THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS WRITINGS - VOLUME 108
Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles
c. AD 150 – 700

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Texts are public domain except where marked in Sources and Credits.

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INTRODUCTION TO THIS VOLUME
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HOW THIS BOOK IS ARRANGED

This is the hundred and eighth volume of a series that gathers the writings of the early
Church. The first volumes of the series follow the writers in order of date; this volume
belongs to the later part of the series, which gathers the apocryphal and pseudepigraphal
writings: the apocryphal Acts of the apostles. This volume holds the Acts of Paul, Peter,
Andrew, Thomas and Philip, the Acts of Paul and Thecla, and the later acts and martyrdoms
of Matthew, Bartholomew, Barnabas, Thaddaeus and John, with William Wright’s Syriac
apocryphal acts.

Within each work the text is divided into chapters and numbered sections, so that any
passage can be found again and cited. The small bold figures in the text are the section
numbers.

THE TRANSLATIONS

The text is in English only. Wherever a modern English version has been prepared for
SermonIndex it is used here; otherwise the book prints an older public-domain translation.
In both cases the wording is the translator’s own: older translations have not been
altered beyond dividing them into sections. The sources for every work are listed at the
back of the book, together with the licence under which each text is released. All the
works in this volume are printed in older public-domain translations. The translations of
M. R. James were read by machine from scans of the printed books and have not been
proofread against the pages, so a misreading may remain. The Ante-Nicene translations were
transcribed by the volunteers of English Wikisource, and William Wright’s and Andrew
Eastbourne’s were transcribed for Roger Pearse’s collection. Page numbers and footnotes
are left out. Greek, Hebrew and Latin words in the editors’ notes are left out or, where a
Greek word occurs in the text itself, given in Latin letters.

IN THIS VOLUME

The apocryphal Acts tell what the apostles did after Pentecost, in Asia, in Greece, in
India and in Rome. They are romances rather than histories, but many of them hold a good
deal of early Christian teaching, and a few, such as the Acts of Paul and Thecla, were
being read in the churches by the end of the second century. Their stories of virgins who
refused to marry and of apostles who stood against kings gave the martyr and the saint
their shape.

The volume prints M. R. James’s translations of the Acts of Paul, Peter and Andrew, the
Syriac Acts that William Wright translated, and the shorter Greek acts of Thaddaeus,
Philip, Barnabas, Matthew and Bartholomew in the translation of Alexander Walker. Where
the same work survives in several forms, the forms are printed one after another and not
combined.

DATES AND AUTHORSHIP

None of these books is part of the Bible. Some were written by Jews before the time of
Christ, some by Christians in the first centuries, and some much later, and many carry the
name of a patriarch, an apostle or a Father who did not write them. Some of them contain
stories that the Church never received and teaching that it rejected. They are printed
here so that a reader can see what they say and judge them against the Scriptures, as the
Fathers themselves did. The acts of the apostles are romances of the second century and
later, and they are not history.


THE ACTS OF PAUL
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THE ACTS OF PAUL Translated by M. R. James

c. AD 160–190

The Acts of Paul in James’s English, built from the Coptic papyrus of Heidelberg, the
Greek Hamburg papyrus and the Latin versions: the raising of the boy at Corinth, the lion
at Ephesus, Paul’s farewell and the martyrdom at Rome. The Acts of Paul and Thecla is
printed in the Ante-Nicene translation in this series.

vengeance be ashamed, let his assault be in pain, let his children be smitten and all his
roots plucked up. And grant me to accomplish the journey unto thee without suffering
insolence or provocation, and to receive that which thou hast promised unto them that live
purely and have loved thee only. 115 And having sealed himself in every part, he stood and
said: Thou art with me, O Lord Jesu Christ: and laid himself down in the trench where he
had strown his garments: and having said unto us: Peace be with you, brethren, he gave up
his spirit rejoicing. The less good Greek manuscripts and some versions are not content
with this simple ending. The Latin says that after the prayer a great light appeared over
the apostle for the space of an hour, so bright that no one could look at it. (Then he
laid himself down and gave up the ghost.) We who were there rejoiced, some of us, and some
mourned.... And forthwith manna issuing from the tomb was seen of all, which manna that
place produceth even unto this day, &c. But perhaps the best conclusion is that of one
Greek manuscript:

We brought a linen cloth and spread it upon him, and went into the city. And on the day
following we went forth and found not his body, for it was translated by the power of our
Lord Jesus Christ, unto whom be glory, &c. Another says: On the morrow we dug in the
place, and him we found not, but only his sandals, and the earth moving (lit. springing up
like a well), and after that we remembered that which was spoken by the Lord unto Peter,
&c. Augustine (on John xxi) reports the belief that in his time the earth over the grave
was seen to move as if stirred by John's breathing.

Acts of Paul

This book, Tertullian tells us, was composed shortly before his time in honour of Paul by
a presbyter of Asia, who was convicted of the imposture and degraded from his office. The
date of it may therefore be about A. D. 160. The author was an orthodox Christian. Our
authorities for it are: 1. The sadly mutilated Coptic MS. at Heidelberg, of the sixth
century at latest. 2. The Acts of Paul and Thecla, a single episode which has been
preserved complete in Greek and many versions: parts of it exist in the Coptic. 3. The
correspondence with the Corinthians, partly preserved in the Coptic, and current
separately in Armenian and Latin. 4. The Martyrdom, the concluding episode of the Acts,
preserved separately (as in the case of John and others) in Greek and other versions. 5.
Detached fragments or quotations. The length of the whole book is given as 3,600 lines
(Stichometry of Nicephorus), or 3,560 (Stichometry of the Codex Claromontanus): the
Canonical Acts are given by the same two authorities respectively as 2,800 and 2,600. We
have, perhaps, 1,800 lines of the Acts of Paul.

The text of the Coptic MS. is miserably defective, and the restoration of it, in the
episodes which are preserved in it alone, is a most difficult process: Professor Carl
Schmidt has done practically all that can be expected, with infinite labour and great
acuteness. In treating the defective episodes I shall follow him closely, but shall not
attempt to represent all the broken lines. The first extant page of the Coptic MS. seems
to be p. 9. p. 9. Paul went into (the house) at the place where the (dead) was. But Phila
the wife of Panchares (Anchares, MS., see below) was very wroth and said to her husband in
(great anger): Husband, thou hast gone.... the wild beasts, thou hast not begotten.... thy
son.... where is mine? p. 10…(he hath not) desired food.... to bury him. But (Panchares)
stood in the sight of all and made his prayer at the ninth hour, until the people of the
city came to bear the boy out. When he had prayed, Paul (came) and saw.... and of Jesus
Christ.... the boy.... the prayer.

p. 11 (a small piece only)…multitude.... eight days.... they thought that he raised up the
(boy). But when Paul had remained p. 12. They asked? him?.... the men listened to him....
they sent for Panchares.... and cried out, saying: We believe, Panchares,.... but save the
city from.... many things, which they said. Panchares said unto them: Judge ye whether
your good deeds (?) p. 13…is not possible.... but to (testify).... God who hath.... his
Son according to.... salvation, and I also believe that, my brethren, there is no other
God, save Jesus Christ the son of the Blessed, unto whom is glory for ever, Amen. But when
they saw that he would not turn to them, they pursued Paul, and caught him, and brought
him back into the city, ill-using (?) him, and cast stones at him and thrust him out of
their city and out of their country. But Panchares would not return evil for evil: he shut
the door of his house and went in with his wife.... fasting…But when it was evening Paul
came to him and said:

p. 14. God hath.... Jesus Christ. These are the last words of the episode. The situation
is a little cleared by a sentence in the Greek Acts of Titus ascribed to Zenas (not
earlier than the fifth century?): 'They arrived at Antioch and found Barnabas the son of
Panchares, whom Paul raised up.' Barnabas may be a mistake, but Panchares is, I doubt not,
right: for the Coptic definite article is p prefixed to the word, and the Coptic
translator finding Panchares in his text has confused the initial of it with his own
definite article, and cut it out. We have, then, a husband Panchares and wife Phila at
Antioch (in Pisidia perhaps: this is disputed), and their son (possibly named Barnabas) is
dead. Phila reproaches Panchares with want of parental affection. I take it that he is a
believer, and has not mourned over his son, perhaps knowing that Paul was at hand and
hoping for his help. Panchares prays till his fellow-townsmen come to carry out the body
for burial. Paul arrives: at some point he raises the dead: but the people are irritated
and some catastrophe threatens them at Paul's hands.

Panchares makes a profession of faith, the result of which is Paul's ill-treatment and
banishment. But Paul returns secretly and reassures Panchares.

II

The next episode is that of Paul and Thecla, in which the Greek text exists, and will be
followed. In the Coptic it has a title: After the flight from Antioch, when he would go to
Iconium. It is possible that in this episode the author of the Acts may have used a local
legend, current in his time, of a real Christian martyr Thecla. It is otherwise difficult
to account for the very great popularity of the cult of St. Thecla, which spread over East
and West, and made her the most famous of virgin martyrs. Moreover, one historical
personage is introduced into the story, namely, Queen Tryphaena, who was the widow, it
seems, of Cotys, King of Thrace, and the mother of Polemo II, King of Pontus. She was a
great-niece of the Emperor Claudius. Professor W. M. Ramsay has contended that there was a
written story of Thecla which was adapted by the author of the Acts: but his view is not
generally accepted.

1 When Paul went up unto Iconium after he fled from Antioch, there journeyed with him
Demas and Hermogenes the coppersmith, which were full of hypocrisy, and flattered Paul as
though they loved him. But Paul, looking only unto the goodness of Christ, did them no
evil, but loved them well, so that he assayed to make sweet unto them all the oracles of
the Lord, and of the teaching and the interpretation (of the Gospel) and of the birth and
resurrection of the Beloved, and related unto them word by word all the great works of
Christ, how they were revealed unto him (Copt. adds: how that Christ was born of Mary the
virgin, and of the seed of David). 2 And a certain man named Onesiphorus, when he heard
that Paul was come to Iconium, went out with his children Simmias and Zeno and his wife
Lectra to meet him, that he might receive him into his house: for Titus had told him what
manner of man Paul was in appearance; for he had not seen him in the flesh, but only in
the spirit.

3 And he went by the king's highway that leadeth unto Lystra and stood expecting him, and
looked upon them that came, according to the description of Titus. And he saw Paul coming,
a man little of stature, thin-haired upon the head, crooked in the legs, of good state of
body, with eyebrows joining, and nose somewhat hooked, full of grace: for sometimes he
appeared like a man, and sometimes he had the face of an angel. 4 And when Paul saw
Onesiphorus he smiled, and Onesiphorus said: Hail, thou servant of the blessed God. And he
said: Grace be with thee and with thine house. But Demas and Hermogenes were envious, and
stirred up their hypocrisy yet more, so that Demas said: Are we not servants of the
Blessed, that thou didst not salute us so? And Onesiphorus said: I see not in you any
fruit of righteousness, but if ye be such, come ye also into my house and refresh
yourselves.

5 And when Paul entered into the house of Onesiphorus, there was great joy, and bowing of
knees and breaking of bread, and the word of God concerning abstinence (or continence) and
the resurrection; for Paul said: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are they that keep the flesh chaste, for they shall become the temple of God.
Blessed are they that abstain (or the continent), for unto them shall God speak. Blessed
are they that have renounced this world, for they shall be well-pleasing unto God. Blessed
are they that possess their wives as though they had them not, for they shall inherit God.
Blessed are they that have the fear of God, for they shall become angels of God. 6 Blessed
are they that tremble at the oracles of God, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they
that receive the wisdom of Jesus Christ, for they shall be called sons of the Most High.

Blessed are they that have kept their baptism pure, for they shall rest with the Father
and with the Son. Blessed are they that have compassed the understanding of Jesus Christ,
for they shall be in light. Blessed are they that for love of God have departed from the
fashion of this world, for they shall judge angels, and shall be blessed at the right hand
of the Father. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy and shall not see the
bitter day of judgement. Blessed are the bodies of the virgins, for they shall be well-
pleasing unto God and shall not lose the reward of their continence (chastity), for the
word of the Father shall be unto them a work of salvation in the day of his Son, and they
shall have rest world without end. 7 And as Paul was saying these things in the midst of
the assembly (church) in the house of Onesiphorus, a certain virgin, Thecla, whose mother
was Theocleia, which was betrothed to an husband, Thamyris, sat at the window hard by, and
hearkened night and day unto the word concerning chastity which was spoken by Paul: and
she stirred not from the window, but was led onward (or pressed onward) by faith,
rejoicing exceedingly: and further, when she saw many women and virgins entering in to
Paul, she also desired earnestly to be accounted worthy to stand before Paul's face and to
hear the word of Christ; for she had not yet seen the appearance of Paul, but only heard
his speech.

8 Now as she removed not from the window, her mother sent unto Thamyris, and he came with
great joy as if he were already to take her to wife. Thamyris therefore said to Theocleia:
Where is my Thecla? And Theocleia said: I have a new tale to tell thee, Thamyris: for for
three days and three nights Thecla ariseth not from the window, neither to eat nor to
drink, but looking earnestly as it were upon a joyful spectacle, she so attendeth to a
stranger who teacheth deceitful and various words, that I marvel how the great modesty of
the maiden is so hardly beset. 9 O Thamyris, this man upsetteth the whole city of the
Iconians, and thy Thecla also, for all the women and the young men go in to him and are
taught by him. Ye must, saith he, fear one only God and live chastely. And my daughter,
too, like a spider at the window, bound by his words, is held by a new desire and a
fearful passion: for she hangeth upon the things that he speaketh, and the maiden is
captured. But go thou to her and speak to her; for she is betrothed unto thee.

10 And Thamyris went to her, alike loving her and fearing because of her disturbance
(ecstasy), and said: Thecla, my betrothed, why sittest thou thus? and what passion is it
that holdeth thee in amaze; turn unto thy Thamyris and be ashamed. And her mother also
said the same: Thecla, why sittest thou thus, looking downward, and answering nothing, but
as one stricken? And they wept sore, Thamyris because he failed of a wife, and Theocleia
of a child, and the maidservants of a mistress; there was, therefore, great confusion of
mourning in the house. And while all this was so, Thecla turned not away, but paid heed to
the speech of Paul. 11 But Thamyris leapt up and went forth into the street and watched
them that went in to Paul and came out. And he saw two men striving bitterly with one
another, and said to them: Ye men, tell me who ye are, and who is he that is within with
you, that maketh the souls of young men and maidens to err, deceiving them that there may
be no marriages but they should live as they are. I promise therefore to give you much
money if ye will tell me of him: for I am a chief man of the city.

12 And Demas and Hermogenes said unto him: Who this man is, we know not; but he defraudeth
the young men of wives and the maidens of husbands, saying: Ye have no resurrection
otherwise, except ye continue chaste, and defile not the flesh but keep it pure. 13 And
Thamyris said to them: Come, ye men, into mine house and refresh yourselves with me. And
they went to a costly banquet and much wine and great wealth and a brilliant table. And
Thamyris made them drink, for he loved Thecla and desired to take her to wife: and at the
dinner Thamyris said: Tell me, ye men, what is his teaching, that I also may know it: for
I am not a little afflicted concerning Thecla because she so loveth the stranger, and I am
defrauded of my marriage. 14 And Demas and Hermogenes said: Bring him before Castelius the
governor as one that persuadeth the multitudes with the new doctrine of the Christians;
and so will he destroy him and thou shalt have thy wife Thecla. And we will teach thee of
that resurrection which he asserteth, that it is already come to pass in the children
which we have, and we rise again when we have come to the knowledge of the true God.

15 But when Thamyris heard this of them, he was filled with envy and wrath, and rose up
early and went to the house of Onesiphorus with the rulers and officers and a great crowd
with staves, saying unto Paul: Thou hast destroyed the city of the Iconians and her that
was espoused unto me, so that she will not have me: let us go unto Castelius the governor.
And all the multitude said: Away with the wizard, for he hath corrupted all our wives. And
the multitude rose up together against him. 16 And Thamyris, standing before the judgement
seat, cried aloud and said: O proconsul, this is the man—we know not whence he is—who
alloweth not maidens to marry: let him declare before thee wherefore he teacheth such
things. And Demas and Hermogenes said to Thamyris: Say thou that he is a Christian, and so
wilt thou destroy him. But the governor kept his mind steadfast and called Paul, saying
unto him: Who art thou, and what teachest thou? for it is no light accusation that these
bring against thee.

17 And Paul lifted up his voice and said: If I am this day examined what I teach, hearken,
O proconsul. The living God, the God of vengeance, the jealous God, the God that hath need
of nothing, but desireth the salvation of men, hath sent me, that I may sever them from
corruption and uncleanness and all pleasure and death, that they may sin no more.
Wherefore God hath sent his own Child, whom I preach and teach that men should have hope
in him who alone hath had compassion upon the world that was in error; that men may no
more be under judgement but have faith and the fear of God and the knowledge of sobriety
and the love of truth. If then I teach the things that have been revealed unto me of God,
what wrong do I, O proconsul? And the governor having heard that, commanded Paul to be
bound and taken away to prison until he should have leisure to hear him more carefully.

18 But Thecla at night took off her bracelets and gave them to the doorkeeper, and when
the door was opened for her she went into the prison, and gave the jailer a mirror of
silver and so went in to Paul and sat by his feet and heard the wonderful works of God.
And Paul feared not at all, but walked in the confidence of God: and her faith also was
increased as she kissed his chains. 19 Now when Thecla was sought by her own people and by
Thamyris, she was looked for through the streets as one lost; and one of the fellow-
servants of the doorkeeper told that she went out by night. And they examined the
doorkeeper and he told them that she was gone to the stranger unto the prison; and they
went as he told them and found her as it were bound with him, in affection. And they went
forth thence and gathered the multitude to them and showed it to the governor.

20 And he commanded Paul to be brought to the judgement seat; but Thecla rolled herself
upon the place where Paul taught when he sat in the prison. And the governor commanded her
also to be brought to the judgement seat, and she went exulting with joy. And when Paul
was brought the second time the people cried out more vehemently: He is a sorcerer, away
with him! But the governor heard Paul gladly concerning the holy works of Christ: and he
took counsel, and called Thecla and said: Why wilt thou not marry Thamyris, according to
the law of the Iconians? but she stood looking earnestly upon Paul, and when she answered
not, her mother Theocleia cried out, saying: Burn the lawless one, burn her that is no
bride in the midst of the theatre, that all the women which have been taught by this man
may be affrighted.

21 And the governor was greatly moved: and he scourged Paul and sent him out of the city,
but Thecla he condemned to be burned. And straightway the governor arose and went to the
theatre: and all the multitude went forth unto the dreadful spectacle. But Thecla, as the
lamb in the wilderness looketh about for the shepherd, so sought for Paul: and she looked
upon the multitude and saw the Lord sitting, like unto Paul, and said: As if I were not
able to endure, Paul is come to look upon me. And she earnestly paid heed to him: but he
departed into the heavens. 22 Now the boys and the maidens brought wood and hay to burn
Thecla: and when she was brought in naked, the governor wept and marvelled at the power
that was in her. And they laid the wood, and the executioner bade her mount upon the pyre:
and she, making the sign of the cross, went up upon the wood. And they lighted it, and
though a great fire blazed forth, the fire took no hold on her; for God had compassion on
her, and caused a sound under the earth, and a cloud overshadowed her above, full of rain
and hail, and all the vessel of it was poured out so that many were in peril of death, and
the fire was quenched, and Thecla was preserved.

23 Now Paul was fasting with Onesiphorus and his wife and their children in an open
sepulchre on the way whereby they go from Iconium to Daphne. And when many days were past,
as they fasted, the boys said unto Paul: We are anhungered. And they had not wherewith to
buy bread, for Onesiphorus had left the goods of this world, and followed Paul with all
his house. But Paul took off his upper garment and said: Go, child, buy several loaves and
bring them. And as the boy was buying, he saw his neighbour Thecla, and was astonished,
and said: Thecla, whither goest thou? And she said: I seek Paul, for I was preserved from
the fire. And the boy said: Come, I will bring thee unto him, for he mourneth for thee and
prayeth and fasteth now these six days. 24 And when she came to the sepulchre unto Paul,
who had bowed his knees and was praying and saying: O Father of Christ, let not the fire
take hold on Thecla, but spare her, for she is thine: she standing behind him cried out: O
Father that madest heaven and earth, the Father of thy beloved child Jesus Christ, I bless
thee for that thou hast preserved me from the fire, that I might see Paul. And Paul arose
and saw her and said: O God the knower of hearts, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I
bless thee that thou hast speedily accomplished that which I asked of thee, and hast
hearkened unto me.

25 And there was much love within the sepulchre, for Paul rejoiced, and Onesiphorus, and
all of them. And they had five loaves, and herbs, and water (and salt), and they rejoiced
for the holy works of Christ. And Thecla said unto Paul: I will cut my hair round about
and follow thee whithersoever thou goest. But he said: The time is ill-favoured and thou
art comely: beware lest another temptation take thee, worse than the first, and thou
endure it not but play the coward. And Thecla said: Only give me the seal in Christ, and
temptation shall not touch me. And Paul said: Have patience, Thecla, and thou shalt
receive the water. 26 And Paul sent away Onesiphorus with all his house unto Iconium, and
so took Thecla and entered into Antioch: and as they entered in, a certain Syriarch,
Alexander by name, saw Thecla and was enamoured of her, and would have bribed (flattered)
Paul with money and gifts. But Paul said: I know not the woman of whom thou speakest,
neither is she mine. But as he was of great power, he himself embraced her in the highway;
and she endured it not, but sought after Paul and cried out bitterly, saying: Force not
the stranger, force not the handmaid of God. I am of the first of the Iconians, and
because I would not marry Thamyris, I am cast out of the city. And she caught at Alexander
and rent his cloak and took the wreath from his head and made him a mocking-stock.

27 But he alike loving her and being ashamed of what had befallen him, brought her before
the governor; and when she confessed that she had done this, he condemned her to the
beasts. But the women were greatly amazed, and cried out at the judgement seat: An evil
judgement, an impious judgement! And Thecla asked of the governor that she might remain a
virgin until she should fight the beasts; and a certain rich queen, Tryphaena by name,
whose daughter had died, took her into her keeping, and had her for a consolation. 28 Now
when the beasts were led in procession, they bound her to a fierce lioness, and the queen
Tryphaena followed after her: but the lioness, when Thecla was set upon her, licked her
feet, and all the people marvelled. Now the writing (title) of her accusation was: Guilty
of sacrilege. And the women with their children cried out from above: O God, an impious
judgement cometh to pass in this city. And after the procession Tryphaena took her again.
For her daughter Falconilla, which was dead, had said to her in a dream: Mother, thou
shalt take in my stead Thecla the stranger that is desolate, that she may pray for me and
I be translated into the place of the righteous.

29 When therefore Tryphaena received her after the procession, she alike bewailed her
because she was to fight the beasts on the morrow, and also, loving her closely as her own
daughter Falconilla; and said: Thecla, my second child, come, pray thou for my child that
she may live for ever; for this have I seen in a dream. And she without delay lifted up
her voice and said: O my God, Son of the Most High that art in heaven, grant unto her
according to her desire, that her daughter Falconilla may live for ever. And after she had
said this, Tryphaena bewailed her, considering that so great beauty was to be cast unto
the beasts. 30 And when it was dawn, Alexander came to take her—for it was he that was
giving the games—saying: The governor is set and the people troubleth us: give me her that
is to fight the beasts, that I may take her away. But Tryphaena cried aloud so that he
fled away, saying: A second mourning for my Falconilla cometh about in mine house, and
there is none to help, neither child, for she is dead, nor kinsman, for I am a widow. O
God of Thecla my child, help thou Thecla.

31 And the governor sent soldiers to fetch Thecla: and Tryphaena left her not, but herself
took her hand and led her up, saying: I did bring my daughter Falconilla unto the
sepulchre; but thee, Thecla, do I bring to fight the beasts. And Thecla wept bitterly and
groaned unto the Lord, saying: Lord God in whom I believe, with whom I have taken refuge,
that savedst me from the fire, reward thou Tryphaena who hath had pity on thine handmaid,
and hath kept me pure. 32 There was therefore a tumult, and a voice of the beasts, and
shouting of the people, and of the women which sat together, some saying: Bring in the
sacrilegious one! and the women saying: Away with the city for this unlawful deed! away
with all us, thou proconsul! it is a bitter sight, an evil judgement! 33 But Thecla, being
taken out of the hand of Tryphaena, was stripped and a girdle put upon her, and was cast
into the stadium: and lions and bears were set against her. And a fierce lioness running
to her lay down at her feet, and the press of women cried aloud. And a bear ran upon her;
but the lioness ran and met him, and tore the bear in sunder. And again a lion, trained
against men, which was Alexander's, ran upon her, and the lioness wrestled with him and
was slain along with him. And the women bewailed yet more, seeing that the lioness also
that succoured her was dead.

34 Then did they put in many beasts, while she stood and stretched out her hands and
prayed. And when she had ended her prayer, she turned and saw a great tank full of water,
and said: Now is it time that I should wash myself. And she cast herself in, saying: In
the name of Jesus Christ do I baptize myself on the last day. And all the women seeing it
and all the people wept, saying: Cast not thyself into the water: so that even the
governor wept that so great beauty should be devoured by seals. So, then, she cast herself
into the water in the name of Jesus Christ; and the seals, seeing the light of a flash of
fire, floated dead on the top of the water. And there was about her a cloud of fire, so
that neither did the beasts touch her, nor was she seen to be naked.

35 Now the women, when other more fearful beasts were put in, shrieked aloud, and some
cast leaves, and others nard, others cassia, and some balsam, so that there was a
multitude of odours; and all the beasts that were struck thereby were held as it were in
sleep and touched her not; so that Alexander said to the governor: I have some bulls
exceeding fearful, let us bind the criminal to them. And the governor frowning, allowed
it, saying: Do that thou wilt. And they bound her by the feet between the bulls, and put
hot irons under their bellies that they might be the more enraged and kill her. They then
leaped forward; but the flame that burned about her, burned through the ropes, and she was
as one not bound. 36 But Tryphaena, standing by the arena, fainted at the entry, so that
her handmaids said: The queen Tryphaena is dead! And the governor stopped the games and
all the city was frightened, and Alexander falling at the governor's feet said: Have mercy
on me and on the city, and let the condemned go, lest the city perish with her; for if
Caesar hear this, perchance he will destroy us and the city, because his kinswoman the
queen Tryphaena hath died at the entry.

37 And the governor called Thecla from among the beasts, and said to her: Who art thou?
and what hast thou about thee that not one of the beasts hath touched thee? But she said:
I am the handmaid of the living God; and what I have about me—it is that I have believed
on that his Son in whom God is well pleased; for whose sake not one of the beasts hath
touched me. For he alone is the goal (or way) of salvation and the substance of life
immortal; for unto them that are tossed about he is a refuge, unto the oppressed relief,
unto the despairing shelter, and in a word, whosoever believeth not on him, shall not
live, but die everlastingly. 38 And when the governor heard this, he commanded garments to
be brought and said: Put on these garments. And she said: He that clad me when I was naked
among the beasts, the same in the day of judgement will clothe me with salvation. And she
took the garments and put them on. And the governor forthwith issued out an act, saying: I
release unto you Thecla the godly, the servant of God. And all the women cried out with a
loud voice and as with one mouth gave praise to God, saying: One is the God who hath
preserved Thecla: so that with their voice all the city shook.

39 And Tryphaena, when she was told the good tidings, met her with much people and
embraced Thecla and said: Now do I believe that the dead are raised up: now do I believe
that my child liveth: come within, and I will make thee heir of all my substance. Thecla
therefore went in with her and rested in her house eight days, teaching her the word of
God, so that the more part of the maid-servants also believed, and there was great joy in
the house. 40 But Thecla yearned after Paul and sought him, sending about in all places;
and it was told her that he was at Myra. And she took young men and maids, and girded
herself, and sewed her mantle into a cloak after the fashion of a man, and departed into
Myra, and found Paul speaking the word of God, and went to him. But he when he saw her and
the people that were with her was amazed, thinking in himself: Hath some other temptation
come upon her? But she perceived it, and said to him: I have received the washing, O Paul;
for he that hath worked together with thee in the Gospel hath worked with me also unto my
baptizing.

41 And Paul took her by the hand and brought her into the house of Hermias, and heard all
things from her; so that Paul marvelled much, and they that heard were confirmed, and
prayed for Tryphaena. And Thecla arose and said to Paul: I go unto Iconium. And Paul said:
Go, and teach the word of God. Now Tryphaena had sent her much apparel and gold, so that
she left of it with Paul for the ministry of the poor. 42 But she herself departed unto
Iconium. And she entered into the house of Onesiphorus, and fell down upon the floor where
Paul had sat and taught the oracles of God, and wept, saying: O God of me and of this
house, where the light shone upon me, Jesu Christ the Son of God, my helper in prison, my
helper before the governors, my helper in the fire, my helper among the beasts, thou art
God, and unto thee be the glory for ever. Amen.

43 And she found Thamyris dead, but her mother living. And she saw her mother and said
unto her: Theocleia my mother, canst thou believe that the Lord liveth in the heavens? for
whether thou desirest money, the Lord will give it thee through me: or thy child, lo, I am
here before thee. And when she had so testified, she departed unto Seleucia, and after she
had enlightened many with the word of God, she slept a good sleep. A good many manuscripts
add that Theocleia was not converted, but the Coptic does not support them: it ends the
episode as above. A long appendix is given by other Greek copies, telling how in Thecla's
old age (she was ninety) she was living on Mount Calamon or Calameon, and some evil-
disposed young men went up to ill-treat her: and she prayed, and the rock opened and she
entered it, and it closed after her. Some add that she went underground to Rome: this, to
account for the presence of her body there.

Copt., p. 38 of the MS.

III

When he was departed from Antioch and taught in Myra (Myrrha). When Paul was teaching the
word of God in Myra, there was there a man, Hermocrates by name, who had the dropsy, and
he put himself forward in the sight of all, and said to Paul: Nothing is impossible with
God, but especially with him whom thou preachest; for when he came he healed many, even
that God whose servant thou art. Lo, I and my wife and my children, we cast ourselves at
thy feet: have pity on me that I also may believe as thou hast believed on the living God.
Paul said unto him: I will restore thee (thine health) not for reward, but through the
name of Jesus Christ thou shalt become whole in the presence of all these. (And he touched
his body) drawing his hand downwards: and his belly opened and much water ran from him
and... he fell down like a dead man, so that some said: It is better for him to die than
to continue in pain. But when Paul had quieted the people, he took his hand and raised him
up and asked him, saying: Hermocrates, ask for what thou desirest. And he said: I would
eat. And he took a loaf and gave him to eat. And in that hour he was whole, and received
the grace of the seal in the Lord, he and his wife.

But Hermippus his son was angry with Paul, and sought for a set time wherein to rise up
with them of his own age and destroy him. For he wished that his father should not be
healed but should die, that he might soon be master of his goods. But Dion, his younger
son, heard Paul gladly. Now all they that were with Hermippus took counsel to fight
against Paul so that Hermippus.... and sought to kill him.... Dion fell down and died: but
Hermippus watered Dion with his tears. But Hermocrates mourned sore, for he loved Dion
more than his other son. (Yet) he sat at Paul's feet, and forgot that Dion was dead. But
when Dion was dead, his mother Nympha rent her clothes and went unto Paul and set herself
before the face of Hermocrates her husband and of Paul. And when Paul saw her, he was
affrighted and said: Wherefore art thou thus, Nympha? But she said to him: Dion is dead;
and the whole multitude wept when they beheld her. And Paul looked upon the people that
mourned and sent young men, saying to them: Go and bring me him hither. And they went: but
Hermippus caught hold of the body (of Dion) in the street and cried out

A leaf lost…the word in him (them?). But an angel of the Lord had said unto him in the
night: Paul, thou hast to-day a great conflict against thy body, but God, the Father of
his Son Jesus Christ, will protect thee. When Paul had arisen, he went unto his brethren,
and remained (sorrowful?) saying: What meaneth this vision? And while Paul thought upon
this, he saw Hermippus coming, having a sword drawn in his hand, and with him many other
young men with staves. And Paul said unto them: I am not a robber, neither a murderer. The
God of all things, the Father of Christ, will turn your hands backward, and your sword
into its sheath, and your strength into weakness: for I am a servant of God, though I be
alone and a stranger, and small and of no reputation (?) among the Gentiles. But do thou,
O God, look down upon their counsel and suffer me not to be brought to nought by them.

And when Hermippus ran upon Paul with his sword drawn, straightway he ceased to see, so
that he cried out aloud, saying: My dear comrades, forget not your friend Hermippus. For I
have sinned, O Paul, I have pursued after innocent blood. Learn, ye foolish and ye of
understanding, that this world is nought, gold is nought, all money is nought: I that
glutted myself with all manner of goods am now a beggar and entreat of you all: Hearken to
me all ye my companions, and every one that dwelleth in Myra. I have mocked at a man who
hath saved my father: I have mocked at a man who hath raised up my brother Dion.... I have
mocked at a man who.... without doing me any evil. But entreat ye of him: behold, he hath
saved my father and raised up my brother; he is able therefore to save me also. But Paul
stood there weeping alike before God, for that he heard him quickly, and before man, for
that the proud was brought low. And he turned himself and went up.... But the young men
took the feet and bore Hermippus and brought him to the place where Paul was teaching and
laid him down before the door and went unto their house. And when they were gone a great
multitude came to the house of Hermocrates, and another great multitude entered in, to see
whether Hermippus were shut up there.

And Hermippus besought every one that went in, that they would entreat Paul, with him. But
they that went in saw Hermocrates and Nympha, how they rejoiced greatly at the raising up
of Dion, and distributed victuals and money unto the widows for his recovery. And they
beheld Hermippus their son in the state of this second affliction, and how he took hold on
the feet of every one, and on the feet of his parents also, and prayed them, as one of the
strangers, that he might be healed. And his parents were troubled, and lamented to every
one that came in, so that some said: Wherefore do these weep? for Dion is arisen. But
Hermocrates possessed goods.... and brought the value of the goods and took it and
distributed it. And Hermocrates, troubled in mind and desiring that they might be
satisfied, said: Brethren, let us leave the food.... and occupy ourselves.... Hermocrates.
And immediately Nympha cried out in great affliction unto Paul....

.... they said: Nympha, Hermocrates calleth upon God.... that your son Hermippus may see
and cease to grieve, for he hath resisted Christ and his minister. But they and Paul
prayed to God. And when Hermippus recovered his sight, he turned himself to his mother
Nympha, and said to her: Paul came unto me and laid his hand upon me while I wept, and in
that hour I saw all things clearly. And she took his hand and led him unto the widows and
Paul. But while Paul wept bitterly, Hermippus gave thanks, saying unto them: Every one
that believeth, shall.... A leaf gone…concord and peace…Amen. And when Paul had confirmed
the brethren that were in Myra, he departed unto Sidon. When he was departed from Myra
(and would go unto Sidon). Now when Paul was departed from Myra and would go unto Sidon
there was great sadness of the brethren that were in Pisidia and Pamphylia, because they
yearned after his word and his holy appearance in Christ; so that some from Perga followed
Paul, namely Thrasymachus and Cleon with their wives Aline (?) and Chrysa, Cleon's wife.
And on the way they nourished Paul: and they were eating their bread under a tree (?). And
as he was about to say Amen, there came (five lines broken: the words 'the brethren' and
'idol' occur).... table of devils.... he dieth therefor, but every one that believeth on
Jesus Christ who hath saved us from all defilement and all uncleanness and all evil
thoughts, he shall be manifest. And they drew near unto the table (three lines broken.
'Idol' occurs).... stood.... a mighty idol. And an old man.... stood up among them, saying
unto them: Ye men, (wait a little and see) what befalleth the priests which would draw
near unto our gods: for verily when our fellow-citizen Charinus hearkened and would....
against the gods, there died he and his (father). And thereupon died Xanthus also, Chrysa
(?), and (Hermocrates?) died, sick of the dropsy, and his wife Nympha.

Two leaves at least gone. (Paul is speaking) after the manner of strange men. Wherefore
presume ye to do that which is not seemly (?)? Or have ye not heard of that which came to
pass, which God brought upon Sodom and Gomorrha, because they robbed.... after the manner
of strangers and of women? God did not.... them but cast them down into hell. Now
therefore we are not men of this fashion that ye say, nor such as ye think, but we are
preachers of the living God and his Beloved. But that ye may not marvel, understand....
the miracles (?) which bear witness for us. But they hearkened not unto him, but took the
men and put them into the temple of Apollo, to keep them until the morrow, whereon they
assembled the whole city. And many and costly were the victuals which they gave them. But
Paul, who was fasting now the third day, testified all the night long, being troubled, and
smote his face and said: O God, look down upon their threatenings and suffer us not to
slide, and let not our adversaries cast us down, but save us and bring down quickly thy
righteousness upon us. And as Paul cast himself down, with the brethren, Thrasymachus and
Cleon, then the temple fell.... so that they that belonged to the temple and the
magistrates that were set over it.... others of them in the.... for (the one part) fell
down.... fell down.... round about, in the midst of the two parts. And they went in and
beheld what had happened, and marvelled that.... in their.... and that the.... rejoiced
over the falling of the temple (?). And they cried out, saying: Verily these are the works
of the men of a mighty God! And they departed and proclaimed in the city: Apollo the god
of the Sidonians is fallen, and the half of his temple. And all the dwellers in the city
ran to the temple and saw Paul and them that were with him, how they wept at this
temptation, that they were made a spectacle for all men. But the multitude cried out:
Bring them into the theatre. And the magistrates came to fetch them; and they groaned
bitterly with one soul.

About two leaves gone. (Paul speaking) through me. Consider.... (nine lines much broken,
'the way of life (conversation) of Christ', 'not in the faith', occur).... Egyptians....
and they.... But the multitude.... and followed after Paul, crying: Praised be the God....
who hath sent Paul.... that we should not.... of death. But Theudes.... and prayed at
Paul's feet and embraced his feet, that he should give him the seal in the Lord. But he
commanded them to go to Tyre.... in health (or farewell), and they put Paul (in a ship?)
and went with him. The purpose of confining Paul and his companions in the temple appears
to have been connected with the sins of the cities of the plain of which Paul speaks. The
Acts of Titus, quoted before, have a sentence referring to this and the next episode: 'And
Paul healed Aphphia the wife of Chrysippus who was possessed with a devil: and fasting for
seven days he overthrew the idol of Apollo.' The Acts place this immediately after the
conversion and preaching at Damascus, and put the Panchares episode later. They are not to
be trusted, therefore, as a guide to the order of our book.

V

When he was departed out of Sidon and would go unto Tyre. Now when Paul was entered unto
Tyre there came a multitude of Jews.... in to him. These.... and they heard the mighty
works…They marvelled.... Amphion (= Aphphia of the Acts of Titus).... saying.... in....
Chrysippus.... devil with him.... many.... When Paul came.... he said: He.... God and will
not be an evil spirit (?).... in (?) Amphion.... through the evil spirit.... without any
one's having.... she said to him: Save me that I die not. And while the multitude.... then
arose the other (?) evil spirit.... And forthwith the devils fled away. And when the
multitude saw this, by the power of God, they praised him who had (given such power) unto
Paul. And there was there one by name... rimus, who had a son born to him which was dumb.
On the next page is a proper name, Lix (or perhaps Kilix, a Cilician), and later the
words, 'I preach the good tidings of the Saviour.... Son of God'. On the next page. Lix
perhaps occurs again, and 'Moses'. The next begins: for that which we say cometh to pass
forthwith. Behold we will bring him hither unto thee that he may.... thee, to hear the
truth of thy.... Next page. On God whose desire is come to pass in him, this is the wise
man …the Father and he hath sent Jesus Christ. Next page, turned toward the East.
Moses.... in Syria.... in Cyrene

.... Again I say unto you.... I, that do the works …that a man is not justified by the
Law, but that he is justified by the works of righteousness, and he.... Next page has the
words 'liberty', 'and the yoke', 'all flesh'; and, 'and every one confess that Jesus
Christ is the glory of the Father'. Next page, lower part: is not water in him, but....
being water, I am not hungry but I am thirsty; I am not.... but not to.... to suffer them,
to be (devoured) by wild beasts, not to be able.... from the earth, but not to suffer them
to be burnt by the fire, are these things of the present age testified, he which was a
persecutor.... Next page, lower part, (Cle)anthes…the law of God which is called.... who
walketh here before them, hath he not followed us throughout all the cities.... And
when.... he turned himself toward the East after this (after two lines) such words,
neither preacheth he as thou preachest them, O Paul, that thou mayest not.... Next page
begins: Thou art in the presence (sight, face) of Jerusalem, but I trust in the Lord that
thou wilt.... The name 'Saul' is almost certain some lines later. Next page begins: whom
they crucified. And at the end: raised up our flesh. Next page, 7th line, For since the
day when.... persecuted the apostles which were (with me? sc. Peter) out of Jerusalem, I
hid myself that I might have comfort, and we nourish them which stand, through the word
according to the promise (?) of his grace. I have fallen into many troubles and have
subjected myself to the law, as for your sakes. But I thought by night and by day in my
trouble on Jesus Christ, waiting for him as a lamb.... when they crucified him he did
not.... did not resist.... was not troubled.

The above may be a speech of Peter. We have seen some indication that Paul is now at
Jerusalem, and the conjecture is that a dialogue between him and Peter occurred in this
place. The next page undoubtedly mentions Peter. Line 1 has 'Paul', line 3, 'twelve (?)
shepherds'. Line 5, through Paul. But.... was troubled because of the questioning
(examination) that (was come) upon Peter.... and he cried out, saying: Verily, God is one,
and there is no God beside him: one also is Jesus Christ his Son, whom we.... this, whom
thou preachest, did we crucify, whom.... expect in great glory, but ye say that he is God
and Judge of the living and the dead, the King of the ages, for the.... in the form of
man.

VI

Paul is condemned to the mines in an unknown place. Longinus and Firmilla have a daughter,
Frontina, who is to be thrown down from a rock, and Paul with her. It is my distinct
opinion that Frontina is already dead: her body is to be thus contumeliously treated
because she has become a Christian. The upper part of the page has Longinus twice in lines
1, 2; 'Paul' in l. 7. Then: For since.... the mine, there hath not.... nothing good hath
befallen mine house. And he advised that the men which were to throw Frontina down, should
throw down Paul also with her, alive. Now Paul knew these things, but he worked fasting,
in great cheerfulness, for two days with the prisoners. They commanded that on the third
day the men.... should bring forth Frontina: and the whole city followed after her. And
Firmilla and Longinus lamented and the soldiers.... But the prisoners carried the bed
(bier). And when Paul saw the great mourning with the daughter and eight....

Next page, line 8. Paul alive with the daughter. But when Paul had taken the daughter in
his arms, he groaned unto the Lord Jesus Christ because of the sorrow of Firmilla, and
cast himself on his knees in the mire.... praying for Frontina with her in one (a) prayer.
In that hour Frontina rose up. And the whole multitude was afraid, and fled. Paul took the
hand of the daughter and led her through the city unto the house of Longinus, and the
whole multitude said with one voice: God is one, who hath made heaven and earth, who hath
granted the life of the daughter in the presence of Paul…a loaf, and he gave thanks to
him. Some lines later. to Philippi (?).

VII

When he was departed from.... and would go (to Philippi). Now when Paul was come to
Philippi.... he entered into the house of.... and there was great joy (among the brethren)
and to every one. On the following page begins the episode of the correspondence with the
Corinthians, which was circulated separately in Syriac, Latin, and Armenian, and found a
place in the Syriac collection of Pauline epistles (and is commented on with the rest by
Ephraem the Syrian), and in the Armenian Bible. We have it in (a) many Armenian MSS., (b)
in Ephraem's commentary—only extant in Armenian, (c) in three Latin MSS., at Milan, Laon,
and Paris: as well as in the Coptic MS., which is here less fragmentary than in the
preceding pages. We begin with a short narrative, introducing the letter of the
Corinthians to Paul; then follows another short piece of narrative, extant in Armenian
only; then Paul's reply, commonly called the 'Third Epistle to the Corinthians'.

There are various phrases and whole sentences, especially in the Armenian and the Milan
MS. of the Latin, which are absent from the Coptic and the Laon MS. and are regarded,
rightly, as interpolations. These will be distinguished by small capitals. The page of the
Coptic MS. on which the correspondence begins is fragmentary at the beginning. 1. 1. the
lawless one 1. 2. the reward. They.... in 1. 3. a prayer…every 1. 4. one, and every one
(?) 1. 6. Paul …again (or together). 1. 7. prayed that a messenger be sent to Philippi.
For the Corinthians were in great trouble concerning Paul, that he would depart out of the
world, before it was time. For there were certain men come to Corinth, Simon and Cleobius,
saying: There is no resurrection of the flesh, but that of the spirit only: and that the
body of man is not the creation of God; and also concerning the world, that God did not
create it, and that God knoweth not the world, and that Jesus Christ was not crucified,
but it was an appearance (i. e. but only in appearance), and that he was not born of Mary,
nor of the seed of David. And in a word, there were many things which they had taught in
Corinth, deceiving many other men, (and deceiving also) themselves. When therefore the
Corinthians heard that Paul was at Philippi, they sent a letter unto Paul to Macedonia by
Threptus and Eutychus the deacons. And the letter was after this manner.

I. 1 Stephanus and the elders (presbyters) that are with him, even Daphnus and Eubulus and
Theophilus and Zenon, unto Paul THEIR BROTHER ETERNAL greeting in the Lord. 2 There have
come unto Corinth two men, Simon and Cleobius, which are overthrowing the faith of many
with evil (CORRUPT) words, 3 which do thou prove AND EXAMINE: 4 for we have never heard
such words from thee nor from the other apostles: 5 but all that we have received from
thee or from them, that do we hold fast. 6 Since therefore the Lord hath had mercy on us,
that while thou art still in the flesh we may hear these things again from thee, 7 if it
be possible, either come unto us or write unto us. 8 For we believe, according as it hath
been revealed unto Theonoë, that the Lord hath delivered thee out of the hand of the
lawless one (enemy, Laon).

9 Now the things which these men say and teach are these: 10 They say that we must not use
the prophets, 11 and that God is not Almighty, 12 and that there shall be no resurrection
of the flesh, 13 and that man was not made by God, 14 and that Christ came not down (is
not come, Copt.) in the flesh, neither was born of Mary, 15 and that the world is not of
God, but of the angels. 16 Wherefore, brother, WE PRAY THEE use all diligence to come unto
us, that the church of the Corinthians may remain without offence, and the madness of
these men may be made plain. Farewell ALWAYS in the Lord. 11. 1 The deacons Threptus and
Eutyches brought the letter unto Philippi, 2 so that Paul received it, being in bonds
because of Stratonice the wife of Apollophanes, AND HE FORGAT HIS BONDS, and was sore
afflicted, 3 and cried out, saying: It were better for me to die and to be with the Lord,
than to continue in the flesh and to hear such things AND THE CALAMITIES OF FALSE
DOCTRINE, so that trouble cometh upon trouble. 4 And over and above this so great
affliction I am in bonds and behold these evils whereby the devices of Satan are
accomplished. (4 Harnack: may not the priests (intrigues) of Satan anticipate me while (or
after) I suffer (have suffered) fetters for the sake (?) of men.) 5 Paul therefore, in
great affliction, wrote a letter, answering thus:

111. 1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, unto the brethren which are in Corinth, greeting.
2 Being in the midst of many tribulations, I marvel not if the teachings of the evil one
run abroad apace. 3 For my Lord Jesus Christ will hasten his coming, and will set at
nought (no longer endure the insolence of) them that falsify his words. 4 For I delivered
unto you in the beginning the things which I received of the HOLY apostles which were
before me, who were at all times with Jesus Christ: 5 namely, that our Lord Jesus Christ
was born of Mary WHICH IS of the seed of David ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, the Holy Ghost
being sent forth from heaven from the Father unto her BY THE ANGEL GABRIEL, 6 that he
(JESUS) might come down into this world and redeem all flesh by his flesh, and raise us up
from the dead in the flesh, like as he hath shown to us in himself for an ensample. 7 And
because man was formed by his Father, 8 therefore was he sought when he was lost, that he
might be quickened by adoption. 9 For to this end did God Almighty who made heaven and
earth first send the prophets unto the Jews, that they might be drawn away from their
sins. 10 For he designed to save the house of Israel: therefore he conferred a portion of
the spirit of Christ upon the prophets and sent them unto the Jews first (or unto the
first Jews), and they proclaimed the true worship of God for a long space of time. 11 But
the prince of iniquity, desiring to be God, laid hands on them and slew them (banished
them from God, Laon MS.), and bound all flesh by evil lusts (AND THE END OF THE WORLD BY
JUDGEMENT DREW NEAR).

12 But God Almighty, who is righteous, would not cast away his own creation, BUT HAD
COMPASSION ON THEM FROM HEAVEN, 13 and sent his spirit into Mary in GALILEE, [14 Milan MS.
and Arm.: WHO BELIEVED WITH ALL HER HEART AND RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST IN HER WOMB, THAT
JESUS MIGHT COME INTO THE WORLD.] 15 that by that flesh whereby that wicked one had
brought in death (had triumphed), by the same he should be shown to be overcome. 16 For by
his own body Jesus Christ saved all flesh [AND RESTORED IT UNTO LIFE], 17 that he might
show forth the temple of righteousness in his body. 18 In whom (or whereby) we are saved
(Milan, Paris: in whom if we believe we are set free). 19 They therefore (Paris MS.; Arm.
has: Know therefore that. Laon has: They therefore who agree with them) are not children
of righteousness but children of wrath who reject the wisdom (providence?) of God, saying
that the heaven and the earth and all that are in them are not the work of God. 20 THEY
THEREFORE ARE CHILDREN OF WRATH, for cursed are they, following the teaching of the
serpent, 21 whom do ye drive out from you and flee from their doctrine. [Arm., Milan,
Paris: 22 FOR YE ARE NOT CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE, BUT OF THE WELL-BELOVED CHURCH. 23
THEREFORE IS THE TIME OF THE RESURRECTION PROCLAIMED UNTO ALL.]

24 And as for that which they say, that there is no resurrection of the flesh, they indeed
shall have no resurrection UNTO LIFE, BUT UNTO JUDGEMENT, 25 because they believe not in
him that is risen from the dead, NOT BELIEVING NOR UNDERSTANDING, 26 for they know not, O
Corinthians, the seeds of wheat or of other seeds (grain), how they are cast bare into the
earth and are corrupted and rise again by the will of God with bodies, and clothed. 27 And
not only that [body] which is cast in riseth again, but manifold more blessing itself [i.
e. fertile and prospering]. 28 And if we must not take an example from seeds ONLY, BUT
FROM MORE NOBLE BODIES, 29 ye know how Jonas the son of Amathi, when he would not preach
to them of Nineve, BUT FLED, was swallowed by the sea-monster; 30 and after three days and
three nights God heard the prayer of Jonas out of the lowest hell, and no part of him was
consumed, not even an hair nor an eyelash. 31 How much more, O YE OF LITTLE FAITH, shall
he raise up you that have believed in Christ Jesus, like as he himself arose. 32 Likewise
also a dead man was cast upon the bones of the prophet Helisaeus by the children of
Israel, and he arose, both body and soul and bones and spirit (Laon: arose in his body);

how much more shall ye which have been cast upon the body and bones and spirit of the Lord
[Milan, Paris: how much more, O ye of little faith, shall ye which have been cast on him]
arise again in that day having your flesh whole, EVEN AS HE AROSE? [33 Arm., Milan, Paris:
LIKEWISE ALSO CONCERNING THE PROPHET HELIAS: HE RAISED UP THE WIDOW'S SON FROM DEATH: HOW
MUCH MORE SHALL THE LORD JESUS RAISE YOU UP FROM DEATH AT THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET, IN THE
TWINKLING OF AN EYE? FOR HE HATH SHOWED US AN ENSAMPLE IN HIS OWN BODY.] 34 If, then, ye
receive any other doctrine, GOD SHALL BE WITNESS AGAINST YOU; AND let no man trouble me,
35 for I bear these bonds that I may win Christ, and I therefore bear his marks in my body
that I may attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 36 And whoso receiveth (abideth in)
the rule which he hath received by the blessed prophets and the holy gospel, shall receive
a recompense from the Lord, AND WHEN HE RISETH FROM THE DEAD SHALL OBTAIN ETERNAL LIFE. 37
But whoso transgresseth these things, with him is the fire, and with them that walk in
like manner (Milan, Paris: with them that go before in the same way, WHO ARE MEN WITHOUT
GOD), 38 which are a generation of vipers, 39 whom do ye reject in the power of the Lord,
40 and peace, GRACE, AND LOVE shall be with you.

[Laon adds: This I found in an old book, entitled the third to the Corinthians, though it
is not in the Canon.]

Viii at Ephesus

This episode is not traceable in the Coptic MS. but it undoubtedly formed part of the
Acts, though its place is uncertain. It is preserved in an allusion by Hippolytus (early
third century) and in an abstract by Nicephorus Callisti (fourteenth century) in his
Ecclesiastical History (ii. 25). There is also a sentence in the Acts of Titus: 'They
departed from Crete and came to Asia: and at Ephesus twelve thousand believed at the
teaching of the holy Paul: there also he fought with beasts, being thrown to a lion.'
HIPPOLYTUS in his Commentary on Daniel, iii. 29, says: For if we believe that when Paul
was condemned to the beasts the lion that was set upon him lay down at his feet and licked
him, how shall we not believe that which happened in the case of Daniel?

Nicephorus:

Now they who drew up the travels of Paul have related that he did many other things, and
among them this, which befell when he was at Ephesus. Hieronymus being governor, Paul used
liberty of speech, and he (Hieronymus) said that he (Paul) was able to speak well, but
that this was not the time for such words. But the people of the city, fiercely enraged,
put Paul's feet into irons, and shut him up in the prison, till he should be exposed as a
prey to the lions. But Eubula and Artemilla, wives of eminent men among the Ephesians,
being his attached disciples, and visiting him by night, desired the grace of the divine
washing. And by God's power, with angels to escort them and enlighten the gloom of night
with the excess of the brightness that was in them, Paul, loosed from his iron fetters,
went to the sea-shore and initiated them into holy baptism, and returning to his bonds
without any of those in care of the prison perceiving it, was reserved as a prey for the
lions.

A lion, then, of huge size and unmatched strength was let loose upon him, and it ran to
him in the stadium and lay down at his feet. And when many other savage beasts, too, were
let loose, it was permitted to none of them to touch the holy body, standing like a statue
in prayer. At this juncture a violent and vast hailstorm poured down all at once with a
great rush, and shattered the heads of many men and beasts as well, and shore off the ear
of Hieronymus himself. And thereafter, with his followers, he came to the God of Paul and
received the baptism of salvation. But the lion escaped to the mountains. And thence Paul
sailed to Macedonia and Greece, and thereafter through Macedonia came to Troas and to
Miletus, and from there set out for Jerusalem. Now it is not surprising that Luke has not
narrated this fight with the beasts along with the other Acts: for it is not permitted to
entertain doubt because (or seeing that) John alone of the evangelists has told of the
raising of Lazarus: for we know that not every one writes, believes, or knows everything,
but according as the Lord has imparted to each, as the spirit divides to each, so does he
perceive and believe and write spiritually the things of the spirit.

Hippolytus is a voucher for the early date of the story, and Nicephorus for its source. It
will be recognized, moreover, at once as being quite in the manner of our author. The
anger of the Ephesians, it cannot be doubted, was roused by Paul's preaching of
continence, to which Eubula and Artemilla had become converts. The episode is really
little more than a repetition of Thecla, with Paul for the principal figure.

Fragments: Scenes of Farewell

(Paul speaking).... thanksgiving (?) The grace of the Lord will walk with me until I have
fulfilled all the dispensations which shall come upon me with patience. But they were
sorrowful, and fasted. And Cleobius was in the Spirit and said unto them: Brethren, (the
Lord) will suffer Paul to fulfil every dispensation and thereafter will suffer him to go
up (to Jerusalem). But thereafter shall be.... in much instruction and knowledge and
sowing of the word, so that men shall envy him, and so he shall depart out of this world.
But when Paul and the brethren heard this, they lifted up their voices, saying: Next page,
first extant line, 'beheld'. Second, 'shall say'. Third, But the Spirit came upon Myrte so
that she said unto them: Brethren.... and look upon this sign, that ye.... For Paul the
servant of the Lord shall save many in Rome, so that of them shall be no number, and he
will manifest himself more than all the faithful. Thereafter shall.... of the Lord Jesus
Christ come.... a great grace is.... at Rome. And this is the manner wherein the Spirit
spake unto Myrte. And every one took the bread, and they were in joy, according to the
custom of the fast, through.... and the psalms of David and.... he rejoiced.

On the next page the only significant words are 'to Rome'; 'the brethren'; 'grieved';
'took the bread'; 'praised the Lord'; 'were very sorrowful'. The next has ends of lines:
'the Lord'; 'risen'; 'Jesus'; 'Paul said to him'. The last is 'he (or they) greeted'. Two
more pages have nothing of moment. The next is concerned with the Martyrdom.

X — The Martyrdom

This, preserved separately to be read on the day of Commemoration, exists in two Greek
copies, an incomplete Latin version, and versions in Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopic, Slavonic,
besides fragments in our Coptic MS. I. Now there were awaiting Paul at Rome Luke from
Galatia (Gaul, Gk.) and Titus from Dalmatia: whom when Paul saw he was glad: and hired a
grange outside Rome, wherein with the brethren he taught the word of truth, and he became
noised abroad and many souls were added unto the Lord, so that there was a rumour
throughout all Rome, and much people came unto him from the household of Caesar,
believing, and there was great joy. And a certain Patroclus, a cup-bearer of Caesar, came
at even unto the grange, and not being able because of the press to enter in to Paul, he
sat in a high window and listened to him teaching the word of God. But whereas the evil
devil envied the love of the brethren, Patroclus fell down from the window and died, and
forthwith it was told unto Nero.

But Paul perceiving it by the spirit said: Men and brethren, the evil one hath gained
occasion to tempt you: go out of the house and ye shall find a lad fallen from the height
and now ready to give up the ghost; take him up and bring him hither to me. And they went
and brought him; and when the people saw it they were troubled. But Paul said: Now,
brethren, let your faith appear; come all of you and let us weep unto our Lord Jesus
Christ, that this lad may live and we continue in quietness. And when all had lamented,
the lad received his spirit again, and they set him on a beast and sent him back alive,
together with the rest that were of Caesar's household. 11. But Nero, when he heard of the
death of Patroclus, was sore grieved, and when he came in from the bath he commanded
another to be set over the wine. But his servants told him, saying: Caesar, Patroclus
liveth and standeth at the table. And Caesar, hearing that Patroclus lived, was affrighted
and would not go in. But when he went in, he saw Patroclus, and was beside himself, and
said: Patroclus, livest thou? And he said: I live, Caesar. And he said: Who is he that
made thee to live? And the lad, full of the mind of faith, said: Christ Jesus, the king of
the ages. And Caesar was troubled and said: Shall he, then, be king of the ages and
overthrow all kingdoms? Patroclus saith unto him: Yea, he overthroweth all kingdoms and he
alone shall be for ever, and there shall be no kingdom that shall escape him. And he smote
him on the face and said: Patroclus, art thou also a soldier of that king? And he said:
Yea, Lord Caesar, for he raised me when I was dead. And Barsabas Justus of the broad feet,
and Urion the Cappadocian, and Festus the Galatian, Caesar's chief men, said: We also are
soldiers of the king of the ages. And he shut them up in prison, having grievously
tormented them, whom he loved much, and commanded the soldiers of the great king to be
sought out, and set forth a decree to this effect, that all that were found to be
Christians and soldiers of Christ should be slain.

111. And among many others Paul also was brought, bound: unto whom all his fellow-
prisoners gave heed; so that Caesar perceived that he was over the camp. And he said to
him: Thou that art the great king's man, but my prisoner, how thoughtest thou well to come
by stealth into the government of the Romans and levy soldiers out of my province? But
Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, said before them all: O Caesar, not only out of thy
province do we levy soldiers, but out of the whole world. For so hath it been ordained
unto us, that no man should be refused who wisheth to serve my king. And if it like thee
also to serve him (Lat. thou wilt not repent thereof: but think not that the wealth, &c.,
which seems better), it is not wealth nor the splendour that is now in this life that
shall save thee; but if thou submit and entreat him, thou shalt be saved; for in one day
(or one day) he shall fight against the world with fire. And when Caesar heard that, he
commanded all the prisoners to be burned with fire, but Paul to be beheaded after the law
of the Romans.

But Paul kept not silence concerning the word, but communicated with Longus the prefect
and Cestus the centurion. Nero therefore went on (was) (perhaps add 'raging') in Rome,
slaying many Christians without a hearing, by the working of the evil one; so that the
Romans stood before the palace and cried: It sufficeth, Caesar! for the men are our own!
thou destroyest the strength of the Romans! Then at that he was persuaded and ceased, and
commanded that no man should touch any Christian, until he should learn thoroughly
concerning them. IV. Then was Paul brought unto him after the decree; and he abode by his
word that he should be beheaded. And Paul said: Caesar, it is not for a little space that
I live unto my king; and if thou behead me, this will I do: I will arise and show myself
unto thee that I am not dead but live unto my Lord Jesus Christ, who cometh to judge the
world.

But Longus and Cestus said unto Paul: Whence have ye this king, that ye believe in him and
will not change your mind, even unto death? And Paul communicated unto them the word and
said: Ye men that are in this ignorance and error, change your mind and be saved from the
fire that cometh upon all the world: for we serve not, as ye suppose, a king that cometh
from the earth, but from heaven, even the living God, who because of the iniquities that
are done in this world, cometh as a judge; and blessed is that man who shall believe in
him and shall live for ever when he cometh to burn the world and purge it thoroughly. Then
they beseeching him said: We entreat thee, help us, and we will let thee go. But he
answered and said: I am not a deserter of Christ, but a lawful soldier of the living God:
if I had known that I should die, O Longus and Cestus, I would have done it, but seeing
that I live unto God and love myself, I go unto the Lord, to come with him in the glory of
his Father. They say unto him: How then shall we live when thou art beheaded?

V. And while they yet spake thus, Nero sent one Parthenius and Pheres to see if Paul were
already beheaded; and they found him yet alive. And he called them to him and said:
Believe on the living God, which raiseth me and all them that • believe on him from the
dead. And they said: We go now unto Nero; but when thou diest and risest again, then will
we believe on thy God. And as Longus and Cestus entreated him yet more concerning
salvation, he saith to them: Come quickly unto my grave in the morning and ye shall find
two men praying, Titus and Luke. They shall give you the seal in the Lord. Then Paul stood
with his face to the east and lifted up his hands unto heaven and prayed a long time, and
in his prayer he conversed in the Hebrew tongue with the fathers, and then stretched forth
his neck without speaking. And when the executioner (speculator) struck off his head, milk
spurted upon the cloak of the soldier. And the soldier and all that were there present
when they saw it marvelled and glorified God which had given such glory unto Paul: and
they went and told Caesar what was done.

VI. And when he heard it, while he marvelled long and was in perplexity, Paul came about
the ninth hour, when many philosophers and the centurion were standing with Caesar, and
stood before them all and said: Caesar, behold, I, Paul, the soldier of God, am not dead,
but live in my God. But unto thee shall many evils befall and great punishment, thou
wretched man, because thou hast shed unjustly the blood of the righteous, not many days
hence. And having so said Paul departed from him. But Nero hearing it and being greatly
troubled commanded the prisoners to be loosed, and Patroclus also and Barsabas and them
that were with him. VII. And as Paul charged them, Longus and Cestus the centurion went
early in the morning and approached with fear unto the grave of Paul. And when they were
come thither they saw two men praying, and Paul betwixt them, so that they beholding the
wondrous marvel were amazed, but Titus and Luke being stricken with the fear of man when
they saw Longus and Cestus coming toward them, turned to flight. But they pursued after
them, saying: We pursue you not for death but for life, that ye may give it unto us, as
Paul promised us, whom we saw just now standing betwixt you and praying. And when they
heard that, Titus and Luke rejoiced and gave them the seal in the Lord, glorifying the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Copt. and glorified the Lord Jesus Christ and all the
saints).

Unto whom be glory world without end. Amen. The Coptic MS. has a colophon: The Acts of
Paul according to the Apostle.

Unplaced and Uncertain Fragments

Among the very few ancient quotations of the Acts of Paul are two short phrases cited by
Origen. (a) On First Principles, i. 2, 3: wherefore also that word seems to me to be truly
said, which is written in the Acts of Paul: 'He is the word, a living creature.' But John
in the beginning of his Gospel says more exaltedly and more excellently, &c. (b) On John,
xx. 12. But if any one likes to accept that which is recorded in the Acts of Paul as
spoken by the Saviour: 'Again am I about to be crucified.' Both phrases, but the second
especially, have been thought by some to come from a context relating to the death of
Peter. (a) is compared with Peter's speech at the cross; (b) appears in slightly different
forms in all the Passions of Peter as Christ's answer to Peter when he is escaping from
Rome. Whither goest thou Lord? (or, What doest thou here?) 'I come to be crucified again.'
The inference is that an account of the martyrdom of Peter formed part of the Acts of
Paul. But this I find very difficult to accept, though I acknowledge it to be possible,
seeing that the author of these Acts evidently placed the martyrdom of Paul after that of
Peter, and, to judge from the Acts of Peter, some little time (perhaps a whole year)
after.

A probable fragment is a quotation made by Clement of Alexandria (Strom. vi. 5: ed.
Stähelin, ii. 452). He has been quoting the Preaching of Peter, and continues: But the
proposition that, just as God willed the Jews to be saved by giving them the prophets, so
he raised up the most approved of the Greeks to be prophets suited to their language,
according as they were capable of receiving the benefit from God, and distinguished them
from the ruck of men—this, in addition to the Preaching of Peter, the apostle Paul will
show when he says: 'Take also the Greek books, take knowledge of the Sibyl, how she
declares one God, and things to come, take and read Hystaspes, and ye will find the Son of
God described far more openly and plainly, and how many kings will make war against the
Christ, hating him and those that bear his name, and his faithful ones: and his patience
and his coming again.' And then in one word he asks of us: 'And the whole world and all
that is in it, whose are they? are they not God's?' Therefore is it that Peter says
(another quotation from the Preaching follows).

It has been usual to assume that these sentences are from a Preaching of Paul: but of such
a book the very existence is doubtful. The passages supposed to establish it shall be
given. One is in Pseudo-Cyprian de rebaptismate (third century): Now of this spurious, nay
fatal, baptism an especial supporter is a book forged by these same heretics to favour
this error, which is entitled 'the Preaching of Paul'. In which book, contrary to every
scripture, you will find Christ, who alone never sinned at all, both confessing his own
sin and being compelled almost against his will by his mother Mary to receive the baptism
of John; and further, that when he was baptized, fire appeared upon the water, which is
recorded in no gospel. And that after so long a time Peter and Paul (after their
conference (comparison) on the gospel at Jerusalem, after their common counsels, their
dispute, their settling of a course of action (?)) at last met in Rome as if then first
known to each other: and some other things of the kind absurdly and disgracefully
concocted, all of which you will find heaped together in that book.

The author, it may be noted, is wrong in his statement that the baptism story was not
recorded in any Gospel: it was found, wholly or partly, in the Gospel according to the
Hebrews and the Ebionite Gospel. The other is in Lactantius' Institutes, iv. 21. 2:
(Jesus) also revealed all things to come (to his disciples) which Peter and Paul preached
at Rome, and that preaching continues in writing, for a memorial. Wherein, with many other
wondrous things, they said that this too would come to pass, that after a little time God
would send a king who would attack the Jews and lay their cities even with the ground and
besiege them till they were exhausted with hunger and thirst: then would they feed on the
bodies of their own kin, and devour one another: finally, that they would be taken and
fall into the enemies' hands and see their wives maltreated before their faces, their
maidens outraged and prostituted, their boys carried off, their infants dashed to the
earth, all, in a word, wasted by fire and sword, and themselves captive and banished for
ever from their land, because they rejoiced against the beloved and approved Son of God.

No other trace of a book called a Preaching of Paul remains, and, as I say, its existence
is doubtful. Commodian, the strange Christian poet, who according to some critics, was an
African of the third century, and according to others lived in Gaul in the fifth, has in
his Carmen Apologeticum (624 sqq.) allusions to the Acts of Peter and of Paul. Speaking of
God's power, he says: And whatever he willeth he can do: making dumb things to speak; he
made Balaam's ass speak to him when he beat it; and a dog to say to Simon: 'Thou art
called for by Peter!' For Paul when he preached, he caused dumb persons (or perhaps mules)
to speak of him: he made a lion speak to the people with God-given voice. Lastly, a thing
which our nature does not permit—he made an infant five months old speak in public.

The incidents of the dog and of the child are from the Acts of Peter (only there the child
is seven months old): but the lion and the dumb people (or mules) are not; and it seems
that the lion is certainly from the Acts of Paul. Perhaps it was the Ephesian lion. In the
Ethiopic life of Paul we do find a talking lion. Lastly, in John of Salisbury's
Policraticus (finished in 1156) is this passage which, whatever its source, preserves a
record of an apocryphal speech of Paul. iv. 9. He has told the stories of the self-
sacrifice of Codrus and Lycurgus, which he gets from the historian Justin. Then he
continues: I make use of these examples the more readily because I find that the apostle
Paul when preaching to the Athenians made use of them also. That excellent preacher strove
so to impress on their minds Jesus Christ and him crucified, that he might show by the
example of heathens how the release of many came about through the shame of the cross. And
this, he argued, could not happen save by the blood of the just, and of those who bore
rule over the people. Further, no one could be found capable of freeing all, both Jews and
Gentiles, save he unto whom the heathen are given for an inheritance, and the utmost parts
of the earth assigned for his possession. And such a one he said could be no other than
the Son of God Almighty, since no one but God has subjected to himself all nations and
lands. As, then, he proclaimed the shame of the cross in such a way as gradually to purge
away the foolishness of the heathen, little by little he raised the word of faith and the
language of his preaching, up to the Word of God, the wisdom of God, and the very throne
of the divine majesty: and, lest the power of the gospel should seem mean in the weakness
of the flesh by dint of the slanders of Jews and the folly of heathens, he set forth the
works of the crucified, which were confirmed by the witness of common report;

since it was plain to all that none but God could do such things. But as report often
falsifies, in both directions, report was assisted by the fact that Christ's disciples did
even greater works, seeing that by the shadow of a disciple (Peter) the sick were healed
of every kind of disease. What more? The ingenuities of an Aristotle, the subtleties of a
Chrysippus, the gins of all the philosophers were defeated by the rising of one who had
been dead. (This last sentence is borrowed from Jerome (Ep. (to Pammachius) 57 or 34.
preached, in order that many might speak (or learn) of him, God made a lion', &c. The
miracle was done in order to attract the attention of 'many' hearers.


THE ACTS OF PETER
=================

THE ACTS OF PETER Translated by M. R. James

c. AD 180–200

Peter’s contest with Simon Magus at Rome and his crucifixion head downward, in James’s
English from the Latin Vercelli Acts, the Greek martyrdom and the Coptic fragment about
Peter’s daughter. The Acts of Peter is the source of the Quo vadis? story and of much
later legend about Peter at Rome.

1 Written, probably by a resident in Asia Minor (he does not know much about Rome), not
later than A. D. 200, in Greek. The author has read the Acts of John very carefully, and
modelled his language upon them. However, he was not so unorthodox as Leucius, though his
language about the Person of our Lord (ch. xx) has rather suspicious resemblances to that
of the Acts of John. The length of the book as given by the Stichometry of Nicephorus was
2,750 lines—fifty lines less than the canonical Acts. The portions we have may be about
the length of St. Mark's Gospel; and about 1,000 lines may be wanting. Such is Zahn's
estimate. We have: 1. A short episode in Coptic. 2. A large portion in Latin preserved in
a single manuscript of the seventh century at Vercelli: often called the Vercelli Acts. It
includes the martyrdom. 3. The martyrdom, preserved separately, in two good Greek copies,
in Latin, and in many versions—Coptic, Slavonic, Syriac, Armenian, Arabic, Ethiopic.

2 Also: One or two important quotations from lost portions; a small fragment of the
original in a papyrus; certain passages—speeches of Peter—transferred by an unscrupulous
writer to the Life of St. Abercius of Hierapolis. A Latin paraphrase of the martyrdom,
attributed to Linus, Peter's successor in the bishopric of Rome, was made from the Greek,
and is occasionally useful.

I — The Coptic Fragment

3 This is preserved separately, in an early papyrus manuscript (fourth-fifth century) now
at Berlin; the other contents of it are Gnostic writings which have not yet been
published. I follow C. Schmidt's rendering of it. It has a title at the end:

The Act of Peter

4 On the first day of the week, that is, on the Lord's day, a multitude gathered together,
and they brought unto Peter many sick that he might heal them. And one of the multitude
adventured to say unto Peter: Lo, Peter, in our presence thou hast made many blind to see
and the deaf to hear and the lame to walk, and hast succoured the weak and given them
strength: but wherefore hast thou not succoured thy daughter, the virgin, which grew up
beautiful and hath believed in the name of God? For behold, her one side is wholly
palsied, and she lieth there stretched out in the corner helpless. We see them that have
been healed by thee: thine own daughter thou hast neglected. But Peter smiled and said
unto him: My son, it is manifest unto God alone wherefore her body is not whole. Know then
that God is not weak nor powerless to grant his gift unto my daughter: but that thy soul
may be convinced, and they that are here present may the more believe—then he looked unto
his daughter and said to her: Raise thyself up from thy place, without any helping thee
save Jesus only, and walk whole before all these, and come unto me. And she arose and came
to him; and the multitude rejoiced at that which was come to pass. Then said Peter unto
them: Behold, your heart is convinced that God is not without strength concerning all
things that we ask of him. Then they rejoiced yet more and praised God. And Peter said to
his daughter: Go unto thy place, and lay thee down and be again in thine infirmity, for
this is expedient for me and for thee. And the maiden went back and lay down in her place
and was as beforetime: and the whole multitude wept, and entreated Peter to make her
whole.

5 But Peter said unto them: As the Lord liveth, this is expedient for her and for me. For
on the day when she was born unto me I saw a vision, and the Lord said unto me: Peter,
this day is a great temptation born unto thee, for this daughter will bring hurt unto many
souls if her body continue whole. But I thought that the vision did mock me. Now when the
maiden was ten years old, a stumbling-block was prepared for many by reason of her. And an
exceeding rich man, by name Ptolemaeus, when he had seen the maiden with her mother
bathing, sent unto her to take her to wife; but her mother consented not. And he sent oft-
times to her, and could not wait. [Here a leaf is lost: the sense, however, is not hard to
supply. Augustine speaks (quoting Apocryphal Acts) of a daughter of Peter struck with
palsy at the prayer of her father.

6 Ptolemaeus, unable to win the maiden by fair means, comes and carries her off. Peter
hears of it and prays God to protect her. His prayer is heard. She is struck with palsy on
one side of her body. Then the text resumes.] The servants of Ptolemaeus brought the
maiden and laid her down before the door of the house and departed. But when I perceived
it, I and her mother, we went down and found the maiden, that one whole side of her body
from her toes even to her head was palsied and withered: and we bore her away, praising
the Lord which had preserved his handmaid from defilement and shame and (corruption?).
This is the cause of the matter, why the maiden continueth so unto this day. Now, then, it
is fitting for you to know the end of Ptolemaeus. He went home and sorrowed night and day
over that which had befallen him, and by reason of the many tears which he shed, he became
blind. And when he had resolved to rise up and hang himself, lo, about the ninth hour of
the day, he saw a great light which enlightened the whole house, and heard a voice saying
unto him: Ptolemaeus, God hath not given thee the vessels for corruption and shame, and
yet more doth it not become thee which hast believed in me to defile my virgin, whom thou
shalt know as thy sister, even as if I were unto you both one spirit (sic). But rise up
and go quickly unto the house of the apostle Peter, and thou shalt see my glory; he shall
make known unto thee what thou must do.

7 But Ptolemaeus was not negligent, and bade his servants show him the way and bring him
unto me. And when they were come to me, he told me all that had befallen him by the power
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then did he see with the eyes of his flesh, and with the eyes of
his soul, and much people believed (hoped) in Christ: and he did them good and gave them
the gift of God. Thereafter Ptolemaeus died, departing out of this life, and went unto his
Lord: and when he made his will he bequeathed a piece of land in the name of my daughter,
because through her he had believed in God and was made whole. But I unto whom the
disposition thereof fell, exercised it with great carefulness: I sold the land, and God
alone knoweth neither I nor my daughter (received the price). I sold the land and kept
nought back of the price, but gave all the money unto the poor.

8 Know therefore, thou servant of Jesus Christ, that God directeth (?) them that are his,
and prepareth good for every one of them, although we think that God hath forgotten us.
Therefore now, brethren, let us be sorrowful and watch and pray, and so shall the goodness
of God look upon us, whereon we wait. And yet further discourse did Peter hold before them
all, and glorified the name of Christ the Lord and gave them all of the bread: and when he
had distributed it, he rose up and went unto his house. The scene of this episode is
probably Jerusalem. The subject of it was often used by later writers, most notably,
perhaps, by the author of the late Acts of SS. Nereus and Achilleus (fifth or sixth
century), who gives the daughter a name, Petronilla, which has passed into Kalendars, and
as Perronelle, Pernel, or Parnell has become familiar.

9 A few critics have questioned whether this piece really belongs to the Acts of Peter:
but the weight of probability and of opinion is against them. Nothing can be plainer than
that it is an extract from a larger book, and that it is ancient (the manuscript may be of
the fourth century). Moreover, Augustine, in dealing with apocryphal Acts, alludes to the
story contained in it. What other large book of ancient date dealing with Peter's doings
can we imagine save the Acts?

The Gardener's Daughter

10 Augustine (Against Adimantus, xvii. 5), says to his Manichaean opponent: the story of
Peter killing Ananias and Sapphira by a word is very stupidly blamed by those who in the
apocryphal Acts read and admire both the incident I mentioned about the apostle Thomas
(the death of the cup-bearer at the feast in his Acts) 'and that the daughter of Peter
himself was stricken with palsy at the prayer of her father, and that the daughter of a
gardener died at the prayer of Peter. Their answer is that it was expedient for them, that
the one should be disabled by palsy and the other should die: but they do not deny that it
happened at the prayer of the apostle'. This allusion to the gardener's daughter remained
a puzzle until lately. But a passage in the Epistle of Titus (already quoted) tells us the
substance of the story. A certain gardener had a daughter, a virgin, her father's only
child: he begged Peter to pray for her. Upon his request, the apostle answered him that
the Lord would give her that which was useful for her soul. Immediately the girl fell
dead.

11 O worthy gain and suitable to God, to escape the insolence of the flesh and mortify the
boastfulness of the blood! But that old man, faithless, and not knowing the greatness of
the heavenly favour, ignorant of the divine benefit, entreated Peter that his only
daughter might be raised again. And when she was raised, not many days after, as it might
be to-day, the slave of a believer who lodged in the house ran upon her and ruined the
girl, and both of them disappeared. This was evidently a contrast to the story of Peter's
daughter, and probably followed immediately upon it in the Acts. There is another sentence
appropriate to the situation, which Dom de Bruyne found in a Cambrai MS. of the thirteenth
century—a collection of apophthegms—and printed with the extracts from the Epistle of
Titus. That the dead are not to be mourned overmuch, Peter, speaking to one who lamented
without patience the loss of his daughter, said: So many assaults of the devil, so many
warrings of the body, so many disasters of the world hath she escaped, and thou sheddest
tears as if thou knewest not what thou sufferest in thyself (what good hath befallen
thee).

12 This might very well be part of Peter's address to the bereaved gardener.

The Vercelli Acts

13 I. At the time when Paul was sojourning in Rome and confirming many in the faith, it
came also to pass that one by name Candida, the wife of Quartus that was over the prisons,
heard Paul and paid heed to his words and believed. And when she had instructed her
husband also and he believed, Quartus suffered Paul to go whither he would away from the
city: to whom Paul said: If it be the will of God, he will reveal it unto me. And after
Paul had fasted three days and asked of the Lord that which should be profitable for him,
he saw a vision, even the Lord saying unto him: Arise, Paul, and become a physician in thy
body (i. e. by going thither in person) to them that are in Spain. 14 He therefore, having
related to the brethren what God had commanded, nothing doubting, prepared himself to set
forth from the city. But when Paul was about to depart, there was great weeping throughout
all the brotherhood, because they thought that they should see Paul no more, so that they
even rent their clothes. For they had in mind also how that Paul had oftentimes contended
with the doctors of the Jews and confuted them, saying: Christ, upon whom your fathers
laid hands, abolished their sabbaths and fasts and holy-days and circumcision, and the
doctrines of men and the rest of the traditions he did abolish. But the brethren lamented
(and adjured) Paul by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he should not be absent
above a year, saying: We know thy love for thy brethren; forget not us when thou art come
thither, neither begin to forsake us, as little children without a mother. And when they
besought him long with tears, there came a sound from heaven, and a great voice saying:
Paul the servant of God is chosen to minister all the days of his life: by the hands of
Nero the ungodly and wicked man shall he be perfected before your eyes. And a very great
fear fell upon the brethren because of the voice which came from heaven: and they were
confirmed yet more in the faith.

15 11. Now they brought unto Paul bread and water for the sacrifice, that he might make
prayer and distribute it to every one. Among whom it befell that a woman named Rufina
desired, she also, to receive the Eucharist at the hands of Paul: to whom Paul, filled
with the spirit of God, said as she drew near: Rufina, thou comest not worthily unto the
altar of God, arising from beside one that is not thine husband but an adulterer, and
assayest to receive the Eucharist of God. For behold Satan shall trouble thine heart and
cast thee down in the sight of all them that believe in the Lord, that they which see and
believe may know that they have believed in the living God, the searcher of hearts. But if
thou repent of thine act, he is faithful that is able to blot out thy sin and set thee
free from this sin: but if thou repent not, while thou art yet in the body, devouring fire
and outer darkness shall receive thee for ever. And immediately Rufina fell down, being
stricken with palsy (? from her head unto the nails of her feet, and she had no power to
speak (given her) for her tongue was bound. And when both they that believed (in the
faith) and the neophytes saw it, they beat their breasts, remembering their old sins, and
mourned and said: We know not if God will forgive the former sins which we have committed.
Then Paul called for silence and said:

16 Men and brethren which now have begun to believe on Christ, if ye continue not in your
former works of the tradition of your fathers, and keep yourselves from all guile and
wrath and fierceness and adultery and defilement, and from pride and envy and contempt and
enmity, Jesus the living God will forgive you that ye did in ignorance. Wherefore, ye
servants of God, arm yourselves every one in your inner man with peace, patience,
gentleness, faith, charity, knowledge, wisdom, love of the brethren, hospitality, mercy,
abstinence, chastity, kindness, justice: then shall ye have for your guide everlastingly
the first-begotten of all creation, and shall have strength in peace with our Lord. And
when they had heard these things of Paul, they besought him to pray for them. And Paul
lifted up his voice and said: O eternal God, God of the heavens, God of unspeakable
majesty (divinity), who hast stablished all things by thy word, who hast bound upon all
the world the chain of thy grace, Father of thine holy Son Jesus Christ, we together pray
thee through thy Son Jesus Christ, strengthen the souls which were before unbelieving but
now are faithful. Once I was a blasphemer, now I am blasphemed; once I was a persecutor,
now do I suffer persecution of others; once I was the enemy of Christ, now I pray that I
may be his friend: for I trust in his promise and in his mercy; I account myself faithful
and that I have received forgiveness of my former sins.

17 Wherefore I exhort you also, brethren, to believe in the Lord the Father Almighty, and
to put all your trust in our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, believing in him, and no man shall
be able to uproot you from his promise. Bow your knees therefore together and commend me
unto the Lord, who am about to set forth unto another nation, that his grace may go before
me and dispose my journey aright, that he may receive his vessels holy and believing, that
they, giving thanks for my preaching of the word of the Lord, may be well grounded in the
faith. But the brethren wept long and prayed unto the Lord with Paul, saying: Be thou,
Lord Jesus Christ, with Paul and restore him unto us whole: for we know our weakness which
is in us even to this day. 18 111. And a great multitude of women were kneeling and
praying and beseeching Paul; and they kissed his feet and accompanied him unto the
harbour. But Dionysius and Balbus, of Asia, knights of Rome, and illustrious men, and a
senator by name Demetrius abode by Paul on his right hand and said: Paul, I would desire
to leave the city if I were not a magistrate, that I might not depart from thee. Also from
Caesar's house Cleobius and Iphitus and Lysimachus and Aristaeus and two matrons Berenice
and Philostrate, with Narcissus the presbyter [after they had] accompanied him to the
harbour: but whereas a storm of the sea came on, he (Narcissus?) sent the brethren back to
Rome, that if any would, he might come down and hear Paul until he set sail: and hearing
that, the brethren went up unto the city. And when they told the brethren that had
remained in the city, and the report was spread abroad, some on beasts, and some on foot,
and others by way of the Tiber came down to the harbour, and were confirmed in the faith
for three days, and on the fourth day until the fifth hour, praying together with Paul,
and making the offering: and they put all that was needful on the ship and delivered him
two young men, believers, to sail with him, and bade him farewell in the Lord and returned
to Rome.

19 There has been great dispute about these three chapters, whether they are not an
excerpt from the Acts of Paul, or whether they are an addition made by the writer of the
Greek original of the Vercelli Acts. If they are from the Acts of Paul, it means that in
those Acts Paul was represented as visiting Rome twice, and going to Spain between the
visits. Evidently, if this was so, he did not return straight from Spain to Rome: at least
the Coptic gives no indication that the prophecies of Cleobius and Myrte were uttered in
Spain. The question is a difficult one. All allow that the writer of the Acts of Peter
knew and used the Acts of Paul: but there is strong opposition to the idea that Paul
related two visits to Rome. The writer of Paul obviously knew the canonical Acts very well
and obviously took great liberties with them. Did he go so far, one wonders, as to
suppress and ignore the whole story of the trial before Felix and the shipwreck? If he
told of but one visit to Rome—the final one—it appears that he did: for the conditions
described in the Martyrdom—Paul quite free and martyred very shortly after his arrival—are
totally irreconcilable with Luke (Paul arriving in custody and living two years at least
in the city).

20 IV. Now after a few days there was a great commotion in the midst of the church, for
some said that they had seen wonderful works done by a certain man whose name was Simon,
and that he was at Aricia, and they added further that he said he was a great power of God
and without God he did nothing. Is not this the Christ? but we believe in him whom Paul
preached unto us; for by him have we seen the dead raised, and men delivered from divers
infirmities: but this man seeketh contention, we know it (or, but what this contention is,
we know not) for there is no small stir made among us. Perchance also he will now enter
into Rome; for yesterday they besought him with great acclamations, saying unto him: Thou
art God in Italy, thou art the saviour of the Romans: haste quickly unto Rome. But he
spake to the people with a shrill voice, saying: To-morrow about the seventh hour ye shall
see me fly over the gate of the city in the form (habit) wherein ye now see me speaking
unto you. Therefore, brethren, if it seem good unto you, let us go and await carefully the
issue of the matter.

21 They all therefore ran together and came unto the gate. And when it was the seventh
hour, behold suddenly a dust was seen in the sky afar off, like a smoke shining with rays
stretching far from it. And when he drew near to the gate, suddenly he was not seen: and
thereafter he appeared, standing in the midst of the people; whom they all worshipped, and
took knowledge that he was the same that was seen of them the day before. And the brethren
were not a little offended among themselves, seeing, moreover, that Paul was not at Rome,
neither Timotheus nor Barnabas, for they had been sent into Macedonia by Paul, and that
there was no man to comfort us, to speak nothing of them that had but just become
catechumens. And as Simon exalted himself yet more by the works which he did, and many of
them daily called Paul a sorcerer, and others a deceiver, of so great a multitude that had
been stablished in the faith all fell away save Narcissus the presbyter and two women in
the lodging of the Bithynians, and four that could no longer go out of their house, but
were shut up (day and night): these gave themselves unto prayer (by day and night),
beseeching the Lord that Paul might return quickly, or some other that should visit his
servants, because the devil had made them fall by his wickedness.

22 V. And as they prayed and fasted, God was already teaching Peter at Jerusalem of that
which should come to pass. For whereas the twelve years which the Lord Christ had enjoined
upon him were fulfilled, he showed him a vision after this manner, saying unto him: Peter,
that Simon the sorcerer whom thou didst cast out of Judaea, convicting him, hath again
come before thee (prevented thee) at Rome. And that shalt thou know shortly (or, and that
thou mayest know in few words): for all that did believe in me hath Satan made to fall by
his craft and working: whose Power Simon approveth himself to be. But delay thee not: set
forth on the morrow, and there shalt thou find a ship ready, setting sail for Italy, and
within few days I will show thee my grace which hath in it no grudging. Peter then,
admonished by the vision, related it unto the brethren without delay, saying: It is
necessary for me to go up unto Rome to fight with the enemy and adversary of the Lord and
of our brethren.

23 And he went down to Caesarea and embarked quickly in the ship, whereof the ladder was
already drawn up, not taking any provision with him. But the governor of the ship whose
name was Theon looked on Peter and said: Whatsoever we have, all is thine. For what thank
have we, if we take in a man like unto ourselves who is in uncertain case (difficulty) and
share not all that we have with thee? but only let us have a prosperous voyage. But Peter,
giving him thanks for that which he offered, himself fasted while he was in the ship,
sorrowful in mind and again consoling himself because God accounted him worthy to be a
minister in his service. 24 And after a few days the governor of the ship rose up at the
hour of his dinner and asked Peter to eat with him, and said to him: O thou, whoever thou
art, I know thee not, but as I reckon, I take thee for a servant of God. For as I was
steering my ship at midnight I perceived the voice of a man from heaven saying to me:
Theon, Theon! And twice it called me by my name and said to me: Among them that sail with
thee let Peter be greatly honoured by thee, for by him shalt thou and the rest be
preserved safe without any hurt after such a course as thou hopest not for. And Peter
believed that God would vouchsafe to show his providence upon the sea unto them that were
in the ship, and thenceforth began Peter to declare unto Theon the mighty works of God,
and how the Lord had chosen him from among the apostles, and for what business he sailed
unto Italy: and daily he communicated unto him the word of God. And considering him he
perceived by his walk that he was of one mind in the faith and a worthy minister (deacon).

25 Now when there was a calm upon the ship in Hadria (the Adriatic), Theon showed it to
Peter, saying unto him: If thou wilt account me worthy, whom thou mayest baptize with the
seal of the Lord, thou hast an opportunity. For all that were in the ship had fallen
asleep, being drunken. And Peter went down by a rope and baptized Theon in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost: and he came up out of the water rejoicing with
great joy, and Peter also was glad because God had accounted Theon worthy of his name. And
it came to pass when Theon was baptized, there appeared in the same place a youth shining
and beautiful, saying unto them: Peace be unto you. And immediately Peter and Theon went
up and entered into the cabin; and Peter took bread and gave thanks unto the Lord which
had accounted him worthy of his holy ministry, and for that the youth had appeared unto
them, saying: Peace be unto you. And he said: Thou best and alone holy one, it is thou
that hast appeared unto us, O God Jesu Christ, and in thy name hath this man now been
washed and sealed with thy holy seal. Therefore in thy name do I impart unto him thine
eucharist, that he may be thy perfect servant without blame for ever.

26 And as they feasted and rejoiced in the Lord, suddenly there came a wind, not vehement
but moderate, at the ship's prow, and ceased not for six days and as many nights, until
they came unto Puteoli. 27 VI. And when they had touched at Puteoli, Theon leapt out of
the ship and went unto the inn where he was wont to lodge, to prepare to receive Peter.
Now he with whom he lodged was one by name Ariston, which alway feared the Lord, and
because of the Name Theon entrusted himself with him (had dealings with him). And when he
was come to the inn and saw Ariston, Theon said unto him: God who hath accounted thee
worthy to serve him hath communicated his grace unto me also by his holy servant Peter,
who hath now sailed with me from Judaea, being commanded by our Lord to come unto Italy.
And when he heard that, Ariston fell upon Theon's neck and embraced him and besought him
to bring him to the ship and show him Peter. For Ariston said that since Paul set forth
unto Spain there was no man of the brethren with whom he could refresh himself, and,
moreover, a certain Jew had broken into the city, named Simon, and with his charms of
sorcery and his wickedness hath he made all the brotherhood fall away this way and that,
so that I also fled from Rome, expecting the coming of Peter: for Paul had told us of him,
and I also have seen many things in a vision. Now, therefore, I believe in my Lord that he
will build up again his ministry, for all this deceit shall be rooted out from among his
servants. For our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful, who is able to restore our minds. And
when Theon heard these things from Ariston, who wept, his spirit was raised (increased)
yet more and he was the more strengthened, because he perceived that he had believed on
the living God.

28 But when they came together unto the ship, Peter looked upon them and smiled, being
filled with the Spirit; so that Ariston falling on his face at Peter's feet, said thus:
Brother and lord, that hast part in the holy mysteries and showest the right way which is
in the Lord Jesus Christ our God, who by thee hath shown unto us his coming: we have lost
all them whom Paul had delivered unto us, by the working of Satan; but now I trust in the
Lord who hath commanded thee to come unto us, sending thee as his messenger, that he hath
accounted us worthy to see his great and wonderful works by thy means. I pray thee
therefore, make haste unto the city: for I left the brethren which have stumbled, whom I
saw fall into the temptation of the devil, and fled hither, saying unto them: Brethren,
stand fast in the faith, for it is of necessity that within these two months the mercy of
our Lord bring his servant unto you. For I had seen a vision, even Paul, saying unto me:
Ariston, flee thou out of the city. And when I heard it, I believed without delay and went
forth in the Lord, although I had an infirmity in my flesh, and came hither; and day by
day I stood upon the sea-shore asking the sailors: Hath Peter sailed with you?

29 But now through the abundance of the grace of God I entreat thee, let us go up unto
Rome without delay, lest the teaching of this wicked man prevail yet further. And as
Ariston said this with tears, Peter gave him his hand and raised him up from the earth,
and Peter also groaning, said with tears: He hath prevented us which tempteth all the
world by his angels; but he that hath power to save his servants from all temptations
shall quench his deceits and put him beneath the feet of them that have believed in Christ
whom we preach. 30 And, as they entered in at the gate, Theon entreated Peter, saying:
Thou didst not refresh thyself on any day in so great a voyage (sea): and now after
(before) so hard a journey wilt thou set out forthwith from the ship? tarry and refresh
thyself, and so shalt thou set forth: for from hence to Rome upon a pavement of flint I
fear lest thou be hurt by the shaking. But Peter answered and said to them: What if it
come to pass that a millstone were hung upon me, and likewise upon the enemy of our Lord,
even as my Lord said unto us of any that offended one of the brethren, and I were drowned
in the sea? but it might be not only a millstone, but that which is far worse, even that I
which am the enemy of this persecutor of his servants should die afar off from them that
have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ (so Ficker: the sentence is corrupt; the sense is
that Peter must at all costs be with his fellow-Christians, or he will incur even worse
punishment than that threatened by our Lord's words). And by no exhortation could Theon
prevail to persuade him to tarry there even one day.

31 But Theon himself delivered all that was in the ship to be sold for the price which he
thought good, and followed Peter unto Rome; whom Ariston brought unto the abode of
Narcissus the presbyter. VII. Now the report was noised through the city unto the brethren
that were dispersed, (saying that Peter was come to Rome) because of Simon, that he might
show him to be a deceiver and a persecutor of good men. All the multitude therefore ran
together to see the apostle of the Lord stay (himself, or the brethren) on Christ. And on
the first day of the week when the multitude was assembled to see Peter, Peter began to
say with a loud voice: Ye men here present that trust in Christ, ye that for a little
space have suffered temptation, learn for what cause God sent his Son into the world, and
wherefore he made him to be born of the Virgin Mary; for would he so have done if not to
procure us some grace or dispensation? even because he would take away all offence and all
ignorance and all the contrivance of the devil, his attempts (beginnings) and his strength
wherewith he prevailed aforetime, before our God shined forth in the world. And whereas
men through ignorance fell into death by many and divers infirmities, Almighty God, moved
with compassion, sent his Son into the world. With whom I was; and he (or I) walked upon
the water, whereof I myself remain a witness, and do testify that he then worked in the
world by signs and wonders, all of which he did.

32 I do confess, dearly-beloved brethren, that I was with him: yet I denied him, even our
Lord Jesus Christ, and that not once only, but thrice; for there were evil dogs that were
come about me as they did unto the Lord's prophets. And the Lord imputed it not unto me,
but turned unto me and had compassion on the infirmity of my flesh, when (or so that)
afterward I bitterly bewailed myself, and lamented the weakness of my faith, because I was
befooled by the devil and kept not in mind the word of my Lord. And now I say unto you, O
men and brethren, which are gathered together in the name of Jesus Christ: against you
also hath the deceiver Satan aimed his arrows, that ye might depart out of the way. But
faint not, brethren, neither let your spirit fall, but be strong and persevere and doubt
not: for if Satan caused me to stumble, whom the Lord had in great honour, so that I
denied the light of mine hope, and if he overthrew me and persuaded me to flee as if I had
put my trust in a man, what think ye will he do unto you which are but young in the faith?
Did ye suppose that he would not turn you away to make you enemies of the kingdom of God,
and cast you down into perdition by a new (or the last) deceit?

33 For whomsoever he casteth out from the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is a son of
perdition for ever. Turn yourselves, therefore, brethren, chosen of the Lord, and be
strong in God Almighty, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom no man hath seen at any
time, neither can see, save he who hath believed in him. And be ye aware whence this
temptation hath come upon you. For it is not only by words that I would convince you that
this is Christ whom I preach, but also by deeds and exceeding great works of power do I
exhort you by the faith that is in Christ Jesus, that none of you look for any other save
him that was despised and mocked of the Jews, even this Nazarene which was crucified and
died and the third day rose again. 34 VIII. And the brethren repented and entreated Peter
to fight against Simon: (who said that he was the power of God, and lodged in the house of
Marcellus a senator, whom he had convinced by his charms) saying: Believe us, brother
Peter: there was no man among men so wise as this Marcellus. All the widows that trusted
in Christ had recourse unto him; all the fatherless were fed by him; and what more,
brother? all the poor called Marcellus their patron, and his house was called the house of
the strangers and of the poor, and the emperor said unto him: I will keep thee out of
every office, lest thou despoil the provinces to give gifts unto the Christians. And
Marcellus answered: All my goods are also thine. And Caesar said to him: Mine they would
be if thou keptest them for me; but now they are not mine, for thou givest them to whom
thou wilt, and I know not to what vile persons. Having this, then, before our eyes,
brother Peter, we report it to thee, how the great mercy of this man is turned unto
blasphemy; for if he had not turned, neither should we have departed from the holy faith
of God our Lord. And now doth this Marcellus in anger repent him of his good deeds,
saying: All this substance have I spent in all this time, vainly believing that I gave it
for the knowledge of God! So that if any stranger cometh to the door of his house, he
smiteth him with a staff and biddeth him be beaten, saying: Would God I had not spent so
much money upon these impostors: and yet more doth he say, blaspheming. But if there abide
in thee any mercy of our Lord and aught of the goodness of his commandments, do thou
succour the error of this man who hath done so many alms-deeds unto the servants of God.

35 And Peter, when he perceived this, was smitten with sharp affliction and said: O the
divers arts and temptations of the devil! O the contrivances and devices of the wicked! he
that nourisheth up for himself a mighty fire in the day of wrath, the destruction of
simple men, the ravening wolf, the devourer and scatterer of eternal life! Thou didst
enmesh the first man in concupiscence and bind him with thine old iniquity and with the
chain of the flesh; thou art wholly the exceeding bitter fruit of the tree of bitterness,
who sendest divers lusts upon men. Thou didst compel Judas my fellow-disciple and fellow-
apostle to do wickedly and deliver up our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall punish thee
therefor. Thou didst harden the heart of Herod and didst inflame Pharaoh and compel him to
fight against Moses the holy servant of God; thou didst give boldness unto Caiaphas, that
he should deliver our Lord Jesus Christ unto the unrighteous multitude; and even until now
thou shootest at innocent souls with thy poisonous arrows. Thou wicked one, enemy of all
men, be thou accursed from the Church of him the Son of the holy God omnipotent, and as a
brand cast out of the fire shalt thou be quenched by the servants of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Upon thee let thy blackness be turned and upon thy children, an evil seed; upon
thee be turned thy wickedness and thy threatenings; upon thee and thine angels be thy
temptations, thou beginning of malice and bottomless pit of darkness!

36 Let thy darkness that thou hast be with thee and with thy vessels which thou ownest!
Depart from them that shall believe in God, depart from the servants of Christ and from
them that desire to be his soldiers. Keep thou to thyself thy garments of darkness!
Without cause knockest thou at other men's doors, which are not thine but of Christ Jesus
that keepeth them. For thou, ravening wolf, wouldest carry off the sheep that are not
thine but of Christ Jesus, who keepeth them with all care and diligence. 37 IX. As Peter
spake thus with great sorrow of mind, many were added unto them that believed on the Lord.
But the brethren besought Peter to join battle with Simon and not suffer him any longer to
vex the people. And without delay Peter went quickly out of the synagogue (assembly) and
went unto the house of Marcellus, where Simon lodged: and much people followed him. And
when he came to the door, he called the porter and said to him: Go, say unto Simon: Peter
because of whom thou fleddest out of Judaea waiteth for thee at the door. The porter
answered and said to Peter: Sir, whether thou be Peter, I know not: but I have a command;
for he had knowledge that yesterday thou didst enter into the city, and said unto me:
Whether it be by day or by night, at whatsoever hour he cometh, say that I am not within.
And Peter said to the young man: Thou hast well said in reporting that which he compelled
thee to say. And Peter turned unto the people that followed him and said: Ye shall now see
a great and marvellous wonder. And Peter seeing a great dog bound with a strong chain,
went to him and loosed him, and when he was loosed the dog received a man's voice and said
unto Peter: What dost thou bid me to do, thou servant of the unspeakable and living God?
Peter said unto him: Go in and say unto Simon in the midst of his company:

38 Peter saith unto thee, Come forth abroad, for for thy sake am I come to Rome, thou
wicked one and deceiver of simple souls. And immediately the dog ran and entered in, and
rushed into the midst of them that were with Simon, and lifted up his forefeet and in a
loud voice said: Thou Simon, Peter the servant of Christ who standeth at the door saith
unto thee: Come forth abroad, for for thy sake am I come to Rome, thou most wicked one and
deceiver of simple souls. And when Simon heard it, and beheld the incredible sight, he
lost the words wherewith he was deceiving them that stood by, and all of them were amazed.
39 X. But when Marcellus saw it he went out to the door and cast himself at Peter's feet
and said: Peter, I embrace thy feet, thou holy servant of the holy God; I have sinned
greatly: but exact thou not my sins, if there be in thee the true faith of Christ, whom
thou preachest, if thou remember his commandments, to hate no man, to be unkind to no man,
as I learned from thy fellow apostle Paul; keep not in mind my faults, but pray for me
unto the Lord, the holy Son of God whom I have provoked to wrath—for I have persecuted his
servants—that I be not delivered with the sins of Simon unto eternal fire; who so
persuaded me, that I set up a statue to him with this inscription:

40 'To Simon the new (young) God.' If I knew, O Peter, that thou couldest be won with
money, I would give thee all my substance, yea I would give it and despise it, that I
might gain my soul. If I had sons, I would account them as nothing, if only I might
believe in the living God. But I confess that he would not have deceived me save that he
said that he was the power of God; yet will I tell thee, O most gentle (sweet) Peter: I
was not worthy to hear thee, thou servant of God, neither was I stablished in the faith of
God which is in Christ; therefore was I made to stumble. I beseech thee, therefore, take
not ill that which I am about to say, that Christ our Lord whom thou preachest in truth
said unto thy fellow-apostles in thy presence: If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say unto this mountain: Remove thyself: and straightway it shall remove
itself. But this Simon said that thou, Peter, wast without faith when thou didst doubt, in
the waters. And I have heard that Christ said this also: They that are with me have not
understood me. If, then, ye upon whom he laid his hands, whom also he chose, did doubt, I,
therefore, having this witness, repent me, and take refuge in thy prayers. Receive my
soul, who have fallen away from our Lord and from his promise. But I believe that he will
have mercy upon me that repent. For the Almighty is faithful to forgive me my sins.

41 But Peter said with a loud voice: Unto thee, our Lord, be glory and splendour, O God
Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unto thee be praise and glory and honour, world
without end. Amen. Because thou hast now fully strengthened and stablished us in thee in
the sight of all, holy Lord, confirm thou Marcellus, and send thy peace upon him and upon
his house this day: and whatsoever is lost or out of the way, thou alone canst turn them
all again; we beseech thee, Lord, shepherd of the sheep that once were scattered, but now
shall be gathered in one by thee. So also receive thou Marcellus as one of thy lambs and
suffer him no longer to go astray (revel) in error or ignorance. Yea, Lord, receive him
that with anguish and tears entreateth thee. XI. And as Peter spake thus and embraced
Marcellus, Peter turned himself unto the multitude that stood by him and saw there one
that laughed (smiled), in whom was a very evil spirit. And Peter said unto him: Whosoever
thou art that didst laugh, show thyself openly unto all that are present. And hearing this
the young man ran into the court of the house and cried out with a loud voice and dashed
himself against the wall and said: Peter, there is a great contention between Simon and
the dog whom thou sentest; for Simon saith to the dog: Say that I am not here. Unto whom
the dog saith more than thou didst charge him; and when he hath accomplished the mystery
which thou didst command him, he shall die at thy feet. But Peter said:

42 And thou also, devil, whosoever thou art, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, go out
of that young man and hurt him not at all: show thyself unto all that stand here. When the
young man heard it, he ran forth and caught hold on a great statue of marble which was set
in the court of the house, and brake it in pieces with his feet. Now it was a statue of
Caesar. Which Marcellus beholding smote his forehead and said unto Peter: A great crime
hath been committed; for if this be made known unto Caesar by some busybody, he will
afflict us with sore punishments. And Peter said to him: I see thee not the same that thou
wast a little while ago, for thou saidst that thou wast ready to spend all thy substance
to save thy soul. But if thou indeed repentest, believing in Christ with thy whole heart,
take in thine hands of the water that runneth down, and pray to the Lord, and in his name
sprinkle it upon the broken pieces of the statue and it shall be whole as it was before.
And Marcellus, nothing doubting, but believing with his whole heart, before he took the
water lifted up his hands and said: I believe in thee, O Lord Jesu Christ: for I am now
proved by thine apostle Peter, whether I believe aright in thine holy name.

43 Therefore I take water in mine hands, and in thy name do I sprinkle these stones that
the statue may become whole as it was before. If, therefore, Lord, it be thy will that I
continue in the body and suffer nothing at Caesar's hand, let this stone be whole as it
was before. And he sprinkled the water upon the stones, and the statue became whole,
whereat Peter exulted that Marcellus had not doubted in asking of the Lord, and Marcellus
was exalted in spirit for that such a sign was first wrought by his hands; and he
therefore believed with his whole heart in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, by
whom all things impossible are made possible. 44 XII. But Simon within the house said thus
to the dog: Tell Peter that I am not within. Whom the dog answered in the presence of
Marcellus: Thou exceeding wicked and shameless one, enemy of all that live and believe on
Christ Jesus, here is a dumb animal sent unto thee which hath received a human voice to
confound thee and show thee to be a deceiver and a liar. Hast thou taken thought so long,
to say at last: 'Tell him that I am not within'? Art thou not ashamed to utter thy feeble
and useless words against Peter the minister and apostle of Christ, as if thou couldst
hide thee from him that hath commanded me to speak against thee to thy face: and that not
for thy sake but for theirs whom thou wast deceiving and sending unto destruction? Cursed
therefore shalt thou be, thou enemy and corrupter of the way of the truth of Christ, who
shall prove by fire that dieth not and in outer darkness, thine iniquities that thou hast
committed. And having thus said, the dog went forth and the people followed him, leaving
Simon alone. And the dog came unto Peter as he sat with the multitude that was come to see
Peter's face, and the dog related what he had done unto Simon. And thus spake the dog unto
the angel and apostle of the true God:

45 Peter, thou wilt have a great contest with the enemy of Christ and his servants, and
many that have been deceived by him shalt thou turn unto the faith; wherefore thou shalt
receive from God the reward of thy work. And when the dog had said this he fell down at
the apostle Peter's feet and gave up the ghost. And when the great multitude saw with
amazement the dog speaking, they began then, some to throw themselves down at Peter's
feet, and some said: Show us another sign, that we may believe in thee as the minister of
the living God, for Simon also did many signs in our presence and therefore did we follow
him. 46 XIII. And Peter turned and saw a herring (sardine) hung in a window, and took it
and said to the people: If ye now see this swimming in the water like a fish, will ye be
able to believe in him whom I preach? And they said with one voice: Verily we will believe
thee. Then he said—now there was a bath for swimming at hand: In thy name, O Jesu Christ,
forasmuch as hitherto it is not believed in, in the sight of all these live and swim like
a fish. And he cast the herring into the bath, and it lived and began to swim. And all the
people saw the fish swimming, and it did not so at that hour only, lest it should be said
that it was a delusion (phantasm), but he made it to swim for a long time, so that they
brought much people from all quarters and showed them the herring that was made a living
fish, so that certain of the people even cast bread to it; and they saw that it was whole.
And seeing this, many followed Peter and believed in the Lord.

47 And they assembled themselves day and night unto the house of Narcissus the presbyter.
And Peter discoursed unto them of the scriptures of the prophets and of those things which
our Lord Jesus Christ had wrought both in word and in deeds. XIV. But Marcellus was
confirmed daily by the signs which he saw wrought by Peter through the grace of Jesus
Christ which he granted unto him. And Marcellus ran upon Simon as he sat in his house in
the dining chamber, and cursed him and said unto him: Thou most adverse and pestilent of
men, corrupter of my soul and my house, who wouldest have made me fall away from my Lord
and Saviour Christ! and laying hands on him he commanded him to be thrust out of his
house. And the servants having received such licence, covered him with reproaches; some
buffeted his face, others beat him with sticks, others cast stones, others emptied out
vessels full of filth upon his head, even those who on his account had fled from their
master and been a long time fettered; and other their fellow-servants of whom he had
spoken evil to their master reproached him, saying to him: Now by the will of God who hath
had mercy on us and on our master, do we recompense thee with a fit reward. And Simon,
shrewdly beaten and cast out of the house, ran unto the house where Peter lodged, even the
house of Narcissus, and standing at the gate cried out: Lo, here am I, Simon: come thou
down, Peter, and I will convict thee that thou hast believed on a man which is a Jew and a
carpenter's son.

48 XV. And when it was told Peter that Simon had said this, Peter sent unto him a woman
which had a sucking child, saying to her: Go down quickly, and thou wilt find one that
seeketh me. For thee there is no need that thou answer him at all, but keep silence and
hear what the child whom thou holdest shall say unto him. The woman therefore went down.
Now the child whom she suckled was seven months old; and it received a man's voice and
said unto Simon: O thou abhorred of God and men, and destruction of truth, and evil seed
of all corruption, O fruit by nature unprofitable! but only for a short and little season
shalt thou be seen, and thereafter eternal punishment is laid up for thee. Thou son of a
shameless father, that never puttest forth thy roots for good but for poison, faithless
generation void of all hope! thou wast not confounded when a dog reproved thee; I a child
am compelled of God to speak, and not even now art thou ashamed. But even against thy
will, on the sabbath day that cometh, another shall bring thee into the forum of Julius
that it may be shown what manner of man thou art. Depart therefore from the gate wherein
walk the feet of the holy; for thou shalt no more corrupt the innocent souls whom thou
didst turn out of the way and make sad; in Christ, therefore, shall be shown thine evil
nature, and thy devices shall be cut in pieces.

49 And now speak I this last word unto thee: Jesus Christ saith to thee: Be thou stricken
dumb in my name, and depart out of Rome until the sabbath that cometh. And forthwith he
became dumb and his speech was bound; and he went out of Rome until the sabbath and abode
in a stable. But the woman returned with the child unto Peter and told him and the rest of
the brethren what the child had said unto Simon: and they magnified the Lord which had
shown these things unto men. 50 XVI. Now when the night fell, Peter, while yet waking,
beheld Jesus clad in a vesture of brightness, smiling and saying unto him: Already is much
people of the brotherhood returned through me and through the signs which thou hast
wrought in my name. But thou shalt have a contest of the faith upon the sabbath that
cometh, and many more of the Gentiles and of the Jews shall be converted in my name unto
me who was reproached and mocked and spat upon. For I will be present with thee when thou
askest for signs and wonders, and thou shalt convert many: but thou shalt have Simon
opposing thee by the works of his father; yet all his works shall be shown to be charms
and contrivances of sorcery. But now slack thou not, and whomsoever I shall send unto thee
thou shalt establish in my name. And when it was light, he told the brethren how the Lord
had appeared unto him and what he had commanded him!

51 XVII. [This episode, inserted most abruptly, is believed by Vouaux to have been
inserted here by the compiler of the Greek original of the Vercelli Acts: but it was not
composed by him, but transferred with very slight additions from the earlier part of the
Acts—now lost—of which the scene was laid in Judaea. I incline to favour this view.] But
believe ye me, men and brethren, I drove this Simon out of Judaea where he did many evils
with his magical charms, lodging in Judaea with a certain woman Eubula, who was of
honourable estate in this world, having store of gold and pearls of no small price. Here
did Simon enter in by stealth with two others like unto himself, and none of the household
saw them two, but Simon only, and by means of a spell they took away all the woman's gold,
and disappeared. But Eubula, when she found what was done, began to torture her household,
saying: Ye have taken occasion by this man of God and spoiled me, when ye saw him entering
in to me to honour a mere woman; but his name is as the name of the Lord.

52 As I fasted for three days and prayed that this matter should be made plain, I saw in a
vision Italicus and Antulus (Antyllus?) whom I had instructed in the name of the Lord, and
a boy naked and chained giving me a wheaten loaf and saying unto me: Peter, endure yet two
days and thou shalt see the mighty works of God. As for all that is lost out of the house
of Eubula, Simon hath used art magic and hath caused a delusion, and with two others hath
stolen it away: whom thou shalt see on the third day at the ninth hour, at the gate which
leadeth unto Neapolis, selling unto a goldsmith by name Agrippinus a young satyr of gold
of two pound weight, having in it a precious stone. But for thee there is no need that
thou touch it, lest thou be defiled; but let there be with thee some of the matron's
servants, and thou shalt show them the shop of the goldsmith and depart from them. For by
reason of this matter shall many believe on the name of the Lord, and all that which these
men by their devices and wickedness have oft-times stolen shall be openly showed. When I
heard that, I went unto Eubula and found her sitting with her clothes rent and her hair
disordered, mourning; unto whom I said: Eubula, rise up from thy mourning and compose thy
face and order thy hair and put on raiment befitting thee, and pray unto the Lord Jesus
Christ that judgeth every soul: for he is the invisible Son of God, by whom thou must be
saved, if only thou repent with thine whole heart of thy former sins:

53 and receive thou power from him; for behold, by me the Lord saith to thee: Thou shalt
find all whatsoever thou hast lost. And after thou hast received them, take thou care that
he find thee, that thou mayest renounce this present world and seek for everlasting
refreshment. Hearken therefore unto this: Let certain of thy people keep watch at the gate
that leadeth to Neapolis on the day after to-morrow at about the ninth hour, and they
shall see two young men having a young satyr of gold, of two pound weight, set with gems,
as a vision hath shown me: which thing they will offer for sale to one Agrippinus of the
household of godliness and of the faith which is in the Lord Jesus Christ: by whom it
shall be showed thee that thou shouldst believe in the living God and not on Simon the
magician, the unstable devil, who hath desired that thou shouldst remain in sorrow, and
thine innocent household be tormented; who by fair words and speech only hath deceived
thee, and with his mouth only spake of godliness, whereas he is wholly possessed of
ungodliness. For when thou didst think to keep holy-day, and settestest up thine idol and
didst veil it and set out all thine ornaments upon a table (round three-legged table), he
brought in two young men whom no man of yours saw, by a magic charm, and they stole away
thine ornaments and were no more seen. But his device hath had no success (place);

54 for my God hath manifested it unto me, to the end thou shouldst not be deceived,
neither perish in hell, for those sins which thou hast committed ungodly and contrary to
God, who is full of all truth, and the righteous judge of quick and dead; and there is
none other hope of life unto men save through him, by whom those things which thou hast
lost are recovered unto thee: and now do thou gain thine own soul. 55 But she cast herself
down before my feet, saying: O man, who thou art I know not; but him I received as a
servant of God, and whatsoever he asked of me to give it unto the poor, I gave much by his
hands, and beside that I did give much unto him. What hurt did I do him, that he should
contrive all this against mine house? Unto whom Peter said: There is no faith to be put in
words, but in acts and deeds: but we must go on with that we have begun. So I left her and
went with two stewards of Eubula and came to Agrippinus and said to him: See that thou
take note of these men; for to-morrow two young men will come to thee, desiring to sell
thee a young satyr of gold set with jewels, which belongeth to the mistress of these: and
thou shalt take it as it were to look upon it, and praise the work of the craftsman, and
then when these come in, God will bring the rest to the proof. And on the next day the
stewards of the matron came about the ninth hour, and also those young men, willing to
sell unto Agrippinus the young satyr of gold. And they being forthwith taken, it was
reported unto the matron, and she in distress of mind came to the deputy, and with a loud
voice declared all that had befallen her.

56 And when Pompeius the deputy beheld her in distress of mind, who never had come forth
abroad, he forthwith rose up from the judgement seat and went unto the praetorium, and
bade those men to be brought and tortured; and while they were being tormented they
confessed that they did it in the service of Simon, which, said they, persuaded us thereto
with money. And being tortured a long time, they confessed that all that Eubula had lost
was laid up under the earth in a cave on the other side of the gate, and many other things
besides. And when Pompeius heard this, he rose up to go unto the gate, with those two men,
each of them bound with two chains. And lo, Simon came in at the gate, seeking them
because they tarried long. And he seeth a great multitude coming, and those two bound with
chains; and he understood and betook him to flight, and appeared no more in Judaea unto
this day. But Eubula, when she had recovered all her goods, gave them for the service of
the poor, and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and was comforted; and despised and
renounced this world, and gave unto the widows and fatherless, and clothed the poor. And
after a long time she received her rest (sleep). Now these things, dearly beloved
brethren, were done in Judaea, whereby he that is called the angel of Satan was driven out
thence.

57 XVIII. Brethren, dearest and most beloved, let us fast together and pray unto the Lord.
For he that drove him out thence is able also to root him out of this place: and let him
grant unto us power to withstand him and his magical charms, and to prove that he is the
angel of Satan. For on the sabbath our Lord shall bring him, though he would not, unto the
forum of Julius. Let us therefore bow our knees unto Christ, which heareth us, though we
cry not; it is he that seeth us, though he be not seen with these eyes, yet is he in us:
if we will, he will not forsake us. Let us therefore purify our souls of every evil
temptation, and God will not depart from us. Yea, if we but wink with our eyes, he is
present with us. 58 XIX. Now after these things were spoken by Peter, Marcellus also came
in, and said: Peter, I have for thee cleansed mine whole house from the footsteps (traces)
of Simon, and wholly done away even his wicked dust. For I took water and called upon the
holy name of Jesus Christ, together with mine other servants which belong unto him, and
sprinkled all my house and all the dining chambers and all the porticoes, even unto the
outer gate, and said: I know that thou, Lord Jesu Christ, art pure and untouched of any
uncleanness: so let mine enemy and adversary be driven out from before thy face. And now,
thou blessed one, have I bidden the widows and old women to assemble unto thee in my house
which is purified (MS. common), that they may pray with us. And they shall receive every
one a piece of gold in the name of the ministry (service), that they may be called indeed
servants of Christ. And all else is now prepared for the service. I entreat thee,
therefore, O blessed Peter, consent unto their request, so that thou also pay honour unto
(ornament) their prayers in my stead; let us then go and take Narcissus also, and
whosoever of the brethren are here. So then Peter consented unto his simplicity, to fulfil
his desire, and went forth with him and the rest of the brethren.

59 XX. But Peter entered in, and beheld one of the aged women, a widow, that was blind,
and her daughter giving her her hand and leading her into Marcellus' house; and Peter said
unto her: Come hither, mother: from this day forward Jesus giveth thee his right hand, by
whom we have light unapproachable which no darkness hideth; who saith unto thee by me:
Open thine eyes and see, and walk by thyself. And forthwith the widow saw Peter laying his
hand upon her. 60 And Peter entered into the dining-hall and saw that the Gospel was being
read, and he rolled up the book and said: Ye men that believe and hope in Christ, learn in
what manner the holy Scripture of our Lord ought to be declared: whereof we by his grace
wrote that which we could receive, though yet it appear unto you feeble, yet according to
our power, even that which can be endured to be borne by (or instilled into) human flesh.
We ought therefore first to know the will and the goodness of God, how that when error was
everywhere spread abroad, and many thousands of men were being cast down into perdition,
God was moved by his mercy to show himself in another form and in the likeness of man,
concerning which neither the Jews nor we were able worthily to be enlightened. For every
one of us according as he could contain the sight, saw, as he was able. Now will I expound
unto you that which was newly read unto you. Our Lord, willing that I should behold his
majesty in the holy mount—I, when I with the sons of Zebedee saw the brightness of his
light, fell as one dead and shut mine eyes, and heard such a voice from him as I am not
able to describe, and thought myself to be blinded by his brightness. And when I recovered
(breathed again) a little I said within myself: Peradventure my Lord hath brought me
hither that he might blind me. And I said: If this also be thy will, Lord, I resist not.
And he gave me his hand and raised me up; and when I arose I saw him again in such a form
as I was able to take in. As, therefore, the merciful God, dearly beloved brethren,
carried our infirmities and bare our sins (as the prophet saith: He beareth our sins and
suffereth for us;

61 but we did esteem him to be in affliction and smitten with plagues), for he is in the
Father and the Father in him—he also is himself the fulness of all majesty, who hath shown
unto us all his good things: he did eat and drink for our sakes, himself being neither an-
hungered nor athirst; he carried and bare reproaches for our sakes, he died and rose again
because of us; who both defended me when I sinned and comforted me by his greatness, and
will comfort you also that ye may love him: this God who is great and small, fair and
foul, young and old, seen in time and unto eternity invisible; whom the hand of man hath
not held, yet is he held by his servants; whom no flesh hath seen, yet now seeth; who is
the word proclaimed by the prophets and now appearing (so Gk.: Lat. not heard of but now
known); not subject to suffering, but having now made trial of suffering for our sake (or
like unto us); never chastised, yet now chastised; who was before the world and hath been
comprehended in time; the great beginning of all principality, yet delivered over unto
princes; beautiful, but among us lowly; seen of all yet foreseeing all (MS. foul of view,
yet foreseeing). This Jesus ye have, brethren, the door, the light, the way, the bread,
the water, the life, the resurrection, the refreshment, the feast, the treasure, the seed,
the abundance (harvest), the mustard seed, the vine, the plough, the grace, the faith, the
word: he is all things and there is none other greater than he. Unto him be praise, world
without end. Amen.

