Come ye, let us go unto the king and inform him concerning this matter, and concerning both his wife and his daughter who came unto Thomas." Now whilst they were conversing in this wise Thomas answered them never a word. And it came to pass that when the day had come, they went unto the king and said unto him, "O lord the king, bring forth this sorcerer out of this prison-house, and put him in another, for we are not able to guard him safely.

6 "Behold, twice have we seen the doors of the prison-house thrown open and it was he who opened them; moreover thy wife and thy daughter come unto him every day." Then the king looked at the door of the gate of the prison-house, and saw that it was sealed with his seal. And he said unto them, "Ye are mistaken, and neither my wife nor my daughter has been unto him;" but they took an oath to him that they had been unto the Apostle. Then the king sat upon the judgment seat in the hall of the magistrates, and he commanded them to bring Saint Thomas before him, and they removed his garments, and, having made him put a cloth round his loins, set him before the face of the king. And the king said unto him, "Art thou a free man or a slave?" And Thomas said unto him, "I am a servant of my God, over whom thou hast no dominion." Then the king said unto him, "Why didst thou flee from thy country? Why didst thou come unto this place?" And Thomas said unto him, "I came unto this place that I might bring back this people from their error, and when this hath been done I shall depart from this world." Then the king said unto him, "What is the name of thy God? And from what country comest thou?" And Thomas said unto him, "My God is the God of heaven and earth; His hidden Name thou art not able to hear, but the Name which hath been revealed is Jesus Christ." Then the king said unto him, "I do not wish to destroy thee, for indeed I have endured thee patiently; but thou hast multiplied evil, and hast made manifest thy sorcery in this city, and at length all those who dwell in the 243a.

7 "country of India have heard thereof. But I must slay thee, so that all thy sorcery may be destroyed, and that both thy name and thy magic may be forgotten throughout the country." And Thomas said unto him, "My work shall stand fast after my departure from this world." Then Mastayós (Mazdai) the king said, "Where shall we kill him?" Now he was afraid of the people who were round about him, for many of the magistrates, and many of the nobles of the city and country, had believed in the story of Saint Thomas. And the king rose up and took Thomas, and they went forth from the city, and with him there marched many soldiers bearing swords and spears; and the rest of the people said, "The king wisheth to talk with him alone; come away from him." And it came to pass that, when Thomas had departed from the city a distance of two marches, the king gave him into the hands of his son, and of the chief magistrate of the city, and of fifteen soldiers, and he told them to go to a certain high mountain and to slay Thomas there; and the king returned to the city. Now when the people knew this they set out on the road wishing to follow after the holy man, and to deliver him; but the soldiers who were with him made haste to slay him. And there were two soldiers standing on his right hand and two on his left with spears in their hands, and the magistrate laid his hand upon him. Then the holy Apostle said, "A hidden mystery shall now be accomplished, that is to say, by the exalted gift of grace my body shall not be given over to corruption. These four men are ready to overthrow the temple of my body, and they are types on this earth of the four created things wherefrom my strength hath been made."

8 And it came to pass that, when Thomas had come to the place where they were to kill him, he answered and said unto them, "Hearken ye unto my words on my departure from this world. Let not the eyes of your hearts be blind, and let not your ears be deaf, but believe ye in God Whom I have declared unto you. Let my words enter into your hearts, and into your ears, and let the days of your life [be passed] in purity, that is to say, in the life which will bring you nigh unto God. Then Thomas said unto Maytewanyánós, the son of the king, "Since thou art a servant of Jesus Christ give thou unto these men a gift, so that they may let me pray unto my God; and the king's son commanded them to do this thing. Then the blessed Apostle spread out his hands, and made supplication unto God, saying, "O my Lord and my God, my hope and my consolation, and my Saviour, Who hast made me strong, and hast made my heart meet for judgment, Who hast given unto me the power to endure patiently from my youth up, Who hast been to me a place of life, Who hast given me understanding that I might not defile my body with women, and from the impurity which maketh unclean I have kept my temple holy unto Thee, and my mouth and my tongue have made known Thy praise, and Thy mercy upon me hath been abundant:

9 I have not desired riches, for Thou didst say, 'The riches of this world are vanity unto those who desire them,' and I have desired poverty in this world, because Thou hast made me worthy to be with Thee, and hast opened unto me and unto all those who have believed in Thee Thine everlasting kingdom. I have fulfilled Thy will and Thy commandments, and every kind of torture which Thou didst endure hath been multiplied upon me, and I have suffered weariness patiently; but all these things were sweet unto me for 10 2442. "Thy Name's sake. Thou art my hope, and in Thee doth my soul put her trust, and my toil shall not be in vain. Receive thou my petition and cast me not away from before Thy face; and let not the Enemy root up the precious plants which Thou hast sown in my heart. 1322. "The talents which Thou didst give me I have paid back with interest tenfold, for I traded and made profit with them. I have forsaken the world and followed thee; O help me. I looked unto Thy salvation, and I fulfilled the commandments which Thou didst give unto me; the service on which Thou didst send me I have brought to a successful ending, like a strenuous servant who feareth Thy Name. I have girded up my loins in all good things, and Thou hast made wide my steps in the way of the Gospel of Peace. I yoked my oxen, I laid hold upon the plough, I ploughed my field, and I looked not behind me, lest my furrow should be crooked. The earth hath sent up shoots, and the time of harvest

11 2442. "hath arrived, and I shall receive my reward, and I shall bring to an end in rest the weariness which hath come upon me. I have taken heed to the days of old, and to those which came after them, and to those which came last, that I might see Thy face and bow down before Thy glory. I have cast away that which is evil, that I might satisfy myself with the things that are good. I have fulfilled all Thy will, and I have not turned behind me; nay, I have gone forward that I might not become a stumbling-block unto another, and might receive the crown of Thy glory, and the heavenly reward. Let not the serpent rise up in my path, let not the young adders rise up against me, and let not the power of darkness draw nigh unto me, but let them be remote from me. For to Thee, and to Thy Good Father, and to the Holy and Vivifying Spirit, be glory! Amen."

12 And it came to pass that when the blessed Thomas had ended his prayer he turned his face to the soldiers, and said unto them, "Fulfil ye the will of your king;" and four of the soldiers approached him, and pierced him with spears, whereupon he fell upon the earth and yielded up his spirit. And the brethren who were sitting [there] wept over him, and brought pure and clean apparel and put on him, and having made him ready for burial they laid him in the sepulchre of the kings. Now Sekūrā and 'Awēsyās did not come into the city, but they remained there by the grave that day. Then Saint Thomas appeared and said unto them, "Behold now, I am alive. Why sit ye [here] watching? "Behold, Jesus Christ my King hath received me, and behold, I have received from God all the gifts for which I hoped. Rise up, then, from this place, and know that in the days which are to come ye also must depart from this world. And be ye not careless concerning the salvation of your souls, for then ye shall return unto me."

13 Now Mastayōs (Mazdai, or Mastius), the king and Zirāyāsōs (Charisius) took their wives Tērtēbānyā (Tertia) and 'Aṭbānā (Mygdonia), and chastised them sorely because they wished to forsake the couches of their lords, and to return unto a state of purity, and because they refused to have intercourse with them. Thereupon Saint Thomas revealed himself, and said unto them, "Forget ye not the words which I spake unto you, saying, The Lord Jesus Christ will help you.'" And when Mastayōs (Mazdai) and Zeryās (Charisius) knew that their wives would have nought to do with them they commanded that they should leave their husbands and live as they pleased. And all the brethren gathered themselves together and taught the commandments of God among themselves, and they rejoiced in the gift of God and in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Then 'Astayōs, the king's son, became possessed of a devil, and the king meditated within himself, saying, "What shall I do in this matter? For I have made myself an enemy of the Apostle, and I would not receive his words." Then he went unto the grave of Thomas that he might take away therefrom a portion of his grave clothes to hang on the neck of his son, and he said, "I believe that God will heal my son."