62 XXI. And when the ninth hour was fully come, they rose up to make prayer. And behold
certain widows, of the aged, unknown to Peter, which sat there, being blind and not
believing, cried out, saying unto Peter: We sit together here, O Peter, hoping and
believing in Christ Jesus: as therefore thou hast made one of us to see, we entreat thee,
lord Peter, grant unto us also his mercy and pity. But Peter said to them: If there be in
you the faith that is in Christ, if it be firm in you, then perceive in your mind that
which ye see not with your eyes, and though your ears are closed, yet let them be open in
your mind within you. These eyes shall again be shut, seeing nought but men and oxen and
dumb beasts and stones and sticks; but not every eye seeth Jesus Christ. Yet now, Lord,
let thy sweet and holy name succour these persons; do thou touch their eyes; for thou art
able—that these may see with their eyes.

63 And when all had prayed, the hall wherein they were shone as when it lighteneth, even
with such a light as cometh in the clouds, yet not such a light as that of the daytime,
but unspeakable, invisible, such as no man can describe, even such that we were beside
ourselves with bewilderment, calling on the Lord and saying: Have mercy, Lord, upon us thy
servants: what we are able to hear, that, Lord, give thou us; for this we can neither see
nor endure. And as we lay there, only those widows stood up which were blind; and the
bright light which appeared unto us entered into their eyes and made them to see. Unto
whom Peter said: Tell us what ye saw. And they said: We saw an old man of such comeliness
as we are not able to declare to thee; but others said: We saw a young man; and others: We
saw a boy touching our eyes delicately, and so were our eyes opened. Peter therefore
magnified the Lord, saying: Thou only art the Lord God, and of what lips have we need to
give thee due praise? and how can we give thee thanks according to thy mercy? Therefore,
brethren, as I told you but a little while since, God that is constant is greater than our
thoughts, even as we have learned of these aged widows, how that they beheld the Lord in
divers forms.

64 XXII. And having exhorted them all to think upon (understand) the Lord with their whole
heart, he began together with Marcellus and the rest of the brethren to minister unto the
virgins of the Lord, and to rest until the morning. Unto whom Marcellus said: Ye holy and
inviolate virgins of the Lord, hearken: Ye have a place to abide in, for these things that
are called mine, whose are they save yours? depart not hence, but refresh yourselves: for
upon the sabbath which cometh, even to-morrow, Simon hath a controversy with Peter the
holy one of God: for as the Lord hath ever been with him, so will Christ the Lord now
stand for him as his apostle. For Peter hath continued tasting nothing, but fasting yet a
day, that he may overcome the wicked adversary and persecutor of the Lord's truth. For lo,
my young men are come announcing that they have seen scaffolds being set up in the forum,
and much people saying: To-morrow at daybreak two Jews are to contend here concerning the
teaching (?) of God. Now therefore let us watch until the morning, praying and beseeching
our Lord Jesus Christ to hear our prayers on behalf of Peter.

65 And Marcellus turned to sleep for a short space, and awoke and said unto Peter: O
Peter, thou apostle of Christ, let us go boldly unto that which lieth before us. For just
now when I turned myself to sleep for a little, I beheld thee sitting in a high place and
before thee a great multitude, and a woman exceeding foul, in sight like an Ethiopian, not
an Egyptian, but altogether black and filthy, clothed in rags, and with an iron collar
about her neck and chains upon her hands and feet, dancing. And when thou sawest me thou
saidst to me with a loud voice: Marcellus, the whole power of Simon and of his God is this
woman that danceth; do thou behead her. And I said to thee: Brother Peter, I am a senator
of a high race, and I have never defiled my hands, neither killed so much as a sparrow at
any time. And thou hearing it didst begin to cry out yet more: Come thou, our true sword,
Jesu Christ, and cut not off only the head of this devil, but hew all her limbs in pieces
in the sight of all these whom I have approved in thy service. And immediately one like
unto thee, O Peter, having a sword, hewed her in pieces: so that I looked earnestly upon
you both, both on thee and on him that cut in pieces that devil, and marvelled greatly to
see how alike ye were. And I awaked, and have told unto thee these signs of Christ. And
when Peter heard it he was the more filled with courage, for that Marcellus had seen these
things, knowing that the Lord alway careth for his own. And being joyful and refreshed by
these words, he rose up to go unto the forum.

66 XXIII. Now the brethren were gathered together, and all that were in Rome, and took
places every one for a piece of gold: there came together also the senators and the
prefects and those in authority. And Peter came and stood in the midst, and all cried out:
Show us, O Peter, who is thy God and what is his greatness which hath given thee
confidence. Begrudge not the Romans; they are lovers of the gods. We have had proof of
Simon, let us have it of thee; convince us, both of you, whom we ought truly to believe.
And as they said these things, Simon also came in, and standing in trouble of mind at
Peter's side, at first he looked at him. 67 And after long silence Peter said: Ye men of
Rome, be ye true judges unto us, for I say that I have believed on the living and true
God; and I promise to give you proofs of him, which are known unto me, as many among you
also can bear witness. For ye see that this man is now rebuked and silent, knowing that I
drove him out of Judaea because of the deceits which he practised upon Eubula, an
honourable and simple woman, by his art magic; and being driven out from thence, he is
come hither, thinking to escape notice among you; and lo, he standeth face to face with
me. Say now, Simon, didst thou not at Jerusalem fall at my feet and Paul's, when thou
sawest the healings that were wrought by our hands, and say: I pray you take of me a
payment as much as ye will, that I may be able to lay hands on men and do such mighty
works? And we when we heard it cursed thee, saying: Dost thou think to tempt us as if we
desired to possess money? And now, fearest thou not at all? My name is Peter, because the
Lord Christ vouchsafed to call me 'prepared for all things': for I trust in the living God
by whom I shall put down thy sorceries. Now let him do in your presence the wonders which
he did aforetime: and what I have now said of him, will ye not believe it?

68 But Simon said: Thou presumest to speak of Jesus of Nazareth, the son of a carpenter,
and a carpenter himself, whose birth is recorded (or whose race dwelleth) in Judaea. Hear
thou, Peter: the Romans have understanding: they are no fools. And he turned to the people
and said: Ye men of Rome, is God born? is he crucified? he that hath a master is no God.
And when he so spake, many said: Thou sayest well, Simon. 69 XXIV. But Peter said:
Anathema upon thy words against (or in) Christ! Presumest thou to speak thus, whereas the
prophet saith of him: Who shall declare his generation? And another prophet saith: And we
saw him and he had no beauty nor comeliness. And: In the last times shall a child be born
of the Holy Ghost: his mother knoweth not a man, neither doth any man say that he is his
father. And again he saith: She hath brought forth and not brought forth. And again: Is it
a small thing for you to weary men (lit. Is it a small thing that ye make a contest for
men)? Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb. And another prophet saith, honouring
the Father: Neither did we hear her voice, neither did a midwife come in. Another prophet
saith: Born not of the womb of a woman, but from a heavenly place came he down. And: A
stone was cut out without hands, and smote all the kingdoms. And: The stone which the
builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; and he calleth him a stone
elect, precious. And again a prophet saith concerning him: And behold, I saw one like the
Son of man coming upon a cloud. And what more? O ye men of Rome, if ye knew the Scriptures
of the prophets, I would expound all unto you: by which Scriptures it was necessary that
this should be spoken in a mystery, and that the kingdom of God should be perfected. But
these things shall be opened unto you hereafter. Now turn I unto thee, Simon: do thou some
one thing of those wherewith thou didst before deceive them, and I will bring it to nought
through my Lord Jesus Christ. And Simon plucked up his boldness and said: If the prefect
allow it (prepare yourselves and delay not for my sake).

70 XXV. But the prefect desired to show patience unto both, that he might not appear to do
aught unjustly. And the prefect put forward one of his servants and said thus unto Simon:
Take this man and deliver him to death. And to Peter he said: And do thou revive him. And
unto the people the prefect said: It is now for you to judge whether of these two is
acceptable unto God, he that killeth or he that maketh alive. And straightway Simon spake
in the ear of the lad and made him speechless, and he died. 71 And as there began to be a
murmuring among the people, one of the widows who were nourished (refreshed) in Marcellus'
house, standing behind the multitude, cried out: O Peter, servant of God, my son is dead,
the only one that I had. And the people made place for her and led her unto Peter: and she
cast herself down at his feet, saying: I had one only son, which with his hands
(shoulders) furnished me with nourishment: he raised me up, he carried me: now that he is
dead, who shall reach me a hand? Unto whom Peter said: Go, with these for witness, and
bring hither thy son, that they may see and be able to believe that by the power of God he
is raised, and that this man (Simon) may behold it and fall (or, and she when she saw him,
fell down). And Peter said to the young men: We have need of some young men, and,
moreover, of such as will believe. And forthwith thirty young men arose, which were
prepared to carry her or to bring thither her son that was dead. And whereas the widow was
hardly returned to herself, the young men took her up; and she was crying out and saying:
Lo, my son, the servant of Christ hath sent unto thee: tearing her hair and her face. Now
the young men which were come examined (Gk. apparently, held) the lad's nostrils to see
whether he were indeed dead; and seeing that he was dead of a truth, they had compassion
on the old woman and said: If thou so will, mother, and hast confidence in the God of
Peter, we will take him up and carry him thither that he may raise him up and restore him
unto thee.

72 XXVI. And as they said these things, the prefect (in the forum, Lat.), looking
earnestly upon Peter (said: What sayest thou Peter?) Behold my lad is dead, who also is
dear unto the emperor, and I spared him not, though I had with me other young men; but I
desired rather to make trial (tempt) of thee and of the God whom thou (preachest), whether
ye be true, and therefore I would have this lad die. And Peter said: God is not tempted
nor proved, O Agrippa, but if he be loved and entreated he heareth them that are worthy.
But since now my God and Lord Jesus Christ is tempted among you, who hath done so great
signs and wonders by my hands to turn you from your sins—now also in the sight of all do
thou, Lord, at my word, by thy power raise up him whom Simon hath slain by touching him.
And Peter said unto the master of the lad: Go, take hold on his right hand, and thou shalt
have him alive and walking with thee. And Agrippa the prefect ran and went to the lad and
took his hand and raised him up. And all the multitude seeing it cried: One is the God,
one is the God of Peter.

73 XXVII. In the meanwhile the widow's son also was brought upon a bed by the young men,
and the people made way for them and brought them unto Peter. And Peter lifted up his eyes
unto heaven and stretched forth his hands and said: O holy Father of thy Son Jesus Christ,
who hast granted us thy power, that we may through thee ask and obtain, and despise all
that is in the world, and follow thee only, who art seen of few and wouldst be known of
many: shine thou about us, Lord, enlighten us, appear thou, raise up the son of this aged
widow, which cannot help herself without her son. And I, repeating the word of Christ my
Lord, say unto thee: Young man, arise and walk with thy mother so long as thou canst do
her good; and thereafter shalt thou serve me after a higher sort, ministering in the lot
of a deacon of the bishop (or, and of a bishop). And immediately the dead man rose up, and
the multitudes saw it and marvelled, and the people cried out: Thou art God the Saviour,
thou, the God of Peter, the invisible God, the Saviour. And they spake among themselves,
marvelling indeed at the power of a man that called upon his Lord with a word; and they
received it unto sanctification.

74 XXVIII. The fame of it therefore being spread throughout the city, there came the
mother of a certain senator, and cast herself into the midst of the people, and fell at
Peter's feet, saying: I have learned from my people that thou art a servant of the
merciful God, and dost impart his grace unto all them that desire this light. Impart
therefore the light unto my son, for I know that thou begrudgest none; turn not away from
a matron that entreateth thee. Unto whom Peter said: Wilt thou believe on my God, by whom
thy son shall be raised? And the mother said with a loud voice, weeping: I believe, O
Peter, I believe! and all the people cried out: Grant the mother her son. But Peter said:
Let him be brought hither before all these. And Peter turned himself to the people and
said: Ye men of Rome, I also am one of yourselves, and bear a man's body and am a sinner,
but have obtained mercy: look not therefore upon me as though I did by mine own power that
which I do, but by the power of my Lord Jesus Christ, who is the judge of quick and dead.
In him do I believe and by him am I sent, and have confidence when I call upon him to
raise the dead. Go thou therefore also, O woman, and cause thy son to be brought hither
and to rise again.

75 And the woman passed through the midst of the people and went into the street, running,
with great joy, and believing in her mind she came unto her house, and by means of her
young men she took him up and came unto the forum. Now she bade the young men put caps on
their heads, and to walk before the bier, and all that she had determined to burn upon the
body of her son to be borne before his bier; and when Peter saw it he had compassion upon
the dead body and upon her. And she came unto the multitude, while all bewailed her; and a
great crowd of senators and matrons followed after, to behold the wonderful works of God:
for this Nicostratus which was dead was exceeding noble and beloved of the senate. And
they brought him and set him down before Peter. And Peter called for silence, and with a
loud voice said: Ye men of Rome, let there now be a just judgement betwixt me and Simon;
and judge ye whether of us two believeth in the living God, he or I. Let him raise up the
body that lieth here, and believe in him as the angel of God. But if he be not able, and I
call upon my God and restore the son alive unto his mother, then believe ye that this man
is a sorcerer and a deceiver, which is entertained among you.

76 And when all they heard these things, they thought that it was right which Peter had
spoken, and they encouraged Simon, saying: Now, if there be aught in thee, show it openly!
either overcome, or thou shalt be overcome! (or, convince us, or thou shalt be convicted).
Why standest thou still? Come, begin! But Simon, when he saw them all instant with him,
stood silent; and thereafter, when he saw the people silent and looking upon him, Simon
cried out, saying: Ye men of Rome, if ye behold the dead man arise, will ye cast Peter out
of the city? And all the people said: We will not only cast him out, but on the very
instant will we burn him with fire. 77 Then Simon went to the head of the dead man and
stooped down and thrice raised himself up (or, and said thrice: Raise thyself), and showed
the people that he (the dead) lifted his head and moved it, and opened his eyes and bowed
himself a little unto Simon. And straightway they began to ask for wood and torches,
wherewith to burn Peter. But Peter receiving strength of Christ, lifted up his voice and
said unto them that cried out against him: Now see I, ye people of Rome, that ye are—I
must not say fools and vain, so long as your eyes and your ears and your hearts are
blinded. How long shall your understanding be darkened? see ye not that ye are bewitched,
supposing that a dead man is raised, who hath not lifted himself up? It would have
sufficed me, ye men of Rome, to hold my peace and die without speaking, and to leave you
among the deceits of this world; but I have the chastisement of fire unquenchable before
mine eyes. If therefore it seem good unto you, let the dead man speak, let him arise if he
liveth, let him loose his jaw that is bound, with his hands, let him call upon his mother,
let him say unto you that cry out: Wherefore cry ye? let him beckon unto us with his hand.
If now ye would see that he is dead, and yourselves bewitched, let this man depart from
the bier, who hath persuaded you to depart from Christ, and ye shall see that the dead man
is such as ye saw him brought hither.

78 But Agrippa the prefect had no longer patience, but thrust away Simon with his own
hands, and again the dead man lay as he was before. And the people were enraged, and
turned away from the sorcery of Simon and began to cry out: Hearken, O Caesar! if now the
dead riseth not, let Simon burn instead of Peter, for verily he hath blinded us. But Peter
stretched forth his hand and said: O men of Rome, have patience! I say not unto you that
if the lad be raised Simon shall burn; for if I say it, ye will do it. The people cried
out: Against thy will, Peter, we will do it. Unto whom Peter said: If ye continue in this
mind, the lad shall not arise: for we know not to render evil for evil, but we have
learned to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. For if even this man can repent,
it were better; for God will not remember evil. Let him come, therefore, into the light of
Christ; but if he cannot, let him possess the part of his father the devil, but let not
your hands be defiled. And when he had thus spoken unto the people, he went unto the lad,
and before he raised him, he said to his mother: These young men whom thou hast set free
in the honour of thy son, can yet serve their God when he liveth, being free;

79 for I know that the soul of some is hurt if they shall see thy son arise and know that
these shall yet be in bondage: but let them all continue free and receive their sustenance
as they did before, for thy son is about to rise again; and let them be with him. And
Peter looked long upon her, to see her thoughts. And the mother of the lad said: What
other can I do? therefore before the prefect I say: whatsoever I was minded to burn upon
the body of my son, let them possess it. And Peter said: Let the residue be distributed
unto the widows. Then Peter rejoiced in soul and said in the spirit: O Lord that art
merciful, Jesu Christ, show thyself unto thy Peter that calleth upon thee like as thou
hast always shown him mercy and loving-kindness: and in the presence of all these which
have obtained freedom, that these may become thy servants, let Nicostratus now arise. And
Peter touched the lad's side and said: Arise. And the lad arose and put off his grave
clothes and sat up and loosed his jaw, and asked for other raiment; and he came down from
the bier and said unto Peter: I pray thee, O man of God, let us go unto our Lord Christ
whom I saw speaking with me; who also showed me unto thee and said to thee: Bring him
hither unto me, for he is mine.

80 And when Peter heard this of the lad, he was strengthened yet more in soul by the help
of the Lord; and Peter said unto the people: Ye men of Rome, it is thus that the dead are
raised up, thus do they converse, thus do they arise and walk, and live so long time as
God willeth. Now therefore, ye that have come together unto the sight, if ye turn not from
these your evil ways, and from all your gods that are made with hands, and from all
uncleanness and concupiscence, (ye shall perish for ever: Turn ye therefore and) receive
fellowship with Christ, believing, that ye may obtain everlasting life. 81 XXIX. And in
the same hour they worshipped him as a God, falling down at his feet, and (brought) the
sick whom they had at home, that he might heal them. But the prefect seeing that so great
a multitude waited upon Peter, signified to Peter that he should withdraw himself: and
Peter told the people to come unto Marcellus' house. But the mother of the lad besought
Peter to set foot in her house. But Peter had appointed to be with Marcellus on the Lord's
day, to see the widows even as Marcellus had promised, to minister unto them with his own
hands. The lad therefore that was risen again said: I depart not from Peter. And his
mother, glad and rejoicing, went unto her own house. And on the next day after the sabbath
she came to Marcellus' house bringing unto Peter two thousand pieces of gold, and saying
unto Peter: Divide these among the virgins of Christ which serve him. But the lad that was
risen from the dead, when he saw that he had given nothing to any man, went home and
opened the press and himself offered four thousand pieces of gold, saying unto Peter: Lo,
I also which was raised, offer a double offering, and myself also from this day forward as
a speaking sacrifice unto God.

82 Here begins the original Greek text as preserved in one of our two manuscripts (that at
Mt. Athos). The second (Patmos) manuscript begins, as do the versions, at ch. xxxiii. The
Greek and not the Latin is followed in the translation. 83 XXX. Now on the Lord's day as
Peter discoursed unto the brethren and exhorted them unto the faith of Christ, there being
present many of the senate and many knights and rich women and matrons, and being
confirmed in the faith, one woman that was there, exceeding rich, which was surnamed
Chryse because every vessel of hers was of gold—for from her birth she never used a vessel
of silver or glass, but golden ones only—said unto Peter: Peter, thou servant of God, he
whom thou callest God appeared unto me in a dream and said: Chryse, carry thou unto Peter
my minister ten thousand pieces of gold; for thou owest them to him. I have therefore
brought them, fearing lest some harm should be done me by him that appeared unto me, which
also departed unto heaven. And so saying, she laid down the money and departed. And Peter
seeing it glorified the Lord, for that they that were in need should be refreshed.
Certain, therefore, of them that were there said unto him: Peter, hast thou not done ill
to receive the money of her? for she is ill spoken of throughout all Rome for fornication,
and because she keepeth not to one husband, yea, she even hath to do with the young men of
her house. Be not therefore a partner with the table of Chryse, but let that which came
from her be returned unto her. But Peter hearing it laughed and said to the brethren: What
this woman is in the rest of her way of life, I know not, but in that I have received this
money, I did it not foolishly; for she did pay it as a debtor unto Christ, and giveth it
unto the servants of Christ: for he himself hath provided for them.

84 XXXI. And they brought unto him also the sick on the sabbath, beseeching that they
might recover of their diseases. And many were healed that were sick of the palsy, and the
gout, and fevers tertian and quartan, and of every disease of the body were they healed,
believing in the name of Jesus Christ, and very many were added every day unto the grace
of the Lord. 85 But Simon the magician, after a few days were past, promised the multitude
to convict Peter that he believed not in the true God but was deceived. And when he did
many lying wonders, they that were firm in the faith derided him. For in dining-chambers
he made certain spirits enter in, which were only an appearance, and not existing in
truth. And what should I more say? though he had oft-times been convicted of sorcery, he
made lame men seem whole for a little space, and blind likewise, and once he appeared to
make many dead to live and move, as he did with Nicostratus (Gk. Stratonicus). But Peter
followed him throughout and convicted him always unto the beholders: and when he now made
a sorry figure and was derided by the people of Rome and disbelieved for that he never
succeeded in the things which he promised to perform, being in such a plight at last he
said to them: Men of Rome, ye think now that Peter hath prevailed over me, as more
powerful, and ye pay more heed to him: ye are deceived. For to-morrow I shall forsake you,
godless and impious that ye are, and fly up unto God whose Power I am, though I am become
weak. Whereas, then, ye have fallen, I am He that standeth, and I shall go up to my Father
and say unto him: Me also, even thy son that standeth, have they desired to pull down; but
I consented not unto them, and am returned back unto myself.

86 XXXII. And already on the morrow a great multitude assembled at the Sacred Way to see
him flying. And Peter came unto the place, having seen a vision (or, to see the sight),
that he might convict him in this also; for when Simon entered into Rome, he amazed the
multitudes by flying: but Peter that convicted him was then not yet living at Rome: which
city he thus deceived by illusion, so that some were carried away by him (amazed at him).
So then this man standing on an high place beheld Peter and began to say: Peter, at this
time when I am going up before all this people that behold me, I say unto thee: If thy God
is able, whom the Jews put to death, and stoned you that were chosen of him, let him show
that faith in him is faith in God, and let it appear at this time, if it be worthy of God.
For I, ascending up, will show myself unto all this multitude, who I am. And behold when
he was lifted up on high, and all beheld him raised up above all Rome and the temples
thereof and the mountains, the faithful looked toward Peter. And Peter seeing the
strangeness of the sight cried unto the Lord Jesus Christ: If thou suffer this man to
accomplish that which he hath set about, now will all they that have believed on thee be
offended, and the signs and wonders which thou hast given them through me will not be
believed: hasten thy grace, O Lord, and let him fall from the height and be disabled; and
let him not die but be brought to nought, and break his leg in three places. And he fell
from the height and brake his leg in three places. Then every man cast stones at him and
went away home, and thenceforth believed Peter.

87 But one of the friends of Simon came quickly out of the way (or arrived from a
journey), Gemellus by name, of whom Simon had received much money, having a Greek woman to
wife, and saw him that he had broken his leg, and said: O Simon, if the Power of God is
broken to pieces, shall not that God whose Power thou art, himself be blinded? Gemellus
therefore also ran and followed Peter, saying unto him: I also would be of them that
believe on Christ. And Peter said: Is there any that grudgeth it, my brother? come thou
and sit with us. But Simon in his affliction found some to carry him by night on a bed
from Rome unto Aricia; and he abode there a space, and was brought thence unto Terracina
to one Castor that was banished from Rome upon an accusation of sorcery. And there he was
sorely cut (Lat. by two physicians), and so Simon the angel of Satan came to his end.

88 [Here the Martyrdom proper begins in the Patmos MS. and the versions.] XXXIII. Now
Peter was in Rome rejoicing in the Lord with the brethren, and giving thanks night and day
for the multitude which was brought daily unto the holy name by the grace of the Lord. And
there were gathered also unto Peter the concubines of Agrippa the prefect, being four,
Agrippina and Nicaria and Euphemia and Doris; and they, hearing the word concerning
chastity and all the oracles of the Lord, were smitten in their souls, and agreeing
together to remain pure from the bed of Agrippa they were vexed by him. Now as Agrippa was
perplexed and grieved concerning them—and he loved them greatly—he observed and sent men
privily to see whither they went, and found that they went unto Peter. He said therefore
unto them when they returned: That Christian hath taught you to have no dealings with me:
know ye that I will both destroy you, and burn him alive. They, then, endured to suffer
all manner of evil at Agrippa's hand, if only they might not suffer the passion of love,
being strengthened by the might of Jesus.

89 XXXIV. And a certain woman which was exceeding beautiful, the wife of Albinus, Caesar's
friend, by name Xanthippe, came, she also, unto Peter, with the rest of the matrons, and
withdrew herself, she also, from Albinus. He therefore being mad, and loving Xanthippe,
and marvelling that she would not sleep even upon the same bed with him, raged like a wild
beast and would have dispatched Peter; for he knew that he was the cause of her separating
from his bed. Many other women also, loving the word of chastity, separated themselves
from their husbands, because they desired them to worship God in sobriety and cleanness.
And whereas there was great trouble in Rome, Albinus made known his state unto Agrippa,
saying to him: Either do thou avenge me of Peter that hath withdrawn my wife, or I will
avenge myself. And Agrippa said: I have suffered the same at his hand, for he hath
withdrawn my concubines. And Albinus said unto him: Why then tarriest thou, Agrippa? let
us find him and put him to death for a dealer in curious arts, that we may have our wives
again, and avenge them also which are not able to put him to death, whose wives also he
hath parted from them.

90 XXXV. And as they considered these things, Xanthippe took knowledge of the counsel of
her husband with Agrippa, and sent and showed Peter, that he might depart from Rome. And
the rest of the brethren, together with Marcellus, besought him to depart. But Peter said
unto them: Shall we be runaways, brethren? and they said to him: Nay, but that thou mayest
yet be able to serve the Lord. And he obeyed the brethren's voice and went forth alone,
saying: Let none of you come forth with me, but I will go forth alone, having changed the
fashion of mine apparel. And as he went forth of the city, he saw the Lord entering into
Rome. And when he saw him, he said: Lord, whither goest thou thus (or here)? And the Lord
said unto him: I go into Rome to be crucified. And Peter said unto him: Lord, art thou
(being) crucified again? He said unto him: Yea, Peter, I am (being) crucified again. And
Peter came to himself: and having beheld the Lord ascending up into heaven, he returned to
Rome, rejoicing, and glorifying the Lord, for that he said: I am being crucified: the
which was about to befall Peter.

91 XXXVI. He went up therefore again unto the brethren, and told them that which had been
seen by him: and they lamented in soul, weeping and saying: We beseech thee, Peter, take
thought for us that are young. And Peter said unto them: If it be the Lord's will, it
cometh to pass, even if we will it not; but for you, the Lord is able to stablish you in
his faith, and will found you therein and make you spread abroad, whom he himself hath
planted, that ye also may plant others through him. But I, so long as the Lord will that I
be in the flesh, resist not; and again if he take me to him I rejoice and am glad. And
while Peter thus spake, and all the brethren wept, behold four soldiers took him and led
him unto Agrippa. And he in his madness (disease) commanded him to be crucified on an
accusation of godlessness.

92 The whole multitude of the brethren therefore ran together, both of rich and poor,
orphans and widows, weak and strong, desiring to see and to rescue Peter, while the people
shouted with one voice, and would not be silenced: What wrong hath Peter done, O Agrippa?
Wherein hath he hurt thee? tell the Romans! And others said: We fear lest if this man die,
his Lord destroy us all. And Peter when he came unto the place stilled the people and
said: Ye men that are soldiers of Christ! ye men that hope in Christ! remember the signs
and wonders which ye have seen wrought through me, remember the compassion of God, how
many cures he hath wrought for you. Wait for him that cometh and shall reward every man
according to his doings. And now be ye not bitter against Agrippa; for he is the minister
of his father's working. And this cometh to pass at all events, for the Lord hath
manifested unto me that which befalleth. But why delay I and draw not near unto the cross?

93 XXXVII. And having approached and standing by the cross he began to say: O name of the
cross, thou hidden mystery! O grace ineffable that is pronounced in the name of the cross!
O nature of man, that cannot be separated from God! O love (friendship) unspeakable and
inseparable, that cannot be shown forth by unclean lips! I seize thee now, I that am at
the end of my delivery hence (or, of my coming hither). I will declare thee, what thou
art: I will not keep silence of the mystery of the cross which of old was shut and hidden
from my soul. Let not the cross be unto you which hope in Christ, this which appeareth:
for it is another thing, different from that which appeareth, even this passion which is
according to that of Christ. And now above all, because ye that can hear are able to hear
it of me, that am at the last and final hour of my life, hearken: Separate your souls from
every thing that is of the senses, from every thing that appeareth, and does not exist in
truth. Blind these eyes of yours, close these ears of yours, put away your doings that are
seen; and ye shall perceive that which concerneth Christ, and the whole mystery of your
salvation: and let thus much be said unto you that hear, as if it had not been spoken. But
now it is time for thee, Peter, to deliver up thy body unto them that take it. Receive it
then, ye unto whom it belongeth. I beseech you the executioners, crucify me thus, with the
head downward and not otherwise: and the reason wherefore, I will tell unto them that
hear.

94 XXXVIII. And when they had hanged him up after the manner he desired, he began again to
say: Ye men unto whom it belongeth to hear, hearken to that which I shall declare unto you
at this especial time as I hang here. Learn ye the mystery of all nature, and the
beginning of all things, what it was. For the first man, whose race I bear in mine
appearance (or, of the race of whom I bear the likeness), fell (was borne) head downwards,
and showed forth a manner of birth such as was not heretofore: for it was dead, having no
motion. He, then, being pulled down—who also cast his first state down upon the
earth—established this whole disposition of all things, being hanged up an image of the
creation (Gk. vocation) wherein he made the things of the right hand into left hand and
the left hand into right hand, and changed about all the marks of their nature, so that he
thought those things that were not fair to be fair, and those that were in truth evil, to
be good. Concerning which the Lord saith in a mystery: Unless ye make the things of the
right hand as those of the left, and those of the left as those of the right, and those
that are above as those below, and those that are behind as those that are before, ye
shall not have knowledge of the kingdom.

95 This thought, therefore, have I declared unto you; and the figure wherein ye now see me
hanging is the representation of that man that first came unto birth. Ye therefore, my
beloved, and ye that hear me and that shall hear, ought to cease from your former error
and return back again. For it is right to mount upon the cross of Christ, who is the word
stretched out, the one and only, of whom the spirit saith: For what else is Christ, but
the word, the sound of God? So that the word is the upright beam whereon I am crucified.
And the sound is that which crosseth it, the nature of man. And the nail which holdeth the
cross-tree unto the upright in the midst thereof is the conversion and repentance of man.
96 XXXIX. Now whereas thou hast made known and revealed these things unto me, O word of
life, called now by me wood (or, word called now by me the tree of life), I give thee
thanks, not with these lips that are nailed unto the cross, nor with this tongue by which
truth and falsehood issue forth, nor with this word which cometh forth by means of art
whose nature is material, but with that voice do I give thee thanks, O King, which is
perceived (understood) in silence, which is not heard openly, which proceedeth not forth
by organs of the body, which goeth not into ears of flesh, which is not heard of
corruptible substance, which existeth not in the world, neither is sent forth upon earth,
nor written in books, which is owned by one and not by another: but with this, O Jesu
Christ, do I give thee thanks, with the silence of a voice, wherewith the spirit that is
in me loveth thee, speaketh unto thee, seeth thee, and beseecheth thee. Thou art perceived
of the spirit only, thou art unto me father, thou my mother, thou my brother, thou my
friend, thou my bondsman, thou my steward: thou art the All and the All is in thee: and
thou Art, and there is nought else that IS save thee only.

97 Unto him therefore do ye also, brethren, flee, and if ye learn that in him alone ye
exist, ye shall obtain those things whereof he saith unto you: 'which neither eye hath
seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man.' We ask, therefore,
for that which thou hast promised to give unto us, O thou undefiled Jesu. We praise thee,
we give thee thanks, and confess to thee, glorifying thee, even we men that are yet
without strength, for thou art God alone, and none other: to whom be glory now and unto
all ages. Amen. XL. And when the multitude that stood by pronounced the Amen with a great
sound, together with the Amen Peter gave up his spirit unto the Lord. And Marcellus not
asking leave of any, for it was not possible, when he saw that Peter had given up the
ghost, took him down from the cross with his own hands and washed him in milk and wine:
and cut fine seven minae of mastic, and of myrrh and aloes and Indian leaf other fifty,
and perfumed (embalmed) his body and filled a coffin of marble of great price with Attic
honey and laid it in his own tomb.

98 But Peter by night appeared unto Marcellus and said: Marcellus, hast thou heard that
the Lord saith: Let the dead be buried of their own dead? And when Marcellus said: Yea,
Peter said to him: That, then, which thou hast spent on the dead, thou hast lost: for thou
being alive hast like a dead man cared for the dead. And Marcellus awoke and told the
brethren of the appearing of Peter: and he was with them that had been stablished in the
faith of Christ by Peter, himself also being stablished yet more until the coming of Paul
unto Rome. XLI. [This last chapter, and the last sentence of XL, are thought by Vouaux to
be an addition by the author of i-iii, in other words by the compiler of the Greek
original of the Vercelli Acts.] But Nero, learning thereafter that Peter was departed out
of this life, blamed the prefect Agrippa, because he had been put to death without his
knowledge; for he desired to punish him more sorely and with greater torment, because
Peter had made disciples of certain of them that served him, and had caused them to depart
from him: so that he was very wrathful and for a long season spake not unto Agrippa: for
he sought to destroy all them that had been made disciples by Peter. And he beheld by
night one that scourged him and said unto him: Nero, thou canst not now persecute nor
destroy the servants of Christ: refrain therefore thine hands from them. And so Nero,
being greatly affrighted by such a vision, abstained from harming the disciples at that
time when Peter also departed this life.

99 And thenceforth the brethren were rejoicing with one mind and exulting in the Lord,
glorifying the God and Saviour (Father?) of our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost,
unto whom be glory, world without end. Amen.


THE ACTS OF ANDREW
==================

THE ACTS OF ANDREW Translated by M. R. James

c. AD 150–200

Andrew’s travels and his martyrdom on the cross at Patras, in James’s English drawn from
the Greek and Latin martyrdom, the epitome by Gregory of Tours and the Coptic fragments.

We have no ancient record of the length of this book, as we had in the cases of John,
Paul, and Peter (but I suspect it was the most prolix of all the five), and we have fewer
relics of the original text than for those. We have, however, a kind of abstract of the
whole, written in Latin by Gregory of Tours: and there are Greek Encomia of the apostle
which also help to the reconstruction of the story. The Martyrdom (as in other cases)
exists separately, in many texts. Max Bonnet has established the relations of these to
each other: and J. Flamion has made a most careful study of all the fragments. The best
specimen of the original text which we have is a fragment preserved in a Vatican MS.,
tenth-eleventh centuries, containing discourses of Andrew shortly before his passion.
There are also a few ancient quotations.

These Acts may be the latest of the five leading apostolic romances. They belong to the
third century: c. A. D. 260? It was formerly thought that the Acts of Andrew and Matthias
(Matthew) were an episode of the original romance: but this view has ceased to be held.
That legend is akin to the later Egyptian romances about the apostles of which an immense
number were produced in the fifth and later centuries. An abstract of them will be given
in due course. The epitome by Gregory of Tours is considered by Flamion to give on the
whole the best idea of the contents of the original Acts. The latest edition of it is that
by M. Bonnet in the Monumenta Germaniae Historica (Greg. Turon. II. 821–47). The greater
part appears as Lib. III of the Historia Apostolica of (Pseudo-)Abdias, in a text much
altered, it seems, in the sixteenth century by Wolfgang Lazius: reprinted in Fabrius' Cod.
Apocr. N. T.

Gregory's prologue is as follows: The famous triumphs of the apostles are, I believe, not
unknown to any of the faithful, for some of them are taught us in the pages of the gospel,
others are related in the Acts of the Apostles, and about some of them books exist in
which the actions of each apostle are recorded; yet of the more part we have nothing but
their Passions in writing. Now I have come upon a book on the miracles (virtues, great
deeds) of St. Andrew the apostle, which, because of its excessive verbosity, was called by
some apocryphal. And of this I thought good to extract and set out the 'virtues' only,
omitting all that bred weariness, and so include the wonderful miracles within the compass
of one small volume, which might both please the reader and ward off the spite of the
adverse critic: for it is not the multitude of words, but the soundness of reason and the
purity of mind that produce unblemished faith.

1 After the Ascension the apostles dispersed to preach in various countries. Andrew began
in the province of Achaia, but Matthew went to the city of Mermidona. (The rest of 1 and
the whole of 2 give a short abstract of the Acts of Andrew and Matthew which Gregory
either found prefixed to his copy of the Acts of Andrew, or thought himself obliged to
notice, because of the popularity of the story.) 2 Andrew left Mermidona and came back to
his own allotted district. Walking with his disciples he met a blind man who said:
'Andrew, apostle of Christ, I know you can restore my sight, but I do not wish for that:
only bid those with you to give me enough money to clothe and feed myself decently.'
Andrew said: 'This is the devil's voice, who will not allow the man to recover his sight.'
He touched his eyes and healed him. Then, as he had but a vile rough garment, Andrew said:
'Take the filthy garment off him and clothe him afresh.' All were ready to strip
themselves, and Andrew said: 'Let him have what will suffice him.' He returned home
thankful.

3 Demetrius of Amasea had an Egyptian boy of whom he was very fond, who died of a fever.
Demetrius hearing of Andrew's miracles, came, fell at his feet, and besought help. Andrew
pitied him, came to the house, held a very long discourse, turned to the bier, raised the
boy, and restored him to his master. All believed and were baptized. 4 A Christian lad
named Sostratus came to Andrew privately and told him: 'My mother cherishes a guilty
passion for me: I have repulsed her, and she has gone to the proconsul to throw the guilt
on me. I would rather die than expose her.' The officers came to fetch the boy, and Andrew
prayed and went with him. The mother accused him. The proconsul bade him defend himself.
He was silent, and so continued, until the proconsul retired to take counsel. The mother
began to weep. Andrew said: 'Unhappy woman, that dost not fear to cast thine own guilt on
thy son.' She said to the proconsul: 'Ever since my son entertained his wicked wish he has
been in constant company with this man.' The proconsul was enraged, ordered the lad to be
sewn into the leather bag of parricides and drowned in the river, and Andrew to be
imprisoned till his punishment should be devised. Andrew prayed, there was an earthquake,
the proconsul fell from his seat, every one was prostrated, and the mother withered up and
died. The proconsul fell at Andrew's feet praying for mercy. The earthquake and thunder
ceased, and he healed those who had been hurt. The proconsul and his house were baptized.

5 The son of Cratinus (Gratinus) of Sinope bathed in the women's bath and was seized by a
demon. Cratinus wrote to Andrew for help: he himself had a fever and his wife dropsy.
Andrew went there in a vehicle. The boy tormented by the evil spirit fell at his feet. He
bade it depart and so it did, with outcries. He then went to Cratinus' bed and told him he
well deserved to suffer because of his loose life, and bade him rise and sin no more. He
was healed. The wife was rebuked for her infidelity. 'If she is to return to her former
sin, let her not now be healed: if she can keep from it, let her be healed.' The water
broke out of her body and she was cured. The apostle brake bread and gave it her. She
thanked God, believed with all her house, and relapsed no more into sin. Cratinus
afterwards sent Andrew great gifts by his servants, and then, with his wife, asked him in
person to accept them, but he refused saying: 'It is rather for you to give them to the
needy.'

6 After this he went to Nicaea where were seven devils living among the tombs by the
wayside, who at noon stoned passers-by and had killed many. And all the city came out to
meet Andrew with olive branches, crying: 'Our salvation is in thee, O man of God.' When
they had told him all, he said: 'If you believe in Christ you shall be freed.' They cried:
'We will.' He thanked God and commanded the demons to appear; they came in the form of
dogs. Said he: 'These are your enemies: if you profess your belief that I can drive them
out in Jesus' name, I will do so.' They cried out: 'We believe that Jesus Christ whom thou
preachest is the Son of God.' Then he bade the demons go into dry and barren places and
hurt no man till the last day. They roared and vanished. The apostle baptized the people
and made Callistus bishop.

7 At the gate of Nicomedia he met a dead man borne on a bier, and his old father supported
by slaves, hardly able to walk, and his old mother with hair torn, bewailing. 'How has it
happened?' he asked. 'He was alone in his chamber and seven dogs rushed on him and killed
him.' Andrew sighed and said: 'This is an ambush of the demons I banished from Nicaea.
What will you do, father, if I restore your son?' 'I have nothing more precious than him,
I will give him.' He prayed: 'Let the spirit of this lad return.' The faithful responded,
'Amen'. Andrew bade the lad rise, and he rose, and all cried: 'Great is the God of
Andrew.' The parents offered great gifts which he refused, but took the lad to Macedonia,
instructing him. 8 Embarking in a ship he sailed into the Hellespont, on the way to
Byzantium. There was a great storm. Andrew prayed and there was calm. They reached
Byzantium.

9 Thence proceeding through Thrace they met a troop of armed men who made as if to fall on
them. Andrew made the sign of the cross against them, and prayed that they might be made
powerless. A bright angel touched their swords and they all fell down, and Andrew and his
company passed by while they worshipped him. And the angel departed in a great light. 10
At Perinthus he found a ship going to Macedonia, and an angel told him to go on board. As
he preached the captain and the rest heard and were converted, and Andrew glorified God
for making himself known on the sea. 11 At Philippi were two brothers, one of whom had two
sons, the other two daughters. They were rich and noble, and said: 'There is no family as
good as ours in the place: let us marry our sons to our daughters.' It was agreed and the
earnest paid by the father of the sons. On the wedding-day a word from God came to them:
'Wait till my servant Andrew comes: he will tell you what you should do.' All preparations
had been made, and guests bidden, but they waited. On the third day Andrew came: 'they
went out to meet him with wreaths and told him how they had been charged to wait for him,
and how things stood. His face was shining so that they marvelled at him. He said: Do not,
my children, be deceived: rather repent, for you have sinned in thinking to join together
those who are near of kin. We do not forbid or shun marriage [this cannot be the author's
original sentiment: it is contradicted by all that we know of the Acts]. It is a divine
institution: but we condemn incestuous unions.' The parents were troubled and prayed for
pardon. The young people saw Andrew's face like that of an angel, and said: 'We are sure
that your teaching is true.' The apostle blessed them and departed.

12 At Thessalonica was a rich noble youth, Exoös, who came without his parents' knowledge
and asked to be shown the way of truth. He was taught, and believed, and followed Andrew,
taking no care of his worldly estate. The parents heard that he was at Philippi and tried
to bribe him with gifts to leave Andrew. He said: 'Would that you had not these riches,
then would you know the true God, and escape his wrath.' Andrew, too, came down from the
third storey and preached to them, but in vain: he retired and shut the doors of the
house. They gathered a band and came to burn the house, saying: 'Death to the son who has
forsaken his parents': and brought torches, reeds, and faggots, and set the house on fire.
It blazed up. Exoös took a bottle of water and prayed: 'Lord Jesu Christ, in whose hand is
the nature of all the elements, who moistenest the dry and driest the moist, coolest the
hot and kindlest the quenched, put out this fire that thy servants may not grow evil, but
be more enkindled unto faith.' He sprinkled the flames and they died. 'He is become a
sorcerer,' said the parents, and got ladders, to climb up and kill them, but God blinded
them. They remained obstinate, but one Lysimachus, a citizen, said: 'Why persevere? God is
fighting for these.

Desist, lest heavenly fire consume you.' They were touched, and said: 'This is the true
God.' It was now night, but a light shone out, and they received sight. They went up and
fell before Andrew and asked pardon, and their repentance made Lysimachus say: 'Truly
Christ whom Andrew preaches is the Son of God.' All were converted except the youth's
parents, who cursed him and went home again, leaving all their money to public uses. Fifty
days after they suddenly died, and the citizens, who loved the youth, returned the
property to him. He did not leave Andrew, but spent his income on the poor. 13 The youth
asked Andrew to go with him to Thessalonica. All assembled in the theatre, glad to see
their favourite. The youth preached to them, Andrew remaining silent, and all wondered at
his wisdom. The people cried out: 'Save the son of Carpianus who is ill, and we will
believe.' Carpianus went to his house and said to the boy: 'You shall be cured to-day,
Adimantus.' He said: 'Then my dream is come true: I saw this man in a vision healing me.'
He rose up, dressed, and ran to the theatre, outstripping his father, and fell at Andrew's
feet. The people seeing him walk after twenty-three years, cried: 'There is none like the
God of Andrew.' 14 A citizen had a son possessed by an unclean spirit and asked for his
cure. The demon, foreseeing that he would be cast out, took the son aside into a chamber
and made him hang himself. The father said: 'Bring him to the theatre: I believe this
stranger is able to raise him.' He said the same to Andrew. Andrew said to the people:
'What will it profit you if you see this accomplished and do not believe?' They said:
'Fear not, we will believe.' The lad was raised and they said: 'It is enough, we do
believe.' And they escorted Andrew to the house with torches and lamps, for it was night,
and he taught them for three days.

15 Medias of Philippi came and prayed for his sick son. Andrew wiped his cheeks and
stroked his head, saying: 'Be comforted, only believe,' and went with him to Philippi. As
they entered the city an old man met them and entreated for his sons, whom for an
unspeakable crime Medias had imprisoned, and they were putrefied with sores. Andrew said:
'How can you ask help for your son when you keep these men bound? Loose their chains
first, for your unkindness obstructs my prayers.' Medias, penitent, said: 'I will loose
these two and seven others of whom you have not been told.' They were brought, tended for
three days, cured, and freed. Then the apostle healed the son, Philomedes, who had been
ill twenty-two years. The people cried: 'Heal our sick as well.' Andrew told Philomedes to
visit them in their houses and bid them rise in the name of Jesus Christ, by which he had
himself been healed. This was done, and all believed and offered gifts, which Andrew did
not accept.

16 A citizen, Nicolaus, offered a gilt chariot and four white mules and four white horses
as his most precious possession for the cure of his daughter. Andrew smiled. 'I accept
your gifts, but not these visible ones: if you offer this for your daughter, what will you
for your soul? That is what I desire of you, that the inner man may recognize the true
God, reject earthly things and desire eternal...' He persuaded all to forsake their idols,
and healed the girl. His fame went through all Macedonia. 17 Next day as he taught, a
youth cried out: 'What hast thou to do with us. Art thou come to turn us out of our own
place?' Andrew summoned him: 'What is your work?' 'I have dwelt in this boy from his youth
and thought never to leave him: but three days since I heard his father say, "I shall go
to Andrew": and now I fear the torments thou bringest us and I shall depart.' The spirit
left the boy. And many came and asked: 'In whose name dost thou cure our sick?'

Philosophers also came and disputed with him, and no one could resist his teaching. 18 At
this time, one who opposed him went to the proconsul Virinus and said: 'A man is arisen in
Thessalonica who says the temples should be destroyed and ceremonies done away, and all
the ancient law abolished, and one God worshipped, whose servant he says he is.' The
proconsul sent soldiers and knights to fetch Andrew. They found his dwelling: when they
entered, his face so shone that they fell down in fear. Andrew told those present the
proconsul's purpose. The people armed themselves against the soldiers, but Andrew stopped
them. The proconsul arrived; not finding Andrew in the appointed place, he raged like a
lion and sent twenty more men. They, on arrival, were confounded and said nothing. The
proconsul sent a large troop to bring him by force. Andrew said: 'Have you come for me?'
'Yes, if you are the sorcerer who says the gods ought not to be worshipped.' 'I am no
sorcerer, but the apostle of Jesus Christ whom I preach.' At this, one of the soldiers
drew his sword and cried: 'What have I to do with thee, Virinus, that thou sendest me to
one who can not only cast me out of this vessel, but burn me by his power? Would that you
would come yourself! you would do him no harm.' And the devil went out of the soldier and
he fell dead.

On this came the proconsul and stood before Andrew but could not see him. 'I am he whom
thou seekest.' His eyes were opened, and he said in anger: 'What is this madness, that
thou despisest us and our officers? Thou art certainly a sorcerer. Now will I throw thee
to the beasts for contempt of our gods and us, and we shall see if the crucified whom thou
preachest will help thee.' Andrew: 'Thou must believe, proconsul, in the true God and his
Son whom he hath sent, specially now that one of thy men is dead.' And after long prayer
he touched the soldier: 'Rise up: my God Jesus Christ raiseth thee.' He arose and stood
whole. The people cried: 'Glory be to our God.' The proconsul: 'Believe not, O people,
believe not the sorcerer.' They said: 'This is no sorcery but sound and true teaching.'
The proconsul: 'I shall throw this man to the beasts and write about you to Caesar, that
ye may perish for contemning his laws.' They would have stoned him, and said: 'Write to
Caesar that the Macedonians have received the word of God, and forsaking their idols,
worship the true God.'

Then the proconsul in wrath retired to the praetorium, and in the morning brought beasts
to the stadium and had the apostle dragged thither by the hair and beaten with clubs.
First they sent in a fierce boar who went about him thrice and touched him not. The people
praised God. A bull led by thirty soldiers and incited by two hunters, did not touch
Andrew but tore the hunters to pieces, roared, and fell dead. 'Christ is the true God,'
said the people. An angel was seen to descend and strengthen the apostle. The proconsul in
rage sent in a fierce leopard, which left every one alone but seized and strangled the
proconsul's son; but Virinus was so angry that he said nothing of it nor cared. Andrew
said to the people: 'Recognize now that this is the true God, whose power subdues the
beasts, though Virinus knows him not. But that ye may believe the more, I will raise the
dead son, and confound the foolish father.' After long prayer, he raised him. The people
would have slain Virinus, but Andrew restrained them, and Virinus went to the praetorium,
confounded.

19 After this a youth who followed the apostle sent for his mother to meet Andrew. She
came, and after being instructed, begged him to come to their house, which was devastated
by a great serpent. As Andrew approached, it hissed loudly and with raised head came to
meet him; it was fifty cubits long: every one fell down in fear. Andrew said: 'Hide thy
head, foul one, which thou didst raise in the beginning for the hurt of mankind, and obey
the servants of God, and die.' The serpent roared, and coiled about a great oak near by
and vomited poison and blood and died. Andrew went to the woman's farm, where a child
killed by the serpent lay dead. He said to the parents: 'Our God who would have you saved
hath sent me here that you may believe on him. Go and see the slayer slain.' They said:
'We care not so much for the child's death, if we be avenged.' They went, and Andrew said
to the proconsul's wife (her conversion has been omitted by Gregory): 'Go and raise the
boy.' She went, nothing doubting, and said: 'In the name of my God Jesus Christ, rise up
whole.' The parents returned and found their child alive, and fell at Andrew's feet.

20 On the next night he saw a vision which he related. 'Hearken, beloved, to my vision. I
beheld, and lo, a great mountain raised up on high, which had on it nothing earthly, but
only shone with such light, that it seemed to enlighten all the world. And lo, there stood
by me my beloved brethren the apostles Peter and John; and John reached his hand to Peter
and raised him to the top of the mount, and turned to me and asked me to go up after
Peter, saying: "Andrew, thou art to drink Peter's cup." And he stretched out his hands and
said: "Draw near to me and stretch out thy hands so as to join them unto mine, and put thy
head by my head." When I did so I found myself shorter than John. After that he said to
me: "Wouldst thou know the image of that which thou seest, and who it is that speaketh to
thee?" and I said: "I desire to know it." And he said to me: "I am the word of the cross
whereon thou shalt hang shortly, for his name's sake whom thou preachest." And many other
things said he unto me, of which I must now say nothing, but they shall be declared when I
come unto the sacrifice. But now let all assemble that have received the word of God, and
let me commend them unto the Lord Jesus Christ, that he may vouchsafe to keep them
unblemished in his teaching. For I am now being loosed from the body, and go unto that
promise which he hath vouchsafed to promise me, who is the Lord of heaven and earth, the
Son of God Almighty, very God with the Holy Ghost, continuing for everlasting ages.'

(I feel sure that John in the latter part of this vision has been substituted by Gregory
for Jesus. The echoes of the Acts of John and of Peter are very evident here.) All the
brethren wept and smote their faces. When all were gathered, Andrew said: 'Know, beloved,
that I am about to leave you, but I trust in Jesus whose word I preach, that he will keep
you from evil, that this harvest which I have sown among you may not be plucked up by the
enemy, that is, the knowledge and teaching of my Lord Jesus Christ. But do ye pray always
and stand firm in the faith, that the Lord may root out all tares of offence and vouchsafe
to gather you into his heavenly garner as pure wheat.' So for five days he taught and
confirmed them: then he spread his hands and prayed: 'Keep, I beseech thee, O Lord, this
flock which hath now known thy salvation, that the wicked one may not prevail against it,
but that what by thy command and my means it hath received, it may be able to preserve
inviolate for ever.' And all responded 'Amen'. He took bread, brake it with thanksgiving,
gave it to all, saying: 'Receive the grace which Christ our Lord God giveth you by me his
servant.' He kissed every one and commended them to the Lord, and departed to
Thessalonica, and after teaching there two days, he left them.

21 Many faithful from Macedonia accompanied him in two ships. And all were desirous of
being on Andrew's ship, to hear him. He said: 'I know your wish, but this ship is too
small. Let the servants and baggage go in the larger ship, and you with me in this.' He
gave them Anthimus to comfort them, and bade them go into another ship which he ordered to
keep always near... that they might see him and hear the word of God. (This is a little
confused.) And as he slept a little, one fell overboard. Anthimus roused him, saying:
'Help us, good master; one of thy servants perisheth.' He rebuked the wind, there was a
calm, and the man was borne by the waves to the ship. Anthimus helped him on board and all
marvelled. On the twelfth day they reached Patrae in Achaia, disembarked, and went to an
inn.

22 Many asked him to lodge with them, but he said he could only go where God bade him.
That night he had no revelation, and the next night, being distressed at this, he heard a
voice saying: 'Andrew, I am alway with thee and forsake thee not,' and was glad. Lesbius
the proconsul was told in a vision to take him in, and sent a messenger for him. He came,
and entering the proconsul's chamber found him lying as dead with closed eyes; he struck
him on the side and said: 'Rise and tell us what hath befallen thee.' Lesbius said: 'I
abominated the way which you teach, and sent soldiers in ships to the proconsul of
Macedonia to send you bound to me, but they were wrecked and could not reach their
destination. As I continued in my purpose of destroying your Way, two black men (Ethiopes)
appeared and scourged me, saying: "We can no longer prevail here, for the man is coming
whom you mean to persecute. So to-night, while we still have the power, we will avenge
ourselves on you." And they beat me sorely and left me. But now do you pray that I may be
pardoned and healed.' Andrew preached the word and all believed, and the proconsul was
healed and confirmed in the faith.

23 Now Trophima, once the proconsul's mistress, and now married to another, left her
husband and clave to Andrew. Her husband came to her lady (Lesbius' wife) and said she was
renewing her liaison with the proconsul. The wife, enraged, said: 'This is why my husband
has left me these six months.' She called her steward (procurator) and had Trophima
sentenced as a prostitute and sent to the brothel. Lesbius knew nothing, and was deceived
by his wife, when he asked about her. Trophima in the brothel prayed continually, and had
the Gospel on her bosom, and no one could approach her. One day one offered her violence,
and the Gospel fell to the ground. She cried to God for help and an angel came, and the
youth fell dead. After that, she raised him, and all the city ran to the sight. Lesbius'
wife went to the bath with the steward, and as they bathed an ugly demon came and killed
them both. Andrew heard and said: 'It is the judgement of God for their usage of
Trophima.' The lady's nurse, decrepit from age, was carried to the spot, and supplicated
for her. Andrew said to Lesbius: 'Will you have her raised?' 'No, after all the ill she
has done.' 'We ought not to be unmerciful.' Lesbius went to the praetorium; Andrew raised
his wife, who remained shamefaced: he bade her go home and pray. 'First', she said,
'reconcile me to go up after Peter, saying: "Andrew, thou art to drink Peter's cup." And
he stretched out his hands and said: "Draw near to me and stretch out thy hands so as to
join them unto mine, and put thy head by my head." When I did so I found myself shorter
than John. After that he said to me: "Wouldst thou know the image of that which thou
seest, and who it is that speaketh to thee?" and I said: "I desire to know it." And he
said to me: "I am the word of the cross whereon thou shalt hang shortly, for his name's
sake whom thou preachest." And many other things said he unto me, of which I must now say
nothing, but they shall be declared when I come unto the sacrifice. But now let all
assemble that have received the word of God, and let me commend them unto the Lord Jesus
Christ, that he may vouchsafe to keep them unblemished in his teaching. For I am now being
loosed from the body, and go unto that promise which he hath vouchsafed to promise me, who
is the Lord of heaven and earth, the Son of God Almighty, very God with the Holy Ghost,
continuing for everlasting ages.'

(I feel sure that John in the latter part of this vision has been substituted by Gregory
for Jesus. The echoes of the Acts of John and of Peter are very evident here.) All the
brethren wept and smote their faces. When all were gathered, Andrew said: 'Know, beloved,
that I am about to leave you, but I trust in Jesus whose word I preach, that he will keep
you from evil, that this harvest which I have sown among you may not be plucked up by the
enemy, that is, the knowledge and teaching of my Lord Jesus Christ. But do ye pray always
and stand firm in the faith, that the Lord may root out all tares of offence and vouchsafe
to gather you into his heavenly garner as pure wheat.' So for five days he taught and
confirmed them: then he spread his hands and prayed: 'Keep, I beseech thee, O Lord, this
flock which hath now known thy salvation, that the wicked one may not prevail against it,
but that what by thy command and my means it hath received, it may be able to preserve
inviolate for ever.' And all responded 'Amen'. He took bread, brake it with thanksgiving,
gave it to all, saying: 'Receive the grace which Christ our Lord God giveth you by me his
servant.' He kissed every one and commended them to the Lord, and departed to
Thessalonica, and after teaching there two days, he left them.

21 Many faithful from Macedonia accompanied him in two ships. And all were desirous of
being on Andrew's ship, to hear him. He said: 'I know your wish, but this ship is too
small. Let the servants and baggage go in the larger ship, and you with me in this.' He
gave them Anthimus to comfort them, and bade them go into another ship which he ordered to
keep always near... that they might see him and hear the word of God. (This is a little
confused.) And as he slept a little, one fell overboard. Anthimus roused him, saying:
'Help us, good master; one of thy servants perisheth.' He rebuked the wind, there was a
calm, and the man was borne by the waves to the ship. Anthimus helped him on board and all
marvelled. On the twelfth day they reached Patrae in Achaia, disembarked, and went to an
inn.

22 Many asked him to lodge with them, but he said he could only go where God bade him.
That night he had no revelation, and the next night, being distressed at this, he heard a
voice saying: 'Andrew, I am alway with thee and forsake thee not,' and was glad. Lesbius
the proconsul was told in a vision to take him in, and sent a messenger for him. He came,
and entering the proconsul's chamber found him lying as dead with closed eyes; he struck
him on the side and said: 'Rise and tell us what hath befallen thee.' Lesbius said: 'I
abominated the way which you teach, and sent soldiers in ships to the proconsul of
Macedonia to send you bound to me, but they were wrecked and could not reach their
destination. As I continued in my purpose of destroying your Way, two black men (Ethiopes)
appeared and scourged me, saying: "We can no longer prevail here, for the man is coming
whom you mean to persecute. So to-night, while we still have the power, we will avenge
ourselves on you." And they beat me sorely and left me. But now do you pray that I may be
pardoned and healed.' Andrew preached the word and all believed, and the proconsul was
healed and confirmed in the faith.

23 Now Trophima, once the proconsul's mistress, and now married to another, left her
husband and clave to Andrew. Her husband came to her lady (Lesbius' wife) and said she was
renewing her liaison with the proconsul. The wife, enraged, said: 'This is why my husband
has left me these six months.' She called her steward (procurator) and had Trophima
sentenced as a prostitute and sent to the brothel. Lesbius knew nothing, and was deceived
by his wife, when he asked about her. Trophima in the brothel prayed continually, and had
the Gospel on her bosom, and no one could approach her. One day one offered her violence,
and the Gospel fell to the ground. She cried to God for help and an angel came, and the
youth fell dead. After that, she raised him, and all the city ran to the sight. Lesbius'
wife went to the bath with the steward, and as they bathed an ugly demon came and killed
them both. Andrew heard and said: 'It is the judgement of God for their usage of
Trophima.' The lady's nurse, decrepit from age, was carried to the spot, and supplicated
for her. Andrew said to Lesbius: 'Will you have her raised?' 'No, after all the ill she
has done.' 'We ought not to be unmerciful.' Lesbius went to the praetorium; Andrew raised
his wife, who remained shamefaced: he bade her go home and pray. 'First', she said,
'reconcile me to Trophima whom I have injured.' 'She bears you no malice.' He called her
and they were reconciled. Callisto was the wife.

Lesbius, growing in faith, came one day to Andrew and confessed all his sins. Andrew said:
'I thank God, my son, that thou fearest the judgement to come. Be strong in the Lord in
whom thou believest.' And he took his hand and walked with him on the shore. 24 They sat
down, with others, on the sand, and he taught. A corpse was thrown up by the sea near
them. 'We must learn', said Andrew, 'what the enemy has done to him.' So he raised him,
gave him a garment, and bade him tell his story. He said: 'I am the son of Sostratus, of
Macedonia, lately come from Italy. On returning home I heard of a new teaching, and set
forth to find out about it. On the way here we were wrecked and all drowned.' And after
some thought, he realized that Andrew was the man he sought, and fell at his feet and
said: 'I know that thou art the servant of the true God. I beseech thee for my companions,
that they also may be raised and know him.' Then Andrew instructed him, and thereafter
prayed God to show the bodies of the other drowned men: thirty-nine were washed ashore,
and all there prayed for them to be raised. Philopator, the youth, said: 'My father sent
me here with a great sum. Now he is blaspheming God and his teaching. Let it not be so.'
Andrew ordered the bodies to be collected, and said: 'Whom will you have raised first?' He
said: 'Warus my foster-brother.' So he was first raised and then the other thirty-eight.
Andrew prayed over each, and then told the brethren each to take the hand of one and say:
'Jesus Christ the son of the living God raiseth thee.'

Lesbius gave much money to Philopator to replace what he had lost, and he abode with
Andrew. 25 A woman, Calliopa, married to a murderer, had an illegitimate child and
suffered in travail. She told her sister to call on Diana for help; when she did so the
devil appeared to her at night and said: 'Why do you trouble me with vain prayers? Go to
Andrew in Achaia.' She came, and he accompanied her to Corinth, Lesbius with him. Andrew
said to Calliopa: 'You deserve to suffer for your evil life: but believe in Christ, and
you will be relieved, but the child will be born dead.' And so it was. 26 Andrew did many
signs in Corinth. Sostratus the father of Philopator, warned in a vision to visit Andrew,
came first to Achaia and then to Corinth. He met Andrew walking with Lesbius, recognized
him by his vision, and fell at his feet. Philopator said: 'This is my father, who seeks to
know what he must do.' Andrew: 'I know that he is come to learn the truth; we thank God
who reveals himself to believers.' Leontius the servant of Sostratus, said to him: 'Seest
thou, sir, how this man's face shineth?' 'I see, my beloved,' said Sostratus; 'let us
never leave him, but live with him and hear the words of eternal life.' Next day they
offered Andrew many gifts, but he said: 'It is not for me to take aught of you but your
own selves. Had I desired money, Lesbius is richer.'

27 After some days he bade them prepare him a bath; and going there saw an old man with a
devil, trembling exceedingly. As he wondered at him, another, a youth, came out of the
bath and fell at his feet, saying: 'What have we to do with thee, Andrew? Hast thou come
here to turn us out of our abodes?' Andrew said to the people: 'Fear not,' and drove out
both the devils. Then, as he bathed, he told them: 'The enemy of mankind lies in wait
everywhere, in baths and in rivers; therefore we ought always to invoke the Lord's name,
that he may have no power over us.' They brought their sick to him to be healed, and so
they did from other cities. 28 An old man, Nicolaus, came with clothes rent and said: 'I
am seventy-four years old and have always been a libertine. Three days ago I heard of your
miracles and teaching. I thought I would turn over a new leaf, and then again that I would
not. In this doubt, I took a Gospel and prayed God to make me forget my old devices. A few
days after, I forgot the Gospel I had about me, and went to the brothel. The woman said:
"Depart, old man, depart: thou art an angel of God, touch me not nor approach me, for I
see in thee a great mystery." Then I remembered the Gospel, and am come to you for help
and pardon.' Andrew discoursed long against incontinence, and prayed from the sixth to the
ninth hour. He rose and washed his face and said: 'I will not eat till I know if God will
have mercy on this man.' A second day he fasted, but had no revelation until the fifth
day, when he wept vehemently and said: 'Lord, we obtain mercy for the dead, and now this
man that desireth to know thy greatness, wherefore should he not return and thou heal
him?' A voice from heaven said: 'Thou hast prevailed for the old man; but like as thou art
worn with fasting, let him also fast, that he may be saved.' And he called him and
preached abstinence. On the sixth day he asked the brethren all to pray for Nicolaus, and
they did. Andrew then took food and permitted the rest to eat. Nicolaus went home, gave
away all his goods, and lived for six months on dry bread and water. Then he died. Andrew
was not there, but in the place where he was he heard a voice: 'Andrew, Nicolaus for whom
thou didst intercede, is become mine.' And he told the brethren that Nicolaus was dead,
and prayed that he might rest in peace.

29 And while he abode in that place (probably Lacedaemon) Antiphanes of Megara came and
said: 'If there be in thee any kindness, according to the command of the Saviour whom thou
preachest, show it now.' Asked what his story was, he told it. 'Returning from a journey,
I heard the porter of my house crying out. They told me that he and his wife and son were
tormented of a devil. I went upstairs and found other servants gnashing their teeth,
running at me, and laughing madly. I went further up and found they had beaten my wife:
she lay with her hair over her face unable to recognize me. Cure her, and I care nothing
for the others.' Andrew said: 'There is no respect of persons with God. Let us go there.'
They went from Lacedaemon to Megara, and when they entered the house, all the devils cried
out: 'What dost thou here, Andrew? Go where thou art permitted: this house is ours.' He
healed the wife and all the possessed persons, and Antiphanes and his wife became firm
adherents.

30 He returned to Patrae where Egeas was now proconsul, and one Iphidamia, who had been
converted by a disciple, Sosias, came and embraced his feet and said: 'My lady Maximilla
who is in a fever has sent for you. The proconsul is standing by her bed with his sword
drawn, meaning to kill himself when she expires.' He went to her, and said to Egeas: 'Do
thyself no harm, but put up thy sword into his place. There will be a time when thou wilt
draw it on me.' Egeas did not understand, but made way. Andrew took Maximilla's hand, she
broke into a sweat, and was well: he bade them give her food. The proconsul sent him 100
pieces of silver, but he would not look at them. 31 Going thence he saw a sick man lying
in the dirt begging, and healed him. 32 Elsewhere he saw a blind man with wife and son,
and said: 'This is indeed the devil's work: he has blinded them in soul and body.' He
opened their eyes and they believed.

33 One who saw this said: 'I beg thee come to the harbour; there is a man, the son of a
sailor, sick fifty years, cast out of the house, lying on the shore, incurable, full of
ulcers and worms.' They went to him. The sick man said: 'Perhaps you are the disciple of
that God who alone can save.' Andrew said: 'I am he who in the name of my God can restore
thee to health,' and added: 'In the name of Jesus Christ, rise and follow me.' He left his
filthy rags and followed, the pus and worms flowing from him. They went into the sea, and
the apostle washed him in the name of the Trinity and he was whole, and ran naked through
the city proclaiming the true God. 34 At this time the proconsul's brother Stratocles
arrived from Italy. One of his slaves, Alcman, whom he loved, was taken by a devil and lay
foaming in the court. Stratocles hearing of it said: 'Would the sea had swallowed me
before I saw this.' Maximilla and Iphidamia said: 'Be comforted: there is here a man of
God, let us send for him.' When he came he took the boy's hand and raised him whole.
Stratocles believed and clave to Andrew.

35 Maximilla went daily to the praetorium and sent for Andrew to teach there. Egeas was
away in Macedonia, angry because Maximilla had left him since her conversion. As they were
all assembled one day, he returned, to their great terror. Andrew prayed that he might not
be suffered to enter the place till all had dispersed. And Egeas was at once seized with
indisposition, and in the interval the apostle signed them all and sent them away, himself
last. But Maximilla on the first opportunity came to Andrew and received the word of God
and went home. [At about this point we must place the episodes quoted by Evodius of Uzala:
see below.] 36 After this Andrew was taken and imprisoned by Egeas, and all came to the
prison to be taught. After a few days he was scourged and crucified; he hung for three
days, preaching, and expired, as is fully set forth in his Passion. Maximilla embalmed and
buried his body.

37 From the tomb comes manna like flour, and oil: the amount shows the barrenness or
fertility of the coming season—as I have told in my first book of Miracles. I have not set
out his Passion at length, because I find it well done by some one else. 38 This much have
I presumed to write, unworthy, unlettered, &c. The author's prayer for himself ends the
book. May Andrew, on whose death-day he was born, intercede to save him. (The Passion to
which Gregory alludes is that which begins 'Conversante et docente'.) Of the detached
fragments and quotations which precede the Passion there are three: (a) One is in the
Epistle of Titus (see p. 265). When, finally, Andrew also [John has been cited shortly
before] had come to a wedding, he too, to manifest the glory of God, disjoined certain who
were intended to marry each other, men and women, and instructed them to continue holy in
the single state.

No doubt this refers to the story in Gregory, ch. 11. Gregory, it may be noted, has
altered the story (or has used an altered text), for the marriage of cousins was not
forbidden till Theodosius' time (so Flamion). He or his source has imagined the
relationship between the couples; in the original Acts none need have existed: the mere
fact of the marriage was enough. (b) The next are in a tract by Evodius, bishop of Uzala,
against the Manichees: Observe, in the Acts of Leucius which he wrote under the name of
the apostles, what manner of things you accept about Maximilla the wife of Egetes: who,
refusing to pay her due to her husband (though the apostle has said: Let the husband pay
the due to the wife and likewise the wife to the husband: 1 Cor. vii. 3), imposed her maid
Euclia upon her husband, decking her out, as is there written, with wicked (lit. hostile)
enticements and paintings, and substituted her as deputy for herself at night, so that he
in ignorance used her as his wife.

There also is it written, that when this same Maximilla and Iphidamia were gone together
to hear the apostle Andrew, a beautiful child, who, Leucius would have us understand, was
either God or at least an angel, escorted them to the apostle Andrew and went to the
praetorium of Egetes, and entering their chamber feigned a woman's voice, as of Maximilla,
complaining of the sufferings of womankind, and of Iphidamia replying. When Egetes heard
this dialogue, he went away. [These incidents must have intervened between cc. 35 and 36
of Gregory of Tours.] (c) Evodius quotes another sentence, not certainly from the Acts of
Andrew, but more in their manner than in that of John or Peter: In the Acts written by
Leucius, which the Manichees receive, it is thus written: For the deceitful figments and
pretended shows and collection (force, compelling) of visible things do not even proceed
from their own nature, but from that man who of his own will has become worse through
seduction.

It is obscure enough, in original and version: but is the kind of thing that would appeal
to those who thought of material things and phenomena as evil. We do not wonder that such
narratives as that which Evodius quotes have been expunged, either by Gregory or his
source, from the text. The next passage is a fragment of some pages in length found by M.
Bonnet in a Vatican MS. (Gr. 808) of tenth to eleventh century. There is no doubt that it
is a piece of the original Acts. It is highly tedious in parts. Andrew in prison
discourses to the brethren. 1... is there in you altogether slackness? are ye not yet
convinced of yourselves that ye do not yet bear his goodness? let us be reverent, let us
rejoice with ourselves in the bountiful (ungrudging) fellowship which cometh of him. Let
us say unto ourselves: Blessed is our race! by whom hath it been loved? blessed is our
state! of whom hath it obtained mercy? we are not cast on the ground, we that have been
recognized by so great highness: we are not the offspring of time, afterward to be
dissolved by time; we are not a contrivance (product) of motion, made to be again
destroyed by itself, nor things of earthly birth, ending again therein. We belong, then,
to a greatness, unto which we aspire, of which we are the property, and peradventure to a
greatness that hath mercy upon us. We belong to the better; therefore we flee from the
worse: we belong to the beautiful, for whose sake we reject the foul; to the righteous, by
whom we cast away the unrighteous; to the merciful, by whom we reject the unmerciful; to
the Saviour, by whom we recognize the destroyer; to the light, by whom we have cast away
the darkness; to the One, by whom we have turned away from the many; to the heavenly, by
whom we have learned to know the earthly; to the abiding, by whom we have seen the
transitory. If we desire to offer unto God that hath had mercy on us a worthy thanksgiving
or confidence or hymn or boasting, what better cause (theme) have we than that we have
been recognized by him?

2 And having discoursed thus to the brethren, he sent them away every one to his house,
saying to them: Neither are ye ever forsaken of me, ye that are servants of Christ,
because of the love that is in him: neither again shall I be forsaken of you, because of
his intercession (mediation). And every one departed unto his house: and there was among
them rejoicing after this sort for many days, while Aegeates took not thought to prosecute
the accusation against the Apostle. Every one of them then was confirmed at that time in
hope toward the Lord, and they assembled without fear in the prison, with Maximilla,
Iphidamia, and the rest, continually, being sheltered by the protection and grace of the
Lord. 3 But one day Aegeates, as he was hearing causes, remembered the matter concerning
Andrew: and as one seized with madness, he left the cause which he had in hand, and rose
up from the judgement seat and ran quickly to the praetorium, inflamed with love of
Maximilla and desiring to persuade her with flatteries. And Maximilla was beforehand with
him, coming from the prison, and entering the house. And he went in and said to her:

4 Maximilla, thy parents counted me worthy of being thy consort, and gave me thine hand in
marriage, not looking to wealth or descent or renown, but it may be to my good disposition
of soul: and, that I may pass over much that I might utter in reproach of thee, both of
that which I have enjoyed at thy parents' hands and thou from me during all our life, I am
come, leaving the court, to learn of thee this one thing: answer me then reasonably; if
thou wert as the wife of former days, living with me in the way we know, sleeping,
conversing, bearing offspring with me, I would deal well with thee in all points; nay
more, I would set free the stranger whom I hold in prison: but if thou wilt not—to thee I
would do nothing harsh, for indeed I cannot; but him, whom thou affectionest more than me,
I will afflict yet more. Consider, then, Maximilla, to whether of the two thou inclinest,
and answer me to-morrow; for I am wholly armed for this emergency.

5 And with these words he went out; but Maximilla again at the accustomed hour, with
Iphidamia, went to Andrew: and putting his hands before her own eyes, and then putting
them to her mouth, she began to declare to him the whole matter of the demand of Aegeates.
And Andrew answered her: I know, Maximilla my child, that thou thyself art moved to resist
the whole attraction (promise) of nuptial union, desiring to be quit of a foul and
polluted way of life: and this hath long been firmly held in thine (MS. mine) intention;
but now thou wishest for the further testimony of mine opinion. I testify, O Maximilla: do
it not; be not vanquished by the threat of Aegeates: be not overcome by his discourse:
fear not his shameful counsels: fall not to his artful flatteries: consent not to
surrender thyself to his impure spells; but endure all his torments, looking unto us for a
little space, and thou shalt see him wholly numbed and withering away from thee and from
all that are akin to thee. But (For) that which I most needed to say to thee—for I rest
not till I fulfil the business which is seen, and which cometh to pass in thy person—hath
escaped me: and rightly in thee do I behold Eve repenting, and in myself Adam returning;
for that which she suffered in ignorance, thou now (for whose soul I strive) settest right
by returning: and that which the spirit suffered which was overthrown with her and slipped
away from itself, is set right in me, with thee who seest thyself being brought back. For
her defect thou hast remedied by not suffering like her; and his imperfection I have
perfected by taking refuge with God; that which she disobeyed thou hast obeyed: that
whereto he consented I flee from: and that which they both transgressed we have been aware
of; for it is ordained that every one should correct (and raise up again) his own fall.

6 I, then, having said this as I have said it, would go on to speak as followeth: Well
done, O nature that art being saved, for thou hast been strong and hast not hidden thyself
(from God like Adam)! Well done, O soul that criest out of what thou hast suffered, and
returnest unto thyself! Well done, O man that understandest what is thine and dost press
on to what is thine! Well done, thou that hearest what is spoken, for I see thee to be
greater than things that are thought or spoken! I recognize thee as more powerful than the
things which seemed to overpower thee; as more beautiful than those which cast thee down
into foulness, which brought thee down into captivity. Perceiving then, O man, all this in
thyself, that thou art immaterial, holy, light, akin to him that is unborn, that thou art
intellectual, heavenly, translucent, pure, above the flesh, above the world, above rulers,
above principalities, over whom thou art in truth, then comprehend thyself in thy
condition and receive full knowledge and understand wherein thou excellest: and beholding
thine own face in thine essence, break asunder all bonds—I say not only those that are of
thy birth, but those that are above birth, whereof we have set forth to thee the names
which are exceeding great—desire earnestly to see him that is revealed unto thee, him who
doth not come into being, whom perchance thou alone shalt recognize with confidence.

7 These things have I spoken of thee, Maximilla, for in their meaning the things I have
spoken reach unto thee. Like as Adam died in Eve because he consented unto her confession,
so do I now live in thee that keepest the Lord's commandment and stablishest thyself in
the rank (dignity) of thy being. But the threats of Aegeates do thou trample down,
Maximilla, knowing that we have God that hath mercy on us. And let not his noise move
thee, but continue chaste; and let him punish me not only with such torments as bonds, but
let him cast me to the beasts or burn me with fire, and throw me from a precipice. And
what need I say? there is but this one body; let him abuse that as he will, for it is akin
to himself. 8 And yet again unto thee is my speech, Maximilla: I say unto thee, give not
thyself over unto Aegeates: withstand his ambushes; for indeed, Maximilla, I have seen my
Lord saying unto me: Andrew, Aegeates' father the devil will loose thee from this prison.
Thine, therefore, let it be henceforth to keep thyself chaste and pure, holy, unspotted,
sincere, free from adultery, not reconciled to the discourses of our enemy, unbent,
unbroken, tearless, unwounded, not storm-tossed, undivided, not stumbling, without fellow-
feeling for the works of Cain. For if thou give not up thyself, Maximilla, to what is
contrary to these, I also shall rest, though I be thus forced to leave this life for thy
sake, that is, for mine own. But if I were thrust out hence, even I, who, it may be, might
avail through thee to profit others that are akin to me, and if thou wert persuaded by the
discourse of Aegeates and the flatteries of his father the serpent, so that thou didst
turn unto thy former works, know thou that on thine account I should be tormented until
thou thyself sawest that I had contemned life for the sake of a soul which was not worthy.

9 I entreat, therefore, the wise man that is in thee that thy mind continue clear seeing.
I entreat thy mind that is not seen, that it be preserved whole: I beseech thee, love thy
Jesus, and yield not unto the worse. Assist me, thou whom I entreat as a man, that I may
become perfect: help me also, that thou mayest recognize thine own true nature: feel with
me in my suffering, that thou mayest take knowledge of what I suffer, and escape
suffering: see that which I see, and thou shalt be blind to what thou seest: see that
which thou shouldst, and thou shalt not see that thou shouldst not: hearken to what I say,
and cast away that which thou hast heard. 10 These things have I spoken unto thee and unto
every one that heareth, if he will hear. But thou, O Stratocles, said he,

A a looking toward him. Why art thou so oppressed, with many tears and groanings to be
heard afar off? what is the lowness of spirit that is on thee? why thy much pain and thy
great anguish? dost thou take note of what is said, and wherefore I pray thee to be
disposed in mind as my child? (or, my child, to be composed in mind): dost thou perceive
unto whom my words are spoken? hath each of them taken hold on thine understanding? have
they whetted (MS. touched) thine intellectual part? have I thee as one that hath hearkened
to me? do I find myself in thee? is there in thee one that speaketh whom I see to be mine
own? doth he love him that speaketh in me and desire to have fellowship with him? doth he
wish to be made one with him? doth he hasten to become his friend? doth he yearn to be
joined with him? doth he find in him any rest? hath he where to lay his head? doth nought
oppose him there? nought that is wroth with him, resisteth him, hateth him, fleeth from
him, is savage, avoideth, turneth away, starteth off, is burdened, maketh war, talketh
with others, is flattered by others, agreeth with others? Doth nothing else disturb him?
Is there one within that is strange to me? an adversary, a breaker of peace, an enemy, a
cheat, a sorcerer, a crooked dealer, unsound, guileful, a hater of men, a hater of the
word, one like a tyrant, boastful, puffed up, mad, akin to the serpent, a weapon of the
devil, a friend of the fire, belonging to darkness? Is there in thee any one, Stratocles,
that cannot endure my saying these things? Who is it? Answer: do I talk in vain? have I
spoken in vain? Nay, saith the man in thee, Stratocles, who now again weepeth.

11 And Andrew took the hand of Stratocles and said: I have him whom I loved; I shall rest
on him whom I look for; for thy yet groaning, and weeping without restraint, is a sign
unto me that I have already found rest, that I have not spoken to thee these words which
are akin to me, in vain. 12 And Stratocles answered him: Think not, most blessed Andrew,
that there is aught else that afflicteth me but thee; for the words that come forth of
thee are like arrows of fire shot against me, and every one of them reacheth me and verily
burneth me up. That part of my soul which inclineth to what I hear is tormented, divining
the affliction that is to follow, for thou thyself departest, and, I know, nobly: but
hereafter when I seek thy care and affection, where shall I find it, or in whom? I have
received the seeds of the words of salvation, and thou wast the sower: but that they
should sprout up and grow needs none other but thee, most blessed Andrew. And what else
have I say to thee but this? I need much mercy and help from thee, to become worthy of the
seed I have from thee, which will not otherwise increase perpetually or grow up into the
light except thou willest it, and prayest for them and for the whole of me.

13 And Andrew answered him: This, my child, was what I beheld in thee myself. And I
glorify my Lord that my thought of thee walked not on the void, but knew what it said. But
that ye may know the truth, to-morrow doth Aegeates deliver me up to be crucified: for
Maximilla the servant of the Lord will enrage the enemy that is in him, unto whom he
belongeth, by not consenting to that which is hateful to her; and by turning against me he
will think to console himself. 14 Now while the apostle spake these things, Maximilla was
not there, for she having heard throughout the words wherewith he answered her, and being
in part composed by them, and of such a mind as the words pointed out, set forth not
inadvisedly nor without purpose and went to the praetorium. And she bade farewell to all
the life of the flesh, and when Aegeates brought to her the same demand which he had told
her to consider, whether she would lie with him, she rejected it; and thenceforth he bent
himself to putting Andrew to death, and thought to what death he should expose him. And
when of all deaths crucifixion alone prevailed with him, he went away with his like and
dined; and Maximilla, the Lord going before her in the likeness of Andrew, with Iphidamia
came back to the prison; and there being therein a great gathering of the brethren, she
found Andrew discoursing thus:

15 I, brethren, was sent forth by the Lord as an apostle unto these regions whereof my
Lord thought me worthy, not to teach any man, but to remind every man that is akin to such
words, that they live in evils which are temporal, delighting in their injurious
delusions: wherefrom I have always exhorted you also to depart, and encouraged you to
press toward things that endure, and to take flight from all that is transitory (flowing);
for ye see that none of you standeth, but that all things, even to the customs of men, are
easily changeable. And this befalleth because the soul is untrained and erreth toward
nature and holdeth pledges toft its error. I therefore account them blessed who have
become obedient unto the word preached, and thereby see the mysteries of their own nature;
for whose sake all things have been builded up. 16 I enjoin you therefore, beloved
children, build yourselves firmly upon the foundation that hath been laid for you, which
is unshaken, and against which no evil-willer can conspire. Be, then, rooted upon this
foundation: be established, remembering what ye have seen (or heard) and all that hath
come to pass while I walked with you all. Ye have seen works wrought through me which ye
have no power to disbelieve, and such signs come to pass as perchance even dumb nature
will proclaim aloud; I have delivered you words which I pray may so be received by you as
the words themselves would have it. Be established then, beloved, upon all that ye have
seen, and heard, and partaken of.

And God on whom ye have believed shall have mercy on you and present you unto himself,
giving you rest unto all ages. 17 Now as for that which is to befall me, let it not really
trouble you as some strange spectacle, that the servant of God, unto whom God himself hath
granted much in deeds and words, should by an evil man be driven out of this temporal
life: for not only unto me will this come to pass, but unto all them that have loved and
believed on him and confess him. The devil that is wholly shameless will arm his own
children against them, that they may consent unto him; and he will not have his desire.
And wherefore he essayeth this I will tell you. From the beginning of all things, and if I
may so say, since he that hath no beginning came down to be under his rule, the enemy that
is a foe to peace driveth away from (God) such a one as doth not belong indeed to him, but
is some one of the weaker sort and not fully enlightened (?), nor yet able to recognize
himself. And because he knoweth him not, therefore must he be fought against by him (the
devil). For he, thinking that he possesseth him and is his master for ever, opposeth him
so much, that he maketh their enmity to be a kind of friendship: for suggesting to him his
own thoughts, he often portrayeth them as pleasurable and specious (MS. deceitful), by
which he thinketh to prevail over him. He was not, then, openly shown to be an enemy, for
he feigned a friendship that was worthy of him.

18 And this his work he carried on so long that he (man) forgot to recognize it, but he
(the devil) knew it himself: that is, he, because of his gifts (was not seen to be an
enemy). But when the mystery of grace was lighted up, and the counsel of rest manifested,
and the light of the word shown, and the race of them that were saved was proved, warring
against many pleasures, (he, seeing) the enemy himself despised, and himself, through the
goodness of him that had mercy on us, derided because of his own gifts, by which he had
thought to triumph over man—he began to plot against us with hatred and enmity and
assaults; and this hath he determined, not to cease from us till he thinketh to separate
us (from God). For before, our enemy was without care, and offered us a feigned friendship
which was worthy of him, and was able not to fear that we, deceived by him, should depart
from him. But when the light of dispensation was kindled, it made (his enmity), I say not
stronger, (but more plain). For it exposed that part of his nature which was hidden and
which thought to escape notice, and made it confess what it is.

Knowing therefore, brethren, that which shall be, let us be vigilant, not discontented,
not making a proud figure, not carrying upon our souls marks of him which are not our own:
but wholly lifted upward by the whole word, let us all gladly await the end, and take our
flight away from him, that he may be henceforth shown as he is, who (perverteth?) our
nature unto (or against) our...

The Martyrdom

The original text of this, as Flamion shows, has to be picked out of several Greek and
Latin authorities. Bonnet prints the Martyrdom in several forms (Act. Apost. Apocr. ii.
1): on pp. 1-37 we have the Passion in three texts. The uppermost is the Latin letter of
the presbyters and deacons of Achaia. This, as Bonnet has proved, is the original of the
two Greek versions printed below it. The first editors of this Letter thought it might be
a genuine document. But it is really an artificial thing. The greater part of it consists
of a dialogue between Andrew and Aegeates: the narrative of the actual Passion is rather
brief. Of the two Greek versions, the first, which begins " " is a faithful version of the
Latin. The other, which begins " ", has a number of insertions taken from the original
Acts, ultimately, perhaps through the medium of a 'Passion', circulated separately, such
as we have had in the cases of John, Paul, and Peter. This text is called by Flamion the
Épître grecque. Ep. gr.

On pp. 38-45 follows the fragment of discourses which has just been translated. Very
likely this is a relic of a separate Passion cut off from the end of the original Acts. On
pp. 46-57 is the 'Martyrium prius'. This tells (after speaking of the dispersion of the
apostles) of the cure and conversion of Lesbius, destruction of temples, dismissal of
Lesbius by Caesar, vision of Andrew that Aegeates is to put him to death, arrest of
Andrew, and martyrdom. It contains many speeches. This is Mart. I. On pp. 58-64 is the
'Martyrium alterum' in two texts, which begins at once with the arrest of the apostle by
Aegeates—after he has spent the night in discoursing to the brethren. Mart. II, A, B are
the two texts of this. Besides these Bonnet has published in the Analecta Bollandiana and
separately (as Supplementum Codicis Apocryphi, ii, 1895) the following documents:

1. Acts of Andrew with Encomium: called for short Laudatio, which recounts the journeys at
considerable length, and some of the miracles which we have seen in Gregory, and then the
Passion (cc. 44-9) and the Translation to Constantinople. 2. A Greek Martyrdom, of which
cc. 1-8 recount the journeys, and from 9 onwards the Passion, with a good deal of matter
from the original Acts. This is called Narratio. 3. A Latin Passion—that known to Gregory,
which begins Conversante et docente: it forms the end of Book III of Abdias' Historia
Apostolica, and is there tacked on to Gregory's book of Miracles. Using all these sources,
Flamion has with great pains indicated which portions he assigns to the original Acts; and
I shall follow him here. The resultant text is a kind of mosaic, of which the sources
shall be indicated in the margin. Narr. 22. And after he had thus discoursed throughout
the Mart. II. night to the brethren, and prayed with them and com-A. 1. mitted them unto
the Lord, early in the morning Aegeates the proconsul sent for the apostle Andrew out of
the prison and said to him: The end of thy judgement is at hand, thou stranger, enemy of
this present life and foe of all mine house. Wherefore hast thou thought good to intrude
into places that are not thine, and to corrupt my wife who was of old obedient unto me?
why hast thou done this against me and against all Achaia? Therefore shalt thou receive
from me a gift in recompense of that thou hast wrought against me.

And he commanded him to be scourged by seven men and afterward to be crucified: and
charged the executioners that his legs should be left unpierced, and so he should be
hanged up: thinking by this means to torment him the more. Now the report was noised
throughout all Patrae that the stranger, the righteous man, the servant of Christ, whom
Aegeates held prisoner, was being crucified, having done nothing amiss: and they ran
together with one accord unto the sight, being wroth with the proconsul because of his
impious judgement. Ibid. And as the executioners led him unto the place to fulfil that
which was commanded them, Stratocles heard what was come to pass, and ran hastily and
overtook them, and beheld the blessed Andrew violently haled by the executioners like a
malefactor. And he spared them not, but beating every one of them soundly and tearing
their coats from top to bottom, he caught Andrew away from them, saying: Ye may thank the
blessed man who hath instructed me and taught me to refrain from extremity of wrath: for
else I would have showed you what Stratocles is able to do, and what is the power of the
foul Aegeates. For we have learnt to endure that which others inflict upon us. And he took
the hand of the apostle and went with him to the place by the sea-shore where he was to be
crucified.

Narr. 24 But the soldiers who had received him from the (Mart. II, proconsul left him with
Stratocles, and returned and A. 3). told Aegeates, saying: As we went with Andrew,
Stratocles prevented us, and rent our coats and pulled him away from us and took him with
him, and lo, here we are as thou seest. And Aegeates answered them: Put on other raiment
and go and fulfil that which I commanded you, upon the condemned man: but be not seen of
Stratocles, neither answer him again if he ask aught of you; for I know the rashness of
his soul, what it is; and if he were provoked he would not even spare me. And they did as
Aegeates said unto them. But as Stratocles went with the apostle unto the place appointed,
Andrew perceived that he was wroth with Aegeates and was reviling him in a low voice, and
said unto him: My child Stratocles, I would have thee henceforth possess thy soul unmoved,
and remove from thyself this temper, and neither be inwardly disposed thus toward the
things that seem hard to thee, nor be inflamed outwardly: for it becometh the servant of
Jesus to be worthy of Jesus. And another thing will I say unto thee and to the brethren
that walk with me: that the man that is against us, when he dareth aught against us and
findeth not one to consent unto him, is smitten and beaten and wholly deadened because he
hath not accomplished that which he undertook; let us therefore, little children, have him
alway before our eyes, lest if we fall asleep he slaughter us (you) like an adversary.

And as he spake this and yet more unto Stratocles and them that were with him, they came
to the place where he was to be crucified: and (seeing the cross set up at the edge of the
sand by the sea-shore) he left them all and went to the cross and spake unto it (as unto a
living creature, with a loud voice): Hail, O cross, yea be glad indeed! Well know I that
thou shalt henceforth be at rest, thou that hast for a long time been wearied, being set
up and awaiting me. I come unto thee whom I know to belong to me. I come unto thee that
hast yearned after me. I know thy mystery, for the which thou art set up: for thou art
planted in the world to establish the things that are unstable: and the one part of thee
stretcheth up toward heaven that thou mayest signify the heavenly word (or, the word that
is above) (the head of all things): and another part of thee is spread out to the right
hand and the left that it may put to flight the envious and adverse power of the evil one,
and gather into one the things that are scattered abroad (or, the world): And another part
of thee is planted in the earth, and securely set in the depth, that thou mayest join the
things that are in the earth and that are under the earth unto the heavenly things (Laud.
that thou mayest draw up them that be under the earth and them that are held in the places
beneath the earth, and join, &c.).

O cross, device (contrivance) of the salvation of the Most High! O cross, trophy of the
victory [of Christ] over the enemies! O cross, planted upon the earth and Mart. II, A.
Narr. 26 (Mart. II, A). Laudatio 46, Mart I, 14 (Ep. Gr. 10). Mart I. having thy fruit in
the heavens! O name of the cross, filled with all things (lit. a thing filled with all).
Well done, O cross, that hast bound down the mobility of the world (or, the
circumference)! Well done, O shape of understanding that hast shaped the shapeless
(earth?)! Well done, O unseen chastisement that sorely chastisest the substance of the
knowledge that hath many gods, and drivest out from among mankind him that devised it!
Well done, thou that didst clothe thyself with the Lord, and didst bear the thief as a
fruit, and didst call the apostle to repentance, and didst not refuse to accept us!

Mart. I. But how long delay I, speaking thus, and embrace not the cross, that by the cross
I may be made alive, and by the cross (win) the common death of all and depart out of
life? Come hither ye ministers of joy unto me, ye servants of Aegeates: accomplish the
desire of us both, and bind the lamb unto the wood of suffering, the man unto the maker,
the soul unto the Saviour. Epp. Gr., And the blessed Andrew having thus spoken, standing
upon the earth, looked earnestly upon the cross, and bade the brethren that the
executioners should come and do that which was commanded them; for they stood afar off.
Laud., Mart. I, Epp. Gr., Narr. 28. And they came and bound his hands and his feet and
nailed them not; for such a charge had they from Aegeates; for he wished to afflict him by
hanging him up, and that in the night he might be devoured alive by dogs (Laud. that he
might be wearied out and permit Maximilla to live with him). And they left him hanging and
departed from him.

Narr., Epp. Gr., Mart. II. And when the multitudes that stood by of them that had been
made disciples in Christ by him saw that they had done unto him none of the things
accustomed with them that are crucified, they hoped to hear something again from him. For
as he hung, he moved his head and smiled. And Stratocles asked him, saying: Wherefore
smilest thou, servant of God? thy laughter maketh us to mourn and weep because we are
bereaved of thee. And the blessed Andrew answered him: Shall I not laugh, my son
Stratocles, at the vain assault (ambush) of Aegeates, whereby he thinketh to punish us? we
are strangers unto him and his conspiracies. He hath not (ears) to hear; for if he had, he
would have heard that the man of Jesus cannot be punished, because he is henceforth known
of him. And thereafter he spake unto them all in common, for the heathen also were come
together, being wroth at the unjust judgement of Aegeates.

Ye men that are here present, and women and children, old and young, bond and free, and
all that will hear, take ye no heed of the vain deceit of this present life, but heed us
rather who hang here for the Lord's sake and are about to depart out of this body: and
renounce all the lusts of the world and contemn (spit upon) the worship of the abominable
idols, and run unto the true worshipping of our God that lieth not, and make yourselves a
temple pure and ready to receive the word. (Narr. then becomes obviously late: Ep. Gr.,
which is far shorter. ends: And hasten to overtake my soul as it hasteneth toward heavenly
things, and in a word despise all temporal things, and establish your minds as men
believing in Christ.) And the multitudes hearing the things which he spake departed not
from the place; and Andrew continued speaking yet more unto them, for a day and a night.
And on the day following, beholding his endurance and constancy of soul and wisdom of
spirit and strength of mind, they were wroth, and hastened with one accord unto Aegeates,
to the judgement-seat where he sat, and cried out against him, saying: What is this
judgement of thine, O proconsul? thou hast ill judged! thou hast condemned unjustly: thy
court is against law! What evil hath this man done? wherein hath he offended? The city is
troubled: thou injurest us all! destroy not Caesar's city! give us the righteous man!
restore us the holy man! slay not a man dear to God! destroy not a man gentle and pious!
lo, two days is he hanged up and yet liveth, and hath tasted nothing, and yet refresheth
all us with his words, and lo, we believe in the God whom he preacheth. Take down the
righteous man and we will all turn philosophers; loose the chaste man and all Patrae will
be at peace; set free the wise man and all Achaia shall be set free by him! (or, obtain
mercy.)

But when at the first Aegeates would not hear them, but beckoned with the hand to the
people that they should depart, they were filled with rage and were at the point to do him
violence, being in number about two thousand (Narr., Ep. Gr., Mart. II: 20,000). And when
the proconsul saw them to be after a sort mad, he feared lest there should be a rising
against him, and rose up from the judgement-seat and went with them, promising to release
Andrew. And some went before and signified to the apostle and to the rest of Ep. Gr. Ep.
Gr., Narr., Mart. II, Conversante. Narr. the people that were there, wherefore the
proconsul was coming. And all the multitude of the disciples rejoiced, together with
Maximilla and Iphidamia and Stratocles. But when Andrew heard it, he began to say: O the
dullness and disobedience and simplicity of them whom I have taught! how much have I
spoken, and even to this day I have not persuaded them to flee from the love of earthly
things! but they are yet bound unto them and continue in them, and will not depart from
them. What meaneth this affection and love and sympathy with the flesh? how long heed ye
worldly and temporal things? how long understand ye not the things that be above us, and
press not to overtake them? leave me henceforth to be put to death in the manner which ye
behold, and let no man by any means loose me from these bonds; for so is it appointed unto
me to depart out of the body and be present with the Lord, with whom also I am crucified.
And this shall be accomplished.

Laud., Ep. Gr. And he turned unto Aegeates and said with a loud voice: Wherefore art thou
come, Aegeates, that art an alien unto me? what wilt thou dare afresh, what contrive, or
what fetch? tell us that thou hast repented and art come to loose us? nay, not if thou
repentest, indeed, Aegeates, will I now consent unto thee; not if thou promise me all thy
substance will I depart from myself; not if thou say that thou art mine will I trust thee.
And dost thou, proconsul, loose him that is (not) bound? him that hath been set free? that
hath been recognized by his kinsman? that hath obtained mercy and is beloved of him? dost
thou loose him that is alien to thee? the stranger? that only appeareth to thee? I have
one with whom I shall be for ever, with whom I shall converse for unnumbered ages. Unto
him do I go, unto him do I hasten, who made thee also known unto me, who said to me:
Understand thou Aegeates and his gifts: let not that fearful one affright thee, nor think
that he holdeth thee who art mine. He is thine enemy: he is pestilent, a deceiver, a
corrupter, a madman, a sorcerer, a cheat, a murderer, wrathful, without compassion. Depart
therefore from me, thou worker of all iniquity. (Ep. Gr. He is thine enemy. Therefore I
know thee, through him that permitted me to know. I depart from thee. For I and they that
are akin to me hasten toward that which is ours, and leave thee to be what thou wast, and
what thou knowest not thyself to be.)

Ep. Gr., Narr., Conversante. And the proconsul hearing this stood speechless, and as it
were beside himself; but as all the city made an uproar that he should loose Andrew, he
drew near to the cross to loose him and take him down. But the blessed Andrew cried out
with a loud voice: Suffer not, Lord, thine Andrew that hath been bound upon thy cross, to
be loosed again; give not me that am upon thy mystery to the shameless devil; O Jesu
Christ, let not thine adversary loose him that is hung upon thy grace; O Father, let not
this mean (little) one humble any more him that hath known thy greatness. But do thou,
Jesu Christ, whom I have seen, whom I hold, whom I love, in whom I am and shall be,
receive me in peace into thine everlasting tabernacles, that by my going out there may be
an entering in unto thee of many that are akin to me, and that they may rest in thy
majesty. And having so said, and yet more glorified the Lord, he gave up the ghost, while
we all wept and lamented at our parting from him.

And after the decease of the blessed Andrew, Maximilla together with Stratocles, caring
nought for them that stood by, drew near and herself loosed his body: and when it was
evening she paid it the accustomed care and buried it (hard by the sea-shore). And she
continued separate from Aegeates because of his brutal soul and his wicked manner of life:
and she led a reverend and quiet life, filled with the love of Christ, among the brethren.
Whom Aegeates solicited much, and promised that she should have the rule over his affairs;
but being unable to persuade her, he arose in the dead of night and unknown to them of his
house cast himself down from a great height and perished. But Stratocles, which was his
brother after the flesh, would not touch aught of the things that were left of his
substance; for the wretched man died without offspring: but said: Let thy goods go with
thee, Aegeates.

For of these things we have no need, for they are polluted; but for me, let Christ be my
friend and I his servant; and all my substance do I offer unto him in whom I have
believed, and I pray that by worthy hearing of the blessed teaching of the apostle I may
appear a partaker with him in the ageless and unending kingdom. And so the uproar of the
people ceased, and all were glad at the amazing and untimely and sudden fall of the
impious and lawless Aegeates. [Not much of this last paragraph from Narr. can be original.
All the texts end with a statement that the apostle suffered on the 30th of November.]


THE ACTS OF THOMAS
==================

THE ACTS OF THOMAS Translated by Alexander Walker

3rd century

Thomas is sold as a slave to an Indian king, builds a palace in heaven, and wins Mygdonia
and others to the faith, with further acts of the apostle in India.

ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLE THOMAS

1 At that time we the apostles were all in Jerusalem—Simon called Peter, and Andrew his
brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas,
and Matthew the tax-gatherer; James of Alphæus and Simon the Cananæan; and Judas of
James;—and we portioned out the regions of the world, in order that each one of us might
go into the region that fell to him, and to the nation to which the Lord sent him. By lot,
then, India fell to Judas Thomas, also called Didymus. And he did not wish to go, saying
that he was not able to go on account of the weakness of the flesh; and how can I, being
an Hebrew man, go among the Indians to proclaim the truth? And while he was thus reasoning
and speaking, the Saviour appeared to him through the night, and said to him: Fear not,
Thomas; go away to India, and proclaim the word; for my grace shall be with thee. But he
did not obey, saying: Wherever Thou wishest to send me, send me elsewhere; for to the
Indians I am not going.

2 And as he was thus speaking and growing angry, there happened to be there a certain
merchant come from India, by name Abbanes, sent from the king Gundaphoros, and having
received an order from him to buy a carpenter and bring him to him. And the Lord, having
seen him walking about in the market at noon, said to him: Dost thou wish to buy a
carpenter? And he said to Him: Yes. And the Lord said to him: I have a slave a carpenter,
and I wish to sell him. And having said this, He showed him Thomas at a distance, and
agreed with him for three pounds of uncoined silver; and He wrote a bill of sale, saying:
I Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, declare that I have sold my slave, Judas by
name, to thee Abbanes, a merchant of Gundaphoros, the king of the Indians. And the
purchase being completed, the Saviour taking Judas, who also is Thomas, led him to Abbanes
the merchant; and Abbanes seeing him, said to him: Is this thy master? And the apostle
answered and said: Yes, He is my Lord. And he says: I have bought thee from him. And the
apostle held his peace.

3 And at dawn of the following day, the apostle having prayed and entreated the Lord,
said: I go wherever Thou wishest, O Lord Jesus; Thy will be done. And he went to Abbanes
the merchant, carrying nothing at all with him, but only his price. For the Lord had given
it to him, saying: Let thy worth also be with thee along with my grace, wherever thou
mayst go. And the apostle came up with Abbanes, who was carrying his effects into the
boat. He began therefore also to carry them along with him. And when they had gone on
board and sat down, Abbanes questioned the apostle, saying: What kind of work dost thou
know? And he said: In wood, ploughs, and yokes, and balances, and boats, and boats’ oars,
and masts, and blocks; in stone, slabs, and temples, and royal palaces. And Abbanes the
merchant said to him: Of such a workman, to be sure, we have need. They began, therefore,
to sail away. And they had a fair wind, and they sailed fast until they came to
Andrapolis, a royal city.

4 And having gone out of the boat, they went into the city. And, behold, the voices of
flute-players, and of water-organs, and trumpets, sounding round them; and the apostle
inquired, saying: What festival is this in this city? And those who were there said to
him: The gods have brought thee also, that thou mayst be feasted in this city. For the
king has an only-begotten daughter, and he is now giving her to a husband in marriage:
this festival, then, which thou seest to-day, is the rejoicing and public assembly for the
marriage. And the king has sent forth heralds to proclaim everywhere that all are to come
to the marriage, rich and poor, bond and free, strangers and citizens. And if any one
shall refuse and not come to the marriage, he will be answerable to the king. And Abbanes
having heard, said to the apostle: Let us also go, then, that we may not offend the king,
and especially as we are strangers. And he said: Let us go. And having turned into the
inn, and rested a little, they went to the marriage. And the apostle seeing them all
reclining, reclined he also in the midst. And they all looked at him as a stranger, and
coming from a foreign land. And Abbanes the merchant, as being a lord, reclined in another
place.

5 And when they had dined and drunk, the apostle tasted nothing. Those, then, about him
said to him: Why hast thou come hither, neither eating nor drinking? And he answered and
said to them: For something greater than food or even drink have I come hither, even that
I might accomplish the will of the King. For the heralds proclaim the wishes of the King,
and whoever will not hear the heralds will be liable to the judgment of the King. When,
therefore, they had dined and drunk, and crowns and perfumes had been brought, each took
perfume, and one anointed his face, another his cheek, and one one part of his body, and
another another. And the apostle anointed the crown of his head, and put a little of the
ointment in his nostrils, and dropped it also into his ears, and applied it also to his
teeth, and carefully anointed the parts round about his heart; and having taken the crown
that was brought to him wreathed of myrtle and other flowers, he put it on his head, and
took a branch of reed in his hand, and held it.

6 And the flute-girl, holding the flutes in her hand, went round them all; and when she
came to the place where the apostle was, she stood over him, playing the flute over his
head a long time. And that flute-girl was Hebrew by race. And as the apostle looked away
to the ground, a certain one of the wine-pourers stretched forth his hand and struck him.
And the apostle, having raised his eyes, and regarded him who had struck him, said: My God
will forgive thee this wrong in the world to come, but in this world He will show His
wonders, and I shall soon see that hand that struck me dragged along by a dog. And having
thus spoken, he began to sing and to repeat this song:— 7 Maiden, daughter of the light,
in whom there exists and abides the majestic splendour of kings; and delightsome is the
sight of her, resplendent with brilliant beauty. Her garments are like spring flowers, and
the odour of a sweet smell is given forth from them; and on the crown of her head the king
is seated, feeding with his own ambrosia those who are seated beside him; and truth rests
upon her head, and she shows forth joy with her feet; and becomingly does she open her
mouth; thirty-and-two are they who sing her praises, and their tongue is like a curtain of
the door which is drawn for them who go in; and her neck is made in the likeness of the
stairs which the first Creator created; and her two hands signify and represent the choral
dance of the blessed ages, proclaiming it; and her fingers represent the gates of the
city. Her chamber lighted up breathes forth scent from balsam and every perfume, and gives
forth a sweet odour of myrrh and savoury herbs; and within are strewn myrtles and sweet-
smelling flowers of all kinds; and the bridal chambers are adorned with calamus. And her
groomsmen, of whom the number is seven, whom she has chosen for herself, surround her like
a wall; and her bridesmaids are seven, who dance before her; and twelve are they in number
who minister before her and are at her bidding, having their gaze and their sight upon the
bridegroom, that through the sight of him they may be enlightened.

8 And they shall be with him to everlasting in that everlasting joy, and they shall sit
down in that wedding to which the great ones are gathered together, and they shall abide
in the festivities of which the eternals are deemed worthy; and they shall be arrayed in
royal raiment, and shall put on shining robes; and in joy and exultation both of them
shall be, and they shall glorify the Father of the universe, whose majestic light they
have received, and they have been enlightened by the sight of Him their Lord, whose
ambrosial food they have received, of which there is no failing at all; and they have
drunk also of the wine which brings to them no thirst, neither desire of the flesh; and
they have with the living spirit glorified and praised the father of truth and the mother
of wisdom. 9 And when he had sung and finished this song, all who were there present
looked upon him and kept silence, and they also saw his form changed; and what had been
said by him they did not understand, since he was a Hebrew, and what had been said by him
had been said in Hebrew. But the flute-girl alone heard all, for she was Hebrew by race,
and standing off from him she played the flute to the others; but at him she mostly turned
her eyes and looked, for she altogether loved him as a man of the same nation with
herself, and he was also beautiful in appearance above all who were there. And when the
flute-girl had come to the end of all her flute-playing, she sat down opposite him, and
looked and gazed upon him. But he looked at no one at all, neither did he regard any one,
but only kept his eyes on the ground, waiting until he should depart thence. And that
wine-pourer that struck him came down to the fountain to draw water; and there happened to
be a lion there, and it came forth and killed him, and left him lying in the place, after
tearing up his limbs; and dogs immediately seized his limbs, among which also one black
dog, laying hold of his right hand in his mouth, brought it to the place of the banquet.

10 And all seeing were terror-struck, inquiring which of them had been taken off. And when
it was clear that it was the hand of the wine-pourer who had struck the apostle, the
flute-girl broke her flutes in pieces, and threw them away, and went and sat down at the
feet of the apostle, saying: This man is either God or God’s apostle; for I heard him
saying in Hebrew to the wine-pourer, I shall soon see the hand that struck me dragged
about by dogs, which also you have now seen; for as he said, so also it has come to pass.
And some believed her, and some not. And the king, having heard, came up and said to him:
Rise up, and go with me, and pray for my daughter; for she is my only child, and today I
give her away. And the apostle would not go with him; for his Lord had not at all been
revealed to him there. And the king took him away against his will to the bridal-chamber,
that he might pray for them.

11 And the apostle stood, and began to pray and speak thus: My Lord and my God, who
accompanies His servants on their way, guiding and directing those who trust in Him, the
refuge and the repose of the afflicted, the hope of the mourners, and the deliverer of the
captives, the physician of the souls that are lying under disease, and Saviour of every
creature, who gives life to the world, and invigorates our souls! Thou knowest what will
come to pass, who also for our sakes makest these things perfect: Thou, Lord, who
revealest hidden mysteries, and declarest unspeakable words; Thou, Lord, the planter of
the good tree, also through the tree makest words to spring up; Thou, Lord, who art in
all, and camest through all, and existest in all Thy works, and makest Thyself manifest
through the working of them all; Jesus Christ, the Son of compassion, and perfect Saviour;
Christ, Son of the living God, the undaunted Power which has overthrown the enemy; and the
voice heard by the rulers, which shook all their powers; the ambassador who was sent to
them from on high, and who wentest down even to Hades; who also, having opened the doors,
didst bring out thence those that had been shut in for many ages by the controller of the
world, and didst show them the way up that leads up on high: I beseech Thee, Lord Jesus
Christ, I offer Thee supplication for these young persons, that Thou mayst make what
happens and befalls them to be for their good. And having laid his hands on them, and
said, The Lord will be with you, he left them in the place, and went away.

12 And the king requested the groomsmen to go out of the bridal-chamber; and all having
gone forth, and the doors having been shut, the bridegroom raised the curtain of the
bridal-chamber, that he might bring the bride to himself. And he saw the Lord Jesus
talking with the bride, and having the appearance of Judas Thomas, who shortly before had
blessed them, and gone out from them; and he says to him: Didst thou not go out before
them all? And how art thou found here? And the Lord said to him: I am not Judas, who also
is Thomas; I am his brother. And the Lord sat down on the bed, and ordered them also to
sit down on the seats; and He began to say to them:— 13 Keep in mind, my children, what my
brother said to you, and to whom he commended you; and this know, that if you refrain from
this filthy intercourse, you become temples holy and pure, being released from afflictions
and troubles, known and unknown, and you will not be involved in the cares of life, and of
children, whose end is destruction; but if you get many children, for their sakes you
become grasping and avaricious, plundering orphans, coveting the property of widows, and
by doing this you subject yourselves to most grievous punishments. For many children
become unprofitable, being harassed by demons, some openly and others secretly: for they
become either lunatics, or half-withered, or lame, or deaf, or dumb, or paralytics, or
idiots; and even if they be in good health, they will be again good-for-nothing, doing
unprofitable and abominable works: for they will be detected either in adultery, or in
murder, or in theft, or in fornication, and by all these you will be afflicted. But if you
will be persuaded, and preserve your souls pure to God, there will be born to you living
children, whom these hurtful things do not touch; and you will be without care, spending
an untroubled life, free from grief and care, looking forward to receive that marriage
incorruptible and true; and you will be in it companions of the bridegroom, going in along
with Him into that bridal-chamber full of immortality and light.

14 And when the young people heard this, they believed the Lord, and gave themselves over
into His keeping, and refrained from filthy lust, and remained thus spending the night in
the place. And the Lord went out from before them, having spoken thus to them: The grace
of the Lord shall be with you. And the dawn having come on, the king arrived, and having
supplied the table, brought it in before the bridegroom and the bride; and he found them
sitting opposite each other, and he found the face of the bride uncovered, and the
bridegroom was quite cheerful. And the mother having come to the bride, said: Wherefore
dost thou sit thus, child, and art not ashamed, but thus as if thou hadst for a long time
lived with thine own husband? And her father said: Is it because of thy great love to thy
husband that thou art uncovered?

15 And the bride answered and said: Truly, father, I am in great love, and I pray to my
Lord to continue to me the love which I have experienced this night, and I shall beg for
myself this husband whom I have experienced today. For this reason, then, I am no longer
covered, since the mirror of shame has been taken away from me, and I am no longer ashamed
nor abashed, since the work of shame and bashfulness has been removed far from me; and
because I am not under any violent emotion, since violent emotion does not abide in me;
and because I am in cheerfulness and joy, since the day of joy has not been disturbed; and
because I hold of no account this husband, and these nuptials that have passed away from
before mine eyes, since I have been joined in a different marriage; and because I have had
no intercourse with a temporary husband, whose end is with lewdness and bitterness of
soul, since I have been united to a true Husband.

16 And when the bride is saying yet more, the bridegroom answers and says: I thank Thee,
Lord, who hast been proclaimed by the stranger and found by us; who hast put corruption
far from me, and hast sown life in me; who hast delivered me from this disease, hard to
heal, and hard to cure, and abiding for ever, and established in me sound health; who hast
shown Thyself to me, and hast revealed to me all that concerns me, in which I am; who hast
redeemed me from falling, and hast led me to something better, and who hast released me
from things temporary, and hast deemed me worthy of things immortal and ever existing; who
hast brought Thyself down even to me and to my littleness, in order that, having placed me
beside Thy greatness, Thou mightest unite me to Thyself; who hast not withheld Thine own
compassion from me lost, but hast shown me how to search myself, and to know what I was
and what and how I am now, in order that I may again become as I was; whom I indeed did
not know, but Thou Thyself whom I knew not hast sought me out and taken me to Thyself;
whom I have experienced, and am not now able to forget, whose love is fervent in me; and
speak indeed as I ought I cannot. But what I have time to say about Him is short, and
altogether little, and not in proportion to His glory; but He does not find fault with me
for not being ashamed to say to Him even what I do not know; because it is through the
love of Him that I say even this.

17 And the king, having heard these things from the bridegroom and the bride, rent his
garments, and said to those standing near him: Go out quickly, and go round the whole
city, and seize and bring me that man, the sorcerer, who has come for evil into this city:
for I led him with my own hands into my house, and I told him to pray for my most
unfortunate daughter; and whoever shall find him and bring him to me, whatever service he
shall ask of me, I give him. They went away, therefore, and went round seeking him, and
found him not; for he had sailed. They went, therefore, also into the inn where he had
stayed, and found there the flute-girl weeping and in distress, because he had not taken
her with him. And they having recounted what had happened in the case of the young people,
she was altogether glad when she heard it, and dismissed her grief, and said: Now have I
found, even I, repose here. And she arose and went to them, and was with them a long time,
until they had instructed the king also. And many also of the brethren were gathered
together there, until they heard word of the apostle, that he had gone down to the cities
of India, and was teaching there. And they went away, and joined him.

FURTHER ACTS OF THOMAS

1 Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas,

Contents

2 When He Came into India, and Built the Palace in the Heavens About the Dragon and the
Young Man About the Demon that Dwelt in the Woman About the Young Man Who Killed the
Maiden When He Came into India, and Built the Palace in the Heavens. And when the apostle
came into the cities of India, with Abbanes the merchant, Abbanes went away to salute
Gundaphoros the king, and reported to him about the carpenter whom he had brought with
him; and the king was glad, and ordered him to come in to himself. And when he had come
in, the king said to him: What trade knowest thou? The apostle says to him: The
carpenter’s and house builder’s. The king says to him: What work in wood knowest thou,
then, and what in stone? The apostle says: In wood, ploughs, yokes, balances, pulleys, and
boats, and oars, and masts; and in stone, monuments, temples, royal palaces. And the king
said: Wilt thou build me a palace? And he answered: Yes, I shall build it, and finish it;
for because of this I came, to build houses, and to do carpenter’s work.

3 And the king having taken him, went forth out of the gates of the city, and began to
talk with him on the way about the building of the palace, and about the foundations, how
they should be laid, until they came to that place in which he wished the building to be.
And he said: Here I wish the building to be. And the apostle says: Yes; for assuredly this
place is convenient for the building. For the place was well wooded, and there was much
water there. The king therefore says: Begin to build. And he said: I cannot begin to build
at this time. And the king says: When wilt thou be able? And he says: I shall begin in
Dius and end in Xanthicus. And the king wondering, said: Every building is built in
summer; but canst thou build and make a palace in winter itself? And the apostle said:
Thus it must be, and otherwise it is impossible. And the king said: If, therefore, this be
thy opinion, mark out for me how the work is to be, since I shall come here after some
time. And the apostle, having taken a reed, measured the place, and marked it out; and he
set the doors towards the rising of the sun, to look to the light, and the windows towards
its setting, to the winds; and he made the bakehouse to be towards the south, and the
water-tank, for abundance, towards the north. And the king seeing this, said to the
apostle: Thou art a craftsman indeed, and it is fitting that thou shouldst serve kings.
And having left many things for him, he went away.

4 And from time to time he also sent the money that was necessary, for the living both of
him and the other workmen. And he taking it, dispenses it all, going about the cities and
the places round, distributing and doing kindnesses to the poor and the afflicted, and
gave them rest, saying: The king knows how to obtain royal recompense, and it is necessary
for the poor to have repose for the present. And after this, the king sent a messenger to
the apostle, having written to him as follows: Show me what thou hast done, or what I am
to send thee, or what thou needest. The apostle sends to him, saying: The palace is built,
and only the roof remains to be done. And the king, having heard, sent him again gold and
silver uncoined, and wrote to him: Let the palace, if it be done, be roofed. And the
apostle said to the Lord: I thank Thee, Lord, as to all things, that Thou didst die for a
short time, that I might live in Thee for ever; and hast sold me, so that Thou mayst
deliver many through me. And he did not cease to teach and refresh the afflicted, saying:
These things the Lord hath dispensed to us, and He gives to each his food; for He is the
support of the orphans, and the provider of the widows, and to all that are afflicted He
is rest and repose.

5 And when the king came into the city, he inquired of his friends about the palace which
Judas, who also is Thomas, had built; and they said to him: He has neither built a palace,
nor done anything else of what he promised to do; but he goes round the cities and the
districts, and if he has anything he gives all to the poor, and teaches one new God, and
heals the diseased, and drives out demons, and does many other extraordinary things; and
we think that he is a magician. But his acts of compassion, and the cures done by him as a
free gift, and still more, his single-mindedness, and gentleness, and fidelity, show that
he is a just man, or an apostle of the new God whom he preaches; for he continually fasts
and prays, and eats only bread with salt, and his drink is water, and he carries one coat,
whether in warm weather or in cold, and he takes nothing from any one, but gives to others
even what he has. The king having heard this, stroked his face with his hands, shaking his
head for a long time.

6 And he sent for the merchant that had brought him, and for the apostle, and said to him:
Hast thou built me the palace? And he said: Yes, I have built it. And the king said: When,
then, are we to go and see it? And he answered and said: Now thou canst not see it; but
when thou hast departed this life, thou shalt see it. And the king, quite enraged, ordered
both the merchant, and Judas who also is Thomas, to be put in chains, and to be cast into
prison, until he should examine, and learn to whom he had given the king’s property. And
thus I shall destroy him along with the merchant. And the apostle went to prison
rejoicing, and said to the merchant: Fear nothing at all, but only believe in the God
proclaimed by me, and thou shalt be freed from this world, and thou shalt obtain life in
the world to come.

7 And the king considered by what death he should kill them; and when it seemed good to
him to flay them, and burn them with fire, on that very night Gad the king’s brother fell
ill, and through the grief and imposition which the king suffered he was grievously
depressed; and having sent for the king, he said to him: My brother the king, I commend to
thee my house and my children; for I, on account of the insult that has befallen thee,
have been grieved, and am dying; and if thou do not come down with vengeance upon the head
of that magician, thou wilt give my soul no rest in Hades. And the king said to his
brother: During the whole night I have considered this, how I shall put him to death; and
this has seemed good to me—to flay him and burn him up with fire, both him and with him
the merchant that brought him.

8 And as they were talking together, the soul of Gad his brother departed. And the king
mourned for Gad exceedingly, for he altogether loved him. And he ordered him to be
prepared for burial in a royal and costly robe. And as this was being done, angels
received the soul of Gad the king’s brother, and took it up into heaven, showing him the
places and dwellings there, asking him: In what sort of a place dost thou wish to dwell?
And when they came near the edifice of Thomas the apostle, which he had built for the
king, Gad, seeing it, said to the angels, I entreat you, my lords, permit me to dwell in
one of the underground chambers of this palace. And they said to him: Thou canst not dwell
in this building. And he said: Wherefore? They say to him: This palace is the one which
that Christian built for thy brother. And he said: I entreat you, my lords, permit me to
go to my brother, that I may buy this palace from him; for my brother does not know what
it is like, and he will sell it to me.

9 Then the angels let the soul of Gad go. And as they were putting on him the burial robe,
his soul came into him. And he said to those standing round him: Call my brother to me,
that I may beg of him one request. Straightway, therefore, they sent the good news to
their king, saying: Thy brother has come alive again. And the king started up, and along
with a great multitude went to his brother, and went in and stood beside his bed as if
thunderstruck, not being able to speak to him. And his brother said: I know and am
persuaded, brother, that if any one asked of thee the half of thy kingdom, thou wouldst
give it for my sake; wherefore I entreat thee to grant me one favour, which I beg of thee
to do me. And the king answered and said: And what is it that thou askest me to do for
thee? And he said: Assure me by an oath that thou wilt grant it me. And the king swore to
him: Of what belongs to me, whatever thou shalt ask, I will give thee. And he says to him:
Sell me that palace which thou hast in the heavens. And the king said: Whence does a
palace in the heavens belong to me? And he said: That which the Christian who is now in
the prison, whom the merchant bought from a certain Jesus, and brought to thee, built for
thee. And as he was at a loss, he says to him again: I speak of that Hebrew slave whom
thou didst wish to punish, as having suffered some imposition from him, on account of whom
I also was grieved and died, and now have come alive again.

10 Then the king, having come to know, understood about the eternal benefits that were
conferred upon him and destined for him, and said: That palace I cannot sell thee, but I
pray thee to go into it, and dwell there, and become worthy to be of its inhabitants; but
if thou really wishest to buy such a palace, behold, the man is alive, and will build thee
a better than that. And having sent immediately, he brought out of the prison the apostle,
and the merchant who had been shut up along with him, saying: I entreat thee, as a man
entreating the servant of God, that thou wilt pray for me, and entreat him whose servant
thou art, to pardon me, and overlook what I have done to thee, or even what I meant to do,
and that I may be worthy to be an inhabitant of that house for which indeed I have
laboured nothing, but which thou labouring alone hast built for me, the grace of thy God
working with thee; and that I may become a servant, I also, and slave of this God whom
thou proclaimest. And his brother, falling down before the apostle, said: I entreat thee,
and supplicate before thy God, that I may become worthy of this ministry and service, and
may be allotted to become worthy of those things which were shown me by his angels.

11 And the apostle, seized with joy, said: I make full confession to Thee, Lord Jesus,
that Thou hast revealed Thy truth in these men: for Thou alone art a God of truth, and not
another; and Thou art He who knowest all things that are unknown to many: Thou art He,
Lord, who in all things showest compassion and mercy to men; for men, through the error
that is in them, have overlooked Thee, but Thou hast not overlooked them. And now, when I
am entreating and supplicating Thee, accept the king and his brother, and unite them into
Thy fold, having cleansed them by Thy purification, and anointed them with Thy oil, from
the error which encompasseth them; and protect them also from the wolves, bringing them
into Thy meadows; and give them to drink of Thy ambrosial fountain, that is never muddy
and never faileth: for they entreat Thee, and supplicate, and wish to become Thy ministers
and servants; and on account of this they are well pleased even to be persecuted by Thine
enemies, and for Thy sake to be hated by them, and insulted, and to die; as Thou also for
our sakes didst suffer all these things, that Thou mightst gain us to Thyself, as being
Lord, and truly a good shepherd. And do Thou grant them that they may have confidence in
Thee alone, and aid from Thee, and hope of their salvation, which they obtain from Thee
alone, and that they may be confirmed in Thy mysteries; and they shall receive the perfect
benefits of Thy graces and gifts, and flourish in Thy service, and bear fruit to
perfection in Thy Father.

12 King Gundaphoros, therefore, and Gad, having been altogether set apart by the apostle,
followed him, not at all going back, they also providing for those that begged of them,
giving to all, and relieving all. And they entreated him that they might also then receive
the seal of baptism; and they said to him: As our souls are at ease, and as we are earnest
about God, give us the seal; for we have heard thee saying that the God whom thou
proclaimest recognises through his seal his own sheep. And the apostle said to them: And I
am glad, and entreat you to receive this seal, and to communicate with me in this
thanksgiving and blessing of God, and to be made perfect in it; for this Jesus Christ whom
I proclaim is Lord and God of all, and He is the Father of truth, in whom I have taught
you to believe. And he ordered to bring them oil, in order that through the oil they might
receive the seal. They brought the oil, therefore, and lighted many lamps, for it was
night.

13 And the apostle arose, and sealed them; and the Lord was revealed to them, through a
voice saying, Peace to you, brethren! And they heard His voice only, but His form they saw
not; for they had not yet received the ratification of the seal. And the apostle, having
taken oil, and poured it over their head, and salved and anointed them, began to say:
Come, holy name of Christ, which is above every name; come, power of the Most High, and
perfect compassion; come, grace most high; come, compassionate mother; come, thou that
hast charge of the male child; come, thou who revealest secret mysteries; come, mother of
the seven houses, that there may be rest for thee in the eighth house; come, thou
presbyter of the five members—intelligence, thought, purpose, reflection,
reasoning—communicate with these young persons; come, Holy Spirit, and purify their reins
and heart, and seal them in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit. And when they
had been sealed, there appeared to them a young man holding a burning torch, so that their
lamps were even darkened by the approach of its light. And he went out, and disappeared
from their sight. And the apostle said to the Lord: Thy light, Lord, is too great for us,
and we cannot bear it; for it is too much for our sight. And when light came, and it was
dawn, having broken bread, he made them partakers of the thanksgiving of Christ. And they
rejoiced and exulted; and many others also believed, and were added, and came to the
refuge of the Saviour.

14 And the apostle ceased not proclaiming, and saying to them: Men and women, boys and
girls, young men and maidens, vigorous and aged, both bond and free, withhold yourselves
from fornication, and covetousness, and the service of the belly; for under these three
heads all wickedness comes. For fornication maims the mind, and darkens the eyes of the
soul, and becomes a hindrance of the due regulation of the body, changing the whole man
into feebleness, and throwing the whole body into disease. And insatiableness puts the
soul into fear and shame, existing by what pertains to the body, and forcibly seizing what
belongs to another;…and the service of the belly throws the soul into cares and troubles
and griefs.…Since, therefore, you have been set free from these, you are without care, and
without grief, and without fear; and there remains to you that which was said by the
Saviour: Take no care for the morrow, for the morrow will take care of itself. Keep in
mind also that saying before mentioned: Look upon the ravens, and behold the fowls of the
heaven, that they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, and God takes care of them;
how much more you, O ye of little faith! But look for His appearing, and have your hopes
in Him, and believe in His name: for He is the Judge of living and dead, and He requites
to each one according to his deeds;

15 and at His coming and appearance at last no one will have as a ground of excuse, when
he comes to be judged by Him, that he has not heard. For His heralds are proclaiming in
the four quarters of the world. Repent, therefore, and believe the message, and accept the
yoke of gentleness and the light burden, that you may live and not die. These things lay
hold of, these things keep; come forth from the darkness, that the light may receive you;
come to Him who is truly good, that from Him you may receive grace, and place His sign
upon your souls. 16 When he had thus said, some of the bystanders said to him: It is time
for this debtor to receive his debt. And he said to them: The creditor, indeed, always
wishes to receive more; but let us give him what is proper. And having blessed them, he
took bread and oil, and herbs and salt, and gave them to eat. But he continued in his
fasting, for the Lord’s day was about to dawn. And on the night following, while he was
asleep, the Lord came and stood by his head, saying: Thomas, rise up early and bless them
all; and after the prayer and service go along the eastern road two miles, and there I
shall show in thee my glory. For because thou goest away, many shall flee to me for
refuge, and thou shalt reprove the nature and the power of the enemy. And having risen up
from sleep, he said to the brethren who were with him: Children and brethren, the Lord
wishes to do something or other to-day through me; but let us pray and entreat Him that
nothing may be a hindrance to us towards Him, but as at all times let it now also be done
unto us according to His purpose and will. And having thus spoken, he laid his hands upon
them and blessed them. And having broken the bread of the Eucharist, he gave it to them,
saying: This Eucharist shall be to you for compassion, and mercy, and recompense, and not
for judgment. And they said: Amen.

17 About the Dragon and the Young Man. And the apostle went forth to go where the Lord had
bidden him. And when he came near the second milestone he turned a little out of the way,
and saw the body of a beautiful youth lying; and he said: Lord, was it for this that Thou
broughtest me out to come here, that I might see this trial? Thy will therefore be done,
as Thou purposest. And he began to pray, and to say: Lord, Judge of the living, and of
those that are lying dead, and Lord of all, and Father—Father not only of the souls that
are in bodies, but also of those that have gone out of them; for of the souls that are in
pollutions Thou art Lord and Judge—come at this time, when I call upon Thee, and show Thy
glory upon him that is lying down here. And he turned and said to those that followed him:
This affair has not happened idly; but the enemy has wrought and effected this, that he
might make an assault upon him; and you see that he has availed himself of no other form,
and has wrought through no other living being, but through his subject.

18 And when the apostle had thus spoken, behold, a great dragon came forth from his den,
knocking his head, and brandishing his tail down to the ground, and, using a loud voice,
said to the apostle: I shall say before thee for what cause I have put him to death, since
thou art here in order to reprove my works. And the apostle says: Yes, say on. And the
dragon: There is a certain woman in this place exceedingly beautiful; and as she was once
passing by, I saw her, and fell in love with her, and I followed and watched her; and I
found this young man kissing her, and he also had intercourse with her, and did with her
other shameful things. And to me indeed it was pleasant to tell thee this, for I know that
thou art the twin-brother of Christ, and always bringest our race to nought. But, not
wishing to harass her, I did not at this time put him to death; but I watched him passing
by in the evening, and struck him, and killed him, and especially as he had dared to do
this on the Lord’s day. And the apostle inquired of him, saying: Tell me, of what seed and
of what race art thou?

19 And he said to him: I am the offspring of the race of the serpent, and hurtful of the
hurtful; I am son of him who hurt and struck the four brothers that stood; I am son of him
who sits on the throne of destruction, and takes his own from what he has lent; I am son
of that apostate who encircles the globe; I am kinsman to him who is outside of the ocean,
whose tail lies in his mouth; I am he who went into paradise through the hedge, and spoke
with Eve what my father bade me speak to her; I am he who inflamed and fired Cain to kill
his brother, and through me thorns and prickles sprang up in the ground; I am he who cast
down the angels from above, and bound them down by the desires of women, that earth-born
children might be produced from them, and that I might work my will in them; I am he who
hardened the heart of Pharaoh, that he should murder the children of Israel, and keep them
down by the hard yoke of slavery; I am he who caused the multitude to err in the desert
when they made the calf; I am he who inflamed Herod and incited Caiaphas to the lying
tales of falsehood before Pilate, for this became me; I am he who inflamed Judas, and
bought him, that he should betray Christ; I am he who inhabits and holds the abyss of
Tartarus, and the Son of God has wronged me against my will, and has gathered his own out
of me; I am the kinsman of him who is to come from the east, to whom also power has been
given to do whatever he will upon the earth.

20 And that dragon having thus spoken in the hearing of all the multitude, the apostle
raised his voice on high, and said: Cease henceforth, O thou most unabashed, and be
ashamed and altogether put to death; for the end of thy destruction is at hand, and do not
dare to say what thou hast done through thy dependants. And I order thee, in the name of
that Jesus who even until now makes a struggle against you for the sake of His own human
beings, to suck out the poison which thou hast put into this man, and to draw it forth,
and take it out of him. And the dragon said: The time of our end is by no means at hand,
as thou hast said. Why dost thou force me to take out what I have put into him, and to die
before the time? Assuredly, when my father shall draw forth and suck out what he has put
into the creation, then his end will come. And the apostle said to him: Show us,
therefore, now the nature of thy father. And the dragon went up, and put his mouth upon
the wound of the young man, and sucked the gall out of it. And in a short time the skin of
the young man, which was like purple, grew white, and the dragon swelled. And when the
dragon had drawn up all the gall into himself, the young man sprang up and stood, and ran
and fell at the apostle’s feet.

21 And the dragon, being swelled up, shrieked out and died, and his poison and gall were
poured forth; and in the place where his poison was poured forth there was made a great
chasm, and that dragon was swallowed up. And the apostle said to the king and his brother:
Take workmen, and fill up the place in which the dragon has been swallowed up, and lay
foundations, and build houses-above it, that it may be made a dwelling-place for the
strangers. 22 And the young man said to the apostle, with many tears: I have sinned
against the God proclaimed by thee, and against thee, but I ask pardon of thee; for thou
art a man having two forms, and wherever thou wishest there art thou found, and thou art
held in by no one, as I see. For I beheld that man, when I stood beside thee, who also
said to thee, I have many wonders to show by means of thee, and I have great works to
accomplish by means of thee, for which thou shalt obtain a reward; and thou shalt make
many to live, and they shall be in repose and eternal light as the children of God: do
thou therefore bring alive—he says, speaking to thee about me—this young man who has been
cast down by the enemy, and in all time be the overseer of him. Thou hast, then, well come
hither, and again thou shalt well go away to him, he being not at all forsaken by thee.
And I am without care and reproach, for the dawn has risen upon me from the care of the
night, and I am at rest; and I have also been released from him who exasperated me to do
these things: for I have sinned against Him who taught me the contrary, and I have
destroyed him who is the kinsman of the night, who forced me to sin by his own practices;
and I have found that kinsman of mine who is like the light.

23 I have destroyed him who darkens and blinds those who are subject to him, lest they
should know what they are doing, and, ashamed of their works, withdraw themselves from
them, and their deeds have an end: and I have found Him whose works are light, and whose
deeds are truth, of which whoever does them shall not repent. I have been set free also
from him in whom falsehood abides, whom darkness as a covering goes before, and shame
conducting herself impudently in idleness follows after. And I have found also Him who
shows me what is beautiful, that I should lay hold of it, the Son of the truth, who is
kinsman of concord, who, driving away the mist, enlightens His own creation, and heals its
wounds, and overturns its enemies. But I entreat thee, O man of God, make me again to
behold and see Him, now become hidden from me, that I may also hear His voice, the wonders
of which I cannot declare: for it is not of the nature of this bodily organ.

24 And the apostle said to him: If, as thou hast also said, thou hast cast off the
knowledge of those things which thou hast received, and if thou knowest who has wrought
these things in thee, and if thou shalt become a disciple and hearer of Him of whom,
through thy living love, thou now desirest the sight, thou shalt both see Him, and shalt
be with Him for ever, and shalt rest in His rest, and shalt be in His joy. But if thou art
rather carelessly disposed towards Him, and again returnest to thy former deeds, and
lettest go that beauty and that beaming countenance which has now been displayed to thee,
and if the splendour of the light of Him whom thou now desirest be forgotten by thee, thou
shalt be deprived not only of this life, but also of that which is to come; and thou shalt
go to him whom thou hast said thou hast destroyed, and shalt no longer behold Him whom
thou hast said thou hast found.

25 And when the apostle had thus spoken, he went into the city, holding that young man by
the hand, and saying to him: Those things which thou hast beheld, my child, are a few out
of the many which God has: for it is not about these things that appear that the good news
is brought to us, but greater things than these are promised to us; but inasmuch as we are
in the body, we cannot tell and speak out what He will do for our souls. If we say that He
affords us light, it is seen by us, and we have it; and if riches, they exist and appear
in this world, and we name them, since it has been said, With difficulty will a rich man
enter into the kingdom of the heavens. And if we speak of fine clothing, which they who
delight in this life put on, it has been said, They that wear soft things are in kings’
palaces; and if costly dinners, about these we have received a commandment to keep away
from them, not to be burdened by carousing and drunkenness and the cares of life; as also
in the Gospel it has been said, Take no heed for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on: because the life is more than food,
and the body than clothing. And if we speak of this rest lasting only for a season, its
judgment has also been ordained.

26 But we speak about the upper world, about God and angels, about ambrosial food, about
garments that last and become not old, about those things which eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, nor hath there come into the heart of sinful men what God has prepared for those
that love Him. Do thou also therefore believe in Him, that thou mayst live; and have
confidence in Him, and thou shalt never die. For He is not persuaded by gifts, that thou
shouldst offer them to Him; nor does He want sacrifices, that thou shouldst sacrifice to
Him. But look to Him, and thou shalt not look in vain, for His comeliness and desirable
beauty will make thee love Him; and neither will He allow thee to turn thyself away from
Him. 27 And when the apostle was thus speaking to that young man, a great multitude joined
them. And the apostle looked, and saw them lifting themselves up that they might see him;
and they went up into elevated places. And the apostle said to them: Ye men who have come
to the assembly of Christ, and who wish to believe in Jesus, take an example from this,
and see that if you do not get high up, you cannot see me, who am small, and cannot get a
look of me, who am like yourselves. If, then, you cannot see me, who am like yourselves,
unless you raise yourselves a little from the earth, how can you see Him who lives above,
and is now found below, unless you first raise yourselves out of your former behaviour,
and unprofitable deeds, and troublesome desires, and the riches that are left behind here,
and create things that are of the earth, and that grow old, and the garments that are
destroyed, and the beauty that ages and vanishes away, yea, even out of the whole body in
which all these have been stored past, and which grows old, and becomes dust, returning
into its own nature? for all these things the body itself sets up. But rather believe in
our Lord Jesus Christ, whom we proclaim to you, in order that your hope may be upon Him,
and that you may have life in Him to ages of ages, that He may be your fellow-traveller in
this land, and may release you from error, and may become a haven for you in this
troublous sea. And there shall be for you also a fountain welling out in this thirsty
land, and a fold full of food in the place of the hungry, and rest for your souls, and
also a physician for your bodies.

28 Then the multitude of those assembled that heard, wept, and said to the apostle: O man
of God, as for the God whom thou proclaimest, we dare not say that we are his, because our
works which we have done are alien from him, not pleasing to him; but if he has compassion
upon us, and pities us, and delivers us, overlooking our former doings; and if he set us
free from the evil things which we did when we were in error, and shall not take into
account nor keep the recollection of our former sins, we shall become his servants, and we
shall do his will to the end. And the apostle answered and said to them: He does not
reckon against you the sins which you did, being in error; but He overlooks your
transgressions which you have done in ignorance. About the Demon that Dwelt in the Woman.

29 And the apostle went into the city, all the multitude accompanying him; and he thought
of going to the parents of the young man whom, when killed by the dragon, he had brought
to life; for they earnestly entreated him to come to them, and to enter into their house.
30 And a certain woman, exceedingly beautiful, suddenly uttered a loud cry, saying: O
apostle of the new God, who hast come into India, and servant of that holy and only good
God—for through thee he is proclaimed the Saviour of the souls that come unto him, and
through thee he heals the bodies of those that are punished by the enemy, and thou hast
become the cause of life to all who turn to him—order me to be brought before thee, that I
may declare to thee what has happened to me, and that perhaps there may be hope to me from
thee and those who stand beside thee may have more and more hope in the God whom thou
proclaimest. For I am not a little tormented by the adversary, who has assailed me for now
a period of five years. As a woman, I formerly sat down in peace, and peace encompassed me
on all sides and I had nothing to trouble me, for of nothing else had I a care. And it
happened on one of the days as I was coming forth from the bath, there met me one like a
man troubled and disturbed; and his voice and utterance seemed to me to be indistinct and
very weak. And he said, standing over against me, Thou and I shall be in one love, and we
shall have intercourse with each other, as a man is coupled with his wife.

31 And I answered him, saying, To my betrothed I consented not, entreating him not to
marry me; and to thee, wishing to have intercourse with me as it were in adultery, how
shall I give myself up? And having thus spoken, I went away from him. And to my maid I
said, Hast thou seen the young man and his shamelessness, how shamelessly and boldly he
talks to me? And she said to me, It was an old man I saw talking with thee. And when I was
in my own house, and had supped, my mind suggested to me some suspicion, and especially
because he had appeared to me in two forms. I fell asleep, having this same thing in my
thoughts. And he came that night, and made me share in his filthy commerce. And I saw him
when it was day, and fled from him; but, according to his wont, he came at night and
abused me. And now, as thou seest me, I have been tormented by him five years, and he has
not departed from me. But I know and am persuaded that even demons, and spirits, and
avenging deities, are subject to thee, and tremble at thy prayer. Pray, then, for me, and
drive away from me the demon that torments me, that I also may become free, and may be
brought to my former nature, and I shall receive the gift that has been granted to my
kindred.

32 And the apostle said: O irrepressible wickedness! O the shamelessness of the enemy! O
the sorcerer that is never at rest! O the ill-favoured one, bring to subjection the well-
favoured! O the many-formed one! He appears just as he may wish, but his essence cannot be
changed. O offspring of the crafty and insatiable one! O bitter tree, which also his
fruits are like! O thou who art of the devil, who fights over those who do not belong to
him! O thou who art of the deceit that uses shamelessness! O thou who art of the
wickedness that creeps like a serpent, and art thyself his kindred! And when the apostle
had thus spoken the fiend stood before him, no one seeing him but the woman and the
apostle, and with a very loud voice he said in the hearing of all: What have we to do with
thee, O apostle of the Most High? What have we to do with thee, O servant of Jesus Christ?
What have we to do with thee, O thou that sittest in council with the Holy Spirit.
Wherefore dost thou wish to destroy us, when our time has not yet come? On what account
dost thou wish to take away our power? for until the present hour we have had hope and
time left us. What have we to do with thee? Thou hast power over thine own, and we over
our own. Why dost thou wish to use tyranny against us, and especially thou who teachest
others not to use tyranny?

33 Why dost thou want those who do not belong to thee, as if thou wert not satisfied with
thine own? Why dost thou liken thyself to the Son of God, who has done us hurt? For thou
art like him altogether, just as if thou hadst been brought forth by him. For we thought
to bring him also under the yoke, like the rest; but he turned, and held us under his
hand. For we did not know him; but he deceived us by the form which he had put on, and his
poverty and his want; for when we saw him such, we thought him to be a man clothed with
flesh, not knowing that it was he who makes men live. And he gave us power over our own,
and, in the time in which we live, not to let our own go, but to employ ourselves about
them. But thou wishest to get more than is necessary, or than has been given thee, and to
overpower us.

34 And having thus spoken, the demon wept, saying: I let thee go, my most lovely yoke-
fellow, whom I found long ago and was at rest; I leave thee, my beloved and trusty sister,
in whom I was well pleased. What I shall do I know not, or whom I shall call upon to hear
me and protect me. I know what I shall do. I shall go to some place where the fame of this
man has not been heard, and perhaps I shall call thee, my beloved, by a new name. And
lifting up his voice, he said: Abide in peace, having received an asylum with a greater
than I; but I, as I have said, will go away and seek thy like, and if I find her not I
shall again return to thee: for I know that when thou art beside this man, thou hast an
asylum in him; but when he has gone away, thou shalt be as thou wast before he made his
appearance, and him indeed wilt thou forget, and to me there will again be opportunity and
boldness; but now I am afraid of the name of him who has delivered thee. And having thus
said, the demon disappeared. And just when he had disappeared, fire and smoke were seen
there, and all there present were struck with amazement.

35 And the apostle seeing this, said to them: Nothing strange or unusual has that demon
shown, but his own nature, in which also he shall be burnt up; for the fire shall consume
him, and the smoke of him shall be scattered abroad. And he began to say: O Jesus Christ,
the secret mystery which has been revealed to us, Thou art He who disclosest to us all
manner of mysteries, who hast set me apart from all my companions, and who hast told me
three words with which I am set on fire, and I cannot tell them to others; O Jesus, man
slain, dead, buried; Jesus, God of God, and Saviour who bringest the dead to life, and
healest those who are diseased; O Jesus, who appearest to be in want, and savest as if in
want of nothing, catching the fishes for the morning and the evening meal, and
establishing all in abundance with a little bread; Jesus, who didst rest from the toil of
the journey as a man, and walk upon the waves as God; Jesus Most High, voice arising from
perfect compassion, Saviour of all, the right hand of the light overthrowing him that is
wicked in his own kind, and bringing all his kind into one place; Thou who art only
begotten, the first-born of many brethren, God of God Most High, man despised until now;
Jesus Christ, who overlookest us not when we call upon Thee; who hast been shown forth to
all in Thy human life;

36 who for our sakes hast been judged and kept in prison, and freest all that are in
bonds; who hast been called a deceiver, and who deliverest Thine own from deception: I
entreat Thee in behalf of those standing and entreating Thee, and those that believe in
Thee; for they pray to obtain Thy gifts, being of good hope in Thine aid, occupying Thy
place of refuge in Thy majesty; they give audience, so as to hear from us the words that
have been spoken to them. Let Thy peace come and dwell in them, that they may be purified
from their former deeds, and may put off the old man with his deeds, and put on the new
now declared to them by me. 37 And having laid his hands on them, he blessed them, saying:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you for ever! And they said, Amen. And the
woman begged of him, saying: Apostle of the Most High, give me the seal, that that foe may
not come back upon me again. Then he made her come near him; and putting his hand upon
her, he sealed her in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. And many others also
were sealed along with her. And the apostle ordered his servant to set out a table; and
they set out a bench which they found there. And having spread a linen cloth upon it, he
put on it the bread of the blessing. And the apostle standing by it, said: Jesus Christ,
Son of God, who hast deemed us worthy to communicate of the Eucharist of Thy sacred body
and honourable blood, behold, we are emboldened by the thanksgiving and invocation of Thy
sacred name; come now, and communicate with us. And he began to say: Come, perfect
compassion; come, communion with mankind; come, Thou that knowest the mysteries of the
chosen one; come, Thou that communicatest in all the combats of the noble combatant; come,
peace that revealest the great things of all greatness; come, Thou that disclosest
secrets, and makest manifest things not to be spoken; the sacred dove which has brought
forth twin young; come, thou secret mother;

38 come, Thou who art manifest in Thy deeds, and givest joy and rest to those who are
united to Thee; come and communicate with us in this Eucharist, which we make in Thy name,
and in the love in which we are united in calling upon Thee. And having thus said, he made
the sign of the cross upon the bread, and broke it, and began to distribute it. And first
he gave it to the woman, saying: This shall be to thee for remission of sins, and the
ransom of everlasting transgressions. And after her, he gave also to all the others who
had received the seal. 39 About the Young Man Who Killed the Maiden. And there was a
certain young man who had done a nefarious deed; and having come to the apostle, he took
the bread of the Eucharist into his mouth, and his two hands immediately withered, so that
he could no longer bring them to his mouth. And those who were present and saw him told
the apostle what had happened. And he, having summoned him, said: Tell me, my child, and
be ashamed of nothing, what thou hast done, and why thou hast come hither; for the
Eucharist of the Lord has convicted thee. For this gracious gift coming to many is
especially healing to those who approach it through faith and love; but thee it has
withered away, and what has happened has happened not without some working cause. And the
young man who had been convicted by the Eucharist of the Lord came up, and fell at the
apostle’s feet, and prayed him, saying: An evil deed has been done by me, yet I thought to
do something good. I was in love with a certain woman living outside of the city in an
inn, and she loved me. And I having heard from thee, and believed that thou proclaimest
the living God, came and received the seal from thee along with the others; and thou
saidst, Whoever shall indulge in filthy intercourse, and especially in adultery, shall not
have life with the God whom I proclaim. Since, then, I altogether loved her, I begged of
her, and persuaded her to live with me in chaste and pure intercourse, as thou thyself
teachest; but she would not. When therefore she would not, I took a sword and killed her;
for I could not see her living in adultery with another.

40 The apostle, having heard this, said: O maddening intercourse, into what shamelessness
dost thou lead! O unrestrained lust, how hast thou brought him into subjection to do this!
O work of the serpent, how dost thou rage in thine own! And the apostle ordered water to
be brought him in a dish. And when the water had been brought, he said: Come waters from
the living waters, existing from the existing, and sent to us; the fountain sent to us
from repose, the power of salvation coming from that power that subdues all things, and
subjects them to its own will; come and dwell in these waters, that the gracious gift of
the Holy Spirit may be fully perfected in them. And he said to the young man: Go, wash thy
hands in these waters. And when he had washed, they were restored. And the apostle said to
him: Dost thou believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, that He can do all things? And he said:
Even though I am least of all, I believe; but this I did, thinking to do a good thing: for
I implored her, as also I told thee; but she would not be persuaded by me to keep herself
chaste.

41 And the apostle said to him: Come, let us go to the inn where thou didst this deed, and
let us see what has happened. And the young man went before the apostle on the road; and
when they came to the inn, they found her lying. And the apostle, seeing her, was
disheartened, for she was a beautiful maiden; and he ordered her to be brought into the
middle of the inn. And having put her on a couch, they brought it, and set it in the midst
of the court-yard of the inn. And the apostle laid his hand on her, and began to say:
Jesus, who always appearest to us—for this Thou always wishest, that we should seek
Thee—and Thou Thyself hast given us this power of asking and receiving; and not only hast
Thou given us this, but hast also taught us how to pray; who art not seen by bodily eyes,
but who art not altogether hidden from those of our soul, and who art hidden in Thy form,
but manifested to us by Thy works; and by Thy many deeds we have recognised Thee as we go
on, and Thou hast given us Thy gifts without measure, saying, Ask, and it shall be given
you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. We pray, therefore,
having suspicion of our sins; and we ask of Thee not riches, nor gold, nor silver, nor
possessions, nor any of those things that come from the earth and go into the earth again;
but this we beg of Thee, and entreat that in Thy holy name Thou raise this woman lying
here by Thy power, to the glory and faith of those standing by.

42 And when he had thus prayed, he sealed the young man, and said to him: Go, and take her
by the hand, and say to her, I through my hands killed thee with the sword; and again I
raise thee by my hands, in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the young man went and
stood by her, saying: I have believed in Thee, O Christ Jesus. And looking upon Judas
Thomas the apostle, he said to him: Pray for me, that my Lord, upon whom also I call, may
come to my help. And having laid his hand on her hand, he said: Come, Lord Jesus Christ,
giving this woman life, and me the earnest of Thy faith. And immediately, as he drew her
hand, she sprang up, and sat, looking at the great multitude standing round. And she also
saw the apostle standing opposite to her; and having left the couch, she sprang up, and
fell at his feet, and took hold of his garments, saying: I pray thee, my lord, where is
that other who is with thee, who has not left me to remain in that fearful and grievous
place, but has given me up to thee, saying, Do thou take her, that she may be made
perfect, and thereafter brought into her own place?

43 And the apostle says to her: Tell us where thou hast been. And she answered: Dost thou,
who wast with me, to whom also I was entrusted, wish to hear? And she began to say: A
certain man received me, hateful in appearance, all black, and his clothing exceedingly
filthy; and he led me away to a place where there were many chasms, and a great stench and
most hateful odour were given forth thence; and he made me bend down into each chasm, and
I saw in the chasm blazing fire; and wheels of fire ran there, and souls were hung upon
those wheels, and were dashed against each other. And there was there crying and great
lamentation, and there was none released. And that man said to me, These souls are of
thine own nation, and for a certain number of days they have been given over to punishment
and torture; and then others are brought in instead of them; and likewise also these are
again succeeded by others. These are they who have exchanged the intercourse of man and
wife. And again I looked down, and saw infants heaped upon each other, and struggling and
lying upon each other; and he answered and said to me, These are their children, and for
this have they been placed here for a testimony against them.

44 And he brought me to another chasm, and I bent down and saw mud, and worms spouting
forth, and souls wallowing there; and a great gnashing of teeth was heard thence from
them. And that man said to me, These are the souls of women that left their own husbands,
and went and committed adultery with others, and who have been brought to this torment. He
showed me another chasm, into which I bent down and saw souls hung up, some by the tongue,
some by the hair, some by the hands, some by the feet, head downwards, and smoked with
smoke and sulphur; about whom that man who was with me answered me, These souls which are
hung up by the tongue are slanderers, and such as have uttered false and disgraceful
words; those that are hung up by the hairare those that are shameless, and that have gone
about with uncovered heads in the world; these hung up by the hands are those who have
taken what belongs to others, and have stolen, and who have never given anything to the
poor, nor assisted the afflicted; but they so acted, wishing to get everything, and giving
no heed at all to justice and the laws; and these hung up by the feet are those who
lightly and eagerly ran in wicked ways, and disorderly wickedness, not looking after the
sick, and not aiding those departing this life, and on account of this each individual
soul is requited for what has been done by it.

45 Again leading me away, he showed me a cavern, exceedingly dark, exhaling a great
stench; and many souls were peeping out thence, wishing to get some share of the air, but
their keepers would not let them peep out. And he who was with me said, This is the prison
of those souls which thou seest; for when they shall complete their punishments for those
things which each one has done, afterwards again others succeed them—and there are some
also quite used up—and are given up to other punishments. Those, then, who guarded the
souls that were in the dark cave said to the man that had charge of me, Give her to us,
that we may take her in beside the others, until the time comes for her to be given up to
punishment. And he answered them, I will not give her to you, for I am afraid of him who
gave her up to me; for I received no orders to leave her here, and I shall take her up
with me until I get some injunction about her. And he took me and brought me to another
place, in which were men who were bitterly tortured. And he that is like thee took me and
gave me up to thee, having thus said to thee, Take her, since she is one of the creatures
that have been led astray. And I was taken by thee, and am now before thee. I beg,
therefore, and supplicate thee that I may not go into those places of punishment which I
saw.

46 And the apostle said to the multitudes standing by: You have heard, brethren, what this
woman has recounted; and these are not the only punishments, but there are others worse
than these; and if you do not turn to this God whom I proclaim, and refrain from your
former works and deeds which you have done without knowledge, in these punishments you
shall have your end. Believe, therefore, in our Lord Jesus Christ, and He will forgive you
the sins done by you heretofore, and will purify you from all the bodily desires that
abide in the earth, and will heal you from the faults that follow after you, and go along
with you, and are found before you. And let each of you put off the old man, and put on
the new, and leave your former course of conduct and behaviour; and let those that steal
steal no more, but let them live, labouring and working; and let the adulterers no more
commit adultery, lest they give themselves up to everlasting punishment; for adultery is
with God an evil altogether grievous above other evils. Put away also from yourselves
covetousness, and lying, and drunkenness, and slandering, and requiting evil for evil: for
all these are alien and strange to the God proclaimed by us; but rather live in faith, and
meekness, and holiness, and hope, in which God rejoices, that ye may become His servants,
having received from Him gracious gifts, which few or none receive.

47 All the people therefore believed, and presented their souls obedient to the living God
and Christ Jesus, enjoying His blessed works, and His holy service. And they brought much
money for the service of the widows; for he had them collected in the cities, and he sent
to all of them by his own servants what was necessary, both clothing and food. But he did
not cease proclaiming and saying to them, and showing that this is Jesus the Christ,
concerning whom the Scriptures proclaimed that He should come, and be crucified, and be
raised from the dead after three days. And he showed them a second time, beginning from
the prophets, and explaining the things concerning Christ, and that it was necessary for
Him to come, and for all things to be fulfilled that had been said to us beforehand
concerning Him. And the report of him ran through all the cities and countries; and all
who had persons sick or tormented by unclean spirits brought them, and they were healed.
Some also they laid on the road by which he was to pass, and he healed them all by the
power of the Lord. Then said all with one accord who had been healed by him, with one
voice: Glory to Thee, Jesus, who givest Thy healing to all alike by means of Thy servant
and apostle Thomas. And being in good health, and rejoicing, we pray Thee that we may be
of Thy flock, and be numbered among Thy sheep; receive us, therefore, O Lord, and consider
not our transgressions and former offences which we did, being in ignorance.

48 And the apostle said: Glory to the only-begotten from the Father; glory to the first-
born of many brethren; Glory to Thee, the defender and helper of those who come to Thy
place of refuge; Thou that sleepest not, and raisest those that are asleep; that livest
and bringest to life those that are lying in death; O God Jesus Christ, Son of the living
God, redeemer and helper, refuge and rest of all that labour in Thy work, who affordest
health to those who for Thy name’s sake bear the burden of the day, and the icy coldness
of the night; we give thanks for the gracious gifts that have been given us by Thee, and
for the help from Thee bestowed upon us, and Thy providential care that has come upon us
from Thee. Perfect these things upon us, therefore, unto the end, that we may have
confidence in Thee; look upon us, because for Thy sake we have left our homes, and for Thy
sake have become strangers gladly and willingly; look upon us, O Lord, because for Thy
sake we have abandoned our possessions, that we may have Thee for a possession that shall
not be taken away; look upon us, O Lord, because we have left those related to us by ties
of kindred in order that we may be united in relationship to Thee; look upon us, O Lord,
who have left our fathers and mothers, and those that nourished us, that we may behold Thy
Father, and be satisfied with His divine nourishment: look upon us, O Lord, because for
Thy sake we have left our bodily yoke-fellows, and our earthly fruit, in order that we may
share in that intercourse which is lasting and true, and bring forth true fruits, whose
nature is from above, the enjoyment of which no one can take away from us, with which we
abide, and they abide with us.


THE ACTS OF PHILIP
==================

THE ACTS OF PHILIP Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

The later acts of Philip the apostle, with his work in Hierapolis in Phrygia and his
martyrdom.

CHAPTER 1

1 The Acts of Philip. Of the Journeyings of Philip the Apostle. From the Fifteenth Acts
Until the End, and Among Them the Martyrdom. About the time when the Emperor Trajan
received the government of the Romans, after Simon the son of Clopas, who was bishop of
Jerusalem, had suffered martyrdom in the eighth year of his reign, being the second bishop
of the church there after James who bore the name of brother of the Lord, Philip the
apostle, going through the cities and regions of Lydia and Asia, preached to all the
Gospel of Christ. And having come to the city of Ophioryma, which is called Hierapolis of
Asia, he was entertained by a certain believer, Stachys by name. And there was with him
also Bartholomew, one of the seventy disciples of the Lord, and his sister Mariamme, and
his disciples that followed him. All the men of the city therefore, having left their
work, ran to the house of Stachys, hearing about the works which Philip did. And many men
and women having assembled in the house of Stachys, Philip along with Bartholomew taught
them the things of Jesus.

2 And Philip’s sister Mariamme, sitting in the entry of the house of Stachys, addressed
herself to those coming, persuading them to listen to the apostles, saying to them: Our
brethren, and sons of my Father in heaven, ye are the excellent riches, and the substance
of the city above, the delight of the habitation which God has prepared for those that
love Him. Trample under foot the snares of the enemy, the writhing serpent. For his path
is crooked, since he is the son of the wicked one, and the poison of wickedness is in him;
and his father is the devil, the author of death, and his mother corruption; rage in his
eyes and destruction in his mouth, and his path is Hades. Wherefore flee from him that has
no substance, the shapeless one that has no shape in all the creation, whether in the
heaven or in the earth, whether in the flying creatures or the beasts. For everything is
taken away from his shape; for among the beasts of the earth and the fowls of the heaven
is the knowledge of him, that the serpent trails his belly and his breast; and Tartarus is
his dwelling-place, and he goes in the darkness, since he has confidence in nothing. Flee
therefore from him, that his poison may not be poured out into your mouth. But be rather
believing, holy, of good works, having no deceit.

3 Take away from yourselves the wicked disposition, that is, the evil desires through
which the serpent, the wicked dragon, the prince of evil, has produced the pasture of
destruction and death for the soul, since all the desire of the wicked has proceeded from
him. And this is the root of iniquity, the maintenance of evils, the death of souls: for
the desire of the enemy is armed against the believers, and comes forth from the darkness,
and walks in the darkness, taking in hand to war with those who are in the light. For this
is the beginning of concupiscence. Wherefore you who wish to come to us, and the rather
that God has come through us to you as a father to his own children, wishing to have mercy
upon you, and to deliver you from the wicked snare of the enemy, flee from the evil lusts
of the enemy, and cast them completely out of your mind, hating openly the father of
evils, and loving Jesus, who is light, and life, and truth, and the Saviour of all who
desire Him. Having run, therefore, to Him, take hold of Him in love, that He may bring you
up out of the pit of the wicked, and having cleansed you, set you blameless, living in
truth, in the presence of His Father.

4 And all these things Philip said to the multitudes that had come together to worship as
in old times the serpents and the viper, of which also they set up images and worshipped
them. Wherefore also they called Hierapolis Ophioryma. And these things having been said
by Philip, Bartholomew and Mariamme and his disciples, and Stachys being along with him,
all the people gave ear, and a great multitude of them fleeing from the enemy were turned
to Jesus, and were added to Philip and those about him. And the faithful were the more
confirmed in the love of Christ. And Nicanora, the wife of the proconsul, lying in bed
under various diseases, especially of the eyes, having heard about the Apostle Philip and
his teaching, believed in the Lord. For she had even before this heard about Him; and
having called upon His name, she was released from the troubles that afflicted her. And
rising up, she went forth out of her house through the side door, carried by her own
slaves in a silver litter, and went into the house of Stachys, where the apostles were.

5 And when she came before the gate of the house, Mariamme, the sister of Philip the
apostle, seeing her, spoke to her in the Hebrew tongue before Philip and Bartholomew, and
all the multitude of those who had believed, saying: Alemakan, ikasame, marmare, nachaman,
mastranan, achaman; which is, Daughter of the father, thou art my mistress, thou hast been
given as a pledge to the serpent; but Jesus our Redeemer has come to deliver thee through
us, to break thy bands, and cut them, and to remove them from thee from their root,
because thou art my sister, one mother brought us forth twins. Thou hast forsaken thy
father, thou hast forsaken the path leading thee to the dwelling-place of thy mother,
being in error; thou hast left the temple of that deception, and of the temporary glory,
and hast come to us, fleeing from the enemy, because he is the dwelling-place of death.
Behold, now thy Redeemer has come to redeem thee; Christ the Sun of righteousness has
risen upon thee, to enlighten thee.

6 And when Nicanora, standing before the door, heard these things, she took courage before
all, crying out, and saying: I am a Hebrew, and a daughter of the Hebrews; speak with me
in the language of my fathers. For, having heard the preaching of my fathers, I was
straightway cured of the disease and the troubles that encompassed me. I therefore adore
the goodness of God who has caused you to be spoiled even to this city, on account of His
true stone held in honour, in order that through you we may receive the knowledge of Him,
and may live with you, having believed in Him. Nicanora having thus spoken, the Apostle
Philip, along with Bartholomew and Mariamme and those with them, prayed for her to God,
saying: Thou who bringest the dead to life, Christ Jesus the Lord, who hast freed us
through baptism from the slavery of death, completely deliver also this woman from the
error, the enemy; make her alive in Thy life, and perfect her in Thy perfection, in order
that she may be found in the country of her fathers in freedom, having a portion in Thy
goodness, O Lord Jesus.

7 And all having sent up the amen along with the Apostle Philip, behold, there came the
tyrant, the husband of Nicanora, raging like an unbroken horse; and having laid hold of
his wife’s garments, he cried out, saying: O Nicanora, did not I leave thee in bed? how
hadst thou so much strength as to come to these magicians? And how hast thou been cured of
the inflammation of thine eyes? Now, therefore, unless thou tell me who thy physician is,
and what is his name, I shall punish thee with various punishments, and shall not have
compassion upon thee. And she answering, says to him: O tyrant, cast out from thee this
tyranny of thine, forsake this wickedness of thine; abandon this life lasting only for a
season; run away from the brutality of thy worthless disposition; flee from the wicked
dragon and his lusts; throw from thee the works and the dart of the man-slaying serpent;
renounce the abominable and wicked sacrifices of the idols, which are the husbandry of the
enemy, the hedge of darkness; make for thyself a life chaste and pure, that being in
holiness thou mayst be able to know my Physician, and to get His name. If therefore thou
wishest me to be beside thee, prepare thyself to live in chastity and self-restraint, and
in fear of the true God, and I shall live with thee all my life; only cleanse thyself from
the idols, and from all their filth.

8 And when the gloomy tyrant her husband heard these words of hers, he seized her by the
hair of her head, and dragged her along, kicking her, and saying: It will be a fine thing
for thee to be cut off by the sword, or to see thee from beside me committing fornication
with these foreign magicians; for I see that thou hast fallen into the madness of these
deceivers. Thee first of them, therefore, I shall cut off by an evil death; and then, not
sparing them, I shall cut their sinews, and put them to a most cruel death. And having
turned, he said to those about him: Bring out for me those impostors of magicians. And the
public executioners having run into the house of Stachys, and laid hold of the Apostle
Philip, and Bartholomew and Mariamme, dragged them along, leading them to where the
proconsul was. And the most faithful Stachys followed, and all the faithful.

9 And the proconsul seeing them, gnashed his teeth, saying: Torture these deceivers that
have deceived many women, and young men and girls, saying that they are worshippers of
God, while they are an abomination. And he ordered thongs of raw hide to be brought, and
Philip and Bartholomew and Mariamme to be beaten; and after they had been scourged with
the thongs, he ordered their feet to be tied, and them to be dragged through the streets
of the city as far as the gate of their temple. And a great crowd was assembled, so that
scarcely any one stayed at home; and they all wondered at their patience, as they were
being violently and inhumanly dragged along. And the proconsul, having tortured the
Apostle Philip and the saints who were with him, ordered them to be brought, and secured
in the temple of the idol of the viper by its priests, until he should decide by what
death he should destroy each of them. And many of the crowd believed in the grace of
Christ, and were added to the Apostle Philip, and those with him, having renounced the
idol of the viper, and were confirmed in the faith, being magnified by the endurance of
the saints; and all together with their voice glorified God, saying the amen.

10 And when they were shut up in the temple of the viper—both Philip the Apostle, and
Bartholomew and Mariamme—the priests of the viper assembled in the same place, and a great
crowd, about seven thousand men; and having run to the proconsul, they cried out, saying:
Avenge us of the foreigners, and magicians, and corrupters and seducers of men. For ever
since they came to us, our city has been filled with every evil deed; and they have also
killed the serpents, the sons of our goddess; and they have also shut the temple, and the
altar has been desolated; and we have not found the wine which had been brought in order
that the viper, having drunk of it, might go to sleep. But if thou wishest to know that
they are really magicians, look and see how they wish to bewitch us, saying, Live in
chastity and piety, after believing in God; and how also they have come into the city; and
how also the dragons have not struck them blind, or even killed them; and how also they
have not drunk their blood; but even they who keep our city from every foreigner have been
cast down by these men.

11 And the proconsul, having heard these things, was the more inflamed with rage, and
filled with wrath and threatening; and he was exceedingly enraged, and said to the
priests: Why need you speak, when they have bewitched my own wife? And from that time she
has spoken to me with strange words; and praying all the night through, she speaks in a
strange tongue with a light shining round her; and groaning aloud, she says, Jesus the
true light has come to me. And I, having gone forth from my chamber, wished to look down
through the window and see Jesus, the light which she spoke of; and like lightning it came
upon me, so that I was within a little of being blinded; and from that time forth I am
afraid of my wife, on account of her luminous Jesus. Tell me, ye priests, what I am to do.
And they said to him: O proconsul, assuredly we are no longer priests; for ever since thou
didst shut them up, in consequence of them praying, not only has the temple been shaken
from the foundations, but it is also assuredly falling down.

12 Then the proconsul ordered to bring Philip and those with him forth out of the temple,
and to bring them up to the tribunal, saying to the public executioner: Strip Philip and
Bartholomew and Mariamme, and search thoroughly to try to find their enchantments. Having
therefore first stripped Philip, then Bartholomew, they came also to Mariamme; and
dragging her along, they said: Let us strip her naked, that all may see her, how she
follows men; for she especially deceives all the women. And the tyrant says to the
priests: Proclaim throughout the whole city round about that all should come, men and
women, that they may see her indecency, that she travels about with these magicians, and
no doubt commits adultery with them. And he ordered Philip to be hanged, and his ankles to
be pierced, and to bring also iron hooks, and his heels also to be driven through, and to
be hanged head downwards, opposite the temple on a certain tree; and stretch out
Bartholomew opposite Philip, having nailed his hands on the wall of the gate of the
temple.

13 And both of them smiled, seeing each other, both Philip and Bartholomew; for they were
as if they were not tortured: for their punishments were prizes and crowns. And when also
they had stripped Mariamme, behold, straightway the semblance of her body was changed in
the presence of all, and straightway there was about her a cloud of fire before all; and
they could not longer look at all on the place in which the holy Mariamme was, but they
all fled from her. And Philip spoke with Bartholomew in the Hebrew tongue saying: Where is
our brother John? for, behold, I am being released from the body; and who is he that has
prayed for us? Because they have also laid hands on our sister Mariamme, contrary to what
is meet; and, behold, they have set fire to the house of Stachys, saying, Let us burn it,
since he entertained them. Dost thou wish then, Bartholomew, fire to come from heaven, and
that we should burn them up?

14 And as Philip was thus speaking, behold, also John entered into the city like one of
their fellow-citizens; and moving about in the street, he asked: Who are these men, and
why are they punished? And they say to him: It cannot be that thou art of our city, and
askest about these men, who have wronged many: for they have shut up our gods, and by
their magic have cut off both the serpents and the dragons; and they have also raised many
of the dead, who have struck us with amazement, detailing many punishments against us, and
they wish also, these strangers who are hanging, to pray for fire out of heaven, and to
burn up us and our city. Then says John: Let us go, and do you show me them. They led
John, therefore, as their fellow-citizen, to where Philip was; and there was there a great
crowd, and the proconsul, and the priests. And Philip, seeing John, said to Bartholomew in
Hebrew: Brother, John has come, who was in Barek, where the living water is. And John saw
Philip hanging head downwards both by the ankles and the heels; and he also saw
Bartholomew stretched out on the wall of the temple; and he said to them: The mystery of
him that was hanged between the heaven and the earth shall be with you.

15 And he said also to the men of that city: Ye men who dwell in Ophioryma Hierapolis,
great is the ignorance which is among you, for you have erred in the path of error. The
dragon breathing has breathed upon you, and blinded you in three ways; that is, he has
made you blind in body, and blind in soul, and blind in spirit: and you have been struck
by the destroyer. Look upon the whole creation, whether in the earth, or in the heaven, or
in the waters, that the serpent has no resemblance to anything above; but he is of the
stock of corruption, and has been brought to nothing by God; and on this account he is
twisted and crooked, and there is no life in him; and anger, and rage, and darkness, and
fire, and smoke are in all his members. And now, therefore, why do you punish these men
because they have told you that the serpent is your enemy?

16 And when they heard these words from John, they raised their hands against him, saying:
We thought thee to be a fellow-citizen, but now thou hast shown thyself that thou art
their companion. Like them, so also thou shalt be put to death; for the priests have
intended to squeeze out your blood, and having mixed it with wine, to bring it to the
viper to drink it. When, therefore, the priests attempted to lay hold of John, their hands
were paralyzed. And John said to Philip: Let us not at all render evil for evil. And
Philip said to John: Behold now, where is my Lord Jesus, who told me not to avenge myself?
But for my part, I shall not endure it longer; but I will accomplish upon them my threat,
and will destroy them all. 17 And John and Bartholomew and Mariamme restrained him,
saying: Our Master was beaten, was scourged, was extended on the cross, was made to drink
gall and vinegar, and said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And this
He taught, saying: Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. Let us also therefore be
patient. Philip says: Go away, and do not mollify me; for I will not bear that they have
hanged me head down, and pierced my ankles and my heels with irons. And thou, John,
beloved of God, how much hast thou reasoned with them, and thou hast not been listened to!
Wherefore go away from me, and I will curse them, and they shall be destroyed utterly to a
man. And he began to curse them, invoking, and crying out in Hebrew: Abalo, aremun,
iduthael, tharseleon, nachoth, aidunaph, teletoloi: that is, O Father of Christ, the only
and Almighty God; O God, whom all ages dread, powerful and impartial Judge, whose name is
in Thy dynasty Sabaoth, blessed art Thou for everlasting: before Thee tremble dominions
and powers of the celestials, and the fire-breathing threats of the cherubic living ones;
the King, holy in majesty, whose name came upon the wild beasts of the desert, and they
were tamed, and praised Thee with a rational voice; who lookest upon us, and readily
grantest our requests; who knewest us before we were fashioned; the Overseer of all: now,
I pray, let the great Hades open its mouth;

18 let the great abyss swallow up these the ungodly, who have not been willing to receive
the word of truth in this city. So let it be, Sabaoth. And, behold, suddenly the abyss was
opened, and the whole of the place in which the proconsul was sitting was swallowed up,
and the whole of the temple, and the viper which they worshipped, and great crowds, and
the priests of the viper, about seven thousand men, besides women and children, except
where the apostles were: they remained unshaken. And the proconsul was swallowed up into
the abyss; and their voices came up from beneath, saying, with weeping: Have mercy upon
us, O God of Thy glorious apostles, because we now see the judgments of those who have not
confessed the crucified One: behold, the cross illumines us. O Jesus Christ, manifest
Thyself to us, because we are all coming down alive into Hades, and are being scourged
because we have unjustly crucified Thine apostles. And a voice was heard of one, saying: I
shall be merciful to you in the cross of light.

19 And there remained both Stachys and all his house, and the wife of the proconsul, and
fifty other women who had believed with her upon the Lord, and a multitude besides, both
of men and women, and a hundred virgins who had not been swallowed up because of their
chastity, having been sealed with the seal of Christ. Then the Lord, having appeared unto
Philip, said: O Philip, didst thou not hear: Thou shalt not render evil for evil? and why
hast thou inflicted such destruction? O Philip, whosoever putteth his hand to the plough,
and looketh backwards, is his furrow well set? or who gives up his own lamp to another,
and himself sits in darkness? or who forsakes his own dwelling-place, and dwells on a
dunghill himself? And who, giving away his own garment in winter, goes naked? or what
enemy rejoices in the joy of the man that hates him? and what soldier goes to war without
a full suit of armour? and what slave who has fulfilled his master’s order will not be
commended? and who in the race-course, having nobly run, does not receive the prize? and
who that has washed his garments willingly defiles them? Behold, my bride chamber is
ready; but blessed is he who has been found in it wearing the shining garment: he it is
who receives the crown upon his head. Behold, the supper is ready; and blessed is he who
is invited, and is ready to go to Him that has invited him. The harvest of the field is
much, and blessed is the good labourer. Behold the lilies and all the flowers, and it is
the good husbandman who is the first to get a share of them. And how hast thou become, O
Philip, unmerciful, having cursed thine enemies in wrath?

20 Philip says: Why art Thou angry with me, Lord, because I have cursed mine enemies? for
why dost Thou not tread them under foot, because they are yet alive in the abyss? And
knowest Thou, Lord, that because of Thee I came into this city, and in Thy name I have
persecuted all the error of the idols, and all the demons? The dragons have withered away,
and the serpents. And since these men have not received Thy light, therefore have I cursed
them, and they have gone down to Hades alive. 21 And the Saviour says to Philip: But since
thou hast disobeyed me, and hast requited evil for evil, and hast not kept my commandment,
on this account thou shalt finish thy course gloriously indeed, and shalt be led by the
hand by my holy angels, and shalt come with them even to the paradise of delight; and they
indeed shall come beside me into paradise, but thee will I order to be shut outside of
paradise for forty days, in terror under the flaming and turning sword, and thou shalt
groan because thou hast done evil to those who have done evil to thee. And after forty
days I shall send my archangel Michael; and he, having taken hold of the sword guarding
paradise, shall bring thee into it, and thou shalt see all the righteous who have walked
in their innocence, and then thou shalt worship the glory of my Father in the heavens.
Nevertheless the sign of thy departure shall be glorified in my cross. And Bartholomew
having gone away into Lycaonia, shall there also be himself crucified; and Mariamme shall
lay her body in the river Jordan. But I, O Philip, will not endure thee, because thou hast
swallowed up the men into the abyss; but, behold, my Spirit is in them, and I shall bring
them up from the dead; and thus they, seeing thee, shall believe in the glory of Him that
sent thee.

22 And the Saviour having turned, stretched up His hand, and marked a cross in the air
coming down from above even to the abyss, and it was full of light, and had its form after
the likeness of a ladder. And all the multitude that had gone down from the city into the
abyss came up on the ladder of the luminous cross; but there remained below the proconsul,
and the viper which they worshipped. And when the multitude had come up, having looked
upon Philip hanging head downwards, they lamented with a great lamentation at the lawless
action which they had done. And they also saw Bartholomew, and Mariamme having her former
appearance. And, behold, the Lord went up into the heavens in the sight of Philip, and
Bartholomew and Mariamme, and Stachys, and all the unbelieving people, and silently they
glorified God in fear and trembling. And all the multitudes cried out, saying: He alone is
God, whom these men proclaim in truth; He alone is God, who sent these men for our
salvation. Let us therefore truly repent for our great error, because we are by no means
worthy of everlasting life. Now we believe, because we have seen great wonders, because
the Saviour has brought us up from the abyss. And they all fell upon their face, and
adored Philip, and entreated him, ready to flee: Do not do another miracle, and again send
us away into the abyss. And they prayed that they might become worthy of the appearing of
Christ.

23 And Philip, yet hanging, addressed them, and said: Hear and learn how great are the
powers of my God, remembering what you have seen below, and how your city has been
overturned, with the exception of the house which received me; and now the sweetness of my
God has brought you up out of the abyss, and I am obliged to walk round paradise for forty
days on your account, because I was enraged against you into requiting you. And this
commandment alone I have not kept, in that I did not give you good in return for evil. But
I say unto you, From this time forth, in the goodness of God, reject the evil, that you
may become worthy of the thanksgiving of the Lord. 24 And some of the faithful ran up to
take down Philip, and take off him the iron grapnels, and the hooks out of his ankles. But
Philip said: Do not, my children, do not come near me on account of this, for thus shall
be my end. Listen to me, ye who have been enlightened in the Lord, that I came to this
city, not to make any merchandise, or do any other thing; but I have been destined to go
out of my body in this city in the case in which you see me. Grieve not, then, that I am
hanging thus; for I bear the stamp of the first man, who was brought to the earth head
downwards, and again, through the wood of the cross brought to life out of the death of
the transgression. And now I accomplish that which hath been enjoined upon me; for the
Lord said to me, Unless you shall make that of you which is down to be up, and that which
is on the left to be on the right, you shall not enter into my kingdom. Be ye not
therefore likened to the unchanged type, for all the world has been changed, and every
soul dwelling in a body is in forgetfulness of heavenly things; but let not us possessing
the glory of the heavenly seek that which is without, which is the body and the house of
slavery. Be not unbelieving, but believing, and forgive each other’s faults. Behold, I
hang six days, and I have blame from the true Judge, because I altogether requited you
evil, and put a stumbling-block in the way of my rectitude. And now I am going up on high;
be not sorrowful, but rather rejoice, because I am leaving this dwelling-place, my body,
having escaped from the corruption of the dragon, who punishes every soul that is in sins.

25 And Philip, having looked round upon the multitudes, said: O ye who have come up out of
the dead from Hades, and the swallowing up of the abyss,—and the luminous cross led you up
on high, through the goodness of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost,—He being God
became man, having been made flesh out of the Virgin Mary, immortal, abiding in flesh; and
having died, He raised the dead, having had pity on mankind, having taken away the sting
of sin. He was great, and became small for our sake, until He should enlarge the small,
and bring them into His greatness. And He it is who has sweetness; and they spat upon Him,
giving Him gall to drink, in order that He might make those who were bitter against Him to
taste of His sweetness. Cleave then to Him, and do not forsake Him, for He is our life to
everlasting.

26 And when Philip had finished this announcement, he says to them, Loose Bartholomew; and
having gone up, they loosed him. And after loosing him, Philip says to him: Bartholomew,
my brother in the Lord, thou knowest that the Lord has sent thee with me to this city, and
thou hast shared with me in all the dangers with our sister Mariamme; but I know that the
going forth from thy body has been appointed in Lycaonia, and it has been decreed to
Mariamme to go forth from the body in the river Jordan. Now therefore I command you, that
when I have gone forth from my body, you shall build a church in this place; and let the
leopard and the kid of the goats come into the church, for a sign to those that believe;
and let Nicanora provide for them until they shall go forth from the body; and when they
shall have gone forth, bury them by the gate of the church. And lay your peace upon the
house of Stachys, as Christ laid His peace on this city. And let all the virgins who
believe stand in that house each day, watching over the sick, walking two and two; but let
them have no communication with young men, that Satan may not tempt them: for he is a
creeping serpent, and he caused Adam by means of Eve to slip into death. Let it not be so
again in this time as in the case of Eve. But do thou, O Bartholomew, look to them well:

27 and thou shalt give these injunctions to Stachys, and appoint him bishop. Do not
entrust the place of the bishopric to a young man, that the Gospel of Christ may not be
brought to shame; and let every one that teacheth have his works equal to his words. But I
am going to the Lord, and take my body and prepare it for burial with Syriac sheets of
paper; and do not put round me flaxen cloth, because the body of my Lord was wrapped in
linen. And having prepared my body for burial in the sheets of paper, bind it tight with
papyrus reeds, and bury it in the church; and pray for me forty days, in order that the
Lord may forgive me the transgression wherein I transgressed, in requiting those who did
evil to me. See, O Bartholomew, where my blood shall drop upon the earth, a plant shall
spring up from my blood, and shall become a vine, and shall produce fruit of a bunch of
grapes; and having taken the cluster, press it into the cup; and having partaken of it on
the third day, send up on high the Amen, in order that the offering may be complete.

28 And Philip, having said these things, prayed thus: O Lord Jesus Christ, Father of the
ages, King of the light, who hast made us wise in Thy wisdom, and hast given us Thine
understanding, and hast bestowed upon us the counsel of Thy goodness, who hast never at
any time left us, Thou art He who taketh away the disease of those who flee to Thee for
refuge; Thou art the Son of the living God, who hast given us Thy presence of wisdom, who
hast given us signs and wonders, and hast turned those who have gone astray; who crownest
those who overcome the adversary, Thou excellent Judge. Come now, Jesus, and give me the
everlasting crown of victory against every adverse dominion and power, and do not let
their dark air hide me when I shall cross the waters of fire and all the abyss. O my Lord
Jesus Christ, let not the enemy have ground to accuse me at Thy tribunal: but put on me
Thy glorious robe, Thy seal of light that ever shines, until I shall pass by all the
powers of the world, and the wicked dragon that lieth in wait for us. Now therefore, my
Lord Jesus Christ, make me to meet Thee in the air, having forgiven me the recompense
which I recompensed to my enemies; and transform the form of my body into angelic glory,
and give me rest in Thy blessedness; and let me receive the promise from Thee which Thou
hast promised to Thy saints to everlasting.

29 And having thus spoken, Philip gave up the ghost, while all the multitudes were looking
upon him, and weeping, and saying: The life of this spirit has been accomplished in peace.
And they said the Amen. And Bartholomew and Mariamme took down his body, and did as Philip
had commanded them, and buried it in that place. And there was straightway a voice out of
the heavens: Philip the apostle has been crowned with an incorruptible crown by Jesus
Christ, the Judge of the contest. And all shouted out the Amen. And after the three days
the plant of the vine sprouted up where the blood of the holy Philip had dropped. And they
did all that had been commanded them by him, offering an offering for forty days, praying
without ceasing. And they built the church in that place, having appointed Stachys bishop
in the church. And Nicanora and all the faithful assembled, and did not cease, all of
them, glorifying God on account of the wonders that had happened among them. And all the
city believed in the name of Jesus. And Bartholomew commanded Stachys to baptize those who
believed into the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

30 And after the forty days, the Saviour, having appeared in the form of Philip, said to
Bartholomew and Mariamme: My beloved brethren, do you wish to rest in the rest of God?
Paradise has been opened to me, and I have entered into the glory of Jesus. Go away to the
place appointed for you; for the plant that has been set apart and planted in this city
shall bear excellent fruit. Having therefore saluted the brethren, and prayed for each of
them, they departed from the city of Ophioryma, the Hierapolis of Asia; and Bartholomew
departed into Lycaonia, and Mariamme proceeded to the Jordan; and Stachys and those with
him remained, maintaining the church in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and
strength for ever and ever. Amen.

CHAPTER 2

1 Acts of Saint Philip the Apostle When He Went to Upper Hellas. And it came to pass in
those days, when Philip entered into the city of Athens called Hellas, there assembled to
him three hundred philosophers, saying: Let us go and see what his wisdom is; for they say
about the wise men of Asia, that their wisdom is great. For they thought that Philip was a
philosopher, since he was travelling in the dress of a recluse; and they did not know that
he was an apostle of Christ. For the dress which Jesus gave to His disciples was a mantle
only, and a linen cloth. Thus, then, Philip was going about. On this account, therefore,
when the philosophers of Hellas saw him, they were afraid. They assembled therefore into
one place, and said to each other: Come, let us look into our books, lest somehow this
stranger overcome us, and put us to shame.

2 And having done so, they came together to the same place, and say to Philip: We have
doctrines of our fathers in which we are pleased, seeking after knowledge; but if thou
hast anything new, O stranger, show it to us without envy boldly: for we have need of
nothing else, but only to hear something new. And Philip answering, said to them: O
philosophers of Hellas, if you wish to hear some new thing, and are desirous of something
new, you ought to throw away from you the disposition of the old man; as my Lord said, It
is impossible to put new wine into old bottles, since the bottle is burst, and the wine
spilled, and the bottle destroyed. But they put new wine into fresh bottles, so that both
may be preserved. And these things the Lord said in parables, teaching us in His holy
wisdom, that many will love the new wine, not having a bottle fresh and new. And I love
you, O men of Hellas, and I congratulate you for having said, We love something new. For
instruction really new and fresh my Lord has brought into the world, in order that He
might sweep away all worldly instruction.

3 The philosophers say: Who is it that thou callest thy Lord? Philip says: My Lord is
Jesus in heaven. And they said to him: Show him to our comprehension without envy, that we
also may believe in him. And Philip said: He with whom I am about to make you acquainted
as Lord, is above every name; there is no other. And this only I say: As you have said, Do
not refuse us through envy, let it not be that I should refuse you; but rather in great
exultation and in great joy I have to reveal to you that name, for I have no other work in
this world than this proclamation. For when my Lord came into this world, He chose us,
being twelve in number, having filled us with the Holy Spirit; from His light He made us
know who He was, and commanded us to preach all salvation through Him, because there is no
other name named out of heaven than this. On this account I have come to you, to make you
fully assured, not in word only, but also in the showing forth of wonderful works in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 And when the philosophers heard this, they say to Philip: This name that has been heard
of by us from thee we have never found in the books of our fathers; now, therefore, how
can we know about thy words? And moreover, in addition, they say to him: Allow us three
days, that we may consult with each other about this name; for we lay no little stress
upon this—to apostatize from our fathers’ religion. Philip therefore says to them: Consult
as you wish; for there is no deceit in the matter. And the three hundred philosophers
having assembled, spoke with each other, saying: You know that this man has brought a
strange philosophy, and the words spoken by him bring us to distraction. What, then, shall
we do about him, or about the name of him who is called Jesus, the king of the ages, whom
he speaks of? And moreover they say to each other: Assuredly we cannot reason with him,
but the high priest of the Jews can. If therefore it seem good, let us send to him, in
order that he may stand up to this stranger, and that we may learn accurately the name
that is preached.

5 They wrote therefore to Jerusalem after this manner:—The philosophers of Hellas to
Ananias, the great high priest of the Jews in Jerusalem. There being between thee and us
at all times great…as thou knowest that we Athenians are searchers after truth. A certain
foreigner has come to Hellas, Philip by name; and, in a word, he has disturbed us
exceedingly, both by words and by extraordinary miracles, and he introduces a glorious
name, Jesus, professing himself to be his disciple. And he does also wonders of which we
write to you, in that he has cast out demons that have been long in men, and makes the
deaf hear, the blind see; and what is more wonderful—which also we should have first
mentioned—he has raised up men after they were dead, that have fairly completed the number
of their days. And the fame of him has gone abroad into all Hellas and Macedonia; and
there are many coming to him from the cities round about, bringing those who are ill with
various diseases, and he heals them all through the name of Jesus. On this account,
therefore, come to us without any reluctance, that thou thyself mayst announce to us what
Jesus, this name which he teaches, means. For on this account also we have sent this
letter to thee, O high priest.

6 And when he had read, he was filled with great wrath, and rent his clothes, and said:
Has that deceiver gone even to Athens, among the philosophers, to lead them astray? And
the Mansemat—that is, Satan—entered into Ananias unawares, and filled him with anger and
rage; and he said: If I allow that Philip himself, and those with him, to live, the law
will be entirely destroyed, and their teaching will likely fill the whole earth. And the
high priest went into his own house, and the teachers of the law, and the Pharisees; and
they consulted with each other, saying: What shall we do about these things? And they say
to the high priest Ananias: Stand up and arm thyself, and five hundred able men out of the
people, and go away to Athens, and by all means kill Philip, and thus thou shalt overturn
his teaching. And having put on the high priest’s robe, he came to Hellas in great pomp,
with the five hundred men. And Philip was in the house of a certain chief man of the city,
with the brethren who had believed. And the high priest and those with him, and the three
hundred philosophers, went up to the gateway of the house where Philip was; and it was
told Philip that they were outside. And he rose up and went out. And when the high priest
saw him, he says to him: O Philip, sorcerer and magician, for I know thee, that in
Jerusalem thy master the deceiver called thee Son of Thunder. Was not the whole of Judæa
sufficient for you, but you have come here also to deceive men who are searchers after
wisdom? And Philip said: Would that, O Ananias, thy covering of unbelief were taken away
from thy heart, that thou mightst know my words, and from them learn whether I am a
deceiver, or thou!

7 Ananias having heard this, said to Philip: I shall give answer to all. And Philip said:
Speak. The high priest says: O men of Hellas, this Philip believes in a man called Jesus,
who was born among us, who also taught this heresy, and destroyed the law and the temple,
and brought to nought the purification through Moses, and the new moons, because he says,
These have not been commanded by God. And when we saw that he thus destroyed the law, we
stood up against him, and crucified him, that his teaching might not be fulfilled. For
many changes were brought in by him; and he gave an evil testimony, for he ate all things
in common, and mixed with blood, after the manner of the Gentiles. And having given him
up, we put him to death, and buried him in a tomb; and these disciples of his having
stolen him, have proclaimed everywhere that he has risen from the dead, and have led
astray a great multitude by professing that he is at the right hand of God in heaven. But
now these men, themselves having the circumcision as we also have, have not followed it,
since they began to do many deeds of power in Jerusalem through the name of Jesus; and
having been cast out of Jerusalem, they go about the world, and deceive all men by the
magic of that Jesus, as also now this Philip has come to you to deceive you by the same
means. But I shall carry him away with myself to Jerusalem, because Archelaus the king is
also searching for him to kill him.

8 And when the multitude standing round heard this, those indeed who had been confirmed in
the faith were not shaken nor made to waver; for they knew that Philip would conquer in
the glory of Jesus. Philip therefore stated his case in the power of Christ with great
boldness, exulting and saying: I, O men of Athens, and those of you who are philosophers,
have come to you, not to teach you with words, but by the showing forth of miracles; and
in part you have quickly seen the things that have come to pass through me, in that name
by which the high priest himself is cast off. For, behold, I shall cry to my God, and
teach you, and you will prove the words of both. The high priest having heard this, ran to
Philip, wishing to scourge him, and that same hour his whole hand was dried up, and his
eyes were blinded; and in like manner also the five hundred who were with him were also
themselves blinded. And they reviled and cursed the high priest, saying: Coming out of
Jerusalem we said to thee, Refrain; for, being men, we cannot fight against God. But we
entreat thee, O Philip, apostle of the God Jesus, give us the light that is through him,
that we also may truly be his slaves.

9 And Philip, having seen what had come to pass, said: O weak nature! which has thrown
itself upon us, but straightway has been brought down low into itself; O bitter sea! which
rouses its waves against us, and thinks to cast us out, but which by itself lulls its
waves to rest. Now therefore, O our good steward Jesus, the holy light, Thou hast not
overlooked us who are all together crying up to Thee in all good works, but hast come to
finish them through us. Now therefore come, Lord Jesus; reprove the folly of these men.
The high priest says to Philip: Dost thou then think to turn us away from the traditions
of our fathers, and the God of the desert, and Moses; and dost thou imagine that thou wilt
make us followers of Jesus the Nazarene? Then Philip says to him: Behold, I shall pray to
my God to come and manifest Himself before thee and the five hundred, and before all here;
for perhaps thou wilt change thy mind, and believe. But if even to the end thou remain in
unbelief, there is coming upon thee an extraordinary thing, which shall be spoken of to
generations of generations—that also thou shalt go down alive, down into Hades, before the
face of all seeing thee, because thou yet abidest in unbelief, because also thou seekest
to turn away this multitude from the true life. And Philip prayed, saying: O holy Father
of the holy Son Jesus Christ, who hast granted to me to believe in Him, send Thy beloved
Son Jesus Christ to reprove the unbelieving high priest, that Thy name may be glorified in
Christ the Beloved.

10 And while Philip was yet crying out this, suddenly the heavens were opened, and Jesus
appeared coming down in most excellent glory, and in lightning; and His face was shining
sevenfold more than the sun, and His garments were whiter than snow, so that also all the
idols of Athens fell suddenly to the ground. And the people fled in anguish; and the
demons dwelling among them cried out: Behold, we also flee because of Him who has appeared
to the city, Jesus the Son of God. Then Philip says to the high priest: Hearest thou the
demons crying out because of Him who has been seen, and believest thou not in Him who is
present that He is Lord of all? The high priest says: I have no other God than the one in
the desert. And as Jesus was going up into heaven there happened a very great earthquake,
so that the place on which they stood was cleft; and the crowds ran and fell at the feet
of the apostle, crying out: Have mercy upon us, O man of God! In like manner also the five
hundred men cried out themselves also again: Have mercy upon us, O Philip, that we may
know thee, and through thee Jesus the light of life: for we said to this unbelieving high
priest, Being sinful men, we cannot fight against God.

11 Then Philip says: There is no hatred in us, but the grace of Christ will make you
receive your sight; but I will make the high priest receive his sight before you, that at
this you may the more believe. And a voice out of heaven was brought to Philip: O Philip,
son once of thunder, but now of meekness, whatever thou mayst ask of my Father, He shall
do for thee. And all the crowd was terror-struck at the voice, for the sound of it was
greater than that of thunder. Then Philip says to the high priest: In the name of the
power of the voice of my Lord, receive thy sight, Ananias. And immediately he received his
sight, and looked round, and said: What is there in the magic of Jesus, that this Philip
within a short time has made me blind, and again within a short time has made me receive
my sight? Dost thou then, said Philip, believe in Jesus? The high priest says: You do not
think, do you, that you can bewitch me, and persuade me? And the five hundred who were
with him, having heard that their high priest, having received his sight, was yet
unbelieving, said to the bystanders to pray Philip that he should make them receive their
sight, that, said they, we may cut off this unbelieving high priest.

12 And Philip said: Do not avenge yourselves upon the wicked. And he says to the high
priest: There will be a certain great sign upon thee. He says to Philip: I know that thou
art a sorcerer and a disciple of Jesus: thou dost not bewitch me. And the apostle said to
Jesus: Sabarthan, sabathabt, bramanuch, come quickly. And immediately the earth was cleft
in the place where Ananias was, and swallowed him up as far as the knees. And Ananias
cried out: O great is the power of the true witchcraft, because it has cleft the earth,
when Philip threatened it in Hebrew, and adjured it; and it holds me even to the knees,
and by the heels some hooks as it were drag me downwards, that I may believe in Philip;
but he cannot persuade me, for from Jerusalem I know his magic tricks. 13 And Philip,
enraged, said: O earth, lay fast hold of him, even to the navel. And immediately it
dragged him down. And he said: The one of my feet underneath is turned into ice, and the
other is frightfully hot; but by thy magic, Philip, I will not be overcome. Except,
therefore, that I am sore tortured underneath, I do not believe at all. And the crowds
wished to stone him. And Philip says: Not so; for this has in the meantime happened, that
he has been swallowed up as far as the navel, that the salvation of your souls may be
effected, because he would almost have drawn you by his wicked words into unbelief. But if
even he repented, I should bring him up out of the earth to the salvation of his soul; but
assuredly he is not worthy of salvation. If, then, he remain in unbelief, you shall see
him sunk down into the abyss, unless the Lord intends to raise those who are in Hades,
that they may confess that Jesus is Lord. For in that day every tongue shall confess that
Jesus is Lord, and that there is one glory of the Father, and the Son, with the Holy
Spirit for evermore.

14 And Philip, having said this, extended his right hand, stretching it through the air
over the five hundred men in the name of Jesus. And their eyes were opened, and they all
praised God with one mouth, saying: We bless Thee, O Christ Jesus, the God of Philip, that
thou hast driven the blindness away from us, and hast given us Thy light, the Gospel. And
Philip rejoiced exceedingly at their words, because they were thus confirmed in the faith.
And after this, Philip, having turned to the high priest, said: Confess thou also in a
pure heart that Jesus is Lord, that thou mayst be saved, like those with thee. But the
high priest laughed at Philip, and remained in unbelief. Philip then, seeing that he
remained in unbelief, having looked at him, says to the earth: Open thy mouth, and swallow
him up as far as his neck in the presence of those who have believed in Christ Jesus. And
in the same hour the earth, having opened its mouth, received him as far as the neck. And
the multitude communed with each other on account of the wonders that had happened.

15 A certain chief man of the city came crying out, and saying: O blessed apostle, a
certain demon has assailed my son, and cried out, saying to me, Since thou hast allowed a
foreigner to come into your city, thou who hast been the first to do away with our worship
and our sacrifices, what shall I do for thee, except to kill this thine only begotten son?
And after he said this, he strangled my son. Now therefore, I beseech thee, O apostle of
Christ, do not allow my joy to be turned into sorrow, because I also have believed thy
words. 16 And the apostle, having heard this, said: I wonder at the activity of the
demons, that it is active in every place, and dares to assail those to whose help I have
not been able to come, as now they have tried you, wishing to cause you to offend. And he
says to the man: Bring me thy son, and I will give him to thee alive, through my Christ.
And rejoicing, he ran to bring his son. And when he came near his house, he cried out,
saying: My son, I have come to thee to carry thee to the apostle, so that he may present
thee to me living. And he ordered his slaves to carry the bed; and his son was twenty-
three years old. And when Philip saw him, he was moved; and he turned to the high priest,
and said: This has happened as a chance for thee: if, therefore, I shall raise him up,
wilt thou henceforth believe? And he says: I know your magic arts, that thou wilt raise
him up; but I will not believe thee. And Philip, enraged, said: A curse upon thee! then go
down altogether into the abyss before the face of all these. And at the same hour he went
down into Hades alive, except that the high priest’s robe flew off from him; and because
of this, from that day, no one knew what became of the priest’s robe. And the apostle
turned round and prayed for the boy; and having driven the demon away from him, he raised
him up, and set him beside his father alive.

17 And the multitude having beheld this, cried out: The God of Philip is the only God, who
has punished the unbelief of the high priest, and driven away the demon from the young
man, and raised him up from the dead. And the five hundred having seen the high priest
swallowed up into the abyss, and the other miracles, besought Philip, and he gave them the
seal in Christ. And Philip abode in Athens two years; and having founded a church,
appointed a bishop and a presbyter, and so went away to Parthia, preaching Christ. To whom
be glory for ever. Amen.

CHAPTER 3

1 Addition to Acts of Philip. (From a Paris ms.) And he taught them thus: My brethren,
sons of my Father—for you are of my family as to Christ, substance of my city, the
Jerusalem above, the delight of my dwelling-place—why have you been taken captive by your
enemy the serpent, twisted, crooked, and perverse, to whom God has given neither hands nor
feet? And crooked is his going, since he is the son of the wicked one; for his father is
death, and his mother corruption, and ruin is in his body. Do not go then into his
destruction; for you are in bondage by the unbelief and deception of his son, who is
without order, and has no substance; formless, and has no form in the whole creation,
either in the heaven or in the earth, or among the fishes that are in the waters. But if
you see him, flee from him, since he has no resemblance to men: his dwelling is the abyss,
and he walks in darkness. Flee, then, from him, that his venom may not be poured out upon
you: if his venom be poured out upon your body, you walk in his wickedness. But remain
rather in the true worship, being faithful, reverent, and good, without guile. Flee from
Satan the dragon, and remove from you his wicked seed, namely desire, by which he begets
disease in the soul, which is the venom of the serpent. For desire is of the serpent from
the beginning, and she it is who arms herself against the faithful; for she came forth out
of the darkness, and returns to the darkness. You ought therefore, after coming to us, or
rather through us to God, to throw out the venom of the devil from your bodies.

2 And as the apostle was saying this, behold, Nicanora came forth from her house, and went
with her slaves into the house of Stachys. And when she came near the door of the house,
behold, Mariamme spoke to her in the Syriac language: Helikomaei, kosma, etaa, mariacha.
And she explained her words, saying: O daughter of the Spirit, thou art my lady, who hast
been given in pledge to the serpent; but I have come to deliver thee: I shall break thy
bonds, and cut them from their root. Behold, the Deliverer that frees thee has come:
behold, the Sun of righteousness has risen to enlighten thee. And when she was thus
speaking, the gloomy tyrant came running and panting. And Nicanora, who was before the
door, heard this, and took courage before them all, crying out and saying: I am a Hebrew,
a daughter of the Hebrews; speak with me in the language of my fathers, because I have
heard your preaching, and have been cured of this my disease. I reverence and glorify the
goodness of God, in that He hath made you to be utterly spoiled in this earth.

3 And when she said this, the tyrant came, and took hold of her garments, and said: O
Nicanora, did I not leave thee lying on the bed from thy disease? Whence, then, hast thou
found this power and strength, so as to be able to come to these magicians? Unless, then,
thou tell who is the healer, I shall punish thee most severely. And Nicanora answered, and
said: O rearer of tyrants, cast away from thyself this tyranny, and forget thy wicked
works, and abandon this temporary life, and put away vainglory, because it passes like a
shadow: seek rather what is everlasting, and take away from thyself the beastly and
impious work of base desire, and reject vain intercourse, which is the husbandry of death,
the dark prison; and overturn the middle wall of corruption, and prepare for thyself a
life chaste and spotless, that we may altogether live in sanctity. If, then, thou wishest
me to remain with thee, I will live with thee in continence.

4 And when the tyrant heard these words, he seized her by the hair of the head, and
dragged her along, kicking her, and saying: It would be better for thee to be put to death
by my sword, than to be seen with these foreign magicians and deceivers. I will punish
thee, therefore, and put to death those who have deceived thee. And he turned in a rage to
the executioners who followed him, and said: Bring me these impostors. And the
executioners ran to the house of Stachys, and laid hold of Philip, and Bartholomew, and
Mariamme, with the leopard and the kid of the goats, and dragged them along, and brought
them. When the tyrant saw them, he gnashed his teeth against them, and said: Drag along
these magicians and deceivers that have deceived many souls of women by saying, We are
worshippers of God. And he caused thongs to be brought, and bound their feet. And he
ordered them to be dragged along from the gate as far as the temple. And great multitudes
came together to that place. And they wondered exceedingly at the leopard and the kid; for
they were speaking like men, and some of the multitude believed the words of the apostles.

5 And the priests said to the tyrant: These men are magicians. And when he heard that, he
burned with rage, and was filled with anger; and he ordered Philip, and Bartholomew, and
Mariamne to be stripped, saying: Search them. Perhaps you will find their sorcery. And the
executioners stripped them, and laid hold of Mariamne, and dragged her along, saying:
Uncover her, that they may learn that it is a woman who follows them. And he ordered to
bring clubs and strong cords; and after piercing Philip’s ankles they brought hooks, and
put the cords through his ankles, and hung him head downwards on a tree that was before
the door of the temple; and they fixed pegs into the temple wall, and left him. And after
binding Bartholomew hand and foot, they extended him naked on the wall; and when they had
stripped Mariamne, the appearance of her body was changed, and became a glass chest filled
with light, and they could not come near her.

6 And Philip spoke with Bartholomew in Hebrew: Where is John to-day, in the day of our
need? for behold, we are being delivered from our bodies. And they have laid hands on
Mariamne beyond what is seemly, and they have scourged the leopard and the kid of the
goats, and have set fire to the house of Stachys, because he took us in. Let us therefore
speak, that fire may come down from heaven and burn them up. 7 And as Philip was thus
speaking, behold, John came into the city, and walked about the street, and asked those in
the city: What is the commotion, and who are these men, and why are they punished? And
they say to him: Art thou not of this city? And dost thou not know about these men, how
they disturbed our houses, and the whole city? Moreover, they have even persuaded our
wives to go away from us on the pretence of religion, proclaiming a foreign name, viz.
Christ’s; and they have also shut our temples by the sorcery they have, and they have put
to death the serpents that are in the city by foreign names that we have never known. And
they have fixed their abode in the house of Stachys the blind man, whom they made to
recover his sight through the spittle of a woman who accompanies them; and it is perhaps
she who has all the sorcery: and there accompany them a leopard and a kid, speaking like
men. But if ever you have seen such doings, you will not be put about by them. And John
answered, and said to them: Show me them. And they brought him to the temple where Philip
was hanging. And when Philip saw John, he said to Bartholomew: O my brother, behold the
son of Barega—that is the living water—has come. And John saw Philip hanging head down,
tied by his ankles; and saw Bartholomew also bound to the temple wall.

8 And he said to the men of the city: O children of the serpent, how great is your folly!
for the way of deceit has deceived you, the wicked dragon breathing has breathed upon you:
why do you punish these men for saying the serpent is your enemy? And when they heard
these words from John, they laid their hands upon him, saying: We called thee our fellow-
citizen, but now thy speech has made thee manifest that thou also art in communion with
them. Thou also, therefore, shalt be put to the same death as they, for the priests have
decided thus: Let us drain out their blood as they hang head downward, and mix it with
wine, and offer it to the viper. And when they were thus speaking, behold, Mariamne rose
up from the place in which she was, and came back to her former appearance. 9 And the
priests reached forth their hands towards John, wishing to lay hold of him, and they could
not. Then Philip with Bartholomew said to John: Where is Jesus, who enjoins upon us not to
take into our own hands vengeance on those that torture us? for after this I will not
endure them. And Philip spoke in Hebrew, and said: My Father Uthael, i.e., O Christ,
Father of majesty, whose name all the ages fear, who art powerful, and the power of the
universe, whose name goes forth in lordship, Eloa: Blessed art Thou to the ages; Thou whom
dominions and powers fear, trembling before Thy face; King of honour! Father of majesty!
whose name has gone forth to the wild beasts of the desert, and they have become quiet
because of Thee, and through Thee the serpents have departed from us: Hear us before we
ask. Thou who seest us before we call, who knowest our thoughts, the All-surveyor of all,
who sends forth from Himself unnumbered compassions; let the abyss open its mouth, and
swallow up these godless persons who will not accept the word of Thy truth.

10 And in that very hour the abyss opened its mouth, and all that place was violently
shaken, from the proconsul to all the multitude along with the priests; and they were all
sunk down. And the places where the apostles and all who were with them were remained
unshaken, and the house of Stachys, and Nicanora the tyrant’s wife, and the twenty-four
wives who fled from their husbands, and the forty virgins who had not known men. These
alone did not go down into the abyss, because they had become servants, and had received
the word of God, and His seal; but all the rest of the city were swallowed down into the
abyss. And the Saviour having appeared at that hour, said to Philip: Who is it that has
put his hand to the plough, and has turned back from making the furrow straight? or who
gives his light to others, and himself remains sitting in darkness? or who dwells in the
dirt, and leaves his dwelling-place to strangers? or who lays down his garment, and goes
out in the days of winter naked? or what slave that has done his master’s service, shall
not be called by him to supper? or who runs with zeal in the racecourse, and does not get
the prize? Philip, behold my bridal chamber is ready, and blessed is he who has his own
shining garment; for he it is who gets the crown of joy upon his head. Behold, the supper
is ready, and blessed is he who is called by the bridegroom. Great is the harvest of the
field; blessed is the able workman.

11 And when Philip heard these words from the Saviour, he answered and said to him: Thou
didst give us leave, O Jesus of Nazareth, and dost Thou not enjoin us to smite those who
do not wish Thee to reign over them? But this we know, that Thy name has not been
proclaimed in all the world, and Thou hast sent us to this city. And I did not intend to
come into this city, and Thou didst send me, after giving me Thy true commandment, that I
should drive away all deceit, and bring to nothing every idol and demon, and all the power
of the unclean one. And when I came here, the demons fled from our faces through Thy name,
and the dragons and the serpents withered away, but these men did not take to themselves
Thy true light; and for this reason I resolved to bring them low, according to their
folly.

12 And the Saviour said: O Philip, since thou hast forsaken this commandment of mine, not
to render evil for evil, for this reason thou shalt be debarred in the next world for
forty years from being in the place of my promise: besides, this is the end of thy
departure from the body in this place; and Bartholomew has his lot in Lycaonia, and shall
be crucified there; and Mariamne shall lay down her body in the river Jordan. And the
Saviour turned and stretched out His hand, and made the sign of the cross in the air; and
it was full of light, and had its form after the likeness of a ladder. And all the
multitude of the men of the city who had gone down into the abyss came up upon the ladder
of the cross of light and none of them remained in the abyss, but only the tyrant and the
priests, and the viper which they worshipped. And when the multitudes came up from the
abyss, they looked and saw Philip hanging head down, and Bartholomew upon the wall of the
temple, and they also found Mariamne in her first shape. And the Saviour went up into
heaven in the sight of Philip and Bartholomew and Mariamne, and the leopard and the kid of
the goats, and Nicanora and Stachys; and they all with a loud voice glorified God with
fear and trembling, crying out: There is one God who has sent us His salvation, whose name
these men proclaim: we repent therefore of the error in which we were before yesterday,
not being worthy of eternal life; and we believe, having seen the wonderful things that
have come to pass through us. And some of them threw themselves on their faces, and
worshipped the apostles; and others made ready to flee, saying: There may be another
earthquake like the one that has just happened.

13 And stretching out his hands, the Apostle Philip, hanging head down, said: Men of the
city, hear these words which I am going to say to you, hanging head down. Ye have learned
how great are the powers of God, and the wonders which you saw when your city was
destroyed by the earthquake which came upon it. And this was manifest to you, that the
house of Stachys was not destroyed and that he did not go down into the abyss, because he
believed on the true God, and received us His servants. And I, having fulfilled all the
will of my God, am His debtor for what I requited to him that did evil to me. 14 And some
of those who had been baptized ran to loose Philip hanging head down. And he answered and
said to them: My brethren,… those who are virgins in the members of their flesh and commit
fornication in their hearts, and the fornication of their eyes, shall abound like the
deluge. And they grow immoderate from listening to persuasive pleasures, forgetting the
God of the knowledge of the Gospel; and their hearts are full of arrogance, eating and
drinking in their worship, forgetting the holy commandment, and despising it. That
generation is turned aside; but blessed is he that retires into his retreat, for he shall
obtain rest in his departure. Knowest thou not, Bartholomew, that the word of our Lord is
true life and knowledge? for the Lord said to us in His teaching, Every one who shall look
upon a woman, and lust after her in his heart, has completed adultery. And on this account
our brother Peter fled from every place in which a woman was, and yet there was scandal on
account of his own daughter; and he prayed to the Lord, and she had paralysis of her side,
that she might not be deceived. Thou seest, brother, that the sight of the eyes brings
gainsaying, and the beginning of sin, as it is written, She looked, and saw the tree, that
it was pleasing to her eyes, and good for food, and she was deceived. Let the hearing,
then, of the virgins be holy; and in their going out let them walk two and two, for many
are the wiles of the enemy. Let their walk and conversation be well ordered, that they may
be saved; but if not, let their fruit be common.

15 My brother Bartholomew, give these promises to Stachys, and appoint him ruler and
bishop in the Church, that he may be like thee, teaching well. Do not entrust the office
to a man too young: appoint not such a one to the chair of the teachers, lest thou profane
the witness of Christ. For he that teaches should have his works corresponding to his
words, that the word may be ready on every occasion in its own glory. But I am being
released from my body, hanging head down. Take, then, my body, and prepare it for burial
in Syrian paper, and do not put about it linen cloth, since they put it upon the body of
our Lord, and wrap it close in paper and papyrus, and put it in the vestibule of the holy
church. And pray over me for forty days, that God may forgive the transgression which I
did, in that I requited evil to him that did evil to me, and there may not be for me in
the world to come the forty years.

16 And after thus speaking, Philip prayed, saying: My Lord Jesus Christ, Father of the
ages, King of all light, who makest us wise in Thy wisdom, who hast given us the exalted
knowledge, who hast graciously conferred upon us the counsel of Thy goodness, who hast
never departed from us; Thou who takest away disease from those who take refuge in Thee;
Thou who hast given us the Word, to turn unto Thee those who have been led astray; Thou
who hast given us signs and wonders on behalf of those of little faith; Thou who
presentest the crown to those who have conquered; Thou who art the judge of the games, who
hast given us the crown of joy, who speakest with us, that we may be able to withstand
those that hurt us; Thou art He who sows and reaps, and completes, and increases, and
vivifies all Thine own servants: reproaches and threats are to us help and power through
those who turn to Thee through us, who are Thy servants. Come, Lord, and give me the crown
of victory in the presence of men. Let not their dark air envelope me, nor their smoke
burn the shape of my soul, that I may cross the waters of the abyss, and not sink in them.
My Lord Jesus Christ, let not the enemy find anything that he can bring against me in the
presence of Thee, the true Judge, but clothe me in Thy shining robe, and…(The rest is
wanting.)


ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA
=======================

ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA Translated by Alexander Walker

late 2nd century

The story of Thecla of Iconium, who hears Paul preach on virginity, is condemned to the
fire and to the beasts, and is saved. It is part of the second-century Acts of Paul.

1 Acts of Paul and Thecla. As Paul was going up to Iconium after the flight from Antioch,
his fellow-travellers were Demas and Ermogenes, full of hypocrisy; and they were
importunate with Paul, as if they loved him. But Paul, looking only to the goodness of
Christ, did them no harm, but loved them exceedingly, so that he made the oracles of the
Lord sweet to them in the teaching both of the birth and the resurrection of the Beloved;
and he gave them an account, word for word, of the great things of Christ, how He had been
revealed to him. And a certain man, by name Onesiphorus, hearing that Paul had come to
Iconium, went out to meet him with his children Silas and Zeno, and his wife Lectra, in
order that he might entertain him: for Titus had informed him what Paul was like in
appearance: for he had not seen him in the flesh, but only in the spirit. And he went
along the road to Lystra, and stood waiting for him, and kept looking at the passers by
according to the description of Titus. And he saw Paul coming, a man small in size, bald-
headed, bandy-legged, well-built, with eyebrows meeting, rather long-nosed, full of grace.
For sometimes he seemed like a man, and sometimes he had the countenance of an angel. And
Paul, seeing Onesiphorus, smiled; and Onesiphorus said: Hail, O servant of the blessed
God! And he said: Grace be with thee and thy house. And Demas and Ermogenes were jealous,
and showed greater hypocrisy; so that Demas said: Are not we of the blessed God, that thou
hast not thus saluted us? And Onesiphorus said: I do not see in you the fruit of
righteousness; but if such you be, come you also into my house and rest yourselves.

2 And Paul having gone into the house of Onesiphorus, there was great joy, and bending of
knees, and breaking of bread, and the word of God about self-control and the resurrection;
Paul saying: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: blessed are they that
have kept the flesh chaste, for they shall become a temple of God: blessed are they that
control themselves, for God shall speak with them: blessed are they that have kept aloof
from this world, for they shall be called upright: blessed are they that have wives as not
having them, for they shall receive God for their portion: blessed are they that have the
fear of God, for they shall become angels of God: blessed are they that have kept the
baptism, for they shall rest beside the Father and the Son: blessed are the merciful, for
they shall obtain mercy, and shall not see the bitter day of judgment: blessed are the
bodies of the virgins, for they shall be well pleasing to God, and shall not lose the
reward of their chastity; for the word of the Father shall become to them a work of
salvation against the day of His Son, and they shall have rest for ever and ever.

3 And while Paul was thus speaking in the midst of the church in the house of Onesiphorus,
a certain virgin Thecla, the daughter of Theocleia, betrothed to a man named Thamyris,
sitting at the window close by, listened night and day to the discourse of virginity and
prayer, and did not look away from the window, but paid earnest heed to the faith,
rejoicing exceedingly. And when she still saw many women going in beside Paul, she also
had an eager desire to be deemed worthy to stand in the presence of Paul, and to hear the
word of Christ; for never had she seen his figure, but heard his word only. And as she did
not stand away from the window, her mother sends to Thamyris; and he comes gladly, as if
already receiving her in marriage. And Theocleia said: I have a strange story to tell
thee, Thamyris; for assuredly for three days and three nights Thecla does not rise from
the window, neither to eat nor to drink; but looking earnestly as if upon some pleasant
sight, she is so devoted to a foreigner teaching deceitful and artful discourses, that I
wonder how a virgin of such modesty is so painfully put about. Thamyris, this man will
overturn the city of the Iconians, and thy Thecla too besides; for all the women and the
young men go in beside him, being taught to fear God and to live in chastity. Moreover
also my daughter, tied to the window like a spider, lays hold of what is said by Paul with
a strange eagerness and awful emotion; for the virgin looks eagerly at what is said by
him, and has been captivated. But do thou go near and speak to her, for she has been
betrothed to thee.

4 And Thamyris going near, and kissing her, but at the same time also being afraid of her
overpowering emotion, said: Thecla, my betrothed, why dost thou sit thus? and what sort of
feeling holds thee overpowered? Turn round to thy Thamyris, and be ashamed. Moreover also
her mother said the same things: Why dost thou sit thus looking down, my child, and
answering nothing, but like a mad woman? And they wept fearfully, Thamyris indeed for the
loss of a wife, and Theocleia of a child, and the maidservants of a mistress: there was
accordingly much confusion in the house of mourning. And while these things were thus
going on, Thecla did not turn round, but kept attending earnestly to the word of Paul. 5
And Thamyris starting up, went forth into the street, and kept watching those going in to
him and coming out. And he saw two men bitterly contending with each other; and he said:
Men, tell me who this is among you, leading astray the souls of young men, and deceiving
virgins, so that they do not marry, but remain as they are. I promise, therefore, to give
you money enough if you tell me about him; for I am the first man of the city. And Demas
and Ermogenes said to him: Who this is, indeed, we do not know; but he deprives young men
of wives, and maidens of husbands, saying, There is for you a resurrection in no other
way, unless you remain chaste, and pollute not the flesh, but keep it chaste. And Thamyris
said to them: Come into my house, and rest yourselves. And they went to a sumptuous
dinner, and much wine, and great wealth, and a splendid table; and Thamyris made them
drink, from his love to Thecla, and his wish to get her as his wife. And Thamyris said
during the dinner: Ye men, what is his teaching, tell me, that I also may know; for I am
no little distressed about Thecla, because she thus loves the stranger, and I am prevented
from marrying.

6 Demas and Ermogenes said: Bring him before the governor Castelios on the charge of
persuading the multitudes to embrace the new teaching of the Christians, and he will
speedily destroy him, and thou shalt have Thecla as thy wife. And we shall teach thee that
the resurrection of which this man speaks has taken place, because it has already taken
place in the children which we have; and we rose again when we came to the knowledge of
the true God. And Thamyris, hearing these things, being filled with anger and rage, rising
up early, went to the house of Onesiphorus with archons and public officers, and a great
crowd with batons, saying: Thou hast corrupted the city of the Iconians, and her that was
betrothed to me, so that she will not have me: let us go to the governor Castelios. And
all the multitude said: Away with the magician; for he has corrupted all our wives, and
the multitudes have been persuaded to change their opinions.

7 And Thamyris, standing before the tribunal, said with a great shout: O proconsul, this
man, who he is we know not, who makes virgins averse to marriage; let him say before thee
on what account he teaches these things. And Demas and Ermogenes said to Thamyris: Say
that he is a Christian, and thus thou wilt do away with him. But the proconsul stayed his
intention, and called Paul, saying: Who art thou, and what dost thou teach? for they bring
no small charges against thee. And Paul lifted up his voice, saying: Since I am this day
examined as to what I teach, listen, O proconsul: A living God, a God of retributions, a
jealous God, a God in need of nothing, consulting for the salvation of men, has sent me
that I may reclaim them from corruption and uncleanness, and from all pleasure, and from
death, that they may not sin. Wherefore God sent His own Son, whom I preach, and in whom I
teach men to rest their hope, who alone has had compassion upon a world led astray, that
they may be no longer under judgment, O proconsul, but may have faith, and the fear of
God, and the knowledge of holiness, and the love of truth. If, therefore, I teach what has
been revealed to me by God, wherein do I do wrong? And the proconsul having heard, ordered
Paul to be bound, and sent to prison, until, said he, I, being at leisure, shall hear him
more attentively.

8 And Thecla by night having taken off her bracelets, gave them to the gatekeeper; and the
door having been opened to her, she went into the prison; and having given the jailor a
silver mirror, she went in beside Paul, and, sitting at his feet, she heard the great
things of God. And Paul was afraid of nothing, but ordered his life in the confidence of
God. And her faith also was increased, and she kissed his bonds. And when Thecla was
sought for by her friends, and Thamyris, as if she had been lost, was running up and down
the streets, one of the gatekeeper’s fellow-slaves informed him that she had gone out by
night. And having gone out, they examined the gatekeeper; and he said to them: She has
gone to the foreigner into the prison. And having gone, they found her, as it were,
enchained by affection. And having gone forth thence, they drew the multitudes together,
and informed the governor of the circumstance. And he ordered Paul to be brought to the
tribunal; but Thecla was wallowing on the ground in the place where he sat and taught her
in the prison; and he ordered her too to be brought to the tribunal. And she came,
exulting with joy. And the crowd, when Paul had been brought, vehemently cried out: He is
a magician! away with him! But the proconsul gladly heard Paul upon the holy works of
Christ. And having called a council, he summoned Thecla, and said to her: Why dost thou
not obey Thamyris, according to the law of the Iconians? But she stood looking earnestly
at Paul. And when she gave no answer, her mother cried out, saying: Burn the wicked
wretch; burn in the midst of the theatre her that will not marry, in order that all the
women that have been taught by this man may be afraid.

9 And the governor was greatly moved; and having scourged Paul, he cast him out of the
city, and condemned Thecla to be burned. And immediately the governor went away to the
theatre, and all the crowd went forth to the spectacle of Thecla. But as a lamb in the
wilderness looks round for the shepherd, so she kept searching for Paul. And having looked
upon the crowd, she saw the Lord sitting in the likeness of Paul, and said: As I am unable
to endure my lot, Paul has come to see me. And she gazed upon him with great earnestness,
and he went up into heaven. But the maid-servants and virgins brought the faggots, in
order that Thecla might be burned. And when she came in naked, the governor wept, and
wondered at the power that was in her. And the public executioners arranged the faggots
for her to go up on the pile. And she, having made the sign of the cross, went up on the
faggots; and they lighted them. And though a great fire was blazing, it did not touch her;
for God, having compassion upon her, made an underground rumbling, and a cloud
overshadowed them from above, full of water and hail; and all that was in the cavity of it
was poured out, so that many were in danger of death. And the fire was put out, and Thecla
saved.

10 And Paul was fasting with Onesiphorus and his wife, and his children, in a new tomb, as
they were going from Iconium to Daphne. And when many days were past, the fasting children
said to Paul: We are hungry, and we cannot buy loaves; for Onesiphorus had left the things
of the world, and followed Paul, with all his house. And Paul, having taken off his cloak,
said: Go, my child, buy more loaves, and bring them. And when the child was buying, he saw
Thecla their neighbour, and was astonished, and said: Thecla, whither art thou going? And
she said: I have been saved from the fire, and am following Paul. And the boy said: Come,
I shall take thee to him; for he is distressed about thee, and is praying six days. And
she stood beside the tomb where Paul was with bended knees, and praying, and saying: O
Saviour Christ, let not the fire touch Thecla, but stand by her, for she is Thine. And
she, standing behind him, cried out: O Father, who hast made the heaven and the earth, the
Father of Thy holy Son, I bless Thee that Thou hast saved me that I may see Paul. And
Paul, rising up, saw her, and said: O God, that knowest the heart, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, I bless Thee that Thou, having heard me, hast done quickly what I wished.

11 And they had five loaves, and herbs, and water; and they rejoiced in the holy works of
Christ. And Thecla said to Paul: I shall cut my hair, and follow thee whithersoever thou
mayst go. And he said: It is a shameless age, and thou art beautiful. I am afraid lest
another temptation come upon thee worse than the first, and that thou withstand it not,
but be cowardly. And Thecla said: Only give me the seal in Christ, and temptation shall
not touch me. And Paul said: Thecla, wait with patience, and thou shalt receive the water.
12 And Paul sent away Onesiphorus and all his house to Iconium; and thus, having taken
Thecla, he went into Antioch. And as they were going in, a certain Syriarch, Alexander by
name, seeing Thecla, became enamoured of her, and tried to gain over Paul by gifts and
presents. But Paul said: I know not the woman whom thou speakest of, nor is she mine. But
he, being of great power, himself embraced her in the street. But she would not endure it,
but looked about for Paul. And she cried out bitterly, saying: Do not force the stranger;
do not force the servant of God. I am one of the chief persons of the Iconians; and
because I would not have Thamyris, I have been cast out of the city. And taking hold of
Alexander, she tore his cloak, and pulled off his crown, and made him a laughing-stock.
And he, at the same time loving her, and at the same time ashamed of what had happened,
led her before the governor; and when she had confessed that she had done these things, he
condemned her to the wild beasts. And the women were struck with astonishment, and cried
out beside the tribunal: Evil judgment! impious judgment! And she asked the governor,
that, said she, I may remain pure until I shall fight with the wild beasts. And a certain
Tryphæna, whose daughter was dead, took her into keeping, and had her for a consolation.

13 And when the beasts were exhibited, they bound her to a fierce lioness; and Tryphæna
accompanied her. But the lioness, with Thecla sitting upon her, licked her feet; and all
the multitude was astonished. And the charge on her inscription was: Sacrilegious. And the
women cried out from above: An impious sentence has been passed in this city! And after
the exhibition, Tryphæna again receives her. For her daughter Falconilla had died, and
said to her in a dream: Mother, thou shalt have this stranger Thecla in my place, in order
that she may pray concerning me, and that I may be transferred to the place of the just.
And when, after the exhibition, Tryphæna received her, at the same time indeed she grieved
that she had to fight with the wild beasts on the day following; and at the same time,
loving her as much as her daughter Falconilla, she said: My second child Thecla, come and
pray for my child, that she may live for ever; for this I saw in my sleep. And she,
nothing hesitating, lifted up her voice, and said: God most high, grant to this woman
according to her wish, that her daughter Falconilla may live for ever. And when Thecla had
thus spoken, Tryphæna lamented, considering so much beauty thrown to the wild beasts.

14 And when it was dawn, Alexander came to take her, for it was he that gave the hunt,
saying: The governor is sitting, and the crowd is in uproar against us. Allow me to take
away her that is to fight with the wild beasts. And Tryphæna cried aloud, so that he even
fled, saying: A second mourning for my Falconilla has come upon my house and there is no
one to help; neither child, for she is dead, nor kinsman, for I am a widow. God of Thecla,
help her! And immediately the governor sends an order that Thecla should be brought. And
Tryphæna, taking her by the hand, said: My daughter Falconilla, indeed, I took away to the
tomb; and thee, Thecla, I am taking to the wild-beast fight. And Thecla wept bitterly,
saying: O Lord, the God in whom I believe, to whom I have fled for refuge, who deliveredst
me from the fire, do Thou grant a recompense to Tryphæna, who has had compassion on Thy
servant, and because she has kept me pure. Then a tumult arose, and a cry of the people,
and the women sitting together, the one saying: Away with the sacrilegious person! the
others saying: Let the city be raised against this wickedness. Take off all of us, O
proconsul! Cruel sight! evil sentence!

15 And Thecla, having been taken out of the hand of Tryphæna, was stripped, and received a
girdle, and was thrown into the arena, and lions and bears and a fierce lioness were let
loose upon her; and the lioness having run up to her feet, lay down; and the multitude of
the women cried aloud. And a bear ran upon her; but the lioness, meeting the bear, tore
her to pieces. And again a lion that had been trained against men, which belonged to
Alexander, ran upon her; and she, the lioness, encountering the lion, was killed along
with him. And the women made great lamentation, since also the lioness, her protector, was
dead. Then they send in many wild beasts, she standing and stretching forth her hands, and
praying. And when she had finished her prayer, she turned and saw a ditch full of water,
and said: Now it is time to wash myself. And she threw herself in, saying: In the name of
Jesus Christ I am baptized on my last day. And the women seeing, and the multitude, wept,
saying: Do not throw thyself into the water; so that also the governor shed tears, because
the seals were going to devour such beauty. She then threw herself in in the name of Jesus
Christ; but the seals having seen the glare of the fire of lightning, floated about dead.
And there was round her, as she was naked, a cloud of fire; so that neither could the wild
beasts touch her, nor could she be seen naked.

16 And the women, when other wild beasts were being thrown in, wailed. And some threw
sweet-smelling herbs, others nard, others cassia, others amomum, so that there was
abundance of perfumes. And all the wild beasts that had been thrown in, as if they had
been withheld by sleep, did not touch her; so that Alexander said to the governor: I have
bulls exceedingly terrible; let us bind to them her that is to fight with the beasts. And
the governor, looking gloomy, turned, and said: Do what thou wilt. And they bound her by
the feet between them, and put red-hot irons under the privy parts of the bulls, so that
they, being rendered more furious, might kill her. They rushed about, therefore; but the
burning flame consumed the ropes, and she was as if she had not been bound. But Tryphæna
fainted standing beside the arena, so that the crowd said: Queen Tryphæna is dead. And the
governor put a stop to the games, and the city was in dismay. And Alexander entreated the
governor, saying: Have mercy both on me and the city, and release this woman. For if Cæsar
hear of these things, he will speedily destroy the city also along with us, because his
kinswoman Queen Tryphæna has died beside the Abaci.

17 And the governor summoned Thecla out of the midst of the wild beasts, and said to her:
Who art thou? and what is there about thee, that not one of the wild beasts touches thee?
And she said: I indeed am a servant of the living God; and as to what there is about me, I
have believed in the Son of God, in whom He is well pleased; wherefore not one of the
beasts has touched me. For He alone is the end of salvation, and the basis of immortal
life; for He is a refuge to the tempest-tossed, a solace to the afflicted, a shelter to
the despairing; and, once for all, whoever shall not believe on Him, shall not live for
ever. And the governor having heard this, ordered her garments to be brought, and to be
put on. And Thecla said: He that clothed me naked among the wild beasts, will in the day
of judgment clothe thee with salvation. And taking the garments, she put them on. The
governor therefore immediately issued an edict, saying: I release to you the God-fearing
Thecla, the servant of God. And the women shouted aloud, and with one mouth returned
thanks to God, saying: There is one God, the God of Thecla; so that the foundations of the
theatre were shaken by their voice. And Tryphæna having received the good news, went to
meet the holy Thecla, and said: Now I believe that the dead are raised: now I believe that
my child lives. Come within, and I shall assign to thee all that is mine. She therefore
went in along with her, and rested eight days, having instructed her in the word of God,
so that most even of the maid-servants believed. And there was great joy in the house.

18 And Thecla kept seeking Paul; and it was told her that he was in Myra of Lycia. And
taking young men and maidens, she girded herself; and having sewed the tunic so as to make
a man’s cloak, she came to Myra, and found Paul speaking the word of God. And Paul was
astonished at seeing her, and the crowd with her, thinking that some new trial was coming
upon her. And when she saw him, she said: I have received the baptism, Paul; for He that
wrought along with thee for the Gospel has wrought in me also for baptism. And Paul,
taking her, led her to the house of Hermæus, and hears everything from her, so that those
that heard greatly wondered, and were comforted, and prayed over Tryphæna. And she rose
up, and said: I am going to Iconium. And Paul said: Go, and teach the word of God. And
Tryphæna sent her much clothing and gold, so that she left to Paul many things for the
service of the poor.

19 And she went to Iconium. And she goes into the house of Onesiphorus, and fell upon the
pavement where Paul used to sit and teach her, and wept, saying: God of myself and of this
house, where Thou didst make the light to shine upon me, O Christ Jesus, the Son of the
living God, my help in the fire, my help among the wild beasts, Thou art glorified for
ever. Amen. And she found Thamyris dead, but her mother alive. And having sent for her
mother, she said: Theocleia, my mother, canst thou believe that the Lord liveth in the
heavens? For whether thou desirest wealth, God gives it to thee through me; or thy child,
I am standing beside thee. And having thus testified, she departed to Seleucia, and dwelt
in a cave seventy-two years, living upon herbs and water. And she enlightened many by the
word of God.

20 And certain men of the city, being Greeks by religion, and physicians by profession,
sent to her insolent young men to destroy her. For they said: She is a virgin, and serves
Artemis, and from this she has virtue in healing. And by the providence of God she entered
into the rock alive, and went under ground. And she departed to Rome to see Paul, and
found that he had fallen asleep. And after staying there no long time, she rested in a
glorious sleep; and she is buried about two or three stadia from the tomb of her master
Paul. She was cast, then, into the fire when seventeen years old, and among the wild
beasts when eighteen. And she was an ascetic in the cave, as has been said, seventy-two
years, so that all the years of her life were ninety. And having accomplished many cures,
she rests in the place of the saints, having fallen asleep on the twenty-fourth of the
month of September in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and strength for ever and
ever. Amen.

21 Instead of the last two sections, the ms. which Dr. Grabe used has the following:— 22
And a cloud of light guided her. And having come into Seleucia, she went forth outside of
the city one stadium. And she was afraid of them also, for they worshipped idols. And it
guided her to the mountain called Calamon or Rhodeon; and having there found a cave, she
went into it. And she was there many years, and underwent many and grievous trials by the
devil, and bore them nobly, being assisted by Christ. And some of the well-born women,
having learned about the virgin Thecla, went to her, and learned the oracles of God. And
many of them bade adieu to the world, and lived an ascetic life with her. And a good
report was spread everywhere concerning her, and cures were done by her. All the city,
therefore, and country round, having known this, brought their sick to the mountain; and
before they came near the door they were speedily released from whatever disease they were
afflicted by; and the unclean spirits went out shrieking, and all received their own in
health, glorifying God, who had given such grace to the virgin Thecla. The physicians,
therefore, of the city of the Seleucians were thought nothing of, having lost their trade,
and no one any longer had regard to them; and being filled with envy and hatred, they
plotted against the servant of Christ, what they should do to her. The devil then suggests
to them a wicked device; and one day, being assembled, and having taken counsel, they
consult with each other, saying:

23 This virgin is a priestess of the great goddess Artemis; and if she ask anything of
her, she hears her as being a virgin, and all the gods love her. Come, then, let us take
men of disorderly lives, and make them drunk with much wine, and let us give them much
gold, and say to them, If you can corrupt and defile her, we shall give you even more
money. The physicians therefore said to themselves, that if they should be able to defile
her, neither the gods nor Artemis would listen to her in the case of the sick. They
therefore did so. And the wicked men, having gone to the mountain, and rushed upon the
cave like lions, knocked at the door. And the holy martyr Thecla opened, emboldened by the
God in whom she believed; for she knew of their plot beforehand. And she says to them:
What do you want, my children? And they said: Is there one here called Thecla? And she
said: What do you want with her? They say to her: We want to sleep with her. The blessed
Thecla says to them: I am a humble old woman, but the servant of my Lord Jesus Christ; and
even though you want to do something to me out of place, you cannot. They say to her: It
is impossible for us not to do to thee what we want. And having said this, they laid fast
hold of her, and wished to insult her. And she says to them with mildness:

24 Wait, my children, that you may see the glory of the Lord. And being laid hold of by
them, she looked up into heaven, and said: God, terrible and incomparable, and glorious to
Thine adversaries, who didst deliver me out of the fire, who didst not give me up to
Thamyris, who didst not give me up to Alexander, who didst deliver me from the wild
beasts, who didst save me in the abyss, who hast everywhere worked with me, and glorified
Thy name in me, now also deliver me from these lawless men, and let me not insult my
virginity, which through Thy name I have preserved till now, because I love Thee, and
desire Thee, and adore Thee, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost for ever. Amen.
And there came a voice out of the heaven, saying: Fear not, Thecla, my true servant, for I
am with thee. Look and see where an opening has been made before thee, for there shall be
for thee an everlasting house, and there thou shalt obtain shelter. And the blessed Thecla
regarding it, saw the rock opened as far as to allow a man to enter, and did according to
what had been said to her: and nobly fleeing from the lawless ones entered into the rock;
and the rock was straightway shut together, so that not even a joining appeared. And they,
beholding the extraordinary wonder, became as it were distracted;

25 and they were not able to detain the servant of God, but only caught hold of her veil,
and were able to tear off a certain part; and that by the permission of God for the faith
of those seeing the venerable place, and for a blessing in the generations afterwards to
those that believe in our Lord Jesus Christ out of a pure heart. 26 Thus, then, suffered
the first martyr of God, and apostle, and virgin, Thecla, who came from Iconium at
eighteen years old; and with the journeying, and the going round, and the retirement in
the mountain, she lived other seventy-two years. And when the Lord took her, she was
ninety years old. And thus is her consummation. And her holy commemoration is on the
twenty-fourth of the month of September, to the glory of the Father, and the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.


ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL
========================================

ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

Paul’s arrival at Rome, the contest of the two apostles with Simon Magus before Nero, and
their martyrdom.

ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

1 Acts of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. It came to pass, after Paul went out of the
island Gaudomeleta, that he came to Italy; and it was heard of by the Jews who were in
Rome, the elder of the cities, that Paul demanded to come to Cæsar. Having fallen,
therefore, into great grief and much despondency, they said among themselves: It does not
please him that he alone has afflicted all our brethren and parents in Judæa and Samaria,
and in all Palestine; and he has not been pleased with these, but, behold, he comes here
also, having through imposition asked Cæsar to destroy us. Having therefore made an
assembly against Paul, and having considered many proposals, it seemed good to them to go
to Nero the emperor, to ask him not to allow Paul to come to Rome. Having therefore got in
readiness not a few presents, and having carried them with them, with supplication they
came before him, saying: We beseech thee, O good emperor, send orders into all the
governments of your worship, to the effect that Paul is not to come near these parts;
because this Paul, having afflicted all the nation of our fathers, has been seeking to
come hither to destroy us also. And the affliction, O most worshipful emperor, which we
have from Peter is enough for us.

2 And the Emperor Nero, having heard these things, answered them: It is according to your
wish. And we write to all our governments that he shall not on any account come to anchor
in the parts of Italy. And they also informed Simon the magian, having sent for him, that,
as has been said, he should not come into the parts of Italy. And while they were thus
doing, some of those that had repented out of the nations, and that had been baptized at
the preaching of Peter, sent elders to Paul with a letter to the following effect: Paul,
dear servant of our Lord Jesus Christ, and brother of Peter, the first of the apostles, we
have heard from the rabbis of the Jews that are in this Rome, the greatest of the cities,
that they have asked Cæsar to send into all his governments, in order that, wherever thou
mayst be found, thou mayst be put to death. But we have believed, and do believe, that as
God does not separate the two great lights which He has made, so He is not to part you
from each other, that is, neither Peter from Paul, nor Paul from Peter; but we positively
believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, into whom we have been baptized, that we have become
worthy also of your teaching.

3 And Paul, having received the two men sent with the letter on the twentieth of the month
of May, became eager to go, and gave thanks to the Lord and Master Jesus Christ. And
having sailed from Gaudomeleta, he did not now come through Africa to the parts of Italy,
but ran to Sicily, until he came to the city of Syracuse with the two men who had been
sent from Rome to him. And having sailed thence, he came to Rhegium of Calabria, and from
Rhegium he crossed to Mesina, and there ordained a bishop, Bacchylus by name. And when he
came out of Mesina he sailed to Didymus, and remained there one night. And having sailed
thence, he came to Pontiole on the second day. And Dioscorus the shipmaster, who brought
him to Syracuse, sympathizing with Paul because he had delivered his son from death,
having left his own ship in Syracuse, accompanied him to Pontiole. And some of Peter’s
disciples having been found there, and having received Paul, exhorted him to stay with
them. And he stayed a week, in hiding, because of the command of Cæsar. And all the
toparchs were watching to seize and kill him. But Dioscorus the shipmaster, being himself
also bald, wearing his shipmaster’s dress, and speaking boldly, on the first day went out
into the city of Pontiole. Thinking therefore that he was Paul, they seized him, and
beheaded him, and sent his head to Cæsar.

4 Cæsar therefore, having summoned the first men of the Jews, announced to them, saying:
Rejoice with great joy, for Paul your enemy is dead. And he showed them the head. Having
therefore made great rejoicing on that day, which was the fourteenth of the month of June,
each of the Jews fully believed it. And Paul, being in Pontiole, and having heard that
Dioscorus had been beheaded, being grieved with great grief, gazing into the height of the
heaven, said: O Lord Almighty in heaven, who hast appeared to me in every place whither I
have gone on account of Thine only-begotten Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, punish this city,
and bring out all who have believed in God and followed His word. He said to them
therefore: Follow me: And going forth from Pontiole with those who had believed in the
word of God, they came to a place called Baias; and looking up with their eyes, they all
see that city called Pontiole sunk into the sea-shore about one fathom; and there it is
until this day, for a remembrance, under the sea.

5 And having gone forth from Baias, they went to Gaitas, and there he taught the word of
God. And he stayed there three days in the house of Erasmus, whom Peter sent from Rome to
teach the Gospel of God. And having come forth from Gaitas, he came to the castle called
Taracinas, and stayed there seven days in the house of Cæsarius the deacon, whom Peter had
ordained by the laying on of hands. And sailing thence, he came by the river to a place
called Tribus Tabernes. And those who had been saved out of the city of Pontiole that had
been swallowed up, reported to Cæsar in Rome that Pontiole had been swallowed up, with all
its multitude. And the emperor, being in great grief on account of the city, having
summoned the chief of the Jews, said to them: Behold, on account of what I heard from you,
I have caused Paul to be beheaded, and on account of this the city has been swallowed up.
And the chief of the Jews said to Cæsar: Most worshipful emperor, did we not say to thee
that he troubled all the country of the East, and perverted our fathers? It is better
therefore, most worshipful emperor, that one city be destroyed, and not the seat of thine
empire; for this had Rome to suffer. And the emperor, having heard their words, was
appeased.

6 And Paul stayed in Tribus Tabernes four days. And departing thence, he came to Appii
Forum, which is called Vicusarape; and having slept there that night, he saw one sitting
on a golden chair, and a multitude of blacks standing beside him, saying: I have to-day
made a son murder his father. Another said: And I have made a house fall, and kill parents
with children. And they reported to him many evil deeds—some of one kind, some of another.
And another coming, reported to him: I have managed that the bishop Juvenalius, whom Peter
ordained, should sleep with the abbess Juliana. And having heard all these things when
sleeping in that Appii Forum, near Vicusarape, straightway and immediately he sent to Rome
one of those who had followed him from Pontiole to the bishop Juvenalius, telling him this
same thing which had just been done. And on the following day, Juvenalius, running, threw
himself at the feet of Peter, weeping and lamenting, and saying what had just befallen;
and he recounted to him the matter, and said: I believe that this is the light which thou
wast awaiting. And Peter said to him: How is it possible that it is he when he is dead?
And Juvenalius the bishop took to Peter him that had been sent by Paul, and he reported to
him that he was alive, and on his way, and that he was at Appii Forum. And Peter thanked
and glorified the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Then having summoned his disciples that believed, he sent them to Paul as far as Tribus
Tabernes. And the distance from Rome to Tribus Tabernes is thirty-eight miles. And Paul
seeing them, having given thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ, took courage; and departing
thence, they slept in the city called Aricia. And a report went about in the city of Rome
that Paul the brother of Peter was coming. And those that believed in God rejoiced with
great joy. And there was great consternation among the Jews; and having gone to Simon the
magian, they entreated him, saying: Report to the emperor that Paul is not dead, but that
he is alive, and has come. And Simon said to the Jews: What head is it, then, which came
to Cæsar from Pontiole? Was it not bald also? 8 And Paul having come to Rome, great fear
fell upon the Jews. They came together therefore to him, and exhorted him, saying:
Vindicate the faith in which thou wast born; for it is not right that thou, being a
Hebrew, and of the Hebrews, shouldst call thyself teacher of Gentiles, and vindicator of
the uncircumcised; and, being thyself circumcised, that thou shouldst bring to nought the
faith of the circumcision. And when thou seest Peter, contend against his teaching,
because he has destroyed all the bulwarks of our law; for he has prevented the keeping of
Sabbaths and new moons, and the holidays appointed by the law. And Paul, answering, said
to them: That I am a true Jew, by this you can prove; because also you have been able to
keep the Sabbath, and to observe the true circumcision; for assuredly on the day of the
Sabbath God rested from all His works. We have fathers, and patriarchs, and the law. What,
then, does Peter preach in the kingdom of the Gentiles? But if he shall wish to bring in
any new teaching, without any tumult, and envy, and trouble, send him word, that we may
see, and in your presence I shall convict him. But if his teaching be true, supported by
the book and testimony of the Hebrews, it becomes all of us to submit to him.