14 Thereupon Saint Thomas appeared unto him, and said unto him, "O Mastēyōs (Mazdai), thou didst not believe in me when I was alive; how then canst thou believe in me after I am dead? But be not afraid, for God will have compassion upon thee, and He will not withhold His grace from thee." Now it came to pass that when he had opened the grave he was unable to take any thing whatsoever from the body of the holy man, and then he went and took [some of] the dust from the place where the saint had been, and tied it to the neck of his son, and said, "I believe that, peradventure, this unclean spirit shall depart from my son through the prayers of the holy man;" and in that same hour Satan went forth from his son. Then the king believed, and he bowed down before 'Awētyōs Kōrōs, the priest, and entreated him and his brother to seek forgiveness on his behalf from God. And the priests said unto his brother, "Pray for the king that he may be accepted by God, and that God may forgive him all his sins." Then they did so with joy and gladness because they saw the faith of the king in God, the Lover of men, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, Who gave unto Mātsēyōs (Mazdai) the king right faith and firm hope. And the faith of the king and his goodness were noised abroad in all the country, and the people paid honour unto all the brethren, and ascribed blessing to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Now [this] took place after the four soldiers pierced Thomas with the four spears. And Thomas ended his strife on the highway of a city of India on the twenty-sixth day of the month

15 Z* Genbôt. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now, henceforth, and for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen.

The Preaching of Judas Thaddeus in Syria

1 Here beginneth the Preaching of the blessed Judas, the brother of our Lord, [who was surnamed] Thaddeus, which he preached in Syria and in Dacia; and he finished his testimony on the second day of the month Hamfi. In the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. And it came to pass that, when the Apostles were gathered together on the Mount of Olives, and they had cast lots and divided the whole world into portions wherein they were to go about and preach the Gospel of Christ, the lot fell upon Thaddeus to go unto the country of Syria. Then Thaddeus said unto Peter, "O my father Peter, come thou with me into that country;" and Peter said unto him, "Be patient, and I will bring thee [thither] in peace." Now whilst they were talking together our Lord Jesus Christ, in the form of a young man of most beautiful appearance, stood in their midst, and He said, "Peace be unto thee, O Peter, thou gover249b.

2 "nor of the Church. Peace be unto thee, O Thaddeus, My beloved; depart, and fear not. Why are ye cast down? I will be with you, and will be your Comforter until ye finish your strife." And they said unto Him, "O Lord, be Thou with us and we will preach the Gospel in every place." Then our Lord gave them the salutation of peace and went up from them into heaven with great glory. So Peter and Thaddeus departed in the peace of God. 3 And it came to pass that when they had drawn nigh unto the country [of Syria] Thaddeus said unto Peter, "I would that I knew what would befall us in this country. Then Peter said unto him, "I know not. But behold, I am looking at an old man who is ploughing the fields. Let us go and say unto him, 'If thou hast bread with thee, give us [some] to eat.' And if he shall say unto us, 'I will give you [some],' then we shall know that good fortune hath befallen us; but if he shall say unto us, 'I have none,' then shall we be aweary in this country. Now when they had drawn nigh unto the man, Peter said unto him, "Peace be unto thee, O aged one! If thou hast bread with thee, give us [some] to eat. And the old man said unto him, "I have none here, but sit ye down with these oxen whilst I go and bring you bread which ye can eat here. Then Peter said unto him, "Since thou wilt bring us what we may eat we will sit down here by the side of these oxen. And again Peter said unto him, "Are these oxen thine? And the old man said, "No, I have only hired them. Then Peter said unto him, "Are these fields thine? and the old man said unto him, "Yea, they are mine. And Peter said unto him, "Go in peace, and return in peace.

4 And it came to pass that when the old man had departed Peter said unto Thaddeus, "It is shameful for us to sit down here, and keep the oxen [standing idle], for the man hath gone to do us a kindness. Then Peter girded up his loins, and took hold of the handle of the plough, and called to the oxen to plough. And Thaddeus said unto him, "What is this great command which thou wouldst perform? Thou art an aged man, and thou hast attained unto an exceedingly exalted grade, and many matters of weight rest on thine arms. It is not for thee to work in this wise whilst I remain here [idle]. Shalt thou, who art a great man, toil whilst I take my rest? So Thaddeus took the handle of the plough from Peter and ploughed. Then Peter took the baskets which were full of wheat, and blessed them, and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, let Thy blessing descend upon these fields; and Thaddeus said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, let the blessing of the earth be upon these fields. Now in the time during which the man had gone to bring bread for the Apostles they ploughed thirty furrows, and in that same hour the seed [which they sowed] sprouted, and the ears became full of wheat.