9 Paul saying these and such like things, the Jews went and said to Peter: Paul of the
Hebrews has come, and entreats thee to come to him, since those who have brought him say
that he cannot meet whomsoever he may wish until he appear before Cæsar. And Peter having
heard, rejoiced with great joy; and rising up, immediately went to him. And seeing each
other, they wept for joy; and long embracing each other, they bedewed each other with
tears. And when Paul had related to Peter the substance of all his doings, and how,
through the disasters of the ship, he had come, Peter also told him what he had suffered
from Simon the magian, and all his plots. And having told these things, he went away
towards evening. And in the morning of the following day, at dawn, behold, Peter coming,
finds a multitude of the Jews before Paul’s door. And there was a great uproar between the
Christian Jews and the Gentiles. For, on the one hand, the Jews said: We are a chosen
race, a royal priesthood, the friends of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the
prophets, with whom God spake, to whom He showed His own mysteries and His great wonders.
But you of the Gentiles are no great thing in your lineage; if otherwise, you have become
polluted and abominable by idols and graven images.

10 While the Jews were saying such things, and such-like, those of the Gentiles answered,
saying: We, when we heard the truth, straightway followed it, having abandoned our errors.
But you, both knowing the mighty deeds of your fathers, and seeing the signs of the
prophets, and having received the law, and gone through the sea with dry feet, and seen
your enemies sunk in its depths, and the pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day
shining upon you, and manna having been given to you out of heaven, and water flowing to
you out of a rock,—after all these things you fashioned to yourselves the idol of a calf,
and worshipped the graven image. But we, having seen none of the signs, believe to be a
Saviour the God whom you have forsaken in unbelief. While they were contending in these
and such-like words, the Apostle Paul said that they ought not to make such attacks upon
each other, but that they should rather give heed to this, that God had fulfilled His
promises which He swore to Abraham our father, that in his seed he should inherit all the
nations. For there is no respect of persons with God. As many as have sinned in law shall
be judged according to law, and as many as have sinned without law shall perish without
law. But we, brethren, ought to thank God that, according to His mercy, He has chosen us
to be a holy people to Himself: so that in this we ought to boast, whether Jews or Greeks;
for you are all one in the belief of His name.

11 And Paul having thus spoken, both the Jews and they of the Gentiles were appeased. But
the rulers of the Jews assailed Peter. And Peter, when they accused him of having
renounced their synagogues, said: Hear, brethren, the holy Spirit about the patriarch
David, promising, Of the fruit of thy womb shall He set upon thy throne. Him therefore to
whom the Father said, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee, the chief priests
through envy crucified; but that He might accomplish the salvation of the world, it was
allowed that He should suffer all these things. Just as, therefore, from the side of Adam
Eve was created, so also from the side of Christ was created the Church, which has no spot
nor blemish. In Him, therefore, God has opened an entrance to all the sons of Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, in order that they may be in the faith of profession towards Him, and
have life and salvation in His name. Turn, therefore, and enter into the joy of your
father Abraham, because God hath fulfilled what He promised to him. Whence also the
prophet says, The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever, after
the order of Melchizedec. For a priest He became upon the cross, when He offered the whole
burnt-offering of His own body and blood as a sacrifice for all the world.

12 And Peter saying this and such-like, the most part of the people believed. And it
happened also that Nero’s wife Libia, and the yoke-fellow of Agrippa the prefect,
Agrippina by name, thus believed, so that also they went away from beside their own
husbands. And on account of the teaching of Paul, many, despising military life, clung to
God; so that even from the emperor’s bed-chamber some came to him, and having become
Christians, were no longer willing to return to the army or the palace. When,
consequently, the people were making a seditious murmuring, Simon, moved with zeal, rouses
himself, and began to say many evil things about Peter, saying that he was a wizard and a
cheat. And they believed him, wondering at his miracles; for he made a brazen serpent move
itself, and stone statues to laugh and move themselves, and himself to run and suddenly to
be raised into the air. But as a set-off to these, Peter healed the sick by a word, by
praying made the blind to see, put demons to flight by a command; sometimes he even raised
the dead. And he said to the people that they should not only flee from Simon’s deceit,
but also that they should expose him, that they might not seem to be slaves to the devil.

13 And thus it happened that all pious men abhorred Simon the magian, and proclaimed him
impious. But those who adhered to Simon strongly affirmed Peter to be a magian, bearing
false witness as many of them as were with Simon the magian; so that the matter came even
to the ears of Nero the Cæsar, and he gave order to bring Simon the magian before him. And
he, coming in, stood before him, and began suddenly to assume different forms, so that on
a sudden he became a child, and after a little an old man, and at other times a young man;
for he changed himself both in face and stature into different forms, and was in a frenzy,
having the devil as his servant. And Nero beholding this, supposed him to be truly the son
of God; but the Apostle Peter showed him to be both a liar and a wizard, base and impious
and apostate, and in all things opposed to the truth of God, and that nothing yet remained
except that his wickedness, being made apparent by the command of God, might be made
manifest to them all.

14 Then Simon, having gone in to Nero, said: Hear, O good emperor: I am the son of God
come down from heaven. Until now I have endured Peter only calling himself an apostle; but
now he has doubled the evil: for Paul also himself teaches the same things, and having his
mind turned against me, is said to preach along with him; in reference to whom, if thou
shalt not contrive their destruction, it is very plain that thy kingdom cannot stand. 15
Then Nero, filled with concern, ordered to bring them speedily before him. And on the
following day Simon the magian, and Peter and Paul the apostles of Christ, having come in
to Nero, Simon said: These are the disciples of the Nazarene, and it is not at all well
that they should be of the people of the Jews, Nero said: What is a Nazarene? Simon said:
There is a city of Judah which has always been opposed to us, called Nazareth, and to it
the teacher of these men belonged. Nero said: God commands us to love every man; why,
then, dost thou persecute them? Simon said: This is a race of men who have turned aside
all Judæa from believing in me. Nero said to Peter: Why are you thus unbelieving,
according to your race? Then Peter said to Simon: Thou hast been able to impose upon all,
but upon me never; and those who have been deceived, God has through me recalled from
their error. And since thou hast learned by experience that thou canst not get the better
of me, I wonder with what face thou boastest thyself before the emperor, and supposest
that through thy magic art thou shalt overcome the disciples of Christ. Nero said: Who is
Christ? Peter said: He is what this Simon the magian affirms himself to be; but this is a
most wicked man, and his works are of the devil. But if thou wishest to know, O good
emperor, the things that have been done in Judæa about Christ, take the writings of
Pontius Pilate sent to Claudius, and thus thou wilt know all. And Nero ordered them to be
brought, and to be read in their presence; and they were to the following effect:—

16 Pontius Pilate to Claudius, greeting. There has lately happened an event which I myself
was concerned in. For the Jews through envy have inflicted on themselves, and those coming
after them, dreadful judgments. Their fathers had promises that their God would send them
his holy one from heaven, who according to reason should be called their king, and he had
promised to send him to the earth by means of a virgin. He, then, when I was procurator,
came into Judæa. And they saw him enlightening the blind, cleansing lepers, healing
paralytics, expelling demons from men, raising the dead, subduing the winds, walking upon
the waves of the sea, and doing many other wonders, and all the people of the Jews calling
him Son of God. Then the chief priests, moved with envy against him, seized him, and
delivered him to me; and telling one lie after another, they said that he was a wizard,
and did contrary to their law. And I, having believed that these things were so, gave him
up, after scourging him, to their will; and they crucified him, and after he was buried
set guards over him. But he, while my soldiers were guarding him, rose on the third day.
And to such a degree was the wickedness of the Jews inflamed against him, that they gave
money to the soldiers, saying, Say his disciples have stolen his body. But they, having
taken the money, were not able to keep silence as to what had happened; for they have
testified that they have seen him (after he was) risen, and that they have received money
from the Jews. These things, therefore, have I reported, that no one should falsely speak
otherwise, and that thou shouldest not suppose that the falsehoods of the Jews are to be
believed.

17 And the letter having been read, Nero said: Tell me, Peter, were all these things thus
done by him? Peter said: They were, with your permission, O good emperor. For this Simon
is full of lies and deceit, even if it should seem that he is what he is not—a god. And in
Christ there is all excellent victory through God and through man, which that
incomprehensible glory assumed which through man deigned to come to the assistance of men.
But in this Simon there are two essences, of man and of devil, who through man endeavours
to ensnare men. Simon said: I wonder, O good emperor, that you reckon this man of any
consequence—a man uneducated, a fisherman of the poorest, and endowed with power neither
in word nor by rank. But, that I may not long endure him as an enemy, I shall forthwith
order my angels to come and avenge me upon him. Peter said: I am not afraid of thy angels;
but they shall be much more afraid of me in the power and trust of my Lord Jesus Christ,
whom thou falsely declarest thyself to be.

18 Nero said: Art thou not afraid, Peter, of Simon, who confirms his godhead by deeds?
Peter said: Godhead is in Him who searcheth the hidden things of the heart. Now then, tell
me what I am thinking about, or what I am doing. I disclose to thy servants who are here
what my thought is, before he tells lies about it, in order that he may not dare to lie as
to what I am thinking about. Nero said: Come hither, and tell me what thou art thinking
about. Peter said: Order a barley loaf to be brought, and to be given to me secretly. And
when he ordered it to be brought, and secretly given to Peter, Peter said: Now tell us,
Simon, what has been thought about, or what said, or what done. 19 Nero said: Do you mean
me to believe that Simon does not know these things, who both raised a dead man, and
presented himself on the third day after he had been beheaded, and who has done whatever
he said he would do? Peter said: But he did not do it before me. Nero said: But he did all
these before me. For assuredly he ordered angels to come to him, and they came. Peter
said: If he has done what is very great, why does he not do what is very small? Let him
tell what I had in my mind, and what I have done. Nero said: Between you, I do not know
myself. Simon said: Let Peter say what I am thinking of, or what I am doing. Peter said:
What Simon has in his mind I shall show that I know, by my doing what he is thinking
about. Simon said: Know this, O emperor, that no one knows the thoughts of men, but God
alone. Is not, therefore, Peter lying? Peter said: Do thou, then, who sayest that thou art
the Son of God, tell what I have in my mind; disclose, if thou canst, what I have just
done in secret. For Peter, having blessed the barley loaf which he had received, and
hawing broken it with his right hand and his left, had heaped it up in his sleeves. Then
Simon, enraged that he was not able to tell the secret of the apostle, cried out, saying:

20 Let great dogs come forth, and eat him up before Cæsar. And suddenly there appeared
great dogs, and rushed at Peter. But Peter, stretching forth his hands to pray, showed to
the dogs the loaf which he had blessed; which the dogs seeing, no longer appeared. Then
Peter said to Nero: Behold, I have shown thee that I knew what Simon was thinking of, not
by words, but by deeds; for he, having promised that he would bring angels against me, has
brought dogs, in order that he might show that he had not god-like but dog-like angels. 21
Then Nero said to Simon: What is it, Simon? I think we have got the worst of it. Simon
said: This man, both in Judæa and in all Palestine and Cæsarea, has done the same to me;
and from very often striving with me, he has learned that this is adverse to them. This,
then, he has learned how to escape from me; for the thoughts of men no one knows but God
alone. And Peter said to Simon: Certainly thou feignest thyself to be a god; why, then,
dost thou not reveal the thoughts of every man? Then Nero, turning to Paul, said: Why dost
thou say nothing, Paul? Paul answered and said: Know this, O emperor, that if thou
permittest this magician to do such things, it will bring an access of the greatest
mischief to thy country, and will bring down thine empire from its position. Nero said to
Simon: What sayest thou? Simon said: If I do not manifestly hold myself out to be a god,
no one will bestow upon me due reverence. Nero said: And now, why dost thou delay, and not
show thyself to be a god, in order that these men may be punished? Simon said: Give orders
to build for me a lofty tower of wood, and I, going up upon it, will call my angels, and
order them to take me, in the sight of all, to my father in heaven; and these men, not
being able to do this, are put to shame as uneducated men. And Nero said to Peter: Hast
thou heard, Peter, what has been said by Simon? From this will appear how much power
either he or thy god has. Peter said: O most mighty emperor, if thou wert willing, thou
mightst perceive that he is full of demons. Nero said: Why do you make to me roundabouts
of circumlocutions? To-morrow will prove you.

22 Simon said: Dost thou believe, O good emperor, that I who was dead, and rose again, am
a magician? For it had been brought about by his own cleverness that the unbelieving Simon
had said to Nero: Order me to be beheaded in a dark place, and there to be left slain; and
if I do not rise on the third day, know that I am a magician; but if I rise again, know
that I am the Son of God. And Nero having ordered this, in the dark, by his magic art he
managed that a ram should be beheaded. And for so long did the ram appear to be Simon
until he was beheaded. And when he had been beheaded in the dark, he that had beheaded
him, taking the head, found it to be that of a ram; but he would not say anything to the
emperor, lest he should scourge him, having ordered this to be done in secret. Thereafter,
accordingly. Simon said that he had risen on the third day, because he took away the head
of the ram and the limbs—but the blood had been there congealed—and on the third day he
showed himself to Nero, and said: Cause to be wiped away my blood that has been poured
out; for, behold, having been beheaded, as I promised, I have risen again on the third
day.

23 And when Nero said, To-morrow will prove you, turning to Paul, he says: Thou Paul, why
dost thou say nothing? Either who taught thee, or whom thou hast for a master, or how thou
hast taught in the cities, or what things have happened through thy teaching? For I think
that thou hast not any wisdom, and art not able to accomplish any work of power. Paul
answered: Dost thou suppose that I ought to speak against a desperate man, a magician, who
has given his soul up to death, whose destruction and perdition will come speedily? For he
ought to speak who pretends to be what he is not, and deceives men by magic art. If thou
consentest to hear his words, and to shield him, thou shalt destroy thy soul and thy
kingdom, for he is a most base man. And as the Egyptians Jannes and Jambres led Pharaoh
and his army astray until they were swallowed up in the sea, so also he, through the
instruction of his father the devil, persuades men to do many evils to themselves, and
thus deceives many of the innocent, to the peril of thy kingdom. But as for the word of
the devil, which I see has been poured out through this man, with groanings of my heart I
am dealing with the Holy Spirit, that it may be clearly shown what it is;

24 for as far as he seems to raise himself towards heaven, so far will he be sunk down
into the depth of Hades, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. But about the
teaching of my Master, of which thou didst ask me, none attain it except the pure, who
allow faith to come into their heart. For as many things as belong to peace and love,
these have I taught. Round about from Jerusalem, and as far as Illyricum, I have fulfilled
the word of peace. For I have taught that in honour they should prefer one another; I have
taught those that are eminent and rich not to be lifted up, and hope in uncertainty of
riches, but to place their hope in God; I have taught those in a middle station to be
content with food and covering; I have taught the poor to rejoice in their own poverty; I
have taught fathers to teach their children instruction in the fear of the Lord, children
to obey their parents in wholesome admonition; I have taught wives to love their own
husbands, and to fear them as masters, and husbands to observe fidelity to their wives; I
have taught masters to treat their slaves with clemency, and slaves to serve their own
masters faithfully; I have taught the churches of the believers to reverence one almighty,
invisible, and incomprehensible God.

25 And this teaching has been given me, not from men, nor through men, but through Jesus
Christ, who spoke to me out of heaven, who also has sent me to preach, saying to me, Go
forth, for I will be with thee; and all things, as many as thou shalt say or do, I shall
make just. 26 Nero said: What sayest thou, Peter? He answered and said: All that Paul has
said is true. For when he was a persecutor of the faith of Christ, a voice called him out
of heaven, and taught him the truth; for he was not an adversary of our faith from hatred,
but from ignorance. For there were before us false Christs, like Simon, false apostles,
and false prophets, who, contrary to the sacred writings, set themselves to make void the
truth; and against these it was necessary to have in readiness this man, who from his
youth up set himself to no other thing than to search out the mysteries of the divine law,
by which he might become a vindicator of truth and a persecutor of falsehood. Since, then,
his persecution was not on account of hatred, but on account of the vindication of the
law, the very truth out of heaven held intercourse with him, saying, I am the truth which
you persecutest; cease persecuting me. When, therefore, he knew that this was so, leaving
off that which he was vindicating, he began to vindicate this way of Christ which he was
persecuting.

27 Simon said: O good emperor, take notice that these two have conspired against me; for I
am the truth, and they purpose evil against me. Peter said: There is no truth in thee; but
all thou sayest is false. Nero said: Paul, what sayest thou? Paul said: Those things which
thou hast heard from Peter, believe to have been spoken by me also; for we purpose the
same thing, for we have the same Lord Jesus the Christ. Simon said: Dost thou expect me, O
good emperor, to hold an argument with these men, who have come to an agreement against
me? And having turned to the apostles of Christ, he said: Listen, Peter and Paul: if I can
do nothing for you here, we are going to the place where I must judge you. Paul said: O
good emperor, see what threats he holds out against us. Peter said: Why was it necessary
to keep from laughing outright at a foolish man, made the sport of demons, so as to
suppose that he cannot be made manifest?

28 Simon said: I spare you until I shall receive my power. Paul said: See if you will go
out hence safe. Peter said: If thou do not see, Simon, the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
thou wilt not believe thyself not to be Christ. Simon said: Most sacred emperor, do not
believe them, for they are circumcised knaves. Paul said: Before we knew the truth, we had
the circumcision of the flesh; but when the truth appeared, in the circumcision of the
heart we both are circumcised, and circumcise. Peter said: If circumcision be a disgrace,
why hast thou been circumcised, Simon? Nero said: Has, then, Simon also been circumcised?
Peter said: For not otherwise could he have deceived souls, unless he feigned himself to
be a Jew, and made a show of teaching the law of God. Nero said: Simon, thou, as I see,
being carried away with envy, persecutest these men. For, as it seems, there is great
hatred between thee and their Christ; and I am afraid that thou wilt be worsted by them,
and involved in great evils. Simon said: Thou art led astray, O emperor. Nero said: How am
I led astray? What I see in thee, I say. I see that thou art manifestly an enemy of Peter
and Paul and their master.

29 Simon said: Christ was not Paul’s master. Paul said: Yes; through revelation He taught
me also. But tell me what I asked thee—Why wast thou circumcised? Simon said: Why have you
asked me this? Paul said: We have a reason for asking you this. Nero said: Why art thou
afraid to answer them? Simon said: Listen, O emperor. At that time circumcision was
enjoined by God when I received it. For this reason was I circumcised. Paul said: Hearest
thou, O good emperor, what has been said by Simon? If, therefore, circumcision be a good
thing, why hast thou, Simon, given up those who have been circumcised, and forced them,
after being condemned, to be put to death? Nero said: Neither about you do I perceive
anything good. Peter and Paul said: Whether this thought about us be good or evil has no
reference to the matter; but to us it was necessary that what our Master promised should
come to pass. Nero said: If I should not be willing? Peter said: Not as thou willest, but
as He promised to us.

30 Simon said: O good emperor, these men have reckoned upon thy clemency, and have bound
thee. Nero said: But neither hast thou yet made me sure about thyself. Simon said: Since
so many excellent deeds and signs have been shown to thee by me, I wonder how thou
shouldst be in doubt. Nero said: I neither doubt nor favour any of you; but answer me
rather what I ask. Simon said: Henceforward I answer thee nothing. Nero said: Seeing that
thou liest, therefore thou sayest this. But if even I can do nothing to thee, God, who
can, will do it. Simon said: I no longer answer thee. Nero said: Nor do I consider thee to
be anything: for, as I perceive, thou art a liar in everything. But why do I say so much?
The three of you show that your reasoning is uncertain; and thus in all things you have
made me doubt, so that I find that I can give credit to none of you.

31 Peter said: We preach one God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that has made the
heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that therein is, who is the true King; and of
His kingdom there shall be no end. Nero said: What king is lord? Paul said: The Saviour of
all the nations. Simon said: I am he whom you speak of. Peter and Paul said: May it never
be well with thee, Simon, magician, and full of bitterness. Simon said: Listen, O Cæsar
Nero, that thou mayst know that these men are liars, and that I have been sent from the
heavens: to-morrow I go up into the heavens, that I may make those who believe in me
blessed, and show my wrath upon those who have denied me. Peter and Paul said: Us long ago
God called to His own glory; but thou, called by the devil, hastenest to punishment. Simon
said: Cæsar Nero, listen to me. Separate these madmen from thee, in order that when I go
into heaven to my father, I may be very merciful to thee. Nero said: And whence shall we
prove this, that thou goest away into heaven? Simon said: Order a lofty tower to be made
of wood, and of great beams, that I may go up upon it, and that my angels may find me in
the air; for they cannot come to me upon earth among the sinners. Nero said: I will see
whether thou wilt fulfil what thou sayest.

32 Then Nero ordered a lofty tower to be made in the Campus Martius, and all the people
and the dignities to be present at the spectacle. And on the following day, all the
multitude having come together, Nero ordered Peter and Paul to be present, to whom also he
said: Now the truth has to be made manifest. Peter and Paul said: We do not expose him,
but our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom he has falsely declared himself to be. And
Paul, having turned to Peter, said: It is my part to bend the knee, and to pray to God;
and thine to produce the effect, if thou shouldst see him attempting anything, because
thou wast first taken in hand by the Lord. And Paul, bending his knees, prayed. And Peter,
looking stedfastly upon Simon, said: Accomplish what thou hast begun; for both thy
exposure and our call is at hand: for I see my Christ calling both me and Paul. Nero said:
And where will you go to against my will? Peter said: Whithersoever our Lord has called
us. Nero said: And who is your lord? Peter said: Jesus the Christ, whom I see calling us
to Himself. Nero said: Do you also then intend to go away to heaven? Peter said: If it
shall seem good to Him that calls us. Simon said: In order that thou mayst know, O
emperor, that these are deceivers, as soon as ever I ascend into heaven, I will send my
angels to thee, and will make thee come to me. Nero said: Do at once what thou sayest.

33 Then Simon went up upon the tower in the face of all, and, crowned with laurels, he
stretched forth his hands, and began to fly. And when Nero saw him flying, he said to
Peter: This Simon is true; but thou and Paul are deceivers. To whom Peter said:
Immediately shalt thou know that we are true disciples of Christ; but that he is not
Christ, but a magician, and a malefactor. Nero said: Do you still persist? Behold, you see
him going up into heaven. Then Peter, looking stedfastly upon Paul, said: Paul, look up
and see. And Paul, having looked up, full of tears, and seeing Simon flying, said: Peter,
why art thou idle? finish what thou hast begun; for already our Lord Jesus Christ is
calling us. And Nero hearing them, smiled a little, and said: These men see themselves
worsted already, and are gone mad. Peter said: Now thou shalt know that we are not mad.
Paul said to Peter: Do at once what thou doest.

34 And Peter, looking stedfastly against Simon, said: I adjure you, ye angels of Satan,
who are carrying him into the air, to deceive the hearts of the unbelievers, by the God
that created all things, and by Jesus Christ, whom on the third day He raised from the
dead, no longer from this hour to keep him up, but to let him go. And immediately, being
let go, he fell into a place called Sacra Via, that is, Holy Way, and was divided into
four parts, having perished by an evil fate. Then Nero ordered Peter and Paul to be put in
irons, and the body of Simon to be carefully kept three days, thinking that he would rise
on the third day. To whom Peter said: He will no longer rise, since he is truly dead,
being condemned to everlasting punishment. And Nero said to him: Who commanded thee to do
such a dreadful deed? Peter said: His reflections and blasphemy against my Lord Jesus
Christ have brought him into this gulf of destruction. Nero said: I will destroy you by an
evil taking off. Peter said: This is not in thy power, even if it should seem good to thee
to destroy us; but it is necessary that what our Master promised to us should be
fulfilled.

35 Then Nero, having summoned Agrippa the proprætor, said to him: It is necessary that men
introducing mischievous religious observances should die. Wherefore I order them to take
iron clubs, and to be killed in the sea-fight. Agrippa the proprætor said: Most sacred
emperor, what thou hast ordered is not fitting for these men, since Paul seems innocent
beside Peter. Nero said: By what fate, then, shall they die? Agrippa answered and said: As
seems to me, it is just that Paul’s head should be cut off, and that Peter should be
raised on a cross as the cause of the murder. Nero said: Thou hast most excellently
judged. Then both Peter and Paul were led away from the presence of Nero. And Paul was
beheaded on the Ostesian road. And Peter, having come to the cross, said: Since my Lord
Jesus Christ, who came down from the heaven upon the earth, was raised upon the cross
upright, and He has deigned to call to heaven me, who am of the earth, my cross ought to
be fixed head down most, so as to direct my feet towards heaven; for I am not worthy to be
crucified like my Lord. Then, having reversed the cross, they nailed his feet up.

36 And the multitude was assembled reviling Cæsar, and wishing to kill him. But Peter
restrained them, saying: A few days ago, being exhorted by the brethren, I was going away;
and my Lord Jesus Christ met me, and having adored Him, I said, Lord, whither art Thou
going? And He said to me, I am going to Rome to be crucified. And I said to Him, Lord,
wast Thou not crucified once for all? And the Lord answering, said, I saw thee fleeing
from death, and I wish to be crucified instead of thee. And I said, Lord, I go; I fulfil
Thy command. And He said to me, Fear not, for I am with thee. On this account, then,
children, do not hinder my going; for already my feet are going on the road to heaven. Do
not grieve, therefore, but rather rejoice with me, for to-day I receive the fruit of my
labours. And thus speaking, he said: I thank Thee, good Shepherd, that the sheep which
Thou hast entrusted to me, sympathize with me; I ask, then, that with me they may have a
part in Thy kingdom. And having thus spoken, he gave up the ghost.

37 And immediately there appeared men glorious and strange in appearance; and they said:
We are here, on account of the holy and chief apostles, from Jerusalem. And they, along
with Marcellus, an illustrious man, who, having left Simon, had believed in Peter, took up
his body secretly, and put it under the terebinth near the place for the exhibition of
sea-fights in the place called the Vatican. And the men who had said that they came from
Jerusalem said to the people: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, because you have been deemed
worthy to have great champions. And know that Nero himself, after these not many days,
will be utterly destroyed, and his kingdom shall be given to another. And after these
things the people revolted against him; and when he knew of it, he fled into desert
places, and through hunger and cold he gave up the ghost, and his body became food for the
wild beasts.

38 And some devout men of the regions of the East wished to carry off the relics of the
saints, and immediately there was a great earthquake in the city; and those that dwelt in
the city having become aware of it, ran and seized the men, but they fled. But the Romans
having taken them, put them in a place three miles from the city, and there they were
guarded a year and seven months, until they had built the place in which they intended to
put them. And after these things, all having assembled with glory and singing of praise,
they put them in the place built for them. And the consummation of the holy glorious
Apostles Peter and Paul was on the 29th of the month of June—in Christ Jesus our Lord, to
whom be glory and strength.

THE STORY OF PERPETUA

1 The Story of Perpetua. And as Paul was being led away to be beheaded at a place about
three miles from the city, he was in irons. And there were three soldiers guarding him who
were of a great family. And when they had gone out of the gate about the length of a bow-
shot, there met them a God-fearing woman; and she, seeing Paul dragged along in irons, had
compassion on him, and wept bitterly. And the name of the woman was called Perpetua; and
she was one-eyed. And Paul, seeing her weeping, says to her: Give me thy handkerchief, and
when I turn back I shall give it to thee. And she, having taken the handkerchief, gave it
to him willingly. And the soldiers laughed, and said to the woman: Why dost thou wish,
woman, to lose thy handkerchief? Knowest thou not that he is going away to be beheaded?
And Perpetua said to them: I adjure you by the health of Cæsar to bind his eyes with this
handkerchief when you cut off his head. Which also was done. And they beheaded him at the
place called Aquæ Salviæ, near the pine tree. And as God had willed, before the soldiers
came back, the handkerchief, having on it drops of blood, was restored to the woman. And
as she was carrying it, straightway and immediately her eye was opened.

2 And the three soldiers who had cut off the head of Saint Paul, when after three hours
they came on the same day with the Bulla bringing it to Nero, having met Perpetua, they
said to her: What is it, woman? Behold, by thy confidence thou hast lost thy handkerchief.
But she said to them: I have both got my handkerchief, and my eye has recovered its sight.
And as the Lord, the God of Paul, liveth, I also have entreated him that I may be deemed
worthy to become the slave of his Lord. Then the soldiers who had the Bulla, recognising
the handkerchief, and seeing that her eye had been opened, cried out with a loud voice, as
if from one mouth, and said: We too are the slaves of Paul’s master. Perpetua therefore
having gone away, reported in the palace of the Emperor Nero that the soldiers who had
beheaded Paul said: We shall no longer go into the city, for we believe in Christ whom
Paul preached, and we are Christians. Then Nero, filled with rage, ordered Perpetua, who
had informed him of the soldiers, to be kept fast in irons; and as to the soldiers, he
ordered one to be beheaded outside of the gate about one mile from the city, another to be
cut in two, and the third to be stoned. And Perpetua was in the prison; and in this prison
there was kept Potentiana, a noble maiden, because she had said:

3 I forsake my parents and all the substance of my father, and I wish to become a
Christian. She therefore joined herself to Perpetua, and ascertained from her everything
about Paul, and was in much anxiety about the faith in Christ. And the wife of Nero was
Potentiana’s sister; and she secretly informed her about Christ, that those who believe in
Him see everlasting joy, and that everything here is temporary, but there eternal: so that
also she fled out of the palace, and some of the senators’ wives with her. Then Nero,
having inflicted many tortures upon Perpetua, at last tied a great stone to her neck, and
ordered her to be thrown over a precipice. And her remains lie at the Momentan gate. And
Potentiana also underwent many torments; and at last, having made a furnace one day, they
burned her.


THE ACTS OF LINUS (THE MARTYRDOM OF PETER)
==========================================

THE ACTS OF LINUS (THE MARTYRDOM OF PETER) Pseudo-Linus, translated by Andrew Eastbourne

5th–6th century

The Latin story of the martyrdom of Peter at Rome, put under the name of Linus, who was
said to have followed Peter as bishop. It reworks the older Acts of Peter and comes from
the fifth or sixth century. This is Andrew Eastbourne’s modern translation.

PASSIO PETRI

5 But as the time was now approaching when the faith of the blessed Apostle, and his
labors, were to be rewarded, the one coming before the "head of destruction,"that is, the
Antichrist Nero, the perfection of iniquity, ordered him to be confined and bound with
chains in the filthiest prison. There, he began to be visited by the four concubines of
the prefect Agrippa, whose names were Agrippina, Eucharia, Euphemia and Dionis.Hearing
from him the preaching of chastity and all the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ, they
languished and were troubled in Agrippa's bed.Hence, devoting themselves to chastity, they
entered a deliberate agreement with each other; having been strengthened by the Lord Jesus
Christ, they determined not to agree to sleep with him obediently any longer. As these
same women withdrew not only from embracing Agrippa but even from any kind of intimacy
with him, he began to be offended and dejected about this; and sending diligent and
skillful spies, he learned that they were very zealously bursting forth to [visit] the
blessed Peter. When this was reported to him, he spoke, seized by the most violent madness
of love: "I know where you have come from. That Christian has taught you not to have
relations with me and to withdraw from the bed to which you are bound. But I am certain
that he will not be able to weaken your love for me by means of his magic arts.

6 Although he tried to cajole them by many flatteries, they did not acquiesce to his
amatory speech or regard the heat of his passion with an attentive eye, because they had
been firmly established by the Apostle's words. The prefect Agrippa, however, seeing that
because they were following Peter's teaching they unanimously scorned his lust and refused
to go along with his flatteries, began to direct horrifying threats at them, swearing that
he would consume them alive with fire and, after torturing Peter with the harshest
punishments, would cause him to perish from the memory of all men under heaven. But he was
never able to make them bend to the defilement of intercourse; they said that it was more
pleasing to them to submit to any torments for the sake of purity than to reject Christ,
to whom they had vowed their chastity. And so Agrippa the prefect was very enraged against
the Apostle, and gnashed his teeth over him, as he tried to find an opportunity when he
would be able to kill him as though for a good reason.

7 Meanwhile, [a woman] named Xandips,the wife of Albinus, a very close friend of the
emperor, came to Peter with very many of the noblest matrons. Hearing talk from him about
the life of chastity, she rejected not only her marriage relation with her husband, but
also all the delights of this life. And so Albinus, in the grip of great sadness, was
threatening to afflict Peter with many torments, while he attempted, by means of injurious
words and then by means of allurements, to turn his wife Xandips away from the struggle
she had undertaken. Sending word to Agrippa the prefect, who was joined to him in
friendship, he related to him all that he was enduring from his wife at the instigation of
Peter, begging that if he was his true and faithful friend, he would take vengeance on
Peter for him—otherwise he would avenge himself. Agrippa likewise sent him a message to
the effect that he himself was suffering the same things—indeed still harsher things—from
him [i.e., Peter]. Hence, it happened that when Albinus went to bed and had caused Xandips
to be brought to him, and had not been able to convince her by flattery or fear to have
intercourse with him for his enjoyment, he began to consider how he could, with Agrippa's
cooperation, catch Peter in a snare like a bird, and put him to death as a sorcerer. But
when Xandips, Albinus' wife, heard this, she sent a most faithful messenger to Peter,
telling him to leave Rome and get away from this near-inescapable plot. In the same
fashion, she revealed the conspiracy of her husband and the prefect Agrippa to Marcellus,
the prefect Marcus' son, who after turning away from the noxious teachings of Simon Magus
had attached himself to the Apostle faithfully and beneficially in all things, and [she
revealed it] to the brethren also.

8 The next day also, some of the senators got up in the meeting of the Senate and said:
"Noble men, we report to your distinguished persons that Peter, for the subversion of the
eternal city, is dissolving marriages by divorce, is separating our wives from us, and is
introducing for us some sort of strange and unheard-of law." And by saying this, they also
spurred on others to disorder and name-calling.Then Agrippa was gratified, because he had
found what he wanted regarding Peter with the Senate as his pretext.But this too was not
hidden from Peter and the brethren—indeed, those of the senators who had been illuminated
by the Lord through Peter had made this known to them by a swift message. 9 For this
reason, Marcellus and the brethren begged Peter to depart. But Peter said: "It is not
right, brethren and children, to flee from sufferings on account of Christ the Lord, since
he himself willingly submitted to death on behalf of our salvation. Marcellus, however,
and the brethren said with great lamentation: "Have pity, merciful father, on the youths
and on those who are untrained in the faith. Do not leave us and them deserted in the
midst of the tempests of the unbelievers. Then Peter said to those who were asking [him
this]: "You are arguing that flight is necessary—you are persuading me to strike fear of
suffering into the hearts of the youths and the weak by my example, whereas we ought to be
proclaiming the word of God with constancy and preserving the holy foundations of chastity
which we have laid. You think flight is necessary in order to avoid death—but we long for
death with copious sighs and groans, as the entryway of life, and furthermore, by means of
death we ought to glorify the Lord, in keeping with the revelation [we have received]
about that [eternal life]."The brethren, however, hearing this, raised a lamentation,
saying: "Most truthful father, where are those words whereby you only recently used to say
that you were ready to submit to death for the sake of our life? And now we are not able
to convince you to endure living a little bit longer for the sake of our salvation, until
we are made strong!

10 The youths too, whom he himself had been guarding carefully and rearing up diligently
in faith and chastity, stretched forth their hands to heaven and fell to the ground,
stretched out before him as though they had suddenly died; they cried aloud, shouting with
loud lamentation: "Good Peter, father and shepherd, matchless in mercy after your Lord,
why did you lately bring us to birth for the Lord with a mother's affection, through the
sacred font, only to expose us now to the bites of the most monstrous wolves, with solace
so premature and in a cruel spirit which you had never had before? Moreover, the matrons
also cried out, their hair besprinkled with dust: "Is this the mercy which you used to
extol in reference to your Savior, who had shown kindness to your tears, moved to
tenderness for eternity, after you had denied him temporarily? And do you not yield
yourself, even for a brief time, to such floods of tears, especially when you are able to
serve the Lord in the flesh and win the eternal crown reserved for you?"

11 Even the guards of the prison, Processus and Martinianus, along with the other
functionaries and those attached to them by virtue of their office, were making their
request, saying: "Master, depart and go where you wish, because we believe that the
emperor has already forgotten you. But that most wicked Agrippa, inflamed by love of his
concubines and by the extravagance of his own lust, is making haste to destroy you. For if
he were attacking you by order of the emperor,we would [already] have the sentence
regarding your death from Paulinus, a most illustrious man,from whose keeping you were put
into our custody. For after you baptized us believers in the name of the holy Trinity in
the nearby Mamertine prison, when a spring and the marvellous sign of the cross had been
produced from the rock through prayer, you proceeded freely wherever you wished, and no
one caused you any trouble—nor would they now, if the demonic conflagration which is
rousing the city had not invaded Agrippa so keenly. For this reason, we beg you, the
intermediary of our salvation, to be willing to make us this return: that since you have
freed us from the chains of sins and demons, you should go free from the bonds of prison
and shackles, whose savagery has been entrusted to us—not so much with our permission as
because of our entreaty—for the sake of so many people's salvation.

12 The widows too, and the orphans and those afflicted with old age, said, while pulling
their hair and scratching their cheeks and baring their chests: "You healed others, by
whose help we have been tended, from various infirmities; and you even raised some from
death—and do you now take yourself away from us, most gracious father? Or else send us all
before you, so that our souls may not perish in the absence of your teaching and
instruction, and our bodies pass away deprived of the solace of your assistance—only in
that circumstance may you hurry to where you desire to go, lest, seeing our lives dying
after [the death of] our master, we die miserable by remaining in life." 13 Then Peter,
who was merciful beyond human measure and could never pass by the tears of the afflicted
without tears, hearing this from all quarters, was won over by so much weeping and said:
"Let none of you come with me; I will go on alone, with changed clothes." Indeed, he did
set out alone in the ensuing night, pronouncing a prayer, then bidding farewell to the
brethren and commending them to God with a blessing. While he was on his way, the
fastenings were removed from the fetters and fell away from his leg. When he wished to go
out the city gate, however, he saw Christ coming to meet him. Worshipping him, he said:
"Lord, where are you going?" Christ answered him: "I am coming to Rome to be crucified
again." And Peter said to him: "Lord, will you be crucified again?" And the Lord said to
him: "Certainly, I will be crucified again." But Peter said: "Lord, I will return and
follow you." And after these things were spoken, the Lord ascended into the heavens.
Peter, however, followed him with a protracted gaze and the sweetest tears, and
afterwards, when he returned to himself, he understood that this was said regarding his
own passion—that the Lord, who suffers in the chosen ones with the compassion of mercy and
the celebration of glorification, was going to suffer in him.

14 Turning back, he returned into the city with joy, glorifying God and telling the
brethren that the Lord had met him on the road, and had made clear to him that he was to
be crucified again in him. When he had revealed to them his own passion, they all broke
forth in lamentation and wailing. Each one of them mourned and poured forth tears, saying:
"Look upon your sheep, good shepherd; support those whose weaker faith seeks to be
strengthened by your preaching. Look upon the faltering hearts which we know you ought to
make firm." Peter said to them: "It is easy for the Lord to strengthen the hearts of his
servants even without my humble admonishment. For those whom he planted for this purpose,
he will cause to grow, so that they may be able to plant others as well. But I, as a
servant, must follow my Lord's will. Therefore if he determines that I should still
continue in the flesh for your sake,I do not argue with him. And if he decrees that I
should suffer for his name, and sees fit to take me up through my suffering, I rejoice and
exult in his grace."

15 While he was comforting the brethren's minds with these and many other words, Hieros
arrived with four apparitoresand ten other men, who seized him and took him away from the
midst of the brethren and brought him bound before the eyes of Agrippa, the prefect of the
city. Agrippa said to him: "You have great confidence, wicked man, in the people you are
deceiving, and in the women who have withdrawn from the marital bed because of your
persuasion. You have even dared to introduce some 'Christ' or other, as an affront to the
gods, and to present some silly and vain teachings or other, against the holy Roman rites
and against the eternal city's piety." Then the Apostle's face began to shine like the
sun, and opening his mouth he said to him: "I see where you are going, you leader of
lusts, you lover of defilement, you inventor of savagery, you persecutor of the innocent,
you abettor of deceivers, you founder of trickery, you dwelling-place of Satan! Indeed,
you are ignorant of the glory I take pride in, and therefore you say that I have
confidence in men and women." And Agrippa said to him: "Since you know that I am ignorant
of what you take pride in, inform me of it, quickly!" And Peter said to him: "I have no
glory except the cross of my Lord Jesus Christ, whose servant I am." And Agrippa said:
"Well then, do you wish to be crucified, just as your god was crucified?" Peter too
responded: "I am not worthy to make the world a witness of my suffering with an upright
cross, but through some sort of punishments I do wish and desire to follow in the
footsteps of his suffering." Then the prefect, using the accusation of superstition as a
cover for his own disease—a lack of self-control—ordered the Apostle to be crucified.

16 And behold! A huge crowd suddenly gathered together, of different ages and sexes, of
rich and poor, of widows and orphans, of the weak and the powerful, who shouted at the top
of their lungs: "Why is Peter being killed? What crime did he commit? How has he harmed
the city? It is not lawful to condemn an innocent! Should we not be afraid that God will
avenge the death of such a great man and decree the destruction of us all?" And the people
began to rage against Agrippa, as they endeavored to seize Peter and preserve him
unharmed—and Rome was thrown into confusion by the disordered voices of the vast crowds.
Then Peter stood back a little, then, climbing to a higher position and calling the people
to silence with a nod, said: "You menand faithful ones of God, who serve in Christ's army!
All you who hope in Christ! If your love toward me is true and you demonstrate sincere
compassion and kindness toward me, do not call back one who is going to the Lord—do not
hinder one who is making haste toward Christ! Stand therefore in quietness, rejoicing and
glad, so that I may offer my sacrifice to the Lord with cheerfulness. For God loves a
cheerful giver."And, with these words having been spoken, the uproar and the prefect's
dispute were scarcely calmed. For many people were able and were eagerly wishing to drive
out the prefect—but they were afraid to sadden the Apostle, who was following the example
of his teacher, who said: "I am able now, if I wish, to summon more than twelve legions of
angels for myself."

17 Finally, together with the Apostle and the apparitores, a vast number of people arrived
at the place which is called Naumachiae, near the obelisk of Nero on the hill. For there a
cross had been put into place. And looking back at the people who were weeping and again
wanting to stir up disorder, he said in a clear voice: "I pray you, brethren, do not
hinder my offering! Do not rage against Agrippa and be bitter-minded toward him. For he is
only an abettor of someone else's action: the devil is the instigator of my condemnation
in the flesh—he is taking advantage of the Lord's permission, since it pains him that
vessels of dishonorhave been taken away from him by me and made into lodging-places of
self-control, temples of Christ, homes of honor and grace. And so, my brothers and sons,
be obedient, because what was going to happen was made known to me by the Lord Jesus
Christ in a revelation. Therefore, the disciple is not above his teacher, nor the slave
above his master.So I am hurrying to be freed from the flesh and be entrusted to the Lord.
For it is now the time at which I will also offer my sacrifice. Remember the signs and
prodigies and healings, which you saw and perceived—as Christ was acting and I was
helping. For the sicknesses of very many were healed so that the souls of all might be
saved. Dead bodies were raised so that dead souls might live again. But why do I now
endure delay, and do not draw near to the cross? Farewell, brethren—be patient and
preserve what you have heard. I commend you to the Lord Jesus Christ."

18 Also, he approached and stood by the cross, and said: "O name of the cross, O secret
mystery! O unspeakable grace! For peace [comes] in the name of the cross. O cross, which
joined man to God, and separated [people] from the dominion of diabolical captivity! O
cross, which with its companion, true faith, always makes manifest to the human race the
passion of the Savior of the world, and shows the redemption of human captivity to be safe
and secure! O cross, which daily distributes the flesh of the spotless lamb to the
faithful, and expels the serpent's horrible venom with the cup of salvation, and
extinguishes the flaming sword of Paradise for believers without ceasing! O cross, which
daily works to make peace between earthly and celestial [beings], and diligently
reproduces the death of the Mediator, who rose from the dead and now dies no more, for the
eternal Father, with the Church acting on behalf of its children—reproduces it, renews it,
re-establishes it by its most auspicious embassy.I suffer violence for your sake, and now,
being very near to release,I will not rest from making known the secret mystery of God
regarding the cross, which my soul once shouted aloud. You who believe in Christ, let that
which is visible not be the cross for you; there is a certain other thing, a mystical
[meaning], in that which is apparent to you. And now especially, all you who are able to
hear, as I am now in the last hour of this life, separate all your senses and your souls
from everything that is visible, [directing them] to that which is invisible! And you will
know that the mystery of salvation has been accomplished in Christ through the cross. Your
obligation, Peter, is to return the body you received to the earth, by means of those
whose proper task is to kill the body.

19 Moreover, he said to the master-executioners: "Why are you dallying? Why, apparitores,
are you allowing delays to be contrived for me? Fulfill the command that was given to you.
Divest me of my mortal clothing, so that I may cleave to the Lord in spirit. He did indeed
ask, and won the master-executioners over by addressing them as follows: "I beg you, good
servants of my salvation, when you crucify me, to place my head below and my feet above.
For it is not fitting that the meanest servant be crucified in the same way as the Lord of
the universe deigned to suffer, for the salvation of the whole world—he who, it is clear,
is to be glorified by my suffering. It is even possible that I should be able to gaze upon
the mystery of the cross with an attentive countenance forever, so that what I say from
there can be more easily understood by those who are standing round about it. When this
was done,Peter began to comfort and speak to the people who were weeping regarding the
cross, speaking in a marvellous manner: "Great and profound is the mystery of the cross,
the ineffable and unbreakable bond of love. Through the cross, God draws all things to
himself. This is the tree of life by which the power of death has been destroyed. This you
have opened up for me, Lord; open up also the eyes of all those people, so that they may
see the comfort of eternal life.

20 When he had said this, God opened the eyes of those who were lamenting and shedding
tears over his suffering, and they saw angels standing with garlands of flowers—roses and
lilies—and at the top of the cross that had been set up, Peter, standing and receiving a
book from Christ and reading from it the words which he was saying. Seeing this, they
began to rejoice and be glad in the Lord, to such a degree that those unbelievers
themselves, as well as the executioners, seeing that the ones they had seen sad and
lamenting before were now exulting and rejoicing, hid themselves and vanished like smoke.
21 Peter, moreover, seeing that his glory had been made manifest to many who were weeping
before, gave thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ, saying: "You alone, Lord, were rightly
crucified [on a cross] with the top extended on high, you who redeemed the whole world
from sin. I desired to imitate you even in suffering; but I did not appropriate to myself
an upright crucifixion, since we human beings—both the pure and the sinners—have been born
from Adam, but you [were born as] God from God, and true light from true light, before all
ages; at the end of the ages you deigned to become a man on behalf of mankind, without
human pollution; you stand forth as the glorious redeemer of mankind. You are always
upright, you are always exalted, you are always lofty. We are children of the first man
according to the flesh—the one who buried his own ruling facultyin the earth. His fall is
symbolized by the appearance of human reproduction: for we are born in such a way that we
appear to be ejected head downward toward the ground, and what is on the right is on [our]
left, and what is on the left ends up on [our] right—for the very reason that the
conditions of this life were transformed by our ancestors. That wicked world, indeed,
considers what is left to be right—the world in which you, Lord, found us like the
Ninevites, and by your holy proclamation you freed those who were about to perish.

22 "But you, brethren, whose proper task is to listen, direct the ears of your hearts, and
learn the things which are to be announced to you: namely, the mystery of the whole of
nature, and the Beginning of the entire created order.For the first man, whose kind I
belong to in form,showed by his down-cast head that the generation had been destroyed long
ago. For his generation was dead, and did not even have the movement of life. But the
Beginning, drawn by his own mercy, came into the world through corporeal substance, to the
one whom he had, by a just sentence, cast down to the earth; and, being hung on the cross
as an image of this honorablecalling—namely, that of the cross—he restored and established
what had been transformed before by the mankind's wicked mistake: present things, that is,
as left, and the eternal things, which were considered as left, glorifying as right.He
changed all signs to their proper nature, understanding as good things which were not
thought good, and as truly favorable things which were considered unfavorable. Hence, the
Lord said in a mystery: 'Unless you make the right as the left and the left as the right,
and things above as things below, and things before as things behind, you shall not come
to know the kingdom of God.'I have brought forward this view in my own person, brethren;

23 and this is the figure in which corporeal eyes see me hanging, for it is the shape of
the first man. But you, my beloved, as you hear these things and, by converting and
turning [them] about, bring them to perfection, [and] just as you have returned from your
primal error to the most secure anchorage of faith, even so persevere in running, and
strive toward the repose of your calling on high by livingwell. For the Way by which you
must make your journey there is Christ. So then, you ought to ascend above the cross, with
Jesus Christ the true God, who was established for us as the one and only Word. For this
reason the Spirit says: 'Christ is the word and voice of God'—since the word signifies
that upright tree on which I am crucified. And since voice is properly something belonging
to the body, because it receives features which are not attributed to divinity, the side-
pieces of the cross are understood as presenting human nature, which suffered the error of
transformation in the first man, but recovered true understanding through God and man. For
indeed, the very keyof the teaching is circumscribed in the middle—that is, by human
conversion and turning about and repentance, along with faith."

24 And as he said these things with an eager visage and a calm face, he cried out,
breaking into prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Word of life, you have made these things known
to me, and I give thanks to you, who are revealing what I had said about the tree
proclaimed by me. I thank you, not with the heart into which something unbecoming often
creeps, not with these lips that are fastened shut, not with the tongue through which both
truth and falsehood come forth, nor indeed with the utterance that is produced by an
articulated and material substance—but rather, good king, with the sort of voice which is
understood in silence, which is not heard in the open, which does not come forth through
the instrument of a corruptible mouth, which does not strike the ears of flesh, which is
not perceived by a corruptible nature, which neither is earthly nor is uttered on earth,
which is not written down in material books; it neither allows anyone to be moved
materially, nor does it exist materially. With that spirit, I mean, Jesus Christ, my Lord
and master, I give thanks to you—the spirit by which I believe in you, by which I
understand you, by which I love you, by which I hold you fast—the voice with which I
address you, with which I appeal to you—for you can only be understood with a spirit that
is whole and calm. To me, Lord, you are father and friend, author and perfector of
salvation;

25 you are my desire, you are my consolation, you are my sufficiency. For me, you are
everything, and everything, for me, is in you; to me, you are the all, and all that is, to
me, you are: indeed, you are everything to me. In you we live, we move, we exist.And
therefore we ought to hold you, like everything, so that you may give us those things you
promised, which neither eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor have they come into a human
heart, which you have prepared for those who love you.Keep watch over these things for
your servants; distribute and bestow these things, because you are the eternal and in the
highest degree good shepherd, the true Son of God. To you I entrust the sheep which you
put in my care. Gather them together in your sheepfold, and preserve them, because you are
the gate of the sheepfold and the gatekeeper, you are the pasture, you are the refreshment
of eternal life. Glory be to you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and
ever.

26 And then, when all the people answered "Amen" in a loud voice, Peter surrendered his
spirit. And immediately Marcellus, without waiting for anyone's opinion, but seeing that
the blessed Apostle had breathed his last, took down the sacred body from the cross with
his own hands, washed it with milk and the best wine, and grinding 1500 minae of mastic
and aloe, with myrrh and silphium (?),and oil of myrrh along with the various other
spices—another 1500 minae—he embalmed him most lovingly. He also filled a new sarcophagus
with Attic honey and placed the body, anointed with the perfumes, in it. That very night,
however, while Marcellus was keeping vigil at the tomb and weeping out of his passionate
longing for him—for he had decided never to be separated from the grave of his most loving
teacher as long as he lived—the blessed Peter came to him. When Marcellus saw him, and
trembled, he quickly rose for him and stood before him. The blessed Apostle said to him:
"Brother Marcellus, haven't you heard the words of the Lord, who said: 'Leave the dead to
bury their own dead'?"And Marcellus said, "Dear master, I have heard them." Then Peter
said to him: "Then do not let yourself seem like a dead man who has buried a dead man and
weeps, but like a living man rejoicing better with a living, jubilant man; leave the dead
to bury their own dead. But as for you, just you have learned through me, go and proclaim
the kingdom of God." Marcellus made this known to all the brethren with great good-will,
and through the favor of holy Peter the faith of the believers was strengthened by God the
father in every way, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the sanctification of the
Holy Spirit.

27 But when Nero found out that the blessed Peter had died, whom he had given orders to
torment, not to kill, he sent [instructions] that Agrippa be arrested, since without
[receiving] his [i.e. Nero's] sentence [to that effect] he had killed Peter —whom he
[i.e., Nero] was planning to punish using various torments. He complained that he had been
robbed of Simon, the protector of his salvation, by that man's tricks, and he grieved for
the misfortune of such a great friend, who was supplying him and the state with countless
good things. Agrippa, however, by the intervention of his friends, secured the privilege
of living at his own home as a private citizen, despised and deprived of his prefect's
office. Thus he avoided Caesar's fury, but he did not escape the vengeance of divine
judgment, which he soon experienced, and perished terribly. Finally, Nero turned his
attention to the persecution of those who, he learned, had associated on rather friendly
terms with the blessed Peter, so that at least by their punishment he might be satiated
regarding Peter. But the blessed Apostle made this known to the brethren by a revelation,
and suggested how they might avoid the beast's savagery. For Nero in a vision saw the holy
Peter standing before him, and, after being scourged by someone on that man's orders, he
heard: "Restrain your hands, most impious one, from the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ;
you will not be able to hold them now." Then, being alarmed, he was quiet for a little. In
addition, the brethren were both rejoicing and exulting in the Lord, strengthened often by
a vision of the blessed Apostle Peter, glorifying the Lord God, the Almighty Father, and
the Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, to whom belong glory, power, and worship for
ever and ever. Amen.

28 Lat. seu adversa immo diversa...certamina. On the grounds of general usage, adversa
certamina would mean "unsuccessful contests" and diversa certamina, most likely,
"inconclusive contests"—but the struggle against Simon has not been unsuccessful or
inconclusive. "Adverse contests" could conceivably be "face-to-face encounters"—but there
is then no particular point for the addition of diversa. It seems that Ps.-Linus is simply
piling on synonyms (as frequently in this text), and both expressions mean simply "hostile
encounters." Salonius, p. 41, notes that seu...immo... here is basically equivalent to
et...et... In the Greek text, this is more clearly expressed: "giving thanks for the
crowd..." Cf. similar phraseology in the Greek text and the Actus Vercellenses after the
brief narration about Xant(h)ippe and Albinus (§5/34 [= Ps.-Linus, §3]). The phrase,
praeveniens perditionis caput, is difficult; it could alternatively be translated, "the
foregoing 'head of destruction.'" Thomas, Acts of Peter, p. 53, more interpretively
renders it "the font of destruction" (but without addressing the status of praeveniens).
Perditionis caput echoes filius perditionis (Jn. 17.12; 2 Thess. 2.3). For discussion of
the difficulties, see also Nordmeyer, "Der Tod Neros in der Legende," pp. 29-30.

29 In the Greek version of the passion, the second concubine is Nikaria, the fourth Doris.
Following Salonius' text (molestabantur sub thoro Agrippae); with Lipsius' text (adding
esse), the sense would be "...were troubled at being in Agrippa's bed"—but this is
linguistically more difficult in Latin. In the Greek and in the Actus Vercellenses, this
woman is named Xant(h)ippe. Here a variant reading [atque etiam] would give the meaning
"and also..." more obviously; while a possible correction [sicut] would be comprehensible
("just as [she made known]..."). On seu et, however, see Salonius, p. 44. Lat. appellatio;
perhaps "judicial appeal"? Lat. sub occasione senatus. Lit., "under the pretext of the
Senate"; i.e., he found the Senate's action a good pretext for himself. Lat., etiam
secundum illius revelationem. Lit., "also / furthermore according to the revelation of
that"—where "that" could be masculine, feminine, or neuter. Lit., "king." 30 Lat.
clarissimus; i.e., a senator. Cf. Phil. 1.24. Apparitores were a magistrate's attendants,
used to aid with arrest and punishment. "Men" is a traditional address in Greek speeches
(oandres, as here in the Gk. text), frequently with further details identifying the
audience, as "Men of Athens..." Cf. 2 Cor. 9.7. Mt. 26.53. Cf. 2 Tim. 2.20. Cf. Mt. 10.24.
This convoluted sentence means that the cross, through the Church's liturgy, repeatedly
renews the efficacy of the Savior's death; the word "embassy" continues the metaphor of
peace-making from the beginning of the sentence. Cf. the similarly elaborate allusion to
the Eucharist in the "flesh" and "cup" of the previous sentence. For the thought and
expression, cf. also Gregory the Great, Hom. ev. 37.7 (cited by Blaise, Dictionnaire, s.v.
'reparo'): quoties...offerimus, toties nobis...passionem illius reparamus ("As often as we
offer..., so often do we renew for ourselves / make present to ourselves his passion.")

31 Lat. in finitima absolutione; lit., "at / in (the) very near release / dissolution."
The Greek here makes it slightly clearer: "at the end of the release / dissolution." The
"release" is presumably the separation of soul from body at death, although the
"dissolution" of the world could also be in view. Cf. Mt. 10.28. I.e., when he had been
crucified in the manner he requested. Lat. principale, often the equivalent of the Greek
ehgemonikon, but the Gk. here has arche ("rule / beginning")—it may be that Ps.-Linus here
intends a reference not to the internal "ruling faculty" but to Adam's status as ruler
over the natural world. By "Beginning" Ps.-Linus is subtly introducing a reference to the
Son / Logos, who can be referred to as the "Beginning" especially through allusion to Gen.
1.1: "In the beginning God created..." In the next mention of the "Beginning" Ps.-Linus
uses this reference even more explicitly.

32 Lit., "whose kind / race / class I have in form / appearance." This does not mean that
he is a human being only in appearance; rather, species (like genus) is used to identify
classifications or types of beings. Alternatively, Vouaux, p. 443 (n. 4) argues that the
word "form / appearance" is a reference to the manner in which Peter is being crucified.
So with Lipsius, reading honorandae; Salonius prefers the variant horrendae ("horrible /
to be shuddered at"). Here I follow Salonius' emended text: praesentia videlicet pro
sinistra, et quae pro sinistra ducebantur aeterna, siquidem ut dextra glorificans et omnia
signa... Lipsius' text seems too difficult; but a variant reading (f) gives a potentially
more acceptable text: praesentia videlicet ut aeterna et aeterna ducebantur ut praesentia
et dextra sinistra ("present things, namely, were thought of as eternal, eternal things as
present, and right [as] left")—this, however, seems quite likely to be the result of a
scribal attempt at emendation. For the use of pro with the acc. rather than the abl., see
Salonius, pp. 52-53.

33 Lipsius (ad loc.) identifies this as a quotation from the Gospel of the Egyptians, but
the precise identification of the source is difficult. Similar but not identical sayings
appear in 2 Clement 12.2; Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 3.13.92 (attributed to the
"Gospel of the Egyptians"); Gospel of Thomas 22; finally, Acts of Philip 140 appears to be
dependent on the present quotation. Cf. Vouaux, p. 447; Hennecke-Schneemelcher, New
Testament Apocrypha (rev. ed.), 1: 209-10, 212-14. Lat. conversantes (echoing the words
translated above as "convert" and "turn about"). For this otherwise unknown quotation,
Vouaux, pp. 449-51 (n. 5), sees a possible reminiscence of Jn. 1, discounting Harnack's
suggestion that it is related to a citation from the Acts of Paul in Origen, De princ.
1.2.3 (Hic est verbum animal vivens)—and indeed, they have little in common with each
other. Lat. clavis; the Gk. text and the Actus Vercellenses have "nail" (Lat.
clavus)—scribal confusion or perhaps authorial wordplay (in Latin) seems likely.

34 Cf. Acts 17.28. Cf. 1 Cor. 2.9. Lat. folium, which normally means simply a "leaf"—but
the Gk. (phyllon) likely in the original is used additionally for some specific plant-
parts, including the "leaf-like fruit of silphium" (LSJ s.v.). Mt. 8.22; Lk. 9.60.

PASSIO PAULI

3 When Luke had come to Rome from Galatia, and Titus from Dalmatia, they waited for Paul
in the city; and when Paul arrived and saw them, he rejoiced greatly and rented a public
storehouse for himself outside the city, where he would talk about the word of life with
these and the other brethren. Meanwhile he began to gather together a very great
multitude, and many souls were added to the faith by him, with the operation of God's
grace, in such a way that the sound of his preaching and his holiness was heard, and the
talk about him went around throughout the whole neighboring region. For he had already
become known to the Roman world by means of signs and portents, by his plentiful teaching
and by his amazing holiness. Many also from the household of Caesar came together,
believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and the great joy and exultation of the faithful was
increasing every day. Indeed, even the instructor of the emperor [i.e., Seneca],
perceiving that divine knowledge was in him, was joined in friendship with him to such a
degree that he could scarcely restrain himself from conversation with him—and so, if he
was not able to talk with him face to face, he enjoyed that man's sweetness and friendly
conversation and counsel by frequent exchanges of letters.Thus, with the operation of the
Holy Spirit, his teaching was increased and was loved, such that he was now teaching
legally and being heard by many most freely. Indeed, he was holding discussions with pagan
philosophers and was defeating them, and for this reason very many people were yielding to
his instruction. In fact, Caesar's instructor read aloud some of that man's writings
before him [i.e., Caesar], and made him out to be amazing in all respects. Even the senate
expressed an unrestrictedly high opinion of him.

4 Finally, one day, when Paul, in service to his teaching, was addressing the crowds in
the evening in an upper room, a certain Patroclus, a favorite and cup-bearer of the
Emperor, stole away from his sight and went off to the storehouse where Paul was lodging,
in order to hear the teachings about eternal life. For he had been attracted and mentally
drawn to this by his own companions and Caesar's close friends who, belonging to his
court, were following Paul's counsels. But since he could not enter and approach him
because of the great number of people there, he climbed to a higher window and sat down
next to it so as to be able to hear the word of God more conveniently. Indeed, he was
longing with a passionate spirit to be comforted by Paul's talk. When Paul, however, had
drawn out his sermon at length and the young man was almost overcome by sleep, the wicked
and envious devil, pained at the love which the youth quite zealously maintained for God's
word and for the Apostle himself, caused the young man to doze off a little—and then
falling from the window (which was fairly high up) he breathed his last. Soon after, when
this had been reported to Nero, who was returning from the baths—Nero very frequently
asked afterthe young man, who was dear to him—the emperor was saddened to his very soul
over the death of Patroclus, and he put someone else in place of him for the service of
the wine, to present his cup to him.

5 But Paul, immediately realizing (through the spirit) what had happened, said to the
people: "Brethren, the wicked one has found an opportunity for testing you. But the Lord
Jesus Christ, in his customary manner, will turn the villainy to his own glory. Go
outside, therefore, and you will find that a young man, a favorite of Caesar, has fallen
from a height and is now lying lifeless. Lift him up and hasten to bring him to me." They,
for their part, went out immediately and speedily brought the dead young man to him.
Moreover, the crowds were amazed at how Paul had come to know in detailabout what had
happened with no one to inform him of it. So Paul said to the crowds: "Now your faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ will be apparent. For it is time for the seed of eternal life,
arriving in good soil, to bear fruit in a hundred-fold harvest. Therefore draw near to the
Lord our God with full faith, and let us pray to him that the soul of the man may be
restored into this youthful corpse, and that he may live better than he had lived. And
after they all groaned while devoting themselves to prayer, Paul said: "Young Patroclus,
arise and tell what great things God has done for you." Thereupon, at these words,
Patroclus arose as though from sleep, and began to glorify God, who granted such power to
human beings. And Paul sent him away with the rest of those who belonged to the household
of Caesar, and they went off, all rejoicing and exulting in the Lord, who carries out the
wishes of those who fear him and hearkens to their prayers.

6 While Nero was lamenting for Patroclus and was engrossed in the immensity of his
sadness, those who were standing around him said to Caesar: "Lord, may Your Magnanimity
not be distressed with vexation over the death of the youth. For he is alive and is here
at the gates." But when Caesar heard that Patroclus was alive, of whose death he had heard
a little earlier, he was struck with fear and refused to let him enter and stand before
his gaze. When, however, he had been persuaded by very numerous friends, he commanded him
to enter. Seeing him vigorous and without any signs of death, he was amazed and said to
him: "Patroclus, are you alive?" He answered: "Caesar, I am alive." Nero said: "Who caused
you to live?" Patroclus, gladdened in heart and kindled with the heat of faith, said to
him: "The Lord Jesus Christ, the king of all ages. " And Nero, thrown into confusion at
the name of the Power of God,said to the young man: "So then, that man ought to reign
forever and dissolve all the kingdoms of the world?" And Patroclus said: "Indeed, Caesar,
he will destroy all the kingdoms which are under heaven, and all that are under heaven
will serve him; and he himself alone is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords." But Nero
struck him and said: "So then, are you serving as a soldier for that king?" And Patroclus,
exulting, said: "Yes indeed—for he raised me from the dead!"

7 Then Barnabas, Justus, a certain [other] Paul, Arion the Cappadocian and Festus the
Galatian, who were Caesar's attendants and always stood by him, said to Nero: "Why,
Caesar, do you strike a young man who is authentically wise and answers you most sensibly
and most truthfully? For we too are serving as soldiers for that unconquered king, Jesus
Christ our Lord." Nero, however, when he heard them speaking of the unconquered King Jesus
with the same meaning and words, he threw them into prison, so as to torture excessively
those whom he had loved excessively before. And he ordered that the servants of that great
king be searched out, and laid down an edict that all the soldiers of Christ, wherever
they were found, without questioning, should be punished with various tortures. Hence,
through a major investigation by the officials of the government and the supporters of the
storehouse of wickedness, the servants of God were sought and found—and very many were
brought into Caesar's presence.

8 Among them, Paul too, bearing for the sake of Christ's name the chains he was accustomed
to, was brought there, bound. All those who were bound were directing their attention to
him together, so much so that Nero was able to determine, without being informed by
anyone, that he was in charge of the soldiers of the great king. And, understanding that
he was the leader and the teacher of Christ's servants, he said to him: "You, a servant of
the great king—but a prisoner of mine—why did you decide to enter secretly into the
kingdom of the Romans and take it away from me, and to assemble soldiers for him from the
forces under my command?" Paul, however, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke steadily to
Caesar in the hearing of all those who could be present: "Nero, I am assembling soldiers
not only from your back-yard, but also from the entire world. For I have orders not to
turn away anyone from any nation who wishes to serve as a soldier for my eternal king. For
the Lord of all is able to distribute the richest gifts with a generous hand to everyone,
in accordance with the merits of each one. Indeed, if you too see fit to believe in him
and obey him faithfully, you will not regret it. Do not think, however, that the riches of
this world, magnificence or glory should save you; but if you become subject to him, you
will be saved forever. For when he comes to judge the living and the dead, he will ravage
the form of this world with fire, and will bestow on his soldiers the largesse that was
prepared before the foundation of the world and hidden from the ages, which will never
fall short and which will remove every deficiency.

9 Nero, hearing this and becoming inflamed with anger, because Paul had said that the form
of the world was to be dissolved with fire, ordered that all the soldiers of Christ be
burned with fire, but that Paul be mutilated by decree of the Senate as one guilty of
treason, in accordance with Roman laws. He handed him over to the prefects Longinus and
Megistus and to Acestus the centurion, so that they would lead him outside the city and
would give instructions for his decapitation, making his killing a spectacle for the
people. To these men, Paul was preaching about salvation without ceasing. Nero, driven by
the activity of the devil, speedily also directed the officials and apparitores in the
whole cityand the surrounding region, so that they would search out with the greatest care
the Christians who were in hiding and those who were known, and kill them. Hence, so
numerous a crowd of Christians was killed that the Roman people burst into the palace in
strength and, struggling to provoke a rebellion against Caesar, shouted: "Put an end to
this most unjust order, Caesar! Moderate your unreasonable fury! Let what has already
crossed the bounds of cruelty be enough for your cruelty. They are our fellow citizens
whom you are destroying; they guard the Roman empire. Caesar, you are taking away Roman
power, which used to be terrifying to all nations by virtue of the great throng of such
great soldiers." Then Nero, terrified at the shouts of the people, laid down another
decree, that no one should dare to touch the Christians, nor bring any trouble upon them,
until the report of a complete legal proceeding, on the basis of a denunciation in each
case, should be conveyed to the emperor.

10 For this reason, Paul was again brought before his presence. When Nero saw him,
however, he shouted out most violently, saying: "Take him away! Take away the
malefactor,behead the deceiver, do not allow the enchanterto live, destroy the remover of
our senses, remove from the face of the earth the modifier of our minds!" Paul said to
him: "Nero, I shall suffer for a short time; but I shall live forever formy God and the
eternal king, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is going to come to judge the world in a
conflagration of fire." Nero said to Longinus, Megistus and Acestus: "Quickly, remove his
head from him, and so may he flatter himself about eternal life—and perceive that I am the
unconquered king, I who have bound him and defeated him by killing him." But Paul said:
"Nero, so that you may know that I live for my unconquered king eternally even after
decapitation, but that you are defeated even though you believe you are winning—after my
head has been cut off, I will appear to you alive, and you will be able to understand that
death and life serve my Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs every kingdom and who will give
it to whom he wills. Every victory belongs to him, and whom he wishes to prevail he causes
to triumph magnificently. He himself is alone the unconquered king forever." And with
these words having been spoken, Paul was led off for punishment.

11 Now while he was being led away, Longinus and Megistus and Acestus said to him: "Tell
us, Paul, where is that king, and where has he appeared to us, and in what manner did you
come to know him, and what good has he done, or will he do, for you?—that you Christians
should love him so passionately that you refuse to give your assent to our religion in any
fashion, in order to live and enjoy the good things of this life. Instead, you consider it
more pleasant than any amusement to die for him in manifold torments. For it seems to us a
great error to hate pleasantness and life, and to embrace punishments and death with
unmitigated longing." 12 Paul, however, said: "You wise men, blooming with good sense!
Abandon the darkness of ignorance and error, the fog of which is overclouding your
understanding, noble gentlemen, so that you are not able to see the truth which lies
hidden in you. Turn the eyes of your mind to the eternal and true light, so that you may
have the power first to know yourselves, and so to arrive at the knowledge of that king
with gladness, and to remain safe and unharmed by the fire that will come upon the whole
world. For we are not serving as soldiers for any earthly king, as you believe, but for
the living God, the king of the heavens and of all ages, who, on account of the sins which
are being committed in this world, will come as judge and will judge it with fire. But
happy will the man be who believes in him: He will have eternal life and will live
forever. And most unfortunate will that man be (no one is more unfortunate) who spurns the
riches of his goodness and long-suffering and does not turn to him: He will perish
forever. Indeed, it was for this reason that the one who made heaven and earth descended
from heaven to earth; for this purpose that the one who made man was made a man:

13 So that a man could turn from his iniquity, leaving behind the vain things and mute
images which he most wickedly worships in place of God, and serve the one who made him and
revere the one the angels fear and all the powers of heaven revere. When this happens, he
will make that true worshipper and venerator his own partner and an associate of his
angels—that is, of the holy and blessed spirits. And rightly so, because God is a spirit,
and he will make the one who worships and venerates him in spirit and truth an associate
of the holy spirits. But the one who refuses to believe in him he will make an associate
and partner of the wicked demons in torment and in the burning of eternal fire; he will
send that fugitive to this perpetual fire—that is, the fire that is to come, by which God
is going to judge the world.

14 "Therefore, you wise men, let your sagacity take counsel and discern who made the
world—because it did not come forth without a maker. Consider who made man—because, as the
divine oracles testify, he did not make himself. Pay heed to the fact that vain images are
not gods, but rather human products and the demons that lie hidden in the same
products—and they, although they seem to be in accord in that they unanimously desire the
destruction of the human race, yet they do disagree with each other in very many ways.
'For the impious do not have peace,' says the Lord.Indeed, before us is this question: Why
do people rush to cause destruction and to hold those associated with them in punishments,
since they know that human beings are going to ascend, by the grace of God, into the
heavenly habitation from which the very spirits fell through pride. Men of the city,
recognize with your understanding that the title of deity is in no way distributed among
the many, because there is one God by whom all things [were made], and one Lord Jesus
Christ through whom all things [were made], and one Holy Spirit in whom everything
exists—and to this [Trinity] all faithful things faithfully submit; and there is no
division in the divinity, because it lacks plurality. Consider well, Roman citizens,
whence discord arose, and by what method it has grown and become advanced so far and wide,
wretchedly, and why so many—not divinities, but wretched monstrosities of gods—have
emerged:

15 obviously because many began to wish to become leaders and tyrants and rulers—not of
vices, but of the people who share in their own nature; and hence, plunged into the
tempest of ignorance and cast down into the pit of their own pride, each one either
borrowed or established the god of his own power. Thus it is said, 'Fear first in the
world created gods.'Wretched men arrived at such a pitch of insanity that in this state
they set up the most wretched of men as gods for themselves, so as to become like them in
order to avoid destructive death. But some of them too, because they did not think it
right to keep the knowledge of God in their minds, were handed over to their own wishes,so
as to practice those deeds which the Roman laws punish with curses, and there was
fulfilled in them what was said by the most holy words: 'Let those who make them become
similar to them.'For they made wretched gods for themselves, and were made wretched
themselves—and were tumbled down to such irrationality that they say to the trunk of a
tree, 'You are our god'; and to a stone, 'Help us'; and they worship a manufactured block
of wood, they who have been warmed by its shavings."

16 At this, great crowds of listeners raised their voices in lamentation and said: "We
have gone astray; we have sinned; we have acted wickedly; O teacher of salvation and
truth, who shows us eternal life, have mercy on us, so that we may be rescued from the
snares of sins and may be able to escape from the fire by which the world will be burned
and all unbelievers and wicked ones will be tormented. Then Paul said: "Brethren, whose
heart God has touched by his Spirit, stand firm like men in the faith. For servants of
eternal salvation will come to you, by whom you will be baptized; and if you persevere in
the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, you shall be saved for eternity. Longinus too, and
Megistus and Acestus, speaking to the Apostle more privately, said: "We ask you, Lord:
Cause us to be enrolled in the soldiery of the eternal king, so that we may be able to
escape the fire that is to come and share in the everlasting kingdom; and we will let you
go—or, wherever you prefer to go, we will be your companions on the road, obedient even
unto death. Paul said to them: "My brethren, I am not a fugitive but a lawful soldier of
my king. For if I knew that I was remaining and was not rather coming to that life and
glory by means of this death, I would not only do what you are asking, but I would be
begging you for this.

17 As it is, however, I have not run in vain through much suffering, nor am I suffering
now for no reason. For a crown of righteousness awaits me, which he in whom I have
believed will give me—he about whom I am certain that I am going to him and that with him
I will come in his splendor, and that of his Father and the holy angels, to judge the
world. For this reason, I disdain this death, and I shall not obey or carry out your
request that I run away. They, for their part, wept and said to him: "What then shall we
do? How shall we live, once you have been punished, and shall we have the power hereafter
to come to that one in whom you are persuading us to believe?" 18 And when they were
saying these things amongst themselves, and many people were raising their voices on high,
Nero sent certain soldiers—Parthenius and Pheretas—to see whether Paul had been killed
yet. When they arrived, they found him still living and addressing the crowds at great
length. Paul called them to him and said: "Gentlemen, believe in the living God, who will
raise from the dead both me and all who believe in him." But they said to him in answer:
"First we will go and make our report to Caesar, and then, when what we have been sent for
has been accomplished, and once you are dead and have been resurrected, then we will
believe in your king. As for you, explain the delays by which you are putting off the
order, and go to the designated place where you are to suffer the sentence that has been
duly passed." Paul also said to them: "You need me to stay in the flesh, if you wish to
believe, more than I do—I am going to life through death. But now, let us proceed with joy
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

19 And as they continued on to the place of his suffering, accompanied by countless crowds
of people, he came to the gate of the city of Rome, where there came to meet him a most
noble matron, named Plautilla, who loved the Apostles zealously and followed the divine
religion. In tears, she began to commend herself to his prayers. Paul said to her:
"Farewell, Plautilla, daughter of eternal salvation! Lend me the cloth with which you
cover your head, and go off a little to the side because of the crowd,waiting for me here
until I return to you and pay back the favor. For I will bind it around my eyes like a
handkerchief, and I will leave it to you, loving woman, as a token of my love, for the
sake of Christ's name, when I go on toward him." She quickly stretched out the cloth to
him and did just as the Apostle had commanded. Parthenius and Pheretas scoffed at her,
however, saying: "Why do you believe this trickster and magician? Why are you losing a
fine cloth, when you will not get such a fine one through him in this world?" But Paul
said to her: "Even so, daughter, stand ready here for my arrival, and I will bring you
signs of my death in the cloth as I am about to conquer with Christ."

20 Meanwhile, Longinus, Megistus and Acestus, as they pressed forward resolutely for their
salvation, asking about the way in which they would be able to arrive at the true life,
heard the blessed Apostle say: "My brothers and sons, soon, when I have been decapitated
and you, along with the others who have assisted at my execution, have departed from the
place in which the Lord will think it right to summon me, believers will take and bury my
body. As for you, take note of the place of my tomb, and come there tomorrow at the break
of dawn, and there you will find two men praying—Titus and Luke. You will tell them for
what reason I sent you; and they will give you the sign of salvation in the Lord. Do not
hesitate, therefore, to carry out your orders, because as soon as you have been dipped in
the sacred spring as believers and made holy by the life-giving power of the divine
mysteries, immediately you will be purified and cleansed whiter than snow from all
pollution of sins, even from this crime which has been perpetrated against me, of which
you now stand in awe; you will be enrolled in the ranks of Christ's soldiers, and will be
co-heirs of the heavenly kingdom.

21 This having been said, he arrived at the place of his suffering. There, turned toward
the East, with his hands stretched out toward heaven, he prayed at great length with tears
in Hebrew, and gave thanks to God. And when he had finished his prayer in his ancestral
language, bidding farewell to the brethren he blessed them, and binding his eyes with
Plautilla's veil he planted both knees on the ground and extended his neck. The
executioner, lifting up his arm on high, struck with force and cut off his head. After it
had been cut off from his body, it cried aloud the name of Jesus Christ in Hebrew with a
clear voice; and immediately a stream of milk spurted out from his body onto the clothing
of the soldier, and afterwards blood flowed out. When some people were wanting to seize
the garment with which he had bound his eyes, it was not to be seen. Furthermore, such an
immense light and such a pleasant aroma flashed forth from heaven there at the moment of
his decapitation, that the eyes of mortals could not endure that splendor; the human
tongue could not tell of the aroma. All those who were present, however, seeing the grace
of God in the blessed Apostle, marvelled greatly, praising and extollinguntil very late
the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal and unconquered king, whom the magnificent teacher and
instructor of the nations had proclaimed.

22 Those who had been sent to hurry up his execution returned and arrived at the gate of
the city, where they found Plautilla praising and glorifying the Lord for all that she had
heard and seen through his holy Apostle. They asked her with scorn why she was not
covering her head with the veil she had given to her Paul. She, kindled with the heat of
faith, answered proudly: "You vain and miserable men, who do not know how to believe what
you see with your eyes and handle with your hands! Truly I do have same cloth which I
offered to that man—now precious because of the shedding of his glorious blood. For a
company of countless figures in white, attending him, came from heaven and returned it to
me in all truth; and rewarding me with thanks for the kindness I did him, he said: "You,
Plautilla, gave me obedience on earth; I will be indulgent to you when you move on with
all speed to the heavenly realms. For very soon I will return for you and I will show you
the glory of the unconquered king." And Plautilla, drawing out the cloth, infused with
rose-colored blood, from the folds of her garment, showed it to them. They, seized with
great fear, went along quickly to Caesar and reported to him what they had seen and heard.

23 But when he heard this, he was struck with frightful wonder; stupefied with immense
amazement, he began to discuss and hold conversations about what had been reported with
philosophers and friends and state officials, and also with as many of the senate as he
could have there, in fear and mental confusion. And while they were marvelling at these
things in turn, and questioning amongst themselves, Paul came around the ninth hour,
although the doors were shut, and stood before Caesar and said: "Caesar, look: Here I
am—Paul, soldier of the eternal and unconquered king; now indeed, you should believe that
I am not dead, but that I live for my God. But for you, you wretch, unspeakable evils and
very great punishment are impending, after not much time, and eternal destruction, because
among your other horrible, disgraceful acts you have unjustly shed much blood of the
just." And saying this, he suddenly disappeared. Indeed, Nero, on hearing this, was
stricken with indescribable fear and went more or less out of his senses; he did not know
what he could have done. But persuaded by his friends, he ordered Patroclus and Barnabas
and those who had been shackled with them to be freed and to go wherever they wished.

24 Finally, Longinus, Megistus and Acestus, just as Paul had instructed, came at first
light to his tomb, and saw two men praying—and standing in their midst, Paul. Terrified by
this marvellous sight, they trembled and were afraid to approach any nearer. Titus and
Luke, however, returning to themselves from the ecstasy of prayer, saw the prefects and
the centurion who had been attendants at the slaughter of Paul hurrying toward them;
seized with human fear, they turned to run away—and Paul vanished from their sight. But
the others shouted after them, saying: "Blessed men of God, we have not come, as you
imagine, to pursue you and kill you, but so that you may transport us as believers to
eternal life through the water of baptism, just as the true teacher Paul promised us—he
whom just now we perceived standing and praying in your midst." And indeed, Titus and
Luke, when they heard this, stood still with great gladness and spiritual joy; then they
laid their hands on them and gave them the mark of everlasting sanctification, and thus,
after a fast lasting until evening, they were baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, to whom with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit belong honor and glory,
power and authority forever and ever. Amen.

25 Cf. the apocryphal correspondence of Paul and Seneca, translated in Hennecke-
Schneemelcher, New Testament Apocrypha (rev.), 2: 46-53. Alternatively, "needed." Lat. ex
ordine. Cf. 1 Cor. 1:24. Or, "every city." Lat. maleficus, which frequently has the sense
of "practitioner of magic." Lat. carminator. Cf. Rom. 14.8. Is. 48.22. Cf. Statius,
Thebaid 3.661; Petronius fr. 27 (= Anth. Lat. 466). Cf. Rom. 1.28. Ps. 115.8; 135.18. Cf.
Jer. 2.27. So he is named in the Gk. text; Lat. Feritas. Lat. propter plebis impedimentum.
Or "confessing"; Lat. confitentes.


ACTS OF PETER AND ANDREW
========================

ACTS OF PETER AND ANDREW Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

A short tale of the apostles Peter and Andrew, in which a camel is made to pass through
the eye of a needle for a rich man who doubts.

1 Acts of Peter and Andrew. From a Bodleian ms. Acts of the Holy Apostles Peter and
Andrew. It came to pass when Andrew the apostle of Christ went forth from the city of the
man-eaters, behold a luminous cloud snatched him up, and carried him away to the mountain
where Peter and Matthew and Alexander were sitting. And when he saw them, they saluted him
with great joy. Then Peter says to him: What has happened to thee, brother Andrew? Hast
thou sown the word of truth in the country of the man-eaters or not? Andrew says to him:
Yes, father Peter, through thy prayers; but the men of that city have done me many
mischiefs, for they dragged me through their street three days, so that my blood stained
the whole street. Peter says to him: Be a man in the Lord, brother Andrew, and come
hither, and rest from thy labour. For if the good husbandman laboriously till the ground,
it will also bear fruit, and straightway all his toil will be turned into joy; but if he
toil, and his land bring forth no fruit, he has double toil.

2 And while he was thus speaking, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to them in the form of a
child, and said to them: Hail, Peter, bishop of the whole of my Church! hail, Andrew! My
co-heirs, be courageous, and struggle for mankind; for verily I say unto you, you shall
endure toils in this world for mankind. But be bold; I will give you rest in one hour of
repose in the kingdom of my Father. Arise, then, and go into the city of the barbarians,
and preach in it; and I will be with you in the wonders that shall happen in it by your
hands. And the Lord Jesus, after saluting them, went up into the heavens in glory. 3 And
Peter, and Andrew, and Alexander, and Rufus, and Matthias, went into the city of the
barbarians. And after they had come near the city, Andrew answered and said to Peter:
Father Peter, have we again to undergo toils in this city, as in the country of the man-
eaters? Peter says to him: I do not know. But, behold, there is an old man before us
sowing in his field: if we go up to him, let us say to him, Give us bread; and if he give
us bread, we may know that we are not to suffer in this city; but if he say to us, We have
no bread, on the other hand, we shall know that suffering again awaits us. And when they
came up to the old man, Peter says to him: Hail, farmer! And the farmer says to them: Hail
you too, merchants! Peter says to him: Have you bread to give to these children, for we
have been in want? The old man says to them: Wait a little, and look after the oxen, and
the plough, and the land, that I may go into the city, and get you loaves. Peter says to
him: If you provide hospitality for us, we shall took after the cattle and the field. The
old man says: So be it. Peter says to him: Are the oxen your own? The old man says: No; I
have them on hire. Peter says to him: Go into the city. And the old man went into the
city.

4 And Peter arose, and girded up his cloak and his under-garment, and says to Andrew: It
is not right for us to rest and be idle; above all, when the old man is working for us,
having left his own work. Then Peter took hold of the plough, and sowed the wheat. And
Andrew was behind the oxen, and says to Peter: Father Peter, why dost thou bring toil upon
us, especially when we have work enough already! Then Andrew took the plough out of
Peter’s hand, and sowed the wheat, saying: O seed cast into the ground in the field of the
righteous, come up, and come to the light. Let the young men of the city therefore come
forth, whom I found in the pit of destruction until to-day; for, behold, the apostles of
Christ are coming into the city, pardoning the sins of those who believe in them, and
healing every disease, and every sickness. Pray ye for me, that He may have mercy upon me,
and that I may be delivered from this strait.

5 And many of the multitude believed in Christ, because of the saying of the woman; and
they fell at the feet of the apostles, and adored them. And they laid their hands upon
them. And they healed those in the city that were sick, and gave sight to the blind and,
hearing to the deaf, and drove out the demons. All the multitude glorified the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 6 And there was a certain rich man in the city, by name
Onesiphorus. He, having seen the miracles done by the apostles, says to them: If I believe
in your God, can I also do a miracle like you? Andrew says to him: If thou wilt forsake
all that belongs to thee, and thy wife and thy children, as we also have done, then thou
also shalt do miracles. When Onesiphorus heard this, he was filled with rage, and took his
scarf and threw it over Andrew’s neck, and struck him, and said to him: Thou art a
sorcerer. How dost thou force me to abandon my wife, and my children, and my goods? Then
Peter, having turned and seen him striking Andrew, says to him: Man, stop now striking
Andrew. Onesiphorus says to him: I see that thou art more sensible than he. Do thou then
tell me to leave my wife, and my children, and my goods. What dost thou say? Peter says to
him: One thing I say unto thee: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heaven. When Onesiphorus heard this,
he was even more filled with rage and anger, and took his scarf off the neck of Andrew,
and threw it upon the neck of Peter; and so he dragged him along, saying: Verily thou art
a great sorcerer, more than the other; for a camel cannot go through the eye of a needle.

7 But if thou wilt show me this miracle, I will believe in thy God; and not only I, but
also the whole city. But if not, thou shalt be grievously punished in the midst of the
city. And when Peter heard this, he was exceedingly grieved, and stood and stretched forth
his hands towards heaven, and prayed, saying: O Lord our God, listen to me at this time;
for they will ensnare us from Thine own words: for no prophet has spoken to set forth this
his explanation, and no patriarch that we might learn the interpretation of it; and now we
seek for ourselves the explanation with boldness. Do Thou then, Lord, not overlook us: for
thou art He who is praised by the cherubim. 8 And after he had said this, the Saviour
appeared in the form of a child of twelve years old, wearing a linen garment; and He says
to them: Be courageous, and tremble not, my chosen disciples; for I am with you always.
Let the needle and the camel be brought. And after saying this, He went up into the
heavens. And there was a certain merchant in the city who had believed in the Lord through
the Apostle Philip; and when he heard of this, he ran and searched for a needle with a big
eye, to do a favour to the apostles. When Peter learned this, he said: My son, do not
search for a big needle; for nothing is impossible with God: rather bring us a small
needle. And after the needle had been brought, and all the multitude of the city were
standing by to see, Peter looked up and saw a camel coming. And he ordered her to be
brought. Then he fixed the needle in the ground, and cried out with a loud voice, saying:
In the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, I order thee, O
camel, to go through the eye of the needle. Then the eye of the needle was opened like a
gate, and the camel went through it, and all the multitude saw it. Again Peter says to the
camel: Go again through the needle. And the camel went a second time. When Onesiphorus saw
this, he said to Peter; Truly thou art a great sorcerer;

9 but I do not believe unless I send and bring a camel and a needle. And he called one of
his servants, and said to him privately: Go and bring me here a camel and a needle; find
also a polluted woman, and force her to come here: for these men are sorcerers. And Peter
having learned the mystery through the Spirit, says to Onesiphorus: Send and bring the
camel, and the woman, and the needle. And when they brought them, Peter took the needle,
and fixed it in the ground. And the woman was sitting on the camel. Then Peter says: In
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the crucified, I order thee, O camel, to go through this
needle. And immediately the eye of the needle was opened, and became like a gate, and the
camel went through it. Peter again says to the camel: Go through it again, that all may
see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, in order that some may believe on Him. Then the
camel again went through the needle. And Onesiphorus seeing it, cried out, and said: Truly
great is the God of Peter and Andrew, and I from this time forth believe in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Now then, hear my words, O Peter. I have corn lands, vineyards, and
fields; I have also twenty-seven pounds of gold, and fifty pounds of silver; and I have
very many slaves. I give my possessions to the poor, that I also may do one miracle like
you.

10 And Peter was grieved lest the powers should not work in him, seeing that he had not
received the seal in Christ. And while he was considering this, behold, a voice out of the
heaven saying to him: Do to him what he wishes, because I will accomplish for him what he
desires. Peter says to him: My son, come hither; do as we do. And Onesiphorus came up, and
stood before the camel and the needle, and said: In the n… (Here the ms. ends.)


THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE, POLYXENA AND REBECCA
===========================================

THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE, POLYXENA AND REBECCA Acts of Xanthippe and Polyxena

3rd–5th century

A romance about Xanthippe, Polyxena and Rebecca, who are converted by the preaching of the
apostle Paul in Spain, and about the trials that follow.

1 Life and Conduct of the Holy Women, Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca. I. When the
blessed Paul was at Rome through the word of the Lord, it happened that a certain servant
of a ruler of Spain came to Rome with letters of his master’s, and heard the word of God
from Paul, the truly golden and beautiful nightingale. This servant being greatly touched,
and being unable to remain and be filled with the divine word because he was hastened by
the letters, returned into Spain in great grief, and being unable to show his desire to
any one, because his master was an idolater, he was always pained at heart and sighing
greatly. Now this servant was honoured and faithful to his masters, and as time went past,
the servant fell sick and grew lean of flesh, which his master perceiving said to him,
What has happened to thee that thou art thus fallen together in countenance? The servant
said, here is a great pain in my heart, and I can in no way find rest. His master said to
him, And what is the pain that cannot receive healing from my chief physician? The servant
said, While I was still in Rome, this pain and its recurring mishap made itself known to
me. His master said, And knowest thou not of any who have fallen into this disease and
been healed? The servant said, Yes, but where that physician is I know not, for I left him
in Rome. So many as have been attended by that physician and have gone through the water m
his hands, have received healing immediately. His master said, I ought not to grudge to
send thee yet again to Rome, if perchance thou mightest obtain healing.

2 II. And while they spoke thus, behold his mistress, by name Xanthippe, overhearing these
words, and learning of the teaching of Paul, said, What is the name of that physician, and
what is the healing to ward off such a disease? The servant said to her, The calling upon
a new name, and anointing with oil and washing with water. By this treatment I have seen
many that had incurable pains receive healings. As he said this, the images of the idols
that stood in the house began to be shaken and fall down. And his mistress beckoned to
him, saying, Seest thou, brother, the images of the idols being shaken, how they cannot
endure the power of the word? And his master, by name Probus, arose from his mid-day sleep
with a very gloomy countenance, for the Devil had greatly disturbed him, because the
knowledge of God had come into his house. And he questioned the servant of everything in
order, and the servant having been seized by sickness by the foreknowledge of God,
disclosed to him the life of man, and Xanthippe was incurable in her soul concerning this
teaching. So Probus too was grieved for Xanthippe, because from that time she was wasting
herself away with waking and abstinence and other austerities.

3 III. And Xanthippe going away to her couch and groaning, said, Woe is me, wretched one,
lying in darkness, that I have not learned the name of the new teacher, that I might
summon his prayer to help me, and what to say I know not. Shall I call upon him by the
name of his God? but I cannot say, The God that is preached by such a one. Nevertheless I
shall say thus by conjecture, O God, giving light in Hades, and guiding those in darkness,
Lord of free men and kings, and preached by worthy servants in all the world, called upon
as a brother by sinful men and quick to hear, to whom not even archangels can send up
worthy songs of praise, who hast shown to me, humble and unworthy, the ever-living and
abiding seed (though my ignorance permits me not to receive it), hasten also the things
that concern me, Lord, since by thy will thou hast made thyself heard by me, and in thy
compassion show me the proclamation of thy herald, that I may learn of him what is
pleasing to thee. Yea, I beseech thee look upon my ignorance, O God, and enlighten me with
the light of thy countenance, thou that never overlookest any of those that call upon thee
in truth. Probus, her husband said to her, Why troublest thou thyself so much, lady, and
dost not at all turn to sleep? Xanthippe said, I cannot sleep, for there is in me an
incurable pain.

4 Probus said to her, And what is thy pain or grief, O lady, that I am not sufficient to
comfort thee? All that thou hast wished unto this day I have served thee in, and now what
is it that thou hast, and dost not tell me? Xanthippe says to him, I beseech thee this
thing only, my lord, permit me for a little and for this day only to sleep apart from
thee. And Probus said to her, Be it as thou wilt, lady; only leave off thy groaning. 5 IV.
Then entering into her bed-chamber alone, she spoke thus with tears, In what way, my God,
I shall act, or what counsel I shall take, I know not. Shall I declare the thought that
has come upon me? I fear the madness and disorder of the city. Shall I fly from this
impious city? I fear the contrivance of the devil for seizing the sheep. Shall I await the
mercy and swiftness of the Lord? Again I fear the untimely snatching away of life, for the
death of sinners has no warning. Shall I depart and flee away to Rome? I fear the length
of the journey, being unable to go on foot. But while I say these things by conjecture,
constrained by my desire (for I cannot speak with surety), may I find pardon with thee, my
God, and do thou fulfil my desire with excess of right words, and think me but worthy to
hear thy preacher, for if I say, to see his face, I ask a great thing. Blessed is he that
is found in the company of thy preachers, and is satisfied with their precious
countenances. Blessed are they that are yoked under the preaching of thy commandments.
Blessed are they that keep thy commandments; but where now, Lord, are thy mercies to our
fathers, that we also may be their successors in love toward thee and heirs of faith. But
behold now, Lord, I cannot find any one that has love for thee, that communing with him I
might even a little refresh my soul. Speed therefore, Lord, to yoke me in desire for thee,
and keep me under the shadow of thy wings, for thou alone art God, glorified to all
eternity. Amen.

6 V. Therefore Xanthippe saying these words and others like them, groaned continually all
the night, and Probus heard her and was greatly distressed, and arising from his couch
when the morning came he went in to her, and seeing her eyes inflamed with tears, he said,
Wherefore, lady, dost thou thus vex me, and wilt not tell me thy pain? Tell it me, that I
may do whatever is pleasing to thee, and distress me not with thy trouble. Xanthippe says
to him, Be of good cheer rather, my lord, and be not vexed, for my trouble shall not harm
thee, but if I have found favour before thee, go forth now to the salutation, and allow me
to indulge myself in it as I will, for it is not possible for man to take from me the
insatiable pain. And listening to her he went out immediately to receive the salutations
of the men of the city, for he was the great man among them, and was also known to Nero,
the Emperor. And sitting down, great grief appeared in his countenance, and being asked
the reason of his grief by the chief men of the city, he said to them that he had fallen
into many and unfounded charges.

7 VI. And Xanthippe went out into the garden, that she might await there looking closely
for certainty of her husband, and she saw the delight of the trees, and the various
warbling of the birds, and said, groaning, O beauty of the world! for that which we
hitherto thought to come of itself, we know now that all things are beautifully fashioned
by the beautiful One. O power and invention of wisdom! for not only has he placed in men a
thousand tongues, but also in birds he has distinguished various voices, as if from
anthems and responses to receive sweet-voiced and heart-stirring hymns from his own works.
O delightfulness of the air, declaring the inimitable creator! Who shall turn my sorrow
into rejoicing? And again she said, God to whom praise is sung by all, give me peace and
comfort. As she said these things, Probus also came up from the street to break his fast,
and when he saw her countenance altered by tears, he began to pull out the hairs of his
head, but he dared not speak to her then so as not to mingle other trouble with her
trouble. So he went and fell upon his couch, and said, groaning, Alas, that I had not even
the consolation of a child from her, but only acquire grief upon grief. Two years are not
yet full since I was wedded to her, and already she meditates divorce.

8 VII. But Xanthippe was always keeping watch through the doors into the streets of the
city, and the blessed Paul, the preacher and teacher and illuminator of the world, left
Rome and came even into Spain by the fore-knowledge of God. And coming up to the gates of
the city he stood and prayed, and crossing himself entered the city. When Xanthippe saw
the blessed Paul walking quietly and equally, and adorned with all virtue and
understanding, she was greatly delighted in him and her heart leaped continually, and as
possessed with an unexpected joy she said with herself, Why does my heart beat vehemently
at the sight of this man? Why is his walk quiet and equable, as of one who expects to take
in his arms one that is pursued? Why is his countenance kindly, as of one that tends the
sick? Why does he look so lovingly hither and thither, as one who desires to assist those
who are seeking to flee from the mouths of dragons? Who shall tell me that this is one
from the flock of preachers? If it were possible for me, I should wish to touch the hem of
his garments, that I may behold his kindness and readiness to receive and sweet odour; for
the servant had told her this also, that the hems of his garments had the odour of
precious perfumes.

9 VIII. Now Probus heard her words, and straightway ran out by himself into the street,
and laying hold of Paul’s hand said to him, Man, who thou art I know not, but deign to
enter into my house; perchance thou mayest be to me a cause of salvation. Paul said to
him, It will be well with thee, son, after thy request! And they went in together to
Xanthippe. When Xanthippe therefore saw the great Paul, the intellectual eyes of her heart
were uncovered, and she read upon his forehead, having as it were golden seals, these
words, Paul the Preacher of God. Then exulting and rejoicing she threw herself at his
feet, and twisting her hair together she wiped his feet, saying, Welcome, O man of God, to
us humble ones, that live as shadows among shadows. For thou hast looked upon those who
were running into Hades as into something beautiful, who addressed the crooked serpent and
destroyer as provider and protector, who were running into the dark Hades as to their
father, those that were fashioned with a rational nature but have become like irrational
creatures. Thou hast sought me, lowly one, having the sun of righteousness in my heart.
Now the poison is stayed, when I have seen thy precious face. Now he that troubled me is
flown away, when thy most beautiful counsel has appeared to me. Now I shall be considered
worthy of repentance, when I have received the seal of the preacher of the Lord.

10 Before now I have deemed many happy who met with you, but I say boldly that from this
time forth I myself shall be called happy by others, because I have touched thy hem,
because I have received thy prayers, because I have enjoyed thy sweet and honeyed
teaching. Thou hast not hesitated to come to us, thou that fishest the dry land in thy
course, and gatherest the fish that fall in thy way into the net of the kingdom of heaven.
11 IX. The great Paul said to her, Arise, daughter, and look not upon me as having been
sought out of thy ignorance by my foresight. For Christ, the provider of the world, the
searcher out of sinners and the lost, who has not only called to mind those upon earth,
but also by his own presence has redeemed those in Hades, he himself has pitied thee, and
sent me hither that he might visit and pity many others together with thee. For this mercy
and visitation are not of us, but are his injunction and command, even as we also have
received mercy and been saved by him. Probus hearing this was astonished at their words,
for he was altogether ignorant of these things. But Paul by force raised up Xanthippe from
his feet, and she running set a new gilded chair for Paul to sit down upon. The great Paul
said to her, My daughter Xanthippe, do not thus, for ye have not yet accorded to the faith
of Christ, but wait a little, till the Lord shall set in order what is necessary!
Xanthippe said to Paul, Sayest thou this to try me, O preacher of God, or hast thou any
foreknowledge? Paul said, No, daughter, but the devil, who hates the servants of God, sows
wickedness in the hearts of his own servants, to oppose those that labour for Christ in
preaching, for his wickedness has extended to the apostles and even to the Lord himself.
Therefore it is fitting to approach the unbelievers gently and kindly!

12 Xanthippe said to Paul, I beseech thee, if thou lovest thy servants, make prayer for
Probus, and let me see if he that is hated by thee can work in him; let me see if he can
even stand against thy prayer. And Paul rejoiced exceedingly at the words of her faith,
and said to her, Believe me, daughter, that by his suggestion and working I have not
passed a single hour without chains and blows. Xanthippe said to him, But thou sufferest
these things by thy own free will, since thou hast not neglected thy preaching even to
scourging, but this again I tell thee, that thy bonds shall be the defeat of the prompter,
and thy humiliation their overthrow. 13 X. Now the report of his presence ran through the
whole city and the country round about, for some of that city having been at Rome had seen
the signs and wonders that were done by the blessed Paul, and came to see if this was he.
Many therefore came into the house of Probus, and he began to be annoyed and to say, I
will not suffer my house to be made an inn. Xanthippe knowing that the face of Probus had
begun to be estranged, and that he spoke thus, was greatly distressed, saying, Alas,
wretched me, that we are not thought fully worthy to keep this man in our house; for if
Paul goes hence, the church also will be held elsewhere. Then Xanthippe, considering these
matters, put her hand on the foot of Paul, and taking dust she called Probus to her, and
placing her hand on his breast said, O Lord, my God, who hast sought out me, lowly one and
ignorant of thee, send what is fitting into this heart. And Paul perceived her prayer, and
made the sign of the cross, and for several days the people entered unhindered, and as
many as had sick and vexed by unclean spirits brought them, and all were healed.

14 XI. And Xanthippe said to Paul, Teacher, my heart is greatly consumed because I have
not as yet received baptism. And after this Probus being again moved by the devil, cast
Paul out of the house and shut up Xanthippe in her chamber. Then one of the chief men,
Philotheus by name, besought the great Paul to come into his house, but the great Paul was
unwilling to do so, saying, Lest Probus trouble thy house on my account. Philotheus said
to him, Nay, father, I am not at all subject to him, for in no other thing is he greater
than me, except in rank, and that because the parents of Xanthippe are above me. But if
Probus come to me, I am above him in riches and in war. Then Paul, the great apostle of
the Lord, was persuaded, and went into the house of Philotheus the ex-prefect. All this
was done by the Evil one that Xanthippe might receive holy baptism with tribulation, and
be faint-hearted concerning the commandments of Christ.

15 XII. Xanthippe therefore, with tears, said to her servants, Have ye learned where Paul
is gone to? They said, Yea, in the house of Philotheus the ex-prefect, and Xanthippe
rejoiced greatly that Philotheus also believed, being able, as she said, to persuade
Probus also. Then Probus called Xanthippe to supper, and when she consented not, Probus
said, Think not that in bed also thou wilt keep away from me. But when he lay down to
supper, Xanthippe bending her knees, prayed to the Lord, saying, Eternal and immortal God,
that didst take dust from the ground, and didst not value it according to the nature of
its creation, but didst call it the son of immortality, thou who didst come from the heart
of the father to the heart of the earth for our sake, on whom the cherubim dare not fix
their gaze, and for us wast hidden in the womb that by taking up thy abode in a mother
thou mightest make good the offence of Eve. Thou that didst drink gall and vinegar, and
wast pierced in the side by a spear, that thou mightest heal the wound given by the rib to
Adam. For Eve being his rib wrought a blow for Adam, and through him for all the world.
Thou that gavest a sleep without perception to the serpent, so that he might not know thy
Incarnation, remember also my groaning and tears, and grant fulfilment to my sleep, and
bring sleep upon Probus until I shall be deemed worthy of the gift of holy baptism, for I
vehemently desire to obtain this, to the glory and praise of thy holy name.

16 XIII. But Probus, while still at supper, commanded the doors of their house to be
secured by cruel and wicked soldiers, and having given these orders, he straightway fell
asleep upon the couch. Then the servants came and announced this to Xanthippe that he
might be awakened, but she said, Put out the lights, my children, and leave him thus. And
in the first sleep, taking three hundred pieces of gold, she went to the doors, saying
with herself, Perchance the porter will be persuaded by the amount of money. But he, being
evil and froward, would not be persuaded to do this, and she, loosing also her girdle,
which was set with precious stones and worth two hundred pieces of gold, gave it to him
and went out saying, Lord, I win over my own slaves with money, that thy preacher Paul may
not be oppressed by Probus. And Xanthippe went on to the house of Philotheus the ex-
prefect, as to a great and incredible work, running and praising God. As she therefore
passed through a certain place, the demons pursued her with fiery torches and lightnings,
and she, turning, saw behind her this terrible sight, and being possessed with great fear
said, What has happened to thee now, wretched soul? Thou hast been deprived of thy desire.
Thou wast running to salvation, thou wast running to baptism, and thou hast fallen into
the serpent and his ministers, and these things thy sins have prepared for thee.

17 Speaking thus she was even fainting at heart from great despair, but the great Paul
being forewarned by God of the assault of the demons, immediately stood beside her, being
also preceded by a beautiful youth. And straightway the vision of the demons disappeared,
and Paul said to her, Arise, daughter Xanthippe, and behold the Lord desired by thee, by
whose flame the heavens are shaken and the deep is dried up, coming to thee and pitying
and saving thee. Behold him that accepts thy prayers and straightway gives ear. See him
coming in the shape of a man, and take courage against the demons. Then she rising from
the ground said to him, Master, why hast thou left me solitary? Even now make haste to
seal me, so that if death come upon me I may depart to him who is full of compassion and
has no arrogance. 18 XIV. Therefore the great Paul straightway taking her hand, went into
the house of Philotheus, and baptised her in the name of the Father and of the Son and the
Holy Ghost. Then taking bread also he gave her the eucharist saying, Let this be to thee
for a remission of sins and for a renewing of thy soul. Then the blessed Xanthippe,
receiving the divine grace of holy baptism, returned to her own house, rejoicing and
praising the Lord. The porter seeing her complained loudly in violent words, that her
going out might be deemed to have been without his will if Probus should notice it; but he
that gave her light along with Paul kept the whole house, together with Probus, in a deep
sleep, and they did not hear his words at all. Then she went running into her bed-chamber,
saying, What shall I say of thee, searcher out of sinners, who art most present with us in
tribulations. Thy goodness does these things, since for the sake of man whom thou didst
make thou didst go down even to death, for, however much man stir thee to anger many
times, yet thou, Lord, pourest out thy mercies upon him. O depth of compassion and wealth
of mercy; O immeasurable goodness and incomparable kindness; O treasure of good things,
and giver of mercy, and enricher of all that believe in thee! If, therefore, one who loves
thee say, Be near me, Lord, thou hast already anticipated him. If he say, I give thee
thanks;

19 hear my words, before they are spoken, thou understandest. And as for those that ask of
thee, thou givest to each after his asking. Thy goodness seeks out those that know thee
not, and thou runnest to sinners. O cheerful look, filling the ways of sinners with mercy;
O excellent watching and exhortation of the ignorant! Who shall tell my lord Paul of the
salvation that has now befallen me, that he might come and give words of thanksgiving for
me to this protector of sinners? Come many and behold and know the Lord, who hates sin,
but has mercy on sinners. Come, now, O Paul, preacher of God, for with thee even now I sit
under instruction, and give words of thanksgiving for me, for I desire to keep silence,
since human reason makes me afraid, lest I have not the grace of eloquence. I desire to
keep silence, and am compelled to speak, for some one inflames and sweetens me within. If
I say, I will shut my mouth, there is some one that murmurs in me. Shall I say a great
thing? Is it not that teacher that is in Paul, without arrogance, filling the heavens,
speaking within and waiting without, sitting on the throne with the father and stretched
upon the cross by man. What, therefore, I shall do I know not. My worthless mind delights
me, and is not unfolded to the end.

20 Thou that hadst thy hands fixed with nails and thy side pierced with the spear, thou
star out of Jacob and lion’s whelp out of Judah, thou rod out of Jesse, and man and God
out of Mary, thou invisible God in the bosom of the Father, and that canst not be looked
upon by cherubim, and art mocked in Israel, glory be to thee, who didst appear on the
earth and wast taken by the people, hung upon the tree and by the report of the wicked
falsely said to be stolen, and that hast bought us all together. 21 XV. While she was
still speaking thus, there appeared a cross on the eastern wall, and straightway there
entered through it a beautiful youth, having round about him trembling rays, and under him
an extended light, on which also he walked. And as he entered within, all the foundations
of that house shook and sounded with a great trembling. Xanthippe seeing him cried out and
fell to the ground as if dead; but he being pitiful and kind, changing immediately into
the shape of Paul, raised her up, saying, Arise, Xanthippe, and fear not, for the servants
of God are thus glorified. Then Xanthippe arising, gazed upon him, and thinking it to be
Paul said, How art thou come in hither, preacher of God, seeing that I have given five
hundred pieces of gold to the porter, and that although he is my slave, while thou hast no
money? The Lord said to her, My servant Paul is richer than all wealth, for whatsoever
treasure he acquires here he sends it before him into the kingdom of heaven, that
departing thither he may rest in the unending and eternal rest. This is the treasure of
Paul, thou and thy like. Then Xanthippe gazing upon him, desirous to say something, saw
his face shining as the light; and being greatly amazed, and putting both her hands over
her face she threw herself to the ground, and said, Hide thyself, Lord, from my bodily
eyes and enlighten my understanding, for I know now who thou art. Thou art he whose
precursor was the cross, the only begotten son of the Father alone above, and only son of
the Virgin alone below. Thou art he who was pierced in the hands and who rent the rocks.
Thou art he whom none other can carry except the bosom of the Father.

22 XVI. And as she spoke thus the Lord was again hidden from her, and Xanthippe, coming to
herself, said, Woe is me wretched one, that no one has told me what is the gratitude of
slaves towards their master. If Paul the preacher of the Lord were here, how could he give
praise? But perchance in the face of such favors and gifts they are silent, possessed only
with tears, for it is not possible worthily to praise any one according to his favour.
Saying this she was seized with great faintness from lack of food, for having been
strongly possessed with desire for Christ she had forgotten to take nourishment.
Therefore, being greatly exhausted by abstinence and the vision and want of sleep and
other austerities, she was unable to rise from the ground. 23 XVII. And Probus arose from
his couch with a very gloomy countenance, for in his sleep he had seen a dream, and was
greatly troubled concerning it. But the porter seeing him about to issue to the market-
place, having his countenance thus troubled, was greatly afraid, Lest, said he, he know
what has happened, and will miserably destroy me. Probus, however, having gone forth and
signified to those in the market what was fitting for the day and season, speedily
returned into the house, and said to his servants, Call me quickly the wise men Barandus
and Gnosteas. When they were summoned he said to them, I have seen a very terrible vision,
and what appeared in it is difficult for our power to interpret. This, however, do ye
disclose to me, as being the most excellent of all the world. Expound it to me when I tell
it you. Barandus says to him, If the vision can be interpreted by our wisdom, we shall
explain it to thee, but if it be of the faith that is now spoken of we cannot expound it
to thee, for it is of another wisdom and understanding. However, let our lord and master
tell the dream, and let us see if there is any explanation for it. Probus says to
Gnosteas, Wherefore answerest thou nothing? Gnosteas said, I have not heard the dream, and
what can I say but whatever it may be, if it is by reason of Paul? Tell me now, and thou
wilt find it so.

24 Probus said, I thought I was standing in a certain unknown and strange country, and
that there sat there an Ethiop king, who ruled over all the earth and seemed never to have
any successor. There stood beside him multitudes of servants, and all hastened to
destruction and had mastery far and wide. And when that Ethiop seemed to have gained his
purpose, there arose a raven and standing above him croaked with a pitiful voice. And
straightway there arose from the eastern parts an eagle, and seized his kingdom, and his
power was made vain, and those standing by him fled to the eagle. Then that king strove
against those that fled to the eagle, but the eagle carried it up into heaven, and,
behold, there came a helper to those that fled to the eagle and left his staff to them.
Then they laying hold of it were not overcome by the violence of that king. So many as ran
to those who had the staff, he washed them in pure water, and they that were washed had
power over his kingdom. And by that staff the enemies of the king were put to flight,
therefore capable men laying hold of the staff turned to themselves great multitudes. And
that king strove against them, and had no might at all, but he hindered many from
believing in him that sent out the men into the world to bear witness, and for that reason
many were grieved.

25 Nevertheless, this one did not constrain any like the other, for he himself was ruler
of all light. This then was the end. 26 XVIII. Then the wise Barandus said, By the grace
of God I shall tell the things sent into the world by the Lord. The king whom thou sawest
is the Devil, and the multitudes of his servants are the demons, and the throngs about him
are they that worship the gods. Whereas he thought to have no successor, he looked not for
the coming of Christ. The raven betokened the weakness of his kingdom, for the raven kept
not obedience to the righteous Noah, but loved pitiful things. The eagle that arose and
took away his kingdom and carried it up into heaven, and that there came a protector of
those that fled to the eagle, having a staff, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, who left to
them his staff, that is, his precious cross; and that he washed those that fled to him
signifies the invulnerable breast-plate of baptism, and therefore they were not overcome.
The capable men sent into the world with the cross are the preachers of God like Paul who
is now with us, against whom that king has no power. This was made known to thee because
even on those who are hard of belief God has compassion in some way. See therefore whether
even thou wilt be able to injure Paul though thou desirest, for the mighty power that
shields him has been shown thee by the Lord.

27 Therefore, understand what has been said to thee by me, and serve not that king of
darkness, for as thou sawest his kingdom vanish away, so shall all his servants perish
with him. Come now, therefore, my Lord, let us go to Paul and receive baptism from him,
lest Satan have mastery over us also. Probus said, Let us first go to Xanthippe and see
whether she still lives, for behold there are twenty-nine days since she has tasted
anything; for I saw her face in the evening, and it was as of one prepared to depart. 28
XIX. And as they went into the chamber, they heard her singing. Praise the Lord ye sinners
also, because he accepts your prayers also. Alleluia. Praise the Lord ye that have
despaired like me, for many are his mercies. Alleluia. Praise him ye ungodly, because for
you he was crucified. Alleluia. Praise him ye that strive for the salvation of sinners,
because God loves you. Alleluia. Praise him, ye that rejoice at the calling of sinners,
because ye are fellow-citizens with the saints. Alleluia. As she said these words and more
than these with tears, the wise men Barandus and Gnosteas opening the door entered and
fell at her feet, saying, Pray for us lowly ones, O servant of Christ, that he may bring
us also into thy number. But she said to them, Brethren, I am not Paul who remits sins,
but neither is he far from you. Therefore fall not before my knees, but go to him, who is
also more able to benefit you. Then they came running to the house of Philotheus to Paul,
and found him teaching a great multitude. And Probus also came to hear Paul, and Xanthippe
entered along with him to salute him, and coming near to Paul and bending her knees she
did him reverence. Probus seeing this marvelled that her so proud spirit had changed to so
great humility, for she sat beside the feet of Paul on the ground humbly and as one of the
worthless. And Probus was greatly grieved, not yet attending to the hearing of the word,
but was ever gazing and fixing his attention on Xanthippe.

29 XX. The great Paul was teaching thus, Let those that burn in the flesh observe lawful
marriage, avoiding fornication, especially that with another’s wife, and let those that
are united keep to one another. Probus heard this teaching with delight, and said, O Paul,
how excellently and wisely thou employest this teaching. Why then has Xanthippe withdrawn
from me? And Paul said, My son Probus, they that foresee that the works of men shall be
tried with fire, and that have always in their mind the inexorableness of death, cast out
all desire that cleaves to the flesh. But woe when the desire shall judge him that
desired, then he shall gnash his teeth to no effect and in vain, for the amendment of
repentance is past. Hearing this Probus went up into his house marvelling, and tasted
nothing that day, but went and lay down upon his bed. And about the third hour of the
night he arose and said, Alas, how wretched was the day in which I was wedded to
Xanthippe. Would that I had died and not seen her. Saying this he arose and said, I shall
pray to the God of Paul. Perchance he will do to me also what is fitting, that I may not
become a reproach in the world, being rejected by her. And straightway falling upon the
ground he said, O God of Paul, if, as I have heard from Xanthippe, thou dost seek after
the ignorant and turn back those that are astray, do to me also what is fitting; for thou
art the king of life and death, as I have heard, and hast dominion over things in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, and over all the thoughts and desires of men, and to
thee alone belongs glory to all eternity. Amen.

30 XXI. Then Probus arising from the ground fell again upon the couch, and arising early
he came to Paul, and finding him baptising many in the name of the life-giving Trinity, he
said, My lord Paul, if only I were worthy to receive baptism, behold the hour. Paul said
to him, Son, behold the water is ready for the cleansing of those that come to Christ.
Therefore immediately taking off his garments, and Paul laying hold of him, he leapt into
the water, saying, Jesus Christ, son of God, and everlasting God, let all my sins be taken
away by this water. And Paul said, We baptise thee in the name of the Father and Son and
Holy Ghost. After this he made him to receive the eucharist of Christ. Then Xanthippe,
being greatly rejoiced, began in the house toward evening together with her husband to
give good cheer to all those in the house, and to prepare a feast, and when they came,
after giving orders for the supper to be magnificent she herself went up to the chamber.
And behold on the stairs a demon coming in the likeness of one of the actors, and standing
in a dark corner, was desirous to frighten and terrify Xanthippe. But she thinking it to
be the actor that she ordinarily had, said in anger, Many a time have I said to him that I
no longer care for toys, and he despises me as being a woman; and straightway seizing an
iron lamp-stand, she hurled it at his face, and crushed all his features. Then the demon
cried out, saying, O violence, from this destroyer even women have received power to
strike us. But Xanthippe was greatly afraid.

31 XXII. After supper then Probus went forth to hear the word, but Xanthippe sitting in
her bed-chamber was reading the prophets, her sister Polyxena lying upon the couch.
Xanthippe loved Polyxena exceedingly, because she was younger than herself, and beautiful
in appearance, and Probus also loved her greatly. And as Polyxena lay upon the couch she
saw this dream, that a dragon, hideous in appearance, came and signified to her to come to
him, and when she did not obey him to go to him, he came running and swallowed her. From
fear of this the girl leapt up trembling, and Xanthippe running to her said, What has
happened to thee, dearest, that thou hast leapt up thus suddenly? She for a long time was
unable to speak; then coming to herself she said, Alas, my sister Xanthippe, what danger
or tribulation awaits me, I know not; for I saw in my dream that a hideous dragon came and
signed to me to go to him, and, when I would not go, he came running and swallowed me,
beginning at my feet. While I was terrified at this, there suddenly spoke out of the air,
in the light of the sun, a beautiful youth, whom I thought to be the brother of Paul,
saying, Verily, thou hast no power. Who also took me by the hand and straightway drew me
out of him, and straightway the dragon disappeared. And behold his hand was full of sweet
odour as of balsam or aught else for fragrance. Xanthippe said to her, Truly thou must be
greatly troubled, my sister Polyxena, but God has thee dear, seeing that he has shown thee
strange and marvellous things. Therefore arise quickly in the morning and receive the holy
baptism, and ask in the baptism to be delivered from the snares of the dragon.

32 XXIII. Xanthippe, having said this to Polyxena, and having made a cross of wood, went
to Paul, but Polyxena remained alone in the bed-chamber, her nurse having gone together
with Xanthippe. And about the middle of the night, a certain man, powerful in wealth and
assistance, finding the doors open and using magical arts, entered within, desiring to
carry away Polyxena. She discovering this fled into the mill, but the magicians led by the
demons found her. And she, not finding any door to escape by, said, Alas that I am given
over to this destroyer; for she had heard that he was at enmity with her suitor, and he
did this to assail and vex him, being a man who was a robber and exceeding cruel.
Therefore seizing her they went out of the city, dragging her to the sea. She looked round
this way and that, but there was none to deliver her, and groaning she said, Alas, my
sister Xanthippe, thou didst send seven hundred pieces of gold to Rome and buy books, that
through them thou mightest prophesy by me; for this evening thou didst read, I looked to
my right hand and beheld, but there was no one that knew me; flight perished from me and
there is no one that seeketh out my soul.

33 XXIV. While she said these words, those that were dragging her away walked in haste,
and coming to the shore they hired a ship and sailed for Babylonia, for he that carried
her off had a brother there, a ruler of a district. But the wind blew against them, so
that they could not proceed by reason of it, and as they were rowing on the sea, behold
the great apostle of the Lord, Peter, was sailing past in a ship, being urged by a dream
to go to Rome, because when Paul departed for Spain there had entered into Rome a certain
deceiver and magician, Simon by name, and had broken up the church which Paul had
established. And, behold, as he journeyed he heard a voice from heaven saying to him,
Peter, to-morrow there will meet thee a ship coming from Spain; arise, therefore, and pray
for the soul that is troubled in it. As soon therefore as Peter saw the ship, remembering
the dream, he said, O Jesus, that hast care for the troubled, whom the tribulation of
those in a strange land moves to compassion, whom the weeping of those in captivity made
to come upon the earth, who givest us at all time whatsoever we desire, and never turnest
away from our request, show now also pity and assistance to the soul that is tossed about
in that ship, because thou, O Lord, pitiest at all time those in pain. The demons then,
perceiving his prayer, said to the magicians, Avoid ye the course of that ship, for if we
meet with it, we cannot move.

34 XXV. But the loving God taking care for Polyxena, the vessel arrived in Greece, the
blessed Philip being there, and having come down to the shore by a vision, and there
accompanied him also great multitudes of those who were being taught by him. And behold
the vessel wherein was Polyxena appeared, terribly tossed about. And the blessed Philip
said, Behold the vessel on account of which we came down here, in which there is a soul in
trouble. When the vessel arrived and all had disembarked upon the dry land, they lay as
half dead, because they had been greatly tossed about in the sea. But the apostle Philip
ordered Polyxena to be lifted and taken to the place where he was lodging, and the rest to
be looked to. But he that had carried off Polyxena, recovering from the disorder of the
sea, was desirous to take her again, for Philip, having entrusted Polyxena to one of those
that were taught by him, went on his way rejoicing. But he that had her said, She was
committed to me by a holy man, and I cannot give her up to thee. He, however, giving no
heed to him and finding there a kinsman of his, a nobleman, prepared for war, gathering
eight thousand men. Polyxena, knowing this, went forth by night and departed, but he that
had charge of Polyxena said, Taking the tunic of Philip, I shall go forth alone to meet
them;

35 but as he said this it was announced to him that the maid was not there. Then he,
leaving all thought of the war, ran into the bed-chamber, and not finding the maid threw
himself on the ground, saying, Woe is me, wretched one, that have become an enemy of
Philip. What shall I answer him, when he asks the maiden from me? His servants came and
said to him, Arise, our lord, from the ground, for the forces have surrounded thy house,
and the maid cannot be found. He said, Leave me thus to die on her account. Perhaps, even
by this, Philip the servant of Christ may be fully satisfied, since I shall be found
despising his command. Then the servants, seeing that he heeded them not, took counsel to
flee from the enemies, but again after a little, being moved by the foreknowledge of God,
they said, It is not right for our master to die. Come, let us go forth to meet them,
raising the sign of the cross. Then raising the precious cross they went forth, about
thirty men, upon the enemy, and slew five thousand, and the rest fled. And they returned
with victory to their master, praising God and saying, What God is so great as our God,
who has not suffered his servant to be slain by the wicked? And coming upon their lord,
still weeping, they said to him, Arise, lord, and weep not, for it befits it to be not as
we will, but as the Lord wills.