5 And it came to pass that, when the man returned to the fields and saw what the Apostles had done, he said unto them, "O my lords, who are you? Tell me whence ye come, that I may follow you whithersoever ye go." Then he fell down at the feet of the Apostles, and said unto them, "Verily ye are as gods who have come down from heaven to earth." And Peter lifted him up, and said unto him, "Stand up, O man, for we are not gods, but only servants and Apostles of our Lord, Who hath graciously bestowed upon us spiritual knowledge that we may teach [it] unto men, and unto the children of men, that they may repent them of their sins, and inherit life everlasting." Then the man said unto him, "What shall "I do that I may obtain everlasting life?" And Peter said unto him, "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Then Peter farther spake unto him, saying, "Hast thou a wife and children?" And the man said unto him, "Yea."

6 Then Peter spake again unto him, saying, "Thou shalt not commit murder. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not take an oath to a lie. What thou dost not wish men to do unto thee, that thou shalt not do unto men. If thou doest the things which I have now commanded thee thou shalt inherit life everlasting." And the man said unto Peter, "Now, although I have done this (i. e., brought bread) for you, what [more] can I do in return for the good which ye have done for me? Since ye have made my fields to sprout with corn in this wise, and out of season, I will leave these oxen, and will follow you whithersoever ye go." Then Peter said unto him, "It is not necessary for thee to do thus, but take the oxen and lead them back to their master, and make known unto thy wife that we

7 "are [here], and let her make ready for us to eat in her house; for we desire to enter into this city this day and to dwell therein, for our Lord Jesus Christ calleth unto us [so to do]." Then the man took an ear of corn in his hands from the field wherein the Apostles had sown the seed, and he went into the city, together with the oxen. 8 And it came to pass that, when he had come into the gates of the city, the people looked at him as he held the ear of corn in his hands, and they said unto him, "Where didst thou find this ear of green corn, for 'it is as yet only the season for ploughing?" But he answered them never a word. And it came to pass that he drove the oxen [before him], and he rejoiced as he went, and he brought them back to their owner, and then returned unto his habitation; and with such things as he had he courteously entreated the Apostles. Now the report of him came unto the magistrates of the city, and by reason thereof they sent unto him, saying, "Where 'hast thou found this green ear of corn? Tell us the story thereof. And if thou dost not tell us we will kill thee by a cruel death.' Then the man said unto them, 'I fear not [death], for I have found life; but if ye wish to learn the truth, hearken unto the testimony which I will declare unto you. Two men passed by me whilst I was ploughing, and they said unto me, If thou hast with thee bread which we can eat, give [it] unto us, and let us eat.' And I said unto them, 'I have nothing of any kind whatsoever here, but tarry ye with these oxen, whilst I go and bring for you that which ye can eat.' Now when I had departed to my 'habitation I took some bread for them, and came back to the field, and I found that it had been sown [with grain], and that it was full of green corn in the ear which had shot up, and I plucked this green ear from among them. And those men went forth outside the 135b.

9 "city." Then the magistrates said unto him, "Go and bring them into our presence." And the man said unto them, "Have patience with me for a season, for I have made ready my habitation that they may come and rest therein, and if ye will come [there] ye yourselves can see them;" and having said these words unto them he returned unto his habitation. Then Satan defiled the hearts of the magistrates with an evil intent, and they said, "Woe be unto us! Woe be unto us! Peradventure these two men are of those twelve sorcerers concerning whom we have heard that they go round about in every place, and corrupt men by their sorceries. What shall we do? We must not let them enter into our city." And some of the magistrates said, "If they be sorcerers, let us rise up and go forth against them and slay them;" but others answered and said, "We shall not be able to slay them, for we have heard concerning them that their God Jesus performeth for them whatsoever they ask of him. [Let us not do thus] lest He bring down upon us fire [from heaven], or a flood of water which shall destroy us; we may not be able to slay them, but we need not let them enter into our city. Now, we have heard concerning them that they hate fornicators [or adulterers], let us, then, take a woman who is a harlot, and let us strip off her apparel and set her naked outside the city, so that when they wish to come into the city they may see the woman and not come in."