36 XXVI. Polyxena, however, going out of the city, and not knowing by what way she should
walk, found herself in desert places of the hills, and sitting down said thus with tears,
Woe is me, outcast and captive, that I cannot find even a wild beast’s den to rest in. Woe
is me, left desolate, that not even Hades, that no one escapes, has devoured me. Woe is
me, who at one time showed myself not even to my servants, and now display myself to
demons. Woe is me, that I am now made manifest to all those by whom I disdained to be
seen. Alas for me that was formerly devoted to idols; for this now even the mercy of God
has passed me in silence. Whom, then, shall I call upon to help me? The God of Paul whom I
have constantly offended? But who shall help me now? No one sees or heeds or hears my
groaning. Verily I shall beseech Him that sees the hidden things, for who is more pitiful
and compassionate than He who always keeps watch over the oppressed? But because my mouth
is unclean and defiled, I dare not ask help from Him. Would that I were as one of the wild
beasts that I might not know what captivity is. Would that I had been drowned in the sea;
perhaps having received the divine baptism I should have gone where no one is made
captive.

37 What then shall I do, for death delays, and night has come on, and there is no help
anywhere. Having said thus, she arose and began to walk onwards, and passing through a
small defile she fell into a wood very thick and large, and finding there a hollow in a
tree, which was the den of a lioness, she sat down there, for the lioness had gone forth
for her food. And sitting down she said, O wretched begetting, O grievous hour in which I,
unhappy one, came into this world; O mother that bore me, why, foreseeing my troubles and
wanderings, didst thou name me Polyxena? Has any other ever fallen into such tribulations
and misfortunes? Truly, my sister Xanthippe, didst thou read concerning me, unhappy one,
saying, I have suffered affliction and been utterly bowed down (—Psalm xxxviii. 6). These
words thou didst utter with grief, while I lay upon the couch, thinking not at all of my
sorrows. On this account I have now come into the depths of evils, and pass the night in
deserts like a wild beast. But the beasts live with others of their kind, while I am left
solitary, as not being of one race with mankind.

38 XXVII. And as she was saying these words, and more than these, the morning dawned, and
the lioness came from her hunting. Polyxena, seeing the wild beast, trembled and said, By
the God of Paul, O wild beast, have compassion on me and tear me not until I receive
baptism. And the wild beast, fearing the adjuration, immediately went away, and standing
afar off gazed at her. And she said, Behold, the beast has obeyed me; I will also retire
from its dwelling. And immediately she began to journey towards the east, and the beast
went before her until she was come out of the wood. Then Polyxena said, What shall I give
to thee in return, O beast? The God of Paul will repay thee this kindness; and the wild
beast, hearing her prayer, immediately returned to its place. Then she, descending, found
a public road, and standing on it wept, not knowing whither she should go, and though many
went past, she turned to none of them, but said, Perchance the God of Paul will remember
me, and whoever shall have pity upon me, to him will I go.

39 XXVIII. As she said this, Andrew, the apostle of the Lord, also came journeying to that
place, and as he drew near to Polyxena he felt in his heart some commotion arising in
himself. Standing, therefore, to pray, and folding his arms in the shape of the cross, he
said, Lord Jesus Christ, partaker of light and knower of things hidden, from whom nothing
on earth is hid, do unto me kindness and mercy, and make clear to me this commotion of
heart, and calm my reason, thou that makest peace always with those that love peace. Then
Polyxena ran to him, and Andrew, the apostle of the Lord, said to her, Approach me not,
daughter, but tell me who and whence thou art. Polyxena said, My lord, I am a stranger
here, but I see thy face is gracious, and thy words as the words of Paul, and I suppose
thee to be of the same God. Andrew understood that she spoke of the apostle Paul, and said
to her, And whence dost thou know of Paul? She said, From my own country, for I left him
in Spain. Andrew said to her, And how happenest thou to be here, the country being far
distant? She said, Because it was thus appointed for me, and came to pass; but I beseech
thee and fall at thy feet, seal me, as Paul seals, by the baptism of regeneration, so that
even I, lowly one, may be known by our God, for the kind God, seeing my tribulation and
distress, sent thee to pity me. Andrew, the great apostle of the Lord, said to her, Let us
go, daughter, where there is water.

40 XXIX. And when they had gone no long way, they came to a well most transparent and
pure. And as the blessed Andrew stood to pray beside the well, behold a certain maiden
named Rebecca, of the tribe of Israel, brought as a captive to that country, came to draw
water at the well, and seeing the blessed Andrew, knew him by his appearance. For Rebecca
said, This is the appearance of a Prophet, and this is one of the apostles. And bowing
down to him she said, Have mercy on me, servant of the true God, who am captive and sold
for the third time, who was once honored by prophets, and am now insulted by idolaters,
and recall me, lowly one, thou that wast sent to call back many sinners. Andrew, the
apostle of Christ, said, God will care for thee also, daughter, as well as for this
stranger. Therefore, receive ye now baptism, and be ye as of one people, glorifying God
always.

41 XXX. Therefore the apostle standing prayed, and, behold, the lioness came running, and
stood gazing upon him. And Andrew the apostle of the Lord said, What then does this beast
wish? The lioness opening her mouth spoke with a human voice, Andrew, apostle of Christ,
the prayer of her, that stands on thy right hand, has overtaken me. Therefore confirm thou
and instruct and admonish them in the right and true faith of Christ, for they greatly
desire the name of the Lord. And, behold, the wonderful condescension of God, that even on
irrational and untamable beasts he has poured out his mercy. The blessed Andrew weeping
said, What shall I say or what shall I speak concerning thy mercy, O God, that thus thou
at all times cleavest to the lowly, and takest care for those in ignorance, being without
arrogance and full of mercy? And having completed the prayer he baptised the maidens in
the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Then the lioness immediately set off to the
mountain, and the Apostle Andrew said to the maidens, Be zealous, daughters, to be of good
repute before God by living well in a strange land, and separate not from each other, and
God, that is always present to those that call upon him, keep you in holiness, driving
away from you the Evil One. And pray ye also for me. Polyxena said, We will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest. The Apostle Andrew said, This was not made known to me by the
Lord, daughters; therefore remain with peace, hoping in the Lord, and he will preserve you
to the end.

42 XXXI. And Andrew went his way rejoicing and glorifying God. Then said Polyxena, Whither
shall we go, sister? Rebecca said, Let us depart whither thou wilt, lest my mistress send
and separate us. Polyxena said, Come, let us depart into the mountain to the lioness.
Rebecca said, It is indeed better for us to live with wild beasts and perish of hunger
than to be compelled by Greeks and idolaters to fall into the filth of marriage. So they
began to journey, and, behold, by the providence of God, they met a man driving asses, who
seeing them said, Ye are not of this country, and, as I see, ye wear not its dress.
Command therefore of your servant to eat bread and receive one piece of silver that ye may
remember your servant when ye buy bread. And he made haste and took the sacks off his
asses and spread them on the ground, and made the maidens to sit upon them and said to
them, Seeing that the wine which your servant carries is gathered by Greeks, tell me of
what faith ye are, that thus we may taste of it. Polyxena said, We, brother, taste no
wine, and are of the God of Paul. The ass-driver said. Is this God upon earth? Polyxena
said to him, God is everywhere, both in heaven and on earth. The ass-driver, being
desirous to learn clearly, said, Does this Paul then have the same God that is preached by
Philip? Polyxena, learning that he was a Christian, said, Yea, brother, this is the God of
all, whom Paul and Philip preach.

43 XXXII. The ass-driver hearing this wept unceasingly, and Polyxena said, Has then the
providence of God overtaken thee, that thou weepest thus? The ass-driver said, If thou art
desirous to learn wherefore I weep, hear the truth, for one ought not to grudge to tell
the things of Christ. I was a disciple of Philip, the apostle of Christ, and seeing how
all his thought was towards the poor, I took all that I had and sold it. And taking the
price, I bought bread and wine, and divided them throughout the cities to those that had
need, when therefore I had done this for some time in the neighbouring city, a certain
maimed person cried out, saying (though it was not himself that spoke, but Satan through
his mouth), I desire nothing, I take nothing from thee, because thou art a Christian. Then
the whole city arose against me and sought to take me, but some ran one way and some
another, while I go through their midst and no one sees me. And issuing from the city I
gave praise and glory to God that thus I had been rewarded, and I prayed to my God that I
should meet some one who knew his all-holy name, so that relating these things I might
obtain relief. For the men of this country will not hear at all concerning Christ, being
full of impiety and filled with wickedness. I exhort you therefore, take ye also one coin
from me, and if it seem good, take ye rest also upon the asses. Polyxena said, Mayest thou
obtain mercy from God, brother. But if thou wilt receive a full reward, save us as far as
the sea, so that, if God wills, we may sail for Spain.

44 XXXIII. The ass-driver, as if commanded by the voice of God, eagerly receiving the
maidens, went on his way rejoicing in the Lord. And he said to Polyxena, Alter thy
appearance to that of a man, lest for thy beauty’s sake some one snatch thee away from me.
And coming to an inn, they stayed there, and on the morrow they went forward taking heed
to the way. And behold there came past a certain prefect journeying to Greece, who seeing
the maidens ordered Polyxena to be carried off on his chariot. Then the ass-driver
followed, crying and saying, A prefect does violence to none. Why do ye this? Then they
beat him and drove him away. 45 XXXIV. And he going on his way lamented, saying, Woe is
me, wretched and abominable one. Woe is me that thought to do good, but now I have wrought
mischief. Woe is me that my trouble and my running were unacceptable. Would that I had
died before yesterday, that I might not have met with these maidens at all. But why
troublest thou me, O wretched soul? Let us go to Philip the apostle of God. If there is
not forgiveness for me, it is better for me to choose death in whatsoever fashion than to
live with such evil and bitter conscience. So he went and found Philip the apostle of
Christ, and said to him, O disciple and preacher of Christ, thus and thus it has happened
to me and befallen me. Has my soul salvation? Philip the apostle of Christ said, Be not
distressed concerning this, my son, it is impossible for them to be dishonoured, seeing
that no one ever overcomes God; for this same Polyxena, when she first came from the sea,
I entrusted to a certain brother, who also was greatly distressed because of her running
away secretly from his house. Him also I persuaded not to grieve, for through her
tribulation and wanderings many shall know God.

46 XXXV. The prefect therefore carried Polyxena to the city where he stayed, and ordered
her to be shut up in a chamber. And one of the soldiers seized Rebecca, but the maid
secretly escaping fled into the house of an old woman, who received the maiden kindly and
entreated her well. And sitting down she wept, saying, Alas, my sister Polyxena, I
wretched one did not think that anyone was oppressed like myself, but now I am persuaded
and know that all my misfortunes and tribulations do not compare with one day of thine.
And most grievous of all, behold I have been separated from thee and am again a captive,
but do thou search for me even into the next world, my sister Polyxena. The old woman said
to her, What ails thee, daughter, that thou weepest thus bitterly? Rebecca said, Suffer
me, mother, to be distressed and to lament the great and incurable pain of my heart. The
old woman greatly compassionating her wept exceedingly, for the maid had told her all that
had happened to her, and how through Polyxena she had believed in Christ. So too Polyxena,
shut up in the chamber, said, Woe is me, wretched one; alas for me miserable one; now I
know clearly how the devil hates virginity, but O Lord Jesus Christ, God of all, since I
dare not beseech thee of myself, I bring to thee the prayers of thy holy preacher Paul,
that thou mayst not suffer my virginity to be destroyed by any one.

47 XXXVI. And as she was yet praying, the attendants came to lead her to the couch of the
prefect. But Polyxena said to them, Brethren, make not haste to any one’s destruction, for
this time shall quickly pass away, and they that work together with the destroyers shall
perish with them. Rather assist strangers, that ye be not found strangers to the angels of
God. The men, being shamed by these words, went to the prefect and said, The maid from
fear is seized with a violent fever. And the prefect said, Let her alone. And, behold, the
son of the prefect came to Polyxena by night, and she seeing him was afraid, but the youth
said to her, Fear not, girl. I seek not to be wedded with thee as the bridegroom of
destruction, for I know from thy prayer that thou art the bride of the God of heaven. I
know this God who is never overcome by any one, for a certain man of glorious countenance
lately in Antioch preached this God, and a certain maid, whose name was Thecla, believing
him followed him, and encountered dangers on account of her beauty, of whom I have heard
that she was condemned to the wild beasts. I therefore continually gazed upon the man, and
he having observed me said to me, God give heed to thee, my son.

48 From that time therefore by the grace of Christ I have not gone into the sacrifices of
idols, but sometimes feigning illness and sometimes involving myself in some business, my
father said to me, Because thou hast no zeal for the sacrifices of the gods, therefore
neither art thou in health, not being worthy of the gods. But I rejoiced, hearing that I
was not worthy of the sacrifices to idols; and, by the grace of God, art thou come hither
as a providence to me. Polyxena said, And what is the name of that man? The youth said,
Paul is his name. Polyxena said, He is in my city. The youth said, Come then, girl, put on
my appearance, and go down to the shore and wait me there; I having taken money will come
quickly. 49 XXXVII. And one of the servants overhearing them told all this to the prefect,
who being filled with great anger condemned them to be cast to the wild beasts. And when
they were cast into the arena, a fierce lioness was let loose upon them, which ran and
embraced the feet of Polyxena, and licked the soles of her feet. Then the prefect and all
the city, seeing this fearful and wonderful sight, gave praise and glory to the merciful
God, saying, Of a truth thou art, and he, that is named by Polyxena, alone is God, for the
gods of the heathen are the works of men’s hands, unable to save or assist any one. Let
them perish now, both themselves and their makers. And the prefect straightway taking his
son and Polyxena into the palace, heard from them in order the faith and religion in
Christ without omission, and he and all in the city believed, and there was great joy and
giving of glory to God. And Polyxena said to the prefect, Be of good cheer, my lord, for
the man of God will quickly come, who will perfectly teach, exhort, instruct, and
enlighten you in the knowledge of Christ. She however prepared in all haste to depart into
Spain.

50 XXXVIII. And as I, Onesimus, was sailing into Spain to Paul, I received from the Lord a
revelation saying to me, Onesimus, the vessel in which thou now art will land in the parts
of Greece, and thou wilt find on the shore of the harbour two maids and one youth. Assist
them and take them to Paul. When we reached this place according to the command of the
Lord, we found the maids together with the youth seeking a vessel. When the maids saw us
therefore, they knew that we were of the hope of Christ, and Polyxena running to us said,
Verily the man of God cannot be concealed, for the grace and kindliness of his countenance
makes him manifest. And when we sought to sail away, the sea was troubled by the
providence of God. And there was with us a disciple of Paul, by name Lucius, capable in
word to teach the city. Therefore we remained seven days, and God opened to that place a
great door of faith, and twenty thousand believed, and there was great joy and rejoicing
in all the city. And when the season was favourable for us to sail the prefect again
constrained us, and we stayed another seven days, until all believed and rejoiced in the
Lord.

51 XXXIX. Thus now by the foreknowledge of Christ, the prefect sent us away with supplies
for the voyage, sending also his son with us. And when we had sailed twenty days, Polyxena
was greatly exhausted, and we touched at a certain island for the sake of rest. And
behold, certain fierce and hardened men, coming down to us and seeing Polyxena, prepared
for battle; but by the grace of Christ our men defended Polyxena and vanquished them,
although the strangers were more numerous and more powerful. Polyxena therefore fearing
again to become a captive threw herself into the sea; but the pilot dragged her out,
having suffered no harm. Then we embarked in the vessel and fled, for the places were
rough and wooded, and we were afraid to remain, and in twelve days we arrived in Spain, by
the grace of God. XL. And Paul seeing us rejoiced greatly, and said, Welcome ye that have
been troubled. And Polyxena, laying hold of his feet, said, It may be that this trouble
came upon me because I would have blasphemed thee, but now I beseech and entreat that I
may not again be delivered into such troubles and misfortunes. And Paul said, weeping,
Thus must we be troubled, my daughter, that we may know our defender, Jesus Christ.

52 XLI. And while we were giving the letters of the brethren to Paul, one ran and told
Xanthippe of the arrival of Polyxena. And she made haste and came to us, and seeing
Polyxena, was overcome by an unspeakable joy and fell to the ground; but Polyxena
embracing her and caressing her for a long time brought her back to life. Then Xanthippe
said to her, I, my true sister Polyxena, went not forth at all for forty days, praying
much for thee to the loving God, that thy virginity might not be taken away. And Paul, the
preacher of God, said to me, Her virginity will not be taken away, and she will come
quickly. And Probus said to me, It was assigned to her by God to be thus afflicted. Seest
thou how by many devices God saves many? But now, my beloved sister, having unexpectedly
seen thy face, now I shall willingly die.

53 XLII. Then he who had carried her away came up again and sought for Polyxena, but the
great Paul persuaded him to refrain from her, and he also believed and was baptised by
Paul, as also the suitor of Polyxena believed, and there was great joy in all that city of
Spain for the recovery of Polyxena. From that time forward she left not at all the blessed
Paul in her fear of temptations. These things then being thus, all rejoiced in the Lord,
glorifying Father, Son and Holy Ghost, one God, to whom is glory and power, now and ever
and to all eternity. Amen.


ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY APOSTLE ANDREW
=============================================

ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY APOSTLE ANDREW Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

A letter in which the presbyters and deacons of Achaia tell how the apostle Andrew
preached among them, how he answered the proconsul, and how he died on the cross at
Patras.

1 Acts and Martyrdom of the Holy Apostle Andrew. What we have all, both presbyters and
deacons of the churches of Achaia, beheld with our eyes, we have written to all the
churches established in the name of Christ Jesus, both in the east and west, north and
south. Peace to you, and to all who believe in one God, perfect Trinity, true Father
unbegotten, true Son only-begotten, true Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, and
abiding in the Son, in order that there may be shown one Holy Spirit subsisting in the
Father and Son in precious Godhead. This faith we have learned from the blessed Andrew,
the apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose passion also we, having seen it set forth
before our eyes, have not hesitated to give an account of, according to the degree of
ability we have. Accordingly the proconsul Ægeates, having come into the city of Patras,
began to compel those believing in Christ to worship the idols; to whom the blessed
Andrew, running up, said: It behoved thee, being a judge of men, to acknowledge thy Judge
who is in the heaven, and having acknowledged Him, to worship Him; and worshipping Him who
is the true God, to turn away thy thoughts from those which are not true gods.

2 To whom Ægeates said: Art thou Andrew, who destroyest the temples of the gods, and
persuadest men about the religion which, having lately made its appearance, the emperors
of the Romans have given orders to suppress? The blessed Andrew said: The emperors of the
Romans have never recognised the truth. And this the Son of God, who came on account of
the salvation of men, manifestly teaches—that these idols are not only not gods, but also
most shameful demons, and hostile to the human race, teaching men to offend God, so that,
by being offended, He turns away and will not hearken; that therefore, by His turning away
and not hearkening, they may be held captive by the devil; and that they might work them
to such a degree, that when they go out of the body they may be found deserted and naked,
carrying nothing with them but sins.

3 Ægeates said: These are superfluous and vain words: as for your Jesus, for proclaiming
these things to the Jews they nailed him to the tree of the cross. The blessed Andrew
answering, said: Oh, if thou wouldst recognise the mystery of the cross, with what
reasonable love the Author of the life of the human race for our restoration endured this
tree of the cross, not unwillingly, but willingly! Ægeates said: Seeing that, betrayed by
his own disciple, and seized by the Jews, he was brought before the procurator, and
according to their request was nailed up by the procurator’s soldiers, in what way dost
thou say that he willingly endured the tree of the cross? 4 The holy Andrew said: For this
reason I say willingly, since I was with Him when he was betrayed by His disciple. For
before He was betrayed, He spoke to us to the effect that He should be betrayed and
crucified for the salvation of men, and foretold that He should rise again on the third
day. To whom my brother Peter said, Far be it from thee, Lord; let this by no means be.
And so, being angry, He said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou art not
disposed to the things of God. And in order that He might most fully explain that He
willingly underwent the passion, He said to us, I have power to lay down my life, and I
have power to take it again. And, last of all, while He was supping with us, He said, One
of you will betray me. At these words, therefore, all becoming exceedingly grieved, in
order that the surmise might be free from doubt, He made it clear, saying, To whomsoever I
shall give the piece of bread out of my hand, he it is who betrays me. When, therefore, He
gave it to one of our fellow-disciples, and gave an account of things to come as if they
were already present, He showed that He was to be willingly betrayed. For neither did He
run away, and leave His betrayer at fault; but remaining in the place in which He knew
that he was, He awaited him.

5 Ægeates said: I wonder that thou, being a sensible man, shouldst wish to uphold him on
any terms whatever; for, whether willingly or unwillingly, all the same, thou admittest
that he was fastened to the cross. The blessed Andrew said: This is what I said, if now
thou apprehendest, that great is the mystery of the cross, which, if thou wishest, as is
likely, to hear, attend to me. Ægeates said: A mystery it cannot be called, but a
punishment. The blessed Andrew said: This punishment is the mystery of man’s restoration.
If thou wilt listen with any attention, thou wilt prove it. Ægeates said: I indeed will
hear patiently; but thou, unless thou submissively obey me, shalt receive the mystery of
the cross in thyself. The blessed Andrew answered: If I had been afraid of the tree of the
cross, I should not have proclaimed the glory of the cross.

6 Ægeates said: Thy speech is foolish, because thou proclaimest that the cross is not a
punishment, and through thy foolhardiness thou art not afraid of the punishment of death.
The holy Andrew said: It is not through foolhardiness, but through faith, that I am not
afraid of the punishment of death; for the death of sins is hard. And on this account I
wish thee to hear the mystery of the cross, in order that thou perhaps, acknowledging it,
mayst believe, and believing, mayst come somehow or other to the renewing of thy soul.
Ægeates said: That which is shown to have perished is for renewing. Do you mean that my
soul has perished, that thou makest me come to the renewing of it through the faith, I
know not what, of which thou hast spoken? 7 The blessed Andrew answered: This it is which
I desired time to learn, which also I shall teach and make manifest, that though the souls
of men are destroyed, they shall be renewed through the mystery of the cross. For the
first man through the tree of transgression brought in death; and it was necessary for the
human race, that through the suffering of the tree, death, which had come into the world,
should be driven out. And since the first man, who brought death into the world through
the transgression of the tree, had been produced from the spotless earth, it was necessary
that the Son of God should be begotten a perfect man from the spotless virgin, that He
should restore eternal life, which men had lost through Adam, and should cut off the tree
of carnal appetite through the tree of the cross. Hanging upon the cross, He stretched out
His blameless hands for the hands which had been incontinently stretched out; for the most
sweet food of the forbidden tree He received gall for food; and taking our mortality upon
Himself, He made a gift of His immortality to us.

8 Ægeates said: With these words thou shalt be able to lead away those who shall believe
in thee; but unless thou hast come to grant me this, that thou offer sacrifices to the
almighty gods, I shall order thee, after having been scourged, to be fastened to that very
cross which thou commendest. The blessed Andrew said: To God Almighty, who alone is true,
I bring sacrifice day by day; not the smoke of incense, nor the flesh of bellowing bulls,
nor the blood of goats, but sacrificing a spotless lamb day by day on the altar of the
cross; and though all the people of the faithful partake of His body and drink His blood,
the Lamb that has been sacrificed remains after this entire and alive. Truly, therefore,
is He sacrificed, and truly is His body eaten by the people, and His blood is likewise
drunk; nevertheless, as I have said, He remains entire, and spotless, and alive.

9 Ægeates said: How can this be? The blessed Andrew said: If thou wouldest know, take the
form of a disciple, that thou mayst learn what thou art inquiring after. Ægeates said: I
will exact of thee through tortures the gift of this knowledge. The blessed Andrew
declared: I wonder that thou, being an intelligent man, shouldest fall into the folly of
thinking that thou mayst be able to persuade me, through thy tortures, to disclose to thee
the sacred things of God. Thou hast heard the mystery of the cross, thou hast heard the
mystery of the sacrifice. If thou believest in Christ the Son of God, who was crucified, I
shall altogether disclose to thee in what manner the Lamb that has been slain may live,
after having been sacrificed and eaten, remaining in His kingdom entire and spotless.
Ægeates said: And by what means does the lamb remain in his kingdom after he has been
slain and eaten by all the people, as thou hast said?

10 The blessed Andrew said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou shalt be able to
learn: but if thou believest not, thou shalt not by any means attain to the idea of such
truth. Then Ægeates, enraged, ordered him to be shut up in prison, where, when he was shut
up, a multitude of the people came together to him from almost all the province, so that
they wished to kill Ægeates, and by breaking down the doors of the prison to set free the
blessed Andrew the apostle. 11 Them the blessed Andrew admonished in these words, saying:
Do not stir up the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ into seditious and devilish uproar. For
my Lord, when He was betrayed, endured it with all patience; He did not strive, He did not
cry out, nor in the streets did any one hear Him crying out. Therefore do ye also keep
silence, quietness, and peace; and hinder not my martyrdom, but rather get yourselves also
ready beforehand as athletes to the Lord, in order that you may overcome threatenings by a
soul that has no fear of man, and that you may get the better of injuries through the
endurance of the body. For this temporary fall is not to be feared; but that should be
feared which has no end. The fear of men, then, is like smoke which, while it is raised
and gathered together, disappears. And those torments ought to be feared which never have
an end. For these torments, which happen to be somewhat light, any one can bear; but if
they are heavy, they soon destroy life. But those torments are everlasting, where there
are daily weepings, and mournings, and lamentations, and never-ending torture, to which
the proconsul Ægeates is not afraid to go. Be ye therefore rather prepared for this, that
through temporary afflictions ye may attain to everlasting rest, and may flourish for
ever, and reign with Christ.

12 The holy Apostle Andrew having admonished the people with these and such like words
through the whole night, when the light of day dawned, Ægeates having sent for him,
ordered the blessed Andrew to be brought to him; and having sat down upon the tribunal, he
said: I have thought that thou, by thy reflection during the night, hast turned away thy
thoughts from folly, and given up thy commendation of Christ that thou mightst be able to
be with us, and not throw away the pleasures of life; for it is folly to come for any
purpose to the suffering of the cross, and to give oneself up to most shameful punishments
and burnings. The holy Andrew answered: I shall be able to have joy with thee, if thou
wilt believe in Christ, and throw away the worship of idols; for Christ has sent me to
this province, in which I have acquired for Christ a people not the smallest.

13 Ægeates said: For this reason I compel thee to make a libation, that these people who
have been deceived by thee may forsake the vanity of thy teaching, and may themselves
offer grateful libations to the gods; for not even one city has remained in Achaia in
which their temples have not been forsaken and deserted. And now, through thee, let them
be again restored to the worship of the images, in order that the gods also, who have been
enraged against thee, being pleased by this, may bring it about that thou mayst return to
their friendship and ours. But if not, thou awaitest varied tortures, on account of the
vengeance of the gods; and after these, fastened to the tree of the cross which thou
commendest, thou shalt die. The holy Andrew said: Listen, O son of death and chaff made
ready for eternal burnings, to me, the servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ. Until
now I have conversed with thee kindly about the perfection of the faith, in order that
thou, receiving the exposition of the truth, being made perfect as its vindicator, mightst
despise vain idols, and worship God, who is in the heavens; but since thou remainest in
the same shamelessness at last, and thinkest me to be afraid because of thy threats, bring
against me whatever may seem to thee greater in the way of tortures. For the more shall I
be well pleasing to my King, the more I shall endure in tortures for the confession of His
name.

14 Then the proconsul Ægeates, being enraged, ordered the apostle of Christ to be
afflicted by tortures. Being stretched out, therefore, by seven times three soldiers, and
beaten with violence, he was lifted up and brought before the impious Ægeates. And he
spoke to him thus: Listen to me, Andrew, and withdraw thy thoughts from the outpouring of
thy blood; but if thou wilt not hearken to me, I shall cause thee to perish on the tree of
the cross. The holy Andrew said: I am a slave of the cross of Christ, and I ought rather
to pray to attain to the trophy of the cross than to be afraid; but for thee is laid up
eternal torment, which, however, thou mayst escape after thou hast tested my endurance, if
thou wilt believe in my Christ. For I am afflicted about thy destruction, and I am not
disturbed about my own suffering. For my suffering takes up a space of one day, or two at
most; but thy torment for endless ages shall never come to a close. Wherefore henceforward
cease from adding to thy miseries, and lighting up everlasting fire for thyself.

15 Ægeates then being enraged, ordered the blessed Andrew to be fastened to the cross. And
he having left them all, goes up to the cross, and says to it with a clear voice: Rejoice,
O cross, which has been consecrated by the body of Christ, and adorned by His limbs as if
with pearls. Assuredly before my Lord went up on thee, thou hadst much earthly fear; but
now invested with heavenly longing, thou art fitted up according to my prayer. For I know,
from those who believe, how many graces thou hast in Him, how many gifts prepared
beforehand. Free from care, then, and with joy, I come to thee, that thou also exulting
mayst receive me, the disciple of Him that was hanged upon thee; because thou hast been
always faithful to me, and I have desired to embrace thee. O good cross, which hast
received comeliness and beauty from the limbs of the Lord; O much longed for, and
earnestly desired, and fervently sought after, and already prepared beforehand for my soul
longing for thee, take me away from men, and restore me to my Master, in order that
through thee He may accept me who through thee has redeemed me.

16 And having thus spoken, the blessed Andrew, standing on the ground, and looking
earnestly upon the cross, stripped himself and gave his clothes to the executioners,
having urged the brethren that the executioners should come and do what had been commanded
them; for they were standing at some distance. And they having come up, lifted him on the
cross; and having stretched his body across with ropes, they only bound his feet, but did
not sever his joints, having received this order from the proconsul: for he wished him to
be in distress while hanging, and in the night-time, as he was suspended, to be eaten up
alive by dogs. And a great multitude of the brethren stood by, nearly twenty thousand; and
having beheld the executioners standing off, and that they had done to the blessed one
nothing of what those who were hanged up suffer, they thought that they would again hear
something from him; for assuredly, as he was hanging, he moved his head smiling. And
Stratocles inquired of him: Why art thou smiling, Andrew, servant of God? Thy laughter
makes us mourn and weep, because we are deprived of thee. And the blessed Andrew answered
him: Shall I not laugh at all, my son Stratocles, at the empty stratagem of Ægeates,
through which he thinks to take vengeance upon us? We have nothing to do with him and his
plans. He cannot hear; for if he could, he would be aware, having learned it by
experience, that a man of Jesus is unpunished.

17 And having thus spoken, he discoursed to them all in common, for the people ran
together enraged at the unjust judgment of Ægeates: Ye men standing by me, and women, and
children, and elders, bond and free, and as many as will hear; I beseech you, forsake all
this life, ye who have for my sake assembled here; and hasten to take upon you my life,
which leads to heavenly things, and once for all despise all temporary things, confirming
the purposes of those who believe in Christ. And he exhorted them all, teaching that the
sufferings of this transitory life are not worthy to be compared with the future
recompense of the eternal life. 18 And the multitude hearing what was said by him, did not
stand off from the place, and the blessed Andrew continued the rather to say to them more
than he had spoken. And so much was said by him, that a space of three days and nights was
taken up, and no one was tired and went away from him. And when also on the fourth day
they beheld his nobleness, and the unweariedness of his intellect, and the multitude of
his words, and the serviceableness of his exhortations, and the stedfastness of his soul,
and the sobriety of his spirit, and the fixedness of his mind, and the perfection of his
reason, they were enraged against Ægeates; and all with one accord hastened to the
tribunal, and cried out against Ægeates, who was sitting, saying: What is thy judgment, O
proconsul? Thou hast judged wickedly; thy awards are impious. In what has the man done
wrong; what evil has he done? The city has been put in an uproar; thou grievest us all; do
not betray Cæsar’s city. Grant willingly to the Achaians a just man; grant willingly to us
a God-fearing man; do not put to death a godly man. Four days he has been hanging, and is
alive; having eaten nothing, he has filled us all. Take down the man from the cross, and
we shall all seek after wisdom; release the man, and to all Achaia will mercy be shown. It
is not necessary that he should suffer this, because, though hanging, he does not cease
proclaiming the truth.

19 And when the proconsul refused to listen to them, at first indeed signing with his hand
to the crowd to take themselves off, they began to be emboldened against him, being in
number about twenty thousand. And the proconsul having beheld that they had somehow become
maddened, afraid that something frightful would befall him, rose up from the tribunal and
went away with them, having promised to set free the blessed Andrew. And some went on
before to tell the apostle the cause for which they came to the place. 20 While all the
crowd, therefore, was exulting that the blessed Andrew was going to be set free, the
proconsul having come up, and all the brethren rejoicing along with Maximilla, the blessed
Andrew, having heard this, said to the brethren standing by: What is it necessary for me
to say to him, when I am departing to the Lord, that will I also say. For what reason hast
thou again come to us, Ægeates? On what account dost thou, being a stranger to us, come to
us? What wilt thou again dare to do, what to contrive? Tell us. Hast thou come to release
us, as having changed thy mind? I would not agree with thee that thou hadst really changed
thy mind. Nor would I believe thee, saying that thou art my friend. Dost thou, O
proconsul, release him that has been bound? By no means. For I have One with whom I shall
be for ever; I have One with whom I shall live to countless ages. To Him I go; to Him I
hasten, who also having made thee known to me, has said to me, Let not that fearful man
terrify thee; do not think that he will lay hold of thee, who art mine: for he is thine
enemy. Therefore, having known thee through him who has turned towards me, I am delivered
from thee. But if thou wishest to believe in Christ, there will be opened up for time, as
I promised thee, a way of access;

21 but if thou hast come only to release me, I shall not be able after this to be brought
down from this cross alive in the body. For I and my kinsmen depart to our own, allowing
thee to be what thou art, and what thou dost not know about thyself. For already I see my
King, already I worship Him, already I stand before Him, where the fellowship of the
angels is, where He reigns the only emperor, where there is light without night, where the
flowers never fade, where trouble is never known, nor the name of grief heard, where there
are cheerfulness and exultation that have no end. O blessed cross! without the longing for
thee, no one enters into that place. But I am distressed, Ægeates, about thine own
miseries, because eternal perdition is ready to receive thee. Run then, for thine own
sake, O pitiable one, while yet thou canst, lest perchance thou shouldst wish then when
thou canst not.

22 When, therefore, he attempted to come near the tree of the cross, so as to release the
blessed Andrew, with all the city applauding him, the holy Andrew said with a loud voice:
Do not suffer Andrew, bound upon Thy tree, to be released, O Lord; do not give me who am
in Thy mystery to the shameless devil. O Jesus Christ, let not Thine adversary release me,
who have been hanged by Thy favour; O Father, let this insignificant man no longer humble
him who has known Thy greatness. The executioners, therefore, putting out their hands,
were not able at all to touch him. Others, then, and others endeavoured to release him,
and no one at all was able to come near him; for their arms were benumbed. Then the
blessed Andrew, having adjured the people, said: I entreat you earnestly, brethren, that I
may first make one prayer to my Lord. So then set about releasing me. All the people
therefore kept quiet because of the adjuration. Then the blessed Andrew, with a loud cry,
said: Do not permit, O Lord, Thy servant at this time to be removed from Thee; for it is
time that my body be committed to the earth, and Thou shalt order me to come to Thee. Thou
who givest eternal life, my Teacher whom I have loved, whom on this cross I confess, whom
I know, whom I possess, receive me, O Lord; and as I have confessed Thee and obeyed Thee,
so now in this word hearken to me; and, before my body come down from the cross, receive
me to Thyself, that through my departure there may be access to Thee of many of my
kindred, finding rest for themselves in Thy majesty.

23 When, therefore, he had said this, he became in the sight of all glad and exulting; for
an exceeding splendour like lightning coming forth out of heaven shone down upon him, and
so encircled him, that in consequence of such brightness mortal eyes could not look upon
him at all. And the dazzling light remained about the space of half an hour. And when he
had thus spoken and glorified the Lord still more, the light withdrew itself, and he gave
up the ghost, and along with the brightness itself he departed to the Lord in giving Him
thanks. And after the decease of the most blessed Andrew the apostle, Maximilla being the
most powerful of the notable women, and continuing among those who had come, as soon as
she learned that the apostle had departed to the Lord, came up and turned her attention to
the cross, along with Stratocles, taking no heed at all of those standing by, and with
reverence took down the body of the most blessed apostle from the cross. And when it was
evening, bestowing upon him the necessary care, she prepared the body for burial with
costly spices, and laid it in her own tomb. For she had been parted from Ægeates on
account of his brutal disposition and lawless conduct, having chosen for herself a holy
and quiet life; and having been united to the love of Christ, she spent her life blessedly
along with the brethren.

24 Ægeates had been very importunate with her, and promised that he would make her
mistress of his wealth; but not having been able to persuade her, he was greatly enraged,
and was determined to make a public charge against all the people, and to send to Cæsar an
accusation against both Maximilla and all the people. And while he was arranging these
things in the presence of his officers, at the dead of night he rose up, and unseen by all
his people, having been tormented by the devil, he fell down from a great height, and
rolling into the midst of the market-place of the city, breathed his last. And this was
reported to his brother Stratocles; and he sent his servants, having told them that they
should bury him among those who had died a violent death. But he sought nothing of his
substance, saying: Let not my Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I have believed, suffer me to
touch anything whatever of the goods of my brother, that the condemnation of him who dared
to cut off the apostle of the Lord may not disgrace me.

25 These things were done in the province of Achaia, in the city of Patras on the day
before the kalends of December, where his good deeds are kept in mind even to this day, to
the glory and praise of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.


ACTS OF ANDREW AND MATTHIAS
===========================

ACTS OF ANDREW AND MATTHIAS Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

Matthias is sent to the land of the man-eaters, is blinded and put in prison, and is freed
by Andrew, whom the Lord sends to help him. A fantastic tale of the fourth century or
later.

1 Acts of Andrew and Matthias In the City of the Man-eaters. About that time all the
apostles had come together to the same place, and shared among themselves the countries,
casting lots, in order that each might go away into the part that had fallen to him. By
lot, then, it fell to Matthias to set out to the country of the man-eaters. And the men of
that city used neither to eat bread nor drink wine; but they ate the flesh of men, and
drank their blood. Every man, therefore, who came into their city they laid hold of, and
digging they thrust out his eyes, and gave him a drug to drink, prepared by sorcery and
magic; and from drinking the drug his heart was altered and his mind deranged. 2 Matthias
then having come into the gate of their city, the men of that city laid hold of him, and
thrust out his eyes; and after putting them out they made him drink the drug of their
magical deception, and led him away to the prison, and put beside him grass to eat, and he
ate it not. For when he had partaken of their drug, his heart was not altered, nor his
mind deranged; but he kept praying to God, weeping, and saying: Lord Jesus Christ, for
whose sake we have forsaken all things and have followed Thee, knowing that Thou art the
helper of all who hope in Thee, attend then and behold what they have done to Matthias Thy
servant, how they have made me nigh to the brutes; for Thou art He who knowest all things.
If, therefore, Thou hast ordained that the wicked men in this city should eat me up, I
will not by any means flee from Thy dispensation. Afford to me then, O Lord, the light of
mine eyes, that at least I may behold what the wicked men in this city have in hand for
me; do not forsake me, O my Lord Jesus Christ, and do not give me up to this bitter death.

3 While Matthias was thus praying in the prison, a light shone, and there came forth out
of the light a voice saying: Beloved Matthias, receive thy sight. And immediately he
received his sight. And again there came forth a voice saying: Be of good courage, our
Matthias, and be not dismayed; for I shall not by any means forsake thee, for I shall
deliver thee from all danger; and not only thee, but also all thy brethren who are with
thee: for I am with thee everywhere and at all times. But remain here twenty-seven days
for the edification of many souls; and after that I shall send forth Andrew to thee, and
he shall lead thee forth out of this prison; and not thee only, but also all who hear.
Having said this, the Saviour said again to Matthias, Peace be to thee, our Matthias, and
went into heaven. Then Matthias having beheld Him, said to the Lord: Let thy grace abide
with me, O my Lord Jesus.

4 Then Matthias therefore sat down in the prison, and sang. And it came to pass that, when
the executioners came into the prison to bring forth the men to eat them, Matthias also
shut his eyes, that they might not behold that he saw. And the executioners having come to
him, read the ticket in his hand, and said among themselves: Yet three days, and we shall
bring out this one also from the prison, and slay him. Because in the case of every man
whom they laid hold of, they noted that day on which they laid hold of him, and tied a
ticket to his right hand, that they might know the completion of the thirty days. 5 And it
came to pass when the twenty-seven days were fulfilled since Matthias was seized, the Lord
appeared in the country where Andrew was teaching, and said to him: Rise up, and set out
with thy disciples to the country of the man-eaters, and bring forth Matthias out of that
place; for yet three days, and the men of the city will bring him forth and slay him for
their food. And Andrew answered and said: My Lord, I shall not be able to accomplish the
journey thither before the limited period of the three days; but send Thine angel quickly,
that he may bring him out thence: for thou knowest, Lord, that I also am flesh, and shall
not be able to go there quickly. And He says to Andrew: Obey Him who made thee, and Him
who is able to say in a word, and that city shall be removed thence, and all that dwell in
it. For I command the horns of the winds, and they drive it thence. But rise up early, and
go down to the sea with thy disciples, and thou shalt find a boat upon the shore, and thou
shalt go aboard with thy disciples. And having said this, the Saviour again said: Peace to
thee, Andrew, along with those with thee! And He went into the heavens.

6 And Andrew having risen up early, proceeded to the sea along with his disciples; and
having come down to the shore, he saw a little boat, and in the boat three men sitting.
For the Lord by His own power had prepared a boat, and He it was in human shape a pilot in
the boat; and He brought two angels whom He made to appear like men, and they were in the
boat sitting. Andrew, therefore, having beheld the boat, and the three who were in it,
rejoiced with exceeding great joy; and having gone to them, he said: Where are you going,
brethren, with this little boat? And the Lord answered and said to him: We are going to
the country of the man-eaters. And Andrew having beheld Jesus, did not recognise Him; for
Jesus was hiding His Godhead, and He appeared to Andrew like a pilot. And Jesus having
heard Andrew saying, I too am going to the country of the man-eaters, says to him: Every
man avoids that city, and how are you going there? And Andrew answered and said: We have
some small business to do there, and we must get through with it; but if thou canst, do us
this kindness to convey us to the country of the man-eaters, to which also you intend to
go. Jesus answered and said to them: Come on board.

7 And Andrew said: I wish to make some explanation to thee, young man, before we come on
board thy boat. And Jesus said: Say what thou wilt. And Andrew said to Him: We have no
passage-money to give thee; we have not even bread for our nourishment. And Jesus answered
and said to him: How, then, are you going away without giving us the passage-money, and
without having bread for your nourishment? And Andrew said to Jesus, Listen, brother; do
not think that it is through masterfulness that we do not give thee our passage-money, but
we are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, the good God. For He chose for Himself us
twelve, and gave us such a commandment, saying, When you go to preach, do not carry money
in the journey, nor bread, nor bag, nor shoes, nor staff, nor two coats. If, therefore,
thou wilt do us the kindness, brother, tell us at once; if not, let us know, and we shall
go and seek another boat for ourselves. And Jesus answered and said to Andrew: If this is
the commandment which you received, and you keep it, come on board my boat with all joy.
For I really wish you, the disciples of Him who is called Jesus, to come on board my boat,
rather than those who give me of their silver and gold; for I am altogether worthy that
the apostle of the Lord should come on board my boat. And Andrew answered and said: Permit
me, brother, may the Lord grant thee glory and honour. And Andrew went on board the boat
with his disciples.

8 And having gone on board, he sat down by the boat’s sail. And Jesus answered and said to
one of the angels: Rise and go down to the hold of the boat, and bring up three loaves,
that the men may eat, lest perchance they be hungry, from having come to us off a long
journey. And he rose and went down to the hold of the boat, and brought up three loaves,
as the Lord commanded him; and he gave them the loaves. Then Jesus said to Andrew: Rise
up, brother, with thy friends; partake of food, that you may be strong to bear the tossing
of the sea. And Andrew answered and said to his disciples: My children, we have found
great kindness from this man. Stand up, then, and partake of the nourishment of bread,
that you may be strong to bear the tossing of the sea. And his disciples were not able to
answer him a word, for they were in distress because of the sea. Then Jesus forced Andrew
to partake himself also of the nourishment of bread along with his disciples. And Andrew
answered and said to Jesus, not knowing that it was Jesus: Brother, may the Lord give thee
heavenly bread out of His kingdom. Allow me then brother; for thou seest the children,
that they are distressed because of the sea. And Jesus answered and said to Andrew:
Assuredly the brethren are without experience of the sea;

9 but inquire of them whether they want to go to land, and thyself to remain, until thou
shalt finish thy business, and again come back to them. Then Andrew said to his disciples:
My children, do you wish to go to the land, and me to remain here until I shall finish my
business for which I have been sent? And they answered and said to Andrew: If we go away
from thee, may we become strangers to the good things which the Lord hath provided for us.
Now, therefore, we are with thee, wherever thou mayst go. 10 Jesus answered and said to
Andrew: If thou art truly a disciple of Him who is called Jesus, tell thy disciples the
miracles which thy Teacher did, that their soul may rejoice, and that they may forget the
fear of the sea; for, behold, we are going to take the boat off from the land. And
immediately Jesus said to one of the angels: Let go the boat; and he let go the boat from
the land. And Jesus came and sat down beside the rudder, and steered the boat. Then Andrew
exhorted and comforted his disciples, saying: My children, who have given up your life to
the Lord, fear not; for the Lord will not at all forsake you for ever. For at that time
when I was alone with our Lord, we went on board the boat with Him, and He lay down to
sleep in the boat, trying us; for He was not fast asleep. And a great wind having arisen,
and the sea being stormy, so that the waves were uplifted, and came under the sail of the
boat, and when we were in great fear, the Lord stood up and rebuked the winds, and there
was a calm in the sea; for all things feared Him, as being made by Him. Now, therefore, my
children, fear not. For the Lord Jesus will not at all forsake us. And having said this,
the holy Andrew prayed in his heart that his disciples might be led to sleep. And as
Andrew was praying, his disciples fell asleep.

11 And Andrew, turning round to the Lord, not knowing that it was the Lord, said to Him:
Tell me, O man, and show me the skill of thy steering; for I have never seen any man so
steering in the sea as I now see thee. For sixteen years have I sailed the sea, and behold
this is the seventeenth, and I have not seen such skill; for truly the boat is just as if
on land. Show me then, young man, thy skill. Then Jesus answered and said to Andrew: We
also have often sailed the sea, and been in danger; but since thou art a disciple of Him
called Jesus, the sea has recognised thee that thou art righteous, and has become calm,
and has not lifted its waves against the boat. Then Andrew cried out with a loud voice,
saying: I thank Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, that I have met a man who glorifies Thy name.

12 And Jesus answered and said: O Andrew, tell me, thou disciple of Him called Jesus,
wherefore the unbelieving Jews did not believe in Him, saying that He was not God, but
man. Show me, O disciple of Him called Jesus; for I have heard that He showed His Godhead
to His disciples. And Andrew answered and said: Truly, brother, He showed us that He was
God. Do not think, then, that He is man. For He made the heaven, and the earth, and the
sea, and all that is in them. And Jesus answered and said: How then did the Jews not
believe Him? Perhaps He did not do miracles before them? Andrew said: Hast thou not heard
of the miracles which He did before them? He made the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf
hear; He cleansed lepers, He changed water into wine; and having taken five loaves and two
fishes, He made a crowd recline on the grass, and having blessed, He gave them to eat; and
those that ate were five thousand men, and they were filled: and they took up what was
over to them twelve baskets of fragments. And after all these things they did not believe
Him.

13 And Jesus answered and said to Andrew: Perhaps He did these miracles before the people,
and not before the chief priests, and because of this they did not believe Him. And Andrew
answered and said: Nay, brother, He did them also before the chief priests, not only
openly, but also in secret, and they did not believe Him. Jesus answered and said: What
are the miracles which He did in secret? Disclose them to me. And Andrew answered and
said: O man, who hast the spirit of inquisitiveness, why dost thou put me to the test? And
Jesus answered and said: I do not put thee to the test by saying this, O disciple of Him
called Jesus; but my soul rejoices and exults, and not only mine, but also every soul that
hears the wonders of Jesus. And Andrew answered and said: O child, the Lord shall fill thy
soul with all joy and all good, as thou hast persuaded me now to relate to thee the
miracles which our Lord did in secret.

14 It came to pass as we, the twelve disciples, were going with our Lord into a temple of
the Gentiles, that He might make known to us the ignorance of the devil, that the chief
priests, having beheld us following Jesus, said to us, O wretches, why do you walk with
him who says, I am the Son of God? Do you mean to say that God has a son? Which of you has
ever at any time seen God associating with a woman? Is not this the son of Joseph the
carpenter, and his mother is Mary, and his brothers James and Simon? And when we heard
these words, our hearts were turned into weakness. And Jesus, having known that our hearts
were giving way, took us into a desert place, and did great miracles before us, and
displayed to us all His Godhead. And we spoke to the chief priests, saying, Come ye also,
and see; for, behold, He has persuaded us.

15 And the chief priests having come, went with us; and when we had gone into the temple
of the Gentiles, Jesus showed us the heaven, that we might know whether the things were
true or not. And there went in along with us thirty men of the people, and four chief
priests. And Jesus, having looked on the right hand and on the left of the temple, saw two
sculptured sphinxes, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus having turned to us,
said, Behold the sign of the cross; for these are like the cherubim and the seraphim which
are in heaven. Then Jesus, having looked to the right, where the sphinx was, said to it, I
say unto thee, thou image of that which is in heaven, which the hands of craftsmen have
sculptured, be separated from thy place, and come down, and answer and convict the chief
priests, and show them whether I am God or man.

16 And immediately at that very time the sphinx removed from its place, and having assumed
a human voice, said, O foolish sons of Israel, not only has the blinding of their own
hearts not been enough for them, but they also wish others to be blind like themselves,
saying that God is man, who in the beginning fashioned man, and put His breath into all,
who gave motion to those things which moved not; He it is who called Abraham, who loved
his son Isaac, who brought back his beloved Jacob into his land; He is the Judge of living
and dead; He it is who prepareth great benefits for those who obey Him, and prepareth
punishment for those who believe Him not. Heed not that I am an idol that can be handled;
for I say unto you, that the sacred places of your synagogue are more excellent. For
though we are stones, the priests have given us only the name of a god; and those priests
who serve the temple purify themselves, being afraid of the demons: for if they have had
intercourse with women, they purify themselves seven days, because of their fear; so that
they do not come into the temple because of us, because of the name which they have given
us, that we are a god. But you, if you have committed fornication, take up the law of God,
and go into the synagogue of God, and purify, and read, and do not reverence the glorious
words of God. Because of this, I say unto you, that the holy things purify your
synagogues, so that they also become churches of His only begotten Son. The sphinx having
said this, ceased speaking.

17 And we said to the chief priests, Now it is fitting that you should believe, because
even the stones have convicted you. And the Jews answered and said, By magic these stones
speak, and do not you think that it is a god? For if you have tested what has been said by
the stone, you have ascertained its deception. For where did he find Abraham, or how did
he see him? For Abraham died many years before he was born, and how does he know him? 18
And Jesus, having again turned to the image, said to it, Because these believe not that I
have spoken with Abraham, go away into the land of the Canaanites, and go away to the
double cave in the field of Mamre, where the body of Abraham is, and cry outside of the
tomb, saying, Abraham, Abraham, whose body is in the tomb, and whose soul is in paradise,
thus speaks He who fashioned man, who made thee from the beginning his friend, Rise up,
thou and thy son Isaac, and the son of thy son Jacob, and come to the temples of the
Jebusites, that we may convict the chief priests, in order that they may know that I am
acquainted with thee, and thou with me. And when the sphinx heard these words, immediately
she walked about in the presence of us all, and set out for the land of the Canaanites to
the field of Mamre, and cried outside of the tomb, as God had commanded her. And
straightway the twelve patriarchs came forth alive out of the tomb, and answered and said
to her, To which of us hast thou been sent? And the sphinx answered and said, I have been
sent to the three patriarchs for testimony; but do ye go in, and rest until the time of
the resurrection. And having heard, they went into the tomb and fell asleep. And the three
patriarchs set out along with the sphinx to Jesus, and convicted the chief priests.

19 And Jesus said to them, Go away to your places; and they went away. And He said also to
the image, Go up to thy place; and straightway she went up and stood in her place. And He
did also many other miracles, and they did not believe Him; which miracles, if I shall
recount, thou wilt not be able to bear. And Jesus answered and said to him: I can bear it;
for I prudently listen to profitable words. 20 And when the boat was about to come near
the land, Jesus bent down His head upon one of His angels, and was quiet. And Andrew
ceased speaking; and he also, reclining his head upon one of his disciples, fell asleep.
And Jesus said to His angels: Spread your hands under him, and carry Andrew and his
disciples, and go and put them outside of the city of the man-eaters; and having laid them
on the ground, return to me. And the angels did as Jesus commanded them, and the angels
returned to Jesus: and He went up into the heavens with His angels.

21 And when it was morning, Andrew, having awakened and looked up, found himself sitting
on the ground; and having looked, he saw his disciples sleeping on the ground: and he
wakened them, and said to them: Rise up, my children, and know the great dispensation that
has happened to us, and learn that the Lord was with us in the boat, and we knew Him not;
for He transformed Himself as if He were a pilot in the boat, and humbled Himself, and
appeared to us as a man, putting us to the test. And Andrew, recovering himself, said:
Lord, I recognised Thy excellent words, but Thou didst not manifest Thyself to me, and
because of this I did not know Thee. And his disciples answered and said to him: Father
Andrew, do not think that we knew when thou wast speaking with Him in the boat, for we
were weighed down by a most heavy sleep; and eagles came down out of the heavens, and
lifted up our souls, and took them away into the paradise in heaven, and we saw great
wonders. For we beheld our Lord Jesus sitting on a throne of glory, and all the angels
round about Him. We beheld also Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the saints; and
David praised Him with a song upon his harp. And we beheld there you the twelve apostles
standing by in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and outside of you twelve angels
round about you, and each angel standing behind each of you, and they were like you in
appearance. And we heard the Lord saying to the angels, Listen to the apostles in all
things whatsoever they shall ask you. These are the things which we have seen, father
Andrew, until thou didst awake us; and angels, who appeared like eagles, brought our souls
into our bodies.

22 Then Andrew, having heard, rejoiced with great joy that his disciples had been deemed
worthy to behold these wonderful things. And Andrew looked up into heaven, and said:
Appear to me, Lord Jesus Christ; for I know that Thou art not far from Thy servants.
Pardon me, Lord, for what I have done; for I have beheld Thee as a man in the boat, and I
have conversed with Thee as with a man. Now therefore, Lord, manifest Thyself to me in
this place. 23 And when Andrew had said this, Jesus appeared to him in the likeness of a
most beautiful little child. And Jesus answered and said: Hail, our Andrew! And Andrew,
having beheld Him, worshipped Him, saying: Pardon me, Lord Jesus Christ, for I saw Thee
like a man on the sea, and conversed with Thee. What is there, then, wherein I have
sinned, my Lord Jesus, that Thou didst not manifest Thyself to me on the sea? And Jesus
answered and said to Andrew: Thou hast not sinned, but I did this to thee because thou
saidst, I shall not be able to go to the city of the man-eaters in three days; and I have
showed thee that I am able to do all things, and to appear to every one as I wish. Now
therefore rise up, go into the city to Matthias, and bring him forth out of the prison,
and all the strangers that are with him. For, behold, I show thee, Andrew, what thou must
suffer before going into this city. They will heap upon thee tortures and insults, and
scatter thy flesh in the ways and the streets, and thy blood shall flow to the ground, but
they are not able to put thee to death; but endure, just as thou sawest me beaten,
insulted, and crucified: for there are those who are destined to believe in this city. And
having said this, the Saviour went into the heavens.

24 And Andrew went into the city along with his disciples, and no one beheld him. And when
he came to the prison, he saw seven warders standing at the gate guarding, and he prayed
within himself, and they fell down and expired; and he marked the gate with the sign of
the cross, and it opened of its own accord. And having gone in with his disciples, he
found Matthias sitting and singing; and seeing him, he stood up, and they saluted each
other with a holy kiss; and he said to Matthias: Brother, how hast thou been found here?
For yet three days, and they will bring thee out to be food for them. Where are the great
mysteries which thou hast been taught, and the wonderful things which we have believed?
And Matthias said to him: Didst thou not hear the Lord saying, I shall send you like sheep
into the midst of wolves? They straightway brought me into the prison, and I prayed to the
Lord; and He said to me, Remain here twenty-seven days, and I shall send thee Andrew, and
he will bring thee forth out of the prison. And now, behold, it has come to pass as the
Lord said.

25 Then Andrew, having looked, saw three men shut up eating grass naked; and he beat his
breast, and said: Consider, O Lord, what the men suffer; how have they made them like the
irrational brutes? And he says to Satan: Woe to thee, the devil, the enemy of God, and to
thine angels, because the strangers here have done nothing to thee; and how hast thou
brought upon them the punishment? how long dost thou war against the human race? Thou
didst bring forth Adam out of paradise, and didst cause men to be mixed up with
transgression; and the Lord was enraged, and brought on the deluge so as to sweep man
away. And again hast thou made thy appearance in this city too, in order that thou mayst
make those who are here eat men, that the end of them also may be in execration and
destruction, thinking in thyself that God will sweep away the work of His hands. Hast thou
not heard that God said, I will not bring a deluge upon the earth? but if there is any
punishment prepared, it is for the sake of taking vengeance upon thee.

26 Then he stood up, and Andrew and Matthias prayed; and after the prayer Andrew laid his
hands upon the faces of the blind men who were in the prison, and straightway they all
received their sight. And again he laid his hand upon their hearts, and their minds were
changed into human reason. Then Andrew answered them: Rise up, and go into the lower parts
of the city, and you shall find in the way a great fig-tree, and sit under the fig-tree,
and eat of its fruit, until I come to you; but if I delay coming there, you will find
abundance of food for yourselves: for the fruit shall not fail from the fig-tree, but
according as you eat it shall produce more fruit, and nourish you, as the Lord has said.
And they answered and said to Andrew: Go along with us, O our master, lest perchance the
wicked men of this city again see us, and shut us up, and inflict upon us greater and more
dreadful tortures than they have inflicted upon us. And Andrew answered and said to them:
Go; for in truth I say to you, that as you go, not a dog shall bark with his tongue
against you. And there were in all two hundred and seventy men and forty-nine women whom
Andrew released from the prison. And the men went as the blessed Andrew said to them; and
he made Matthias go along with his disciples out of the eastern gate of the city. And
Andrew commanded a cloud, and the cloud took up Matthias and the disciples of Andrew; and
the cloud set them down on the mountain where Peter was teaching, and they remained beside
him.

27 And Andrew, having gone forth from the prison, walked about in the city; and having
seen a brazen pillar, and a statue standing upon it, he came and sat down behind that
pillar until he should see what should happen. And it happened that the executioners went
to the prison to bring out the men for their food, according to the custom; and they found
the doors of the prison opened, and the guards that guarded it lying dead upon the ground.
And straightway they went, and reported to the rulers of the city, saying: We found the
prison opened, and having gone inside we found nobody; but we found the guards lying dead
upon the ground. And the rulers having heard this, said among themselves: What, then, has
happened? You do not mean to say that some persons have gone into the prison of the city,
and have killed the warders, and taken away those that were shut up? And they spoke to the
executioners, saying: Go to the prison, and bring the men that are dead, that we may eat
them up to-day. And let us go to-morrow, and bring together all the old men of the city,
that they may cast lots upon themselves, until the seven lots come, and we slay seven each
day. And they shall be to us for food until we may choose young men, and put them in boats
as sailors, that they may go away to the countries round about, and attack them, and bring
some men here, that they may be for food to us.

28 And the executioners went to the prison, and brought the seven men that were dead; and
there was an oven built in the midst of the city, and there lay in the oven a large trough
in which they killed the men, and their blood ran down into the trough, and they drew out
of the blood and drank it. And they brought the men, and. put them into the trough. And
when the executioners were lifting their hands against them, Andrew heard a voice, saying:
Behold, Andrew, what is happening in this city. And Andrew having beheld, prayed to the
Lord, saying: Lord Jesus Christ, who didst order me to come into this city, do not suffer
those in this city to do any evil, but let the knives go out of the hands of the wicked
ones. And straightway the knives of the wicked men fell, and their hands were turned into
stone. And the rulers, having seen what had happened, wept, saying: Woe unto us, for here
are the magicians who have gone into the prison, and brought out the men; for, behold,
they have bewitched these also. What, then, shall we do? Let us go now, and gather
together the old men of the city, seeing that we are hungry.

29 And they went and gathered them together, and found two hundred and seventeen; and they
brought them to the rulers, and they made them cast lots, and the lot came upon seven old
men. And one of those taken by lot answered and said to the officers: I pray you, I have
for myself one son; take him, and slay him instead of me, and let me go. And the officers
answered and said to him: We cannot take thy son, unless we bring him first to our
superiors. And the officers went and told the rulers. And the rulers answered and said to
the officers: If he give us his son instead of himself, let him go. And the officers went
and told the old man. And the old man answered and said to them: I have also a daughter
along with my son; take them, and kill them, only let me go. And he gave his children to
the officers, that they might kill them. And the children wept to each other, and prayed
the officers, saying: We pray you do not kill us, as we are of so small a size; but let us
complete our size, and so kill us. For it was a custom in that city, and they did not bury
their dead, but ate them up. And the officers did not hearken to the children, nor take
pity upon them, but carried them to the trough weeping and praying.

30 And it happened, as they were leading them away to kill them, that Andrew, having
beheld what happened, shed tears; and weeping, he looked up to heaven and said: Lord Jesus
Christ, as Thou didst hear me in the case of the dead men, and didst not suffer them to be
eaten up, so also now hear me, that the executioners may not inflict death upon these
children, but that the knives may be loosened out of the hands of the executioners. And
straightway the knives were loosened, and fell out of the hands of the executioners. And
when this came to pass, the executioners, having beheld what had happened, were
exceedingly afraid. And Andrew, seeing what had happened, glorified the Lord because He
had listened to him in every work. And the rulers, having beheld what had happened, wept
with a great weeping, saying: Woe unto us! what are we to do? And, behold, the devil
appeared in the likeness of an old man, and began to say in the midst of all: Woe unto
you! because you are now dying, having no food; what can sheep and oxen do for you? They
will not at all be enough for you. But rise up, and make a search here for one who has
come to the city, a stranger named Andrew, and kill him; for if you do not, he will not
permit you to carry on this practice longer: for it was he who let loose the men out of
the prison. Assuredly the man is in this city, and you have not seen him. Now, therefore,
rise and make search for him, in order that henceforward you may be able to collect your
food.

31 And Andrew saw the devil, how he was talking to the multitudes; but the devil did not
see the blessed Andrew. Then Andrew answered the devil, and said: O Belial most fiendish,
who art the foe of every creature; but my Lord Jesus Christ will bring thee down to the
abyss. And the devil, having heard this, said: I hear thy voice indeed, and I know thy
voice, but where thou art standing I know not. And Andrew answered and said to the devil:
Why, then, hast thou been called Amael? is it not because thou art blind, not seeing all
the saints? And the devil, having heard this, said to the citizens: Look round now for him
speaking to me, for he is the man. And the citizens, having run in different directions,
shut the gates of the city, and searched for the blessed one, and did not see him. Then
the Lord showed Himself to Andrew, and said to him; Andrew, rise up and show thyself to
them, that they may learn my power, and the powerlessness of the devil working in them.

32 Then Andrew rose up, and said in presence of all: Behold, I am Andrew whom you seek.
And the multitudes ran upon him, and laid hold of him, saying: What thou hast done to us,
we also will do to thee. And they reasoned among themselves, saying: By what death shall
we kill him? And they said to each other: If we take off his head, his death is not
torture; and if we burn him, he will not be for food to us. Then one of them, the devil
having entered into him, answered and said to the multitudes: As he has done to us, so let
us also do to him. Let us rise up, then, and fasten a rope to his neck, and drag him
through all the streets and lanes of the city; and when he is dead, we shall share his
body. And they did as he said to them; and having fastened a rope round his neck, they
dragged him through the streets and lanes of the city, and the flesh of the blessed Andrew
stuck to the ground, and his blood flowed to the ground like water. And when it was
evening they cast him into the prison, having bound his hands behind him; and he was in
sore distress.

33 And in the morning again they brought him out, and having fastened a rope round his
neck, they dragged him about; and again his flesh stuck to the ground, and his blood
flowed. And the blessed one wept and prayed, saying: Do not forsake me, my Lord Jesus
Christ; for I know that Thou art not far from Thy servants. And as he was praying, the
devil walked behind, and said to the multitudes: Strike him on the mouth, that he may not
speak. And when it was evening they took him again to the prison, having bound his hands
behind him, and left him till the morrow again. And the devil having taken with himself
seven demons whom the blessed one had cast out of the countries round about, and having
gone into the prison, they stood before him, wishing to kill him. And the demons answered
and said to Andrew: Now hast thou fallen into our hands; where is thy glory and thy
exultation, thou that raisest thyself up against us, and dishonourest us, and tellest our
doings to the people in every place and country, and hast made our workshops and our
temples to become desolate, in order that sacrifices may not be brought to them? Because
of this, then, we shall also kill thee, like thy teacher called Jesus, and John whom Herod
beheaded.

34 And they stood before Andrew, wishing to kill him; and having beheld the seal upon his
forehead which the Lord gave him, they were afraid, and did not come near him, but fled.
And the devil said to them: Why have you fled from him, my children, and not killed him?
And the demons answered and said to the devil: We cannot kill him, but kill him if thou
art able; for we knew him before he came into the distress of his humiliation. Then one of
the demons answered and said: We cannot kill him, but come let us mock him in the distress
of his humiliation. And the demons came and stood before him, and scoffed at him. And the
blessed one hearing, wept; and there came to him a voice saying: Andrew, why weepest thou?
And it was the voice of the devil changed. And Andrew answered and said: I am weeping
because God commanded me, saying, Be patient toward them. And the devil said: If thou
canst do anything, do it. And Andrew answered and said: Is it for this, then, that you do
these things to me? But forbid it that I should disobey the commandment of my Lord; for if
the Lord shall make for me a charge in this city, I shall chastise you as you deserve. And
having heard this, they fled.

35 And when it was morning they brought him out again, and having fastened a rope about
his neck, they dragged him; and again his flesh stuck to the ground, and his blood flowed
to the ground like water. And the blessed one, as he was being dragged along, wept,
saying: Lord Jesus Christ, be not displeased with me; for Thou knowest, Lord, what the
fiend has inflicted upon me, along with his demons. These tortures are enough, my Lord;
for, behold, I am dragged about for three days. But do Thou, Lord, remember that Thou wast
three hours upon the cross, and didst cry out to the Father, My Father, why hast Thou
forsaken me? Where are Thy words, Lord, which Thou spakest to us, confirming us, when we
walked about with Thee, saying to us, Ye shall not lose one hair? Consider, then, Lord,
what has become of my flesh, and the hairs of my head. Then Jesus said to Andrew: O our
Andrew, the heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Turn
thyself then, Andrew, and behold thy flesh that has fallen, and thy hair, what has become
of them. And Andrew turned, and saw great trees springing up, bearing fruit; and he
glorified God.

36 And when it was evening they took him up again, and cast him into the prison, having
bound his hands behind him; and he was exceedingly exhausted. And the men of the city said
among themselves: Perhaps he dies in the night, and we do not find him alive on the
following day; for he was languid, and his flesh was spent. And the Lord appeared in the
prison, and having stretched out His hand, said to Andrew: Give me thy hand, and rise up
whole. And Andrew, having beheld the Lord Jesus, gave Him his hand, and rose up whole. And
falling down, he worshipped Him, and said: I thank Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou
hast speedily brought help to me. And Andrew, having looked into the middle of the prison,
saw a pillar standing, and upon the pillar there stood an alabaster statue. And Andrew,
having gone up to the statue, unfolded his hands seven times, and said to the pillar, and
the statue upon it: Fear the sign of the cross, which the heaven and the earth dread; and
let the statue set upon the pillar bring up much water through its mouth, until all who
are in this city be punished. And say not, I am stone, and am not worthy to praise the
Lord, for the Lord fashioned us from the earth; but you are pure, because that out of you
He gave the tables of the law. When the blessed Andrew had said this, straightway the
stone statue cast out of its mouth water in abundance, as if out of a canal. And the water
stood high upon the earth; and it was exceedingly acrid, eating into the flesh of men.

37 And when it was morning, the men of the city saw it, and began to flee, saying in
themselves: Woe to us! because we are now dying. And the water killed their cattle and
their children; and they began to flee out of the city. Then Andrew prayed, saying: Lord
Jesus Christ, in whom I have hoped that this miracle should come upon this city, forsake
me not, but send Michael Thy archangel in a cloud of fire, and be a wall round the city,
that no one may be able to escape out of the fire. And straightway a cloud of fire came
down and encircled the city like a wall; and the water was as high as the neck of those
men, and it was eating them up exceedingly. And they wept, saying: Woe to us! for all
these things have come upon us because of the stranger who is in the prison. Let us go and
release him, lest perchance we die.

38 And they went out, crying with a loud voice: God of the stranger, take away from us
this water. And the apostle knew that they were in great affliction, and said to the
alabaster statue: Stop the water, for they have repented. And I say to thee, that if the
citizens of this city shall believe, I will build a church, and place thee in it, because
thou hast done me this service. And the statue ceased flowing, and no longer brought forth
water. And the men of the city, having come out to the doors of the prison, cried out,
saying: Have pity upon us, God of the stranger, and do not according to our unbelief, and
according to what we have done to this man, but take away from us this water. And Andrew
came forth out of the prison; and the water ran this way and that from the feet of the
blessed Andrew. Then all the multitude seeing him, all cried out: Have pity upon us.

39 And the old man having come who gave up his children that they should slay them instead
of him, prayed at the feet of the blessed Andrew, saying: Have pity upon me. And the holy
Andrew answered and said to the old man: I wonder how thou sayest, Have pity upon me; for
thou hadst no pity upon thy children, but gavest them up to be slain instead of thee.
Therefore I say unto thee, At what hour this water goes away, into the abyss shalt thou
go, with the fourteen executioners who slay the men every day. And he came to the place of
the trough, where they used to slay the men. And the blessed one, having looked up to
heaven, prayed before all the multitude; and the earth was opened, and swallowed up the
water, along with the old man. He was carried down into the abyss, with the executioners.
And the men, having seen what had happened, were exceedingly afraid, and began to say: Woe
unto us because this man is from God; and now he will kill us because of the afflictions
which we have caused him. For, behold, what he said to the executioners and the old man
has befallen them. Now, therefore, he will command the fire, and it will burn us. And
Andrew, having heard, said to them: Fear not, children; for I shall not send these also to
Hades; but those have gone, that you may believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

40 Then the holy Andrew ordered to be brought up all who had died in the water. And they
were not able to bring them; for there had died a great multitude both of men, and women,
and children, and cattle. Then Andrew prayed, and they all came to life. And after these
things he drew a plan of a church, and he caused the church to be built. And he baptized
them, and gave them the ordinances of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying to them: Stand by
these, in order that you may know the mysteries of our Lord Jesus Christ. And they all
prayed him: We pray thee, stay with us a few days, that we may be filled with thy
fountain, because we are newly planted. And he did not comply with their request, but said
to them: I shall go first to my disciples. And the children followed after, weeping and
praying, with the men; and they cast ashes upon their heads. And he did not comply with
them, but said: I shall go to my disciples, and after that I shall come again to you. And
he went his way.

41 And the Lord Jesus Christ came down, being like a comely little child, and met Andrew,
and said: Andrew, why hast thou come out and left them without fruit, and hast not had
compassion upon the children that followed after thee, and the men entreating thee, Stay
with us a few days? For the cry of them and the weeping has come up to heaven. Now
therefore return, and go into the city, and remain there seven days, until I shall confirm
their souls in the faith; and then thou shalt go away into the country of the barbarians,
thou and thy disciples. And after going into this city, thou shalt proclaim my Gospel, and
bring up the men who are in the abyss. And thou shalt do what I command thee. Then Andrew
turned and went into the city, saying: I thank Thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, who wishest to
save every soul, that Thou hast not allowed me to go forth out of this city in mine anger.
And when he had come into the city, they, seeing him, rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And he stayed there seven days, teaching and confirming them in the Lord Jesus Christ. And
the seven days having been fulfilled, it came to pass, while the blessed Andrew was going
out, all came together to him, from the child even to the elder, and sent him on his way,
saying: There is one God, the God of Andrew, and one Lord Jesus Christ, who alone doeth
wonders; to whom be glory and strength for ever. Amen.


ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF ST. MATTHEW THE APOSTLE
=============================================

ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF ST. MATTHEW THE APOSTLE Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

A late legend of the apostle Matthew, whom the Lord sends out to preach, with the wonders
he worked and the story of his martyrdom.

1 Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew the Apostle. About that time Matthew, the holy apostle
and evangelist of Christ, was abiding in the mountain resting, and praying in his tunic
and apostolic robes without sandals; and, behold, Jesus came to Matthew in the likeness of
the infants who sing in paradise, and said to him: Peace to thee, Matthew! And Matthew
having gazed upon Him, and not known who He was, said: Grace to thee, and peace, O child
highly favoured! And why hast thou come hither to me, having left those who sing in
paradise, and the delights there? Because here the place is desert; and what sort of a
table I shall lay for thee, O child, I know not, because I have no bread nor oil in a jar.
Moreover, even the winds are at rest, so as not to cast down from the trees to the ground
anything for food; because, for the accomplishing of my fast of forty days, I, partaking
only of the fruits falling by the movement of the winds, am glorifying my Jesus. Now,
therefore, what shall I bring thee, beautiful boy? There is not even water near, that I
may wash thy feet.

2 And the child said: Why sayest thou, O Matthew? Understand and know that good discourse
is better than a calf, and words of meekness better than every herb of the field, and a
sweet saying as the perfume of love, and cheerfulness of countenance better than feeding,
and a pleasant look is as the appearance of sweetness. Understand, Matthew, and know that
I am paradise, that I am the comforter, I am the power of the powers above, I the strength
of those that restrain themselves, I the crown of the virgins, I the self-control of the
once married, I the boast of the widowed, I the defence of the infants, I the foundation
of the Church, I the kingdom of the bishops, I the glory of the presbyters, I the praise
of the deacons. Be a man, and be strong, Matthew, in, these words. 3 And Matthew said: The
sight of thee hast altogether delighted me, O child; moreover also, thy words are full of
life. For assuredly thy face shines more than the lightning, and thy words are altogether
most sweet. And that indeed I saw thee in paradise when thou didst sing with the other
infants who were killed in Bethlehem, I know right well; but how thou hast suddenly come
hither, this altogether astonishes me. But I shall ask thee one thing, O child: that
impious Herod, where is he? The child says to him: Since thou hast asked, hear his
dwelling-place. He dwells, indeed, in Hades; and there has been prepared for him fire
unquenchable, Gehenna without end, bubbling mire, worm that sleeps not, because he cut off
three thousand infants, wishing to slay the child Jesus, the ancient of the ages; but of
all these ages I am father. Now therefore, O Matthew, take this rod of mine, and go down
from the mountain, and go into Myrna, the city of the man-eaters, and plant it by the gate
of the church which thou and Andrew founded; and as soon as thou hast planted it, it shall
be a tree, great and lofty and with many branches, and its branches shall extend to thirty
cubits, and of each single branch the fruit shall be different both to the sight and the
eating, and from the top of the tree shall flow down much honey;

4 and from its root there shall come forth a great fountain, giving drink to this country
round about, and in it creatures that swim and creep; and in it the man-eaters shall wash
themselves, and eat of the fruit of the trees of the vine and of the honey; and their
bodies shall be changed, and their forms shall be altered so as to be like those of other
men; and they shall be ashamed of the nakedness of their body, and they shall put on
clothing of the rams of the sheep, and they shall no longer eat unclean things; and there
shall be to them fire in superabundance, preparing the sacrifices for offerings, and they
shall bake their bread with fire; and they shall see each other in the likeness of the
rest of men, and they shall acknowledge me, and glorify my Father who is in the heavens.
Now therefore make haste, Matthew, and go down hence, because the departure from thy body
through fire is at hand, and the crown of thy endurance.

5 And the child having said this, and given him the rod, was taken up into the heavens.
And Matthew went down from the mountain, hastening to the city. And as he was about to
enter into the city, there met him Fulvana the wife of the king, and his son Fulvanus and
his wife Erva, who were possessed by an unclean spirit, and cried out shouting: Who has
brought thee here again, Matthew? or who has given thee the rod for our destruction? for
we see also the child Jesus, the Son of God, who is with thee. Do not go then, O Matthew,
to plant the rod for the food, and for the transformation of the man-eaters: for I have
found what I shall do to thee. For since thou didst drive me out of this city, and prevent
me from fulfilling my wishes among the man-eaters, behold, I will raise up against thee
the king of this city, and he will burn thee alive. And Matthew, having laid his hands on
each one of the demoniacs, put the demons to flight, and made the people whole; and they
followed him.

6 And thus the affair being made manifest, Plato the bishop, having heard of the presence
of the holy Apostle Matthew, met him with all the clergy; and having fallen to the ground,
they kissed his feet. And Matthew raised them, and went with them into the church, and the
child Jesus was also with him. And Matthew, having come to the gate of the church, stood
upon a certain lofty and immoveable stone; and when the whole city ran together,
especially the brethren who had believed, began to say: Men and women who appear in our
sight, heretofore believing in the universe, but now knowing Him who has upheld and made
the universe; until now worshipping the Satyr, and mocked by ten thousand false gods, but
now through Jesus Christ acknowledging the one and only God, Lord, Judge; who have laid
aside the immeasurable greatness of evil, and put on love, which is of like nature with
affectionateness, towards men; once strangers to Christ, but now confessing Him Lord and
God; formerly without form, but now transformed through Christ;—behold, the staff which
you see in my hand, which Jesus, in whom you have believed and will believe, gave me;
perceive now what comes to pass through me, and acknowledge the riches of the greatness
which He will this day make for you.

7 For, behold, I shall plant this rod in this place, and it shall be a sign to your
generations, and it shall become a tree, great and lofty and flourishing, and its fruit
beautiful to the view and good to the sight; and the fragrance of perfumes shall come
forth from it, and there shall be a vine twining round it, full of clusters; and from the
top of it honey coming down, and every flying creature shall find covert in its branches;
and a fountain of water shall come forth from the root of it, having swimming and creeping
things, giving drink to all the country round about. 8 And having said this, and called
upon the name of the Lord Jesus, he fixed his rod in the ground, and straightway it sprung
up to one cubit; and the sight was strange and wonderful. For the rod having straightway
shot up, increased in size, and grew into a great tree, as Matthew had said. And the
apostle said: Go into the fountain and wash your bodies in it, and then thus partake both
of the fruits of the tree, and of the vine and the honey, and drink of the fountain, and
you shall be transformed in your likeness to that of men; and after that, having gone into
the church, you will clearly recognise that you have believed in the living and true God.
And having done all these things, they saw themselves changed into the likeness of
Matthew; then, having thus gone into the church, they worshipped and glorified God. And
when they had been changed, they knew that they were naked; and they ran in haste each to
his own house to cover their nakedness, because they were ashamed.

9 And Matthew and Plato remained in the church spending the night, and glorifying God. And
there remained also the king’s wife, and his son and his wife, and they prayed the apostle
to give them the seal in Christ. And Matthew gave orders to Plato; and he, having gone
forth, baptized them in the water of the fountain of the tree, in the name of the Father,
and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And so thereafter, having gone into the church, they
communicated in the holy mysteries of Christ; and they exulted and passed the night, they
also along with the apostle, many others having also come with them; and all in the church
sang the whole night, glorifying God. And when the dawn had fully come, the blessed
Matthew, having gone along with the bishop Plato, stood in the place in which the rod had
been planted, and he sees the rod grown into a great tree, and near it a vine twined round
it, and honey coming down from above even to its root; and that tree was at once beautiful
and flourishing, like the plants in paradise, and a river proceeded from its root watering
all the land of the city of Myrna. And all ran together, and ate of the fruit of the tree
and the vine, just as any one wished.

10 And when what had come to pass was reported in the palace, the king Fulvanus, having
learned what had been done by Matthew about his wife, and his son, and his daughter-in-
law, rejoiced for a time at their purification; but seeing that they were inseparable from
Matthew, he was seized with rage and anger, and endeavoured to put him to death by fire.
And on that night in which the king intended to lay hands on Matthew, Matthew saw Jesus
saying to him: I am with thee always to save thee, Matthew; be strong, and be a man. And
the blessed Matthew, having awoke, and sealed himself over all the body, rose up at dawn,
and proceeded into the church; and having bent his knees, prayed earnestly. Then the
bishop having come, and the clergy, they stood in common in prayer, glorifying God. And
after they had ended the prayer, the bishop Plato said: Peace to thee, Matthew, apostle of
Christ! And the blessed Matthew said to him: Peace to you! And when they had sat down, the
apostle said to the bishop Plato, and to all the clergy: I wish you, children, to know,
Jesus having declared it to me, that the king of this city is going to send soldiers
against me, the devil having entered into him, and manifestly armed him against us. But
let us give ourselves up to Jesus, and He will deliver us from every trial, and all who
have believed in Him.

11 And the king, plotting against the blessed Matthew how he should lay hands on him, and
seeing also that the believers were very many, was very much at fault, and was in great
difficulty. Therefore the wicked and unclean devil who had come forth from the king’s
wife, and his son, and his daughter-in-law, put to flight by Matthew, having transformed
himself into the likeness of a soldier, stood before the king, and said to him: O king,
why art thou thus put to the worse by this stranger and sorcerer? Knowest thou not that he
was a publican, but now he has been called an apostle by Jesus, who was crucified by the
Jews? For, behold, thy wife, and thy son, and thy daughter-in-law, instructed by him, have
believed in him, and along with him sing in the church. And now, behold, Matthew is going
forth, and Plato with him, and they are going to the gate called Heavy; but make haste,
and thou wilt find them, and thou shalt do to him all that may be pleasing in thine eyes.

12 The king having heard this, and being the more exasperated by the pretended soldier,
sent against the blessed Matthew four soldiers, having threatened them, and said: Unless
you bring Matthew to me, I shall burn you alive with fire; and the punishment which he is
to undergo, you shall endure. And the soldiers, having been thus threatened by the king,
go in arms to where the Apostle Matthew and the bishop Plato are. And when they came near
them, they heard their speaking indeed, but saw no one. And having come, they said to the
king: We pray thee, O king, we went and found no one, but only heard the voices of persons
talking. And the king, being enraged, and having blazed up like fire, gave orders to send
other ten soldiers—man-eaters—saying to them: Go stealthily to the place, and tear them in
pieces alive, and eat up Matthew, and Plato, who is with him. And when they were about to
come near the blessed Matthew, the Lord Jesus Christ, having come in the likeness of a
most beautiful boy, holding a torch of fire, ran to meet them, burning out their eyes. And
they, having cried out and thrown their arms from them, fled, and came to the king, being
speechless.

13 And the demon who had before appeared to the king in the form of a soldier, being again
transformed into the form of a soldier, stood before the king, and said to him: Thou
seest, O king, this stranger has bewitched them all. Learn, then, how thou shalt take him.
The king says to him: Tell me first wherein his strength is, that I may know, and then I
will draw up against him with a great force. And the demon, compelled by an angel, says to
the king: Since thou wishest to hear accurately about him, O king, I will tell thee all
the truth. Really, unless he shall be willing to be taken by thee of his own accord, thou
labourest in vain, and thou wilt not be able to hurt him; but if thou wishest to lay hands
on him, thou wilt be struck by him with blindness, and thou wilt be paralyzed. And if thou
send a multitude of soldiers against him, they also will be struck with blindness, and
will be paralyzed. And we shall go, even seven unclean demons, and immediately make away
with thee and thy whole camp, and destroy all the city with lightning, except those naming
that awful and holy name of Christ; for wherever a footstep of theirs has come, thence,
pursued, we flee. And even if thou shalt apply fire to him, to him the fire will be dew;
and if thou shalt shut him up in a furnace, to him the furnace will be a church;

14 and if thou shalt put him in chains in prison, and seal up the floors, the doors will
open to him of their own accord, and all who believe in that name will go in, even they,
and say, This prison is a church of the living God, and a holy habitation of those that
live alone. Behold, O king, I have told thee all the truth. The king therefore says to the
pretended soldier: Since I do not know Matthew, come with me, and point him out to me from
a distance, and take from me gold, as much as thou mayst wish, or go thyself, and with thy
sword kill him, and Plato his associate. The demon says to him: I cannot kill him. I dare
not even look into his face, seeing that he has destroyed all our generation through the
name of Christ, proclaimed through him.

15 The king says to him: And who art thou? And he says: I am the demon who dwelt in thy
wife, and in thy son, and in thy daughter-in-law; and my name is Asmodæus; and this
Matthew drove me out of them. And now, behold, thy wife, and thy son, and thy daughter-in-
law sing along with him in the church. And I know, O king, that thou also after this wilt
believe in him. The king says to him: Whoever thou art, spirit of many shapes, I adjure
thee by the God whom he whom thou callest Matthew proclaims, depart hence without doing
hurt to any one. And straightway the demon, no longer like a soldier, but like smoke,
became invisible; and as he fled he cried out: O secret name, armed against us, I pray
thee, Matthew, servant of the holy God, pardon me, and I will no longer remain in this
city. Keep thou thine own; but I go away into the fire everlasting.

16 Then the king, affected with great fear at the answer of the demon, remained quiet that
day. And the night having come, and he not being able to sleep because he was hungry,
leaped up at dawn, and went into the church, with only two soldiers without arms, to take
Matthew by craft, that he might kill him. And having summoned two friends of Matthew, he
said to them: Show to Matthew, says he, that I wish to be his disciple. And Matthew
hearing, and knowing the craft of the tyrant, and having been warned also by the vision of
the Lord to him, went forth out of the church, led by the hand by Plato, and stood in the
gate of the church. 17 And they say to the king: Behold Matthew in the gate! And he says:
Who he is, or where he is, I see not. And they said to him: Behold, he is in sight of
thee. And he says: All the while I see nobody. For he had been blinded by the power of
God. And he began to cry out: Woe to me, miserable! what evil has come upon me, for my
eyes have been blinded, and all my limbs paralyzed? O Asmodæus Beelzebul Satan! all that
thou hast said to me has come upon me. But I pray thee, Matthew, servant of God, forgive
me as the herald of the good God; for assuredly the Jesus proclaimed by thee three days
ago through the night appeared to me altogether resplendent as with lightning, like a
beautiful young man, and said to me, Since thou art entertaining evil counsels in the
wickedness of thine heart in regard to my servant Matthew, know I have disclosed to him
that through thee will be the release of his body. And straightway I saw him going up into
heaven. If therefore he is thy God, and if he wishes thy body to be buried in our city for
a testimony of the salvation of the generations after this, and for the banishing of the
demons, I shall know the truth for myself by this, by thee laying on hands upon me, and I
shall receive my sight. And the apostle having laid his hands upon his eyes, and saying
Ephphatha, Jesus, he made him receive his sight instantly.

18 And straightway the king, laying hold of the apostle, and leading him by the right
hand, brought him by craft into the palace; and Plato was on Matthew’s left hand, going
along with him, and keeping hold of him. Then Matthew says: O crafty tyrant, how long dost
thou not fulfil the works of thy father the devil? And he was enraged at what had been
said; for he perceived that he would inflict upon him a more bitter death. For he resolved
to put him to death by fire. And he commanded several executioners to come, and to lead
him away to the place by the seashore, where the execution of malefactors was wont to take
place, saying to the executioners: I hear, says he, that the God whom he proclaims
delivers from fire those who believe in him. Having laid him, therefore, on the ground on
his back, and stretched him out, pierce his hands and feet with iron nails, and cover him
over with paper, having smeared it with dolphins’ oil, and cover him up with brimstone and
asphalt and pitch, and put tow and brushwood above. Thus apply the fire to him; and if any
of the same tribe with him rise up against you, he shall get the same punishment.

19 And the apostle exhorted the brethren to remain undismayed, and that they should
rejoice, and accompany him with great meekness, singing and praising God, because they
were deemed worthy to have the relics of the apostle. Having therefore come to the place,
the executioners, like most evil wild beasts, pinned down to the ground Matthew’s hands
and feet with long nails; and having done everything as they had been bid, applied the
fire. And they indeed laboured closely, kindling it all round; but all the fire was
changed into dew, so that the brethren, rejoicing, cried out: The only God is the
Christians’, who assists Matthew, in whom also we have believed: the only God is the
Christians’, who preserves His own apostle in the fire. And by the voice the city was
shaken. And some of the executioners, having gone forth, said to the king: We indeed, O
king, by every contrivance of vengeance, have kindled the fire; but the sorcerer by a
certain name puts it out, calling upon Christ, and invoking his cross; and the Christians
surrounding him play with the fire, and walking in it with naked feet, laugh at us, and we
have fled ashamed.

20 Then he ordered a multitude to carry coals of fire from the furnace of the bath in the
palace, and the twelve gods of gold and silver; and place them, says he, in a circle round
the sorcerer, lest he may even somehow bewitch the fire from the furnace of the palace.
And there being many executioners and soldiers, some carried the coals; and others,
bearing the gods, brought them. And the king accompanied them, watching lest any of the
Christians should steal one of his gods, or bewitch the fire. And when they came near the
place where the apostle was nailed down, his face was looking towards heaven, and all his
body was covered over with the paper, and much brushwood over his body to the height of
ten cubits. And having ordered the soldiers to set the gods in a circle round Matthew,
five cubits off, securely fastened that they might not fall, again he ordered the coal to
be thrown on, and to kindle the fire at all points.

21 And Matthew, having looked up to heaven, cried out, Adonai eloi sabaoth marmari
marmunth; that is, O God the Father, O Lord Jesus Christ, deliver me, and burn down their
gods which they worship; and let the fire also pursue the king even to his palace, but not
to his destruction: for perhaps he will repent and be converted. And when he saw the fire
to be monstrous in height, the king, thinking that Matthew was burnt up, laughed aloud,
and said: Has thy magic been of any avail to thee, Matthew? Can thy Jesus now give thee
any help? And as he said this a dreadful wonder appeared; for all the fire along with the
wood went away from Matthew, and was poured round about their gods, so that nothing of the
gold or the silver was any more seen; and the king fled, and said: Woe’s me, that my gods
are destroyed by the rebuke of Matthew, of which the weight was a thousand talents of gold
and a thousand talents of silver. Better are the gods of stone and of earthenware, in that
they are neither melted nor stolen.

22 And when the fire had thus utterly destroyed their gods, and burnt up many soldiers,
there came to pass again another stranger wonder. For the fire, in the likeness of a great
and dreadful dragon, chased the tyrant as far as the palace, and ran hither and thither
round the king, not letting him go into the palace. And the king, chased by the fire, and
not allowed to go into his palace, turned back to where Matthew was, and cried out,
saying: I beseech thee, whoever thou art, O man, whether magician or sorcerer or god, or
angel of God, whom so great a pyre has not touched, remove from me this dreadful and fiery
dragon; forget the evil I have done, as also when thou madest me receive my sight. And
Matthew, having rebuked the fire, and the flames having been extinguished, and the dragon
having become invisible, stretching his eyes to heaven, and praying in Hebrew, and
commending his spirit to the Lord, said: Peace to you! And having glorified the Lord, he
went to his rest about the sixth hour.

23 Then the king, having ordered more soldiers to come, and the bed to be brought from the
palace, which had a great show of gold, he ordered the apostle to be laid on it, and
carried to the palace. And the body of the apostle was lying as if in sleep, and his robe
and his tunic unstained by the fire; and sometimes they saw him on the bed, and sometimes
following, and sometimes going before the bed, and with his right hand put upon Plato’s
head, and singing along with the multitude, so that both the king and the soldiers, with
the crowd, were struck with astonishment. And many diseased persons and demoniacs, having
only touched the bed, were made sound; and as many as were savage in appearance, in that
same hour were changed into the likeness of other men. And as the bed was going into the
palace, we all saw Matthew rising up, as it were, from the bed, and going into heaven, led
by the hand by a beautiful boy; and twelve men in shining garments came to meet him,
having never-fading and golden crowns on their head; and we saw how that child crowned
Matthew, so as to be like them, and in a flash of lightning they went away to heaven.

24 And the king stood at the gate of the palace, and ordered that no one should come in
but the soldiers carrying the bed. And having shut the doors, he ordered an iron coffin to
be made, put the body of Matthew into it, and sealed it up with lead; through the eastern
gate of the palace at midnight put it into a boat, no one knowing of it, and threw it into
the deep part of the sea. And through the whole night the brethren remained before the
gate of the palace, spending the night, and singing; and when the dawn rose there was a
voice: O bishop Plato, carry the Gospel and the Psalter of David; go along with the
multitude of the brethren to the east of the palace, and sing the Alleluia, and read the
Gospel, and bring as an offering the holy bread; and having pressed three clusters from
the vine into a cup, communicate with me, as the Lord Jesus showed us how to offer up when
He rose from the dead on the third day.

25 And the bishop having run into the church, and taken the Gospel and the Psalter of
David, and having assembled the presbyters and the multitude of the brethren, came to the
east of the palace at the hour of sunrise; and having ordered the one who was singing to
go upon a certain lofty stone, he began to praise in singing of a song to God: Precious in
the sight of God is the death of His saints. And again: I laid me down and slept; I arose:
because the Lord will sustain me. And they listened to the singing of a song of David:
Shall he that is dead not rise again? Now I shall raise him up for myself, saith the Lord.
And all shouted out the Alleluia. And the bishop read the Gospel, and all cried out: Glory
to Thee, Thou who hast been glorified in heaven and on earth. And so then they offered the
gift of the holy offering for Matthew; and having partaken for thanksgiving of the
undefiled and life-giving mysteries of Christ, they all glorified God.

26 And it was about the sixth hour, and Plato sees the sea opposite about seven furlongs
off; and, behold, Matthew was standing on the sea, and two men, one on each side, in
shining garments, and the beautiful boy in front of them. And all the brethren saw these
things, and they heard them saying Amen, Alleluia. And one could see the sea fixed like a
stone of crystal, and the beautiful boy in front of them, when out of the depth of the sea
a cross came up, and at the end of the cross the coffin going up in which was the body of
Matthew; and in the hour of the piercing on the cross, the boy placed the coffin on the
ground, behind the palace towards the east, where the bishop had offered the offering for
Matthew. 27 And the king having seen these things from the upper part of the house, and
being terror-struck, went forth from the palace, and ran and worshipped towards the east
at the coffin, and fell down before the bishop, and the presbyters, and the deacons, in
repentance and confession, saying: Truly I believe in the true God, Christ Jesus. I
entreat, give me the seal in Christ, and I will give you my palace, in testimony of
Matthew, and you shall put the coffin upon my golden bed, in the great dining-room; only,
having baptized me in it, communicate to me the Eucharist of Christ. And the bishop having
prayed, and ordered him to take off his clothes, and having examined him for a long time,
and he having confessed and wept over what he had done, having sealed him, and anointed
him with oil, put him down into the sea, in the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost.
And when he came up from the water he ordered him to put on himself splendid garments, and
so then having given praise and thanks, communicating the holy bread and mixed cup, the
bishop first gave them to the king, saying: Let this body of Christ, and this cup, His
blood shed for us, be to thee for the remission of sins unto life. And a voice was heard
from on high: Amen, amen, amen. And when he had thus communicated in fear and joy, the
apostle appeared and said: King Fulvanus, thy name shall no longer be Fulvanus;

28 but thou shalt be called Matthew. And thou, the son of the king, shall no longer be
called Fulvanus, but Matthew also; and thou Ziphagia, the wife of the king, shall be
called Sophia; and Erva, the wife of your son, shall be called Synesis. And these names of
yours shall be written in the heavens, and there shall not fail of your loins from
generation to generation. And in that same hour Matthew appointed the king a presbyter,
and he was thirty-seven years old; and the king’s son he appointed deacon, being seventeen
years old; and the king’s wife he appointed a presbyteress; and his son’s wife he
appointed a deaconess, and she also was seventeen years old. And then he thus blessed
them, saying: The blessing and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be with you to
time everlasting. 29 Then the king, having awakened out of sleep, and rejoiced with all
his house at the vision of the holy Apostle Matthew, praised God. And the king, having
gone into his palace, broke all the idols to pieces, and gave a decree to those in his
kingdom, writing thus: King Matthew, to all those under my kingdom, greeting. Christ
having appeared upon earth, and having saved the human race, the so-called gods have been
found to be deceivers, and soul-destroyers, and plotters against the human race. Whence,
divine grace having shone abroad, and come even to us, and we having come to the knowledge
of the deception of the idols, that it is vain and false, it has seemed good to our
divinity that there should not be many gods, but one, and one only, the God in the
heavens. And you, having received this our decree, keep to the purport of it, and break to
pieces and destroy every idol; and if any one shall be detected from this time forth
serving idols, or concealing them, let such an one be subjected to punishment by the
sword. Farewell all, because we also are well.

30 And when this order was given out, all, rejoicing and exulting, broke their idols to
pieces, crying out and saying: There is one only God, He who is in the heavens, who does
good to men. And after all these things had come to pass, Matthew the apostle of Christ
appeared to the bishop Plato, and said to him: Plato, servant of God, and our brother, be
it known unto thee, that after three years shall be thy rest in the Lord, and exultation
to ages of ages. And the king himself, whom after my own name I have called Matthew, shall
receive the throne of thy bishopric, and after him his son. And he, having said Peace to
thee and all the saints, went to heaven. And after three years the bishop Plato rested in
the Lord. And King Matthew succeeded him, having given up his kingdom willingly to
another, whence there was given him grace against unclean demons, and he cured every
affliction. And he advanced his son to be a presbyter, and made him second to himself.

31 And Saint Matthew finished his course in the country of the man-eaters, in the city of
Myrna, on the sixteenth of the month of November, our Lord Jesus Christ reigning, to whom
be glory and strength, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Amen.


MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS APOSTLE BARTHOLOMEW
======================================================

MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS APOSTLE BARTHOLOMEW Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

The mission of the apostle Bartholomew to India and his martyrdom.

1 Martyrdom of the Holy and Glorious Apostle Bartholomew. Historians declare that India is
divided into three parts; and the first is said to end at Ethiopia, and the second at
Media, and the third completes the country; and the one portion of it ends in the dark,
and the other in the ocean. To this India, then, the holy Bartholomew the apostle of
Christ went, and took up his quarters in the temple of Astaruth, and lived there as one of
the pilgrims and the poor. In this temple, then, there was an idol called Astaruth, which
was supposed to heal the infirm, but rather the more injured all. And the people were in
entire ignorance of the true God; and from want of knowledge, but rather from the
difficulty of going to any other, they all fled for refuge to the false god. And he
brought upon them troubles, infirmities, damage, violence, and much affliction; and when
any one sacrificed to him, the demon, retiring, appeared to give a cure to the person in
trouble; and the foolish people, seeing this, believed in him. But the demons retired, not
because they wished to cure men, but that they might the more assail them, and rather have
them altogether in their power; and thinking that they were cured bodily, those that
sacrificed to them were the more diseased in soul.

2 And it came to pass, that while the holy apostle of Christ, Bartholomew, stayed there,
Astaruth gave no response, and was not able for curing. And when the temple was full of
sick persons, who sacrificed to him daily, Astaruth could give no response; and sick
persons who had come from far countries were lying there. When, therefore, in that temple
not even one of the idols was able to give a response, and was of benefit neither to those
that sacrificed to them nor to those who were in the agonies of death on their account,
they were compelled to go to another city, where there was a temple of idols, where their
great and most eminent god was called Becher. And having there sacrificed, they demanded,
asking why their god Astaruth had not responded to them. And the demon Becher answered and
said to them: From the day and hour that the true God, who dwelleth in the heavens, sent
his apostle Bartholomew into the regions here, your god Astaruth is held fast by chains of
fire, and can no longer either speak or breathe. They said to him: And who is this
Bartholomew? He answered: He is the friend of the Almighty God, and has just come into
these parts, that he may take away all the worship of the idols in the name of his God.
And the servants of the Greeks said to him: Tell us what he is like, that we may be able
to find him.

3 And the demon answered and said: He has black hair, a shaggy head, a fair skin, large
eyes, beautiful nostrils, his ears hidden by the hair of his head, with a yellow beard, a
few grey hairs, of middle height, and neither tall nor stunted, but middling, clothed with
a white undercloak bordered with purple, and upon his shoulders a very white cloak; and
his clothes have been worn twenty-six years, but neither are they dirty, nor have they
waxed old. Seven times a day he bends the knee to the Lord, and seven times a night does
he pray to God. His voice is like the sound of a strong trumpet; there go along with him
angels of God, who allow him neither to be weary, nor to hunger, nor to thirst; his face,
and his soul, and his heart are always glad and rejoicing; he foresees everything, he
knows and speaks every tongue of every nation. And behold now, as soon as you ask me, and
I answer you about him, behold, he knows; for the angels of the Lord tell him; and if you
wish to seek him, if he is willing he will appear to you; but if he shall not be willing,
you will not be able to find him. I entreat you, therefore, if you shall find him, entreat
him not to come here, lest his angels do to me as they have done to my brother Astaruth.

4 And when the demon had said this, he held his peace. And they returned, and set to work
to look into every face of the pilgrims and poor men, and for two days they could find him
nowhere. And it came to pass, that one who was a demoniac set to work to cry out: Apostle
of the Lord, Bartholomew, thy prayers are burning me up. Then said the apostle to him:
Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And that very hour, the man who had suffered from the
demon for many years was set free. 5 And Polymius, the king of that country, happened to
be standing opposite the apostle; and he had a daughter a demoniac, that is to say, a
lunatic. And he heard about the demoniac that had been healed, and sent messengers to the
apostle, saying: My daughter is grievously torn; I implore thee, therefore, as thou hast
delivered him who suffered for many years, so also to order my daughter to be set free.
And the apostle rose up, and went with them. And he sees the king’s daughter bound with
chains, for she used to tear in pieces all her limbs; and if any one came near her, she
used to bite, and no one dared to come near her. The servants say to him: And who is it
that dares to touch her? The apostle answered them: Loose her, and let her go. They say to
him again: We have her in our power when she is bound with all our force, and dost thou
bid us loose her? The apostle says to them: Behold, I keep her enemy bound, and are you
even now afraid of her? Go and loose her; and when she has partaken of food, let her rest,
and early to-morrow bring her to me. And they went and did as the apostle had commanded
them; and thereafter the demon was not able to come near her.

6 Then the king loaded camels with gold and silver, precious stones, pearls, and clothing,
and sought to see the apostle; and having made many efforts, and not found him, he brought
everything back to his palace. 7 And it happened, when the night had passed, and the
following day was dawning, the sun having risen, the apostle appeared alone with the king
in his bed-chamber, and said to him: Why didst thou seek me yesterday the whole day with
gold and silver, and precious stones, pearls, and raiment? For these gifts those persons
long for who seek earthly things; but I seek nothing earthly, nothing carnal. Wherefore I
wish to teach thee that the Son of God deigned to be born as a man out of a virgin’s womb.
He was conceived in the womb of the virgin; He took to Himself her who was always a
virgin, having within herself Him who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that
therein is. He, born of a virgin, like mankind, took to Himself a beginning in time, He
who has a beginning neither of times nor days; but He Himself made every beginning, and
everything created, whether in things visible or invisible. And as this virgin did not
know man, so she, preserving her virginity, vowed a vow to the Lord God. And she was the
first who did so. For, from the time that man existed from the beginning of the world, no
woman made a vow of this mode of life; but she, as she was the first among women who loved
this in her heart, said, I offer to Thee, O Lord, my virginity. And, as I have said to
thee, none of mankind dared to speak this word;

8 but she being called for the salvation of many, observed this—that she might remain a
virgin through the love of God, pure and undefiled. And suddenly, when she was shut up in
her chamber, the archangel Gabriel appeared, gleaming like the sun; and when she was
terrified at the sight, the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour
in the sight of the Lord, and thou shalt conceive. And she cast off fear, and stood up,
and said, How shall this be to me, since I know not man? The angel answered her, The Holy
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee;
wherefore also that holy thing which is born of thee shall be called Son of God. Thus,
therefore, when the angel had departed from her, she escaped the temptation of the devil,
who deceived the first man when at rest. For, having tasted of the tree of disobedience,
when the woman said to him, Eat, he ate; and thus the first man was cast out of paradise,
and banished to this life. From him have been born the whole human race. Then the Son of
God having been born of the virgin, and having become perfect man, and having been
baptized, and after His baptism having fasted forty days, the tempter came and said to
Him: If thou art the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves. And He answered: Not
on bread alone shall man live, but by every word of God.

9 Thus therefore the devil, who through eating had conquered the first man, was conquered
through the fasting of the second man; and as he through want of self-restraint had
conquered the first man, the son of the virgin earth, so we shall conquer through the
fasting of the second Adam, the Son of the Virgin Mary. 10 The king says to him: And how
is it that thou saidst just now that she was the first virgin of whom was born God and
man? And the apostle answered: I give thanks to the Lord that thou hearest me gladly. The
first man, then, was called Adam; he was formed out of the earth. And the earth, his
mother out of which he was, was virgin, because it had neither been polluted by the blood
of man nor opened for the burial of any one. The earth, then, was like the virgin, in
order that he who conquered the son of the virgin earth might be conquered by the Son of
the Virgin Mary. And, behold, he did conquer; for his wicked craft, through the eating of
the tree by which man, being deceived, came forth from paradise, kept paradise shut.
Thereafter this Son of the virgin conquered all the craft of the devil. And his craft was
such, that when he saw the Son of the virgin fasting forty days, he knew in truth that He
was the true God. The true God and man, therefore, hath not given Himself out to be known,
except to those who are pure in heart, and who serve Him by good works. The devil himself,
therefore, when he saw that after the forty days He was again hungry, was deceived into
thinking that He was not God, and said to Him, Why hast thou been hungry? tell these
stones to become loaves, and eat.

11 And the Lord answered him, Listen, devil; although thou mayst lord it over man, because
he has not kept the commandment of God. I have fulfilled the righteousness of God in
having fasted, and shall destroy thy power, so that thou shalt no longer lord it over man.
And when he saw himself conquered, he again takes Jesus to an exceeding high mountain, and
shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, and says, All these will I give thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me. The Lord says to him, Get thee behind me, Satan; for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. And there was
a third temptation for the Lord; for he takes Him up to the pinnacle of the temple, and
says, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down. The Lord says to him, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God. And the devil disappeared. And he indeed that once conquered Adam,
the son of the virgin earth, was thrice conquered by Christ, the Son of the Virgin Mary.

12 And when the Lord had conquered the tyrant, He sent His apostles into all the world,
that He might redeem His people from the deception of the devil; and one of these I am, an
apostle of Christ. On this account we seek not after gold and silver, but rather despise
them, because we labour to be rich in that place where the kingdom of Him alone endureth
for ever, where neither trouble, nor grief, nor groaning, nor death, has place; where
there is eternal blessedness, and ineffable joy, and everlasting exultation, and perpetual
repose. Wherefore also the demon sitting in your temple, who makes responses to you, is
kept in chains through the angel of the Lord who has sent me. Because if thou shalt be
baptized, and wishest thyself to be enlightened, I will make thee behold Him, and learn
from how great evils thou hast been redeemed. At the same time hear also by what means he
injures all those who are lying sick in the temple. The devil himself by his own art
causes the men to be sick, and again to be healed, in order that they may the more believe
in the idols, and in order that he may have place the more in their souls, in order that
they may say to the stock and the stone, Thou art our God. But that demon who dwells in
the idol is held in subjection, conquered by me, and is able to give no response to those
who sacrifice and pray there. And if thou wishest to prove that it is so, I order him to
return into the idol, and I will make him confess with his own mouth that he is bound, and
able to give no response.

13 The king says to him: To-morrow, at the first hour of the day, the priests are ready to
sacrifice in the temple, and I shall come there, and shall be able to see this wonderful
work. And it came to pass on the following day, as they were sacrificing, the devil began
to cry out: Refrain, ye wretched ones, from sacrificing to me, lest ye suffer worse for my
sake; because I am bound in fiery chains, and kept in subjection by an angel of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, whom the Jews crucified: for, being afraid of him, they
condemned him to death. And he put to death Death himself, our king, and he bound our
prince in chains of fire; and on the third day, having conquered death and the devil, rose
in glory, and gave the sign of the cross to his apostles, and sent them out into the four
quarters of the world; and one of them is here just now, who has bound me, and keeps me in
subjection. I implore you, therefore, supplicate him on my account, that he may set me
free to go into other habitations.

14 Then the apostle answered: Confess, unclean demon, who is it that has injured all those
that are lying here from heavy diseases? The demon answered: The devil, our ruler, he who
is bound, he sends us against men, that, having first injured their bodies, we may thus
also make an assault upon their souls when they sacrifice to us. For then we have complete
power over them, when they believe in us and sacrifice to us. And when, on account of the
mischief done to them, we retire, we appear curing them, and are worshipped by them as
gods; but in truth we are demons, and the servants of him who was crucified, the Son of
the virgin, have bound us. For from that day on which the Apostle Bartholomew came I am
punished, kept bound in chains of fire. And for this reason I speak, because he has
commanded me. At the same time, I dare not utter more when the apostle is present, neither
I nor our rulers.

15 The apostle says to him: Why dost thou not save all that have come to thee? The demon
says to him: When we injure their bodies, unless we first injure their souls, we do not
let their bodies go. The apostle says to him: And how do you injure their souls? The demon
answered him: When they believe that we are gods, and sacrifice to us, God withdraws from
those who sacrifice, and we do not take away the sufferings of their bodies, but retire
into their souls. Then the apostle says to the people: Behold, the god whom you thought to
cure you, does the more mischief to your souls and bodies. Hear even now your Maker who
dwells in the heavens, and do not believe in lifeless stones and stocks. And if you wish
that I should pray for you, and that all these may receive health, take down this idol,
and break it to pieces; and when you have done this, I will sanctify this temple in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and having baptized all of you who are in it in the baptism
of the Lord, and sanctified you, I will save all.

16 Then the king gave orders, and all the people brought ropes and crowbars, and were not
at all able to take down the idol. Then the apostle says to them: Unfasten the ropes. And
when they had unfastened them, he said to the demon dwelling in it: In the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, come out of this idol, and go into a desert place, where neither winged
creature utters a cry, nor voice of man has ever been heard. And straightway he arose at
the word of the apostle, and lifted it up from its foundations; and in that same hour all
the idols that were in that place were broken to pieces. 17 Then all cried out with one
voice, saying: He alone is God Almighty whom Bartholomew the apostle proclaims. Then the
holy Bartholomew, having spread forth his hands to heaven, said: God of Abraham, God of
Isaac, God of Jacob, who for the salvation of men hast sent forth Thine only begotten Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ, in order that He might redeem by His own blood all of us enslaved
by sin, and declare us to be Thy sons, that we may know Thee, the true God, that Thou
existest always to eternity God without end: one God, the Father, acknowledged in Son and
Holy Spirit; one God, the Son, glorified in Father and Holy Spirit; one God, the Holy
Spirit, worshipped in Father and Son; and acknowledged to be truly one, the Father
unbegotten, the Son begotten, the Holy Spirit proceeding; and in Thee the Father, and in
the Holy Spirit, Thine only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ is, in whose name Thou hast
given us power to heal the sick, to cure paralytics, to expel demons, and raise the dead:
for He said to us, Verily I say unto you, that whatever ye shall ask in my name ye shall
receive. I entreat, then, that in His name all this multitude may be saved, that all may
know that Thou alone art God in heaven, and in the earth, and in the sea, who seekest the
salvation of men through that same Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom Thou livest and
reignest in unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

18 And when all responded to the Amen, suddenly there appeared an angel of the Lord,
shining brighter than the sun, winged, and other four angels holding up the four corners
of the temple; and with his finger the one sealed the temple and the people, and said:
Thus saith the Lord who hath sent me, As you have all been purified from all your
infirmity, so also this temple shall be purified from all uncleanness, and from the demons
dwelling in it, whom the apostle of God has ordered to go into a desert place; for so hath
God commanded me, that I may manifest Him to you. And when ye behold Him, fear nothing;
but when I make the sign of the cross, so also do ye with your finger seal your faces, and
these evil things will flee from you. Then he showed them the demon who dwelt in the
temple, like an Ethiopian, black as soot; his face sharp like a dog’s, thin-cheeked, with
hair down to his feet, eyes like fire, sparks coming out of his mouth; and out of his
nostrils came forth smoke like sulphur, with wings spined like a porcupine; and his hands
were bound with fiery chains, and he was firmly kept in. And the angel of the Lord said to
him: As also the apostle hath commanded, I let thee go; go where voice of man is not
heard, and be there until the great day of judgment. And when he let him go, he flew away,
groaning and weeping, and disappeared. And the angel of the Lord went up into heaven in
the sight of all.

19 Then the king, and also the queen, with their two sons, and with all his people, and
with all the multitude of the city, and every city round about, and country, and whatever
land his kingdom ruled over, were saved, and believed, and were baptized in the name of
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the king laid aside his diadem, and
followed Bartholomew the apostle of Christ. 20 And after these things the unbelievers of
the Greeks, having come together to Astreges the king, who was the elder brother of the
king who had been baptized, say to him: O king, thy brother Polymius has become disciple
to a certain magician, who has taken down our temples, and broken our gods to pieces. And
while they were thus speaking and weeping, behold, again there came also some others from
the cities round about, both priests and people; and they set about weeping and making
accusations before the king. Then King Astreges in a rage sent a thousand armed men along
with those priests, in order that, wherever they should find the apostle, they might bring
him to him bound. And when they had done so, and found him, and brought him, he says to
him: Art thou he who has perverted my brother from the gods? To whom the apostle answered:
I have not perverted him, but have converted him to God. The king says to him: Art thou he
who caused our gods to be broken in pieces? The apostle says to him: I gave power to the
demons who were in them, and they broke in pieces the dumb and senseless idols, that all
men might believe in God Almighty, who dwelleth in the heavens. The king says to him: As
thou hast made my brother deny his gods, and believe in thy God, so I also will make you
reject thy God and believe in my gods. The apostle says to him: If I have bound and kept
in subjection the god which thy brother worshipped, and at my order the idols were broken
in pieces, if thou also art able to do the same to my God, thou canst persuade me also to
sacrifice to thy gods; but if thou canst do nothing to my God, I will break all thy gods
in pieces; but do thou believe in my God.

21 And when he had thus spoken, the king was informed that this god Baldad and all the
other idols had fallen down, and were broken in pieces. Then the king rent the purple in
which he was clothed, and ordered the holy apostle Bartholomew to be beaten with rods; and
after having been thus scourged, to be beheaded. And innumerable multitudes came from all
the cities, to the number of twelve thousand, who had believed in him along with the king;
and they took up the remains of the apostle with singing of praise and with all glory, and
they laid them in the royal tomb, and glorified God. And the king Astreges having heard of
this, ordered him to be thrown into the sea; and his remains were carried into the island
of Liparis. And it came to pass on the thirtieth day after the apostle was carried away,
that the king Astreges was overpowered by a demon and miserably strangled; and all the
priests were strangled by demons, and perished on account of their rising against the
apostle, and thus died by an evil fate.

22 And there was great fear and trembling, and all came to the Lord, and were baptized by
the presbyters who had been ordained by the holy apostle Bartholomew. And according to the
commandment of the apostle, all the clergy of the people made King Polymius bishop; and in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ he received the grace of healing, and began to do signs.
And he remained in the bishopric twenty years; and having prospered in all things, and
governed the church well, and guided it in right opinions, he fell asleep in peace, and
went to the Lord: to whom be glory and strength for ever and ever. Amen.


THE ACTS OF BARNABAS
====================

THE ACTS OF BARNABAS Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

The journeys and martyrdom of Barnabas in Cyprus, told in the name of John Mark.

1 The Acts of Barnabus. The Journeyings and Martyrdom of St. Barnabas the Apostle. Since
from the descent of the presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the unwearied and benevolent
and mighty Shepherd and Teacher and Physician, I beheld and saw the ineffable and holy and
unspotted mystery of the Christians, who hold the hope in holiness, and who have been
sealed; and since I have zealously served Him, I have deemed it necessary to give account
of the mysteries which I have heard and seen. I John, accompanying the holy apostles
Barnabas and Paul, being formerly a servant of Cyrillus the high priest of Jupiter, but
now having received the gift of the Holy Spirit through Paul and Barnabas and Silas, who
were worthy of the calling, and who baptized me in Iconium. After I was baptized, then, I
saw a certain man standing clothed in white raiment; and he said to me: Be of good
courage, John, for assuredly thy name shall be changed to Mark, and thy glory shall be
proclaimed in all the world. And the darkness in thee has passed away from thee, and there
has been given to thee understanding to know the mysteries of God.

2 And when I saw the vision, becoming greatly terrified, I went to the feet of Barnabas,
and related to him the mysteries which I had seen and heard from that man. And the Apostle
Paul was not by when I disclosed the mysteries. And Barnabas said to me: Tell no one the
miracle which thou hast seen. For by me also this night the Lord stood, saying, Be of good
courage: for as thou hast given thy life for my name to death and banishment from thy
nation, thus also shalt thou be made perfect. Moreover, as for the servant who is with
you, take him also with thyself; for he has certain mysteries. Now then, my child, keep to
thyself the things which thou hast seen and heard; for a time will come for thee to reveal
them. And I, having been instructed in these things by him, remained in Iconium many days;
for there was there a holy man and a pious, who also entertained us, whose house also Paul
had sanctified. Thence, therefore, we came to Seleucia, and after staying three days
sailed away to Cyprus; and I was ministering to them until we had gone round all Cyprus.
And setting sail from Cyprus, we landed in Perga of Pamphylia. And there I then stayed
about two months, wishing to sail to the regions of the West; and the Holy Spirit did not
allow me. Turning, therefore, I again sought the apostles; and having learned that they
were in Antioch, I went to them.

3 And I found Paul in bed in Antioch from the toil of the journey, who also seeing me, was
exceedingly grieved on account of my delaying in Pamphylia. And Barnabas coming,
encouraged him, and tasted bread, and he took a little of it. And they preached the word
of the Lord, and enlightened many of the Jews and Greeks. And I only attended to them, and
was afraid of Paul to come near him, both because he held me as having spent much time in
Pamphylia, and because he was quite enraged against me. And I gave repentance on my knees
upon the earth to Paul, and he would not endure it. And when I remained for three Sabbaths
in entreaty and prayer on my knees, I was unable to prevail upon him about myself; for his
great grievance against me was on account of my keeping several parchments in Pamphylia.

4 And when it came to pass that they finished teaching in Antioch, on the first of the
week they took counsel together to set out for the places of the East, and after that to
go into Cyprus, and oversee all the churches in which they had spoken the word of God. And
Barnabas entreated Paul to go first to Cyprus, and oversee his own in his village; and
Lucius entreated him to take the oversight of his city Cyrene. And a vision was seen by
Paul in sleep, that he should hasten to Jerusalem, because the brethren expected him
there. But Barnabas urged that they should go to Cyprus, and pass the winter, and then
that they should go to Jerusalem at the feast. Great contention, therefore, arose between
them. And Barnabas urged me also to accompany them, on account of my being their servant
from the beginning, and on account of my having served them in all Cyprus until they came
to Perga of Pamphylia; and I there had remained many days. But Paul cried out against
Barnabas, saying: It is impossible for him to go with us. And those who were with us there
urged me also to accompany them, because there was a vow upon me to follow them to the
end. So that Paul said to Barnabas: If thou wilt take John who also is surnamed Mark with
thee, go another road; for he shall not come with us. And Barnabas coming to himself,
said: The grace of God does not desert him who has once served the Gospel and journeyed
with us. If, therefore, this be agreeable to thee, Father Paul, I take him and go. And he
said: Go thou in the grace of Christ, and we in the power of the Spirit.

5 Therefore, bending their knees, they prayed to God. And Paul, groaning aloud, wept, and
in like manner also Barnabas, saying to one another: It would have been good for us, as at
first, so also at last, to work in common among men; but since it has thus seemed good to
thee, Father Paul, pray for me that my labour may be made perfect to commendation: for
thou knowest how I have served thee also to the grace of Christ that has been given to
thee. For I go to Cyprus, and hasten to be made perfect; for I know that I shall no more
see thy face, O Father Paul. And falling on the ground at his feet, he wept long. And Paul
said to him: The Lord stood by me also this night, saying, Do not force Barnabas not to go
to Cyprus, for there it has been prepared for him to enlighten many; and do thou also, in
the grace that has been given to thee, go to Jerusalem to worship in the holy place, and
there it shall be shown thee where thy martyrdom has been prepared. And we saluted one
another, and Barnabas took me to himself.

6 And having come down to Laodiceia, we sought to cross to Cyprus; and having found a ship
going to Cyprus, we embarked. And when we had set sail, the wind was found to be contrary.
And we came to Corasium; and having gone down to the shore where there was a fountain, we
rested there, showing ourselves to no one, that no one might know that Barnabas had
separated from Paul. And having set sail from Corasium, we came to the regions of Isauria,
and thence came to a certain island called Pityusa; and a storm having come on, we
remained there three days; and a certain pious man entertained us, by name Euphemus, whom
also Barnabas instructed in many things in the faith, with all his house. 7 And thence we
sailed past the Aconesiæ, and came to the city of Anemurium; and having gone into it, we
found two Greeks. And coming to us, they asked whence and who we were. And Barnabas said
to them: If you wish to know whence and who we are, throw away the clothing which you
have, and I shall put on you clothing which never becomes soiled; for neither is there in
it anything filthy, but it is altogether splendid. And being astonished at the saying,
they asked us: What is that garment which you are going to give us? And Barnabas said to
them: If you shall confess your sins, and submit yourselves to our Lord Jesus Christ, you
shall receive that garment which is incorruptible for ever. And being pricked at heart by
the Holy Spirit, they fell at his feet, entreating and saying: We beseech thee, father,
give us that garment; for we believe in the living and true God whom thou proclaimest. And
leading them down to the fountain, he baptized them into the name of Father, and Son, and
Holy Ghost. And they knew that they were clothed with power, and a holy robe. And having
taken from me one robe, he put it on the one; and his own robe he put on the other. And
they brought money to him, and straightway Barnabas distributed it to the poor. And from
them also the sailors were able to gain many things.

8 And they having come down to the shore, he spoke to them the word of God; and he having
blessed them, we saluted them, and went on board the ship. And the one of them who was
named Stephanus wished to accompany us, and Barnabas did not permit him. And we, having
gone across, sailed down to Cyprus by night; and having come to the place called
Crommyacita, we found Timon and Ariston the temple servants, at whose house also we were
entertained. And Timon was afflicted by much fever. And having laid our hands upon him, we
straightway removed his fever, having called upon the name of the Lord Jesus. And Barnabas
had received documents from Matthew, a book of the word of God, and a narrative of
miracles and doctrines. This Barnabas laid upon the sick in each place that we came to,
and it immediately made a cure of their sufferings.

9 And when we had come to Lapithus, and an idol festival being celebrated in the theatre,
they did not allow us to go into the city, but we rested a little at the gate. And Timon,
after he rose up from his disease, came with us. And having gone forth from Lapithus, we
travelled through the mountains, and came to the city of Lampadistus, of which also Timon
was a native; in addition to whom, having found also that Heracleius was there, we were
entertained by him. He was of the city of Tamasus, and had come to visit his relations;
and Barnabas, looking stedfastly at him, recognised him, having met with him formerly at
Citium with Paul; to whom also the Holy Spirit was given at baptism, and he changed his
name to Heracleides. And having ordained him bishop over Cyprus, and having confirmed the
church in Tamasus, we left him in the house of his brethren that dwelt there.

10 And having crossed the mountain called Chionodes, we came to Old Paphos, and there
found Rhodon, a temple servant, who also, having himself believed, accompanied us. And we
met a certain Jew, by name Barjesus, coming from Paphos, who also recognised Barnabas, as
having been formerly with Paul. He did not wish us to go into Paphos; but having turned
away, we came to Curium. And we found that a certain abominable race was being performed
in the road near the city, where a multitude of women and men naked were performing the
race. And there was great deception and error in that place. And Barnabas turning, rebuked
it; and the western part fell, so that many were wounded, and many of them also died and
the rest fled to the temple of Apollo, which was close at hand in the city, which was
called sacred. And when we came near the temple, a great multitude of Jews who were there,
having been put up to it by Barjesus, stood outside of the city, and did not allow us to
go into the city; but we spent the evening under a tree near the city, and rested there.

11 And on the following day, we came to a certain village where Aristoclianus dwelt. He
being a leper, had been cleansed in Antioch, whom also Paul and Barnabas sealed to be a
bishop, and sent to his village in Cyprus, because there were many Greeks there. And we
were entertained in the cave by him in the mountain, and there we remained one day. And
thence we came to Amathus and there was a great multitude of Greeks in the temple in the
mountain, low women and men pouring libations. There also Barjesus, getting the start of
us, gained over the nation of the Jews, and did not allow us to enter into the city; but a
certain widow woman, eighty years old, being outside of the city, and she also not
worshipping the idols, coming forward to us, took us into her house one hour. And when we
came out we shook the dust off our feet over against that temple where the libation of the
abominable took place.

12 And having gone out thence, we came through desert places, and Timon also accompanied
us. And having come to Citium, and there being a great uproar there also in their
hippodrome, having learned this, we came forth out of the city, having all shaken the dust
off our feet; for no one received us, except that we rested one hour in the gate near the
aqueduct. And having set sail in a ship from Citium, we came to Salamis, and landed in the
so-called islands, where there was a place full of idols; and there there took place high
festivals and libations. And having found Heracleides there again, we instructed him to
proclaim the Gospel of God, and to set up churches, and ministers in them. And having gone
into Salamis, we came to the synagogue near the place called Biblia; and when we had gone
into it, Barnabas, having unrolled the Gospel which he had received from Matthew his
fellow-labourer, began to teach the Jews.

13 And Barjesus, having arrived after two days, after not a few Jews had been instructed,
was enraged, and brought together all the multitude of the Jews; and they having laid hold
of Barnabas, wished to hand him over to Hypatius, the governor of Salamis. And having
bound him to take him away to the governor, and a pious Jebusite, a kinsman of Nero,
having come to Cyprus, the Jews, learning this, took Barnabas by night, and bound him with
a rope by the neck; and having dragged him to the hippodrome from the synagogue, and
having gone out of the city, standing round him, they burned him with fire, so that even
his bones became dust. And straightway that night, having taken his dust, they cast it
into a cloth; and having secured it with lead, they intended to throw it into the sea. But
I, finding an opportunity in the night, and being able along with Timon and Rhodon to
carry it. we came to a certain place, and having found a cave, put it down there, where
the nation of the Jebusites formerly dwelt. And having found a secret place in it, we put
it away, with the documents which he had received from Matthew. And it was the fourth hour
of the night of the second of the week.

14 And when we were hid in the place, the Jews made no little search after us; and having
almost found us, they pursued us as far as the village of the Ledrians; and we, having
found there also a cave near the village, took refuge in it, and thus escaped them. And we
were hid in the cave three days; and the Jews having gone away, we came forth and left the
place by night. And taking with us Ariston and Rhodon, we came to the village of Limnes.
And having come to the shore, we found an Egyptian ship; and having embarked in it, we
landed at Alexandria. And there I remained, teaching the brethren that came the word of
the Lord, enlightening them, and preaching what I had been taught by the apostles of
Christ, who also baptized me into the name of Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; who also
changed my name to Mark in the water of baptism, by which also I hope to bring many to the
glory of God through His grace; because to Him is due honour and everlasting glory. Amen.

15 The journeyings and martyrdom of the holy apostle Barnabas have been fulfilled through
God.


ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLE THADDAEUS
==================================

ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLE THADDAEUS Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

The legend of the apostle Thaddaeus (Lebbaeus), who came from Edessa, and of his mission
after the ascension.

1 Acts of the Holy Apostle Thaddæus, One of the Twelve. Lebbæus, who also is Thaddæus, was
of the city of Edessa—and it is the metropolis of Osroene, in the interior of the
Armenosyrians—an Hebrew by race, accomplished and most learned in the divine writings. He
came to Jerusalem to worship in the days of John the Baptist; and having heard his
preaching and seen his angelic life, he was baptized, and his name was called Thaddæus.
And having seen the appearing of Christ, and His teaching, and His wonderful works, he
followed Him, and became His disciple; and He chose him as one of the twelve, the tenth
apostle according to the Evangelists Matthew and Mark. In those times there was a governor
of the city of Edessa, Abgarus by name. And there having gone abroad the fame of Christ,
of the wonders which He did, and of His teaching, Abgarus having heard of it, was
astonished, and desired to see Christ, and could not leave his city and government. And
about the days of the Passion and the plots of the Jews, Abgarus, being seized by an
incurable disease, sent a letter to Christ by Ananias the courier, to the following
effect:—To Jesus called Christ, Abgarus the governor of the country of the Edessenes, an
unworthy slave. The multitude of the wonders done by thee has been heard of by me, that
thou healest the blind, the lame, and the paralytic, and curest all the demoniacs; and on
this account I entreat thy goodness to come even to us, and escape from the plottings of
the wicked Jews, which through envy they set in motion against thee. My city is small, but
large enough for both. Abgarus enjoined Ananias to take accurate account of Christ, of
what appearance He was, and His stature, and His hair, and in a word everything.

2 And Ananias, having gone and given the letter, was carefully looking at Christ, but was
unable to fix Him in his mind. And He knew as knowing the heart, and asked to wash
Himself; and a towel was given Him; and when He had washed Himself, He wiped His face with
it. And His image having been imprinted upon the linen, He gave it to Ananias, saying:
Give this, and take back this message, to him that sent thee: Peace to thee and thy city!
For because of this I am come, to suffer for the world, and to rise again, and to raise up
the forefathers. And after I have been taken up into the heavens I shall send thee my
disciple Thaddæus, who shall enlighten thee, and guide thee into all the truth, both thee
and thy city. And having received Ananias, and fallen down and adored the likeness,
Abgarus was cured of his disease before Thaddæus came.

3 And after the passion, and the resurrection, and the ascension, Thaddæus went to
Abgarus; and having found him in health, he gave him an account of the incarnation of
Christ, and baptized him, with all his house. And having instructed great multitudes, both
of Hebrews and Greeks, Syrians and Armenians, he baptized them in the name of the Father,
and Son, and Holy Spirit, having anointed them with the holy perfume; and he communicated
to them of the undefiled mysteries of the sacred body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and delivered to them to keep and observe the law of Moses, and to give close heed to the
things that had been said by the apostles in Jerusalem. For year by year they came
together to the passover, and again he imparted to them the Holy Spirit. And Thaddæus
along with Abgarus destroyed idol-temples and built churches; ordained as bishop one of
his disciples, and presbyters, and deacons, and gave them the rule of the psalmody and the
holy liturgy. And having left them, he went to the city of Amis, great metropolis of the
Mesechaldeans and Syrians, that is, of Mesopotamia-Syria, beside the river Tigris. And he
having gone into the synagogue of the Jews along with his disciples on the Sabbath-day,
after the reading of the law the high priest said to Thaddæus and his disciples: Men,
whence are you? and why are you here?

4 And Thaddæus said: No doubt you have heard of what has taken place in Jerusalem about
Jesus Christ, and we are His disciples, and witnesses of the wonderful things which He did
and taught, and how through hatred the chief priests delivered Him to Pilate the
procurator of Judæa. And Pilate, having examined Him and found no case, wished to let Him
go; but they cried out, If thou let him go, thou art not Cæsar’s friend, because he
proclaims himself king. And he being afraid, washed his hands in the sight of the
multitude, and said, I am innocent of the blood of this man; see ye to it. And the chief
priests answered and said, His blood be upon us and our children. And Pilate gave him up
to them. And they took Him, and spit upon Him, with the soldiers, and made a great mock of
Him, and crucified Him, and laid Him in the tomb, and secured it well, having also set
guards upon Him. And on the third day before dawn He rose, leaving His burial-clothes in
the tomb. And He was seen first by His mother and other women, and by Peter and John first
of my fellow disciples, and thereafter to us the twelve, who ate and drank with Him after
His resurrection for many days. And He sent us in His name to proclaim repentance and
remission of sins to all the nations, that those who were baptized, having had the kingdom
of the heavens preached to them, would rise up incorruptible at the end of this age; and
He gave us power to expel demons, and heal every disease and every malady, and raise the
dead.

5 And the multitudes having heard this, brought together their sick and demoniacs. And
Thaddæus, having gone forth along with his disciples, laid his hand upon each one of them,
and healed them all by calling upon the name of Christ. And the demoniacs were healed
before Thaddæus came near them, the spirits going out of them. And for many days the
people ran together from different places, and beheld what was done by Thaddæus. And
hearing his teaching, many believed, and were baptized, confessing their sins. Having
therefore remained with them for five years, he built a church; and having appointed as
bishop one of his disciples, and presbyters, and deacons, and prayed for them, he went
away, going round the cities of Syria, and teaching, and healing all the sick; whence he
brought many cities and countries to Christ through His teaching. Teaching, therefore, and
evangelizing along with the disciples, and healing the sick, he went to Berytus, a city of
Phœnicia by the sea; and there, having taught and enlightened many, he fell asleep on the
twenty-first of the month of August. And the disciples having come together, buried him
with great honour; and many sick were healed, and they gave glory to the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen.


ACTS OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN: HIS EXILE AND DEPARTURE
====================================================

ACTS OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN: HIS EXILE AND DEPARTURE Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

A Greek legend of the exile and the departure of John the apostle and evangelist.

1 Acts of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. About His Exile and
Departure. When Agrippa, whom, on account of his plotting against Peace, they stoned and
put to death, was king of the Jews, Vespasian Cæsar, coming with a great army, invested
Jerusalem; and some prisoners of war he took and slew, others he destroyed by famine in
the siege, and most he banished, and at length scattered up and down. And having destroyed
the temple, and put the holy vessels on board a ship, he sent them to Rome, to make for
himself a temple of peace, and adorned it with the spoils of war. And when Vespasian was
dead, his son Domitian, having got possession of the kingdom, along with his other
wrongful acts, set himself also to make a persecution against the righteous men. For,
having learned that the city was filled with Jews, remembering the orders given by his
father about them, he purposed casting them all out of the city of the Romans. And some of
the Jews took courage, and gave Domitian a book, in which was written as follows:—

2 O Domitian, Cæsar and king of all the world, as many of us as are Jews entreat thee, as
suppliants we beseech of thy power not to banish us from thy divine and benignant
countenance; for we are obedient to thee, and the customs, and laws, and practices, and
policy, doing wrong in nothing, but being of the same mind with the Romans. But there is a
new and strange nation, neither agreeing with other nations nor consenting to the
religious observances of the Jews, uncircumcised, inhuman, lawless, subverting whole
houses, proclaiming a man as God, all assembling together under a strange name, that of
Christian. These men reject God, paying no heed to the law given by Him, and proclaim to
be the Son of God a man born of ourselves, Jesus by name, whose parents and brothers and
all his family have been connected with the Hebrews; whom on account of his great
blasphemy and his wicked fooleries we gave up to the cross. And they add another
blasphemous lie to their first one: him that was nailed up and buried, they glorify as
having risen from the dead; and, more than this, they falsely assert that he has been
taken up by clouds into the heavens.

3 At all this the king, being affected with rage, ordered the senate to publish a decree
that they should put to death all who confessed themselves to be Christians. Those, then,
who were found in the time of his rage, and who reaped the fruit of patience, and were
crowned in the triumphant contest against the works of the devil, received the repose of
incorruption. And the fame of the teaching of John was spread abroad in Rome; and it came
to the ears of Domitian that there was a certain Hebrew in Ephesus, John by name, who
spread a report about the seat of empire of the Romans, saying that it would quickly be
rooted out, and that the kingdom of the Romans would be given over to another. And
Domitian, troubled by what was said, sent a centurion with soldiers to seize John, and
bring him. And having gone to Ephesus, they asked where John lived. And having come up to
his gate, they found him standing before the door; and, thinking that he was the porter,
they inquired of him where John lived. And he answered and said: I am he. And they,
despising his common, and low, and poor appearance, were filled with threats, and said:
Tell us the truth. And when he declared again that he was the man they sought, the
neighbours moreover bearing witness to it, they said that he was to go with them at once
to the king in Rome. And, urging them to take provisions for the journey, he turned and
took a few dates, and straightway went forth.

4 And the soldiers, having taken the public conveyances, travelled fast, having seated him
in the midst of them. And when they came to the first change, it being the hour of
breakfast, they entreated him to be of good courage, and to take bread, and eat with them.
And John said: I rejoice in soul indeed, but in the meantime I do not wish to take any
food. And they started, and were carried along quickly. And when it was evening they
stopped at a certain inn; and as, besides, it was the hour of supper, the centurion and
the soldiers being most kindly disposed, entreated John to make use of what was set before
them. But he said that he was very tired, and in want of sleep more than any food. And as
he did this each day, all the soldiers were struck with amazement, and were afraid lest
John should die, and involve them in danger. But the Holy Spirit showed him to them as
more cheerful. And on the seventh day, it being the Lord’s day, he said to them: Now it is
time for me also to partake of food. And having washed his hands and face, he prayed, and
brought out the linen cloth, and took one of the dates, and ate it in the sight of all.

5 And when they had ridden a long time they came to the end of their journey, John thus
fasting. And they brought him before the king, and said: Worshipful king, we bring to thee
John, a god, not a man; for, from the hour in which we apprehended him, to the present, he
has not tasted bread. At this Domitian being amazed, stretched out his mouth on account of
the wonder, wishing to salute him with a kiss; but John bent down his head, and kissed his
breast. And Domitian said: Why hast thou done this? Didst thou not think me worthy to kiss
thee? And John said to him: It is right to adore the hand of God first of all, and in this
way to kiss the mouth of the king; for it is written in the holy books, The heart of a
king is in the hand of God.

6 And the king said to him: Art thou John, who said that my kingdom would speedily be
uprooted, and that another king, Jesus, was going to reign instead of me? And John
answered and said to him: Thou also shalt reign for many years given thee by God, and
after thee very many others; and when the times of the things upon earth have been
fulfilled, out of heaven shall come a King, eternal, true, Judge of living and dead, to
whom every nation and tribe shall confess, through whom every earthly power and dominion
shall be brought to nothing, and every mouth speaking great things shall be shut. This is
the mighty Lord and King of everything that hath breath and flesh, the Word and Son of the
living One, who is Jesus Christ. 7 At this Domitian said to him: What is the proof of
these things? I am not persuaded by words only; words are a sight of the unseen. What
canst thou show in earth or heaven by the power of him who is destined to reign, as thou
sayest? For he will do it, if he is the Son of God. And immediately John asked for a
deadly poison. And the king having ordered poison to be given to him, they brought it on
the instant. John therefore, having taken it, put it into a large cup, and filled it with
water, and mixed it, and cried out with a loud voice, and said: In Thy name, Jesus Christ,
Son of God, I drink the cup which Thou wilt sweeten; and the poison in it do Thou mingle
with Thy Holy Spirit, and make it become a draught of life and salvation, for the healing
of soul and body, for digestion and harmless assimilation, for faith not to be repented
of, for an undeniable testimony of death as the cup of thanksgiving. And when he had drunk
the cup, those standing beside Domitian expected that he was going to fall to the ground
in convulsions. And when John stood, cheerful, and talked with them safe, Domitian was
enraged against those who had given the poison, as having spared John. But they swore by
the fortune and health of the king, and said that there could not be a stronger poison
than this.

8 And John, understanding what they were whispering to one another, said to the king: Do
not take it ill, O king, but let a trial be made, and thou shalt learn the power of the
poison. Make some condemned criminal be brought from the prison. And when he had come,
John put water into the cup, and swirled it round, and gave it with all the dregs to the
condemned criminal. And he, having taken it and drunk, immediately fell down and died. 9
And when all wondered at the signs that had been done, and when Domitian had retired and
gone to his palace, John said to him: O Domitian, king of the Romans, didst thou contrive
this, that, thou being present and bearing witness, I might to-day become a murderer? What
is to be done about the dead body which is lying? And he ordered it to be taken and thrown
away. But John, going up to the dead body, said: O God, Maker of the heavens, Lord and
Master of angels, of glories, of powers, in the name of Jesus Christ, Thine only begotten
Son, give to this man who has died for this occasion a renewal of life, and restore him
his soul, that Domitian may learn that the Word is much more powerful than poison, and is
the ruler of life. And having taken him by the hand, he raised him up alive.

10 And when all were glorifying God, and wondering at the faith of John, Domitian said to
him: I have put forth a decree of the senate, that all such persons should be summarily
dealt with, without trial; but since I find from thee that they are innocent, and that
their religion is rather beneficial, I banish thee to an island, that I may not seem
myself to do away with my own decrees. He asked then that the condemned criminal should be
let go; and when he was let go, John said: Depart, give thanks to God, who has this day
delivered thee from prison and from death. And while they were standing, a certain home-
born slave of Domitian’s, of those in the bed-chamber, was suddenly seized by the unclean
demon, and lay dead; and word was brought to the king. And the king was moved, and
entreated John to help her. And John said: It is not in man to do this; but since thou
knowest how to reign, but dost not know from whom thou hast received it, learn who has the
power over both thee and thy kingdom. And he prayed thus: O Lord, the God of every
kingdom, and master of every creature, give to this maiden the breath of life. And having
prayed, he raised her up. And Domitian, astonished at all the wonders, sent him away to an
island, appointing for him a set time.

11 And straightway John sailed to Patmos, where also he was deemed worthy to see the
revelation of the end. And when Domitian was dead, Nerva succeeded to the kingdom, and
recalled all who had been banished; and having kept the kingdom for a year, he made Trajan
his successor in the kingdom. And when he was king over the Romans, John went to Ephesus,
and regulated all the teaching of the church, holding many conferences, and reminding them
of what the Lord had said to them, and what duty he had assigned to each. And when he was
old and changed, he ordered Polycarp to be bishop over the church. 12 And what like his
end was, or his departure from men, who cannot give an account of? For on the following
day, which was the Lord’s day, and in the presence of the brethren, he began to say to
them: Brethren, and fellow-servants, and co-heirs, and copartners of the kingdom of the
Lord, know the Lord what miracles He hath shown you through me, what wonders, what cures,
what signs, what gracious gifts, teachings, rulings, rests, services, glories, graces,
gifts, faiths, communions; how many things you have seen with your eyes, that ear hath not
heard. Be strong, therefore, in Him, remembering Him in all your doings, knowing the
mystery of the dispensation that has come to men, for the sake of which the Lord has
worked. He then, through me, exhorts you: Brethren, I wish to remain without grief,
without insult, without treachery, without punishment. For He also knows insult from you,
He knows also dishonour, He knows also treachery, He knows also punishment from those that
disobey His commandments. Let not therefore our God be grieved, the good, the
compassionate, the merciful, the holy, the pure, the undefiled, the only, the one, the
immutable, the sincere, the guileless, the slow to anger, He that is higher and more
exalted than every name that we speak or think of—our God, Jesus Christ. Let Him rejoice
along with us because we conduct ourselves well; let Him be glad because we live in
purity; let Him rest because we behave reverently; let Him be pleased because we live in
fellowship;

13 let Him smile because we are sober-minded; let Him be delighted because we love. These
things, brethren, I communicate to you, pressing on to the work set before me, already
perfected for me by the Lord. For what else have I to say to you? Keep the sureties of
your God; keep His presence, that shall not be taken away from you. And if then ye sin no
more, He will forgive you what ye have done in ignorance; but if, after ye have known Him,
and He has had compassion upon you, you return to the like courses, even your former
offences will be laid to your charge, and ye shall have no portion or compassion before
His face. 14 And when he had said this to them, he thus prayed: Jesus, who didst wreathe
this crown by Thy twining, who hast inserted these many flowers into the everlasting
flower of Thy countenance, who hast sown these words among them, be Thou Thyself the
protector and healer of Thy people. Thou alone art benignant and not haughty, alone
merciful and kind, alone a Saviour, and just; Thou who always seest what belongs to all,
and art in all, and everywhere present, God Lord Jesus Christ; who with Thy gifts and Thy
compassion coverest those that hope in Thee; who knowest intimately those that everywhere
speak against us, and blaspheme Thy holy name, do Thou alone, O Lord, help Thy servants
with Thy watchful care. So be it, Lord. And having asked bread, he gave thanks thus,
saying: What praise, or what sort of offering, or what thanksgiving, shall we, breaking
the bread, invoke, but Thee only? We glorify the name by which Thou hast been called by
the Father; we glorify the name by which Thou hast been called through the Son; we glorify
the resurrection which has been manifested to us through Thee; of Thee we glorify the
seed, the word, the grace, the true pearl, the treasure, the plough, the net, the majesty,
the diadem, Him called Son of man for our sakes, the truth, the rest, the knowledge, the
freedom, the place of refuge in Thee. For Thou alone art Lord, the root of immortality,
and the fountain of incorruption, and the seat of the ages; Thou who hast been called all
these for our sakes, that now we, calling upon Thee through these, may recognise Thine
illimitable majesty, presented to us by Thy presence, that can be seen only by the pure,
seen in Thine only Son.

15 And having broken the bread, he gave it to us, praying for each of the brethren, that
he might be worthy of the Eucharist of the Lord. He also therefore, having likewise tasted
it, said: To me also let there be a portion with you, and peace, O beloved. And having
thus spoken, and confirmed the brethren, he said to Eutyches, also named Verus: Behold, I
appoint thee a minister of the Church of Christ, and I entrust to thee the flock of
Christ. Be mindful, therefore, of the commandments of the Lord; and if thou shouldst fall
into trials or dangers, be not afraid: for thou shalt fall under many troubles, and thou
shalt be shown to be an eminent witness of the Lord. Thus, then, Verus, attend to the
flock as a servant of God, until the time appointed for thy testimony. And when John had
spoken this, and more than this, having entrusted to him the flock of Christ, he says to
him: Take some brethren, with baskets and vessels, and follow me. And Eutyches, without
considering, did what he was bid. And the blessed John having gone forth from the house,
went outside of the gates, having told the multitude to stand off from him. And having
come to the tomb of one of our brethren, he told them to dig. And they dug. And he says:
Let the trench be deeper. And as they dug, he conversed with those who had come out of the
house with him, building them up, and furnishing them thoroughly into the majesty of the
Lord. And when the young men had finished the trench, as he had wished, while we knew
nothing, he takes off the clothes he had on, and throws them, as if they were some
bedding, into the depth of the trench; and, standing in only his drawers, stretched forth
his hands, and prayed.

16 O God, who hast chosen us for the mission of the Gentiles, who hast sent us out into
the world, who hast declared Thyself through the apostles; who hast never rested, but
always savest from the foundation of the world; who hast made Thyself known through all
nature; who hast made our wild and savage nature quiet and peaceable; who hast given
Thyself to it when thirsting after knowledge; who hast put to death its adversary, when it
took refuge in Thee; who hast given it Thy hand, and raised it from the things done in
Hades; who hast shown it its own enemy; who hast in purity turned its thoughts upon Thee,
O Christ Jesus, Lord of things in heaven, and law of things on earth, the course of things
aerial, and guardian of things etherial, the fear of those under the earth, and grace of
Thine own people, receive also the soul of Thy John, which has been certainly deemed
worthy by Thee, Thou who hast preserved me also till the present hour pure to Thyself, and
free from intercourse with woman; who, when I wished in my youth to marry, didst appear to
me, and say, I am in need of thee, John; who didst strengthen for me beforehand my bodily
weakness; who, when a third time I wished to marry, didst say to me at the third hour, in
the sea, John, if thou wert not mine, I would let thee marry;

17 who hast opened up the sight of my mind, and hast favoured my bodily eyes; who, when I
was looking about me, didst call even the gazing upon a woman hateful; who didst deliver
me from temporary show, and preserve me for that which endureth for ever; who didst
separate me from the filthy madness of the flesh; who didst stop up the secret disease of
the soul, and cut out its open actions; who didst afflict and banish him who rebelled in
me; who didst establish my love to Thee spotless and unimpaired; who didst give me
undoubting faith in Thee; who hast drawn out for me pure thoughts towards Thee; who hast
given me the due reward of my works; who hast set it in my soul to have no other
possession than Thee alone: for what is more precious than Thou? Now, O Lord, when I have
accomplished Thy stewardship with which I was entrusted, make me worthy of Thy repose,
having wrought that which is perfect in Thee, which is ineffable salvation.

18 And as I go to Thee, let the fire withdraw, let darkness be overcome, let the furnace
be slackened, let Gehenna be extinguished, let the angels follow, let the demons be
afraid, let the princes be broken in pieces, let the powers of darkness fall, let the
places on the right hand stand firm, let those on the left abide not, let the devil be
muzzled, let Satan be laughed to scorn, let his madness be tamed, let his wrath be broken,
let his children be trodden under foot, and let all his root be uprooted; and grant to me
to accomplish the journey to Thee, not insulted, not despitefully treated, and to receive
what Thou hast promised to those that live in purity, and that have loved a holy life. 19
And gazing towards heaven, he glorified God; and having sealed himself altogether, he
stood and said to us, Peace and grace be with you, brethren! and sent the brethren away.
And when they went on the morrow they did not find him, but his sandals, and a fountain
welling up. And after that they remembered what had been said to Peter by the Lord about
him: For what does it concern thee if I should wish him to remain until I come? And they
glorified God for the miracle that had happened. And having thus believed, they retired
praising and blessing the benignant God; because to Him is due glory now and ever, and to
ages of ages. Amen.


CONSUMMATION OF THOMAS THE APOSTLE
==================================

CONSUMMATION OF THOMAS THE APOSTLE Translated by Alexander Walker

2nd–7th century

The end of Thomas’s mission in India: he is thrown into prison by King Misdeus and put to
death.

1 Consummation of Thomas the Apostle. At the command of King Misdeus the blessed Apostle
Thomas was cast into prison; and he said: I glorify God, and I shall preach the word to
the prisoners, so that all rejoiced at his presence. When, therefore, Juzanes the king’s
son, and Tertia his mother, and Mygdonia, and Markia, had become believers, but were not
yet thought worthy of baptism, they took it exceedingly ill that the blessed one had been
shut up. And having come to the prison, and given much money to the jailor, they went in
to him. And he, seeing them, was glad, and glorified the Lord, and blessed them. And they
entreated and begged the seal in the Lord, a beautiful young man having appeared to them
in a dream, and ordered the apostle into the house of Juzanes. And again the beautiful
young man coming to them and Thomas, bade them do this on the coming night. And he ran
before them, and gave them light on the way, and without noise opened the doors that had
been secured, until all the mystery was completed. And having made them communicate in the
Eucharist, and having talked much with them, and confirmed them in the faith, and
commended them to the Lord, he went forth thence, leaving the women, and again went to be
shut up. And they grieved and wept because Misdeus the king was to kill him.

2 And Thomas went and found the jailors fighting, and saying: What wrong have we done to
that sorcerer, that, availing himself of his magic art, he has opened the doors of the
prison, and wishes to set all the prisoners free? But let us go and let the king know
about his wife and his son. And when he came they stripped him, and girded him with a
girdle; and thus they stood before the king. And Misdeus said to him: Art thou a slave, or
a freeman? And Thomas answered and said to him: I am not a slave, and thou hast no power
against me at all. And how, said Misdeus, hast thou run away and come to this country? And
Thomas said: I came here that I might save many, and that I might by thy hands depart from
this body. Misdeus says to him: Who is thy master? and what is his name? and of what
country, and of whom is he? My Lord, says Thomas, is my Master and thine, being the Lord
of heaven and earth. And Misdeus said: What is he called? And Thomas said: Thou canst not
know His true name at this time; but I tell thee the name that has been given Him for a
season—Jesus the Christ. And Misdeus said: I have not been in a hurry to destroy thee, but
have restrained myself; but thou hast made a display of works, so that thy sorceries have
been heard of in all the country. But now this will I do, that thy sorceries may also
perish with thee, that our nation may be purified from them. And Thomas said: Dost thou
call these things which will follow me sorceries? They shall never be removed from the
people here.

3 And while these things were saying, Misdeus was considering in what manner he should put
him to death; for he was afraid of the multitude standing round, many, even some of the
chief men, having believed in him. And he arose, and took Thomas outside of the city; and
a few soldiers accompanied him with their arms. And the rest of the multitude thought that
the king was wishing to learn something from him; and they stood and observed him closely.
And when they had gone forth three stadia, he delivered him to four soldiers, and to one
of the chief officers, and ordered them to take him up into the mountain and spear him;
but he himself returned to the city. And those present ran to Thomas, eager to rescue him;
but he was led away by the soldiers who were with him. For there were two on each side
having hold of him, because of sorcery. And the chief officer held him by the hand, and
led him with honour. And at the same time the blessed apostle said: O the hidden mysteries
of Thee, O Lord! for even to the close of life is fulfilled in us the riches of Thy grace,
which does not allow us to be without feeling as to the body. For, behold, four have laid
hold of me, and one leads me, since I belong to One, to whom I am going always invisibly.
But now I learn that my Lord also, since He was a stranger, to whom I am going, who also
is always present with me invisibly, was struck by one; but I am struck by four.

4 And when they came to that place where they were to spear him, Thomas spoke thus to
those spearing him: Hear me now, at least, when I am departing from my body; and let not
your eyes be darkened in understanding, nor your ears shut up so as not to hear those
things in which you have believed the God whom I preach, after being delivered in your
souls from rashness; and behave in a manner becoming those who are free, being void of
human glory, and live the life towards God. And he said to Juzanes: Son of an earthly
king, but servant of Jesus Christ, give what is due to those who are to fulfil the command
of Misdeus, in order that I may go apart from them and pray. And Juzanes having paid the
soldiers, the apostle betook himself to prayer; and it was as follows:— My Lord, and my
God, and hope, and leader, and guide in all countries, I follow Thee along with all that
serve Thee, and do Thou guide me this day on my way to Thee. Let no one take my soul,
which Thou hast given to me. Let not publicans and beggars look upon me, nor let serpents
slander me, and let not the children of the dragon hiss at me. Behold, I have fulfilled
Thy work, and accomplished what Thou gavest me to do. I have become a slave, that I might
receive freedom from Thee; do then give it to me, and make me perfect. And this I say not
wavering, but that they may hear who need to hear. I glorify Thee in all, Lord and Master;
for to Thee is due glory for ever. Amen.

5 And when he had prayed, he said to the soldiers: Come and finish the work of him that
sent you. And the four struck him at once, and killed him. And all the brethren wept, and
wrapped him up in beautiful shawls, and many linen cloths, and laid him in the tomb in
which of old the kings used to be buried. And Syphor and Juzanes did not go to the city,
but spent the whole day there, and waited during the night. And Thomas appeared to them,
and said: I am not there; why do you sit watching? for I have gone up, and received the
things I hoped for; but rise up and walk, and after no long time you shall be brought
beside me. And Misdeus and Charisius greatly afflicted Tertia and Mygdonia, but did not
persuade them to abandon their opinions. And Thomas appeared, and said to them: Forget not
the former things, for the holy and sanctifying Jesus Himself will aid you. And Misdeus
and Charisius, when they could not persuade them not to be of this opinion, granted them
their own will. And all the brethren assembled together, for the blessed one had made
Syphorus a presbyter in the mountain, and Juzanius a deacon, when he was led away to die.
And the Lord helped them, and increased the faith by means of them.

6 And after a long time, it happened that one of the sons of Misdeus was a demoniac; and
the demon being stubborn, no one was able to heal him. And Misdeus considered, and said: I
shall go and open the tomb, and take a bone of the apostle’s body, and touch my son with
it, and I know that he will be healed. And he went to do what he had thought of. And the
blessed apostle appeared to him, and said: Thou didst not believe in me when alive; how
wilt thou believe in me when I am dead? Fear not. Jesus Christ is kindly disposed to thee,
through His great clemency. And Misdeus, when he did not find the bones (for one of the
brethren had taken them, and carried them into the regions of the West), took some dust
from where the bones had lain, and touched his son with it, and said: I believe in Thee,
Jesus, now when he has left me who always afflicts men, that they may not look to Thy
light which giveth understanding, O Lord, kind to men. And his son being healed in this
manner, he met with the rest of the brethren who were under the rule of Syphorus, and
entreated the brethren to pray for him, that he might obtain mercy from our Lord Jesus
Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.


APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC)
========================================

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC) Translated by William Wright

5th–6th century

The histories of John, Philip, Matthew and Andrew, Thecla and Thomas, as the Syriac
churches told them, edited and translated by William Wright in 1871. They are late legends
and are not part of the New Testament.

THE HISTORY OF JOHN, THE SON OF ZEBEDEE, THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST

1 The history of John, the son of Zebedee, who lay upon the breast of our Lord Jesus at
the supper, and said, "Lord, who betrayeth Thee?" This history was composed by Eusebius of
Cæsarea concerning S. John, who found it in a Greek book, and it was translated into
Syriac, when he had learned concerning his way of life and his birth and his dwelling in
the city of Ephesus, after the ascension of our Lord to Heaven. 2 After the ascension of
our Lord to Heaven, when the days of Pentecost were fulfilled, and the Paraclete had come
to the upper chamber, and all the Apostles were filled with the Spirit of holiness, and
were speaking each one of them with a separate tongue — then after (some) days there was
the wish to each one of them being full of the Spirit of holiness, that they should go
forth to proclaim and preach the truth of the Only-(begotten), the Word God, for the great
hearing of the faith, to all nations that are under the heavens. After, then, that Simon
Peter had finished his words, they said all of them one to another: " Now that our Lord
Jesus has fulfilled all things that are necessary for our feeble race, it is necessary for
us too that we should do with diligence all that He commanded us. For He said to us, when
He was going up unto Heaven from beside us, as He was blessing us: 'Go forth, teach, and
baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness; every one that
believes and is baptized shall live.' For us too, then, my brethren, it is necessary to
toil and labour throughout the whole world, and to go about in the countries, and to
preach, and to teach all those who, in the worshipping of idols and with libations to
devils, have kneeled before images, and fallen down (and) worshipped the accursed demons,
the children of the left hand; and let us bestow our labour, and let light shine in the
ear which the evil one has blinded, and let the father of lying be crushed beneath the
feet of us all."

3 When these words had been spoken among the blessed assembly of the Apostleship, they
parted from one another in the body, each of them being full of the Spirit of holiness,
who proceeded from the Father and came unto them, as the beloved Son had promised them. 4
Each of them then went to such country and region as he was charged by the grace (of God).
And it happened that when this holy virgin, namely John, the son of Zebedee, went forth,
the grace (of God) accompanied him, through the Spirit of holiness, that it might lead him
to the country of the Ephesians, where the head and power of idolatry was dominant. And
when he had parted and gone forth from Jerusalem, he set his face to go to Ephesus. And on
the third day after he had set out to proceed upon the journey, he took a cross of wood,
and put it up towards the east, and kneeled, and was praying and saying: " Lord Jesus, now
that Thy promise is fulfilled, and we have all received of Thy fullness, grant to the
garland of Thy disciples, that wherever, Lord, they make mention of Thy birth from the
Virgin, and Thy abiding among men, and Thy passion on the Cross, and Thy death and Thy
entering within the grave, and Thy resurrection on the third day, and Thy ascension unto
Thy Father to Heaven, the feeble race of mankind may be strengthened, which in its infancy
the evil one deceived, and took captive, and led them astray to worship idols, and
sacrifice to devils, and bow down to senseless stones. Yea, Lord! hear and answer me. Let
the devils and the legions of Satan wail, wherever one of us proclaims Thy Gospel;

5 and let the whole assembly of the Apostleship be enriched with the sound of Thy praise
thundering in every place. Let the demons tremble at the voices that thunder in the midst
of Thy Church; and remember Thy Church, which Thou hast bought with Thy precious blood,
which Thy Father hath given that through Her all creation might be atoned for. Thou, Lord,
art Light of Light; and because it seemed good unto Thee, in the love of Thy Father, Thou
didst walk on earth, and didst humble Thy majesty, that Thou mightest raise us up from the
degradation into which the slayer of man had cast us down through his envy. And Thou hast
said, and we have heard with our ears of flesh, 'I and My Father are one,' and 'he that
hath seen Me, hath seen the Father;' and in this confidence, Lord, my youth beseeches Thee
to hear my prayer. For I too trust that I have received the Spirit of holiness with my
companions, and of it, lo, have obtained and am full. And whatsoever I ask of Thy Father
in Thy name, He will give to me; and nothing shall be too difficult for one of those who
believe in Thee, but whatsoever they ask, they shall receive. Yea, Lord! grant me that I
may abide in Thy Gospel, and may prosper in all the truth; because I speak the truth, that
Thou art from the beginning, the Word that proceeded from the Father;

6 and Thou didst appear to the world in the body (derived) from Adam, from the Virgin
Mary, who was preserved in her virginity; and there was not (a time) when the, Father was
without Thee, or Thou without Him; and Thou before us hast laid the foundations of the
earth; and Thy mercy made Thee bow, and Thou didst enter by the ear of the Virgin, and
didst dwell in her nine months, and didst come forth from her, and wast in the world, in
contempt and littleness; and Thou didst choose us from the world, that the world might
live through our preaching. Now then, Lord, I will go to that place to which Thy heavenly
grace hath made me look; and may they be turned, and become (my) disciples, and be
baptized in Thy name and in the name of the Father who sent Thee, and receive Thy Spirit
of holiness, which has proceeded from Thy Father, and, lo, dwells in us; and may the
graven images of error be destroyed; and do Thou build for Thyself in the city of priests
churches for Thy glorification, and, in place of the house of altars for the libations of
demons, altars for Thy dwelling-places; and may these, who through our means are to take
the road and paths to turn unto Thee, make praise ascend unto Thee at all times. Amen."

7 And when S. John had finished his prayer, our Lord Jesus spake with him. from heaven,
and said unto him: " My peace I have given unto thee and have not left thee bereaved. Lo,
I am with you unto the end of the world. Be not afraid, son of Zebedee! Go and preach, and
take no heed what thou shalt say or what thou shalt speak. But when thou hast converted
this city and this country from error, another band too of the disciples, which is
labouring in the Gospel, is destined to come and see all that I shall do by thy hands. Go,
and tarry not." And when He had done speaking with him, John arose, and was going on the
way confidently, rejoicing in the joy of the Spirit of holiness. He was clothed then after
the fashion of the raiment of Palestine, and was walking barefooted, and was going along
and preaching in the cities and in the villages concerning our Lord Jesus the Messiah,
forty-eight days. Some were saying, "He is a madman;" and others were saying, " No; let
him alone; for this (man) has come from a far country, and knows not our mighty gods. But
when he has entered in and learned, then he will love them and sacrifice unto them." But
many people of Asia heard him gladly, and believed, and thought his preaching true; and he
baptized of them in three days about two hundred souls, and made them lay hold on the path
of truth.

8 Then S. John went forth and journeyed to come to the city of the priesthood. And his
sustenance was, from the ninth to the ninth hour once, when he had finished his prayer,
bread and herbs with a mess of boiled lentils, which he bought for himself (as he went)
from town to town, eating, and drinking water only. And he kept himself aloof, that he
might not associate with the heathens. 9 This great and chosen (man), then—as we have
found in the books, which are written on paper, in the archives of Nero, the wicked
emperor—S. John, then, came and arrived at the city of Ephesus; and he lifted up his eyes
and saw, and, lo, a smoke was going up from the midst of the city of Ephesus, for it was a
festival of the heathens, and they were sacrificing to the devils. And he stood still and
was astonished, saying: "What is this conflagration, which, lo, veils the sun so that it
does not shine upon the buildings of the city?" And with terror taking hold on him, he
came and reached the southern gate, and lifted up his eyes and saw; and lo, the image of
the idol Artemis was standing over the gate, painted by them with paints, with gold laid
upon her lips, and a veil of fine linen hanging over her face, and a lamp burning before
her. And when S. John looked and saw her, he contemplated her; and sighed, and wept over
the city; and he left (the spot), and departed thence to another gate, and saw there the
same thing; and he went round and saw thus at all the gates. And at last he came near to
the eastern (gate), and said to an old woman, who was standing and worshipping her — he
spoke and said to her in the language of the country: "Woman, I see thee, that thou art a
woman advanced in years; what is this image that thou art worshipping?"

10 She then said to him: "Dost thou not know, my son, what thou seest? This is our lady,
and her image descended from heaven, and she nourishes all flesh. He then, a youth in his
body, but exalted above the whole garland of his brethren, the holy virgin John, broke out
into anger with her and said: "Hold thy peace, old woman! for thy mind has become
enfeebled by sacrifices of unclean things. Talk not to me of the daughter of Satan. But
she stooped down, and filled her fists with dust and gravel, and scattered it in his eyes;
and he left (her) and departed thence. And he went a little (way) off, and knelt down, and
was praying and supplicating. And he placed his face between his knees from the sixth hour
to the ninth, and was weeping, groaning and saying: "Lord God, strong and mighty,
longsuffering and abounding in grace, Thou art He who from the first didst show Thy
longsuffering, for a hundred years, on those (who were) called to repentance of the
generation of Noah; but they did not repent, until the flood came and swept away that
whole generation. And Thou art He who didst send Thy only-(begotten and) dear Son, that
the world might have life through Him; and He came and did good deeds like Thee, because
He proceeded from Thee.

11 And Thou art He who, when the people of Israel worshipped the calf, didst find out a
reason and didst say to Moses, 'Suffer me to destroy this people,' since it did not honour
Thee; for Thou didst wish that it should pray to Thee, because Thou takest great pleasure
in the life of men. So also Thy dear Son our Lord Jesus the Messiah, when the Jews took
Him to slay Him, prayed and said, 'Forgive them, for they know not what they do.' This
mercy, then, which is eternally in Thee, is also found in Thy Son, for Ye are one. Turn,
Lord! the heart of these erring ones, who, lo, are shouting and crying out before devils.
Thou didst come and slay the evil one; let not his head be lifted up in the assembly of
this city; let not be heard the sound of the roaring of the falsehood of the devils. Thou
didst die once, and didst raise us to life with Thyself. Dash down Satan, for, lo, he has
cast down and brought low the image, that was created in Thy likeness, before the legions
of his demons. Let the doomed images be brought into contempt, not of this place only, but
of every region through which our preaching runs. Yea, Lord! Thou hast taught us that we
should walk in the world humbly and lowlily. Hear the prayer of Thy servant John, and let
me enter this city, bearing the sign of Thy Cross; and direct my path to the right hand;

12 and where Thou pleasest, there let be found for me a place in which I can earn my
living as a hireling, until, Lord, this city follows (Thee) and confesses Thy name." 13
And when he had entered by the gate of Ephesus, he looked to the right hand, and saw there
a bath, which was built for the washing of the body. And he turned aside thither, and lo,
(there was) the man who kept the bath, whose name was Secundus. And S. John spake with
him, and said to him in the language of the country: "To thee I say, O man! art thou
perchance willing that a stranger should work with thee?" And Secundus, the keeper of the
bath, said to him: "How much dost thou require of me by the day?" But S. John said to him:
" Whatever thou art willing to give, give." And he fixed for him a hundred shamūnē by the
day, and accepted him (as a servant); and he let him come in to work at his trade with
him, and he fetched faggots for those who kindled the bath; and he was with him forty
days, receiving his wages day by day.

14 And Secundus the bath-keeper answered and said to the holy man: "I wish to know what
thou dost with thy wages; for, lo, all these days thou hast not bought for thyself either
shoe or coat. Tell me, if it be enough; and if not, deposit thy wages in my hands, and I
will buy for thee whatsoever thou requirest; for thou art a stranger, and hast no kindred
here. But S. John said to Secundus the bath-keeper: "I have a Master, and He has ordered
me and the disciples my fellows, that none (of us) should possess gold or silver or brass
in a purse, or two coats; and I cannot despise his command, otherwise He would be wroth
with me. Secundus says to him: " Who is this master of thine? and what is his name? It is
fitting that thou shouldst let me know, lest he come and assail me, and, it he be a hard
man, give me up (to the magistrates) and put me to great losses; for it is an odious
thing, and abominable in the eye of the law, for a man to accept (one as) a servant
without his master's consent. And S. John answered and said to Secundus the bath-keeper:
"Fear not, Secundus, thou son of free parents! for my Master will not be angry with thee,
because He sent me and directed me to thee. Secundus says: "But why didst thou not tell me
until to-day that thou wast a slave and hadst a master? And S.

15 John said to him: "My Master is in Heaven, and all that He wills, He does, on earth and
in the seas and in all the deeps; and at His beck everything was made, which is visible
and which is invisible; and He established all created things, and made the lights in the
firmament of heaven; and then He made man in His image. And when Satan came with his envy,
and counselled Eve, and she hearkened to his words and made Adam sin and he transgressed
His command, they went forth from Paradise, and became fugitives, and tilled the ground,
and multiplied and increased and filled the earth. And Satan went about and plotted, and
filled all mankind with the love of idols and (made them) sacrifice to devils, and bow
down to the work of their hands, and caused them to forget the Creator, and to reverence
those who are not gods. But the good Lord had patience with them until (the time of) his
lover Noah; and He made him a preacher for Him for a hundred years, whilst he was making
for himself the ark, that they might see and repent and be turned away from the wickedness
of their deeds. And when they despised our Creator, His wrath went up, and He sent the
waters of the flood and swept them all away.

16 And after the waters of the flood were restrained, the world was established through
Noah, and the generations came in succession, and the world was populated at the beck of
the Creator; and the minds of men were inclined to do evil and wickedness, and to turn
from the living God; but the mercy of the Creator of men was made manifest, and He had
compassion upon all the degradation of this feeble race of ours, and He sent the prophets
to proclaim His truth, but they did not choose to hear them, and some they beat and some
they stoned. But in this time, which is the last, the one beloved Son, His
only-(begotten), who was to Him from the time that He was,—Him He sent, and He entered by
the ear of the woman, and dwelt in her nine months, without quitting Him who sent Him; and
the heights and depths were full of Him, and were ruled by Him by the will of His Father.
And when the nine months were fulfilled, He came forth from the woman, the Word that
became flesh, and her virginity remained immaculate for ever. And He grew up in the body
among men, and walked among men as a man, He the Word God, apart from sin. And He grew up
to the full age of thirty years, and chose for Himself disciples, and they clave unto Him
whilst he sojourned in the desert. And He made wine out of water at Cana at the feast;

17 and bread was wanting, and he satisfied four thousand men, besides women and children,
with five loaves of barleymeal, and they ate and left (some) over, and carried and
conveyed to their homes as much as they were able. And again, another time, He satisfied
thousands in the desert, after He had healed their lame and sick, and opened (the eyes of)
the blind, and some of them are abiding until now; and He made the deaf hear, and cleansed
the lepers, and raised the daughter of Jairus, the chief of the synagogue, after she was
dead, and, lo, she abideth, with her father, in Decapolis, and if thou choosest to go,
thou mayest learn (it) from her. And (He delivered from death) the son of the widow of
Nain, as they were going to bury him, and Lazarus, after they had laid him in the grave
four days. Many such things mayest thou hear, if thou wilt give me thine ear, and believe,
and become His servant, Secundus. And after thirty-two years, after the thirty-third had
commenced, the people of the Jews hated Him and detested His good works, as they had
rejected His Father and made for themselves a calf at Horeb.

18 And they delivered Him unto Pilate the hěgemon, and scourged Him, and stripped Him of
His garments, and mocked Him, and spat in His face, and wove a crown of thorns, and placed
it on His head, and crucified Him upon the tree, and gave Him vinegar and gall to drink,
and smote Him with a spear in His side and He cried out with a loud voice on the Cross,
('My Father, forgive them'). And when the preaching of the prophets was accomplished, the
sun was darkened from the sixth to the ninth hour, and there was darkness over the whole
earth on the Friday; and the veil of the temple was rent; and the boulders and rocks,
which blocked up the entrances of the tombs around Jerusalem, were split, and the dead
came forth and entered into the city, crying out aloud; and they came and worshipped Him
as He hung on the tree, and many of them are (still) alive. And they took Him down from
the tree, and a man full of the truth, Joseph the councillor, wrapped Him in a swathe of
linen, and laid Him in the tomb; and on the third day He rose from the grave, and we saw
Him, and He spake with us, and we ate bread with Him and we felt Him, and believed and
declared (it) true, that He is the "Word which became flesh and dwelt among us.

19 And He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of His Father, and He has
given us power to give life and blessings to every one who believes in His name. And He
said to us: 'Go forth, and teach, and baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Spirit of holiness; everyone who believes and is baptized, shall live.' And now I
beseech thee, Secundus,— for I have proved thee during these days, that thou art not a
blasphemer, but art full of good deeds and love of strangers — receive what I have spoken
before thee, and count me not a deceiver, but, if thou wilt, come with me to the country
of Galilee, and I will show thee (some) of the dead and the blind and the hunch-backed and
the palsied and the lepers, whom He cleansed and healed and raised, for they are alive.
But if thou dost not choose to come and (yet) believest, thou art greater than I, who have
seen Him and have been with Him, for thou wilt believe in Him that He is God who did these
things, and He will convert thee and make thee white and pure from the stench of unclean
sacrifices. Yea, my brother! set my mind at ease, and thy dwelling shall be blessed, and
thou shalt be recognised before Him in the new world."

20 And Secundus the bath-keeper was sitting (still), and astonished and wondering at what
he was hearing from John; and he began to say to him: "Wonderful is what thou hast spoken
unto me and verging on marvel; for even though He be not God and did not descend from
Heaven, it is fitting that He should be believed in and should be called God, because He
came forth from the womb and did not destroy (His mother's) virginity when He came forth;
and it is a very deplorable thing, if one does not hold it true that He is God, who raised
the dead, and He is the Creator, who made wine out of water; and He has power over our
frame, and because of this He opened and healed and cleansed. This one, then, is fitting
to be called God, and not yon one, to whom, lo, for sixty years, more or less, I have been
paying vows and libations, and she has not opened the eye of my son which was blind. But
now, my son John, let this secret be kept which we have spoken, and let it not be revealed
until the time that its Lord wishes to reveal it, especially as thou art a stranger, lest
it be heard regarding thee that thou dost not worship Artemis, and they burn thee. Now,
then, I have assented to, and believed, and hold to be true, all that thou hast said;

21 and do thou be persuaded by me, and take upon thee the management of this bath, and let
thine eyes be upon the servants, and do thou have control over the income and over all the
outlay. But John said to him: "It becometh me not to eat without working; and Secundus
said to him: "Thy labour is harder than that of him who works.'' Then the holy (man)
yielded to him, and took upon him to receive the incomings of the bath and to give a
reckoning from morning to morning. 22 Secundus, then, was amazed, he and his household,
how much the receipts of the bath increased during these days, which were twenty-two days
(in number); and he used to get up very early, and go down and speak to the holy (man) and
ask him: "How is it possible to make me thy associate?" But John said: "After He has
opened thy son's eye, that he may be baptized." And on the twenty-fifth day, (when) the
time of an hour of the day (was past), a procurator's son, whose name was Menelaus, and
his father's Tyrannus, came and constrained the holy (man) that the bath should be closed
and got ready. But it was not known to the holy (man) that any one was going into the bath
with him. And the holy (man) gave orders, and the bath was got ready; and this Menelaus
came to bathe, and took with him into the bath a harlot, and was with her in the bath. And
when he came out from his bath, John arose and said to him: "Hither come not thou again,
because thou hast done a great disgrace to this person of thine, which is created in the
image of God, in that thou hast gone in with a harlot, and not been ashamed that thou hast
seen her shame and she thine." And Menelaus was enraged with the holy (man) and struck
him. And S. John said to him: "If thou comest hither, thou shalt not depart hence."

23 And after two days, he sent two of his servants to get ready the bath. And when the
bath was ready, he came to bathe, and brought the former harlot along with him. But S.
John, by the agency of God our Lord, had gone out to look after those who kindled (the
bath). And when he came, he asked: "Why is the door of the bath closed? They say unto him:
"Menelaus, the procurator's son, is within. But when the holy (man) heard that he was
within, and that the harlot was with him, he was grieved, and sighed, and was troubled.
And he waited till both of them came out; and he did not look at them till they had put on
their clothes. And when they were dressed after their bath, he turned and looked at them,
and said to the youth: "To thee I say, may Jesus rebuke thee, whom the Jews crucified on
the tree, and He died, and rose after three days, and He is God, and He ascended to
Heaven, and is at the right hand of His Father; but thou shalt drop down and die on the
spot. And straightway the Angel of the Lord smote him, and he died on the spot. And he was
lying (there), and S. John was sitting beside him; and straightway the harlot went forth
with a great outcry, with her hands placed on her head.

24 And when they heard it around the bath, they came and saw with fear that the young man
was dead and lying (there), and the holy (man) sitting beside him. And they looked on his
face and perceived that it was Menelaus, the procurator's son; and lamentation and wailing
ran through that whole street. And it was dinner-time, and his father was seated (at
table), and expecting him to come up and dine with him. And they came in and said to him:
"Lo, thy only son is dead and lying in the bath." 25 And Tyrannus arose in haste, and cast
ashes on his head, and rent his garments; and he made great haste coming to the bath to
his son, and a great multitude with him. And he came, and went in, and saw his son dead
and lying (there), and S. John sitting beside him; and they seized hold on John, and laid
fetters on his hands and feet, and thick collars on his neck. But the father of the youth
was crying with a great outcry; and he commanded, and they stripped John, that they might
see what he had on. And when they had taken off his coat and the worn-out shirt which he
had on, they found on him a cross, which was suspended to his neck, and it was of wood.
And the procurator, the father of the young man, commanded that they should take it away;
and when they stretched out their hands to take it away, it had four tongues of fire, and
they burned the hands of those who came near it. And the whole multitude cried out: "This
man is a wizard; let this man be kept to-day in custody and be examined, (to see) how many
companions he has. And the procurator commanded that S. John should be dragged away till
he entered the prison house, whilst the youth his son was being buried. But S. John cried
out, "The youth is not dead;

26 and his father gave orders, and they lifted him up and turned him over, and he placed
his mouth against his, and he was like a stone without sensation. But the holy (man) said,
"He is not dead," solely that they might see that he was already dead. And the holy (man)
said unto them: "If he be dead, I will bring him to life. And whilst they were dragging
away S. John that he might go to prison, Secundus the bath-keeper was standing by and
weeping passionately with sobs among the crowd. And S. John was begging of Tyrannus that
they might call Secundus the bath-keeper; and the procurator ordered, and they laid hold
of Secundus and brought him in to him. And Secundus was weeping for John's sake, for he
imagined that John would be put to death; but the father of the youth thought that he was
weeping for the youth. And the holy (man), being bound, answered and said to Secundus:
"Fear not, Secundus! and be not grieved; to-day it is the will of the Spirit of holiness
to make manifest the truth."

27 And the crowd was great and agitated. And S. John begged the procurator to order the
crowd to be silent; and he ordered and the crowd was quiet. And S. John stood up, and
cried with a loud voice and said: "To thee I say, (thou) youth Menelaus, in the name of
Jesus the Messiah, (who is) God, whom the Jews crucified and killed in Jerusalem, and He
died and was buried and rose after three days, and, lo, is above in Heaven at the right
hand of His Father,—rise. And straightway he sprang up and arose; and the whole populace
of the city marvelled. And the youth fell on his face before S. John, and saw the collars
that were laid on his neck and the cord that bound his hands and feet; and the youth
loosened them, and kissed S. John's toes. And the youth drew nigh, and stood on a place
that was elevated, and beckoned with his hand, and began to tell from the commencement,
how he had come to the bath, and all that had happened; and he told with a loud voice
before the people, how he had committed fornication with the harlot, and how the holy
(man) had bidden him not to come (again). And they began to cry out, "What did he do to
thee that thou didst die? He says to them:

28 "Thus he said to me: 'May the Lord Jesus rebuke thee, whom the Jews crucified in
Jerusalem, and He died and was buried, and rose after three days, and ascended to Heaven,
and sat down at the right hand of His Father;' and straightway the angel smote me and I
fell down. And he took out and carried away my soul, and brought me nigh, and I saw the
glory (of God) and a dreadful sight, which one of mankind is not able to narrate, such as
I have seen; yet a little out of much, if this (man) who is standing before you bids me,
will I tell." 29 And straightway the father of the youth fell upon his face before John,
and said to him: "I beg of thee, sir, permit the youth to speak, and be not angry with
him." And the holy (man) made a sign to the youth to speak; and the youth answered and
said:

30 "I saw the chariot of the cherubim, (and) seraphim without number, who had wings, and
they were covering their faces that they might not look upon the Creator, and were crying,
'Holy, holy, holy (is) the Lord Almighty, of whose praises Heaven and earth are full.' And
I saw twelve men in one band, and in another seventy-two, and I counted them; and they
were standing with their heads uplifted to heaven. And a right hand was stretched out from
between the cherubim, like fire, and it commanded them in a low and gentle voice: 'Go
forth, teach, and baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of
holiness; every one who believes and is baptized, shall live.' And I trembled; and being
afraid, I drew near to the great troop of seventy-two, and was also entreating them to
tell me, who this is; and they answered and said to me: 'This is the Son of God, whom the
Jews crucified in Jerusalem; all this, my son, whatever thou seest, is dependent upon and
subsists by His nod, and He upholds all the arrangements of the upper world, and by His
power subsist all the creatures of the lower worlds; because He is the Power and the
Wisdom of the Father, and He sent Him to deliver all those who cleave unto and take refuge
with Him; and He draws and brings unto His Father all who believe in Him;

31 and He it is who acknowledged, whilst walking on the earth, 'I am the living bread, who
am come down from Heaven, and every one who eats of my body, shall live.' And when I had
observed His true aspect, I looked upon the band of twelve, and saw this man there, who,
lo, is standing before you, clad in glorious white robes, and standing at the head of the
band of twelve, beside an old man; and the eyes of those eleven were looking upon him
lovingly, as if he were offering some petition on their behalf, but his eyes were raised
aloft, and he was weeping. And the old man drew nearand asked him, 'My son, why weepest
thou and prayest thus?' And I had learned, when I asked the band of seventy, that Simon
was the name of the old man. And S. John complied with the wish of Simon and said to him:
'Because of the error of the city of Ephesus I am weeping, for lo, it is bound down, and
its children, and worships the devils who dwell in the doomed images.' And I saw a gentle
voice, which made a sign to him with the finger, (saying:) 'Go; all that thou hast prayed
before me, shall happen.' And whilst trembling, I noticed him, that it was this man
against whom I rose up to kill him in the bath, because he hindered me from fornication.

32 And whilst I was marvelling at these many evidences, my soul heard his voice and came
and lived; and lo, I stand before you. And now therefore, lo, I beseech him to let me draw
nigh to the living sign, and to make me his disciple. And ye who have seen this wonder, do
ye turn from error, and despise the images, and let us become disciples of His, and let us
save our souls alive, and not destroy them with our own hands; and when He has consecrated
us, then let us confess and worship Him, believing in the Father and the Son and the
Spirit of holiness, now, and at all times, and for ever and ever, Amen." 33 And a great
multitude had come and was assembled there; and they went forth unto them outside of the
bath, the father of the youth holding (the hand of) the holy (man). And the youth was
coming, with his hands lifted up to Heaven. And they came and arrived at the great square
in the midst of the city, and the whole city was assembled; and it was the ninth hour. And
the whole city was agitated, men and women and children. And the priests, when they saw
the sign that had taken place, and the youth standing up and become a preacher of the
Gospel, said: "This is one of the race of our lady Artemis." But S. John was crying out:
"I am a man subject to passions, and the Lord Jesus hath chosen me, the Son of God, who
came down from Heaven, and entered by the ear of the Virgin, and dwelt in her womb nine
months, and came forth from her without destroying her virginity, and lived in the world
as a man, apart from sin, whilst He was God like His Father; and the Jews took Him, and
crucified Him upon the tree in Jerusalem; and He died, and was buried, and rose after
three days, and ascended to Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of His Father."

34 And when the procurator, the father of the youth, heard these things, he fell down on
his face before the feet of the holy (man), and all the chief men of the city, from the
ninth to the eleventh hour. And they were astonished, men and women, at these things; and
the half of the crowd were crying out: "Verily, great is this mystery, and Jesus ought to
be worshipped, for He is God. Others were saying, "Artemis ought to be worshipped. These,
then, who were held worthy to believe, with their daughters and sons, were about 36,706
souls, on that afternoon, who were numbered in the evening and their number was given to
the procurator. And when there was a great crush and tumult, and the day was on the wane,
John encouraged the procurator to stand up, saying to him: "Arise, thou pleasant tree,
that yields early fruit, whose smell is sweet and its odour diffused by the Gospel. Arise,
my brother! and bid thy nobles arise with thee. Arise, and thy head shall be lifted up,
and not sink again. Do not worship me, who am a slave, made and created; but worship and
praise Him, who formed us and created us. And all the nobles lifted up their heads,
kneeling upon their knees, and looked on the holy (man), and saw his face like light; and
they bowed down their faces to the ground, being afraid, for they thought that at that
time their lives would perish from among the sons of men.

35 And being afraid, they lifted up their voices, crying out: "Verily, great is this God,
who is newly preached in this our city; and these are (things) made and are not gods; and
we are the servants of This (One), and will not again be perverted so as to bow down our
head before idols which have not profited us and will not profit us We beg of thee, thou
who art His servant, bring us near before Him, and let us know His ways, and make us look
on His paths, for the good servant, who loves his master, knows to work his pleasure, and
his master too hears him." 36 And the holy (man), when he heard these things, was
rejoicing in the Spirit of holiness. And he stretched out his hands to them, and made them
rise, and said to them: "Peace be unto you, little flock, for your Father has willed to
give unto you the kingdom which is reserved for His friends. Arise, new congregation,
which has assembled to-day to hear the Gospel of Jesus, the Son of God. I beg of you, my
brethren, salute one another with a holy kiss, because the time is short, and the sun has
finished his course, which he was commanded by This (One), whom I preach unto you, to run;
and especially too, because there are here persons, who have not yet tasted bread or
water." But they were crying with a loud voice: " Sweeter far are Thy words to the roof of
my palate than honey to the mouth; forverily we are hungry and thirsty, and we receive
nourishment from thy pleasant word." But S. John besought the procurator that the crowd
should be dismissed, praying in his heart with sighs and saying: "Lord Jesus, grant
concord to our congregation; and let Satan be driven out, that he may not cast discord or
sedition into this city, and people die (thereby)."

37 And the procurator arose and beckoned with his hand that they should be quiet. And when
they were still, he began to speak with them, and answered and said: "My brethren and
children and friends, if it be pleasing unto you, let us depart at this time from one
another; and to-morrow morning I wish that you should assemble at the theatre; and
whatever is the will of the Spirit,which we have heard from the mouth of this man, we will
do. For this is fitting for us, that all night each man in his house should offer up
prayer and entreaty before our Lord, who is in Heaven and brings us nigh unto His Father,
on account of our sins, because we have let our feet go astray from His way. If He willeth
to mingle us with the bands of those that praise Him, (it is well); and if not, he will
(yet) deliver us from the fire that is laid up for the worshippers of idols."

38 And when the clerk had finished this proclamation, the whole multitude cried out with a
loud voice: "Peace be unto thee, thou wise ruler! peace be unto thee, thou wise chief!
Peace be unto thee, thou goat, that hast entered (into the fold) and become a lamb! Thou
hast shown to-day thy love to us; to-day thou hast become a true chief unto us, and hast
given us counsel that we might live and not die." And when they had finished their outcry,
after the nobles had quieted them, the multitude dispersed, and began to go away
rejoicing. And the priests of Artemis assembled, and blew horns and lighted lamps; and the
gates of the temple were opened; and all the people of Ephesus ran to the temple, as was
their custom. And the procurator was enraged, and wished, he and the nobles, to send and
massacre the priests, because they had made an assembly without their order. But S. John
threw himself upon his face and besought them, (saying): "Whosoever keeps my word and
loves our Lord Jesus, let him not go and injure them there, because they too, through your
prayers, shall draw nigh unto the mystery of life, and become brethren of ours." And then
they obeyed the holy (man).

39 And some of the nobles, whose names were Antoninus, Marcellus, Epiphanius, and
Fortunatus, gave orders, and their slaves ran and brought a hundred and fifty lamps of
papyrus to give light, and said by way of petition to the procurator: "It beseems us not
to go away this whole night, lest the city be set on fire by the hands of the worshippers
of idols, and they be saying, 'Because they forsook the fear of Artemis, fire has fallen
in their houses,' and they blame Artemis, whilst she (really) can do nothing; and
especially, that there may be no murders." 40 And when the multitude heard these things,
they took S. John upon their shoulders, and ran; and from their joy they did not know what
they were crying out. And the foremost ran (and) opened the doors of the theatre; and the
procurator and his nobles went in with great pomp. And they ran to spread (carpets) and
arrange (a seat) for him, according to custom. And the procurator said: "It is not fitting
for me any longer to sit upon the throne; take (it) away from here. And the whole
multitude came into the theatre and there was a great tumult. And the sun was set about
two hours. And some of the councillors of the procurator besought of him that a thousand
men might go out, and perambulate the city, and keep watch till dawn, that no harm might
happen, since S. John had begged that no one should be killed; " and if they catch any
man, let them say to him: 'There are two watches in the city, one made by Satan in the
temple of Artemis, and one made by our Lord Jesus in the theatre; to whichsoever thou
choosest to go, go.'" And when the multitude heard these things, they were glad, and
stretched out their hands to Heaven, saying: "Glory to Thee, Creator of Heaven and earth,
and of night and day. And the procurator commanded, beckoning to them with his hand, that
they should be quiet, and said to them:

41 "Let not our assembly become uproarious and tumultuous, but let us be still, and hear
the word of life, and see by what we live. And he commanded, and they brought S. John to
the highest row (of seats), and the nobles sat beneath his feet. And the procurator was
standing, and did not wish to sit down, saying: "I beg of you that I may stand, that, if
there be a man who is weak in his body, I may go over and awaken him that he slumber not.
And he could hardly be persuaded to sit down. And when he had sat down, there was a great
silence. 42 And when they were quiet, S. John sprang up, and stood, and beckoned to them
with his hand to keep silence; and brought out the cross that was on neck, and looked upon
it, and laid it on his eyes, and kissed it. And after he had wept, he stretched out hi
right hand, and signed with it the whole assembly, and placed it on the highest row (of
seats), which was the most eastern of all, and had lamps placed before it And they cried
with a loud voice and said: "Thou servant of Jesus, declare unto us, what this is that
thou hast done unto us." And the holy (man) beckoned unto them, and they were silent; and
he began to speak and; said: "Beloved children, whom the Gospel hath won, this is the
Cross of the Son of God, who was eternally with His Father, and He made these heavens and
these stars that are arrayed in them, and on Him depend all His creatures. And I have made
this Cross a bulwark for you, that Satan may not come, and assemble his demons, and make
sleep enter into you or heedlessness of mind." And they cried out: "To us this night is
day, for now life is come nigh unto us." And they quieted one another. And when they were
quiet, all the people ran; and when they had run, they turned their backs to the west, and
fell down on their faces before the cross to the east, and were weeping and saying: " We
worship Thee, Son of God, who wast suspended on the tree." And the procurator was lying
prostrate before the cross and he went (and) stood in front, and said: " We worship Thee,
Father and Son and Spirit of Holiness, for ever, Amen." And they all answered, "Amen."

43 And they were saying to John: "By our Lord Jesus (we conjure thee), inform us how the
Son of God came, and let us know, if we are drawing nigh unto Him, and if He will forgive
us all the sacrifices and libations with which we have polluted ourselves. And the holy
(man) stood up on the highest row (of seats), and began to speak with them, being full of
the Spirit of holiness, and he made known unto them all the ordering of creation, and that
the Son of God was with the Father from the beginning, and was not parted nor far away
from Him, and that without Him nothing came into being (of) all that is in heaven and in
earth, (of) all things visible and invisible. And being full of the Spirit of holiness, he
was narrating before them from the Torah and the Prophets, and how God had compassion upon
the body of the human race, which was taken in sin, and sent His only Son and He came, and
entered by the ear of the Virgin Mary, and dwelt in her womb nine months, and from her was
clothed with the body, whilst the height and depth were full of Him, and there was no
place in which He was not; and whilst forming children in the wombs (of their mothers), He
was with His Father;

44 and when the nine months were fulfilled, He came forth from the womb of the woman,
whilst she remained a Virgin, and her virginity was not destroyed but remains for ever;
and He grew tip as a man, He the Great One, who became small because He willed (it so);
and when thirty years were fulfilled, He came to the Jordan for baptism, and was baptized
by John, the son of Zacharias, who was His servant; and when this "Jesus was baptized and
multitudes surrounded Him, the Heavens were rent, and His Father cried out over Him, and
pointed Him out with the finger, (saying:) ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I take
pleasure; hear ye Him.' And straightway He came up out of the water, and multitudes (were)
around Him; and He, the Hidden One, who came into the world, began to perform those
miracles, which He used to do secretly, so as to do them openly; for He was invited to a
wedding-feast, and the wine ran short, and the bridegroom had none; and he commanded the
groomsmen and the attendants to draw water and pour it into large jars, which were there.
And when the attendants had filled out the water, He made a sign and looked upon the
water, and it was blessed and transformed and became pleasant and sweet wine. And they all
drank and were pleased; and I drank of it.

45 And when He was teaching in the desert, and the day inclined to its close, after the
sick had been healed, and the lepers cleansed, and the lamed walked, and (the eyes of) the
blind were opened, those who had been healed were hungry; and the time was short, and
there was no bread but three cakes of barleymeal. And He commanded the multitude to sit
down; and He gave orders, and they brought to Him these cakes; and He looked up to heaven,
and blessed, and brake, and gave to them, and they ate, and left (some) over, and were
satisfied. And those who ate and were satisfied, and carried (some) away, and went to
their homes, were four thousand (men), besides women and children. And He sent us away,
that we might go into a ship and sail on the sea, and He stayed behind on the dry land.
And when the sun had set and it was dark, the sea arose against us, and we were tossed
about all night. And in the fourth watch of the night, this Jesus, whom I preach unto you,
came unto us walking on the sea, and we were afraid; and when one of the disciples, my
companions, saw (this), he said to Him: 'Lord, if it be Thou, command me to come unto Thee
upon the water.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Come.' And he walked and cameunto Him. And our
Lord Jesus came and entered into the ship, and there was a great calm.

46 And these multitudes were astonished and said: 'Who is this, pray, that He commands the
winds and the sea and they obey Him?' And when Jesus came to the land of the Gadarenes,
they brought unto Him all those who were grievously afflicted with various diseases, and
madmen, and paralytics, and lunatics, and the lame; and He healed them all. And now, my
brethren, there cannot be numbered or counted the cures and the miracles which this Jesus
did, who is the Son of God. For just as He was seen bodily in this world He was doing
these works also when He was concealed in His Father eternally. He appeared in the flesh
from the Virgin, and wrought these signs openly that by them He might convict Satan, the
father of falsehood and condemn him, and show the whole race of mankind, that every one
who is drawn and comes unto Him He brings him near unto the Father who sent Him, and He
does works like these. For He and His Father are one; and because the Father loved the
world, He gave Him to the Cross, and He died for us and gave us life, and we live with
Him, and every one who believes in Him, abides in Him.

47 And as to what ye have asked of me and said unto me, 'If our iniquity will be forgiven
us, and our sacrifices and our libations, and our impurity and our uncleanness, if we draw
nigh unto Him,'— lo, I say unto you, if ye believe in Jesus, and resolve in your minds
that ye will not again be mixed up with libations and the impurity of idols, and no man of
you change (his mind), and ye do not worship the work of men's hands, but believe in the
Father and the Son and in the Spirit of holiness, I will do what He said unto us and
commanded us, when He was ascending to Heaven to His Father; and I will cry unto Him, He
will blot out your sins, and forgive your faults, and make white your stains; and I will
anoint and soften with oil your knees, which you have bent, and the evil one, our enemy,
has lacerated them, making them bend before his idols, which have been made by him a
dwelling place for his devils; and I will sign for youwith His Cross, which is the sign of
life, the head which He has bowed down to the ground, and (which) is glad that it is bowed
down, because it is created in the likeness of Him who created it;

48 and I will place a seal upon your foreheads, that when he sees that ye are the asylum
of this Lord, he may flee and say: 'These were my kids, and were joined unto me that they
might become big he-goats, and might butt with their horns all armies; but now the Son of
the Father, who bowed Himself down and became flesh from the Virgin, has taken them and
made white their colour, which was (the colour of) the darkness in which I am shut up; and
He has made them new lambs, and lo, they dwell with Him.' And this mouth of yours, which
was fed fat at the table of bitter herbs,— and lo, the deceiver is proud, because he
thinks that he has made you food for the serpent, I will open it, and place in it the
living bread, which is the body of God, and gives life to every one who believes in Him;
and I will make you swallow the blood of the Son of God, which was rent on Golgotha with
the spear, of this Jesus, whom, lo, I preach unto you, who, even when ye are dead, is
buried with you, and His body and His blood remain in your flesh, and He will raise you up
and ye shall arise.

49 Through this body ye shall come without corruption, and not to the fire or the torment,
and ye shall not see the worm that dies not, because ye have believed in the name of the
Only (-begotten), that He is the Son of God, and in truth He is the Life-giver of the
world." 50 And after these things, the whole assembly in the theatre cried out and said:
"We beg of Thee, servant of the living God, do what thou pleasest, and let us participate
in the living Mystery, that we may live and not die; and this in haste." And the holy
(man) commanded the procurator that he should have a place (made) in one of the corners of
the theatre; and the stone-cutters came, and set to work in that very hour, and made (a
place) like a cistern, and turned the water-pipe, which went into the theatre, into the
cistern, and the water came and the cistern was filled. And it was spacious on every side,
twelve cubits in length and twelve cubits in breadth, and it was two and a half cubits
deep. And the holy (man) besought the procurator to command and let fine, scented oil
come, seventy pints. And he commanded, and it came, and a vat was filled with it. And the
holy (man) drew nigh, and kneeled down, and looked up to heaven, and cried out in the
midst of the theatre: " Holy is the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness for
ever, Amen." And the whole assembly answered, "Amen." Then John made the sign of the Cross
over the oil, and said with a loud voice: "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to
the Spirit of holiness for ever, Amen." And again the third time he said: " Holy is the
Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, Amen." And straightway fire blazed forth
over the oil, and the oil did not take fire, for two angels had their wings spread over
the oil and were crying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord Almighty."

51 And the people, when they saw these things, were afraid with a great fear, and fell on
their faces, and were worshipping to the east. And when the oil was consecrated, then the
holy (man) drew near to the water, and signed it, and said: "In the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Spirit of holiness, for ever, Amen." And the whole people cried,
"Amen." And straightway these two angels came and hovered over the water, and were crying,
"Holy, holy, holy, Father and Son and Spirit of holiness," after him. And S. John cried
after them, "Amen." 52 And John answered and said to the whole assembly: "Arise in the
power of God! And they all arose with fear, and their hands were stretched out to Heaven,
and they were crying out, saying: "Great is this mystery! We believe in the Father and in
the Son and in the Spirit of holiness. And it was about the eighth hour of the night. Then
the procurator drew near, and fell on his face before John, and said to him: "What is it
necessary for us to do? And S. John said to him: "Strip off thy garments from thee. And
when he had stripped, the holy (man) drew nigh, and took oil in his hand, and made him a
cross on his forehead, and anointed his whole body, and brought him nigh to the cistern,
and said to him: "Descend, my brother! who art become a new firstling, which enters in at
the head of the flock into the fold of the owner of the sheep. Descend, my brother! for
the lambs are looking at thee, and running that they may go down, and become white, and
get a new fair fleece, instead of that which is rent by ravening wolves. The procurator
says: "What must I say, and then descend? John says to him: "According as thou hast seen,
and found true, and believed. And the crowd was silent, as if there was not a man there,
that they might see what the procurator and John would say.

53 And the procurator stretched out his hands to Heaven, and cried out, weeping and
saying: "I believe in the Father and in the Son and in the Spirit of holiness; and he
leapt down into the font. Then the holy man drew near, and placed his hand on the head of
the procurator, and dipped him once, crying out, "In the name of the Father; and the
second time, "In the name of the Son; and the third time, "In the name of the Spirit of
holiness. And when he had come up out of the water, then he clothed him in white garments,
and gave him the (kiss of) peace, and said to him: "Peace be unto thee, thou new
bridegroom, who hadst grown old and effete in sin, and, lo, to-day art become a youth, and
thy name has been written in Heaven." 54 Then the whole multitude was agitated, and
hastened eagerly (to try) which should run down into the font. And all the chiefs were
standing around the font; and they signed to the crowd with their hands to be silent. And
the whole crowd were crying out, saying with simplicity: "Brethren and fathers, let us run
and anoint ourselves with this holy oil, and bathe in this water, and become white, lest
perchance either the water become exhausted, or the oil run short." Then the holy (man)
cried out to them and said: "Be quiet, blessed flock, for your Father, who is in Heaven,
has willed to give unto you His kingdom, because ye have believed in His beloved Son."
They then straightway were quiet. Then the holy (man) drew near and said to the
procurator: "Come, sit down on the fair upper row (of seats); for to-day it is fitting
that thou shouldst be honoured, for there is joy in Heaven on thy account." And they
spread cushions for him and he sat down.

55 Then he made a sign unto them with his hand to be silent. And when they were silent,
then he began to speak with them, saying: "Verily today life has come nigh unto us. Now
then, if this holy (man) gives me leave, I will speak." Then the whole crowd cried out to
John and said: "In the name of Jesus, bid him speak." And John said to him: "Speak, my
lord, whatever thou pleasest." Then the procurator said: "Hearken, my brethren! When I was
(first) dipped, I opened my eyes and saw, not that I was going down, but that I was going
up to Heaven. And the second time, I looked and opened my eyes, and saw a right hand
holding a reed and writing. And the third time, I heard a voice saying: 'The sinner, the
sheep which was lost, is found; let him come in.' "

56 And S. John straightway clasped his hands tightly behind him, and threw himself on his
face before the cross, and cried out: "Glory be unto Thee, Maker of all creatures, who
hast sent Thy beloved Son, and He walked upon earth, and gave us power to go forth (and)
preach His gospel in the world, and turn the erring to repentance.'' Then he spoke to the
nobles, and they took off their garments, and he drew nigh (and) anointed them, and
baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit of holiness. And
when they were baptized, then he baptized the whole crowd, from the eighth hour (of the
night) until the sun rose. And a great multitude assembled and came; and when it was
morning, they ran and brought their children, and the holy (man) was giving them baptism
till the fifth hour. And those who received baptism were, souls. Then the whole multitude
departed for that day.

57 And the procurator took the holy (man) to his house, and they were rejoicing and glad;
and he was in his house three days. But on the third day the holy (man) begged that they
would let him go (and) dwell in one of the mountains. And he sent and assembled all his
free men, and they were beseeching John to remain in the palace; but he was unwilling to
be persuaded, for he said: "I must wander about through all Asia, and also in the country
of Phrygia. And when he saw that they were distressed and were weeping, he said to them:
"If it were the will of the Spirit of holiness that I should go, ye should not be
distressed; but now I will remain and abide with you. Let us go out then, and go about
through the whole city, and I will look where it is fitting for me to dwell, for the
Apostles my fellows are coming unto me.'' And these words seemed good unto them; and the
procurator took his seat with pomp, and all his nobles were going before him. And whilst
they were going round, the holy (man) said: "I beseech you, my brethren, to show me the
temple of these erring ones. And the procurator came with his retinue to the temple of
Artemis, and they were wishing to slay the priests and to burn her temple with fire. But
John was beseeching (them) that no man should be slain, saying:

58 "These will come and turn to the knowledge of the truth; let us not destroy them with
the sword. And when the holy (man) came and saw them and the temple of folly, there was
there a place which was elevated; and he saw that place, and said: "I wish to dwell here.
And the procurator and the nobles commanded (them) to make a palace for him there. But he
said: "No, by the Lord Jesus; if ye build anything, I will not dwell in it and I wish for
nothing but a hut alone. And, straightway they brought (materials) and made for him a hut,
which was above the temple, and he was sitting under it. And when he had sat there a long,
time, there were assembling unto him all those who believed in Jesus the Messiah our Lord,
and were being baptized; and he was communicating unto them the body and blood of Jesus.
And there was a hut above, the temple of Artemis; and the holy (man) was sitting, and
beholding the uncleanness which took place there.

59 And after three months and ten days, the priests were assembled, and went round (and)
informed the congregation of the heathens, (saying): "We must celebrate a festival to our
goddess; but let every man prepare whatever he can, both oxen and sheep, and let us
sacrifice (them), and see why our goddess is angry with us. Then the heathens were
assembled, and prepared and made a feast, and sacrificed unclean sacrifices. And when they
were assembled, John was standing above in the hut and looking at everything that took
place. And kneeling before her, they said to the priests: "Ask her for what reason, and
learn of her why she has neglected and is angry with us men. And there was dissension in
the city. Then came Legion,— the sister of her who fell into the sea, she and the swine,—
and spoke in the doomed image; and the priests listened and were hearing from the mouth of
the image the sound of a humming like that of bees; and they made the heathens keep
silence, and drew near, and laid their ear on the mouth of the image, and the devils gave
forth a voice and said: "That hut will destroy this temple; fight not with him. For as
said that master of ours, he fought with the Master of this (man), and the Master of this
(man) overcame him. See then and be ye also afraid of him.

60 And we are afraid lest his Master come to the help of this (man), and be enraged, and
cast us into the deep, and our master be deprived of two Legions. We then, lo, are
fighting that we may not be conquered; and if he conquers us, we shall be reckoned as if
his Master had conquered our master. And the priests were trembling (with fear), and
answered and said: "We ask of you, my lords, who is this man's Master? The devils say: "He
is the Son of God, who came down from Heaven; and our master did not perceive when He came
down. And He became man, and died on the Cross; and our master imagined that he was a mere
(man). And He rose on the third day from the grave and, lo, He is in Heaven, and is
assailing us. And the priests when they heard these things, were amazed and astonished.
And the multitudes say unto them: "Why are ye amazed? And the priests answered and say:
"Artemis has said that this hut will destroy this temple, and all who are initiated into
her mysteries are afraid of this; and accordingly they are beseeching us to be afraid of
this man, who dwells in this hut, who, if he will and command, will destroy us in the
abyss."

61 And the multitudes were straightway crying out: "We renounce this Artemis, in whom
there is no use; for if of this (man), who is a slave or a disciple, the strength is so
great, (that of) his teacher or his master (must be) as much again." And they were beating
their faces and saying: "Alas, what has befallen us? for our possessions have been
consumed in libations, and we have gained loss for our souls." And the priests said: "Ye
are men of sense; whatever is good in your eyes, do; but we will worship and honour Him
who is able to make alive and to destroy." And they ran down from the altar, and with
speed went up to the holy (man), and cast themselves upon their faces before the holy
(man). And the whole crowd cast cords about the image of Artemis, and pulled it down, and
dragged it along, whilst bands were crying out before it and behind it: "Thou destroyer of
our lives, arise, deliver thyself! Not from heaven didst thou descend; artisans made thee
in a furnace."

62 And S. John saw that the priests were lying on their faces, but he spoke not with them,
nor they with him; and he kneeled down among them, and made them look to the east, and was
praying and entreating. And whilst the crowd were crying out and dragging along the image
of Artemis, the multitude, who had before received baptism within the theatre, were
applauding them in stoles and robes, and were saying: "Come in peace, our brethren and
children; let us all have one spirit. Come in peace, O congregation that was estranged
from its Master, and lo, to-day has repented and been united with the number (of the
chosen). Come in peace, O flock, that was led captive by Satan, and which its Master has
brought back that the ravening wolves might not rend it." 63 And when the procurator heard
the tumult and great outcry of the whole city, he was afraid, and arose (and) came from
his palace, and went up to S. John, and found him kneeling. And the procurator made a sign
with his hand that they should desist from (their) outcry. And he commanded and strong men
arose to restrain the crowd from going up to John. Then the procurator said to S. John:
"Arise, my lord, and sign this new congregation; for if not, their lives will perish for
crying out. For lo, I see aged men whose garments are wet with tears and sweat." Then the
holy (man) lifted up his head from prayer, and said to the procurator: "I was interceding
for them before our Lord Jesus the Messiah, that He would bring them in and bring them
nigh before His Father, and pray on their behalf; for He is the door, and through Him a
man goes in, and finds pasturage; and without Him, a man is not able to draw nigh unto the
Father; and He gave the law from mount Sinai."

64 Then the holy (man) arose and looked on them from above, and signed them with the sign
of the Cross; and they all fell upon their faces before him, crying out with grief and
sobbing: "We have sinned and done wrong and committed evil, and we knew it not until
today. Have mercy on us, Lord! Lord of Heaven and earth! for henceforth we abjure all
idols." Then the holy (man) cried unto them from above: "Arise in the might of our God!
Arise in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, His beloved Son!" And straightway they
arose, and were lifting up their hands to Heaven and crying out: "Glory unto Thee, God,
the Maker of Heaven and of earth! Our Lord hath appeared unto us; and we know that Thou
art the true God, and that by Thee this youth was sent to the city of Ephesus." And a
cloud was overshadowing the city; and straightway there was a low thundering. And the
whole crowd fell upon their faces for fear and say: "We praise Thee, Thou hidden God, who
art invisible, and lo, hast been revealed unto us because we sought Thee. We confess Thee,
and there is no other God but Thee."

65 Then S. John spake with them, and was expounding unto them from the Law and from the
prophets, and was teaching them concerning our Lord Jesus,proving and showing unto them
concerning our Lord Jesus, that He is the Son of God. And they, after they had received
the faith, were beseeching that they might receive the sign of baptism, crying out and
glorifying God. And the procurator besought the holy (man), saying: "If thou pleasest, my
lord, let criers go forth in the city and proclaim, 'Whosoever believes in the Son of God,
let him come (and) bathe, and be cleansed of pollution;' and as for us, let us go to the
place where the font is, and every one who comes, give him the sign, and let him live and
not perish." S. John said to the procurator: "Well hast thou spoken, my lord; thus will we
do, according to thy command." And straightway both of them arose, and the procurator made
a sign with his hand that they should be quiet. And when they were quiet, he said to them:
"To you we speak, ye new children, whom the Gospel of God hath won. Today, we being all
assembled without tumult, go to the theatre, and there ye shall receive the sign of life."
They then, being assembled, drew up bands in order, whilst they were crying out and saying
to the procurator: "How must we chant and sing?" The procurator says unto them: "Thus say
and sing, until ye enter in, 'Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Spirit of
holiness! Lord have mercy upon us.'" And the sound of their outcry was going outside of
the city more than five miles.

66 And they came and entered into the theatre. Then came the procurator and John, and
entered into the theatre. Then the holy (man) answered and made a sign with his hand that
the crowd should be quiet. And when they were quiet, the holy (man) stood up on the steps
and said: "Arise in prayer." And they looked to the east, and fell on their faces, and
were saying: "Lord, have pity upon us." Then the priests, when the whole people were lying
on their faces, came (and) entered last of all, and were walking barefooted and girded
with sackcloth, with dust cast on their heads and their faces covered with soot, and were
lamenting and crying out: "Thou God, who dwellest in Heaven, have pity upon us; we have
sinned before Thee, and have caused many souls without number to sin; it is not hard for
Thee to forgive us, if Thou wilt."

67 And when they had said these things, John arose from his prayer and said: "Arise in the
might of God." And when they had arisen, he concluded the prayer, and they all answered
"Amen." And he turned, and looked upon the seven priests, who were standing in vile
attire, with their heads inclined to the east and their hands raised to Heaven, and tears
without end were running from their eyes and dripping down upon their blackened cheeks.
And when the holy (man) saw (them), he was grieved and wept, and the procurator with him;
and the whole crowd was weeping. And the holy (man) kneeled down, and prayed, and said:
"Merciful God, the Father and Sender of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Thou, Lord, hast said,
'If the dinner turns from his sin and does righteousness before me, through that
righteousness, which he hath done, he shall live.' I ask of thee, Lord, have pity upon the
work of thy hands, and be not disgusted with it. Let these be received, who were perishing
like sheep which have no shepherd, and let them praise Thy great and terrible name and Thy
dear Son our Lord Jesus the Messiah, for to Thee and to Him and to Thy holy Spirit is
glory and honour for ever, Amen." And the whole congregation answered "Amen."

68 Then he arose and called them, but they were not able to speak for weeping and sobbing.
And he drew near unto them, holding the procurator by his hand, and spake with them, and
they did not speak. And the holy (man) made the sign of the cross upon the forehead of
each one of them. Then there was an outcry from the whole crowd, and the tears of S. John
were running over. And he said unto them: "Take courage; there is no cutting off of hope.
Hope was given to men by the birth of the Son of God from the Virgin. Open your mouths and
speak with us. We are your members, and are formed of the same material of which ye are
formed. We are created by one God, and are one soul. Fear not; He will not cast you off;
He will not reject you; He will not be disgusted with you. I have learned of Him, that if
ye believe in Him, ye shall rejoice at the table of His kingdom." Then those priests
answered and said before the crowd: "How can our deceitful mouth speak? What can we say?
for the face of our heart is blackened more than our external face. We cannot open our
mouth to speak. But this we know, and believe, and declare true, that there is one God,
who created the world by His grace, and His only (and) beloved Son, our Lord Jesus the
Messiah, who put on the body from the holy Virgin; and whether we die, or whether we live,
we know no other man. Woe to us then, if He has not mercy upon us and does not forgive us;
because we have much property and gold that passeth away, and with these souls we have
acquired it."

69 And the procurator had a wish that they should draw near to him, because they were far
from the crowd and were standing alone. And when they went to bring them near and make
them stand in the midst, the priests say: "We beg of you, do not defile your hands with
our stench. "We will not draw nearer than here, until He wills it in whose name we have
believed." And it was about the third hour of that day. And the holy (man) answered and
said to the procurator: "Command, sir, that water come into the font. We must baptize this
assemblage, and speak to them the word of life. And command that tables be (laid out)
through the whole city, and whosoever wants food, our Lord Jesus, who satisfied thousands
in the desert, will prepare (a feast) before him." Then the procurator called Menelaus his
son, who became alive, and said to him: "Take unto thee ten men, and let each of them go
and provide for thee a hundred men of those who have received the sign of baptism, and let
them lay the tables, and make ready a great banquet." And they went and did according to
the command of the procurator.

70 And S. John arose from the bench on which he was sitting, and came to the priests, and
took hold of the hand of their chief, whose name was Apollo, and of the hand of another,
whose name was Dionysius, and drew them near to him, and was speaking to them the word of
God, and was interpreting (it), and exhorting them. And Apollo and Dionysius the priests
were saying aloud: "Have pity upon us, Son of God, and bring us nigh unto Thy Father, we
beg of Thee. If we are to be punished for our wickedness, let not these be punished, for
we have led them astray from Thy path. We beg of Thee, merciful Lord, have mercy, Lord,
upon our wickedness. If Thy righteousness judge us, let not these be judged, for ours,
Lord, is their corruption." And the whole people was weeping. 71 And when the font was
prepared, the procurator commanded, and oil was brought. Then S. John arose, and prayed,
and said: "Glory to Thee, Father and Son and Spirit of holiness, for ever, Amen." And they
answered after him, "Amen" And he said: "Lord God Almighty, let Thy Spirit of holiness
come, and rest and dwell upon the oil and upon the water; and let them be bathed and
purified from uncleanness; and let them receive the Spirit of holiness through baptism;
and henceforth let them call Thee 'Our Father who art in Heaven.' Yea, Lord, sanctify this
water with Thy voice, which resounded over the Jordan and pointed out our Lord Jesus (as)
with the finger, (saying,) 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye
Him.' Thou art here who wast on the Jordan. Yea, I beseech Thee, Lord, manifest Thyself
here before this assemblage who have believed on Thee with simplicity, and let the nations
of the earth hear that the city of Ephesus was the first to receive Thy Gospel before all
cities, and became a second sister to Urhāi (Edessa) of the Parthians." And in that hour
fire blazed forth over the oil, and the wings of the angels were spread over the oil;and
the whole assemblage was crying out, men and women and children, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord
Almighty, of whose praises Heaven and earth are full." And straightway the vision was
taken away.

72 And the priests fell down on their faces and wept. And S. John drew nigh and raised
them up, and they said: "We believe in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit
of holiness, and we will never know aught else." And John drew near, and washed them
(clean) of the soot, and anointed them with oil, and baptized them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, for the forgiveness of debts and the pardon
of sins. And S. John said to the procurator: " Command that they go and fetch fine white
bread and wine, whilst the whole multitude is being baptized." And they went, (and)
prepared, and made ready every thing. And when the whole multitude was baptized, the
priests say: "Brothers and fathers and sons, today we bear the Cross of our Lord Jesus the
Messiah. Why stand over the gates of our city the images of the daughter of Satan? Let us
go (and) pull them down and burn them, and place over all the gates the Cross of our Lord
Jesus the Messiah." And the whole multitude were crying out, "Where ought we to make a
church?" And S. John was glad and rejoicing; and he said to the procurator: "Look, sir,
where it pleaseth thee." And they chose a place which was fitting, and bore the cross and
came thither, and set up there the cross, and over the gates of the whole city crosses.
And the holy (man) prayed, and offered the (eucharistic) sacrifice, and let them partake
of the body and blood of the Messiah; and thither they were assembling every Sunday, and
were breaking (bread) together, and were partaking of the body and blood of our Lifegiver.

73 After these things, when the Gospel was increasing by the hands of the Apostles, Nero,
the unclean and impure and wicked king, heard all that had happened at Ephesus. And he
sent (and) took all that the procurator had, and imprisoned him; and laid hold of S. John
and drove him into exile; and passed sentence on the city that it should be laid waste.
And after three days, believing men of the city assembled, and counselled one another and
said: "Let us assemble at the church, and see what each man is willing to give, and take a
bribe, and offer it to this wicked ruler, and he will give up to us this (man), who turned
us away from error unto our Lord." And when they had taken counsel thus, they collected
three hundred pounds of gold, and took ten men, and they went on board a ship to go to
Nero, the wicked king, and give the bribe, and bring back the holy (man).

74 And when they had gone and entered into Rome, at midnight, when the impure Nero was
asleep, the Lord sent to him an angel; and he appeared to him in a flame and bearing a
sword, and awakened him. And when he had opened his eyes and looked upon him, he cried out
and said: "I pray thee, what I have to do with thee?" The angel says to him: "Send back
the man whom thou hast taken from Ephesus and cast into exile; and if not, this sword
shall enter into thy unclean heart before the sun rises." And the angel smote him and took
away his speech, and he was howling like a dog. And his slaves came in when they heard his
lamentation, and said to him: "What is the matter with thee, my lord the king?" And he
made a sign, and they brought him ink and a sheet of paper, and he wrote: "Straightway, —
if it be possible, today,— let John, the son of Zebedee, the Galilean, whom I took away
from Ephesus, pass the night in it." And he wrote also, and sent (word) to Ephesus
quickly, that every one who was in prison, should come out and do as he pleased.

75 And there came sailors and men clad in arms, and took the letters written by the king's
hand, and went on board ship, and went (and) found John at midday kneeling and praying.
They say to him: "The king has commanded that we should convey thee to the place where
thou wast." And they took him, and went on board ship, and sailed on the sea in peace, and
brought him to the gate of Ephesus, and returned to Rome. And those men who had brought
the bribe, when they heard that the holy (man) had returned to Ephesus, said: "We worship
Thee, Father and Son and Spirit of holiness, who hast done what Thy fearers wished." And
they went on board ship, and brought those three hundred pounds (of gold with them), and
came. And when they had entered Ephesus, they showed the gold and narrated all that had
happened, and there was joy through the whole city; and they took counsel one with
another, and deposited the gold in a house, and hired artificers, and built with it two
churches for the worship of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

76 And S. John went up (and) sat in the hut; and all the free men of the province of Asia
gathered together unto him, and he was teaching and preaching concerning our Lord Jesus;
and the word of Nero was established over his own place, but he did not dare again to give
orders regarding the province of Asia. It was this wicked man, who slew Paul and Peter.
And after a long interval, when the Apostles heard all that had happened in the whole
country of the Ephesians, they were amazed, and said: "This thing is not great for our
Lord Jesus, hut to us it is wondrous." And Paul was asking and inquiring of the Apostles,
that he might hear the history of S. John; and every day and every hour he was
supplicating before God, that he might be deemed worthy to see him. And when the Gospel
rose upon the world, the Spirit of holiness willed, and Matthew was moved and composed the
Evangel; and after him, Mark; and after him, Luke. And they wrote, and sent (word) to the
holy John that he too should write, and informed him concerning Paul, who had entered into
the number of the Apostles. But the holy (man) did not wish to write (a Gospel), saying
that they should not say "He is a youth," if Satan cast dissension into the world.

77 And when the Apostles had travelled about in the countries, and had planted the Cross,
and it had spread abroad over the four quarters of the world, then Simon Cephas (Peter)
arose, and took Paul with him, and they came to Ephesus unto John. And they rejoiced with
a great joy, and were preaching concerning our Lord Jesus without hindrance. And they went
up to the holy (man), and found him praying. And they saluted one another, and rejoiced
with a great joy, and narrated to one another all that our Lord Jesus had done, and
appointed (as) priests believing men. Peter and Paul entered Ephesus on a Monday, and for
five days they were persuading him, whilst rejoicing, to compose an Evangel, but he was
not willing, saying to them, "When the Spirit of holiness wills it, I will write." And on
the Sunday, at night, at the time when our Lord arose from the grave, the Apostles
slumbered and slept. And at that glorious time of the Resurrection, the Spirit of holiness
descended, and the whole place, in which they were dwelling, was in a flame; and those men
who were awake, awakened their fellows, and they were amazed. And John took paper, and
wrote his Evangel in one hour, and gave it to Paul and to Peter. And when the sun rose,
they went down to the house of prayer, and read it before the whole city, and prayed, and
partook of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus. And they came to the holy (man), and
remained with him thirty days; and then they came to Jerusalem, to Jacob (James), the
brother of our Lord, and thence they came to Antioch.

78 And the holy (man) sat in the hut summer and winter, until he was a hundred and twenty
years of age, and there his Master buried him in that place, as Moses was buried on Mount
Nebo. Every one who believes, and gives credence to the signs, which our Lord did by the
hands of the Apostles, shall find mercy at the day of judgement. And to the Spirit of
holiness, who is in the Father and the Son, everything is easy. And let the children of
the Church, without division, offer up praise, without investigation, to the Father and to
the Son and to the Spirit of holiness, for ever, Amen. Here ends the Doctrine of John the
son of Zebedee, who leaned on the breast of our Lord Jesus at the supper, and instructed
and taught and baptized in the city of Ephesus. [Most footnotes omitted. Note that a
complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought
online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]


APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC)
========================================

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC) continued

AN ACCOUNT OF THE DECEASE OF SAINT JOHN

AN ACCOUNT OF THE DECEASE OF SAINT JOHN — THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.

1 AND S. John was with the blessed brethren, rejoicing and being glad in the Lord. 2 And
on the next day, which was Sunday, when the brethren were assembled, he began to say: "My
brethren and fellows, and heirs and sharers of the kingdom of the Messiah, ye know how
much God hath given to you through me,—how many signs, how many wonders, how many gifts,
rests, services, teachings, rulings, graces, honours,—how many things ye see before your
eyes, which are given to you, which are not seen by these eyes and are not heard by these
ears. Be strong in Him, therefore, remembering Him in your every deed, and knowing well
the mystery of the dispensation that is (come) unto men, why it was wrought. The Lord
beseeches you—the Lord through me beseeches, my brethren, and implores—who beseeches us
that we should remain not insulting, not injured, not defiled. For He knows insult which
(comes) from you, He knows contempt, He knows degradation, He knows torture, when ye do
not obey His holy commandments. Let not, therefore, your good God be grieved, the
gracious, the merciful, the holy, the undefiled, the only one, the immutable, the true,
the guileless, the slow to anger, who is exalted above every appellation that is spoken or
thought by you — the God Jesus. Let Him be glad, therefore, whilst ye conduct yourselves
well and live purely; let Him glory, whilst ye conduct yourselves chastely; let Him not be
anxious, whilst ye live continently in the world; let it be pleasant to Him that ye are in
fellowship; let Him glory in your chastity;

3 let Him rejoice, whilst ye love Him. These things I speak unto you, my brethren, whilst
I hasten to the work which is appointed, which is already perfected in the Lord. For what
is there to say to you? Ye have the surety of God; ye have the pledge of His grace; ye
have His coming, which cannot be deprecated. If, therefore, ye sin not again, those things
which ye have done without knowledge He will forgive you; but if, when ye have known Him,
and have obtained mercy from Him, ye walk in courses which (are) like (unto those), both
those former (sins) will be imputed unto you, and ye shall not have part in Him or mercy."
4 And when he had said these things unto them, he prayed thus: " Jesus, who didst twine
this garland with Thy twining; who hast attached these many flowers to Thy flower which
falleth not; who hast sown these words of Thine; (who) alone hast compassion on Thy
servants; physician that healest for nought; (who) alone art a minister and not haughty;
Jesus, who alone art gracious and merciful; do Thou with Thy grace cover all those who
hope in Thee, Thou who knowest well the artifices and the plundering of the adversary."
And when he had asked for bread, he prayed thus: "What praise, or what offering, or what
thanksgiving, when we break the bread, shall we render unto Thee? But Thyself alone, Thee
Jesus the Messiah, we praise, the Name of the Father which was spoken. We glorify Thy
entrance by the door; we glorify the resurrection, which through Thee has been announced
unto us; we glorify Thy word, Thy glory, Thy ineffable pearl, Thy treasury, Thy net, Thy
greatness, Him who for our sake was called the Son of Man, the truth, the knowledge, the
rest, the strength, the command, the freedom of speech, the liberty which (is) in Thee as
in the truth. For Thou art the Lord, who wast called the root of immortality, and the
fountain of incorruption, and the foundation of the universe. Because of this we
acknowledge Thy majesty, which is now invisible."

5 And when he had broken the bread, and stretched out his hand to them, and prayed for
every man, that he might be worthy of the grace which (is) in the Lord and of the holy
Eucharist, he too did eat, and said: "And to me in the same manner (let there be) a
portion with you, and peace, and love." Then he said to Birrus (Byrrhus): "Take with thee
two brethren, who have with them baskets and spades,and come after me." And Birrus,
without neglect, did what was ordered him by John, the servant of God. The blessed John,
therefore, went forth from the house, and was walking before the gate, and said to many
that they should depart from him. And when he came to the grave of a brother of ours, he
said to the youths, "Dig, my sons." And they were digging; but he was urging them
exceedingly, and saying: "Let the trench be deep." And whilst they were digging, he was
conversing with them, and was exhorting them, with himself and with those who had come
forth from the house, edifying (them) and speaking to them of the majesty of the Messiah,
and praying over each of them.

6 And when these young men had finished the trench, as he wished, without our knowing any
thing, he stripped off the garments which he wore, and cast them like bedding into the
bottom of the trench. And standing in his mantle only, he lifted up his hands, and prayed
thus: "God, who hast chosen us for the apostleship of the nations; who hast sent us to the
world; who hast shown Thyself through Thy Apostles; who hast never been at rest from the
foundations of the world, but who constantly hast saved those who were able (to be saved);
who hast made Thyself known through all nature, and hast proclaimed Thyself even among the
beasts; who hast made the desolate soul, that had become savage, be peaceable and quiet;
who, when it was thirsting for Thy word, hast given Thyself to it; who, when it was dead,
hast quickly appeared unto it; who, when it was plunged in sin, hast alone shown Thyself
unto it; who, when it was overcome by Satan, hast already manifested Thyself unto it; who
hast not left it to be agitated like the body; who hast shown it its enemy; who hast made
a clean union; God Jesus, Father of those that are above the heavens, and Lord of the
celestials, and God of the celestials, and law of those that are in the ether; course of
the aerials, and guardian of those that are on the earth; fear of the terrestrials, and
peace of Thine own;

7 receive the soul of Thy John, which perhaps may be worthy before Thee, Jesus, who hast
thus preserved me to Thyself pure until this hour, and free from intercourse with woman;
who didst appear to me in my youth, when I wished to take to myself a wife, and didst say
to me, 'Thou art needful to me, John;' who didst choose for me infertility of body, when
three times, being disobedient, I wished to marry; who didst say to me on the sea, 'Thou
art needful to me, John, and if not, I would let thee take a wife, to mourn and weep;' who
in the third year didst open for me the eyes of my understanding, and didst present me
with my visible eyes; who didst make it hard for me to see and gaze upon a woman; who
didst deliver me from temporal show (or fancy), and preserve me for that which produceth
fruit always; who didst deliver me from the madness of uncleanness that is in the flesh;
who didst separate me from bitter death, and didst raise me up who had need of Thee; who
didst restrain the hidden disease of the soul, and didst cut off its evil action; who
didst afflict and expel from the boundary him who caused disturbance in me; who didst
preserve my affection to Thee without spot; who hast established my course towards Thee
without slipping; who hast given my faith in Thee (to be) without doubting;

8 who hast traced out for me the pure knowledge which is in Thee; who givest to every work
the due reward; who hast placed it in my soul that I should not have any possession save
purity; for what can I find that is better than Thou?Now, Lord, I have accomplished the
stewardship with which I was entrusted; make me worthy of Thy rest, presenting me with the
perfection that is in Thee, which is salvation unutterable and ineffable. And when I am
going to Thee, let the fire depart, let the darkness be overcome, let the pit be
enfeebled; let the furnace be slackened, let Gehenna be extinguished; let the angels
accompany, let the demons be afraid; let the princes be cast down, let the powers of
darkness fall; let the places on the right stand, but those on the left not stand; let the
Slanderer be muzzled, let Satan be laughed to scorn; let his work be undone, let his glory
be put to shame, let his anger be rendered vain; let his children be beaten, let his whole
root be crushed. But my path unto Thee do Thou render for me free from insult and from
spoliation, and (grant) that I may receive the things which Thou hast promised to those
who have lived purely and have loved Thee alone."

9 And he turned to the east and glorified (God), standing full in the light, and said: "Be
Thou with me, Jesus the Messiah our Lord." Then he went down into the trench, where he had
spread his clothes, and saying to us "Concord and peace be with you, my brethren," he
rendered up his spirit, rejoicing. May his prayer be with us. Amen. Here ends the account
of John the Evangelist. May his prayer be with us. Amen. [All footnotes and biblical
references have reluctantly been omitted apart from these. Note that a complete reprint of
this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be bought online by visiting
Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)] 1. Compare Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol. xvi.,
p. 449.

THE HISTORY OF PHILIP, THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST

THE HISTORY OF PHILIP, THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.

1 In the name of the unbegotten nature of the immortal God, I write the wondrous and
marvellous history of the glorious acts of Philip the Apostle and Evangelist. Our Lord,
help me with grace. Amen. And our Lord Jesus the Messiah spake with Philip the Apostle in
a vision of the night at Jerusalem, and said to him: "Rise, go to the city of Carthage,
which is in Azotus, and drive out thence the ruler of Satan, for lo, he rejoices there
like a destroying wolf, which rejoices in the flock that has no shepherd; and after thou
hast driven him out, preach there the kingdom of Heaven." And Philip said to our Lord: "I
beseech Thee, the Raiser to life of all souls, — Thou knowest me, that I am a man of
Palestine, and I do not know Latin or Greek, and the people of Carthage are not acquainted
with Aramaic,—and how shall I go (and) preach to them the Gospel of Thy kingdom?" Our Lord
said to Philip: "Who made Adam in His image and His likeness? Who formed for him a mouth,
and eyes, and a tongue to speak? Was it not I the Lord?" And Philip said to our Lord:
"Thou art the chosen Son, who didst make Heaven by Thy might, and didst establish the
world by Thy wisdom." And our Lord said to him: "Now go in my name, and doubt not. I shall
be with thy mouth, and thou shalt speak every tongue that thou wilt." And Philip said to
our Lord: "I go, Lord; but let not Thy grace be far from me."

2 And Philip went down from Jerusalem to Samaria, and from Samaria to Caesarea of
Palestine, and went down to the harbour, to look for a ship that was going to the city of
Carthage. And he found a ship that was lying ready, and waiting for a wind to blow for it,
that it might sail. And Philip came near to the captain, and spake with him, that he might
go with them to the city of Carthage. The captain answered and said to Philip: "Pr'ythee,
do not annoy me; for lo, it is twenty days that we have been waiting for a wind to blow
for us, that we might sail, and it has not blown. Now go, fetch thy baggage, and come; for
perchance, by the help of thy prayers, God may send us a favourable wind, and we may go on
our journey in peace; for I see that thou hast the appearance of a servant of God. Philip
says to the captain: "Thou seest me and my baggage; I have nothing else in this world save
Jesus the Messiah, and Him crucified. But because I see that there are in thee the fruits
of faith, order the people who are going with us to come on board (and) sit down in the
ship. And the captain ordered them, and they all came on board and sat down in it. And
when the Apostle and the captain had come on board, Philip said to the people who were in
the ship:

3 "Let us rise (and) pray, and ask of the Messiah to send us a favourable wind, that we
may go on our journey in peace and joy. And they all stood up for the prayer; and Philip
prayed and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, come to our help, for I cry unto Thee at
this time, that these people, who are here in this ship, may believe that Thou hast sent
me. And he turned again to the west, and was strengthened by the Spirit of holiness, and
said with a loud voice: "To thee I say, angel of peace, who hast charge of all favourable
winds that serve this great sea,—in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, send me a
favourable wind, which may come and convey me to the city of Carthage, not in fifty days,
nor in twenty days, nor even in ten days, but today let us be there, that all these
people, who are here, may know that He who sent me, Jesus, is the Son of the living God."

4 There was in the ship a Jew, whose name was Hananyā (Ananias), (who) did not pray, but
blasphemed and said: "May Adonai recompense thee and the Messiah on whom thou callest,
who, lo, has become dust and lies in Jerusalem, whilst thou livest and leadest astray
ignorant men by His name." And when the Apostle had prayed, there came a breeze, and an
Angel with it, and entered into (i. e. filled) the sail of the ship, and she began to roll
hither and thither from the violence of the wind. Then the sailors arose to loose the
cables of the ship from the shore. And the Jew got up to help them to hoist the sail of
the ship; and the Angel of the Lord bound him by the great toes and suspended him head
downwards aloft on the top of the sail. And the ship was flying and going over the water
like an eagle in the air; and the Jew was suspended head downwards. And he was crying out
and saying: "O Apostle of Jesus the Messiah, who knows the secrets of men!"And Philip said
to him: "No, by the life of thy friend Haman, thou shalt not come down thence, until thou
confessest, how thou hast blasphemed Jesus the Messiah, and thy wicked thoughts against
His worshippers. He has bound and suspended thee head downwards."

5 And the Jew cried out and said: "I confess, Sir, whilst I worship, that when ye arose
and prayed in the ship, I did not pray, but blasphemed in my heart and said to thee, 'May
Adonai recompense thee and the Messiah on whom thou callest, who, lo, has become dust and
lies in Jerusalem, whilst thou livest and leadest astray ignorant men.' And straightway a
breeze came, and its Angel with it, and filled the sail, and the ship began to roll.hither
and thither from the violence of the wind. And when the sailors arose to loose the cables
and hoist the sail, I too got up to help them. Then the Angel of thy God bound me by the
great toes, and suspended me head downwards, as thy eyes behold me. And lo, his sword is
drawn, and he is standing by me and lashing me with scourges of fire. But I beg of thee,
Sir, order him to let me loose, for, lo, my soul is going forth from my nostrils."

6 Philip says to the Jew: "Now how dost thou view this matter? Dost thou believe in the
Messiah that He is the Son of God? Yes or no?" 7 And the Jew cried out, weeping, and
saying with a loud voice: "Yes, Sir, I believe in the Messiah thy God, that He is I am
that I am, El Shaddai, Adonai, the Lord (of) Sabaoth, the Strong, the Glorious in His
holiness, who made heaven and earth by His word; and He made Adam in His image and His
likeness; and He accepted the offering of Abel, and He rejected the offering of Cain the
murderer; and He removed Enoch without his tasting death; and He delivered Noah from the
flood; and He spake with Abraham His friend; and He saved Lot from the midst of the
overturned (city, i. e. Sodom); and He preserved Isaac from the knife; and He revealed
Himself to Jacob at Beth-el; and He expounded His secrets to Joseph; and He led Israel out
of Egypt; and He spake with Moses in the thorn-bush; and He divided the sea before the
people; and He sent down the manna from Heaven and He brought up the quails from the sea;
and He dashed to pieces Pharaoh and his host in the sea of Sūph, the Red Sea; and He
delivered Joshua the son of Nun in the wars; and He revealed His mystery to Gideon; and He
strengthened Barak and Deborah in Israel; and He spake with Samuel in the interior of the
temple; and He destroyed Goliath before David; and He gave wisdom to Solomon; and He took
up Elijah to Heaven; and He delivered Elisha from the armies; and He took Jonah out of the
fish; and He brought Daniel out of the pit; and He extinguished the blazing fire of
Ananias and his companions; and He rescued the wronged Susanna; and this is Emmanuel, the
mighty God, in whose name the sea and land, and the winds and Angels, are subject unto
thee."

8 And Philip rejoiced at the belief of the Jew, and glorified God, and said: "Praise be to
Thee, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who changest rebellious minds and blasphemous tongues,
and suddenly makest them harps praising Thy glory. Yea, Lord, pardon Thy servant Hananyā,
who has believed in Thee." And in that very hour the Angel of the Lord, who was standing
beside him at his right hand, took him and brought him down and placed him in the midst of
the ship. Then Hananyā fell at the feet of Philip, and wept, and said: "Have mercy on me,
O Apostle of the Messiah, and beg for me of the Preserver of all, that He will pardon my
blasphemies, with which I have blasphemed against thee and against thy gods." And the
Apostle lifted him up and said to him: "If the Messiah has absolved thee and pardoned
thee, who shall condemn thee? Rise, and fear not. Jesus the Messiah will make thee worthy
of His true baptism." And fear laid hold on the 495 men who were in the ship, and they
were amazed and said: "It never was thus among men."

9 And whilst they were wondering at what had happened to the Jew, they lifted up their
eyes and looked, and lo, the lighthouse (Pharos) of Carthage was visible. And then they
began whispering one to another and saying: "Either this is a vision, or it is a dream, or
a demon has deceived us, or of a truth God is with this man. Who has seen a wonder like
this? or who has heard a marvel like this? that we have come seventy-five masyune in one
day." But when Hananyā saw them whispering one to another, he began biting (one end of)
his cloak, and said: "O blind, who see not! and wicked fools, who believe not! Have ye not
seen what befell me, because I blasphemed in my heart against the Messiah? Be silent, and
plot nothing against this chosen one, because at this moment ye are not all suspended head
downwards. Will ye not believe in the God of this just man? for, if he commands that city
in the name of the Messiah, it will take all its inhabitants and go (and) stop in
Gibtusan."

10 And while the Jew was speaking thus, (the ship) was found to stop in the harbour of
Carthage. And all those men cried out and say: "Glory to Thee, the God of Mār Philip, in
whose name the sea and land, and the wind and the Angels, are made subject to Thee." And
Philip blessed them in the name of the Lord, and let them go to their homes in peace. But
he remained at the harbour that he might confirm the captain in the faith of God. And on
the Sunday Philip went up from the ship to enter the city of Carthage, and to drive out
thence the ruler of Satan, as the Lord had commanded him. And as he was entering the gates
of the city, he signed himself with the sign of the Cross, and sighed before the Messiah.
And he saw an Indian man (i. e., a black man), who was sitting on a throne, with two
serpents twined round his loins, and a wreath of vipers placed on his head; and his eyes
were like coals of fire, and blazing flames issued from his mouth; and from the place
where he was sitting a smell of smoke went up, and troops of Indians (blacks) were
standing on his right hand and on his left. And when he saw that the Apostle had entered
the gate and crossed himself, the ruler was overturned and fell backwards, and all his
troops upon him. The Apostle says to the ruler: "Fall and rise not, thou portion of the
fire and child of Gehenna, accursed from of old; (thou) bitter (one), who in (all) thy
days didst never sweeten; (thou) hater of the just and enemy of all righteousness;
deceiver of Adam, bringer of death upon Eve and upon all her children."

11 The ruler said to the Apostle: "Why cursest thou me, (thou) chosen of the Most High?
Tell me, what have I done wrong? or wherein have I sinned against thee? Rebuke me, because
I do not abide in this city, but my troops wander about on the whole earth, and come to
me; till the third hour of the day; but to a single one of the disciples of Jesus they do
not come near, because I have warned them, and commanded them, and said to them: 'Wherever
the name of Jesus is mentioned, abide not there, lest ye bring judgement upon me before my
time is come.' Woe is me, if perchance one of my troops has deceived me, and transgressed
my command, and afflicted one of His disciples; for lo, the effacer of our footsteps is
angry with me, and has sent this chosen one to drive me away from this city. Woe is me!
what has become of me? Woe is me! what has happened to me? Alas, what has come upon me?
Alas, what has befallen me? Alas, what has reached me? Alas, what has overtaken me?
Whither shall I go and be delivered? Whither shall I flee and escape? Where shall I hide
myself and be saved? Where shall I conceal myself and be delivered? Whither shall I go
from this Mighty (One)? Whither shall I fly from this Strong (One)? Whether I say 'Woe is
me,' or whether I am silent, I shall burn in the fire.

12 If I cast myself into the sea, I shall be drowned, because the fire is prepared for me,
and torment for all my troops. If I ascend unto Heaven, He will cast me down thence; and
if Igo down to Hell, there He will breathe upon me. In the east His Star has made me
ashamed; in the west they preach His Gospel; in the north they praise His right hand; in
the south they worship His Cross. This Jesus has slain me by His death; He has humbled me
by His exaltation; He has brought me to abjectness by His necessity. He has deceived me by
His similitudes (or likenesses); He has shamed me by His resurrection; He has dazzled me
with His humiliation; He has befooled me with His quietude; He has maddened me with His
visions. My snares He has broken; my gins He has disclosed; my nets He has cut to pieces.
My crown He has taken away from my head; my throne He has overturned behind Him; my power
He has taken from me, and my glory He has given to others. He has made me a treading under
foot for children, and offscourings and filth unto infants and the simple. He has made me
a reproach unto the little, and a mockery and a scorn to the poor and sinners. He has
taken everything from me, and given to me nothing at all, save the weeping and wailing and
groans of the darkness, to me and to my ministers and to all my troops."

13 And the whole city was standing and hearing what the ruler was saying, but no man saw
him, save that the Apostle saw him through the Spirit of holiness. Philip says to the
ruler: "I bid thee in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Mighty God, who sent me
against thee, arise; take thy throne, anda lead away all thy troops, and ye shall go forth
from this city, for lo, 3795 years ye have enjoyed yourselves in it." And in that hour the
ruler arose, and took his throne, and led away all his troops, and they went forth thence,
flying in the air, and wailing as they went, and saying: "Woe is to us for thee, our
ruler; woe is to us for thee, our king; woe is to us for thee, our monarch." And they
ceased not from weeping, all of them, whilst they were going, till they entered the city
of Babel, and there established the throne of their ruler.

14 And there was fear in the whole city, and they were praising God and saying: "Glory to
Thee, Jesus the Messiah, the God of Philip, who hast not recompensed us according to our
wickedness, nor dealt with us according to our sins; for we did not know Thee, Lord, and
Thou in Thy mercy hast sent us a deliverer. Glory to Thy grace, which has been abundant
upon us, for ever and ever, Amen. Philip says to the people of the city of Carthage: "Ye
have seen, my brethren, what the ruler said, whilst burning and being scorched by the
power of the Son of God, that is, Jesus the Messiah, the Power and Wisdom of His Father.
And by this Power was (created) the heaven and the earth and all that is in them; and by
this Wisdom was established the world and all its inhabitants. Now therefore, my brethren,
leave that former opinion of idolatry, and go not after the mind of painters, and (after)
images of wood and stone and gold and silver and brass and iron and tin and lead and clay,
which men have made, which have eyes and see not, and have ears and hear not, and there is
no breath in their mouth, and they feel not with their hands, and walk not with their
feet, and smell not with their nostrils, and speak not with their throats; and with nails
and spikes they fasten them, that they may not be broken in pieces; and they carry them
about, because they cannot walk;

15 and they are set up like masts, because they cannot speak. Be not afraid of them,
because they can do neither harm nor good, and it is said concerning them by God, that
their makers shall be like them and all who trust in them. Turn, therefore, to the Son of
the living God, in whose hand your souls and spirits are placed. This is the first God,
and there is none beside Him. Renounce Satan, my brethren, and believe in the Messiah.
Flee from the darkness, and come to the celestial light. Quit the destroying left hand,
and the unconquered right hand shall receive you. Be delivered from the fiery Gehenna, and
ye shall rejoice and be glad in the Paradise of Eden. Strip off the old man, who is
corrupted by the lusts of error, and put on the new man, Jesus the Messiah, who is renewed
by knowledge in the likeness of His Creator. Avoid and flee from the desire of women,
which burns like fire, and destroys those who are inflamed d with it; and trust in God and
be glad. Who has believed in Him, and He has forsaken him? Or who has trusted in Him, and
He has cast him off? Or who has called upon Him, and He has not answered him? Because the
Lord is gracious and merciful, and forgiving sins, and hearkening to the voice of those
that do His will.