10 Then they brought a woman who was a harlot, and having stripped off her apparel from her they set her by the gate; and when the Apostles came to the gate of the city they saw the naked woman, and she herself made known unto them her evil deeds. Then Thaddeus said unto Peter, "O my father, look upon this woman," and see how Satan hath counselled her to tempt "God and his servants." And Peter said unto him, "The power is thine, therefore command her [to do] even as thou wilt." Then Thaddeus prayed, and said, "O my Lord Jesus Christ, I beseech thee to send Michael the archangel, and to let him suspend this woman in mid-air by the hair of her head until we have entered into the city; and when we desire to come forth do Thou bring her down again [to the ground]." And in that same moment the woman was suspended in mid-air by the hair of her head, and although all the magistrates were looking at her they could not see what it was which held her fast. Now the woman herself was crying out with loud cries, saying, "O God, judge Thou the magistrates of this city, for it is they who have done me this evil. For if I had remained in my own house and [continued] in my sin until the Apostles of our Lord had come into the city, they who save all sinners would have saved me, the sinful woman, also. Come, O ye young men whom I have corrupted by my fornications, and repent, and make supplication unto the Apostles of God on my behalf, that they may shew mercy upon me." Now although the woman was saying these words none of the men of the city believed, because Satan had hardened their hearts.

11 And Peter said unto Thaddeus, "Let us rise up, and pray and entreat God to help us, for behold, Satan hath corrupted the hearts of the people." So they rose "up together, and prayed, saying, O Lord God, Thou upholder of all things, Who hast commanded [Thy people] to call upon Thee in the time of tribulation, and hast said, 'I will hear them,' hearken unto us, O Lord, and have compassion upon us, and give us strength so that we may be able to contend against Satan, who hath risen up against us in this place." And whilst the Apostles were making supplication Michael the Archangel came down to them, and drove away the evil spirits which had afflicted the souls of the people of the city. Then Peter and Thaddeus went forth and journeyed round about in the highways of the city, preaching in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and because thereof all the men of the city believed, and at length there was left no one of those who had corrupted their hearts [who did not believe]; and Michael also brought down the woman who was suspended in the air. Then after these things [Peter] appointed bishops and priests over them, and he baptized all of them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and they made the woman who had been suspended in the air to minister in the church. And they healed the sick, and they opened the eyes of the blind, and the dumb spake, and the deaf heard, and the lame walked, and they cast out devils, and they raised the dead, and at length all the people of the city believed and entered into the knowledge of God, Whose Name is most glorious.

12 Then was Satan wroth, and he returned to his wiles and crafts, and entered into the heart of a rich young man, and made him an enemy of the Apostles, and sent him unto them. And when he had arrived, he bowed down before them and said unto them, "O ye chosen servants of God, what would ye have me to do that I may have life?" Then Peter said unto the young man, "Love God thy Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not swear falsely. What thou wouldst not that men should do unto thee that thou shalt not do unto others." Then the young man said unto them, "If I do these things, shall I be able to work miracles like unto you?" And the Apostles said unto him, "Tell us everything about thyself. Hast thou a wife?" Then he said unto them, "I have no wife. I am a handicraftsman (or carpenter), and I have great possessions. Tell me what ye would have me to do." And Peter said unto him, "Go, cast away thy possessions, and distribute them among the poor of this city." Now when the young man heard these words from Peter he was angry with him with a great anger, and he leaped upon Thaddeus and seized him by the throat, and said unto him, "Wouldst thou counsel me to destroy my possessions?" And Thaddeus said unto him, "Our Lord spake thus concerning one who was like unto thee: It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." Then was the young man the more angry with Thaddeus, and 253a.