16 Believe, my dear (friends), for He will forgive you your sins when ye turn to Him with
all your heart, with a pure mind free from doubt." 17 And when the Apostle had spoken
these words to the citizens, they cried out and say: "Glory to God, who has sent us a
deliverer.'' And Philip blessed them, and went down to the ship, to the harbour, where the
ship was lying, in which he came from Cæsarea of Palestine. 18 And on the Sabbath day
(Saturday) all the Jews, who were in Carthage, were assembled unto their synagogues. And
they sent and called Hananyā the Jew, who had believed in the Messiah. And the Jews
answered and say to him: "Our brother Hananyā, are the things true which the sorcerer
Philip did to thee in the ship? And Hananyā signed himself with the sign of the Cross, and
answered and said to them: "All that ye have heard concerning me is true; and far be it
from me ever to renounce our Lord Jesus the Messiah. The Jews say to him: "Do not renounce
Moses and believe in the Messiah, because the Messiah was an impostor, and his disciples
go about with sorcery. Hananyā answered, rejoicing in the faith, and said to the Jews:
"The deception of the Messiah be upon me and upon my wife and upon my children; and the
sorcery that His disciples practise, be upon the bones of my parents in Sheol. But as for
you, well did Isaiah the prophet prophesy concerning you, to whom God said: 'Go, say to
this people of Israel that they shall see a sight and shall not see, and shall hear a
report and shall not believe;

19 for their eyes they have closed, and their ears they have stopped, that they may not
hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and repent, and I forgive them
their sins.' Rulers of Sodom and people of Gomorrah, an evil and a provoking seed, a
generation that has not set fast its heart and has not believed in the God of its spirit;
children of crime, an evil and adulterous race, and generations of sinners; a race doomed
to woe, a vine of Sodom and a plant of Gomorrha; foolish children and unwise; wise in evil
things, but not knowing good things; a people uprooted and flayed; rejected silver;
scattered millet; worn-out water-skins; a rent garment; a cloth that is of no use; a
menstruous rag; an accursed fig-tree; an evil vineyard, the husbandmen of which are
murderers; a restive heifer; broken cisterns in which they cannot collect water;
perforated money of a cursed merchant; a dry fleece, the dew of which is sprinkled among
the Gentiles; proclaimed sons, whom they do not reckon equal to slaves; bitter roots,
which in their days have never yielded sweetness; exchanging their God for a calf;
sacrificing their sons and their daughters to devils; haters of the Son, enemies of God,
provokers of the Spirit of holiness; worshippers of the sun, offerers of sacrifice to
Tamuz, servants of Baal, priests of idols; sons of Ahab, fosterlings of Jezebel; dumb
dogs, which are unable to bark; stiff of neck and uncircumcised in heart.

20 For in whom of the prophets have ye believed, that ye should believe in the feeble
Hananyā? Moses and Aaron led forth your fathers from Egypt, and how often did ye stone
them with stones? There arose Joshua the son of Nun, and ye sought to kill him with deadly
poison. There arose Samson, and Gideon, and Barak, and Jephthah, and Deborah, and ye
provoked them all their lives and all their days. There arose Eli your priest, and through
your greed he was rejected from his priestly office. There arose Samuel the prophet, and
ye rejected him and his God. There arose David the prophet, and with reproach ye drove him
out of Jerusalem. There arose Solomon the king, and he worshipped Ashtaroth, the goddess
of the Sidonians. There arose Isaiah the prophet, and ye sawed him with a saw of boxwood.
There arose Ezekiel the prophet, and ye dragged him by his feet until his brains were
dashed out. There arose Jeremiah the prophet, and ye cast him into a pit of mire. There
arose Micah the prophet, and ye smote his cheeks as if (he had been) a child. There arose
Amos (the prophet), and ye hindered him from prophesying. There arose Habakkuk the
prophet, and through your sins he went astray from his prophetic office. There arose
Zechariah the prophet, and him ye slew like a lamb before the altar of the Lord. There
arose Malachi the prophet, and ye wearied his God with your words.

21 There arose Elijah the prophet, and ye made him flee to Horeb. There arose Elisha the
prophet, and ye wished to kill him. There arose too John the Baptist, a shining light, and
ye cut off his head, and sat in darkness; and he began proclaiming the resurrection to the
dead. And again, as the consummation of your sins, ye children of crime, ye crucified the
Lord of the prophets on the tree. And lo, ye persecute these His disciples, who are about
to sit at the day of judgement on twelve thrones of glory and to judge the twelve tribes
of Jacob." 22 And all those Jews were looking on Hananyā, and were seeing that his face
was like to the Angel of the Lord, and were gnashing their teeth like destroying wolves.
And one of the priests arose and kicked Hananyā, and he died. And they dug a place there
in their synagogue and buried him. And they swore one to another that none of them would
disclose in his house what they had done.

23 And on the next day Philip arose to pray in the ship at the ninth hour, he and the
citizens with him, and he made mention of Hananyā in his prayer and said: "Our Lord Jesus
the Messiah, do Thou deliver Thy servant Hananyā from the perfidy of the Jews, and bring
him to us that we may see and be gladdened by him. And God heard the prayer of Philip, and
commanded the earth, and it gave a passage like a water-pipe, and (this) conveyed Hananyā
down to the bottom of the sea. And the Lord prepared a large dolphin, and it carried
Hananyā. And while the Apostle was praying in the ship, he lifted up his eyes and looked
upon the water; and lo, the dolphin was swimming on the surface of the sea, with the
corpse of Hananyā upon him. And when the people who were there, saw (this), they feared
with a great fear, and were imagining that a demon had appeared to them. Then the Apostle
answered and said to them: "Fear not, my brethren; for by means of this corpse many are
about to believe in the Messiah. And Philip cried with a loud voice and said: "Glory to
Thee, O Lord, the Restorer to life; for every one who believes in Thee, although he dies,
shall live through Thee; and every one who does not believe in Thee, although he is alive
and walking on the earth, is dead before Thee. And Philip said to the dolphin:

24 "I bid thee in the name of the Messiah, the Lord of all creatures, go, convey Hananyā
the martyr to the place from which thou didst take him, until I go up to the city and put
his murderers to open shame. And the dolphin passed through the sea; and carried Hananyā
to the place from which he had taken him; and the deeps conveyed Hananyā to the place in
which he was killed; and the Lord commanded the earth, and it closed its barriers, that
the deeps might not come up and sweep away the city. 25 And on the next day Philip the
Apostle went up from the ship, and went into the city to the judge, and said to him: "One
favour I ask of thee that thou wouldest do for me." The judge answered and said to him:
"Command me, sir, and whatsoever thou wishest, I will do for thee." And Philip said to the
judge: "Send (and) collect for me all the Jews that there are in this city, because I have
a cause to plead with them before thee.'' And straightway the judge sent his officers, and
collected unto him all the chiefs of the Jews. And Philip said to the hêgemôn: "Sit thou
upon the tribunal of the town-hall, and hear the cause between me and them."

26 And when the king (sic) had seated himself on his tribunal, Philip said to the Jews:
"Where is Hananyā, who came with me in the ship from the city of Cæsarea of Palestine, and
became a Christian of the Messiah? For I know and am sure, through our Lord Jesus the
Messiah, that ye have counselled him to confess Moses and renounce the Messiah. The Jews
answered and said to Philip: "Are we the keepers of Hananyā, (who is) alienated from the
Law? And Philip said to the Jews: "Well did our Lord call you the children of Cain the
murderer; for Cain, (when) he killed his brother Abel, thought that no man saw him; and
God said to Cain, 'Where is thy brother Abel?' And Cain denied (it) like you, and said, 'I
know not, because I am not his keeper.' And God said to Cain, "What hast thou done? Lo,
the blood of thy brother Abel cries unto me from the ground. Cursed is the ground for thy
sake. A wanderer and a vagabond shalt thou be on the earth, which has opened its mouth and
received the blood of thy brother from thy hands.' And now, murderers, disclose to me
where Hananyā the martyr is, and I will ask of the Messiah for you that He would forgive
you your iniquities. The Jews answered and said: "Once we have said to thee, that Hananyā
has not been seen by us, and we do not know what has become of him. And Philip said to the
Jews:

27 "Tell me, where is Hananyā, the confessor of the Messiah, who has given his life for
his Master, and do not lie and deny (it) before me, for ye do not lie unto me, but to the
Spirit of holiness which dwells in me. The Jews say to him: "If the Spirit were with thee,
it would be clear to thee that we know nothing of Hananyā; but because thou art a liar and
an impostor, and the truth is not in thee, lo, thou standest up and doest us wrong/' And
again the Apostle said to them: " And if it be that Hananyā is found with you, what do ye
deserve to have done to you? And the Jews said to Philip: "If it be that he is found with
us, we all deserve death from God, and Cæsar. And the Apostle said to them: "And if it be
that ye rely upon yourselves, do not your consciences convict you of being conscious of
the blood of Hananyā the confessor? Swear to me, for as the Paraclete who is with me
commands me, will we do unto you. Then the Jews cried out and said: "No, by the God of
Abraham, who spake with Moses from the midst of the thorn-bush, (we swear) that Hananyā
has not been seen by us; and we do not know what has befallen him."

28 Then the Apostle was strengthened by the Spirit of holiness, and said to the assemblage
who were standing-there: "Give me a little room. And when they had given him room, the
Apostle of God lifted up his eyes and saw a man from the country, who was leading anox
which was sick, and had brought it to town that he might sell it to the butchers. And the
Apostle called him, and said to the ox: "To thee I speak, ox, beast without speech. I
command thee, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, at whose word all creatures are
afraid, be strong, and go to the synagogue of these murderous Jews, and call out there and
say:'Hananyā, Hananyā, Philip, the disciple of our Lord, calls thee; rise, come, put to
shame the murderous Jews.'" And straightway the ox dragged along his owner, and threw him
down on the ground, and ran and went to the synagogue of the Jews, and called out and
said, like a man: "Hananyā, Hananyā, Philip, the Apostle of the Messiah, calls thee. Rise,
come, put to shame the Jews thy murderers. And at the word the dead (man) rose, and laid
hold of the ox with his right hand; and they both ran and came to the Apostle of the
Messiah, and the owner of the ox was running after them. And the three of them came and
prostrated themselves before Philip. And the Apostle cried out and said to Hananyā:
"Whence comest thou, my friend? And Hananyā said to Philip:

29 " From the synagogue of these murderous Jews, who are standing before thee; for they
killed me and buried me in their synagogue, because I believed in the Lord Jesu the
Messiah, who gave me life, and became a Christian. And now I ask of thee, Sir, do me
justice upon these murdering Jews. And the Apostle said to Hananyā:"Listen, my son and
friend Hananyā. It is written for US:'If thou do not judgement for thyself, I will do
(it), saith God;' and: 'If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat, and if he be thirsty,
give him to drink, and when thou doest these things unto him, thou heapest coals of fire
upon his head.' And again He has said: 'Let not evil overcome you, but overcome evil with
good. 30 And again it is written: 'Is there a man who envies thee or hates thee, thou
shalt not pray for his harm, lest it be displeasing in the eyes of the Lord, and He turn
away the calamity from him, and bring it upon thee and upon thy dwelling.' And our
Lifegiver has commanded us: 'Pray for your enemies, and bless them that curse you, and do
good to him who persecutes you and hates you, that ye may be the children of your Father
who is in Heaven, who lets His sun shine upon the good and upon the bad, and lets His rain
descend upon the righteous and upon the wicked.' And again our Lord commanded us: 'If ye
do not forgive men their offences neither will your Father, who is in Heaven, forgive you
your offences.' And again He said: 'Blessed are the merciful, for upon them shall mercy be
(shown).' And now draw nigh unto the Jews thy murderers, and as the Spirit of holiness
gives unto thee, speak with them. And when the Apostle had said these things to Hananyā,
the ox spake again, and said to Philip: "Order me, Sir, that at this moment I may kill and
knock down all these murderers, the enemies of the Messiah, with my horns. And the Apostle
said to the ox: "Hurt no man but go with thy master, and serve him, and the Lord will heal
thee and him (with such) a healing that thou shalt never have a pain.

31 Then the ox and his master bowed down before the Apostle of God, and went to their
village in peace. 32 The hêgemôn says to the Apostle: "These Jews, therefore, are
deserving of death." The Apostle says: "The Lord has not sent me to slay but to give life,
and to raise up those who, whilst alive, were slain by Satan through sin." And the
murderers were standing before the Apostle and before the Judge, with their faces ashamed,
and what answer they should give them they did not know. Their mouth was closed, when they
saw the miracle that was (wrought) through the ox, which, spake like a man, and Hananyā,
who had been killed, who stood before them. 33 And Hananyā, drew nigh to the Jews who slew
him, and said to them: "Today is fulfilled regarding you the prophecy of Jeremiah the
prophet, who said:'Like the shame of the thief, when he is found out, so are ashamed the
children of Israel, they and their kings and their priests and their nobles, who say to
wood, Our father art thou, and to stone, Thou art our mother.' And now ye shall go in
peace, ye children of Cain the murderer. Our Jesus the Messiah, in whom I have believed,
shall do me justice upon you, and shall demand my innocent blood of your hands." And the
Apostle said to the Jews: "Hear, ye who are guilty of death for (shedding) innocent blood,
thus has Solomon your king written: 'He who is conscious of (shedding) a man's blood,
shall flee to the chosen, and he will not deliver him.' And it is written in your Law:
'Whoso slays a man, he too shall be slain and shall not be atoned for, and it shall not be
forgiven him before the Lord, until the blood of him be shed, who shed innocent blood.'
But us, followers of the Messiah, Christians, disciples of Jesus the Messiah, He has thus
commanded: 'It was said to the ancients, Cheek for cheek, tooth for tooth; but I say unto
you, Stand not up against evil, but whoso smites thee on thy right cheek, turn unto him
the other too.'" And when the Apostle had spoken vehemently, and they did not repent, and
did not ask pardon, the Apostle said to the judge: "Turn them out." And the judge ordered
his young men, and they turned the Jews out from before him by tribes.

34 And afterwards fear seized all the Jews who were dwelling in the city of Carthage; and
they were crying out and glorifying God and saying: "The God of Philip the Apostle is One,
whom the sea and the winds and the Angels obey, and the dead rise to His glory, and beasts
and dolphins praise the majesty of Jesus the Messiah, the God who (is) over all." And
there became disciples on that day about three thousand souls of the Gentiles, and of the
Jews fifteen hundred; and they received the sign (baptism) of the Messiah, and rejoiced in
the love of Jesus the Messiah, who had held them worthy of His grace. But the Jews who did
not believe in the word of the Apostle, went away from the city and settled in other
cities; and ere the sun had set, the Angel of the Lord smote and slew forty priests of the
Jews, because they had shed the innocent blood of a just and righteous man. And all who
heard and saw, confessed and worshipped and bowed down and said: "The true God is One, our
Lord Jesus the Messiah, and with Him His Father and His holy Spirit, to whom be glory and
honour and praise and worship in all generations, for ever and ever, Amen and Amen."

35 Here ends the history of Philip, the Apostle and Evangelist, and to God be the glory
for ever, Amen. [All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted. Note
that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be
bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)]

THE HISTORY OF MAR MATTHEW AND MAR ANDREW

THE HISTORY OF MĀR MATTHEW AND MĀR ANDREW, — THE BLESSED APOSTLES.

1 WHEN THEY CONVERTED THE CITY OF DOGS, THE INHABITANTS OF WHICH WERE CANNIBALS. After the
days of the ascension of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to Heaven, when the days of Pentecost
were fulfilled, and the Paraclete had come to the upper chamber of Zion, and the holy
Apostles were filled with the gift of the Spirit of holiness, each of them had the wish to
go forth and preach the Gospel of the Messiah. And they began to cast lots and to
distribute the countries among them. And it happened that, when they had cast lots, it
fell to Matthew the Apostle to go to the city of which the inhabitants were cannibals. And
the inhabitants of that city neither ate bread nor drank water, but their food was the
flesh of men, and their drink too the blood of men. And every man who entered into that
city, its inhabitants seized, and dug and put out his eyes, and gave him to drink a cup,
which was mingled with sorcery; and as soon as he drank that cup, his heart was changed,
and his understanding perished, and he got the heart of a beast.

2 And it happened that, when S. Matthew entered within the gate of the city, the
inhabitants of the city seized him, and dug and put out his eyes, and gave him to drink
the cup which was mingled with sorcery, and conveyed him to the prison where every one was
imprisoned who fell into their hands; and they threw down for him grass to eat. And when
the blessed Apostle had drunk the cup which they gave him, his heart was not changed; but
he was always in urgent prayer and tears, saying: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, for whose
sake we have left everything and follow Thee, because we know that Thou art the true God,
and the Helper and the Deliverer of all those who trust in Thee,—look, Lord, and see what
this hard-hearted people are doing to Thy servant Matthew, how they have made me like unto
the beast in which there is no sense; for Thou art the Knower of everything. If thus be
Thy will, O Lord; that I should become food for the inhabitants of this city, let Thy will
be accomplished; I will not flee from Thy command. Give me the light of my eyes, that I
may see what the people of this city do with me. Do not, Lord, forsake me, and do not give
me up to this bitter death."

3 And whilst the blessed Matthew was praying thus, a mighty light shone through the whole
place where he was imprisoned, and a voice was heard from the light, saying: "Matthew, my
Apostle, lift up thine eyes." And straightway he lifted up his eyes and saw. And again the
voice came unto him the second time and said: "Matthew, be firm, and be strong, and fear
not; for I will not abandon thee, nor forsake thee; for I will deliver thee from all
temptations, and not thee alone but all thy companions, for I am with thee at all times.
And now endure in this thy prison-house twenty-five days, for the help of the souls of
many. And after these things I will send unto thee Andrew, and he shall bring thee out of
this prison and all those who are with thee here." And when our Saviour had said these
things, He was lifted up to Heaven.

4 Then Matthew said: "Thy grace be with us, our Lord Jesus the Messiah." And he was within
in the prison and was singing. And it happened that, when the executioners came into the
prison to take out men for slaughter, Matthew shut his eyes, that they might not perceive
that he saw the light. And it happened one day, when the executioners came and reached
him, they read the ticket which was attached to his hand, and said among themselves, "In
three days more we shall take out this one too and slaughter him;" for they used to write
upon a ticket of wood the day on which a man was taken, and to tie it to his hand, that
they might know the completion of his days. 5 And it happened that, when the twenty-seven
days were completed, from (the time) that the blessed Matthew had been seized, our Lord
Jesus the Messiah appeared unto Andrew in the country in which he was teaching, and said
to him: "Andrew, rise, go with thy disciples to the city of which the inhabitants are
cannibals, and take Matthew out of the prison in which he is; for after three days those
wretches are going to take him out and kill him for their food." And Andrew answered and
said: "My Lord, I am not able within three days to go to that city, because the way is
long; but send an Angel to take him out thence, for Thou, my Lord, knowest that I am
clothed with flesh, and am not able to arrive there quickly, neither do I know the way."
And our Lord answered and said to him: "Andrew, listen, and obey Him who made thee and
brought thee into being; for He is able in the twinkling of an eye to command, and that
city would be lifted up and brought hither. For I will command the wind, and it shall
convey thee thither. But arise in the morning, and go down to the sea-shore with thy
disciples, and lo, thou shalt find a ship. Go on board of it, thou and thy disciples." And
when our Lord had said these things, He gave him (the salutation of) peace, and was lifted
up into Heaven.

6 Then Andrew arose in the morning, as he had been ordered, and went to the sea-shore with
his disciples, and saw a small vessel, and in the vessel three men were sitting; for our
Lord by His command had prepared a vessel, and He appeared in it in the likeness of a
sailor, and there were with Him two Angels in the likeness of men. And Andrew, when he saw
the vessel and the three men who were in it, rejoiced (with) a great joy, and drew nigh
unto the vessel, and said to them: "Whither are ye going, my brethren?" And our Lord said
to him: "Weare going to the country of the Cannibals." Now Andrew did not perceive that it
was Jesus, but our Lord concealed the might and power of His Godhead, and appeared like a
steersman. And Andrew answered and said: "We too wish to go to that city." Then our Lord
said to him: "Every man flees from that city, and ye wish to go thither!" Andrew answered
and said: "We have something to do there, and we must go thither; and now, if ye are going
to do a kindness unto us, show (it) to us." And Jesus answered and said to them: "Come on
board in peace."

7 And Andrew answered and said: "I wish thee to know, my brother, before we go on board
the vessel, that we have no ship-hire to give thee, nor have we bread for food with us."
And our Lord said to him: "And how do ye come on board the vessel, when ye have no ship-
hire? " Andrew says to Him: "Listen, my brother; do not suppose that from stiff-neckedness
we do not give thee the ship-hire; but we are the disciples of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,
who loved us, and chose us twelve, and gave us commandment and said: 'When ye go forth to
preach, do not take with you purses nor bags, nor copper (coin) in your purses, nor bread,
nor a staff, nor shoes; neither have ye two coats.' If then thou wilt have compassion upon
us, tell us quickly; and if not, we will look for another vessel." Jesus answered and said
unto them: "If this be the commandment which ye have received, and ye keep it, come on
board; for I say unto you, that it is more pleasing to me that the disciples of the
Messiah should come on board my vessel than those who give me gold and silver. But this I
say unto you, that perhaps I am worthy that the disciple of the Messiah should come on
board my vessel." And Andrew answered and said: "Permit me, my brother; may the Lord give
thee a reward and pardon."

8 Then Andrew went on board the vessel, and answered and said to his disciples: "My
children, if ye choose, stay on shore, until I finish what was commanded me by our Lord,
and return unto you." But his disciples said to him: "Far be it from us to do this! For if
we remain behind thee, we shall become strangers to the grace which was given us; and now
we will be with thee whithersoever thou goest." Then Jesus answered and said to Andrew:
"If thou art in truth the disciple of the Messiah, remind thy disciples of the miracles
which thy Lord wrought, that thou mayest strengthen their minds, that they may forget
(their) concern about this sea; for lo, we are making ready to loosen the vessel from the
land and to sail." Then Jesus made a sign to one of the Angels, and he loosened the vessel
from the land; and Jesus came and sat in the midst of the vessel. And Andrew was
encouraging his disciples, and saying: "My children, ye have given up your lives for the
Messiah; fear not; for He did not forsake us at the time when we were with Him in the
vessel, and He had lain down to sleep in the vessel, trying us, for He was not asleep; and
when there was a great wind, and the sea reared its waves so that they rose above the mast
of the vessel, and great fear took hold of us, our Saviour arose and rebuked the wind, and
the waves were assuaged, and there was a great calm on the sea; for everything obeys His
command, because they are His creation. And now, my children, fear not." And when Andrew
had said these things, he prayed that his disciples-might remain at rest.

9 And when they had fallen asleep, Andrew turned and said to Jesus, not knowing that it
was Jesus: "Tell me, man, and truly show me this art of thy steering; for I have never
seen a steersman who managed a vessel as I now see thee. For sixteen times have I sailed
on the sea, and this is the seventeenth, and I have never seen skill like this; for verily
this vessel is in the midst of the sea just as if it were on land. Show me then thy art, O
youth. Then our Lord said to Andrew: "We too have sailed many times on the sea, and a
violent storm has risen against us; but because thou art the disciple of the Messiah, the
sea has recognised thee and has not uplifted its waves against us. Then Andrew cried with
a loud voice and said: "I bless Thy name, my Lord Jesus the Messiah, that Thou hast let me
meet with a man who glorifies Thy name. And Jesus answered and said to him: "Tell me,
disciple of Jesus, why the wicked Jews did not believe on thy Lord that He is the true
God. Show me; for we have heard that He showed His power to His disciples. And Andrew
answered and said: "Yes, my brother, He showed us that He is the true God; and now do not
suppose that Jesus is not God, for He made man. And Jesus answered and said: "And why did
the Jews not believe on Him? Andrew answered and said:

10 "O man, who hast the spirit of knowledge and all understanding, why temptest thou me?
Our Lord says to him: "I tempt thee not with these things, but my soul rejoices and exults
in them. Andrew says: "My brother, the Lord shall fill thy soul with great joy and grace.
Our Lord answered and said: "Narrate to me then. And Andrew answered and said: "Hast thou
not heard of the miracles which He did before them? To the blind He gave light, and to the
lame to walk, and to the deaf and dumb to hear and speak; and He cast out devils; the
lepers He cleansed, the dead He raised to life; He changed water into wine; and He took
five loaves and two fishes, and ordered the people to recline upon the grass, and blessed,
and satisfied them; and five thousand did eat and were satisfied, and left (something)
over. And again He spake a blessing over seven loaves, and satisfied four thousand. And He
did many signs and wonders and miracles, which, if I narrate them before thee, thou wilt
not be able to bear. Jesus says to him: "I shall be able; but to a enough, though a fool
not even many (words) can persuade."

11 And when our Lord knew that the vessel had arrived near the land, He leaned His head
against one of the Angels, and ceased to converse with Andrew. And when Andrew saw (this),
he leaned himself against his disciples, and sank into a heavy sleep. And our Lord said to
the Angels: " Spread out your hands, and carry Andrew and his disciples, and go, place
them at the gate of that city, the inhabitants of which eat the flesh of men." And the
Angels did as they were commanded, and took up Andrew and his disciples, and carried (and)
placed them at the gate of that city, the inhabitants of which eat men. 12 And when Andrew
awoke from his sleep and opened his eyes, he saw that he was sitting at the gate of that
city, and his disciples beside him, who were asleep. And being astonished at what had
happened, he awakened them and said to them: "Rise, my children, and see the grace that
has been with us, and know that our Lord was with us in the vessel, proving us, and we did
not recognise Him." And his disciples answered and said to him: "Do not suppose, our
father, that we knew that we were sailing on the sea, because we were sunk in a deep
sleep; and we saw that Angels came and took our souls and carried them to Paradise; and we
saw there great wonders, for we saw our Lord Jesus the Messiah sitting on a glorious
throne, and all the Angels beholding Him; and we saw there Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and
all the Fathers and the holy Prophets, and you too the twelve Apostles, standing beside
our Lord Jesus the Messiah; and we heard our Lord commanding His holy Angels: 'Be obedient
to the Apostles in everything which they say unto you.' This is the vision which we saw,
our father."

13 Then the blessed Andrew, when he had heard these things from his disciples, rejoiced
(with) a great joy, that his disciples were worthy to see the great things of God. And he
lifted up his eyes to heaven and said: "Pardon me, my Lord, and forgive me what I have
done; for as a man I saw Thee in the vessel, and as a man I spake with Thee. Wherein have
I sinned, my Lord? (for) Thou didst not show to me Thy majesty." And our Lord said unto
him: "Thou hast not sinned, Andrew; but I did these things unto thee, because thou saidst,
'I cannot go to the City of Dogs in three days.' Lo, now have I shown thee that I am able
to do everything by (my) power. But arise, and go into the city unto Matthew thy brother,
and bring him forth from prison, him and all those who are imprisoned with him. And lo, I
make known unto thee, before thou enterest into their city, that they will show thee cruel
tortures, and thy body shall be torn, and thy blood shall be poured out upon the earth
like water; for death they cannot give unto thee, but great tortures they are about to let
pass over thee. But bear up, and harden not thyself against their wickedness. Remember the
tortures which I endured, when the Jews smote me with their fists and spat in my face. Was
I not able in the twinkling of an eye to move heaven and earth, and to bring chastisement
upon those who beat me? But I bore (it), and forgave them, that I might set you an
example."

14 And Andrew straightway arose, and entered into that city with his disciples. And he
went to the prison, and saw the seven keepers, who were standing at the gates of the
prison and guarding it. And Andrew prayed, and these keepers fell down and died. And when
he came nigh to the gate of the prison, he made upon the gate the sign of the Cross; and
straightway the gate became open. And when Andrew had entered the prison with his
disciples, Matthew saw Andrew, and straightway he arose, and they asked after each other's
welfare. And Andrew said to Matthew: "My brother, how hast thou got in here? For lo, after
three days, the men of this city are going to take thee out and kill thee for their food.
Where are the holy mysteries which thou hast learned? For if thou didst utter them, heaven
and earth would tremble." And Matthew answered and said: "My brother Andrew, thou hast
heard our Lord say: 'Lo, I send you like lambs among wolves.' For as soon as I entered
into this prison, I prayed before the Lord, and He appeared unto me, saying: 'Bear up for
twenty-seven days, and afterwards I will send unto thee Andrew, and he will take thee out
of this prison and also all those who are with thee.' And as our Lord promised to me, lo,
I see thee to-day; and now, what shall we do?"

15 Then Andrew looked in the midst of the prison, and saw those men who were bound there,
stripped (naked) and eating grass like cattle. And Andrew beat his breast and said: "Our
Lord Jesus the Messiah, look and see what they have given to men, who are made in Thy
image and in Thy likeness, to eat." And the blessed (one) began to rebuke Satan and to
say: "Out upon thee, Satan, thou enemy of our God and of His Angels! How long wilt thou
fight with the human race?" 16 And Andrew and Matthew kneeled and prayed; and afterwards
Andrew laid his hands upon the eyes of those men who had been blinded, and straightway
they all saw the light. And again he placed his hand upon their heart, and their
understanding was changed and became like that of men. And he said to them: "Depart now to
the lower part of the city. Lo, ye shall find on the road a large fig-tree; sit down under
it, and eat of its fruit, till I come to you. And if I delay, ye will find for yourselves
on it as much food as sufficeth for you." And those men answered and said to the blessed
Andrew: "Come with us, sir, lest perchance the heathen men of this city see us again, and
take us, and put us to tortures which are worse than the former ones." And he said to
them: "Go in peace; verily I say unto you, that, whilst ye are going, not even a dog shall
bark at you." And those men went, as the blessed Andrew had said to them; and they were in
number forty-nine. But to Matthew he said that he should go with his disciples to the east
side of the city. And Andrew prayed, and a cloud descended, and took away Matthew and his
disciples, and set them on a mountain, where Peter the Apostle was sitting and teaching;
and they remained with him.

17 But Andrew, after he had gone out of the prison, was walking about in the city. And he
saw a pillar, and upon it was standing a statue of brass; and he sat down by the side of
that pillar, that he might see what would take place. And it happened that, when the
executioners went to the prison to fetch out men for their food, as was the custom of
every day, they found the gates of the prison open and the keepers dead and lying on the
ground. And they returned to the chief men, and said to them: "We went to the prison, and
found it open and the keepers dead and lying on the ground; and when we went in, we found
no man there." And when the chief men heard (this), they said among themselves: "What is
this thing that has happened? Have men perchance gone into the prison and killed the
keepers, and taken those who were bound there, and departed?" Then the chiefs said to the
executioners: "Go to the prison, and bring those seven keepers, that we may eat them to
day; and straightway collect for us all the old men of the city, and let them cast lots
among themselves, and those on whom the lot falls we shall go on killing every day, seven
by seven, for our food, until we choose young men and put them on board ship, and they go
to the countries around us, and put men on board their ships and bring (them) hither, that
they may be to us for food."

18 And when the executioners had gone to the prison, they brought those seven keepers
dead. And there was there a large furnace, which was built in the midst of the city; and
by the side of the furnace there was a large trough of stone, in which they used to kill
the men, and their blood ran down and was collected in that trough, and they used to draw
up the blood and drink it. And it happened that, when they had brought those seven, who
were dead, they placed them beside the trough, that they might lay their hands upon them
and lift them up. And the blessed Andrew heard a voice saying to him: "Andrew, look and
see what is being done in this city." And it happened that, when he saw (it), he prayed
and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who hast brought me to this city, do not permit
that there take place in it anything hateful, but let the knives fall from the hands of
these executioners." And straightway their hands were paralysed, and they were not able to
lift them up or let them down. And when the nobles saw what had happened, they wept
bitterly, saying: "Woe unto us, for there are magicians here, and they have gone into the
prison, and slain the keepers, and brought out those who were imprisoned there; and lo,
they have bewitched the executioners too. What then shall we do?"

19 Then they said to the executioners: "Go, collect for us the old men of the city,
because we are hungry." And they went and collected them, and found two hundred and
sixteen in number, and brought them to their nobles; and they commanded them to cast lots,
and the lot of seven old men came forth. And one of the old men, upon whom the lot had
fallen, answered and said to the executioners: "I beg of you, I have a little son, take
him and kill him in my stead, and let me go." And they said to him "We cannot do this,
unless the nobles bid us." And the executioners went and told their nobles these things.
And the nobles answered and said to them: "If he gives a substitute, let him go"; and the
executioners made this known to the old man. And the old man answered and said to them: "I
have a daughter too; take her also with her brother for slaughter, and let me go." And he
gave them up for slaughter, and the executioners took these children to kill them. And
they were weeping and saying: "Do not kill us in this youth (of ours), but allow us to
come to full growth, and then ye may kill (us)." And this also was the custom in that
city, that they did not bury those who died, but ate them. And the executioners did not
heed these children, but took them and went to the trough, in which they used to kill men,
to kill them."

20 And when the holy Andrew saw (this), he wept bitterly, and said: "Our Lord Jesus the
Messiah, as Thou didst hear me sinful concerning these dead, and Thy Divinity did not
suffer them to be eaten, so now too do not suffer them to be brought nigh to the death of
these children, but let their hands be paralysed, and let the knives fall and melt like
wax before the fire." And the moment that the blessed Andrew had prayed, the knives were
loosened, and fell from the hands of the executioners. And when S. Andrew saw what had
happened, he glorified God who had answered him in everything. And when the rulers saw
what had happened, they wept bitterly and said: "Woe unto us! what is there now for us to
do?" And Satan took the likeness of an old man, and stood in their midst, and said: "Woe
to you! What can ye do? For ye have no food. And now arise, and seize in this city a
stranger, whose name is Andrew, and kill him; for he has let out these men who were shut
up in the prison."

21 And S. Andrew looked upon Satan, how he was talking among the crowd; but Satan did not
see the blessed (one). And the Apostle of the Messiah answered and said to Satan:"O thou
enemy of all mankind, who art constantly warring against them, our Lord Jesus the Messiah
will humble thee and cast thee into the deep abyss of destruction." And when Satan heard
this, he said, "Fie, fie upon thee! Thy voice I hear, but where thou art I know not." And
the blessed (one) answered and said to Satan: "Verily thou art blind, and thou canst not
«m see the saints." And when Satan heard this, he said to the multitude: "See now, seize
him with whom I am speaking, because he is the disturber of your affairs." And those
wicked (ones) ran and shut the gates of the city; and they were going about and seeking
for the blessed Andrew through the whole city, and did not see him. Then our Lord Jesus
the Messiah appeared to him and said to him: "Andrew, arise, show them thy power, that
they may learn that the power of Satan, who dwells in them, is nought."

22 Then the blessed Andrew arose in the sight of the whole multitude, and said: "I am
Andrew, whom ye seek." Then the whole people ran and seized him, and said to him: "As thou
hast done unto us, we will do unto thee." And they began taking counsel together and
saying: " With what death shall we kill him? If indeed we take off his head, it is not a
bitter death; and if we burn him with fire, neither is this anything." Then one of them,
after Satan had entered into him, answered and said to them: "As he made us suffer, so we
too will make him suffer. This let us do unto him. Let us put ropes round his neck, and
drag him through the streets and lanes of this city; and when he is dead, then we will
divide his body among all of us." And this seemed good before the whole people; and they
cast ropes upon his neck, and were dragging him through all the streets and lanes of the
city, until his body was torn by the stones over which he was dragged, and his blood was
flowing like water. And when it was evening, they cast him into prison, with his hands
bound behind him.

23 And again, when it was morning, they brought him out, and cast cords upon his neck, and
dragged him through the whole city, and his whole body was torn by the ground. And the
blessed (one) prayed with sighs and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, behold what they do
with me, and I bear it because of Thy command, —for if it were not because of Thy mercy,
Thou wouldest have sent them into the deep abyss, with their city,—but only, Lord, do not
permit the enemy to mock me." And when the blessed (one) had said these things, Satan
answered from behind him and said to the people: "Be smiting him upon his mouth, that he
may not speak." 24 And when evening came, they cast him into the prison. Then Satan took
with him seven demons, and went into the prison. And they stood before S. Andrew, and were
mocking him, saying: " Now art thou caught in our hands. Who then shall deliver thee? For
lo, thou destroyest our works out of every city, and hast desolated our temples and
shrines, which were built for us." And Satan commanded those seven demons which were with
him to slay the blessed (one). Then, when these demons drew near, and saw the seal of the
Messiah between his eyes, they were afraid and fled from him. And Satan answered and said
to them: "Why flee ye from him? "What is it?" And they say to him: "We cannot come near to
him because of the seal which is upon him; but do thou go, slay him, if thou art able."
And Satan said to them: "Come then, let us mock him." Then those demons came with Satan
their master, and were mocking the blessed (one) and saying: "Thou O Andrew, lo, art come
to great disgrace and to hard judgement." Then, when the blessed Andrew heard these
things, he said: "If ye kill me outright, I will not do your pleasure, but the pleasure of
my Lord; for if my Lord visits me in this city, I will chastise you as ye deserve." And
when the demons heard these things, they vanished from before him like smoke.

25 And when it was morning, they brought the blessed Andrew out of the prison, and tied
ropes round his neck, and were dragging him. And again his body (was lacerated) and all
the hair of his head was pulled out. And the blessed (one) cried with a loud voice, with
sighs and tears, and said: "Our Lord Jesus the Messiah, these tortures are enough for me,
these three days, by day and by night, of Satan and of the demons and of these heathens.
Command, Lord, and receive my spirit, or show me Thy grace that I may be strengthened."
And when he had said these things, a voice came to him in Hebrew, saying: "Andrew, heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.And do thou now turn and see
thy flesh, which has been plucked from thee, what has become of it." And he looked and saw
large trees, which had grown up and bore fruit. And S. Andrew said: "Now, Lord, I know
that Thou hast not forsaken me."

26 And when it was evening, they cast him into the prison, saying: "His body is destroyed,
and during this night he will die." Then our Lord Jesus the Messiah appeared to him in the
prison, and said to him: "Andrew, give me thy hand." And He took him by his hand, and
straightway he rose up whole. And the blessed (one) fell down and worshipped Him. And
afterwards he looked into the midst of the pit in which he was imprisoned, and saw a
pillar (statue) which was called in Greek Alabastros. And Andrew stretched out his hand
and said: "Thou dumb stone, fear the sign of the Cross, at which heaven and earth tremble;
and straightway let there flow from thy mouth much water, that it may submerge this city."
And straightway that pillar (statue) let much water flow out like a mighty stream; and the
water prevailed exceedingly, and killed their children and their cattle; and they were
wishing' to flee from the city.

27 Then the blessed Andrew prayed, and a fiery cloud descended, and surrounded the city
like a wall, and they were unable to flee. And when Andrew knew what had happened, he
glorified God and said: "I bless Thee, our Lord Jesus the Messiah!" And all the
inhabitants of the city trembled, and were weeping and saying: "Woe to us I for all these
things have come upon us because of the stranger who is in the prison; but let us go and
release him, that we may not die wretchedly by these waters of the flood and by this
fire." And they all came to the prison, crying out with a mournful voice. And when the
blessed Andrew saw that their spirit was humbled to him, he said to the pillar (statue):
"Enough now; do not emit water any more. Lo, I will go out and preach the word of God; and
I say unto thee, that, if the people of this city believe, I will build in it a church,
and I will remove thee hence, and convey thee and set thee up in it, in recompense for thy
having answered me and done that which was commanded thee." And at that moment the statue
ceased from its flowing. And Andrew went forth from the prison, and the water was running
before his feet.

28 Then the old man, who had given up his children to slaughter in his stead, came nigh
before him, and said to him: "Have mercy upon us, our lord." And Andrew answered and said
to him: "I ask of thee, how canst thou say to me that I should have mercy upon thee, when
thou didst not have mercy upon thy children. But I say unto thee, that in a little while
these waters shall go and be swallowed up in the midst of the abyss, and these
executioners, who were killing the men, and thou too shalt be swallowed up with them." And
he turned and said to the assembly: "Come after me, all of you." And whilst they were
going after him, the waters were divided hither and thither before the feet of the holy
(one), until he came to the place of the trough. And the blessed Andrew lifted up his face
to heaven, and prayed, and the earth opened, and swallowed up the water and the
executioners and the old man. And when the people of the city saw what had happened, they
began to say among themselves: "Woe to us! for this man has been sent hither by God, and
he will kill us because of the tortures which we made him bear; for lo, as it has been
with the executioners and with that old man, (so) it will be with us." And the blessed
Andrew, when he heard (this), said to them: "Fear not, my children, for not even these
will God leave in Sheol; these have been snatched away to the lower earth, that ye might
believe."

29 Then Andrew ordered them to bring all those who had been drowned by the water; and they
were not able to bring them, because those who had died by the water were many, men and
women, and children and animals. Then the blessed (one) prayed before God, and they were
resuscitated and all arose. And after these things he baptised them in the name of the
Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness. And he marked out for them the likeness of
a church, and it was built quickly. And they brought the pillar (statue) which had made
the water flow, and set it up in the church. And he sketched out for them rules and laws
by which they might subsist, and delivered to them the mysteries of our Lord Jesus the
Messiah, and bade them sow and be nourished by the sweat of their faces. And he made haste
to depart from them; and they were beseeching him, from the youngest to the oldest, and
were saying to him: "We beg of thee, tarry with us a few days, (for) we are yet children
in the faith, that we may receive of thy blessed fountain and of thy divine words." But he
did not consent to abide with them, but went his way.

30 Then our Lord assumed unto him the likeness of a comely child, and said to him: "Why
art thou going, and leaving them without fruit, and not taking pity upon the children who
are coming after thee and crying out? Now therefore return to the city, and abide with
them seven days; and when thou enterest into the city, bring up those who were swallowed
up in the abyss." Then Andrew glorified God and said: "Blessed art Thou, our Lord Jesus
the Messiah, for Thou dost not wish that a man should perish, but that he should live."
And he returned, and entered into the city. And when the people of the city saw that he
had returned, they rejoiced (with) a great joy. And he spent there seven days, teaching
and confirming them in the faith of our Lord. Then the blessed Andrew prayed, and the men,
who had been swallowed up in the abyss, were resuscitated. And after seven days all the
people of the city went out, and were accompanying him on his way, from the youngest even
to the oldest, and were crying out and saying: "One is the God of the blessed Andrew, our
Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the living God;" to whom is befitting glory and worship
and thanksgiving, with His blessed Father and His living and holy Spirit, for ever and
ever, Amen.

31 Here ends the history of Matthew and Andrew, when they converted the City of Dogs;
which is Írkā. [All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted apart
from these. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and
Syriac text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)] 1. See
Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol. xvi, p.348. 2. Margin, twenty-seven, as in the Greek and
below. 3. Here the Syriac text omits a considerable portion of the Greek, from p.138 l.13,
in Tischendorf's edition, to p. 139 l.18. See Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, vol xvi.,
pp.351, 352. 4. Here again the Syriac text is shorter than the Greek, and some sentences
are transposed. See Tischendorf's edition, p.142, line 1, to p.146, line 16, and Clark's
Ante-Nicene Library, vol. xvi., pp.353-6.


APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC)
========================================

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC) continued

THE HISTORY OF THECLA, THE DISCIPLE OF PAUL

THE HISTORY OF THECLA, THE DISCIPLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE.

1 When Paul had gone up to the city of Iconium after his persecution, there accompanied
him Demas and Hermogenes, the coppersmiths, who were full of sedition and spake big words.
And they were conversing with Paul as though with their friend; but Paul was looking to
the dwelling-place of the grace of the Messiah, and was not doing unto them any harm, but
was loving them truly. And he was so loving them, that he was making all the words of the
Lord, and of the teaching and preaching and the birth and the resurrection of the Beloved,
sink into their souls through the great (doings) of the Messiah. And he showed them how
they were revealed to him, and was narrating (them) unto them by word (of mouth). 2 And a
man, whose name was Onesiphorus, heard that Paul had come to the city of Iconium, and went
out, with the sons of Simon, and with Zeno, and with his wife, to meet Paul, that they
might receive him; for Titus had told him what was the aspect of Paul; for Onesiphorus did
not know him in the body, but in the spirit. And he went (and) stood where the roads meet,
on the highway which goes to Lystra; and was standing and waiting for him, and looking
upon those who were passing and returning, according to the marks which Titus had given
him. And he saw Paul coming, and in his stature he was a man of middling size, and his
hair was scanty, and his legs were a little crooked, and his knees were projecting (or far
apart); and he had large eyes, and his eyebrows met, and: his nose was somewhat long; and
he was full of grace and mercy; at one time he seemed like a man, and at another time he
seemed like an Angel. And when Paul saw Onesiphorus, he was glad; and Onesiphorus said to
him: "Peace be to thee, thou apostle of the Blessed (One)." Paul saith to him: "Peace be
to thee, Onesiphorus, and to all thy household." And Demas and Hermogenes were filled with
envy, and their jealousy was great; and they said to Paul: "Are we not of the Blessed
(One), that thou hast never saluted us thus?" He answered and said to them: "Because I do
not see in you the works of righteousness." Onesiphorus saith to them: "If ye be aught,
come ye too to my house and rest."

3 And when Paul had entered into the house of Onesiphorus, there was great joy there, and
they kneeled down on their knees, and prayed, and brake bread. And Paul came nigh and
spake unto him the words of God concerning the controlling of the flesh and concerning the
resurrection, and was saying: "Blessed are they who are pure in their heart, for they
shall see God. Blessed are they who have kept their flesh in purity, for they shall be
called temples of God. Blessed are they who control themselves, for God shall speak with
them. Blessed are they who have despised this world, for they shall be pleasing unto God.
Blessed are they who have wives as though they had them not, for they shall inherit the
earth. Blessed are they in whose heart is the fear of God, for they shall be called
Angels. Blessed are they who tremble at the words of God which they hear, for them shall
God call. Blessed are they who have received the wisdom of Jesus the Messiah, for they
shall be called sons of God. Blessed are they who have kept the baptism, for they shall
rest with the Father, who is in Heaven, and with His beloved Son. Blessed are they who
have received the exhortation of the Messiah, for they shall be in great light. Blessed
are they who for the love of God have gone out of this body, for they shall inherit
eternal life, and shall stand at the right hand of the Son of God. Blessed are the
merciful, for mercy shall be upon them from God, and on the Day of Judgement they shall
receive the kingdom. Blessed are the bodies and souls of virgins, for they shall be
pleasing unto God, and the reward of their holiness shall not be lost, for, according to
the word of the Father, there shall be found for them works unto life at the day of His
Son."

4 And whilst Paul was speaking these great things of God in the midst of the Church, in
the house of Onesiphorus, one Thecla, a virgin, the daughter of Theocleia, who was
betrothed unto Thamyris, came and sat at a window, which was close to their roof, and was
listening to the words of Paul, which he was speaking concerning purity; and she did not
depart from that window, and by night and day was hearkening to the prayer of Paul, and
was wondering at the faith. Moreover too she was seeing many women, who were going in unto
Paul that they might hear his words, for he was teaching the commandments of God; and she
was longing to hear the words of Paul, for his figure had not been seen by her, but it was
his words only which she was hearing; and she did not stir at all from that window.

5 Then her mother sent for Thamyris her betrothed; and when Thamyris her betrothed heard
that his mother-in-law had called him, he ran and came to her, as if, lo, she was already
granting to him to take her to wife. And Thamyris answered and said to his mother-in-law:
"Where is Thecla my betrothed, that I may see her?" Theocleia answered and said to him: "I
have something new to tell thee, Thamyris! Thecla thy betrothed, lo, for three days and
three nights has not got up from that window, neither to eat nor to drink; but her eyes
are intently fixed and she is looking at a strange man, who speaks vain and foolish words
as if for a pastime; and accordingly I am surprised how discreet young women are quickly
(and) evilly led away after him. I say unto thee, Thamyris, that he has perverted the
whole city of the Iconians, and Thecla thy betrothed too, and many (other) women; and the
young men go in to him, and he teaches them to worship one God and to live purely. And
moreover Thecla is bound like a spider on its web, and is seized with a new desire and
with an evil corruption, and her eyes are intently fixed on whatsoever comes out of that
chamber, and she does not quit that window either to eat or to drink, and the virgin is
quite absorbed (in thought). But do thou, Thamyris, go near to her and speak with her, for
she is betrothed to thee."

6 And Thamyris her betrothed drew nigh unto her, firstly, because he loved her, and
secondly, because he had respect for her modesty; and he answered and said to her:
"Thecla, thou art my betrothed; why is it that thou doest thus? And what is the evil
corruption that has taken hold of thee? Turn to Thamyris thy betrothed, and be ashamed
before him." And her mother answered and saith to her: "Why is it that thou thus lookest
down, and givest no answer, but art become like a mad woman?" And when the people of their
household saw her, they wept; and Thamyris was weeping because his betrothed had parted
from him; and the mother because she was parted from her daughter and the women-servants
because they were parted from their mistress. And great was the grief and the mourning in
their house. And Thecla paid no attention to all these things, but her mind was bent to
hear the words of Paul.

7 Then Thamyris her betrothed became angry, and sprang up (and) went out into the street,
and was looking at those who were going in and out to Paul. And suddenly he saw two men
who were quarrelling bitterly with one another. And Thamyris drew nigh unto them and said
to them: "What are ye? Tell me. And who is this man, who (is) within, who is with you, who
leads astray the souls of young women and of virgins, and commands that there should be no
marriage-feasts, but that they should live thus (as they are)? I am willing to give you
much money, if ye will tell me about him, who he is; for I am the chief (man) of this
city." And Demas and Hermogenes, when they saw him, came to him, and answered and say to
him: "This man of whom thou hast spoken, we do not know him, who he is; but he separates
the young men from the virgins, and the virgins from the young men, and says to them, 'Ye
cannot rise from the grave, unless ye keep yourselves purely.'" Thamyris answered and said
to them: "Come, my friends, with me to my house, and rest yourselves with me." And they
went with him to a great repast, and much meat, and immense luxury, and splendid tables.
And Thamyris entertained them, because he loved Thecla his betrothed, that he might get
her as a wife on the day which his mother-in-law had fixed for him. Thamyris answered and
said to them as they were reclining (at table): "Tell me, my friends, what are the
doctrines which he teaches, that I too may know; for they are not few, who complain
against him, and I too am grieved for my betrothed, who loves a strange man, and I am
parted from her."

8 And Demas and Hermogenes answered and said to him with one consent: "Thamyris, bring him
before Castelus the hêgemôn, and say, 'This (fellow) teaches the new doctrine, and is a
Christian'; and lo, straightway he will destroy him, and thou shalt take Thecla thy
betrothed (to wife), and we will teach thee the resurrection of the dead, which he
teaches." 9 And when Thamyris heard these words, he was filled with envy and jealousy, and
rose early in the morning, and went to the house of Onesiphorus with the chief men of the
city and many people with staves. And he answered and said: "Paul, thou hast destroyed the
city of the Iconians and my betrothed, so that she will not be mine. Come to Castelus the
hêgemôn. And the whole city said: "Drag him along, he is a magician; for he has corrupted
all our wives. And the whole people let themselves be persuaded. And when Paul had gone,
they holding him, and stood before the hêgemôn, Thamyris answered and said with a loud
voice to the hêgemôn: "This man—we do not know who he is; but he does not suffer virgins
to become (the wives) of men. Let him tell thee, why he teaches this doctrine. And Demas
and Hermogenes the smiths, who were full of sedition, drew near to Thamyris and said to
him: "Say that he is a Christian, and lo, at that moment he will destroy him. And when the
hêgemôn had heard the words of Thamyris and of the whole people, who were holding Paul,
they saw that the hêgemôn called Paul and said to him: "Tell me, Paul, who art thou? And
what teachest thou? For they are not few who accuse thee. Then Paul lifted up his voice
and said: "I will relate to-day what I teach; listen, O hêgemôn. I teach a living God;

10 a God who does not requite retributions unto men; a God who does not require anything,
but to whom the life of men is useful. And he has sent me that I might rescue them from
destruction, and from uncleanness, and from all deadly lusts, that they might sin no more.
On this account God has sent me, whom I preach, and I proclaim that in Him shall be the
hope of all men; who has taken providential care and delivered the nations from error,
that they might sin no more, and might not walk in sedition, but that fear might be in
them through belief in God, and (that) they might know fear and love in truth. And if I
teach whatever God hath revealed unto me, what wrong do I do, O hêgemôn? And when the
hêgemôn heard these words, he commanded that Paul should go to prison, being bound, until
he could have an opportunity of hearing him well.

11 And Thecla in that night took off her bracelets and gave (them) to the doorkeeper of
their house, and he opened the door for her; and she went out, and went to the jailer, who
was guarding Paul, and gave him her mirror of gold that he might bring her in to Paul. And
he brought her in, and she came and sat by the feet of Paul, and was listening to the
great things of God. And Paul was not distressed, but was teaching the commandments of God
openly to every one who was with him (in the prison). And Thecla with great joy was
kissing the bonds and chains which were laid on the hands and feet of Paul. 12 And when
her family and her betrothed sought for Thecla, as if she had been lost, they arose, going
about and searching for her in the streets. And the companion of the doorkeeper came, and
informed against him, and said: "I saw Thecla by night give her bracelets to the
doorkeeper, and he opened the door for her, and she went out. And when they had scourged
the doorkeeper, he confessed and said to them: "She went out, and said to me, 'Lo, I am
going to the stranger, where he is imprisoned.' " And they went, as the doorkeeper told
them, and found her sitting at Paul's feet, she and many persons, and they were listening
to the great things of the Most High. And Thamyris went forth thence with many persons,
and they went in a great rage, and informed the hêgemôn of what had happened. Then the
hêgemôn said: "Fetch Paul. And the young men ran and unbound Paul, and were dragging him
from the prison until (they came) before the hêgemôn. And Thecla was prostrating herself
and weeping on the spot where Paul had been sitting bound and teaching the commandments of
God. And again of a sudden the hêgemôn commanded and said: "Bring Thecla, the betrothed of
Thamyris. And Thamyris ran with many men, and they laid hold of Thecla, and were dragging
her up to the hêgemôn. And when the hêgemôn saw her, he was very sorry for her; but Thecla
was standing before him with great joy, and was not sorry.

13 Then of a sudden the whole people cried out and say: "Destroy this magician"; but he
(the hêgemôn) did not say anything concerning Paul. Then the hêgemôn sat in council, and
he arose, he and his companions, and they called Thecla, and say to her: "Why art thou not
to thy betrothed according to the law of the Iconians? And Thecla was standing and looking
on Paul, and she answered not a word to the hêgemôn. Then her mother cried out and saith:
"Burn the fool in the midst of the theatre, that all the women who see her, those whose
doctrine this is, may be afraid. And when the hêgemôn heard (this), he was very sorry for
her. Then he commanded, and they scourged Paul, and cast him out of the city and he
condemned Thecla to be burned with fire in the midst of the theatre. And the hêgemôn arose
and went to the theatre, he and the whole people, that they might see Thecla being burned
with fire. And as a sheep on the mountain seeks its shepherd, so Thecla too was seeking
that she might see where Paul was. And whilst she was looking among all that crowd, she
saw the Lord Jesus the Messiah, who was sitting beside her in the likeness of Paul. And
Thecla answered and saith: "Thus indeed hath Paul come and seated himself opposite me, as
if I were not able to bear whatever may come upon me.

14 And she was looking upon him, and her eyes were gazing intently at him; and the Lord
rose up thence and ascended unto Heaven, And the youths and maidens brought faggots and
placed (them) in the theatre, that they might burn Thecla; and they brought her into the
theatre naked. And when the hêgemôn saw her, he wept, and was astonished at the strength
that was in her. And they piled up the faggots, and the youths laid hold of her that she
might ascend the pile. And as soon as Thecla ascended (it), she stretched out her hands in
the form of the Cross, and ascended the pile. And when the flames of fire rose, not even
an atom of her hair was singed, because the Spirit of God had compassion upon her; and the
sound of its roaring went up from the earth; and a rain cloud overshadowed (them), and
hailstones and water were poured out abundantly, and many of those people, who were
sitting and looking on, perished; and the fire was extinguished, and Thecla preserved
alive.

15 And Paul was fasting, he and Onesiphorus, with his wife and children, in a sepulchre
which was open by the roadside of the Iconians. And when they had been many days fasting,
the youths say to Paul, "We are hungry; and they had not wherewith to buy for themselves
bread, for Onesiphorus had left his house and his property, and he and his household had
gone forth with Paul. Then Paul stripped off his tunic, and gave (it) to a boy, and said
to him: "Go, sell (it), my son, and buy bread in abundance, and come (back). And the boy
went to buy bread; and he saw Thecla their neighbour, and was astonished, and said to her:
"Thecla, whither art thou going? She saith to him: " After Paul I am going, for I have
escaped from the fire. And the boy said to her: "Come with me, and I will lead thee to
him; for he is supplicating and weeping and fasting, lo, these six days, and begging of
God concerning thee. And Thecla came with him to the sepulchre, and entered and stood over
Paul, and found him kneeling on his knees and praying and saying: "Our Father, who art in
Heaven, I beg of Thee, let not the fire touch Thecla, but extinguish it from her, because
she is Thine. And Thecla, whilst she was standing beside him, opened her mouth and saith:

16 "Father, who hast made Heaven and earth, Thou Father of the Holy (One), I praise Thee,
who hast made me, and hast preserved me alive that I might see Paul. And Paul arose and
saw her. And Paul answered and said: "God, the Searcher of hearts, the Father of our Lord
Jesus the Messiah, I praise Thee because what I asked of Thee Thou hast rescued from the
fire, and hast granted me to see Thecla, me and these persons who are with me; and in Thy
hands it is an easy thing to deliver from all distress one who praises Thy name for ever."
17 And Paul was glad and rejoicing with those persons who were with him. And the boy had
brought them five loaves of bread, and herbs and water and salt; and they were rejoicing
in the pure works of the Messiah. And Thecla saith to Paul: "I will cut off my hair, and
go after thee, whither thou goest." He answered and said to her: "It is a hard struggle,
and thou art beautiful. (Take care) lest yet another trial come upon thee, which is worse
than the first, and thou bear it not." And Thecla said to Paul: "Give me only the sign of
God, and temptation shall not come nigh unto me. "Paul saith unto Thecla: "Be patient, and
thou shalt receive thy water (of baptism)."

18 And Paul sent away Onesiphorus with his family, and he went to his home. And Paul took
hold of Thecla's hand, and those persons who were with him, and they entered into Antioch.
And as they were entering and going along, one of the chief men of Antioch,— Alexander was
his name, and he had great influence in Antioch,—saw Thecla and was enamoured of her, and
was trying to seduce Paul, and was counselling him that he should give him much silver and
gold and he should give him Thecla. And Paul answered and said to him: "I do not know this
woman of whom thou speakest, if she be a woman as thou sayest, nor is she mine. And
because Alexander was powerful, he came and embraced Thecla in the middle of the street;
and she did not endure (it), but was seeking for Paul, and cried out bitterly and said to
him: "Do not force the stranger! Do not force the handmaid of God! I am a noble's daughter
of the city of Iconium; and because I did not wish to belong to Thamyris my betrothed,
they drove me out thence. And she laid hold of Alexander, and tore his garments, and
pulled off from him the golden crown of figures, which was placed on his head, and dashed
it to the ground, and left Alexander standing naked. And because he loved her, and also
because he was ashamed of what she had done to him, he went at once and made (it) known
before the hêgemôn.

19 And when the hêgemôn heard that Thecla had done these things, and she confessed what
she had done to him, he sentenced her and ordered that they should cast her to the beasts;
for Alexander was exhibiting spectacles to the city. And when all the inhabitants of the
city heard this, they were astonished, and cried out in complaint before the tribunal and
said: "Evil is the doom of Thecla. And Thecla came and stood before the hêgemôn, and made
him swear that she should be kept in purity until they threw her to the beasts. And the
hêgemôn, when he heard this thing, said to Thecla: " Go whither thou pleasest, and be in
safe keeping. And there was there a rich queen, whose name was Tryphaena, whose daughter
was dead; and she came and took Thecla, and was keeping her, and it was a consolation to
her that she saw Thecla.

20 And when the beasts were brought into the theatre, (men) came for Thecla, to take her
away from the house of Tryphaena; and they led her to the theatre. And they brought (her;
and) stripped her, and put a cloth round her loins, and made her stand naked, and brought
in against her a huge lioness. And queen Tryphaena was standing beside the door of the
theatre, and was weeping for her. And the lioness came (and) drew near to her, and was
licking her, whilst Thecla was standing (there). And the whole people were astonished at
her and at the power which God had given her. And they wrote on tablets and showed (them)
unto all the people who were sitting (there); "Thecla they have called a violator of the
temples, because she cast down the crown of Caesar from the head of Alexander, who wished
to do uncleanness with her." And all the people were crying out there with their children,
and saying: "Thy help, O God, (we implore) against the wickedness which has been (done) in
this city." And again they let loose upon her other beasts, and again they did not come
near her. Then she went forth from the theatre, she and these beasts; and straightway came
queen Tryphaena and took Thecla; because her daughter, who was dead, had appeared in a
vision of the night and showed herself to her mother, saying: "My mother, take in my stead
this Thecla, the stranger and the persecuted, that she may pray for me, that I may pass
into the place of the righteous."

21 And when Tryphaena had taken her,—firstly, because she was grieved that tomorrow they
were again going to throw her to the beasts; and next, because her soul was moved with
compassion for her daughter who was dead,—the queen saith: "A second time, Thecla, there
is mourning in my house. Pray, and beg of God; that he may have mercy on thee and may
deliver thee from these beasts; and pray and beg of God also for my, daughter, that she
may live; for thus I saw in my dream." And at that moment Thecla arose, and lifted up her
voice, and said: "God, who art in Heaven, the Father of the Most High, grant to queen
Tryphaena, according to her wish, that her daughter may live for ever." And when the queen
heard these things, she sat in mourning, and was weeping and saying: "This beauty of
thine, Thecla, tomorrow again the beasts will devour it."

22 And when it was dawn, Alexander ran (and) came to lead Thecla away, because he was
giving the (exhibition of) beasts to the city at the theatre. And he answered and said:
"Lo, the hêgemôn is sitting, and the whole people are hurrying us; give us Thecla who is
(sentenced to be) devoured by the beasts, (and) we will carry her off." And Tryphaena
cried out at him bitterly; and at the sound of the cry which she uttered at him, he fled.
And the queen answered and saith: "Thy help, O God, (I implore); for lo, twice is there
mourning in my house, and I have no one to help me; for my daughter lives not, who is
dead, and there is none of my kinsmen to stand at my side, and I am a widow. Go, Thecla!
Thy God will help thee." 23 And again the O hêgemôn sent young men for her to fetch her
down. And queen Tryphaena did not let go her hold of Thecla, but was taking her by the
hand; and going (with her), and saying to her: "My own daughter I accompanied and conveyed
to the tomb; and thee, Thecla, lo, I am accompanying and leading, that the beasts may
devour thee." And Thecla wept bitterly and groaned before God, and said: "My Lord and my
God, I believe in Thee, for I took refuge with Thee and Thou didst deliver me from the
fire; and now grant Thou a recompense to Tryphaena, because her soul has had compassion
upon Thy handmaiden and she has kept me in purity." And at that moment there was a great
confusion, and the sounds of the cracking of many whips, which they were cracking at the
beasts, and the sound of the outcry of men and women, who were saying, "Bring out the
violator of the temple of the gods." And some of them were saying: "This city will be
destroyed for the wickedness which it has done; the hêgemôn has ruined us all; for bitter
is the sight which we behold here, and evil is the doom of Thecla."

24 And the young men came and took Thecla away from the hands of queen Tryphaena, and led
her into the theatre to throw her to the beasts. And they brought (her), and made her
stand in the midst of the theatre, and stripped (her), and took away her clothes, and put
a cloth round her loins; and she was standing naked, and said: "My Lord and my God, the
Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Thou art the Helper of the persecuted, and Thou art
the Companion of the poor; behold Thy handmaiden, for lo, the shame of women is uncovered
in me, and I stand in the midst of all this people. My Lord and my God, remember Thy
handmaiden in this hour." Then they brought in against her a leopard, which was very
savage; and again they brought in against her a lioness. And Thecla was standing with her
arms spread out in the form of the Cross. And the lioness ran towards her, and when it
reached her, it came (and) lay down at her feet. And the leopard came to her, to attack
her, and fell down before her and burst. And again they brought in against her a
bear,which was very strong; and it ran at Thecla. And the lioness, which was crouching at
her feet, arose, and sprang upon the bear and rent it. And again (they let loose) a lion
which was trained to run at men, which belonged to Alexander; and it ran at Thecla. And
the lioness, which was crouching beside her, arose, and met the lion; and the two sprang
upon one another, and after a little (while) the two killed each other. And the women
specially sat in sorrow, who were sitting there and looking on, and saying: "The lioness
too, which was helping Thecla, is dead."

25 And again, lo, they let in upon her many beasts. And when Thecla, standing (there), saw
that they were letting in upon her many beasts, she spread out her hands and stood
praying. And when she had finished her prayer, she turned backwards, and saw a reservoir
which was full of water. And Thecla answered and saith: "Lo then, it is time to wash
myself." And she lifted up her hands and saith: "In the name of Jesus the Messiah, lo, to-
day, the last day, I am baptised." And when the women, who were sitting (there), saw
(this), and the whole people, they wept and say to her: "Do not cast thyself into that
water, for evil are the beasts that are in it." And the hêgemôn too, when he saw her,
wept, that the beasts, who were in that water, should devour this beauty. And Thecla
leaped, and fell into the water. And the beasts, which were there, when they saw the flash
of light, died, and floated upon the surface of the water. And there was around her, and
overshadowing her, a cloud of lightning, so that Thecla could not be seen (to descry)
whether she was naked.

26 And when the women, who were sitting in the theatre, saw that other beasts were being
let in at Thecla, which were worse than the former, they broke out into wailing and say:
"Thy help (we implore), O God! What do we see in this city? And then these women came and
cast perfumes upon Thecla; there were some who cast spikenard, and some sweet-marjoram
(amaracus), and some tarphūsē; and they were throwing perfumes into the midst of the
theatre upon Thecla. And the beasts, which they had let loose at her, came up to her, and
sat down around her, behind her and in front of her, and lay down and slept; and not one
of them harmed Thecla. And again Alexander ran (and) came and said to the hêgemôn: "I have
two bulls, which are very strong and savage; let us bring them and bind between them this
(woman who is) doomed to be devoured by beasts, so that perchance they may become furious
and destroy her. And the hêgemôn said to Alexander: "Go and do whatever seems good unto
thee. And he sent and had the bulls fetched; and they brought Thecla from among the
beasts, and took hold of her, and threw Thecla upon her face, and took hold of her feet
and bound her between the two bulls.

27 And they brought spits and put them in the fire, and made the spits hot with fire, and
laid them upon the thighs of the bulls, that they might become furious and in their anger
destroy the captive. And the bulls, because of the pain they suffered, sprang up suddenly;
but a flash of fire ran and consumed the ropes which were fastened to the feet of Thecla,
and Thecla sprang up and stood beside the bulls, as if she had no pain and as if she had
not been bound. And when the hêgemôn and the whole city saw the great marvels which God
had wrought with Thecla, they praised God for what they had seen. And queen Tryphaena, who
was standing by the door of the theatre, fainted away and fell down on the ground,,
because she thought that Thecla was dead. And when her slaves saw that she had fainted and
fallen down, they broke out into wailing, and rent their garments and say: "The queen is
dead. And when the hêgemôn heard them say "The queen is dead," (he stopped the games,) and
the whole city trembled. And Alexander was afraid, and he ran (and) came and said to the
hêgemôn: "Have pity on me, sir, and also on this city, and release this (woman, who was)
doomed to be devoured by beasts, that she may go away from us, so that the city too may
not perish, lest perchance, when Caesar hears of these things which we have done, he may
destroy the city;

28 for queen Tryphaena is of the family of Caesar, and lo, she was standing beside the
door of the theatre, and she is dead. Then the hêgemôn said: "Bring Thecla before me. And
the young men ran and brought Thecla from the midst of the beasts, and made her stand
before the hêgemôn on the tribunal. And the hêgemôn answered and said to Thecla: "Who art
thou? And who was there beside thee, that not one of these beasts came nigh unto thee? And
Thecla said: "I am the handmaiden of the living God, and He who was beside me is the Son
of the living God, in whom I have believed, by reason of whom not one of those beasts came
nigh unto me; and He is the limit of life; for He is a companion to all the persecuted,
and to those who have no hope, He is hope and life. I tell thee then, hêgemôn, and these
men who, lo, are standing before thee, that he who does not believe in God—for, lo, ye
have seen the great things of God, what He hath done to His handmaiden,— he who does not
believe in Him shall die for ever."

29 And when the hêgemôn heard these words from the mouth of Thecla, he ordered them to
bring clothes for her; and the hêgemôn said to her: "Thecla, take off the cloth that is
wrapped round thy loins, and take these garments which I have had brought for thee." And
Thecla answered and saith to the hêgemôn: "He who has clothed me with power amid these
beasts, He will clothe me at the Day of Judgement with life." And Thecla took off the
cloth that was wrapped round her loins, and took the clothes and put them on. And the
hêgemôn made criers proclaim to the whole people: "Thecla, who is God's, and Thecla, who
is righteous, I have released and given unto you." And the women, who were sitting there
in the theatre, shouted out with one voice, and offered praise (unto God), and said: "God
is One, and the God of Thecla is One, who has preserved her alive, and brought her forth
from the midst of all these beasts." And with the voice of the women who shouted the whole
city trembled. And straightway they ran (and) announced it to queen Tryphaena; and she ran
(and) came and met Thecla, and embraced her and kissed her and said to her: "My daughter
Thecla, now I believe that the dead live, and now I believe that my daughter lives. Come
then with me to my house, my daughter Thecla, and everything whatsoever I have, I will
assign to thee by deed." And Thecla went with her and entered into her house, and rested
there eight days, and taught queen Tryphaena all the commandments of God. And the queen
believed in God, and a great many of her handmaidens; and there was great joy there.

30 And because Paul was dear unto her, Thecla sent and was seeking him everywhere. And
when they had found him, they came and said to her: "Lo, he is in the city of Myra. And
she arose and departed from the house of queen Tryphaena, and dressed herself like a man,
and the queen's handmaidens. And she went and entered into the city of Myra, and found
Paul sitting and teaching the commandments of God, And Thecla stood beside him. And when
Paul saw her and the people who were with her, he was astonished; for Paul thought that a
new trial was come upon him. And Thecla answered and saith to him: "I have received
baptism; for He who commanded thee to preach, commanded me too to wash myself. And
straightway Paul arose, and took her and all the people who were with her, and led her to
the house of Hermseus. And Paul and Thecla, and the people who were with them, sat down;
and she narrated to themeverything that they had done with her; and Paul marvelled greatly
at the power which was given to Thecla; and all who were standing there and hearing what
God had done with her, were greatly confirmed and established. And straightway they all
arose, and praised God, who works great things in every one who believes in Him and does
His commandments. And they prayed and besought of God for queen Tryphaena, and said:

31 "Our Lord and our God, the Father of the Most High, reward queen Tryphaena, who has had
compassion upon Thy handmaiden, and kept her in purity. And Thecla said to them: "I am
going to the city of Iconium. Paul saith to her: "Go and teach there the commandments of
God. And when queen Tryphaena heard that Thecla was going to the city of Iconium, she took
much clothing and gold, and sent (them) to Thecla. And Thecla took the clothing and some
of the gold, and sent (them) to Paul for the service of the widows and for those who were
in want of them. 32 And Thecla went (and) entered into the house of Onesiphorus, and fell
upon her face on the place where Paul used to sit and teach the commandments of God; and
she was weeping and saying: "O Lord, our God and the God of this house, in which light
shone upon me from Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, who aided me in prison, and
delivered me from the fire, and preserved me from among the furious beasts, and helped me
before the hêgemôn, and gave me my baptism, and gave me purity that I might live for ever,
and might go into the glories which are kept for me and for those who keep the
commandments of God in righteousness—He is one God the Most High, who sitteth upon the
throne of the cherubim, to whom be praises for ever, Amen and Amen. And after these great
things which God had done with her, she learned there in the city of Iconium that Thamyris
her betrothed was dead, but her mother Theocleia alive; and she sent and called her and
saith to her: "My mother Theocleia, if thou canst believe, believe that there is one God,
the Lord in Heaven; and if thou lovest wealth and gold and silver that perish, lo, they
are given unto thee from this hour; but if thou wilt believe that there is one God in
heaven, and that there is no other god but He, thou shalt be able to live and to observe
whatever I say unto thee;

33 for lo, I stand before thee, who have escaped from the fire, and have escaped from the
furious beasts, and have escaped from before the hêgemôn, for my God and my Lord helped
me, and gave me power to endure all these things. And all these things did she testify
unto her mother; and she departed from the city of Iconium, and went to Seleucia, and
there too she enlightened many persons by the word of God, and lay down to sleep in a
quiet resting-place. 34 Peace be with you, servants of Jesus the Messiah, who keep His
commandments in purity, that the Father may recompense you with all that He hath promised
unto you through His Son, who is our King. Here ends (the history of) Thecla, the disciple
of the Apostle Paul. [All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted
apart from these. The footnotes in the printed edition show very many text variants with
words and clauses omitted in one manuscript or another, or additional text added. Note
that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac text can be
bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)] 1. See... Clark's Ante-
Nicene Christian Library, vol. xvi., p.279.


APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC)
========================================

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC) continued

THE ACTS OF JUDAS THOMAS, THE TWIN

THE ACTS OF JUDAS THOMAS (OR THE TWIN) — THE APOSTLE.

1 The (first) act of Judas Thomas the Apostle, when He sold him to the merchant Habbān,
that he might go down (and) convert India. 2 AND when all the Apostles had been for a time
in Jerusalem, — Simon Cephas and Andrew, and Jacob (James) and John, and Philip and
Bartholomew, and Thomas and Matthew the publican, and Jacob (James) the son of Alphæus,
and Simon the Kananite, and Judas the son of Jacob (James),—they divided the countries
among them, in order that each one of them might preach in the region which fell to him
and in the place to which his Lord sent him. And India fell by lot and division to Judas
Thomas (or the Twin) the Apostle. And he was not willing to go, saying: "I have not
strength enough for this, because I am weak. And I am a Hebrew: how can I teach the
Indians? And whilst Judas was reasoning thus, our Lord appeared to him in a vision of the
night, and said to him: " Fear not, Thomas, because my grace is with thee. But he would
not be persuaded at all, saying: "Whithersoever Thou wilt, our Lord, send me; only to
India I will not go. And as Judas was reasoning thus, a certain merchant, an Indian,
happened (to come) into the south country from——,whose name was Habbān; and he was sent by
the king Gūdnaphar, that he might bring to him a skilful carpenter. And our Lord saw him
walking in the street, and said to him: " Thou wishest to buy a carpenter? He saith to
him, "Yes. Our Lord saith to him:

3 "I have a slave, a carpenter, whom I will sell to thee. And he showed him Thomas at a
distance, and bargained with him for twenty (pieces) of silver (as) his price, and wrote a
bill of sale thus: "I, Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, from the village of
Bethlehem, which is in Judæa, acknowledge, that I have sold my slave Judas Thomas to
Habbān, the merchant of king Gudnaphar. And when they had completed his bill of sale,
Jesus took Judas, and went to Habbān the merchant. And Habbān saw him, and said to him:
"Is this thy master? Judas saith to him: "Yes, he is my master. Habbān the merchant saith
to, him: "He has sold thee to me outright. And Judas was silent. 4 And in the morning he
arose and prayed, and entreated of his Lord, and said to Him: "Lo, our Lord, as Thou wilt,
let Thy will be (done)." And he went to Habbān the merchant, without carrying anything
with him except that price of his, for our Lord had given it to him. And Judas went and
found Habbān the merchant carrying his goods on board the ship, and he began to carry
(them) on board with him. And when they had gone on board and sat down, Habbān the
merchant saith to Judas: "What is thy art which thou art skilled in practising?" Judas
saith to him: "Carpentering and architecture—the business of the carpenter." Habban the
merchant saith to him: "What dost thou know to make in wood, and what in hewn stone?"
Judas saith to him: "In wood I have learned to make ploughs and yokes and ox-goads, and
oars for ferry-boats, and masts for ships; and in stone, tombstones and monuments, and
temples, and palaces for kings." Habbān the merchant saith to him: "And I was seeking just
such an artificer." And they began to sail, because the breeze was steady; and they were
sailing along gently, until they put in at the town of Sandaruk.

5 And when they had disembarked on the land, and were entering and going into the city,
they heard the sound of pipes and organs and much singing. And Judas was asking and
saying: "What is the rejoicing that is in this city?'' They say to him: "Thee too have the
gods brought that thou mayest be glad in this city; for the king has an only daughter, and
he is giving her to a man; and this sound of rejoicing is that of the wedding-feast. And
heralds have been permitted by the king to proclaim, that every one should come to the
feast, both poor and rich, and slaves and freemen, and strangers and citizens. And every
one who does not come to the feast, is in danger of the anger of the king." The merchant
Habbān saith to Judas: "Let us too go, that we may not be spoken ill of, especially as we
are strangers." And when they had stopped at an inn and rested a little, they went to
attend the feast. And Judas reclined in the middle, and they were all looking upon him as
upon a stranger, who came from another place. And the merchant Habbān, his master, was
reclining in another place.

6 And when they ate and drank, Judas was tasting nothing at all. Those who were beside him
say to him: "Why art thou come hither, since thou art not able to eat or to drink?" Judas
saith to them: "For something that is better than eating or drinking, am I come hither;
and for the king's rest, and that I might accomplish his will; and because the heralds
were proclaiming, that he who hears and does not come, shall receive chastisement." And
when they had eaten and drunk, both oil and dried fruits were brought in to them, and they
took (thereof). Some were anointing their faces, others their beards, and others other
places; but Judas was praising, God, and signing the middle of his head (with the Cross);
and he moistened his nostrils with a little (of the oil), and put (some) in his ears, and
made the sign (of the Cross) over his heart; and a garland of myrtle was placed on his
head, and he took a reed-branch in his hand.

7 Then the flute-girl, who was in the midst of the party, was going round to them all; and
when she came to Judas, she was standing and playing over him. And the flute player was a
Hebrew (woman). And when she had stood over him a long time, Judas did not lift up his
face, but was looking all the while on the ground. And one of the cup-bearers came, (and)
raised his hand and smote him on his cheek. And Judas looked at him and said to him: "My
God will forgive thee this in the world to come, but in this world He will show His
wonders on the hand which smote me, and I shall see it dragged along by a dog." And Judas
began to sing this song. 8 "My Church is the daughter of light; the splendour of kings is
hers. Charming and winsome is her aspect, fair and adorned with every good work. Her
garments are like unto flowers, the smell whereof is fragrant and pleasant. On her head
dwelleth the King, and He feedeth those who dwell with Him beneath. Truth is placed on her
head, joy moves in her feet. Her mouth is open, and it becometh her, wherewith she
uttereth all songs of praise. The twelve Apostles of the Son, and the seventy-two
(disciples) thunder forth (His praises) in her. Her tongue is the curtain, which the
priest raiseth and entereth in. Her neck is the lofty flight of steps, which the first
architect did build. Her hands, both of them, proclaim (and point out) the place of life;
and her ten fingers have opened the gate of Heaven. Her bridal chamber is lighted up, and
full of the sweet odour of salvation. A censer is ready in its midst, love and belief and
hope, gladdening all; within, truth (dwells) in humility. Her gates are adorned with
truth; her groomsmen surround her, all whom she hath invited; and her pure bridesmaids
(go) before her, uttering praise. The living are in attendance upon her, and they look to
their Bridegroom who shall come, and they shall shine with His glory, and shall be with
Him in the kingdom which never passeth away. And they shall be in the glory to which all
the just are gathered;

9 and they shall be in the joy into which some enter; and they shall put on shining
garments, and shall be clothed with the glory of their Lord. And they shall praise the
living Father, whose majestic light they have received, and have been enlightened by the
splendour of their Lord, of whose food they have received, which never hath any excrement,
and have drunk of the life which makes those who drink of it long and thirst (for more);
and have glorified the Father, the Lord of all, and the only-(begotten) Son, who is of
Him; and have praised the Spirit, His Wisdom." 10 And when he had sang this song, all who
were beside him were looking at him, and were seeing that his aspect was changed; but they
could not at all understand what he was saying, because he was speaking in Hebrew, and
they did not know (it). But the flute-player had heard everything, because she was a
Hebrew (woman), and she was looking at him. And when she left him and played to the
others, she still kept looking at him, and loved him as a countryman of hers; and in his
looks he was more beautiful than all those who were there. And when the flute-player had
finished, she sat down opposite to him and did not turn away her eyes from him; but he did
not lift up his eyes, and did not look at any one, but was ever looking upon the ground,
(waiting) till he might arise and depart from the banquet-room. And the cup-bearer had
gone down to the fountain to draw water, and a lion happened to be there, and rent him and
tore him limb from limb. Then the dogs were carrying off his limbs singly; and a black dog
carried off his right hand, which he had raised against Judas, and brought it into the
midst of the banquet-room.

11 And when they all saw it, they were amazed. And when they were all asking which of them
was lost, the hand was found to be that of the cup-bearer who had smitten Judas. Then the
flute-player broke her flutes, and came to the feet of the Apostle, (and) sat down, and
was saying: "This man is either God or the Apostle of God; for I heard him (say) in Hebrew
what he said to that cup-bearer, and immediately it befell him. For he said to him, 'I
shall see a dog dragging about the hand that smote me'; and lo, ye have seen how the dog
dragged it about." And some of them believed the flute-player, and some of them did not
believe (her). And the king, when he heard this story, came and said to Judas: "Come with
me, and pray for my daughter, because she is my only one, and today I am giving her away
in marriage." And he did not wish to go with him, because our Lord had not yet manifested
Himself to him in that place. But the king carried him off by force to the bridal chamber.

12 And he began to pray and to say thus: "Our Lord,— companion of His servants, and guide
and conductor of those who believe in Him, and refuge and repose of the afflicted, and
hope of the poor, and deliverer of the feeble, and healer of sick souls, life-giver of the
universe, and saviour of (all) creatures,—Thou knowest what things are going to happen,
and through us Thou accomplishest them. Thou art the discloser of hidden secrets, and the
revealer of mysterious sayings. Thou art the planter of the good tree, and through Thy
hands all acts take place. Thou art hidden in all Thy works, and art manifested in their
acts, Jesus, perfect Son of perfect mercy; and Thou didst become the Messiah, and didst
put on the first man. Thou art the power, and the wisdom, and the knowledge, and the will,
and the rest of Thy Father, in whom Thou art concealed in glory, and in whom Thou art
revealed in Thy creative agency; and Ye are one with two names. And Thou didst manifest
Thyself as a feeble (being), and those who saw Thee, thought of Thee, that Thou wast a man
who had need of help. And Thou didst show the glory of Thy Godhead in Thy longsuffering
towards our manhood, when Thou didst hurl the evil (one) from his power, and didst call
with Thy voice to the dead, and they became alive; and to those who were alive and hoping
in Thee, Thou didst promise an inheritance in Thy kingdom.

13 Thou wast the ambassador, and wast sent from the supernal heights, because Thou art
able to do the living and perfect will of Thy sender. Glorious art Thou, Lord, in Thy
might; and Thy renovating administration is in all Thy creatures, and in all the works
which Thy Godhead hath established; and no other is able to annul the will of Thy majesty,
nor to stand up against Thy nature as Thou art. And Thou didst descend to Sheol, and go to
its uttermost end; and didst open its gates, and bring out its prisoners, and didst tread
for them the path (leading) above by the nature of Thy Godhead. Yea, Lord, I ask of Thee
on behalf of these young people, that whatever Thou knowest to be beneficial for them,
Thou wilt do for them. And he laid his hand upon them, and said to them: "Our Lord be with
you"; and he left them and went away.

14 And the king requested the groomsmen to go out of the bridal chamber. And when all the
people had gone out, and the door of the bridal chamber was closed, the bridegroom raised
up the curtain, that he might bring the bride to himself. And he saw our Lord in the
likeness of Judas, who was standing and talking with the bride. And the bridegroom said to
him: "Lo, thou didst go out first; how art thou still here?" Our Lord saith to him: "I am
not Judas, but I am the brother of Judas." And our Lord sat down on the bed, and let the
young people sit down on the chairs, and began to say to them:— 15 "Remember, my children,
what my brother spake with you, and know to whom he committed you; and know that as soon
as ye preserve yourselves from this filthy intercourse, ye become pure temples, and are
saved from afflictions manifest and hidden, and from the heavy care of children, the end
of whom is bitter sorrow. And if ye have children, for their sakes ye will become
oppressors and robbers and smiters of orphans and wrongers of widows, and ye will be
grievously tortured for their injuries. For the greatest part of children are the cause of
many pains; for either the king falls upon them, or a demon lays hold of them, or
paralysis befalls them. And if they be healthy, they come to ill either by adultery, or
theft, or fornication, or covetousness, or vain-glory; and through these wickednesses ye
will be tortured by them. But if ye will be persuaded by me, and keep yourselves purely
unto God, ye shall have living children, to whom not one of these blemishes and hurts
cometh nigh; and ye shall be without care and without grief and without sorrow; and ye
shall be hoping (for the time) when ye shall see the true wedding-feast; and ye shall be
in it praisers (of God), and shall be numbered with those who enter into the bridal
chamber."

16 And the young people were persuaded by our Lord, and gave up themselves to Him, and
were preserved from filthy lust, and passed the night in their places. And our Lord went
forth from beside them, and said to them: "May the grace of your Lord be with you." And in
the morning, when it was dawn, the king had the table furnished early, and brought in
before the bridegroom and bride. And he found them sitting the one opposite the other, and
the face of the bride was uncovered and she was sitting, and the bridegroom was very
cheerful. The mother of the bride saith to her: "Why are thou sitting thus, and art not
ashamed, but (art) as if, lo, thou wert (married) along time and for many a day?" And her
father too said: " Because of thy great love for thy husband dost thou not even veil
thyself?"

17 And the bride answered and saith to her: "Truly, my mother, I am in great love, and I
am praying to my Lord that I may continue in this love which I have experienced this
night, and may call for the incorruptible Bridegroom who has revealed Himself to me this
night. And that I am not veiled, (is) because the veil of corruption is taken away from
me; and that I am not ashamed, (is) because the deed of shame has been removed far from
me; and that I am not repentant, (is) because the repentance, which restores to life,
abides in me. And that I am cheerful and gay, (is) because, in the day of this transitory
joy, I am not agitated by it; and that this deed of corruption is despised by me, and the
spoils of this wedding-feast that passes away, (is) because I am invited to the true
wedding-feast; and that I have not had intercourse with a husband, the end whereof is
bitter repentance, (is) because I am betrothed to the true Husband." And many things which
were like unto these was she saying.

18 Then too the bridegroom answered and said: "I praise Thee, (Thou) new God, who by means
of a stranger hast come hither. I glorify Thee, (Thou) God, who hast been preached by
means of a Hebrew man; who hast removed me from corruption, and hast sown in me life; who
hast delivered me from the disease that was abiding in me for ever; who hast revealed to
us Thyself, and I have perceived in what (state) I am; who hast saved me from falling and
hast led me on to a better state; who hast rescued me from these transitory things, and
hast deemed me worthy of those that are not transitory; who hast let Thyself down even to
my littleness, that Thou mightest bring me unto Thy greatness; who didst not withhold Thy
mercy from me who was lost, but didst show me (how) to seek for myself and to put away
from me the things that are not mine; who, when I did not know Thee, hast sought me
Thyself; who, when I did not perceive Thee, hast come unto me; whom I have now perceived,
and am not able to say anything which I do not know; against whom 'I cannot consent that I
should say aught with boldness, for it is because of Thy love that I am bold."

19 And when the king heard these things from the bridegroom and from the bride, he rent
his garments, and said to those who were by him: "Go forth in haste through the whole
city, and go about, (and) bring me that sorcerer, whom I introduced with my own hands into
my house, and bade him pray over my unlucky daughter. To the man who shall find him and
bring him to me, I will give whatever he shall ask." And they went (and) were going about
looking for him, and did not find him, because he had set out. And they went to the inn
where he had stayed, and found the flute-girl sitting and weeping, because he had not
taken her with him. And when they told her what had happened, she was glad and saith: "I
have found rest here." And she arose (and) went to the young people, and was dwelling with
them a long time. And they taught the king too, and collected a number of brethren, until
news was heard of the Apostle (being) in the realm of India; and they went to him and were
united unto him.

20 Here ends the first act. The second act, when Thomas the Apostle entered into India,
and built a palace for the king in Heaven. AND when Judas had entered into the realm of
India with the merchant Habbān, Habbān went to salute Gūdnaphar, the king of India, and he
told him of the artificer whom he had brought for him. And the king was very glad, and
ordered Judas to come into his presence. And the king said to him: "What art dost thou
know to practise?" Judas saith to him: "I am a carpenter, the servant of a carpenter and
architect." He saith to him: "What dost thou know to make?" Judas saith to him: "In wood I
know (how) to make yokes and ploughs and ox-goads, and oars for barges and ferryboats, and
masts for ships; and in hewn stone, tombstones and monuments and palaces for kings." The
king saith to Judas: "And I want such an artificer." The king saith to him: "Wilt thou
build me a palace?" Judas saith to him: "I will build it and finish it, for I am come to
work at building and carpentering."

21 And he took him and went outside the gate of the city, and was talking with him about
the constructing of the palace, and about its foundations, how they should be laid. And
when he had reached the place where the king wished him to build a palace for him, he said
to Judas: "Here I wish you to build for me a palace." Judas saith to him: "(Yes,) for this
is a place which is suitable for it." Now it was of this sort; it was a meadow, and there
was plenty of water near it. The king saith to him: "Begin to build here." Judas saith to
him: "Now I cannot build, at this time." The king saith to him: "And at what time wilt
thou be able to build?" Judas saith: "I will begin in Teshri (Oct.-Nov.), and I will
finish in Nisan (April)." The king saith to him: "All buildings are built in summer; and
thou buildest in winter!" Judas saith to him: "Thus (only) is it possible for the palace
to be built." The king saith to him: "Well then, trace it out for me that I may see it,
because after a long time I shall come hither." And Judas came and took a cane, and began
to measure; and he left doors towards the east for light, and windows towards the west for
air; and (he made) the bake-house to the south, and the water-pipes for the service (of
the house) to the north. The king saith to him: "Verily thou art a good artificer, and art
worthy to serve a king;" and he left with him a large sum of money, and departed from him.

22 And he was sending silver and gold to him from time to time. But Judas was going about
in the villages and cities, and was ministering to the poor, and was making the afflicted
comfortable, and was saying: "What is the king's shall be given to the king, and many
shall have rest." And after a long time, the king despatched messengers to Judas, and sent
(a message) to him thus: "Send me (word) what thou hast done, and what I shall send thee."
And Judas sent him (word): "The palace is built, but the roof is wanting to it." Then the
king sent to Judas silver and gold, and sent him (word): "Let the palace be roofed." And
the Apostle was glorifying our Lord and saying: "I thank Thee, Lord, who didst die that
Thou mightest give me life; and who didst sell me that I might be the liberator of many."
And he did not cease to teach, and to relieve those who were afflicted, saying: "May your
Lord give you rest, to whom alone is the glory; for He is the nourisher of the orphans and
the provider of the widows, and He ministers unto all those who are afflicted."

23 And when the king came to the city, he was asking every one of his friends about the
palace which Judas had built for him; but they say unto him: "There is no palace built,
nor has he done anything else, but he was going about the cities and villages, and giving
to the poor, and teaching them the new God, and also healing the sick, and driving out
demons, and doing many things; and we think that he is a sorcerer; but his compassion, and
his healing, which was done without recompense, and his asceticism, and his piety, make
(us) think of him either that he is a magus, or an Apostle of the new God; for he fasts
much and prays much, and eats bread and salt and drinks water, and wears one garment, and
takes nothing from any man for himself, and whatever he has he gives to others." And when
the king heard these things, he smote his face with his hands, and was shaking his head.

24 And he sent (and) called Judas and the merchant who had brought him, and said to him:
"Hast thou built me the palace?'' Judas saith to him: "I have built thee the palace." The
king saith to him: "In what time can we go (and) look at it?" Judas saith to him: "Thou
canst not see it now, but when thou hast departed from this world." Then the king became
very furious in his anger, and commanded that Thomas and the merchant who had brought him,
being bound, should go to prison, till he could question him about what had done — to whom
he had given it — and then destroy him. But Judas went rejoicing, and said to the
merchant: "Fear not, but only believe, and thou shalt be freed from this world, and shalt
receive everlasting life in the world to come." 25 And the king was considering by what
death he should kill Judas and the merchant; and he took the resolution that he would burn
him, after being flayed, with the merchant his companion. And in that very night, the
brother of the king, whose name was Gad, was taken ill through grief and through the
imposition which had been practised upon the king. And he sent (and) called the king, and
said to him: "My brother, I commend unto thee my house and my children, for I am grieved
and am dying because of the imposition that hath been practised upon thee. If thou dost
not punish that sorcerer, thou wilt not let my soul be at peace in Sheol." The king saith
to him: "The whole night I have been considering, how I should kill him, and I have
resolved to burn him with fire after he hath been flayed." Then the brother of the king
said to him: "And if there be anything else that is worse than this, do (it) to him; and I
give thee charge of my house and my children."

26 And when he had said these things, his soul left him. And the king was grieved for his
brother, because he loved him much; and he wished to bury him in a splendid sepulchre. But
when the soul of Gad, the brother of the king, had left him, angels took it and bore it up
to heaven; and they were showing it each place in succession, (and asking it) in which of
them it wished to be. Then, when they came to the palace which Judas had built for the
king, his brother saw it, and said to the angels: "I beg of you, my lords, let me dwell in
one of the lower chambers of this palace." The angels say to him: "Thou canst not dwell in
this palace." He saith to them: "Wherefore?" They say to him: "This palace is the one
which the Christian hath built for thy brother." Then he said to them: "I beg of you, my
lords, let me go, that I may go to my brother and buy of him this palace; for my brother
hath not seen it, and will sell it to me."

27 Then the angels let go the soul of Gad. And as they were enshrouding him, his soul came
into him, and he said to those who were standing before him: "Call my brother to me that I
may make of him one request. Then they sent word to the king, "Thy brother is come to
life. And the king sprang up from his place, and went into the house of his brother with a
number of people. And when he had gone in beside his bed, he was astounded and was unable
to speak with him. His brother saith to him: " I know, my brother, that if a man had asked
thee for the half of thy kingdom, thou wouldst have given it for me. And now I beg of thee
that thou wouldst sell me that at which thou hast laboured. The king saith to him: "Tell
me, what shall I sell thee? He saith to him: "Swear unto me. And he swore unto him that he
would grant him whatever he asked of all that he had. He saith to him: "Sell me the palace
which thou hast in heaven. The king saith to him: "Who hath given me a palace in heaven?
His brother saith to him: "(It is) that which the Christian hath built for thee. The king
saith to him: "That I cannot sell to thee; but I pray and beg of God that I may enter into
it and receive it, and may be worthy to be among its inhabitants.

28 And thou, if thou really wishest to buy thyself a palace, this architect will build
(one) for thee which will be better than that of mine. And he sent (and) brought out Judas
and the merchant who was imprisoned with him, and said to him: "I beg of thee, as a man
who begs of a minister of God, that thou wouldst pray for me, and beg for me from the God
whom thou worshippest, that He would forgive me what I have done unto thee; and that He
would make me worthy to enter into the palace which thou hast built for me; and that I may
become a worshipper of this God whom thou preachest. And his brother came and fell down
before the feet of the Apostle, and said to him: "I beg of thee—I too supplicate before
thy God, that I may become worthy to Be a worshipper of His, and may also receive what He
hath shown me by the hand of the angels."

29 Judas saith: "I praise Thee, our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who art alone the God of
truth, and there is no other, and Thou knowest whatever man does not know. Thou, whose
mercy is upon men, whom Thou hast willed and made,—and they have forgotten Thee, but Thou
hast not neglected them—do Thou receive the king and his brother, and unite them to Thy
fold, and anoint them, and purify them from their uncleanness, and guard them from wolves,
and feed them in Thy meadows, and let them drink of Thy fountain, which is never turbid
and the stream whereof never faileth; for, lo, they beg of Thee and supplicate, and wish
to become servants of Thine, and to be persecuted by Thy enemy and to be hated for Thy
sake. Let them therefore have boldness in Thee, and be confirmed by Thy glorious
mysteries, and receive of the gifts of Thy gifts."

30 And they were rejoicing with holy hymns, and were cleaving unto the Apostle and not
parting from him; and every one who was needy, was receiving and being relieved. And they
begged of him that they might receive the sign (of baptism, saying:) "For we have heard
that all the sheep of that God, whom thou preachest, are known to Him by the sign." Judas
saith to them: " I too rejoice, and I ask of you to partake of the Eucharist and of the
blessing of this Messiah whom I preach." And the king gave orders that the bath should be
closed for seven days, and that no man should bathe in it. And when the seven days were
done, on the eighth day they three entered into the bath by night that Judas might baptise
them. And many lamps were lighted in the bath. 31 And when they had entered into the bath-
house, Judas went in before them. And our Lord appeared unto them, and said to them:
"Peace be with you, my brethren." And they heard the voice only, but the form they did not
see, whose it was, for till now they had not been baptised. And Judas went up and stood
upon the edge of the cistern, and poured oil upon their heads, and said: "Come, holy name
of the Messiah; come, power of grace, which art from on high; come, perfect mercy; come,
exalted gift; come, sharer of the blessing; come, revealer of hidden mysteries; come,
mother of seven houses, whose rest was in the eighth house; come, messenger of
reconciliation, and communicate with the minds of these youths; come, Spirit of holiness,
and purify their reins and their hearts." And he baptised them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Spirit of holiness. And when they had come up out of the water,
a youth appeared to them, and he was holding a lighted taper; and the light of the lamps
became pale through its light. And when they had gone forth, he became invisible to them;
and the Apostle said: "We were not even able to bear Thy light, because it is too great
for our vision." And when it dawned and was morning, he broke the Eucharist and let them
partake of the table of the Messiah; and they were glad and rejoicing.

32 And when many were added and were coming to the refuge of the Messiah, Judas did not
cease to preach and to say to them: "Men and women and children, youths and maidens, shun
fornication and covetousness and the service of demons; for under these three heads comes
all wickedness. For fornication blinds the intellect, and darkens the eyes of the soul; it
confuses the steps of the body, and changes its complexion, and makes it sick. And
covetousness puts the soul into agitation in the midst of the body, so that it takes what
does not belong to it, and is afraid lest, when it returns the thing to its owners, it
should be put to shame. And the service of the belly makes the soul dwell in care and
sorrow, fearing lest it should come to want, and grasp at things that are far from it. For
since ye have been delivered from thence, ye are become without care and without grief;
and there remains with you (the saying): 'Take no care for the morrow, because the morrow
will take care of itself.' And bear in mind the other (saying), which is written for you:
'Look upon the ravens, and consider the fowl of heaven, which sow not nor reap, and God
feedeth them;

33 how much more then will He have care for you, ye lacking in faith?' But expect the
coming of Jesus, and hope in Him, and believe in His name, because He is the Judge of the
dead and of the quick, and He shall recompense every man according to his works at His
last coming. For it will be no excuse for one to say; 'We did not know.' His heralds are
proclaiming in the four quarters of the world: 'Repent and believe in the new preaching,
and receive the pleasant yoke and the light burden, and live and die not. Gain (these),
and perish not. Come forth from the darkness, and the light will receive you. Come to the
Good, and receive for yourselves grace, and plant the Cross in your souls.' " 34 And when
the Apostle had said these things, some of them said to him: "It is time for the debtor to
be paid." He saith to them: "The creditor always seeketh more, but let us give him as much
as is proper." And he spake a blessing over the bread and the olives, and gave unto them.
And he himself ate, because the Sunday was, dawning. And when the Apostle was asleep in
the night, our Lord came and stood over him and said to him: "Thomas, rise, go forth in
the morning after the service, and go along the eastern road about two miles, and I will
show in thee my glory; for because of this on account of which thou goest out, many shall
come to my refuge and shall live, and thou shalt reprove the power and the nature of the
enemy." And when he awoke from his sleep, he said to the brethren who were. beside him:
"My children, our Lord will do today whatsoever He will; but let us pray and beg of Him
that there be to us no hindrance towards Him, but, just as at all times when He wisheth to
show His power in us, (so) now too let His will be accomplished." And when he had spoken
thus, he laid his hand upon them, and broke the Eucharist, and gave unto all of them, and
said to them: "Let this Eucharist be unto you for grace and mercy, and not for judgement
and vengeance." And they said, "Amen."

35 Here ends the second Act. The third act of Judas, regarding the black snake. 36 AND the
Apostle went forth to go whither our Lord had told him. And when he reached (the distance
of) two miles, he turned aside from the road a little, and saw lying there a corpse of a
handsome youth, and said: "Was it for this trial Thou didst bring me out hither, our Lord?
Let it be as Thou wilt. And he began praying and saying: "Our Lord, Lord of the dead and
of the quick—of the quick, who, lo; are standing, and of the dead, who, lo, are lying, — O
Lord, Lord of the souls which abide in the body, and Father of all the souls which have
gone out of the body, — come, Lord, at this moment, for the sake of the dust which Thy
holy hands have fashioned, and look down from, heaven, for I call upon Thee, and show Thy
glory in this (man) who is lying here. And he said again: "This deed has not taken place
without the instigation of the enemy, who does these things; but the enemy, who does these
things, has not dared (to attempt it) through one who is alien to him, but (through one)
who is subject to his will. And when he had said these things, a black snake came forth
from a fissure, and was shaking his head violently, and beating his tail on the ground.
And with a loud voice he said to the Apostle: "I will say before thee on what account I
slew this youth.

37 There was a woman fair of face in this village which is over-against thee; and as she
passed by me, I saw her and loved her; and I went after her, and saw this youth kissing
her, and he also slept with her, and did other things with her which are unseemly, — easy
for me (to say), but to thee I do not dare to utter them, because I know that the ocean-
flood of the Messiah will destroy our nature. And in order that I might not alarm her, I
did not kill him at that time, but I watched him, and in the evening, when he passed by
me, I struck him and killed him, and especially because he had dared to do this thing on
the Sunday. Judas saith to him: "Of what seed art thou?" 38 The snake saith to him: "I am
reptile, the son of reptile) and harmer, the son of harmer; I am the son of him, to whom
power was given over all creatures, and he troubled them. I am the son of him, who makes
himself like unto God to those who obey him, that they may do his will. I am the son of
him, who is ruler over everything that is created under heaven. I am the son of him, who
is outside of the ocean, and whose mouth is closed. I am the kinsman of him, who spake
with Eve, and through her made Adam transgress the commandment of God. And I am he who
incited Cain to slay his brother. And on my account, — because for this I was created, —
the earth was cursed and thorns grew up in it. I am he who dared, and cast down the just
from their height, and corrupted them through the lust of women; and they begat sons large
of body, and I worked in them my will. And I am he who hardened the heart of Pharaoh, that
he might slay the children of Israel, and keep them down in hard slavery. I am he who led
the people astray in the desert, when I subdued them so that they made for themselves the
calf. I am he who stirred up Caiaphas and Herod by slander against the Righteous Judge. I
am he who caused Judas to take the bribe, when he was made subject to me, that he might
deliver up the Messiah to death. I am he to whom the power of this world was given, and
the Son of Mary has seized me by force and taken what was His from me. I am the kinsman of
him, who is to come from the east, to whom the power is given."

39 And when he had finished, the multitude was hearing all these things; and fear with
belief settled on all those who were there, when they saw and heard these wonders. And
they were crying out alike with one voice: "One is the God of this man, who has informed
us concerning his God, and by his word has commanded this fearful beast, and it has
disclosed its nature." And they were begging of him that, as he had commanded it by his
word to speak like a man, so too by his word he would kill it. Then Judas made a sign to
them with his hand, and raised his voice and said: "Thou art audacious, though thy nature
is laid bare, and thou shalt be slain. And thy insolence, which has gone so far, ought not
to have been (such) that thou shouldst tell those things which were done by those who were
subject to thee; and thou hast not feared that thy end was come. But to thee I say, in the
name of our Lord Jesus, who struggled against thy nature even to the end for His human
beings, that thou suck out the poison which thou hast cast into this youth; because my God
has sent me to ill thee and to raise him up alive before this multitude, that they may
believe in Him, that He is the true God and that there is no other." And the snake said to
him: "Our destruction is not as yet come, as thou hast said. "Why compellest thou me to
take (back) what I have put into this youth? For were even my father to suck out and take
(back) what he has cast into the creation, it would be his destruction." The Apostle saith
to him: "Show, then, the nature of thy father." And the snake came, and put his mouth upon
the wound of the youth, and was sucking the poison from it; and by little and little, as
the poison was drawn out, the colour of the youth, which had become like purple, became
white, and the snake was swelling. And when he had drawn out the whole of the poison from
the youth, he sprang upright, and ran to the feet of the Apostle, and fell down and
worshipped him. Then the snake burst, according to the word of Judas; and a great pit was
made in the place where the poison of the snake fell. And Judas commanded the king and his
brother to fill up that place, and lay foundations, and make in it houses (as) places of
entertainment for strangers.

41 And the youth was glorifying God, through whose grace he had come to life by the hand
of the Apostle Judas, and had been rescued from all his former deeds. And he begged of the
Apostle that he would aid him in prayer to our Lord, being upbraided by his own
conscience, and was saying: "To Thee be glory, merciful and great and glorious God, maker
and founder of all created things. Thou hast set a limit and a measure to all Thy
creatures whom Thou hast created; and hast appointed for them changes that are beneficial
to their natures. Thou art He who didst make man, as Thy Godhead willed, with the
fashioning of Thy hands, that he might be ruler above; and didst create for him another
creation, that he might strive against it with the free-will which Thou didst give him.
But the free nature of man went astray, and he became subject to his fellow; and that
(fellow) became an enemy to him, because he found that he had been unmindful of his free-
will. And the enemy rejoiced that he had found an entrance into his fellow, and thought
that he would be master over all the slaves; but Thou, O Merciful, through Thy great
mercy, didst spread over us Thy goodness, and didst send to our human race Thy Word, the
Disposer of all created things, through Thy glorious Son.

42 And He, through His free-will, which Thou gavest Him,—Thy goodness aiding Him,—came and
found us in those works which our human nature did from the first day. And Thou didst not
enter into a reckoning with us for our sins, but didst bring me to life through Thy
goodness, and didst show me my remissness, and didst sow in me Thy heavenly love; and
didst open my mouth, which was shut, that I might speak of my enslaver and of Thy abundant
grace, which is not angry with me for what I say concerning it, about whose great love I
am speaking." 43 And Judas stretched out his hand to him, and raised him up, and embraced
him, and said to him: "The grace of our Lord be with thee and with all those who believe
in Him. And the youth said: "Glory to Thee, O God,—who did not withhold His mercy from me,
who was lost, but showed me (how) to seek my own soul, and informed me concerning thee,
that thou art His Apostle, and said to thee: 'I have many things to show through thee, and
thou hast many works to accomplish through Me, for which thou shalt receive their reward;
and thou shalt give life to many, and they shall become on high, in the light, sons of
God. Do thou, therefore, bring to life this youth, who has been smitten by his enemy,
because thou at all times beholdest thy Lord.' Yea, my lord, Apostle of God, thou hast
done well to come hither, and thou hast drawn many unto Him, and He will not fail thee.
And I am without care and without suffering, because of His grace which has come upon me
through thee, and (because) His gift has been poured out abundantly upon my weakness. And
I have been freed from evil cares and from deeds of corruption, and have been delivered
from him, who was alluring me and inciting me to do those things in which thou didst find
me, and have understood Him who was saying to me' the opposite of them.

44 And I have destroyed him, who, through darkness, his kinsman, made me stumble by his
works; and I have found the Light, the Lord of the day, who had not been seen by me, and I
have seen him. And I have destroyed him, who was darkening and obscuring all those who
cleave unto him and obey him, so that they cannot see what they are doing and be ashamed
of their deeds and desist from them, and his work (thereby) come to an end; and I have
found Him, whose doing this is, that those who do His will should never repent. I have
been delivered from him, whom fraud supports, and before whom goes a veil (of darkness),
and after whom comes shame, and she daring in impudence. And I have found Him, who clears
away evils, the Lord of peace and the Confirmer of truth, who makes the enemy pass away
from those who turn repenting unto Him, and heals their afflictions, and destroys their
disturber. But I beg of thee, Apostle of God, sow in me thy word of life, so that I may
again hear perfectly the voice of Him, who delivered me unto thee and said to thee, 'This
is (one) of those who shall live through thee, and henceforth let him be with thee.' "

45 Judas saith to him: "If thou wilt be delivered from these things which thou hast
learned, as thou hast said, from the doer of evils, and wilt listen to Him, whom in the
fervour of thy love thou now seekest, thou shalt see Him, and shalt be with Him for ever,
and shalt rest with Him by His grace, and shalt be with Him in His joy. But if thou art
negligent of Him, and comest to those former deeds of thine, and insultest Him, whom,
because of (His) beauty and because of the aspect of His light, thou now eagerly desirest,
thou shalt not only be deprived of that life which thou hast seen, but thou shalt also
lose this in which thou art abiding." 46 And Judas came to the city, and took the hand of
the youth, and said to him: "My son, these things which thou hast seen are a few out of
the many that belong to our God; for He doth not send us tidings concerning these things
that are seen, but promiseth us better things; for as long as we are in the world, we are
unable to speak about that which all the believers in God are going to receive. For if we
say that He hath given us light, we mention something which we have seen; and if we say
that He hath given us wealth, we mention something that is in the world; and if we speak
of (fine) clothing, we mention something that nobles wear; and if we speak of daintymeats,
we mention something against which we are warned; and if we speak of (this) temporary
rest, a chastisement is appointed for it. But we speak of God and of our Lord Jesus, and
of the Angels and the guardian spirits and the saints, and of the new world, and of the
incorruptible food of the tree of life, and of the draught (of the water) of life; of what
eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man (to conceive),
— what God hath prepared from of old for those who love Him. Of this we speak, and of this
we preach.

47 Believe in Him, therefore, my son, that thou mayest live, and trust in Him, that thou
mayest not die; for He will not take a bribe, that thou shouldst offer (it) to Him, nor is
He pleased with a sacrifice, that thou shouldest sacrifice it (to Him). Look unto Him, and
He will not neglect thee, and turn unto Him, and He will not forsake thee; for His beauty
will incite thee to love Him, and He will not suffer thee to turn away from Him." 48 And
when Judas had said these things to the youth, great multitudes joined (them). And the
Apostle lifted up his eyes, and saw people raised up upon one another that they might see
him, and going up to lofty places. And the Apostle saith to them: "Ye men, who are come to
the assembly of the Messiah, men who wish to believe in Jesus, take unto yourselves an
example from this, that, if ye do not raise yourselves up, ye cannot see me who am little.
Me, who am like yourselves, ye are unable to see; Him, who is on high and is found in the
depths, how shall ye be able to see, unless ye raise yourselves above your former works,
and above the deeds that profit not, and the pleasures that abide not, and the corruptible
wealth that remaineth here; and above riches and possessions that perish on the earth, and
above garments that decay, and above beauty that becomes old and is disfigured, and above
the body, in which all these are included, and which becomes dust, and which all these
support? But believe, and trust in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Him whom we preach, in
order that your hope may be in Him, and that in Him ye may live for ever and ever, and
that He may be to I you a guide in the land of error, and may be to you a haven in the sea
of trouble, and may be to you a fountain of living water in the region of thirst, and may
be to you a full basket in the place of hunger, and maybe a rest to your souls and a
healer and giver of life to your bodies."

49 Then the multitudes were crying out: "Apostle of the living God, and guide in the path
of life, and revealer of the mysteries of the truth, many are the things that have been
done for us, who are aliens from the glorious God whom thou preachest, and until now we do
not dare to say that we are His, because our works are alien from Him and hateful before
Him. But if He will have compassion upon us, and deliver us from our former deeds, and
from the evil things that were done by us in error, and will not enter into reckoning with
us nor remember against us our former sins, we will become servants of His and accomplish
His will." Judas saith to them: "He will not reckon against you your sins which ye did in
error, but He will pardon you your iniquities, those former ones which ye did without
knowledge."

50 Here ends the third Act. The fourth Act, of the Ass that spake. AND whilst the Apostle
was standing in his place on the road, and speaking with those multitudes concerning the
kingdom of God, and concerning their conversion and repentance unto our Lord,—whilst the
Apostle was standing on the road, and speaking with those multitudes, an ass's colt came
and stood before him. And Judas said: "It is not without the direction of God that this
colt has come hither. But to thee I say, O colt, that, by the grace of our Lord, there
shall be given to thee speech before these multitudes who are standing here; and do thou
say whatsoever thou wilt, that they may believe in the God of truth, whom we preach." And
the mouth of the colt was opened, and it spake like a man by the power of our Lord, and
said to him: "Twin of the Messiah, and Apostle of the Most High, and sharer in the hidden
word of the Life-giver, and receiver of the secret mysteries of the Son of God; freeborn,
who didst become a slave, to bring many to freedom by thy obedience; son of a great
family, who became bereaved, that by the power of thy Lord thou mightest deprive the enemy
of many, so that thou mightest become the cause of life to the country of the Indians;
(thou) who didst come against thy will to men who were straying from God, and, lo, by the
sight of thee and by thy godly words they are turned unto life; mount (and) ride upon me,
and rest until thou enterest the city."

51 And Judas lifted up his voice and said: "O Jesus, Son of perfect mercy; O Thou quiet
and silent (One), who speakest by animals that have not speech; O hidden (One), that art
seen in Thy works; our Nourisher and Guardian; the Giver of life to our bodies and the
Giver of life to our souls; sweet spring that never faileth, and clear fountain that is
never polluted; Thou who art a help to Thy servants in the contest, and crushest the enemy
before them; Thou who standest up in contests for us, and makest us victorious in them
all; our true Athlete, who cannot be hurt, and our holy General, who cannot be conquered;
Thou who givest to Thine own joy that passeth not away, and rest in which there is no more
affliction; Thou good Shepherd, that giveth his life for his flock, who hath overcome the
wolf and rescued his lambs; we glorify Thee, and we exalt through Thee Thy exalted Father,
who is not seen, and the holy Spirit that broodeth over all created things."

52 And when the Apostle had said these things, all the multitudes that were assembled
there were looking to see what answer he was about to give to the colt. And after the
Apostle had stood a long time wondering and looking up to heaven, he said to the colt:
"Who art thou? And what is thine errand, that by thy mouth wonders are uttered and great
things that are more than many?" The colt saith to him: "I am of that stock that served
Balaam the prophet, and God thy Lord rode upon my kin; and I am sent unto thee to give
thee rest, and that thereby the faith of these might be confirmed, and that that other
portion might be added to me, which I have got today in order to serve thee and which will
be taken away from me when I have served thee." Thomas saith to him: "God, who has given
thee this gift now, is to be relied on to give it hereafter too in full to thee and thy
kindred; for I am too little and weak for this mystery." And he would not ride upon it.

53 And the colt was begging of him and supplicating him that it might be blessed by his
riding (upon it). And he mounted and rode upon it. And the people were going after and
before the Apostle, and were running to see what would happen to him, and how he would let
the colt go. And when he reached the gate of the city, he dismounted from it, and said to
it: "Go, be preserved as thou hast been." And at that moment the colt fell down and died.
And all who were there were sorry for it, and were saying to the Apostle: "Bring it to
life again." The Apostle says to them: "It is not because I am Unable to bring this colt
to life, that I do not bring it to life, for He who gave it speech was able to make it not
die; but this is a benefit to it." And the Apostle commanded those who were with him to
dig a place and bury its body; and they did as he commanded them.

54 Here ends the fourth Act. The fifth Act, of the Demon that dwelt in the Woman. AND the
Apostle went into the city, the multitudes accompanying him; and he was thinking of going
to the house of the family of the youth whom he had brought to life, because he had begged
this earnestly of him. 55 And a fair woman cried with a loud voice and said to him:
"Apostle of the new God, who art come to India; servant of the holy God, who by thee is
proclaimed both the Giver of life to the souls of those that come unto Him, and the Healer
of the bodies of those who are tortured by the enemy; (thou) who art the cause of life to
the whole people of India; permit them to bring me before thee, that I may tell thee what
has befallen me, so that perchance I may get hope from thee, and these who are standing by
may be greatly strengthened in the God who is proclaimed by thee. And I tell thee, that I
am not slightly tormented by the enemy, lo, for the space of five years. For I was sitting
in ease, and peace was around me on all sides, and I had no concern about anything,
because I knew no care. And it happened one day, as I was coming out of the bath, a man
met me, who seemed troubled in his aspect, (and) his voice and speech were very weak. And
he said to me: "I and thou shall be in one love, and do thou have intercourse with me as a
man and a woman have intercourse. And I said to him: "I did not yield myself to my
betrothed, because I cannot bear a man; and to thee, who wishest to have adulterous
intercourse with me, how can I give myself to thee?

56 And I said to the maiden who was with me: "See the impudence of this young man, (who
goes) so far as to talk licentiously to me. And she said to me: "I saw an old man who was
talking to thee. And when I had gone home and supped, my heart made me afraid of him,
because he had appeared to me in two forms; and I went to sleep thinking of him. And he
came in the night and had filthy intercourse with me, and by day too I saw him and fled
from him; but by night he used to come in a terrible form, and torture me. And lo, up to
the present, as thou seest me, lo, for five years he has not left me alone. But because I
know and believe that both devils and spirits and demons are subject to thee and dread thy
prayer, I beg of thee, my lord, that thou wouldst pray over me, and ask of God, and drive
away from me this affliction, and (that), for the time that is appointed to me, I may be
free, and may be united to my former nature, and receive the gift that is given to the
penitent.

57 Then the Apostle, when he saw the instigation of the enemy, lifted up his voice and
said: "O evil that cannot be repressed! O enemy who art never at rest! O envious one who
art never quiet! O hideous (one) who strivest with the comely, that thou mayest subdue
them under thee! O (thou) who hast many hideous shapes, and appearest as thou wilt, but
thy black colour never changes, because it is thy nature! O crafty (one) and disturber of
good works! O bitter tree, the fruits of which are like unto it! O lying slanderer, who
strivest with those that are not thine! O deceit which, coiled up upon itself, rears
itself with impudence and dares to assail those who are better than itself! O wickedness,
that creepeth like a serpent, and crawleth, and entereth in, and aimeth at virtue! But how
long do I say these things (Keep me not waiting,) but show thyself quickly, thou enemy of
the servants of the Messiah, that these multitudes may see that we call them unto the true
God. And when the Apostle had said these things, the enemy came and stood before him, no
one seeing him except the Apostle and the woman, and cried with a loud voice, whilst all
those who were there heard him: "What have we to do with thee, Apostle of the Most High?
What have we to do with thee, servant of Jesus the Messiah? What have we to do with thee,
thou sharer in the holy mysteries of God?

58 Why dost thou wish to destroy us, when our time is not yet come? Why dost thou wish to
take away the power that was given us, when till now we have had reliance upon it? What
have we to do with thee, that thou art come to drive us out? Thou hast power over them
that obey thee, and we have power over them that are subject unto us. Why dost thou wish
to use violence towards us before our time, when thou enjoinest others not to use violence
towards any man? Why dost thou covet what is not thine? For thine own suffice thee not.
Why art thou like unto God thy Lord, who concealed His majesty and appeared in the flesh,
and we thought regarding Him that He was mortal, but He turned and did us violence? For
thou; namely, art born of Him. For when we thought that we could bring Him under our
power, He turned and hurled us down into the abyss; for we did not know Him, because He
deceived us by His humble aspect, and by His need and His poverty; and we thought, when we
saw Him, that He was one of the children of men, and we did not know that He was the Giver
of life to all mankind. But He gave us power not to slacken our hold of our own, so long
as our time lasts, and we occupy ourselves with our own.

59 But thou, lo, wishest to acquire more than He has given unto thee and to afflict us."
60 And when the demon had said these things, he wept again and said: "I quit thee, O my
fair wife, whom I found a long time ago and was at rest on thee. I quit thee, my sister
and my beloved, on whom I hoped to abide. What I shall do, I know not, nor on whom I shall
call for help, that he may aid me. I know what I shall do. I shall go to another country,
where I shall not hear tell of this man; for thee, my beloved, I shall find a substitute."
And he lifted up his voice and said: " Fare thou not well, who hast taken refuge with one
who is greater than I. I go to wander and seek for myself one like thee; and if I find not
(one) for me, I will again return unto thee; for I know that now, because this man is near
unto thee, lo, thou takest refuge with him. I then depart hence, and thou becomest as thou
wast; but when night cometh, and thou forgettest him, I shall have an opportunity (of
getting) at thee, for now the name of Him whom this (man) proclaims hath frightened me."
And when the demon had said these things, at that moment he was looked for and was not
found (i. e., disappeared suddenly), but smoke and fire were seen after him; and all those
who were standing there were amazed.

61 And when the Apostle saw (this), he said to them: "The accursed one has shown nothing
strange, but the nature by which he has been consumed; for the fire consumes him, and the
smoke ascends from him. And the Apostle began to say: "Jesus, hidden mystery that hath
been revealed to me, Thou hast revealed Thy mysteries unto me more than to all my fellows,
and hast spoken unto me words with which, lo, I am burning, but which I am not able to
utter. Jesus, born a man, slain, dead; Jesus, God, Son of God, Life-giver and Restorer of
the dead to life; Jesus, poor, and catching fish for dinner and supper; Jesus, satisfying
many thousands with a little bread; Jesus, resting from the fatigue of a journey like a
man, and walking upon the waves of the sea like a God; Jesus, exalted Voice that arose
from perfect mercy, Saviour of all, and Liberator and Administrator of the world, and
Strengthener of the dead; Jesus, right hand of the Father, who hast hurled down the evil
one to the lowest limit, and collected his possessions into one blessed place of meeting;
Jesus, King, over all and subduing all; Jesus, who art in the Father and the Father in
Thee, and Ye are one in power and in will and in glory and in essence, and for our sake
Thou wast named with names, and art the Son, and didst put on the body;

62 Jesus, who didst become a Nazīr, and Thy grace provides for all like God; Son of God
Most High, who didst become a man despised and humble; Jesus, who dost not neglect us in
anything which we ask of Thee, who art the cause of life to all mankind; Jesus, who wast
called a deceiver on our account, Thou who rescuest from deceit Thy human beings; I
entreat of Thee on behalf of these who are standing (here) and believing in Thee, and in
need of Thy help, and expecting Thy gift, and taking refuge with Thy majesty, and opening
their ears to hear Thy words which are spoken by us,—let Thy grace come, and Thy faith
abide upon them and make them new from their former deeds, and may they put off their old
man with his deeds and put on the new man which is proclaimed unto them by me."