13 he gripped his neck with a mighty grip, and he would have killed him had it not been for the power of God, Who kept his eyes from starting out of his head through the pain of the rich man's grip upon his neck. And Peter said unto him, "Why dost thou choke the Apostle of Christ in this manner because he hath spoken one true word unto thee? I also would that thou didst cast away thy possessions. But if thou wilt not cast away even one of the things which are thine, and wilt not hate [them, thou canst not possess life]. And if thou wouldst say that his words are not true, as to what he hath said concerning the camel in the needle's eye, [look and see]." Now at that moment a certain man, who had a camel with him, passed by them; and Peter and Thaddeus stopped them, and they asked a man who sold needles for a needle; and the seller of needles wished to help the Apostles, and he sought for a needle with a large eye. Then Peter said unto him, "God shall bless thee, O my son, and thy faith shall be accepted; but look thou for a needle which hath an exceedingly small eye, so that the glory and the majesty of God may be made manifest in this city." And the man did as Peter had commanded him, and he found a needle with a very small eye. Then the Apostles rose up and stretched out their hands, and prayed, saying, "O Lord Jesus Christ, unto Whom be longeth the power over all things, we beseech Thee to hearken unto our petition, and supplication, and to make manifest Thy power, so that all these people may know that everything which Thou sayest is true. Yea, O Lord, hearken Thou unto the prayer of Thy servants.

14 "Behold, Thou seest what Thine Apostles would do, be pleased then, O God, that this camel shall enter in through the eye of this needle, and I will praise Thy Name." And Peter said unto the man who was holding the camel, "In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, do thou and thy camel enter in through the eye of this needle;" and in that same moment the man, together with his camel, went in through the eye of the needle. Then Peter said unto him, "Go in a second time, so that all these people may know the matter of a certainty, and may glorify God, and may understand that there is nothing which is too hard for His power to do." And when the people saw this wonderful thing they lifted up their voices, and said, "There is no god save the Lord God of these two Apostles, Peter and Thaddeus."

15 And it came to pass that when the rich young man saw this thing he rent his garments, and smote his face, and said, "Woe is me! Woe is me! because of what I have done unto this righteous man." Then he bowed down with his face to the ground at the feet of the Apostles, and he wept and besought them to take all his possessions, and to divide them among the poor and the needy, and to cause him to be forgiven by God; and they did for him even as he had asked them. And they admonished him and taught him the commandments of the Law of Faith, and they baptized them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, that is to say, him and all the people of the city. Then they administered unto them the Mysteries of the Body of our Lord and His precious Blood, and they built them a church, and appointed over 254a.

16 them bishops and priests, and they wrote for them a Gospel and a Book of commandments; then they departed from them and were accompanied a short distance on their way by them in peace. Thus was the work of making them to believe performed by our Lord Jesus Christ; and immediately after they had made their confession of faith Thaddeus died, on the second day of the month Hamlé, glorifying the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, [Who shall endure] for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, and Amen. Here endeth the "[Book of the] Contendings of the Twelve Apostles and of the Seventy-two Disciples." And they prayed and said, "We have laboured and we have been scourged for Thy sake; what is our reward?" Then our Lord said unto them, "Ye shall pass boldly [into heaven at the last day]." And the Twelve Apostles said unto our Lord, "What shall be the reward of the man who putteth his confidence in our prayers, and celebrateth the commemoration of us, and causeth the book [of our acts] to be written?" And again our Lord said unto them, "Whosoever shall put his confidence in your prayers, and shall celebrate the commemoration of you, and shall write the book of your contendings, and shall praise your sufferings, shall pass with you boldly [into heaven] at the last day." And now, O brethren, let us celebrate the commemoration of the Apostles, and let us put our confidence in their prayers, so that we may attain unto a portion with them in the kingdom of the heavens. Amen.

17 And let our father Gabra Mar'āwī receive a tithe of mercy without shame on that day, together with his children, for ever and ever! Amen. And may God shew mercy alike upon him that wrote [this book], and upon him that had it written, and upon him that had it read, and upon him that translated it, and upon him that hath listened unto the words thereof, for ever and ever! Amen, Amen. And as for those who had this book of the "Con-tendings of the Apostles" written, that is to say Sophonias, and Dorotheus, and our prince, Krestōs-Arde'ēt, and Victor the scribe, because of their love for the Twelve Apostles, having confidence in the prayers of the Twelve Apostles and in those of the Seventy-two Disciples, may God write their names upon a pillar of light in letters of gold in the place where Christ the Lord shall be glorified with profound hymns of glory and praise, for ever and ever! Amen, Amen, and Amen. So be it! So be it!