63 And he laid his hand upon them, and blessed them, and said to them: "May the grace of
our Lord be upon you for ever and ever, Amen. And the woman begged of him and saith to
him: "Apostle of the Most High, give me the seal of my Lord, that the enemy may not again
come back upon me. And he went to a river which was close by there, and baptized her in
the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness; and many were baptized with
her. And the Apostle ordered his deacon to make ready the Eucharist; and he brought a
bench thither, and spread over it a linen cloth; and he brought (and) placed upon it the
bread of blessing. And the Apostle came (and) stood beside it, and said: "Jesus, who hast
deemed us worthy to draw nigh unto Thy holy Body and to partake of Thy life-giving Blood;
and because of our reliance upon Thee we are bold and draw nigh, and invoke Thy holy Name,
which has been proclaimed by the Prophets as Thy Godhead willed; and Thou art preached by
Thy Apostles through the whole world according to Thy grace, and art revealed by Thy mercy
to the just;

64 we beg of Thee that Thou wouldest come and communicate with us for help and for life,
and for the conversion of Thy servants unto Thee, that they may go under Thy pleasant yoke
and under Thy victorious power, and that it may be unto them for the health of their souls
and for the life of their bodies in Thy living world. And he began to say: "Come, gift of
the Exalted; come, perfect mercy; come, holy Spirit; come, revealer of the mysteries of
the Chosen among the Prophets; come, proclaimer by His Apostles of the combats of our
victorious Athlete; come, treasure of majesty; come, beloved of the mercy of the Most
High; come, (thou) silent (one), revealer of the mysteries of the Exalted; come, utterer
of hidden things, and shewer of the works of our God; come, giver of life in secret, and
manifest in thy deeds; come, giver of joy and rest to all who cleave unto thee; come,
power of the Father and wisdom of the Son, for Ye are one in all; come and communicate
with us in this Eucharist which we celebrate, and in this offering which we offer, and in
this commemoration which we make. And he made the sign of the Cross upon the bread, and
began to give (it). And he gave first to the woman, and said to her: "Let it be unto thee
for the remission of transgressions and sins and for the everlasting resurrection. And
after her he gave to the persons who were baptized with her.

65 Then he gave to every one, and said to them: "Let this Eucharist be unto you for life
and rest, and not for judgement and vengeance; and they said, "Amen." 66 Here ends the
fifth Act. The sixth Act, of the Young Man who killed the Girl. 67 AND there was there a
young man, who had committed a very hateful deed; and he came and took the Eucharist, and
was going to put it into his mouth, but both his hands dried up and did not come to his
mouth. And when those who were with him saw him, they came (and) made known to the Apostle
what had befallen him. And the Apostle called him, and said to him: "Tell me, my son, and
be not ashamed before me. What hast thou done, and art come hither now? For lo, the gift
of our Lord hath convicted thee, this (gift) which healeth the many who draw nigh unto it
in love and in truth and in faith, but hath utterly withered thee away. These things have
not befallen thee without cause. And when the youth saw that he was convicted by the
Eucharist of our Lord, he came (and) fell down before the feet of the Apostle, and was
begging of him, and interceding before him, and saying to him: "An evil deed have I done.
I loved a woman (who lived) at an inn without the city, and she too loved me; and because
I heard from thee the truth which thou speakest, and the faith of the God whom thou
preachest, and knew in truth that thou art the Apostle of God, I too received the sign
with those who received (it).

68 And thou didst say thus: 'Whoever indulgeth in filthy intercourse, especially in that
of adultery, hath not life with this God whom I preach.' And because I loved her, I begged
of her and tried to persuade her to live with me a life clean and pure and tranquil and
chaste and modest, such as thou teachest, but she would not; and when I saw that she would
not listen to me, I slept with her and killed her, because I could not bear to see her
while she was having intercourse with other men." 69 And when the Apostle heard these
(things), he said: "O corrupt love, that hath no shame, how it hath incited this man to do
these things! O the companion of corruption, how this man has not been able to bear up
against it! O lascivious intercourse, how it corrupts the minds of men (and turns them
away) from the purity of the Messiah! O the work of deception, how it rears itself up
exceedingly in its own! And the Apostle ordered (them) to bring him water in a basin for
washing; and they brought him water that he might pray over it. And he glorified (God),
and blessed (it), and said: "Water that was given unto us by the Living Water; Light that
was sent to us by the glorious Self-existent; Grace that was sent unto us by Grace; let
Thy victorious power come, and Thy healing and Thy mercy descend and abide upon this
water, over which I have proclaimed Thy name, Jesus our Life-giver. And he said: "May the
gift of the Spirit of holiness be perfected in you. And he said to the youth: "Go, wash
thy hands in this water. And he went (and) washed his hands, and they became as they had
been before they were dried up. And the Apostle said to him: "Dost thou believe then in
our Lord, that it is possible for Him to do everything? The youth saith to him: "I am not
lacking in faith;

70 yea, because of this, that I believed in God, I did this deed, since I thought that I
did well; for I begged of her, as I have said before thee, and she was not willing to
listen to me (and) keep herself in purity and chastity; because of that I did thus. Judas
saith to him: "Come, let us go to the inn where thou didst this deed. And he was going
before the Apostle, and a great multitude were coming after him. And when they arrived at
the inn,, they went into it, and found the woman dead. And when the Apostle saw her, he
was grieved for her, because she was a girl; and he said that they should take her up and
bring her out into the midst of the inn. And when they had brought her and laid her on a
couch, Judas Thomas laid his hand upon her, and began to say: "Jesus, our Life-giver, who
never neglectest us at any time when we call upon Thee; Jesus, who comest unto us at all
times when we seek Thee; Thou whose ear is inclined to this, that we should seek Thee, and
Thou givest unto us; Jesus, who hast not only permitted us to ask, but hast also taught us
how to pray; Thou who now art not seen by us with these bodily eyes of ours, but by means
of these eyes of our understanding dost not depart from us;

71 Thou who art hidden from us in Thy aspect, and revealed to us in Thy grace and the
administration of Thy works and Thy great deeds; Thou whom we know so far as we are able,
according to our measure, but who hast given us Thy gift beyond our measure; Thou who hast
said, 'Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be
opened unto you;' we ask therefore of Thee, our Lord, fearing because of our trespasses
and because of our sins, that Thou wouldst spread over us grace by Thy mercy. Not gold,
nor silver, nor riches, nor possessions, nor goods, nor clothes, nor anything at all of
these earthly things that are of this world, and come from it and return to it, do we
seek; but we ask of Thee and beg of Thy benignity, that Thou wouldst raise up by Thy holy
name this (woman) who is lying before Thee, to Thy great glory, and to the praise of Thy
Godhead, and to the confirmation of Thy faith in these who are standing by."

72 And he said to the youth: " Stretch thy mind towards our Lord;" and he signed him with
the Cross, and said to him: "Go, take her by the hand, and say to her, 'I with my hand
slew thee with iron, but Jesus with His grace raiseth thee up by my faith.'" And the youth
went (and) stood over her, and said: "I have in truth believed in Thee, my Lord Jesus the
Messiah, the gift of Thy Father, that in Thee are all aids, and in Thee all dispensations,
and in Thee all healings, and in Thee life for the repentant, who in truth repent unto
Thee with all their heart. Yea, my Lord, I beg of Thy mercy, come to my help and to my
conversion, and give life to this (woman) by my hands, since I dare to do this." And he
was looking upon Judas Thomas and saying to him: "Pray for me, Apostle of God, that my
Lord may come to my aid, on whom I call." And he laid his hand upon hers, and said: "Come,
my Lord Jesus the Messiah, and give to this (woman) life and to me the pledge of Thy
faith." And as soon as he took hold of her hand, she sprang up (and) stood upright, and
was looking on the great crowd who were standing by. And she saw the Apostle of our Lord,
who was standing opposite to her, and ran and fell down at his feet, and took hold of his
skirts, and saith to him: "I pray thee, sir, where is the other, who was with thee, who
did not let me remain in that place which I saw, but gave me over to thee, and said to
thee, 'Take this (woman) away unto thee, that she may be made perfect in her love by
faith, and then be gathered unto my place.'"

73 Judas saith to her: "Tell me whither thou wentest and what thou didst see? She saith to
him: "Thou, who wast with me, and to whom he gave me over, dost thou ask to hear of me?
And she began to tell him, (saying): "A man, whose aspect was hideous, and his body black,
and his clothes filthy, took me away and carried me to a place which was full of pits, and
a stinking smell too was diffused in its midst. And he made me look down into each of the
pits; and I saw the first pit, and as it were fire was blazing in its midst, and wheels of
fire were revolving in its midst; and he said to me: 'Into this torment are destined to
come those souls which transgress the law, which change the union of intercourse that has
been appointed by God; and other (souls) are destined to come into this torment, which
have not preserved their virginity, and have given themselves up to the deed of shame, and
they shall come to this affliction, because they have transgressed the law of God, and
shall be given over to evil spirits, and shall be for a mockery and a derision, and
retribution shall be (exacted) from them, and they shall go into another torment, which is
worse than this, and shall be tormented there.' And again he showed me another pit, and I
looked down into it and saw dreadful things, to which are destined to come the souls that
do evil;

74 and I saw there many tortures which are prepared for men and women and youths and
maidens. Those men who leave their own wives, and have intercourse with the wives of their
fellows; and women, who go beyond intercourse with their own husbands; and youths, who do
not keep their laws, wantonly indulge themselves with harlots in their lust, and for whom
it is not enough to transgress the law among harlots, but they lie in wait for virgins and
wantonly indulge in sin; and maidens, who have not kept their state of virginity, (but),
because of their wanton lust, have brought shame upon their parents; — (these) shall come
to this affliction and shall be recompensed, each according to his works. And he took me
away again; and showed me a dark cave, and a stinking smell was coming out of it. And he
said to me: ' Look down and see, for this is the prison of those souls about which I said
to thee that, when the chastisement of each of them is finished, another cometh in its
place;

75 and there are some of them which are utterly consumed, and there are some of them which
are handed over to other tortures.' The guardians of those tortures say to the man who led
me: 'Give us this (woman), that we may bind her in her place, until she goes to her
torture.' The man who led me saith to them: 'I will not give her to you, because I am
afraid of Him who delivered her to me, and I was not ordered to leave her here; but I will
take her up with me, until I receive an order regarding her.' And he took me and brought
me out to the place where men were; and he who was like to thee took me and delivered me
unto thee, and said to thee: 'Take this (woman), because she is one of the sheep that have
gone astray.' And thou didst take me from him, and lo, I stand before thee, and beg of
thee that I too may believe through thee, and may find grace because of thy prayer, and
that I too may not go to those tortures which I have seen."

76 Judas Thomas saith to them: "Ye have heard, my children, what this woman hath said; and
there are not these tortures only, but also others, which are much worse than these. Ye
too, therefore, unless ye are converted to this truth which I preach, and restrain
yourselves from your evil deeds, and from your actions which profit you not, and from your
thoughts without knowledge, your end will come to these torments. But do ye, therefore,
believe in Jesus the Messiah, and He will blot out your former actions, and will cleanse
you from all your earthly thoughts that abide on the earth, and will purify you from your
sins, which, unless ye repent of them unto God, will accompany you and go with you and be
found before you. Put off, therefore, each of you, his old man, and put on the new man,
that is to say, (put off) your old courses and your fleshly works. Let those, then, who
stole, steal no more, but toil and work and live; and let those of you who committed
adultery, not commit adultery and abandon themselves to the ease of the moment, that they
may not go to everlasting torment, for adultery is hateful before God more than all evil
works; and put away from you lying and oppression and drunkenness and slander, and requite
not any man evil for evil; for all these things are odious to this God whom I preach, and
unclean to him; but walk in all humility and temperance and purity, and in hope in God,
and ye shall become servants of Him, and shall receive from Him the gifts which are given
to some (only.)"

77 And these multitudes believed, and surrendered themselves to the living God and to
Jesus the Messiah, and were enjoying the blessed works of the Most High and His holy
service; and were each of them bringing much money for the relief of the widows, who were
collected by the Apostle in each city, and to all of whom he was sending by the hand of
his deacons what was fitting for them for food and clothing. And he never ceased to preach
and to speak unto them, and to show them that it was Jesus the Messiah of whom the
Scriptures spake, and whose types and mysteries and likenesses the Law and the Prophets
showed forth; who was given as a covenant to the people (of Israel), that they might be
restrained for His sake from the worship of idols, and as a light to the peoples (the
Gentiles), by means of which the grace of God hath dawned upon them, and all those who
keep His commandments shall find rest in His kingdom, and be honoured in glory; and He
came, and was crucified, and rose in three days. And he was narrating unto them, and
expounding, from Moses even unto the end of the prophets, because they all preached
concerning Him, and He came (and) fulfilled (all) in fact.

78 And the report of him was heard among men in the cities and villages; and every man who
had a sick (person), or one possessed by a spirit, or a lunatic, or paralytics,—some they
brought on beds and placed them by the road-side, whithersoever they learned that he was
going; and he was healing them all by the power of Jesus his Lord. And the sick, who were
ill of grievous diseases and in hideous torments, were healed, and the paralytics, who
were standing up quite sound; and they were all glorifying (God) with one mouth, and
saying: "To Thee be glory, Jesus the Messiah, who hast given us healing by Thy servant and
Thy Apostle Judas. For lo, being quite well and seeing, we pray of Thee that we too may
become children of Thy fold, and may be numbered among the number of Thy sheep. Receive
us, our Lord, and reckon not against us our former sins, which we committed in ignorance."

79 Then, when Judas Thomas saw them, he lifted up his voice and said: "To thee be glory,
Living (One) who (art) from the Living (One); to Thee be glory, Life-giver of many; to
Thee be glory, Help and Aider of those who come to Thy place of refuge; to Thee be glory,
(Thou that art) wakeful from all eternity, and the Awaker of men, living and making alive.
Thou art God, the Son of God, the Saviour and Helper, and Refuge, and Best of all those
who are weary in Thy work; the Giver of rest to those who, for Thy name's sake, have borne
the burden of the whole day at mid-day. We praise Thee for Thy gift unto us, and for Thy
aids to our feebleness, and for Thy provision for our poverty. Make perfect with us Thy
grace and Thy mercy unto the end, and give us the boldness that is in Thee. Behold, Lord,
that Thee alone we love; and behold, Lord, that we have left our homes and the homes of
these our kindred, and for Thy sake are become strangers without compulsion. Behold, Lord,
that we have left our possessions for Thy sake, that we might gain Thee, the possession of
life, that cannot be taken away. Behold, our Lord, that we have left all our kindred for
Thy sake, that we might be united in kinship to Thee. Behold, our Lord, that we have left
our fathers and our mothers and our fosterers, that we might see Thy exalted Father and be
filled with His divine nourishment. Behold, our Lord, that we have left our fleshly wives
and earthly fruits, that we might be united in true union with Thee and produce the
heavenly fruits which (are) from above, which men cannot take away from us, but which
shall be with us and we shall be with them."

80 Here ends the sixth Act. The seventh Act, how Judas Thomas was called by the General of
king Mazdai to heal his Wife and Daughter. 81 AND whilst Judas was preaching throughout
all India, the general of a king came to him and said to him: "I pray thee, servant of
God, and the more so that thou seest that I myself am come to thee as unto the Apostle of
God, because thou art sent for the healing of men who have need of the aid which is given
them by thy hands; and I have heard concerning thee that thou takest no fee from any man,
but providest for the poor, for if thou tookest a fee, I would have sent thee a large sum
of money, and I would not have come hither, because the king doth naught without me; for I
have abundance and am rich, and am a great man throughout all India, and I have done no
wrong to any man, but this thing hath happened to me contrary (to my deserts). I have a
wife, and by her I had a daughter; and I love her much, as nature too teacheth, and I know
no other wife along with her. Now there chanced to be a banquet in our city, and the
givers of the entertainment were great friends of mine; and they came (and) asked of me,
and prepared the feast for her and her daughter. And because they were friends of mine, I
could not make any excuse, but I sent her, though against her will, and I sent with her
also many of my servants, and I made a great display for her and her daughter.

82 And when it was time to depart, I sent after her lanterns and lamps; and I too was
standing in the street and was looking when she should come, that I might see her and
receive her and her daughter with her. And whilst I was standing there, I heard a sound of
lamentation and a sound of weeping; 'Alas for her, alas for her,' was coming to. my ears
from all mouths. Then my servants came to me, rending their clothes, and made known to me
what had happened, and say to me: 'We saw a man, and another, a boy, was with him, who was
like to him. And the man laid his hand upon thy wife, and the boy upon thy daughter; and
they shrank with loathing from them, and we smote them with swords, but our swords sank to
the ground; and at that moment the women fell down, and were gnashing their teeth, and
dashing their heads on the ground; and we are come to inform thee of what hath happened.'
And when I had heard these things from my servants, I rent my clothes, and was beating my
face with my hands; and running about in the street like a madman. And I came and found
them lying in the street; and I took them and brought them to my house, and after a long
time they came to themselves;

83 and I restored (them and) made them sit up, and began to ask my wife: 'What hath
happened to thee?' And she saith to me: 'Thou dost not know what thou hast done with me;
for I asked of thee that I might not go to the feast, because I was not well in body; and
as I was going along the street, and had come to the pipe that throweth up water, I saw a
black man standing opposite to me and shaking his head, and another, a boy, who was like
to him, standing beside him; and I said to my daughter: 'Look at these men, how hideous
(they are);' and my daughter said to me, 'I saw a boy whose teeth were like milk and his
lips like coals.' And we left them beside the water-pipe and went on. And when it was
evening, and we quitted the house where the entertainment was, and came away with the
servants, and arrived at the water-pipe, my daughter saw them first, and came to me for
refuge; and after her I too saw them coming towards us; and the servants who were with me
fled; and they struck me and my daughter, and threw us down.' And whilst she was narrating
(this) to me, they came upon them, and cast them down again;

84 and from that hour they are unable to go out any more into the street, either to go to
the bath, or to the house of feasting, or the house of weeping, but they lie there night
and day, the mother with her daughter, and are shut up by me in a room within another,
because of the laughing-stock that I am become through them, and because, when they come
upon them, they throw them down and disgrace them wherever they find them. I beg therefore
of thee and entreat thee, help me and have mercy upon me, for, lo, for three years no
table hath been laid in my house, and my wife and daughter have not sat at it; but
specially for my poor daughter's sake, who hath had no pleasure (of her life). And when
the Apostle had heard these things from the general, he was very sorry for him, and said
to him: "If thou believest in my Lord Jesus the Messiah that He can heal them, thou shalt
see their recovery. The general, when he had heard these things, saith to him, because he
imagined that he was Jesus: "I believe that thou canst heal them. The Apostle saith to
him: "I am not Jesus, but His servant and His Apostle. Commit then thyself to Him, and He
will heal them and help them. The general saith to him: "Show me how I can ask Him and
believe in Him. The Apostle saith to him:

85 "As far as thou art able, stretch thy mind upward, because He is not visible now to
these bodily eyes, but by faith is recognised in His works and glorified in His healings.
And the general lifted up his voice and said: "I believe in Thee, Jesus the Messiah, God,
that Thou art the Living, the Son of the Living, and didst become man, and didst appear
(as) a Healer and Life-giver and Saviour for all those who in truth repent unto Thee. Yea,
Lord, I beg of Thee and intercede before Thee; help my little faith and my fear, for with
Thee I take refuge." 86 And the Apostle commanded his deacon Xanthippus to assemble all
the brethren who were there. And when he had assembled them, the Apostle came and stood in
their midst, and said to them: "My sons and brethren and sisters in our Lord Jesus, abide
in this faith, and trust in our Lord Jesus the Messiah, Him whom I preach unto you; and
let your hope be in Him, and He will keep you; and fall not away from Him, because He will
not forsake you. And if it be that ye sleep that sleep, which when a man sleeps, he is
not, He will not sleep, but will be wakeful and preserve you. And if ye sit in a ship and
on the sea, where no man of you is able to help his fellow, He will walk upon the waves of
the sea and support your ship. Because I then am going away from you, and I do not know if
I shall see you again in the body, be not ye, therefore, like to the children of Israel,
who stumbled, because Moses, their shepherd for a time, departed from them. But lo, I
leave you in my stead the deacon Xanthippus, and he too will preach Jesus the Messiah like
me. For I too am a man like one of you, and I have no wealth, which is found with some,
the end of which is that it destroyeth him who possesseth it, because there is no utility
in it, since it leaveth him in the earth, from which he came, and the transgressions and
sins which he committed for its sake are with him; for there are (only) some who are rich
and charitable. Neither have I any human comeliness, on which all those who place their
reliance are quickly brought to shame; for if he who had beauty becometh deprived (of it),
his beauty availeth him nought, but those who loved him because of his beauty, they
especially shun him with loathing; for all things which are of the world are loved in
their season and hated in their season. But let your hope be in Jesus the Messiah, the Son
of God, and be ye holding fast by us and looking to us, as the servants of God, since we
too, if we bear not the burden that beseemeth this name, shall receive punishment, and it
shall be to us for judgement and vengeance."

88 And he prayed with them a long prayer, and committed them to our Lord, and said: "Lord
of all orders of creation," which await Thee, and God of all spirits, which hope in Thee,
(Thou) that deliverest from error Thy human beings, (and) freest from corruption and from
slavery those who obey Thee and come to Thy place of refuge; be Thou with the flock of
Xanthippus, and anoint his flock with Thy oil of life, and cleanse it of its disease, and
guard it from wolves and from robbers, that they may not snatch it out of his hands." And
he laid his hand upon them, and said to them: "The peace of Jesus be with you, and go with
us also." And the Apostle set out to go on the way; and all of them were accompanying him
with weeping, and were conjuring him by his Lord to be mindful of them in his prayers and
not to forget them. And when the Apostle had mounted, he sat in the chariot of the
general, and all the brethren remained behind. The general came and said to the driver: "I
am praying that I may be worthy to sit beneath the feet of the Son of God, Jesus the
Messiah, and to be His driver on this road, which many know, that He may be my guide on
that road on which some (only) shall go."

89 And when he had gone about a mile, Judas Thomas begged of the general, and made him get
up to sit beside him, and ordered the driver to sit in his place. And as they were going
along the road, and Judas was conversing with the general, the cattle became tired from
their having driven them so far, and stood still and would not stir. And the general was
sorely vexed, and knew not what to do; and he thought of running on foot, and bringing
other cattle, wherever he could get them, or horses, because his time was becoming short.
And when the Apostle saw this, he said to him: "Be not afraid and be not agitated, but
only believe in Jesus, as I told thee, and thou shalt see great wonders." The general
saith to him: "I believe in Him, (and) that everything is possible for him to do who
asketh of Him."

90 Now Judas saw a herd of wild asses feeding some distance off the highway, and he said
to the general: "If thou believest in Jesus, go to the herd and say to them: 'Judas, the
Apostle of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, saith, Let four of you come, for I require
them.'" And the general went, fearing greatly, because they were many; and the more he
went on, (the more) they came towards him. And when they were close to him, he said to
them: "Judas Thomas, the Apostle of Jesus the Messiah, saith: 'Let four of you come to me,
because I require them.'"And when they heard this speech, all, the asses came to him with
a great rush; and when they came to him, they bowed down unto him by the direction of our
Lord. 91 And Judas Thomas, the Apostle of our Lord, lifted up his voice in praise, and
said: "Glorious art Thou, God of truth and Lord of all natures, for Thou didst will with
Thy Will, and make all Thy works, and finish all Thy creatures, and bring them to the rule
of their nature, and lay upon them all Thy fear, that they might be subject to Thy
command. And Thy Will trod the path from Thy secrecy to manifestation, and was caring for
every soul that Thou didst make, and was spoken of by the mouth of all the prophets, in
all visions and sounds and voices; but Israel did not obey because of their evil
inclination. And Thou, because Thou art Lord of all, hast a care for the creatures, so
that Thou spreadest over us Thy mercy in Him who came by Thy will and put on the body, Thy
creature, which Thou didst will and form according to Thy glorious wisdom. He whom Thou
didst appoint in Thy secrecy and establish in Thy manifestation, to Him Thou hast given
the name of Son He who was Thy Will, the Power of Thy thought; so that Ye are by various
names, the Father and the Son and the Spirit, for the sake of the government of Thy
creatures, for the nourishing of all natures, and Ye are one in glory and power and will;
and Ye are divided without being separated, and are one though divided; and all subsists
in Thee and is subject to Thee, because all is Thine. And I rely upon Thee, Lord, and by
Thy command have subjected these dumb beasts, that Thou mightest show Thy ministering
power upon us and upon them, because it is needful, and that Thy name might be glorified
in us and in the beasts that cannot speak."

92 And when he had said these things, he said to the wild asses: "Peace be with you,
because ye have obeyed the Word, the sovereign of all. Let four of you come and be yoked
in place of these cattle, which have stood still and arc not able to go on." And every one
of the wild asses crowded round, (striving) which of them should be yoked. And there were
some there, that were stronger than their fellows, and these were yoked; and the rest of
them went along after and before the Apostle. And when they had proceeded a little way, he
said to them: "To you I speak, ye inhabitants of the desert; remain behind and go to your
pasture; for if I had had occasion for you all, ye would all have come. Now then go to the
place in which ye were." And the wild asses were going along gently, until they were out
of his sight.

93 And the Apostle was seated (in the chariot), and the general, and the driver; and the
wild asses were going along gently and quietly and by little and little, that the Apostle
of God might not be shaken. And when they reached the gate of the city, they (viz. the
asses) distinguished (the house), and went (and) stood before the gate of the court-yard
of the general. Then the general was amazed and said: "I am not able to speak and tell
what is happening; but let there be another wonder, and then I will tell." And the whole
city was coming, because they saw the wild asses which had been yoked in the chariot, and
because they heard the report of the Apostle's having gone thither. The Apostle saith to
the general: "Where is thy house? And whither wilt thou conduct us?" The general saith to
him: "Thou knowest that thou art standing at the door of thy servant, and these (beasts),
which by thy command are come with thee, know better than I." And when the general had
spoken thus, he sprang down from the chariot.

94 And the Apostle began to say: "Jesus, the knowledge of whom is denied in this country;
Jesus, the report of whom is strange in this city; Jesus, a stranger among these men;
Jesus, who sendest Thy Apostle on before to every country and every city, and art
glorified in him and made known by him to all those who are worthy of it; Jesus, who didst
put on the body, and become man, and appear to us all, that we might not part from Thy
love; our Lord, who didst give Thyself for us, and buy us with Thy blood, and acquire us
unto Thyself, a possession that was dearly bought;—for what have we that we can give to
Him for His life? For He gave His life for us. It is not anything that belongs to each one
(of us), nor does He ask of us anything, save that we should ask of Him and live."

95 And when he had said these things, many were coming from every place to see the Apostle
of the new God, who was come thither. And Judas said: "Why stand we here and are idle?
Jesus, what wilt Thou? Command the time, and let the deed be (done)." Then the demons were
sore upon that woman and her daughter, and the servants of the general did not think that
they would last, for they did not suffer them to eat anything, but kept them constantly
lying in bed, without being recognised by anyone, until the day when the Apostle came
thither. 96 And the Apostle said to one of the wild asses which were yoked on the right
hand: "Go into the court-yard, and, standing there, call those demons, and say to them:
'Judas the Apostle, the disciple of Jesus the Messiah, saith, Come out hither, because on
your account I have been sent and against your kindred, that I might drive you to your own
place, ere the time of the consummation cometh and ye go to your pit.'" And the wild ass
went in, a crowd of people being with him, and said: "To you I speak, ye enemies of
mankind; to you I speak, who close your eyes to the light that ye may not see, for the
nature of evil cannot be with good; to you I speak, offspring of Gehenna and Abaddon,
children of him who hath never been forced to keep quiet until today, of him who produceth
afresh evil servants that suit his nature; to you I speak, audacious wretches, who are to
perish by your own hands. And what I should say concerning your end, I know not; and what
I should tell, I am unable (to utter); for these things are too great for hearing and have
no limit, for however great your bodies may be, they are too small for your retributions.
To thee I speak, demon, and to thy son, who accompanieth thee, for now I am sent hither
against you. "Why do I go on speaking at great length of your nature? For ye know (it)
better than I, and are audacious. But now Judas Thomas, the disciple of Jesus the Messiah,
this (man) who hath been sent hither with mercy and grace, saith: 'Come forth unto this
crowd, which, lo, is standing here, and tell me of what race ye are.' "

97 And at that moment the woman and her daughter came out, like to the dead in appearance,
and exposed, and disgraced. And when the Apostle saw them, he Was grieved for them, and
said: "No pity hath been shown unto you; on this account ye are scarcely conscious. But in
the name of Jesus the Messiah depart ye from them, and stand beside them." And when the
Apostle had uttered this speech, the women fell down and (to all appearance) died, for
there was no breath in them, nor did they utter any sound. And the demon cried with a loud
voice and said: "Thou art come again, rebuker of our nature! Thou art come hither again,
destroyer of our race! Thou art come hither again, effacer of our footsteps! And, as I
see, thou dost not wish to let us remain on earth; but thou art not able at this time to
do this to us."

98 And Judas perceived that it was the demon whom he had driven out of that (other) woman.
And he said to him: "I beg of thee, then, give me leave, (and) I will go whither thou
pleasest (and) dwell (there); and I will take orders from thee, and not be afraid of him
who hath authority over me; for as thou art come to visit (and do good), so am I come to
destroy; and as thou, if thou dost not accomplish the will of Him who sent thee, art
reproved, so I too, unless I do the will of him who sent me, go before the time unto our
nature; and as thy Lord helpeth thee in the things which thou dost, (so) too my father
supporteth me in the things which I do; and as He prepareth for thee vessels which are
worthy for Him to dwell in, so too he maketh me aware of the vessels which obey him, that
I may do in them his will; and as He nourisheth and provideth for thee and for those who
obey thee, so also doth He torture me, and torment me and those in whom I dwell; and as to
thee He giveth the reward of thy work, that is to say life everlasting, (so) also to me He
giveth the recompense of my deeds, everlasting perdition; and as thou takest pleasure in
thy prayers, and in thy good works, and in the Eucharist, and in His chants of praise and
psalms and hymns, so I too take pleasure in murder and adultery, and in sacrifices and
libations of wine on the altars; and as thou turnest men unto everlasting life, so I too
turn men unto me, unto everlasting perdition and torment; and thou receivest thy reward,
and I mine."

99 And when the demon had said these things, the Apostle said: "To thee and to thy son
Jesus saith by me, that ye shall not again enter the habitation of men, but go (and) dwell
without the entire habitation of men." And the demons say unto him: "Lo, we go, as thou
hast commanded us; but what wilt thou do unto those who are hidden from thee, and their
vessels rejoice, in them more than in thee,—those whom many worship and do their will,
sacrificing unto them and pouring out unto them wine as a libation, and offering unto them
offerings?" The Apostle saith: "They too shall perish in the end with their worshippers."
And the demons were sought and were not found; but the women were lying (there) as if
dead, without a word; and the wild asses were standing one beside the other, and were not
moving away from one another; but the one to whom speech was given by the power of our
Lord, was standing in front of his fellows.

100 And when all the people were silent and looking on him, that they might see what the
Apostle would do, the wild ass looked on them all, and said to Judas: "Why standest thou
(there) and art idle, Apostle of the Most High? For lo, the Paraclete is standing beside
thee and looking that thou shouldest ask him and he would give unto thee. Why delayest
thou, good Disciple? For lo, thy Master wisheth to show great things through thee. Why
standest thou (there), preacher of the Hidden? For lo, thy Master wisheth to disclose His
hidden nature through thee unto those who are worthy of Him that they may hear these
things. Why art thou still, worker of miracles in the name of thy Lord? For lo, thy Lord
is standing by and encouraging thee. Fear not; for He will not abandon thee, and His
Godhead will not suffer thy manhood to be grieved. Begin, therefore, to call upon Him, and
He will answer thee, as He is wont at all times. Why doth amazement seize thee at His
manifold doings? For these are small things which He hath shown through thee; and if thou
wert to tell of the number of His gifts, thou wouldest not be able to make an end of them.
Why art thou astonished concerning these His bodily healings, (which are) ended by
dissolution, when thou rememberest His healing of His possessions, which is not ended by
dissolution?

101 Why ponderest thou upon this temporal life, when, lo, thou canst reflect every day
upon the life everlasting? But unto you, I say, ye multitudes, who, lo, are standing by
and waiting to see these arise who, lo, are lying here; believe on the Teacher of verity,
and believe on the Shewer of truths; believe on the Revealer of secrets; believe on the
Demonstrator of life; believe on the Apostle of the tried Son, Jesus the Messiah, who was
born, that the born might live by His birth; and was reared, that the perfect rearing
might be seen in Him; and went to school, that through Him perfect wisdom might be known;
He taught His teacher, because He was the Teacher of verity and the Master of the wise; he
went to the temple and offered an offering, that they might see that all offerings are
sanctified in Him. This is the Apostle of Him; this is the Apostle of truth; this is the
doer of the will of Him that sent him. But there shall be a time when false apostles shall
come, and lying prophets, whose end shall be like their works; who will say unto you,
'Beware of sins,' whilst they at all times utter sins; who will put on the clothing of
lambs, whilst within they are ravening wolves; who will not take one wife legally, but by
their words and their deeds will corrupt many women; who will not beget children, but will
corrupt many children, and pay the penalty for them;

102 who will be distressed at the happiness of others, and will take pleasure in their
distress; to whom what they possess will not suffice, but who will desire that all things
should serve them, and will boast of them, and be esteemed as disciples of the Messiah; in
whose mouth is one thing, and in their heart another; who teach that ye should shun
hateful things, but themselves do not even a single good thing; before whom adultery is
hateful, and theft, and oppression, and greed, but in themselves secretly these are all
done, whilst they teach that a man should not do them." 103 And when he spake these
things, all the wild asses were looking at him. And when he was silent, Judas said: "What
am I to think of Thy servant, Jesus? And how I am to call Thee, I know not. O (Thou)
gentle and silent and still and speaking! (Thou) Seer, that art in the heart, and
Searcher, that art in the mind! Glory to Thee, (Thou) gracious (One)! Glory to Thee,
living Word! Glory to Thee, (Thou) hidden (One), who hast many forms! Glory to Thy mercy,
which hath abounded unto us. Glory to Thy grace, which hath been upon us! Glory to Thy
greatness, which became small for us! Glory to Thy exaltation, which was humbled for us!
Glory to Thy strength, which became feeble for us! Glory to Thy Godhead, which for us put
on manhood! Glory to Thy manhood, which was made new for us, and died for us to give us
life! Glory to Thy Resurrection from the grave, that we might have a resurrection and a
raising up! Glory to Thy Ascension unto Heaven, by which Thou didst tread for us the road
(leading) up on high! And Thou didst promise and swear unto us, that we should sit on the
right hand and on the left, and should be judges with Thee. Thou art the Word of Heaven.
Thou art the hidden Light of the understanding, and the Study of the path of truth, the
Dispeller of darkness and the Destroyer of error."

104 And when the Apostle had said these things, he came and stood over those women, who
were lying (there), and said: "My Lord and my God, Jesus the Messiah, I doubt not
regarding Thee, but I call upon Thee, as at all times Thou dost aid us and support us and
encourage us. Thou Giver of freedom of speech and of joy unto Thy servant and Apostle, let
these (women) be healed b and arise, and let them be as they were before they were smitten
by the demons." And when he had said these things, the women turned over, and sat up
healed. And Judas commanded the general that his servants should take them and lead them
in and give them food, for they had not eaten for many days. And when they had taken them
and led them in, he said to the wild asses, "Follow me." And they went after him until he
had brought them without the gate. And when they had gone out, he said to them: "Go in
peace to your pasture." And the wild asses were going along gently, and the Apostle was
standing and looking at them, lest perchance any man should hurt them, until they had got
out of his sight and were no longer visible to him.

105 Here ends the seventh Act. The eighth Act, of Mygdonia and Karīsh. 106 AND Judas
returned from (accompanying) them, and went to the house of the general, and a great
multitude with him. And it happened that a woman, (the wife) of a kinsman of the king,
whose name was Mygdonia, had come to see the new sight of the new God who was preached,
and the new Apostle who was come to their country; and she was sitting in a palanquin, and
her servants were carrying her. And because of the great press that there was, they were
unable to bring her near to him; and she sent to her husband, and he sent his officers,
and they were going before her, and pressing back the people. And the Apostle saw (this)
and said to them: "Why do ye ill-treat these (people), who are coming to hear the word?
And (why are) ye anxious that they should pass on, and ye yourselves wish to come unto me,
being very far off? For our Lord said to those multitudes who were coming unto him: 'Ears
ye have, and ye hear not, and eyes ye have, and ye see not'; and (He also said): 'Come
unto me, all ye that are weary and bearing burdens, and I will give you rest.' " And he
looked upon those men and said: "Now the blessing that was given unto these falleth to the
share of you who are carrying; for ye are bearing a heavy burden, and she directeth you by
her command.

107 Though God hath made you men, men make you carry a heavy load like beasts; and those
who are borne upon you, think in their minds that ye are not men like to them, and do not
know that all men are equal before God, whether they be slaves or free; and righteous is
the judgement of God, which shall come upon all souls that are on the earth, and no man
shall escape from it, neither slaves nor free, nor rich nor poor. Those who have, shall
not be profited aught thereby; and those who have not, shall not be delivered by their
poverty from this judgement. For we are not commanded to do anything which we are unable
to do, nor to take up heavy burdens, nor to build buildings, which carpenters build for
themselves with wisdom, nor (to practise) the art of hewing stones, which stonecutters
know as their craft; but (we are commanded to do) something which we can do,—to refrain
from fornication, the head of all evils; and from murder, by reason of which the curse
came upon Cain; and from theft, which brought Judas Iscariot unto hanging; and from
gluttony, which removed Esau from his birthright; and from covetousness, unto which when
one is subject, he doth not consider what he doeth; and from vain-glory, and from
destroying slander; and from evil actions; and from deeds of shame, and from hateful
intercourse and unclean connection, in which there is eternal condemnation;

108 and this it is that seizeth the uplifted by force, and casteth them down to the lowest
depth, and bringeth them under its power, so that they cannot discern what they do, and
their works become hidden from them. But harken ye to me, and conduct yourselves with
purity, which is chosen before God more than all good things; and with temperance, for it
showeth us intercourse with God, and giveth eternal life. And also conduct yourselves with
humility, for this is weighed with every (virtue), and is heavy, and outweigheth (them),
and gaineth the crown; and with gentleness, and stretching out of the hand to the poor,
and supplying the wants of the needy; but especially it behoveth you to conduct yourselves
with purity, for this is chosen before God, and maketh (us) enter into everlasting life,
for it is the head of all virtues, and by it are done all good works; for he who is not
purified, is unable to do anything good, because all the virtues are after this of purity.
For purity is seen of God, and destroyeth evil. Purity is pleasing to God; therefore it
proceedeth from him. Purity is the athlete who is not overcome. Purity is the truth that
blencheth not. Purity is the tower that falleth not. Purity is worthy before God of being
to Him a familiar handmaiden. Purity is comeliness when it is found with many. Purity
destroyeth corruption. Purity is the messenger of concord, which bringeth the tidings of
peace.

109 Temperance setteth him who acquireth it free from daily cares. Temperance careth for
naught but how it may be found pleasing to its Lord. Temperance holdeth on by hope,
awaiting deliverance. Temperance sitteth at all times in tranquillity, because it doth
nothing that is odious. Temperance seeketh a life of rest, and is a joy to all who acquire
it, and exalteth those who are nigh to it. Humility hath subdued Death, and brought him
under its power. Humility hath conquered enmity. Humility is the pleasant yoke, and
fatigueth not those who bear it. Humility feareth naught, for it is rude to none. Humility
is concord and peace and joy and rest. Acquire purity, and take unto you temperance, and
strive after humility; for by these three cardinal virtues is typified this Messiah, whom
I preach. For purity is the temple of God, and every one who guardeth it, guardeth His
temple, and the Messiah dwelleth in him. And temperance is the rest of God; for our Lord
fasted forty days and forty nights, and tasted nothing; and the Messiah dwelleth in him
who observeth it. And humility is a mighty power; for our Lord said unto Simon the
Apostle: 'Return thy sword back (to its sheath); if I am willing to ask strength of my
Father, He will give me more than twelve legions of angels.' "

110 And when Judas had said these things, all the multitudes were listening together, and
trampling on one another. And the wife of Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, sprang up
and came out of the palanquin, and fell down on the ground before the feet of the Apostle,
and was begging of him and saying to him: "I beg of thee, thou Apostle of the new God, who
hast come to a desert place from the habitation of men — for we dwell in a desert, because
we live like the beasts that have not speech, and now, lo, we are being tamed by thy
hands, — that thou wouldst turn unto me too, and pray for me, that I also may obtain grace
from this God whom thou preachest, and that I may become a handmaiden of Him, and that I
too may be united with you in prayer and in hope and in thanksgiving, and that I too may
become a holy temple and He may dwell in me."

111 The Apostle saith: "I pray and beg of you, my brethren in our Lord and my sisters in
the Messiah, that the word of the Messiah may dwell in you all and abide in you, because
ye are given power over your own souls." And he began to say to the woman: "Mygdonia,
arise from the ground, and be mindful of thyself, and be not concerned about thy
ornaments, which pass away, nor about the beauty of thy person, which perisheth, nor about
thy dress, nor about this name and dignity in the world that passeth away; and degrade not
thyself to this filthy intercourse, and be deprived of the true fellowship. For ornaments
perish, and beauty becometh old and marred, and clothes decay, and power passeth away,
(accompanied) with punishment, according as each person hath conducted himself in it, and
marriage passeth away with much contempt. Jesus alone abideth, and those who hope in Him
and take refuge (with Him), and deliver up themselves unto Him." And when he had said
these things, he said to the woman: "Go in peace, and may our Lord make thee worthy of His
divine mysteries." She saith to him: "I am afraid to go, lest thou leave me and depart to
another place." The Apostle saith to her: "Jesus will not abandon thee for His mercy's
sake." And she bowed down and prostrated herself before him, because she thought that he
was Jesus; and she went home rejoicing.

112 Now Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, had taken his bath and gone to supper; and he
was asking for his wife, where she was, that she had not come to meet him from her
chamber. And her maidens said to him: "She is not inclined (to come)." And he went into
the chamber, and saw her lying on the bed with her face covered. And he kissed her, and
said to her: "Why art thou sad today and sorrowful?" She saith to him: "I am very tired."
He saith to her: "Why didst thou not pay proper respect to thy position as a free woman,
and stay at home, and not go and hear vain words and (see) deeds of witchcraft? But get
up, and come out, and sup with me, for I cannot sup without thee." Mygdonia saith to him:
"Today I must be excused from supping with thee and from sleeping with thee, for I am much
agitated." And when Karīsh heard from Mygdonia that she spake to him thus, he was
unwilling to quit (the room) to sleep or to sup; but ordered his servants to bring (food)
to him that he might sup in her presence.

113 And when they had brought in (food, and) set it before him, he asked her to sup, but
she would not; and since she would not sup, he supped alone. And Karīsh said to her: "On
thy account I excused myself to my lord, king Mazdai, from (staying to) supper, and thou
dost not choose to sup with me!" Mygdonia saith to him: "Because I am not inclined." And
he stood up to go to bed and sleep as was his wont, and she said to him: "Did I not tell
thee that I must be excused today, that I may sleep alone?" 114 And when he heard this
speech, he went and slept in another bed. And when he awoke suddenly from his sleep, he
said to her: "My lady and sister Mygdonia, harken unto a dream which I saw this night. I
saw myself reclining in the presence of my lord king Mazdai, and a table was laid before
us. And I saw an eagle swoop down from heaven, and carry off from before me and from
before king Mazdai a brace of partridges; and he bore them up to his nest and placed them
there, and came again and hovered over us. And king Mazdai bade them bring him a bow. And
the eagle came again, and carried off again from before us a pigeon and a turtle-dove. And
king Mazdai shot an arrow at him, and it passed through him from side to side, and did not
harm him; but he soared away to his nest. And I started (out of my sleep), being agitated,
and being vexed on account of the partridge which I had tasted, and of which he did not
let me put any more into my mouth, and lo, its taste was in my mouth." Mygdonia saith to
him: "Thy dream is good; for thou eatest partridges every day, but perchance a partridge
had never been tasted by that eagle until now."

115 And when it was morning, Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, arose early (and)
dressed, and put his left shoe on his right foot, and said to Mygdonia: "What is this
action? Lo, the dream and the action!" Mygdonia saith to him: "This too is not unlucky,
but good; from an unlucky thing something else good results." And he washed his hands, and
went to salute king Mazdai. But Mygdonia, the wife of Karīsh, arose early too (and) went
to salute Judas the Apostle. And she found him sitting and conversing with the general and
with a great multitude; and he said to them: "My children, the woman who yesterday
received our Lord into her heart and soul, whose wife is she?" The general saith to him:
"She is the wife of Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, and her husband is a hard man, and
all that he biddeth the king (do), he humoureth him in; and he will not let her continue
as she hath promised, because he telleth many fine stories about her to the king, and hath
said that there is none like to her; and she too loveth him much, and these things which
thou sayest unto them are alien from them." Judas saith: "If our Lord hath really risen in
her soul, and she hath received the seed which was sown in her, she will neither make
account of this life, nor be afraid of death j nor will Karīsh be able any more to do
anything to her, nor to make her suffer, because He whom she hath received into her soul
is greater than he, if she hath received (Him) once for all with perfect love."

116 And when Mygdonia heard these things, she saith to Judas: "Of a truth, my lord,
through thy prayer I have received the living seed of the Word, and fruits which are like
unto the seed I shall yield in my Lord Jesus." Judas saith: "These our souls, which are
Thine, praise Thee, our Lord. These our spirits, which are Thy true possessions, praise
Thee, my Lord. These our bodies, which Thou hast made worthy to be the dwelling-place of
Thy Spirit, that is always to be glorified, praise Thee, my Lord." And the Apostle said to
all those who were there: "Blessed are the pure, whose souls never upbraid them, because
they have gained them and they are not in doubt regarding themselves. Blessed are the
spirits of the pure, who have won the crown and gone up from the contest to what is given
up unto them. Blessed are the bodies of the pure, which are worthy to become clean temples
in which the Messiah shall dwell. Blessed are ye, pure, for unto you it is allowed to ask
and to receive. Blessed are ye, pure, for ye are called judges. Blessed are ye, pure, for
to you is granted power to forgive sins. Blessed are ye, pure, for ye have not destroyed
what was delivered unto you, but ye take it up on high with you, rejoicing. Blessed are
ye, meek, for God hath deemed you worthy to inherit the kingdom. Blessed are ye, meek, for
it is ye who have conquered the evil (one). Blessed are ye, meek, for ye are the children
of light. Blessed are ye, meek, for ye shall see the face of your Lord. Blessed are ye,
temperate, for ye shall be contented and rejoice in those spiritual things which pass not
away and are not dissolved, and the eaters of which hunger not. Blessed are ye, temperate,
for ye are delivered from sin."

117 And when the Apostle had said these things, whilst the whole multitudes were listening
to him, Mygdonia, the wife of Karīsh, the friend of king Mazdai, was greatly strengthened
in purity and temperance and all meekness. And whilst they were solacing themselves the
whole day with the praises and the majesty of the Lord, Karish, the friend of king Mazdai,
came to dinner, and did not find his wife at home; and he began to ask all his servants
about her, (saying,) " Whither is your mistress gone?" And one of them said to him: "She
is gone to the strange man, and there she is." And when he heard these things from his
servant, he was angry with his other servants that they had not informed him of what had
happened. And he went (and) bathed and came back whilst it was still light, and was
sitting and waiting for Mygdonia till she should come.

118 And when it was evening, she came, and he met her and said to her: "Where hast thou
been till now?" And she said to him: "I went to the physician's house." He saith: "That
strange conjuror is the physician." She saith to him: "Yea, he is the physician, and he is
different from all (other) physicians, for all (other) physicians heal these bodies which
shall be dissolved, but this physician healeth the bodies with the souls, which shall
never more be dissolved." And when Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, heard these things,
he was angry in his mind with Mygdonia and with the stranger, but he said nothing to
her,—because he was afraid of her, for she was far superior to him in wealth, and also in
her understanding,—but he went, (and) entered into the dining-room, and sat down to
supper; and she went again into her ante-chamber. And he told his servants to call her to
come out (and) sup with him; but she did not wish (it). And when he heard that she did not
wish to come out, he went in to her and said to her: "Why wilt thou not come out to sup
with me? And perhaps too thou dost not wish to sleep with me according to thy wont? Of
this I am sorely afraid, especially as I have heard that that sorcerer and deceiver is
most anxious about this, that a man should not be with his wife; a thing that nature
enjoineth, and with which the gods too are pleased, he taketh away (from us)."

119 And when Karīsh had said these things to her, Mygdonia was silent, and he said again
to her: "My sister and lady and beloved and wife, Mygdonia, be not led astray by idle and
foolish words nor by deeds of witchcraft, which, I have heard, he does in the name of his
god; for from the day that the world came into being, it hath never been heard that a man
brought the dead to life; but this man, as I hear, maketh as if he brought the dead to
life. And as to his not eating or drinking, do not suppose that it is for righteousness'
sake that he neither eateth nor drinketh, but because he hath not got anything. For what
shall he eat, who hath not even bread for the day? And that he weareth, (only) one
(garment) is because he hath not another; and that he doth not take pay from any man is
because he knows that he doth not in reality heal any man."

120 And when Karīsh had said these things to Mygdonia, she was as silent as a stone, and
was praying, and asking when it would be morning, and when she could see the Apostle of
God. And he left her and went (and) supped in sorrowful mood. And when he was thinking
that, lo, he would sleep with her according to his wont,— but she, at the moment when he
went out from her, kneeled down, and was praying and saying: "My Lord, and my God, and my
Life-giver, the Messiah, do Thou give me strength to overcome the daring of Karish, and do
Thou grant me that I may preserve the purity in which Thou takest delight, and by which I
shall find eternal life; and when she had prayed, she covered her face and lay
down—Karīsh, as soon as he had supped, came and stood over her, and took off his clothes.
And she perceived him, and saith to him: "There is no place for thee beside me, because my
Lord Jesus, with whom I am united, is better than thou, and He is always beside me. And
Karīsh laughed and said to her: "Thou mockest well that sorcerer, and laughest well at him
for saying, 'Ye cannot live before God unless ye be pure.' " And when he had spoken thus,
he dared to lie down beside her, but she did not endure (it), but cried out at him
bitterly and said: " Help, Thou new God, who through a strange man art come to India!

121 Help, Lord Jesus! Forsake me not, because I take refuge with Thee; for as I have heard
that Thou seekest those who know Thee not, lo, now that I am seeking. Thee and have heard
tell of Thee and have believed in Thee, come to my help, and deliver me from the insolence
of Karīsh, and let not his impurity prevail over me, and let him not have a place beside
me. And she arose, and tied his hands, and fled from beside him, and laid hold of the
curtain which covered the door of the chamber and wrapped herself (therein), and went out
(and) went to her nurse, and slept beside her for that night. 122 But Karīsh was in sorrow
all that night, and was beating his hands against one another, and was wishing to go
during the night (and) inform king Mazdai of the violence that had been done him. And he
was thinking and saying: "If I go in the great distress which I feel, who will give me
admittance to king Mazdai? For I know that, if fate had not ruined me, and hurled me down
from my pride and haughtiness and greatness into contempt and abasement, and separated my
beloved Mygdonia from me, (even) to king Mazdai, had he been standing at this hour at my
door, I would not have gone out and given an answer. But I will wait till morning; and I
know that, whatever I say to king Mazdai, he will humour me therein. And I will tell him
of the sorcery of the stranger, how he useth violence and casteth down the exalted into an
abyss; for I am not grieved at being cut off from intercourse with Mygdonia, but I am
sorry for Mygdonia herself, that her greatness hath been degraded, and her freedom brought
low, and her high spirit humbled, and that a woman, whom none of her own servants ever saw
in any evil tempers, runneth naked out of her chamber, and perchance she is gone out into
the street through the influence of the sorcery of the stranger; but I know not whither
she is gone, for there was nothing to be seen with her.

123 And when he had said these things, he began to weep and to say: "Woe is to me for thy
sake, my true wife, of whom I am now deprived! Woe is to me for thy sake, my beloved and
my lover, who wast more to me than my whole kindred! And neither son nor daughter have I
from thee, with whom I might rest contented. A whole year thou hast not completed with me,
and an (evil) eye hath taken thee from me. Would that the might of death had taken thee by
force from me, and I should (still) have counted myself with kings and princes and
nobles,—and not this strange man, who is perhaps a slave and a fugitive from his owners,
and hath come hither because of my ill luck! I shall never have rest, and never be
stopped, until I destroy him and chastise him and avenge myself upon him. To-night I will
not appear before king Mazdai; but if he.doth not humour me, and doth not chastise that
stranger, I will tell him about the general Sîfûra too, that he hath been the cause of
destruction to this (woman); for, lo, he sitteth in his house, and many go in and out unto
him, and he teacheth them the new doctrine of purity, and teacheth and saith that a man
cannot live, unless he separateth himself from all that belongeth to him, and becometh an
ascetic and a wandering mendicant like unto himself, and lo, he wisheth to make companions
for himself."

124 And whilst Karīsh was meditating these things, it became morning. And he rose early
(and) dressed and put on his shoes; but he put on sorry garments, and his countenance was
gloomy, and he was very sad; and he went in to salute king Mazdai. And when king Mazdai
saw him, he said to him: "What is the matter, that thou art come to me in this wretched
plight? And why is thy aspect sad, and thy countenance changed?" Karīsh saith to him:
"King Mazdai, I have a new fact to tell thee, and a new calamity, which Sîfûr hath brought
to India. A Hebrew, a conjuror, is sitting in his house, and never goeth out from beside
him; and many go in to him, and he teacheth them the new God and giveth them new laws,
which have never been heard of by us; and he saith: 'Ye cannot be children of this
everlasting life, which I teach, unless ye sever yourselves, a man from his wife, and a
woman from her husband.' Now it chanced that my wretched and miserable wife went to see
him, and heard his words and believed them; and she arose by night and fled from beside
me, she who could not bear to be away from me for a single hour and could not exist
without me. But send (and) fetch Sîfûr and the conjuror who lays snares for him, and
chastise them; and if not, all our countrymen will be destroyed by his words."

125 And when Mazdai heard these things from his kinsman Karīsh, he said to him: "Be not
grieved and vexed. I will send and fetch him, and chastise him, and thou shalt get back
thy wife; for if I avenge others who cannot avenge themselves, thee, lo, especially (must
I avenge)." And he commanded that they should summon Sîfûr the general (to come) to him;
and they went to his house and found him sitting on the right hand of Judas, the Apostle
of God, and Mygdonia was sitting at his feet, with a great multitude, and they were
listening to him. Those who went after Sîfûr the general answered and say to him: "Dost
thou sit and listen to vain words, whilst king Mazdai in his wrath is seeking to destroy
thee, because of this sorcerer and seducer, whom thou hast brought into thy house?" And
when Sîfûr the general heard these things, he was grieved, not because the king was
angered with him, but because the king had heard regarding him that he was acquainted with
Judas the Apostle. And Sîfûr said to Judas: "I am grieved on thy account, for I told thee
a day agone that that woman was the wife of Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, and that
he would not let her do what she promised; and whatever he saith to the king, he humoureth
him therein." Judas saith to Sîfûr: "Be not afraid, but believe in Jesus, who pleadeth for
both me and thee, and for all those who take refuge with Him and come to His place of
assembly." And when Sîfûr the general heard these things, he put on his dress and went to
king Mazdai.

126 And Judas was asking Mygdonia, what was the reason that her husband was angry with
her, and meditated these things against them. She saith to him: "Because I did not give
myself to corruption with him; for in the evening he wished to make me yield, and to
subject me to that which he is wont to do; but He to whom I have committed myself
delivered me from his hands, and I fled naked from beside him, and slept with my nurse,
and I know not what has come to him that he plots these things against you." The Apostle
saith to her: "These things, my daughter, harm us not; but believe in Jesus, and He will
restrain from thee the lust of Karīsh, and He will deliver thee from corruption and
wantonness, and He will be to thee a guide in the path of danger, and a conductor to His
and His Father's kingdom, and He will bring thee into everlasting life, and will give thee
a sovereignty that passeth not away and changeth not."

127 And when Sîfûr stood before king Mazdai, Mazdai asked him and said to him: "What is
his story, and whence is he, and what doth he teach, the sorcerer who plotteth against
thee?" Sîfûr saith to him: "Dost thou perchance not know, my lord, that I and all my
friends were in great sorrow about my wife,—whom, as thou knowest, many held in
honour,—and about my daughter, in comparison with whom I counted as nought all that I
possess? And what calamity and what trial came upon them? And how they became a laughing-
stock and an imprecation through the whole country? And I heard tell of this man, and went
to him, and asked of him, and fetched him, and we came hither; and I saw wonderful
miracles whilst I was coming with him on the road, and here too many saw and heard what
the wild ass said, and what the demon declared concerning him. And he healed my wife and
my daughter, and lo, they are well, and he asked for no reward except belief and purity,
that they might be participators in what he is doing; and he saith, 'Fear one God, the
Lord of all, and Jesus the Messiah, His Son, and ye shall live for ever and ever'; and he
eateth nothing at all but bread and salt from evening to evening, and drinketh water; and
he prayeth much, and whatever he asketh of God, He giveth him; and he enjoineth (us) too,
(saying) that this his God is holy and good and benign and gentle and a giver of life, and
(that) therefore those who believe in Him draw nigh unto Him in cleanness and purity and
love."

128 And when king Mazdai heard these things from Sîfûr, he sent a number of soldiers from
his presence to the house of Sîfûr the general} to fetch Judas Thomas and those whom they
found with him. And when they went in, they found him sitting and teaching a great many
people, and Mygdonia too was sitting at his feet. And they were afraid, when they saw the
great number of people that surrounded him; and they went to tell king Mazdai, (saying):
"We did not dare to say aught to him, because a great many people were with him, and
Mygdonia too was sitting at his feet and hearing his words. And when Mazdai and Karīsh
heard these things, Karīsh sprang up from before king Mazdai, and took with him a number
of soldiers, and said: " I will go and fetch him and also Mygdonia, whose senses he hath
taken away. And he came to the house of Sîfûr the general in haste, and came and found
Judas sitting and teaching. And when he went in, he saw Judas, but he did not find
Mygdonia there, for she had gone home, because she knew that they would tell her husband
about her that she was there. And Karīsh said to Judas: "Get up, wretch and corrupter and
enemy! But what can thy witchcraft do to me? For I will make thy sorceries recoil upon thy
own head. And when he had spoken thus to him, Judas looked upon him and said to him:

129 "Thy threats shall recoil upon thee, for me thou canst not hurt at all, because my
Lord Jesus the Messiah, with whom I take refuge, is greater than thou and thy king and all
thy forces. And Karīsh took the turban of one of his servants, and threw it round the
Apostle's neck, and said: "Drag him off; let me see if Jesus will deliver him from my
hands. And they were dragging him away until (they came) to king Mazdai. 130 And when
Judas stood before king Mazdai, he said to him: "Tell me what is thy story, by whose power
thou doest these works?" And Judas was silent and gave him no reply. And king Mazdai
commanded the soldiers, and they struck him a hundred and fifty lashes;a and he gave
orders that they should convey him bound to prison; and they bound him and carried him
off. And when he was gone and had entered into the prison, Mazdai and Karīsh were planning
how they might kill him, because the whole people were worshipping him as God, and they
took pains to say (everywhere), "He hath reviled the king, and he is a conjuror" But
Judas, when he went to prison, was glad and rejoicing, saying: "I thank thee, my Lord
Jesus the Messiah, that Thou hast deemed me worthy not only to believe in Thee, but also
to bear many things for Thy sake." And he said: "I thank Thee, my Lord, that Thou hast
deemed me worthy of these things. I thank Thee, my Lord, that Thy providence hath been
over me, and that Thou hast deemed me worthy to bear many evils for Thy sake. I thank
thee, my Lord, that for Thy sake, I have been a recluse and an ascetic and a pauper and a
wandering mendicant. Let me then receive of the blessing of the poor, and of the rest of
the weary, and of the blessing of those whom men hate and persecute and revile and say of
them odious words. Lo, for Thy sake I am hated and shunned by many; for Thy sake they say
of me I know not what."

131 And whilst he was praying, all those who were in the prison saw that he was praying
and begged of him to pray for them too. And when he had prayed and sat down, Judas began
to chant this hymn. The Hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostle in the country of the Indians.
132 "WHEN I was a little child, and dwelling in my kingdom, in my father's house, and was
content with the wealth and the luxuries of my nourishers, from the East our home my
parents equipped me (and) sent me forth; and of the wealth of our treasury they took
abundantly, (and) tied up for me a load large and (yet) light, which I myself could
carry—gold of Beth-‛Ellāyē, and silver of Gazak the great, and rubies of India, and agates
from Beth-Kāshān; and they furnished me with the adamant, which can crush iron. And they
took off from me the glittering robe, which in their affection they had made for me, and
the purple toga, which was measured (and) woven to my stature. And they made a compact
with me, and wrote it in my heart, that it might not be forgotten: 'If thou goest down
into Egypt, and bringest the one pearl, which is in the midst of the sea around the loud-
breathing serpent, thou shalt put on thy glittering robe and thy toga, with which (thou
art) contented, and with thy brother, who is next to us in authority, thou shalt be heir
in our kingdom.' I quitted the East (and) went down, there being with me two guardians,
for the way was dangerous and difficult, and I was very young to travel it. I passed
through the borders of Maishan, the meeting-place of the merchants of the East, and I
reached the land of Babel, and I entered the walls of Sarbug.

133 I went down into Egypt, and my companions parted from me. I went straight to the
serpent, I dwelt around his abode, (waiting) till he should slumber and sleep, and I could
take my pearl from him. And when I was single and was alone (and) become strange to my
family, one of my race, a free-born man, an Oriental, I saw there, a youth fair and
loveable, the son of oil-sellers; and he came and attached himself to me, and I made him
my intimate friend, an associate with whom I shared my merchandise. I warned him against
the Egyptians, and against consorting with the unclean; and I dressed in their dress, that
they might not hold me in abhorrence, because I was come from abroad in order to take the
pearl, and arouse the serpent against me. But in some way or other they found out that I
was not their countryman, and they dealt with me treacherously, and gave me their food to
eat. I forgot that I was a son of kings, and I served their king; and I forgot the pearl,
for which my parents had sent me, and because of the burden of their oppressions I lay in
a deep sleep. But all these things that befell me my parents perceived, and were grieved
for me; and a proclamation was made in our kingdom, that every one should come to our gate
(i.e., palace or residence), kings and princes of Parthia, and all the nobles of the East.

134 And they wove a plan on my behalf, that I might not be left in Egypt; and they wrote
to me a letter, and every noble signed his name to it:'From thy father, the king of kings,
and thy mother, the mistress of the East, and from thy brother, our second (in authority),
to thee our son, who art in Egypt, greeting! Up and arise from thy sleep, and listen to
the words of our letter! Call to mind that thou art a son of kings! See the slavery,—whom
thou servest! Remember the pearl, for which thou wast sent to Egypt! Think of thy robe,
and remember thy splendid toga, which thou shalt wear and (with which) thou shalt be
adorned, when thy name hath been read out in the list of the valiant, and with thy
brother, our viceroy, thou shalt be in our kingdom.' My letter is a letter, which the king
sealed with his own right hand, (to keep it) from the wicked ones, the children of Babel,
and from the savage-demons of Sarbug. It flew in the likeness of an eagle, the king of all
birds; it flew and alighted beside me, and became all speech. At its voice and the sound
of its rustling, I started and arose from my sleep. I took it up and kissed it, and I
began (and), read it;

135 and according to what was traced on my heart were the words of my letter written, I
remembered that I was a son of royal parents, and my noble birth asserted its nature. I
remembered the pearl, for which I had been sent to Egypt, and I began to charm him, the
terrible loud-breathing serpent. I hushed him to sleep and lulled him into slumber, for my
father's name I named over him, and the name of our second (in power), and of my mother,
the queen of the East; and I snatched away the pearl, and turned to go back to my father's
house. And their filthy and unclean dress I stripped off, and left it in their country;
and I took my way straight to come to the light of our home the East. And my letter, my
awakener, I found before me on the road; and as with its voice it had awakened me, (so)
too with its light it was leading me. It, that dwelt in the palace, gave light before me
with its form, and with its voice and its guidance it also encouraged me to speed, and
with its love it drew me on. I went forth (and) passed by Sarbug; I left Babel on my left
hand; and I came to the great Maishān, to the haven of merchants, which sitteth on the
shore of the sea. And my bright robe, which I had stripped off, and the toga that was
wrapped with it, from Rāmthā and Reken (?

136 my parents had sent thither by the hand of their treasurers, who in their truth could
be trusted therewith. And because I remembered not its fashion,—for in my childhood I had
left it, in my father's house,—on a sudden, when I (received) it. the garment seemed to me
to become like a mirror of myself. I saw it all in all, and I too received all in it, for
we were two in distinction and yet again one in one likeness. And the treasurers too, who
brought it to me, I saw in like manner to be two (and yet) one likeness, for one sign of
the king was written on them (both), of the hands of him who restored to me through them
my trust and my wealth, my decorated robe, which was adorned with glorious colours, with
gold and beryls and rubies and agates and sardonyxes, varied in colour. And it was
skilfully worked in its home on high, and with diamond clasps were all its seams fastened;
and the image of the king of kings was embroidered and depicted in full all over it; and
like the stone of the sapphire too its hues were varied. And I saw also that all over it
the instincts of knowledge were working, and I saw too that it was preparing to speak. I
heard the sound of its tones, which it uttered with its …, (saying): 'I am the active in
deeds, whom they reared for him before my father;

137 and I perceived myself, that my stature grew according to his labours.' And in its
kingly movements it poured itself entirely over me, and on the hand of its givers it
hastened that I might take it. And love urged me too to run to meet it and receive it; and
I stretched forth and took it. With the beauty of its colours I adorned myself, and I
wrapped myself wholly in my toga of brilliant hues. I clothed myself with it, and went up
to the gate of salutation and prostration; I bowed my head and worshipped the majesty of
my father who sent me,—for I had done his commandments, and he too had done what he
promised,—and at the gate of his retainers I mingled with his princes, for he rejoiced in
me and received me, and I was with him in his kingdom, and with the voice of …all his
servants praise him. And he promised that to the gate too of the king of kings with him I
should go, and with my offering and my pearl with him should present myself to our king."

138 The hymn of Judas Thomas the Apostle, which he spake in the prison, is ended. The Song
of praise of Thomas the Apostle. "TO be glorified are Thou, Lord of all, self-existent,
unutterable, who art hidden in the brightness of Thy glory from all created beings. "To be
praised art Thou, the Son, the first-born of life, who art from the exalted Father and the
Word of life. "To be glorified art Thou, the one Father, who portray est Thyself with
wisdom in all creatures and in all worlds. "To be praised art Thou, the Son of light, the
Wisdom and the Power and the Knowledge, who art in all worlds. "To be glorified art Thou,
the Father exalted, who didst rise (like the sun) from Thy secrecy into manifestation by
means of all Thy Prophets. "To be praised art Thou, Son of mercy, by whom all things were
fulfilled in wisdom and in silence.

139 "To be glorified art Thou, the Father supreme, born of Thy First-born in the silence
and tranquillity of meditation. "To be praised art Thou, the Son adored, who didst rise
(as the sun) from the Father, with His aspect, in peace and in glory. "To be glorified art
Thou, the good Father, who didst reveal the mystery of Thy First-born to the Prophets by
the Spirit of holiness. "To be praised art Thou, the proved Son, who didst reveal the
glory of the Father to Thy Apostles in all nations. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father
serene, who didst hallow Thy majesty for ever in Thy First-born; the Giver of life to Thy
creation. "To be praised art Thou, the comely Son, who didst rise (like the sun) from the
splendour of the Father, and didst deliver our souls by Thy innocent blood. "To be
glorified art Thou, Father omnipotent, who dwellest in Thy glorious light, and art
shrouded in Thy glory, and manifested to all in Thy grace.

140 "To be praised art Thou, the perfect Son, who art sown in the living earth, and wast
before the world with Thy holy Father. "To be glorified art Thou, the Feeder of all, who
art in all worlds, on high and in the deep, and there is no place that is void of Thee.
"To be praised art Thou, the Son, the adored Fruit, who didst rise (like the sun) upon all
in mercy, and didst put on our humanity, and whom our adversary slew; "To be glorified art
Thou, the infinite Father, who didst make Thy angels of the overflowings of Thy Spirit and
Thy ministers Thy flaming fire. "To be praised, art Thou, the Son of light, who art borne
on the Spirit, and shrouded in the light of the Father, on holy clouds. "To be glorified
art Thou, the Father giving life to all, who didst assemble the worlds for Thy glory by
the hand of Thy dear (Son), that they might make praise to ascend unto Thee.

141 " To be praised art Thou Son of life, of whose gift the Father giveth in abundance to
the holy, and through it they set out and arrive in the path of peace. "To be glorified
art Thou, the Father giving life to all, who hast revealed the mysteries of Thy Son by the
Spirit to His saints, in tranquillity and rest. "To be praised art Thou, the Son, the
Fruit of the Father, who hidest Thy chosen ones under Thy wings, and hast fulfilled the
will of Thy Father, and redeemed Thy dear ones. "To be glorified art Thou, the good
Father, giving life to all creatures by the hand of Thy dear (Son), in mercy and in grace,
through His death by crucifixion. "To be praised art Thou, the first-born Son, feeding
created beings with Thy body, and blotting out our sins with the sign of Thy wounds and
with the sprinkling of Thy blood upon us.

142 "To be glorified art Thou, the good Father, who dwellest in the pure heart, in the
mind of Thy worshippers, and art hidden from all in Thy aspect, and revealed to us in Thy
Messiah. "To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Word, proclaiming Thy coming in stillness,
who didst put on our humanity and deliver us by Thy living and innocent blood. "To be
glorified art Thou, the living Father, who didst give (new) life to our deadness, for we
had erred from Thy way and were dead and perished, but Thy mercy was upon us. "To be
praised art Thou, the beloved Son, who didst give (new) life to our deadness, and didst
turn back our I going astray, and wast to us a medicine of life by Thy life-giving body
and by the sprinkling of Thy living blood. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted
by all mouths and by all tongues, who hast been reconciled to us by Thy Messiah, and whom
we have tasted through Thy Fruit and have become children of Thy peace.

143 "To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Peace-maker, who hast healed our wounds, and
persuaded our hardness (of heart), and collected our wandering, and trained us in Thy
truth, and we have known through Thee Thy Father. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father
omnipotent, who hast sent to us Thy living and life-giving Fruit; and He reconciled by the
blood of His Cross Thy mercy with Thy creatures. "To be praised art Thou, the Son, the
Word of light, who didst rise (like the sun) from on high and satisfy us with the
knowledge of Thee, and didst cleanse our impurity, and give (new) life to our deadness by
Thy sign, the Cross of light. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father of all praises, and to
be exalted is Thy great Name in all worlds, for Thou hast not reckoned against us our
sins, but hast given us life through Thy Messiah, who is the Life of Thy will.

144 "To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Voice conceived of knowledge, our holy Priest,
who hast made atonement for us by Thy pure and holy offering, and hast poured out Thy
living blood on behalf of sinners. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted, who art
hidden from all worlds, and art revealed according to Thy will to all Thy worshippers. "To
be praised art Thou, the Son of life, accomplishing the will of Thy Father; who hast
reconciled Thy creatures, so that they worship in Thee Him who sent Thee and are become
partakers of Thy mysteries. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father exalted, by every knee,
which shall bow to Thee, both in Heaven and on earth, through Thy dear (Son). "To be
praised art Thou, the adored Son of perfect mercy, through whom there has come peace and
hope for the creatures, that they may know the Creator.

145 "To be glorified art Thou, the Father giving life to all, the riches of whose mercy
are never exhausted by the abundance of Thy gifts, but at all times Thou hast a need of
giving unto us. "To be praised art Thou, the Son, the Fruit; for Thou art the Gate of
light and the Way of truth, and Thou hast made us run in thy footsteps, that we may arrive
at the house of Thy exalted Father. "To be glorified art Thou, the Father benign, who hast
given us peace by the hand of our Life-giver, and hast revealed unto us Thy glorious, and
holy mysteries by the hearing of Thy doctrine. "To be praised art Thou, the only
(-begotten) Son of the Father, whose mercy hath been upon us, and Thou hast signed us with
Thy living and life-giving Cross. "All mouths and all tongues glorify the Father and
worship the Son and praise Thy holy Spirit, the worlds and the creatures which are hidden
and which are manifest.

146 "Thy Angels glorify Thee on high through Thy Messiah, who became in Sheol peace and
hope to the dead, who came to life and were raised. "We beg of Thee, our Lord and our
Life-giver, (the accomplishment) of all that Thou hast said and promised. Fulfil with us
Thy grace, and raise us up to the place of Thy peace; for Thou art our Life-giver, Thou
art our Paraclete, Thou art the medicine of our life, Thou art our sign of victory.
"Blessed are we, Lord, who have known Thee. Blessed are we, who have believed in Thee.
Blessed are we through Thy wounds and Thy blood, (suffered and shed) on our behalf.
Blessed are we, for Thou art our great hope. Blessed are we, for Thou art our God, and for
ever and ever, Amen." 147 And Karīsh, the husband of Mygdonia, went to his house,
rejoicing greatly, because he thought in his mind that henceforth his wife would be with
him as formerly, before she heard the word of Judas and believed in our Lord Jesus the
Messiah, the Son of God. And when Karīsh went, he found his wife sitting, and her looks
were downcast," and her clothes rent, and she was like a mad woman, because of Judas. He
saith to her: "My lady and sister Mygdonia, what is this wicked folly that hath taken
possession of thee? And why hast thou done these things? I am Karīsh, the husband of thy
youth, and I am he who from the gods and by the law hath power over thee. Why hast thou
now acted like a mad woman? And why art thou become a laughing-stock through this whole
country? But from, this moment dismiss the thought of that wizard from thy mind, for I am
about to take away the sight of him from before thine eyes, that thou mayest see him no
more. And when she had heard these things from Karīsh her husband, she was again sorely
grieved and afflicted. And he said again to her: "What crime, pr'ythee, hast thou
committed against the gods, that they have let thee come to this great misery? And what
sin hast thou wrought before them that they have brought thee to this degradation and
ridicule?

148 I beg of thee, Mygdonia, torture not my soul by the sight of thee, and pain not my
heart by thy care. I am Karīsh, the husband of thy youth, and I am thy true husband, whom
the whole country honoureth and whom they fear. What I shall do henceforth, I know not,
nor how I shall conduct myself, nor what plan I shall devise. Shall I remember in my heart
thy beauty, and be silent? Or shall I think of thy chaste conduct, and say nothing? Who is
there, from whom they (try to) take away a goodly and fair treasure, and he letteth go his
hold of it? Am I able to bear (the loss of) thy winsome beauties, which are with me at all
times? Thy sweet fragrance, lo, is in my nostrils; and thy fair colour, lo, is before my
eyes; my soul, which they (are trying to) take away from me; my bright eye, with which I
saw, and which they are plucking out and taking away from me; my fair body, of which I was
proud, and which they are ill-using and taking away from me; my right arm, which they are
cutting off from me; my beauty, which is destroyed; my comfort, through which they are
distressing me; my joy, which is turned into sorrow; my rest, which is become an
affliction to me; my life, which is changed into death; my light, which is dyed with
darkness.

149 The members of my great house shall not see me (again), for in this affliction I have
had no help (from them). My noble friends shall not see me (again), who have not saved me
from this affliction. I will no longer worship the gods of the East, who have brought me
to these miseries, nor will I pray before them, nor sacrifice to them again, nor offer to
them an offering, because I am deprived of this my true union. For what (prayer) should I
again pray to them? Or what should I beg of them, or ask of them to give me, who have
deprived me of that which was dearer to me than everything which I possessed in the world,
and with which I was contented? For I have more wealth than I can use, and possessions,
the amount of which I cannot reckon. A prince too I have been made, and I have been named
the king's f deputy; and many fear me, and many are under myhand. Would that some one
would take away from me all these glories and my great wealth, and give me one hour of thy
past years, Mygdonia! Would that some one would blind one of my eyes, and that thy eyes
would look upon me as they were wont! Would that some one would cut off my right arm, and
that I might embrace thee with my left arm!"

150 Whilst Karīsh was saying these things and weeping, Mygdonia was sitting like one
stone-deaf, and looked not at him, but upon the ground, and was silent. And he came near
to her again, and said to her: "My daughter and my beloved, Mygdonia, remember that thou
didst please me above all the women of India, and that I chose thee when I might have
taken many who were of higher rank than thou. But indeed I lie not, Mygdonia; no by God,
there is not for me another (woman) in all India like to thee. "What beauty, and what
ornament, and what elegance, and what noble qualities am I losing! "Woe to me and to the
world, for I shall never hear thee speak again! Although he hath reviled (me), I beg of
thee, lift up thine eyes and look upon me, for I am far better than that wizard, and am
handsomer than he, and I have wealth and honour, and every one knoweth that no one hath a
lineage like to mine. And thou art more to me than my kindred and than all that I have;
and lo, they are taking thee away from me!"

151 And when Karīsh had said these things, Mygdonia saith to him: "Karīsh, He whom I love
is more than all that thou possessest and all that thou hast; for all that thou hast is of
the earth and remaineth on the earth; but He whom I love is in Heaven, and He will take me
up to Heaven unto Himself. For thy wealth passeth away, and thy beauty becomes marred, and
thy robes become old and decay and perish, and thou (art left) alone with thy trespasses
and thy sins. If thou art not delivered from them, they will cleave unto thee. Remind me
not of thy former doings with me, which I pray and beg of my Lord to blot out for me.
Remind me not of thy filthy and unclean pleasures and thy fleshly deeds, from which I pray
that I may be rescued by the love of my Lord. I have forgotten all thy practices, and thy
familiarities and thy doings are at an end with thyself; but my Lord and my Saviour,
Jesus, abideth alone for ever, with those souls which have taken refuge with Him. He with
whom I have taken refuge, and in whom I have believed, will save me and deliver me from
all thy deeds of shame, which I used to do with thee, when I did not believe."

152 And when Karīsh heard these things, he went and lay down to sleep, being grieved. And
he said to her: "Reflect and consider (this) in thy mind to-day, the whole night. If thou
wilt be with me as thou wast, before thou sawest this wizard, I will humour thee in all
that thou wishest. And if thou wishest, because of the love that thou hast had for him, I
will lead him forth (and) convey him away, and he shall go to another country, and I will
not cause thee any distress, for I know that thou cleavest unto him. And this did not
begin with thee, but the like of this thing hath befallen many women; but at last they
have bethought themselves, and discerned what hath befallen them, and come to themselves,
and have been saved from insult and mockery. Let not, then, these things, which I have
said unto thee, seem to thee as nothing, and let them not pass away as external (or
foreign) to thee; and make me not a mockery and a laughing-stock and a proverb in India."

153 And when he had said these things to her, he went (and) slept. But Mygdonia took
twenty zūzē, and went, without any one perceiving her, to the prison, to give it to the
keepers of the prisoners, that they might let her in to Judas. And as she was going, Judas
met her coming to her; and she saw him and was afraid, for she thought that it was one of
the nobles, because of the great light which was coming before him; and she said: "Woe to
thee, feeble soul that art perishing! I shall never again see Judas, the Apostle of Jesus,
the living God, because I have not yet received the sign (of baptism from him." And she
fled, and went into another street, and saith: "It is better for me that others, (who are)
poor, should take me, for I can persuade them (to let me go), and that this great man
should not take me, who will not accept a bribe from me."

154 And whilst Mygdonia was meditating these things, Judas came and entered in behind her.
And she was afraid, and fell down from terror; and he stood over her, and said to her: "Be
not afraid, Mygdonia; Jesus the Messiah will not forsake thee, and thy Lord will not
forsake thee, to whom thou hast committed thy soul; the Gracious will not forsake thee,
whose mercy is great; the Benignant will not forsake thee for His kindness' sake; the Good
will not forsake thee for His goodness' sake; the Great will not forsake thee for His
greatness' sake. Rise from the ground, above which thou once wast (raised). Look upon the
light of thy Lord, for He will not let those that love Him walk in darkness. Behold the
Companion of His servants, to whom He is a light in darkness. Behold the Help of His
servants, to whom He is a helper in afflictions."

155 And Mygdonia arose, and was looking at him and saying to him: "Whither wast thou
going, my lord? And who let thee out of prison to see the sun? Judas saith to her: "Our
Lord Jesus the Messiah is stronger than all powers and kings and rulers; He opened the
doors and lulled the keepers to sleep. Mygdonia saith to him: "Give me the sign of Jesus
the Messiah, and let me receive His gift from thy hands, before thou departest from the
world. And she took him, and went and entered into her house, and awakened her nurse, and
saith to her: "My mother and nurse Narkia, all thy deeds of help unto me, and thy
kindnesses from my childhood until now, thou hast done unto me in vain, and my fleeting
favour I bestow upon thee for them; but do me this favour which (lasts) for ever, and thou
shalt be rewarded by Him who gives everything unto His, and fortune cannot deprive them
(thereof). Narkia says to her: "What wantest thou, my daughter Mygdonia? And what comfort
canst thou have? For all the former honours, (which) thou didst promise to do unto me, the
strange man doth not let thee (do), and thou hast made me a reproach in this country. Now,
pr'ythee, what dost thou want to do anew unto me? She saith to her: "Be with me a sharer
in the everlasting life, and let me receive from thee the perfect education.

156 Fetch secretly for me a loaf of bread, and bring out for me a mingled draught of wine,
and have pity upon me a freeborn woman. Narkia saith to her: "I will fetch thee bread in
plenty and many flagons of wine, and I will do thy pleasure (for thee). Mygdonia saith to
her nurse Narkia: "Many flagons are of no use to me, but a mingled draught in a cup, and
one whole loaf, and a little oil, even if (it be) in a lamp, bring unto me." 157 And when
Narkia had brought (them), Mygdonia uncovered her head, and was standing before the holy
Apostle. And he took the oil, and cast (it) on her head, and said: "Holy oil, which wast
given to us for unction, and hidden mystery of the Cross, which is seen through it—Thou,
the straightener of crooked limbs, Thou, our Lord Jesus, life and health and remission of
sins,—let Thy power come and abide upon this oil, and let Thy holiness dwell in it." And
he cast (it) upon the head of Mygdonia, and said: "Heal her of her old wounds, and wash
away from her her sores, and strengthen her weakness." And when he had cast the oil on her
head, he told her nurse to anoint her, and to put a cloth round her loins; and he fetched
the basin of their conduit. And Judas went up (and) stood over it, and baptized Mygdonia
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness. And when she had come
out and put on her clothes, he fetched and brake the Eucharist and (filled) the cup, and
let Mygdonia partake of the table of the Messiah and of the cup of the Son of God. And he
said to her: "Now then thou hast received the sign, and gained to thyself thy life for
ever and ever." And a voice was heard from Heaven, which said, a Yea, Amen and Amen." And
when Narkia heard this voice, she was amazed, and she too begged of the Apostle that she
also might receive the sign; and he gave (it) to her and said: "May the grace of Jesus be
with thee as with the rest of thy companions." And he went to be shut up in prison, and
found the doors open and the watchmen asleep.

158 And Judas said: "Who is like unto Thee, O God, who dost not withhold Thy love and
mercy from man? Who is like unto Thee in mercy and grace, save Thy Father, who hath
delivered His universe from misery and error? Love that hath conquered desire; truth that
hath destroyed falsehood; Thou fair (One) in whom nothing odious is seen; Thou humble
(One), who hast cast down pride; Thou living (One), who hast destroyed death; Thou
tranquil (One), who hast put an end to toil;—glory to the Only (-begotten), who (is) of
the Father! Glory to the mercy which was sent by mercy! Glory to Thy mercy which is upon
us!" And when he had said these things, the watchmen awoke, and found all the doors open,
but the prisoners asleep; and they said: "We forgot these doors and did not close them;
had this been (done) by an adversary, not a man would have remained here."

159 And Karīsh went early in the morning to Mygdonia and to her nurse, and found her and
her nurse praying and saying: "NewGod, who hast come hither through a strange man; holy
God, who art hidden from the whole race of the Indians; God, who hast shown us Thy glory
through Thy Apostle Thomas; God, of whom we have heard tell and have believed in Thee;
God, to whom, because we perceived that there was life in Thee, we have run that Thou
mightest give us life; God, who, because of Thy mercy and Thy grace, didst reach down to
our littleness; God; who sought us when we did not know Thee; God, who sittest on high,
and nothing that is in the depth is concealed from Thee;—do Thou, Lord, keep off from us
the hot anger of Karīsh; do Thou stop his lying mouth; and do Thou cast him beneath the
feet of Thy believers."

160 And when Karīsh heard these things, he saith to Mygdonia: "Well hast thou called me
evil and hot and odious and bitter, for had I not humoured thee; this wretchedness and
bitterness would not have come about me, and thou wouldst not be invoking against me the
witchcraft of that (man). But what thought hast thou then conceived, Mygdonia? And what
dost thou wish me to do for thee? Believe me, Mygdonia, there is no good in that wizard,
and he cannot do anything that he promiseth to any one. But I will show thee before thy
eyes all that I say unto thee, if thou wilt be persuaded by me and listen to my words, and
be with me as thou wast with me. And he drew near again to her, and was begging of her and
saying to her: "I shall feel no distress, if thou wilt be persuaded by me. Remember, my
sister, thy wedding-day, and the first day on which thou didst accept me (as thy husband),
and tell me now in truth, who is dearer to thee, I at that time or Jesus at this time.
Mygdonia saith to him: "Karīsh, that time required its due, and is gone, and this time
requireth its due. That was the time of the beginning; this is the time of the end. That
was the time of the temporal life, which passeth away; this is the time of the life
everlasting. That was the time of transitory joy;

161 this is the time of the eternal joy, which passeth not away. That was the time of day
and night; this is the time of day without night. That marriage-feast thou seest, how it
has passed away and is gone; but this marriage-feast shall never pass away. That was a
marriage-feast of corruption; this is a marriage-feast of life everlasting. Those were
groomsmen and bridesmaids who pass away; these are groomsmen and bridesmaids who abide for
ever. That (union) was founded upon the earth, where there is an unceasing press; this is
founded upon the bridge of fire, upon which is sprinkled grace. That was a bridal-chamber
which was taken down; this is a bridal-chamber which remaineth for ever. That was a bed
which was covered with goodly clothes that decay; this is a bed which is covered with love
and faith and truth. Thou art a bridegroom who passeth away and is changed; Jesus is the
true bridegroom who endureth for ever, and never dieth, and is never subject to
corruption. That marriage-gift was money and clothes, which decay and pass away; this
marriage-gift is living words, which never pass away."

162 And when Karīsh had heard these things, he went (and) told them to king Mazdai. And
king Mazdai said: "Let us fetch (and) destroy him." Karīsh his friend saith to him: "Have
patience with him a little, and bring him out (of prison), and speak to him, and frighten
him; perhaps he will go and persuade Mygdonia to be with me as she was." 163 And king
Mazdai sent and fetched Judas Thomas, the Apostle of the Most High. And all the prisoners
were grieved because Judas the Apostle had departed from them, and were looking for him
and saying: "The pleasure which we had they have taken away from us. And king Mazdai said
to Judas: "Why teachest thou a doctrine which gods and men abhor, and in which there is
nothing pleasing? Judas saith to him: "What do I teach that is bad? Mazdai saith to him:
"What thou sayest, that men cannot live unto God, unless they keep themselves purely to
the God whom thou preachest. Judas saith to him: "Verily thus I say, and I lie not in what
I say. Pr'ythee, can thy servants stand before thee in mean garb, or when soiled or dirty?
Thou, therefore, who art an earthly king, and perishest with the earth, requirest of thy
servants things fair and clean; as to my King, how sayest thou that I speak ill (in
saying) that His servants should serve Him with holiness and purity and temperance, and
should be without care and without concern, and should be free from the heavy burden of
sons and daughters, and from the great care of wealth, and from the trouble and empty
pride of riches? For thou hast willed that those who serve thee and obey thee should
conduct themselves as thou dost; and if one of them transgresseth one of thy commandments,
he receiveth chastisement from thee.

164 How much more does it behove us, who believe in the name of this God of mine, to serve
Him in purity and in holiness and in temperance and in chastity and in modesty, and that
all these fleshly (lusts) should be strange to us, adultery and theft and drunkenness and
lavishness and the service of the belly and deeds of shame and odious actions? And when
king Mazdai had heard these things, he said to Judas: "Lo, I let thee loose; go (and)
persuade Mygdonia, the wife of Karīsh, not to part from him. Judas saith to him: "If thou
wishest to do aught unto me, delay not; for, if she hath really received what she hath
heard, neither iron nor fire, nor anything else that is worse than these, will do aught
unto her or sever Him who hath taken possession of her soul. King Mazdai saith to Judas:
"I have heard that wizards can dissolve charms, and that the sting of a viper can be
healed by an antidote, which is got from another creature that is worse than the viper.
Now therefore, if thou choosest, thou art able to dissolve these former charms of thine,
and to make peace and concord between the husband and his wife; and (in so doing) thou
wilt have pity upon thyself, for thou art not yet sated of thy life. And know that, if
thou dost not persuade her, I will destroy thee out of this life, which is dear to all
men. Judas saith to him:

165 "This life is but a loan, and this time passeth away and is changed; but the life
which I teach never passeth away and is never changed. This beauty and youth, which is now
apparent (in me), will not be mine after a little. King Mazdai saith to him: "I advised
thee what was for thy advantage, but thou knowest better than I." 166 And when Judas
Thomas had gone out from before king Mazdai, Karīsh came to him and said to him: "I ask of
thee—I have never done any wrong to thee, nor to any (other) man, nor to the gods—why hast
thou brought this calamity upon me? And why hast thou brought this desolation into my
house? And what profit accrueth to thee from this? Bid me, and I will supply it to thee
without labour. And why dost thou do mischief to me, when thou canst not escape from my
hands? For know that, if thou dost not persuade her (to return to me), I will destroy
thee, and her too I will destroy out of this life, and finally I will destroy myself out
of the world. And if, as thou sayest, there be life and death, and condemnation and
acquittal, and judgement and recompense, there I will stand with thee in judgement; and if
thy God, who teacheth thee, be just, and taketh vengeance justly, I shall be recompensed,
as I have done thee no wrong, but thou hast afflicted me, and I have not sinned against
thee, but thou hast sinned against me. But even here I can take revenge upon thee, and do
unto thee all that thou hast done unto me. Hearken to me therefore, and come with me to my
house, and speak to Mygdonia, and persuade her to be with me as she was before she saw thy
face."

167 And Judas went with him laughing, and said to him: "If men loved God as they love
their fellows, all that they asked of Him He would give them, and there would be nothing
which would not obey them." And when he had said these things, Judas entered into the
house of Karīsh, and found Mygdonia sitting, and Narkia standing before her; and her hands
were placed on her cheeks, and she was saying to her nurse: "Would that the days passed
swiftly over me, my mother, and that all the hours were one, that I might go forth from
this world, and go (and) see that Beautiful (One), of whom I have heard tell, that Living
(One) and Giver of life to those who believe in Him, where there is neither night nor day,
and no darkness but light, and neither good nor bad, nor rich nor poor, nor male nor
female, nor slaves nor freemen, nor any who are proud and uplifted over those who are
humble."

168 And whilst she was saying these things, Judas came in; and she sprang upright (and)
prostrated herself to him. Karīsh saith to him: "See, she feareth thee and loveth thee,
and whatever thou sayest to her, she will gratify thee (therein)." Judas saith to her: "My
daughter Mygdonia, consent unto what thy brother saith unto thee." Mygdonia saith to him:
"Thou art unable to name the deed, and how canst thou persuade me to do it? For I have
heard thee say: 'This temporal life is (but) a loan, and this rest is (but) temporary, and
these possessions abide not.' And again thou didst say: 'Whosoever hateth this life, shall
go (and) receive life everlasting; and whosoever hateth this light of day and night, shall
go (and) receive the light in which there is no night.' And again thou didst say:
'Whosoever forsaketh these earthly possessions, shall go (and) find possessions that abide
for ever;' and other things (similar to these). Because thou art afraid, thou sayest these
things to me (now). Who is there that doth a thing and exulteth in it, and turneth round
(and) renounceth it? And who is there that buildeth a tower, and overturneth (and) rooteth
it up from its foundations? And who is there that diggeth a well in a parched place, and
throweth in stones and filleth it up? And who is there that findeth a goodly treasure, and
doth not make use of it?" And when Karīsh, the kinsman of king Mazdai, heard these things,
he said: "I am not like to you, and I will not be in haste to destroy you; but thee I will
bind, because I have power over thee, and I will not let thee go to this wizard and
converse with him. And if thou yieldest, (good and well); and if not, I know what I will
do."

169 And Judas went out from the house of Karīsh, and went to the house of Sîfûr the
general, and was dwelling there. And Sîfûr said to Judas, " Prepare for thyself an
apartment, and be teaching in it;" and he did as he said to him. And Sîfûr the general
said to him: "I and my daughter and my wife will henceforth live purely, in one mind and
in one love; and we beg that we may receive the sign (of baptism) from thy hands, and may
become true servants unto our Lord, and may be reckoned among the number of His flock and
His sheep." Judas saith: "I am meditating what to say, and am afraid; and I know what I
know, (but) I am not able to utter it." And he began to speak of baptism, and said: "This
is the baptism of the remission of sins; this is the bringer forth of new men; this is the
restorer of understandings, and the mingler of soul and body, and the establisher of the
new man in the Trinity, and which becometh a participation in the remission of sins. Glory
to thee, (thou) hidden power of baptism! Glory to thee, (thou) hidden power, that dost
communicate with us in baptism! Glory to thee, (thou) power that art visible in baptism!
Glory to you, (ye) new creatures, who are renewed through baptism, who draw nigh to it in
love!" And when he had said these things, he cast oil upon their heads and said: "Glory to
thee, (thou) beloved Fruit! Glory to thee, (thou) name of the Messiah! Glory to thee,
(thou) hidden power that dwellest in the Messiah!" And he spake, and they brought a large
vat, and he baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of
holiness.

170 And when they were baptized and had put on their clothes, he brought bread and wine,
and placed it on the table, and began to bless it, and said: "Living bread, the eaters of
which die not! Bread, that fillest hungry souls with thy blessing! Thou that art worthy to
receive the gift and to be for the remission of sins, that those who eat thee may not die!
We name the name of the Father over thee; we name the name of the Son over thee; we name
the name of the Spirit over thee, the exalted name that is hidden from all." And he said:
"In Thy name, Jesus, may the power of the blessing and the thanksgiving come and abide
upon this bread, that all the souls, which take of it, may be renewed, and their sins may
be forgiven them." And he brake and gave to Sîfûr and to his wife and to his daughter.

171 And king Mazdai, when he had dismissed Judas Thomas, went to his house to sup. And he
was telling his wife what had happened to his kinsman Karīsh, and said to her: "See, my
sister, what hath befallen that afflicted (man). Thou knowest, my sister Tertia, that a
man hath no one like his wife, on whom he relieth. Nowit happened that Mygdonia went to
see the sorcerer of whom she had heard tell and of what he was doing, and he bewitched
her, and hath parted her from her husband, I know not (how); and he knoweth not what to
do. And I wished to destroy him, but he would not let me. But do thou go, and advise her
to hearken to her husband, and do not thou listen to the vain words of that (man)." And in
the morning Tertia arose and went to the house of Karīsh, her husband's kinsman, and found
Mygdonia sitting on the ground, with sackcloth on and ashes cast upon her, and begging of
her Lord that He would forgive her her former sins, and that she might be delivered from
the world speedily. And when Tertia came in to her, she saith to Mygdonia: "My sister, and
my beloved and close friend, what is this folly that hath taken possession of thee? And
why art thou become like to a mad woman? Be mindful of thyself, be mindful of thy family;
and bestow a thought on thy numerous kindred, and have pity on thy true husband Karīsh,
and do not anything which doth not befit thy free birth."

172 Mygdonia saith to Tertia: "Thou hast not heard the tidings of the new life, and hast
not tasted the words of the preacher of life, and art not freed from the troubles of
corruption. Thou hast not seen the everlasting life, and lo, thou standest in the temporal
life. Thou hast not become sensible of the true wedlock, and thou art afflicted by the
wedlock of corruption. Thou art clothed with garments that decay, and thou dost not long
for the garments of eternity. Thou art proud of this beauty of thine which is corruptible,
and thou carest not about the loathsomeness of thy soul. Lo, thou are proud of a number of
slaves, and thine own soul from slavery thou hast not set free. Thou art proud of the pomp
of many (attendants), and thou art not delivered from the judgement of death." And when
Tertia had heard these things from Mygdonia, she went in haste to the house of Sîfûr the
general, that she might see the new Apostle who had come thither. And when she came in to
him, he began to say to her: "What art thou come to see? A wanderer, despised and wretched
above all men, without possessions or wealth? But he hath a possession which kings and
princes cannot take away from him, and which is incorruptible and cannot be plundered, —
Jesus the Messiah, the Life-giver of all mankind, the Son of the Living God, who giveth
life unto all those who believe and come to His refuge, and become of the number of His
sheep."

173 And when Tertia heard these things from him, she saith to him: "I too would become a
sharer and a handmaiden in this life which thou teachest, and I too would become a servant
to this God whom thou preachest, and I would receive from Him this life which thou
promisest, which He giveth to those who come to His place of assembly." Judas saith to
her: "The treasury of the heavenly King is open, and every one who is worthy taketh and
findeth rest; and when he hath found rest, he becometh a king. But at first a man cannot
come near Him, when he is unclean and when his works are evil; for He knoweth what is in
the heart and in the imagination, and no man can deceive Him. Thee too, therefore, if thou
really believest in Him, He will make worthy of His holy mysteries; and He will exalt
thee, and enrich thee, and renew thy mind, and make thee an heiress in His kingdom."

174 And when Tertia had heard these things, she went home rejoicing, and found Mazdai her
husband expecting her; and he had not dined. And he said to her: "Why doth thy coming in
from the street seem more pleasing to me today than on any other day? And why dost thou
come on foot,—a thing that is not proper for women like thee to do?" Tertia saith to
Mazdai: "I owe thee a debt of thanks that thou didst send me to Mygdonia. I went, and have
heard of the new life, and have seen the Apostle of the new God; and I believe that he is
the Apostle of God, who giveth life to every one who believeth in Him and doth His will.
It is my duty that I too should recompense thee for the kindness which thou hast done me;
and I will give thee a good counsel, so that thou too shalt become a king and a prince in
Heaven, if thou wilt be persuaded by me and do what I say unto thee. I beseech thee to
fear the God who hath come hither by means of this stranger, and to keep thyself purely
unto God; because this royalty of thine will pass away, and this rest of thine will be
changed into trouble. But come, go to that man, and believe in him, and thou shalt live
for ever."

175 And when he heard these things from his wife Tertia, he smote his face with his hands,
and rent his clothes, and said: "May the soul of Karīsh have no rest, who hath brought
this sorrow upon my soul! May he have no hope, who hath cut off my hope!" And he went out
sore troubled, and found his kinsman Karīsh in the street, and said to him: "Why hast thou
taken me as thy companion unto Sheol? Why hast thou defrauded me, profiting thyself
naught? Why hast thou injured me, doing thyself no good? Why hast thou killed me, not
coming thyself to life? Why hast thou done a wickedness unto me, when thou wast not in
equity? Why didst thou not let me destroy that wizard before he could corrupt my wife by
his sorceries?" And he was upbraiding Karīsh. Karīsh saith to Mazdai: "What is this that
hath happened?" Mazdai saith to Karīsh: "He hath bewitched Tertia also."

176 And they two went to the house of Sîfûr the general, and found Judas sitting and
teaching. And all the people sprang up and stood, but Judas did not stand up before them.
And king Mazdai knew that it was he who was sitting; and he seized a seat, and turned it
over, and took it by the two legs, and beat him on the head and smote him. And he seized
him and delivered him to his attendants, and said to them: "Drag (him) off, that I may sit
and hear him publicly." And they were dragging Judas and going to the place where Mazdai
used to give judgement. And when he came to the place, he was standing, whilst the
attendants of Mazdai held him. And Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, came and said to the
attendants: "Give him to me, that I may talk with him until the king cometh;" and they
gave him to him. And he took Judas, and went within to (the place) where the king used to
sit and judge. Vizān saith to him: "Thou knowest that I am the son of king Mazdai, and
that I have liberty to say to the king all that I wish; and that, if I tell the king, he
will let thee live, and if I tell him, he will kill thee. Now tell me, who is thy God? And
by whose power dost thou hold fast and glory (in it)? And if it be witchcraft, teach it to
me, and I will speak to the king, and he will let thee go."

177 Judas saith to Vizān: "Thou art the son of Mazdai, this king who passeth away; and I
am the servant of Jesus, the king who abideth for ever. Thou hast power to speak to thy
father, and to preserve alive those whom thou pleasest in this short life, in which men
abide not, even when thou hast given it to them; and both thou and thy father are mortal.
And I beg of my Lord and beseech of Him on behalf of men, and he giveth them the new life,
which lasteth for ever. Thou gloriest in men and in slaves, and in riches and garments and
attendants, and in concubines, and in meats which pass away, and in the bed of
uncleanness; and I glory in poverty and asceticism and contempt, and in fasting and prayer
and great thanksgiving, and in the communion of the brethren and of the Spirit of
holiness, and in the intercourse of the brethren, who are worthy before God to live in
everlasting life. Thou takest refuge with a man like unto thee, who cannot even deliver
his own soul from judgement and from death; and I take refuge with Him, who is the
Condemner and the Absolver and the Great, and who is the Judge of all men. Thou and he
with whom thou takest refuge are today and tomorrow, and after a time ye are not; and I
take refuge with Him who is for ever, and who knoweth all times and seasons. Thou too,
therefore, my son;

178 if thou wishest to become the servant of this God whom I serve, canst become His
quickly. And thou art seen to be His servant by these things which I mention unto thee,—by
purity, the chief of all good qualities, and the great beginning, and the returning to a
better state, and the communion of this God whom I preach; and by cleanness and by
temperance, and by love and by faith and by hope in Him, and by simplicity of pure life.
And the youth Vizān was persuaded through our Lord, and was seeking some way by which he
might rescue Judas. 179 And whilst he was considering, the king came. And the attendants
came and took Thomas, and led him out; and Vizān too went out with him, and was standing
beside him. And the king took his seat, and sent (and) had Judas brought in, with his
hands bound behind him. And when he stood before him, the king said to him:"Tell me, who
art thou, and by whose power dost thou these things?" Judas saith to him: "I am a man like
to thee, and I do these things by the power of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God." Mazdai
saith to him: "Speak truly, ere I destroy thee." Judas saith to him: "Thou hast not power
over me, as thou thinkest, and thou canst not make me suffer." And when Judas had said
these things, king Mazdai was enraged, and gave orders to heat two plates of iron and to
make him stand upon them barefooted. And when they had made him sit down, they drew off
and took away his shoes, and he was laughing and saying: "Far better is thy wisdom, Jesus,
than all the wisdoms of all men. Do Thou take counsel against them; and let Thy loving-
kindness make preparation against the anger of these (men)." And they brought the plates
(glowing) like fire, and laid hold of Judas to make him step upon them; and suddenly much
water rose out of the earth, and the plates were immersed in it, and the men let him go
and fled.

180 And when the king saw the abundance of water, he said to Judas: "Ask of thy God, and
He will deliver us from this death by the flood, and we shall not die thus." And Judas
prayed and said: "Our Lord Jesus, I ask of thee, bind this nature (or element) and confine
it to one place. Thou hast distributed it to various places, and hast given many wondrous
signs through Thy servant and Thy Apostle Judas. Thou that makest my soul long that I too
may receive Thy splendour; Giver of the reward of all my labours; Thou that lettest my
soul be at rest with its own nature, without any intercourse of the harmful (one); Thou
that art the cause of my life at all times; do Thou make this flood cease, that it may not
rear itself proudly and destroy; for there are (some) of these who are standing by, who
shall believe in Thee and live." And when Judas had prayed, there was quiet; and by little
and little those waters were swallowed up and disappeared, but the place became as if it
had been dried up (by drought).

181 And when king Mazdai saw (this), he said: "Drag (him) off to prison, till we can
consider what we shall do with him." And Judas went to be imprisoned, and the whole people
were coming after him; and Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, was coming at the right hand of
Judas, and Sîfûr the general at his left hand. And when Judas had entered the prison, he
permitted Sîfûr and Vizān, and the wife of Sîfûr and his daughter, to sit down, because
they too had gone in with him, that they might hear the word of life, for they knew that
king Mazdai would destroy him because of his great anger. 182 And Thomas began to say:
"Thou deliverer of my soul from the slavery of many, because I gave myself to be sold unto
one, now, lo, I am glad and rejoice, because I know that the times and the seasons, and
the years and the months and the days, are at an end, and I shall come and receive Thee,
my giver of rest. Lo; I shall be delivered from (the things) of to-day and of to-morrow,
and it is for to-day that I care. Lo, I shall give up hope, and receive truth. Lo, I shall
escape from the sorrow and the gladness of every day, and put on joy alone. Lo, I shall be
without care and without sorrow and without distress, and shall dwell in rest for ever.
Lo, I shall be set free from slavery, and shall go to the liberty unto which I am called.
Lo, I have waited upon times and seasons, and (now) I am raised above times and seasons.
Lo, I shall receive my pay from a Paymaster, who doth not enter into a reckoning but
giveth (freely), because His wealth sufficeth for all His gifts. Lo, I shall take off, and
I shall put on and not take off any more. Lo, I shall lie down to sleep, and I shall arise
and not lie down to sleep any more. Lo, I shall die, and I shall live and not die any
more. Lo, they shall rejoice and look on me, because I shall go and be united with their
joy, and they shall place flowers in their garlands. Lo, I shall be made a king in Thy
kingdom, Jesus, for from hence have I hoped for it. (Lo,) the wicked shall be put to
shame, who thought to subdue me by their powers. Lo, the rebellious shall be destroyed
before me, for I have risen above them. Lo, I shall have the peace, unto which the great
shall be assembled."

183 And whilst Judas was saying these things, all those who were there were listening, and
were thinking that his departure from the world would be at that moment. 184 And again
Judas said: "Believe in the Healer of all pains, hidden and manifest, and the Giver of
life to those souls which ask help of Him; this, the freeborn and King's son, who became a
slave and poor; this, the healer of His creation, and the sick because of His servants;
this, the purifier of those who believe in Him, and the despised and insulted by those who
did not hear Him; this, (who) setteth free His possessions from slavery and from
corruption and from subjection and from loss, and is made subject to and insulted by His
slaves; this, the Father of (Heaven) above, and the Lord of all creatures, and the Judge
of the world; this, who came from on high, and became visible through the Virgin Mary, and
was called the son of Joseph the carpenter; this, the littleness of whose body we have
seen with our eyes, and whose majesty we have received through faith; this, whose holy
body we have felt with our hands, and whose sad aspect we have seen with our eyes, and
whose Divine form on the mount we were not able to see by ourselves alone; this, who was
called an impostor, and who is the True, that deceiveth not, and the payer of the tax and
the head-money for us and for Himself; this, of whom the enemy, when he saw Him, was
afraid, and trembled; and asked Him who He was and what was said of Him, and He did not
make known to him the truth, because there is no truth in him; this, (who;) though He was
the Lord of the world and of its pleasures and of its wealth and of all its delights, put
them away from Him, and admonished those who hear Him and believe in Him not to make use
of these (things)."

185 And when he had finished saying these things, he stood up to pray, and spake thus:
"Our Father, who (art) in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; and Thy will be
(done) on earth as in Heaven; and give us the constant bread of the day; and forgive us
our debts and our sins, that we too may forgive our debtors; and bring us not into
temptation, but deliver us from the evil (one). My Lord and my God, and my hope and my
confidence, and my teacher and my comforter, Thou didst teach us to pray thus. Lo, Thy
prayer I am praying, and Thy will I am accomplishing. Be Thou with me until the end; Thou,
who from my youth hast sown life in me, and hast guarded me from corruption; Thou, who
hast brought me to the poverty of the world, and hast prepared me for Thy true wealth;
Thou, who hast made me know that I am Thine, and I have not come near to woman, that what
is desired by Thee might not be found with stain. My mouth sufficeth not to praise Thee,
nor my understanding to glorify Thy goodness which (is) upon me;

186 Thou who, when I was wishing to acquire and become rich, didst show me by Thy vision
that harm cometh to many from wealth and from possessions, and I believed Thy vision, and
abode in lasting poverty, until Thou, the true wealth, didst manifest Thyself unto me, and
didst fill with Thy true wealth those who are worthy of Thee, and didst deliver them from
need and from care and from avarice. Lo, then, I have fulfilled Thy will and accomplished
Thy work. I have been poor and needy, and a stranger and a slave, and despised and a
prisoner, and hungry and thirsty, and naked and barefooted and weary for Thy sake. Let not
my trust fail, nor my hope which (is) in Thee be put to shame. Let not my labours be in
vain and let not my toils be found fruitless. Let not my fastings and my urgent prayers
perish, and let not my works which (are) in Thee be changed. Let not the enemy snatch away
Thy wheat-seed from Thy land, and let not his tares be found in it; for Thy land cannot
receive his tares, and they cannot fall into the garners of Thy husbandman."

187 And again he was saying: "I have planted Thy vine in the land; may it cast out roots
downwards, and may its tendrils twine upwards, and may its fruits be seen in the land, and
may those, who are worthy of Thee and whom Thou hast acquired, delight in them. Thy
silver, which Thou gavest me, I have cast down upon Thy table try it, and give it to me
with its usury, as Thou hast promised. With Thy talent I have gained ten; let them be
added to what was mine, as Thou hast promised. To my debtors I have remitted the talent;
let not that which I have remitted, be demanded at my hand. To the supper I have been
invited and have come quickly, and have excused myself from the field and the plough and
the wife; let me not "be cast out from it, and let me not eat of it by reason of
adjurations. To the wedding-feast I have been invited, and I have put on white garments;
may I be worthy of it, and may my hands and feet not be bound, nor I be put out into outer
darkness. My lamp is bright with His light; let its Lord keep it until He leaves the
banquet-room and I receive it; (and) may I not see it sputter by reason of its oil. Let my
eyes receive Thee, and let my heart rejoice that I have fulfilled Thy will and
accomplished Thy commandments.

188 Let me be like to the wise and God-fearing servant, who with prudent diligence
neglecteth nothing. I have wearied myself with watching the whole night to protect my
house from robbers, that it might not be broken into. My loins are girded with truth, and
my sandals are bound on my feet; their thongs may I not see loosened. I have put my hand
to my ploughshare, and have not looked behind me, that my furrows might not be crooked. My
fields are white and are already fit for reaping; may I receive my reward. The garment
that weareth out I have worn out, and the work that bringeth unto rest I have
accomplished. I have kept my first watch, and second and third; may I receive Thy Face,
and worship before Thy holy beauty. I have pulled down my barns and destroyed them on
earth; may I take of Thy treasure that faileth not. I have dried up the running spring
that was in me; may I lie down by Thy living spring and rest beside it. The bound, whom
Thou didst deliver to me, I have slain; the unbound, who is in me, do Thou set free, and
let not my soul be kept back from its trust. The internal I have made external, and the
external internal; let Thy will be fulfilled in all my members. I have not turned back,
and I have not stretched forward; let me not be a wonder and a sign.

189 The dead I have not brought to life, and the living I have not put to death, and the
deficient I have (not) filled up; let us receive the Crown of victory, the Ruler of both
worlds. Scorn have I received on earth; a recompense do Thou make me in Heaven. The powers
shall not perceive me, nor the rulers take counsel against me; the tax-gatherers shall not
see me, nor the collectors of tribute oppress me. The low shall not mock at me, and the
wicked at the brave and the humble; nor shall the slave and the mean and the great, who
exalteth himself, dare to stand before me, because of Thy victorious strength, O Jesus,
which surroundeth me; for they flee and hide themselves from it, because they are not able
to behold it; for with treachery and in silence do they fall upon those who obey them. The
portion of my children, lo, crieth out and shineth, and no man is hidden from them,
because it is the fragrance of their nature. "Wicked men are separated (from them); their
fruit-tree is bitterness; I will make it pass away to their place in silence, and I will
come unto thee. Let joy and peace support me, and I shall stand before Thy glory; and let
not the slanderer look upon me, but let his eyes be blinded by Thy light, in which I
dwell, and let his lying mouth be closed, for he hath naught against me."

190 And again he began to say to those who were with him in prison: "Believe, my children,
in this God whom I proclaim. Believe in Jesus the Messiah, whom I preach. Believe in the
Life-giver and Helper of His servants. Believe in the Giver of life to those who toil at
His work; in Him, in whom, lo, my soul now rejoiceth, for the time is come that I may go
and receive Him. Believe in this fair (One), whose beauty inciteth me to say concerning
Him what He is, though I am unable to say it fully. For Thou, my Lord, art the Feeder of t
my poverty, and the Supplier of my want, and the Dispenser of my need. Be Thou with me to
the end, that I may come and receive Thee." 191 And the youth Vizān, the son of king
Mazdai, was asking of him and saying to him: "I beg of thee, holy man, Apostle of God,
permit me to go, and I will entreat the keepers of the prisoners, and they will grant me
that thou mayest go with me to my house, and thou shalt give me the sign of life, and I
too shall become a servant of this new God whom thou preachest; because in all these
things which thou sayest I was walking in my youth, until my father Mazdai constrained me
and gave me Manashar (as) a wife. For I am twenty-one years old today, and lo, it is seven
years since I was united in marriage to a woman; for before I took a wife, I knew no other
woman, and by my father I was counted as good for naught. And I have not yet had son or
daughter by the woman whom he gave to me, and my wife hath lived with me in chastity
during these years. And today, if she were well, and had seen thee or heard thy word, I
should be at rest and she would live and would receive everlasting life; for she is in
great affliction, lo, a long time, through disease. I will therefore entreat the keepers
of the prisoners, if thou wilt promise me to go with me to my house, for I live alone in a
house by myself, and wilt heal the feeble who is sick." And when Judas, the Apostle of the
Most High, heard these things, the Apostle saith to Vizān: "My son, if thou believest,
thou shalt see the wonders of our God, how He bringeth to life and hath compassion upon
His servants."

192 And whilst they were speaking, Tertia and Mygdonia and Narkia her nurse were standing
at the door of the prison; and they gave 360 silver zūzē to the keepers of the prisoners,
and they let them in to Judas. And they entered and saw Judas and Sîfûr and Vizān, and the
wife and daughter of Sîfûr, and all the prisoners, sitting and listening to Judas. And
they three stood before him, and he said to them: "Who let you come to us? And who opened
to you the gate that was closed in your faces? Tertia saith to him: "Didst thou not open
the door for us and say to us, 'Come to the prison, that we may go and take our brethren
who are there, and then our Lord will show His glory (in dealing) with us?' And when we
came to the door (of the prison), thou didst disappear from us, and we heard the sound of
the door which was shut in our faces. And we gave (money) to their keepers, and they let
us in; and lo, we stand (here) and beg of thee that thou wouldst do what we wish, that we
might let thee escape, until the wrath of king Mazdai cool towards thee. Judas saith to
Tertia: "Tell us first how ye were shut up. Tertia saith to him: "Thou thyself hast never
quitted us, save for a moment, and dost thou not know how we were shut up? But if thou
wishest to hear, hear.

193 King Mazdai sent and had me Tertia brought to him, and said to me: 'That conjuror hath
not yet got power over thee, because I have heard that he bewitcheth with oil and water
and bread and wine, and he hath not yet bewitched thee. But harken unto me, then, (and
hear) what I say unto thee, that I will not torture thee until I destroy thee; for I know,
that as long as he hath not given to thee water and oil and bread and wine, he hath not
yet got full power over thee.' And I said to him: 'Whatever thou wilt, do unto me. Over my
body thou hast power to do all that thou wilt; but my soul I will not destroy with thee.'
And when he had heard these things from me, he shut me up in a dark room beneath his
dining-room. And his kinsman Karīsh too brought both Mygdonia and Narkia, and shut them up
with me. And light did not depart from us, and thou thyself didst bring us out, and lo, we
stand before thee. But give us the sign, and let the hope of Mazdai be cut off from me,
who is plotting these things against me."

194 And when Judas, the Apostle of our Lord, had heard these things which she said, he
saith: "To Thee be glory, Jesus, manifold in form I To Thee be glory, who showest Thyself
like to our poor humanity! To Thee be glory, our Strengthener and Encourager and Reprover
and Gladdener, who standest by us in all our afflictions, and strengthenest our weakness,
and encouragest our fear!" And when he had said these things, the prisoners were
encouraged, and the keepers said: "Blow out the lamps, that they may not slanderously
accuse us before king Mazdai." And they blew out all the lamps, and went (and) slept. But
Judas said to our Lord: "Thine now is the speed (to help us), Jesus our Illuminator, for
lo, the children of darkness have made us sit in their darkness; but do Thou, our Lord,
enlighten us with the light of Thy nature." And instantly the whole prison was bright as
by day; and all those who were shut up there were asleep, and only those who I believed in
our Lord were awake.

195 And Judas said to Vizān: "Go before us, and prepare for us what is needful for our
service." Vizān saith to him: "Who will open for us the doors of the prison? For lo, they
have closed them all, and the keepers are asleep." Judas saith to him: "Believe in Jesus,
and doubt not, and thou shalt go and find the doors open and turned on their hinges." And
when he had gone out, he went before them, and all (the rest) of them were coming after
Judas. And when they had gone half-way, Manashar, the wife of Vizān, met them, coming to
the prison. And she knew him and saith to him: "My brother Vizān?" And he saith to her:
"Yea, and thou my sister Manashar?" She saith to him: "Yea." He saith to her: "Whither
goest thou at this time alone? And how wast thou able to arise from the bed?" She saith to
him: "This youth laid his hand upon me, and I was healed. And I saw in my dream, that I
should go to the stranger, where he is imprisoned, that I might be quite healed." Vizān
saith to her: "Where is the youth, who was with thee?" And she saith to him: "Dost thou
not see him? For lo, he is holding my right hand and supporting me."

196 And whilst they were talking, Judas came, with Sîfûr and his wife and daughter, and
with Mygdonia and Tertia and Narkia, and they came and entered into the house of Vizān.
And when Manashar, the wife of Vizān, saw him, she bowed down and worshipped him, and
saith to him: "Art thou come, my healer from sore disease? Thou art he whom I saw in my
dream, who didst give me this youth, that he might bring me unto thee to the prison; and
thy kindness did not suffer thee (to permit) that I should become weary, but thou thyself
art come to me." And when she had said these things, she turned round (to look) behind
her, and the youth was not (there). And she saith to Thomas: "I am not able to walk alone,
and the youth, whom thou didst give me, is not (here)." Judas saith to her:

197 "Jesus then will be a Supporter unto thee." And she was running and coming before
them. And when they entered into the house of Vizān, the son of king Mazdai, the time was
night, and our Lord was giving them light in abundance. 198 And Judas began to pray and to
speak thus: "Companion and Help of the feeble; Hope and Confidence of the poor; Refuge and
Rest of the weary; Voice that came from on high, comforting the hearts of Thy believers;
Resort and Haven of those that go forth into the region of darkness; Physician without
fee, (who) wast crucified among men for many, and for whom no man was crucified; Thou
didst descend into Sheol with mighty power, and the dead saw Thee and became alive, and
the lord of death was not able to bear (it); and Thou didst ascend with great glory, and
didst take up with Thee all who sought refuge with Thee, and didst tread for them the path
(leading) up on high, and in Thy footsteps all Thy redeemed followed; and Thou didst bring
them into Thy fold, and mingle them with Thy sheep. Son of perfect mercy, who wast sent to
us with power by the Father, whom His servants praise; Son, who wast sent by the supreme
and perfect Father-hood; Lord of possessions that cannot be defiled; wealthy (One), who
hast filled Thy creation with the treasure of Thy wealth; needy (One), who bore poverty
and fasted forty days; Satisfier of our thirsty souls with Thy blessing; be Thou, Lord,
with Vizān and with Tertia and with Manashar, and gather them into Thy fold, and mingle
them with Thy number, and be to them a guide (when they are) in the path of error. Be to
them a healer in the place of sickness; be to them a strengthener in the weary place; make
them pure in the unclean place; and make them clean of corruption in the place of the
enemy. Be a physician for their bodies, and give life to their souls, and make them holy
shrines and temples, and may the holy Spirit dwell in them."

199 And when he had prayed thus, he said to Mygdonia: "My daughter, strip thy sisters. And
she stripped them, and put girdles on them, and brought them near to him. And Vizān came
near first. And Judas took oil, and glorified (God) over it, and said: "Fair Fruit, that
art worthy to be glowing with the word of holiness, that men may put Thee on and conquer
through Thee their enemies, when they have been cleansed from their former works,—yea,
Lord, come, abide upon this oil, as Thou didst abide upon the tree, and they who crucified
Thee were not able to bear Thy word. Let Thy gift come, which Thou didst breathe upon
Thine enemies and they went backward and fell upon their faces, and let it abide upon this
oil, over which we name Thy name. And he cast it upon the head of Vizān, and then upon the
heads of these (others), and said: "In Thy name, Jesus the Messiah, let it be to these
persons for the remission of offences and sins, and for the destruction of the enemy, and
for the healing of their souls and bodies," And he commanded Mygdonia to anoint them, and
he himself anointed Vizān. And after he had anointed them, he made them go down into the
water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit of holiness, And after they had
been baptized and were come up, he brought bread and the mingled cup, and spake a blessing
over it and said:

200 "Thy holy Body, which was crucified for our sake, we eat, and Thy life-giving Blood,
which was shed for our sake, we drink. Let Thy Body be to us for life, and Thy Blood for
the remission of sins. For the gall which Thou drankest for us, let the bitterness of our
enemy be taken away from us. And for Thy drinking vinegar for our sake, let our weakness
be strengthened. And (for) the spit which thou didst receive for us, let us receive Thy
perfect life. And because Thou didst receive the crown of thorns for us, let us receive
from Thee the crown that withereth not. And because Thou wast wrapped in a linen cloth for
us, let us be girt with Thy mighty strength, which cannot be overcome. And because Thou
wast buried in a new sepulchre for our mortality, let us too receive intercourse with Thee
in Heaven. And as Thou didst arise, let us be raised, and let us stand before Thee at the
Judgement of truth. And he brake the Eucharist, and gave to Vizān and Tertia, and to
Manashar and Sîfûr and Mygdonia, and to the wife and daughter of Sîfûr, and said: "Let
this Eucharist be to you for life and rest and joy and health, and for the healing of your
souls and of your bodies. And they said, "Amen"; and a voice was heard saying to them,
"Yea and Amen. And when they heard this voice, they fell on their faces. And again the
voice was heard saying:

201 "Be not afraid, but only believe." 202 And Judas went (back) to be imprisoned, and
likewise Tertia and Mygdonia and Narkia, these too went (back) to be imprisoned. And Judas
said to them: "My daughters and sisters in our Lord, and my companions, and handmaidens of
Jesus the Messiah, listen unto me on this the last day that I shall deliver my word unto
you, for I shall never speak with you again in this world. For I shall be lifted up to our
Lord Jesus the Messiah; to Him who sold me; to Him who humbled His lofty soul to my
littleness, and hath brought me to His greatness which passeth not away, and hath deemed
me worthy of being a servant of Him in verity and in truth. And lo, I rejoice that the
time is fulfilled and the day come that I may go and receive my reward from my Lord. For
my Pay-master is just, and He knoweth how, I ought to be recompensed. For He is not wicked
nor envious, but His gifts abound; and He doth not count and give, for He is confident
that His wealth will not fail. Listen, my daughters. I am not Jesus, but I am the servant
of Jesus. I am not the Messiah, but I am one who ministereth before Him. I am not the Son
of God, but I pray and beg that I may be deemed worthy of God. But do ye, my daughters,
abide in the faith of Jesus the Messiah, and look for the hope of the Son of God.

203 And be not weary, my daughters, in persecution, and be not in doubt because ye see me
treated ignominiously, and imprisoned too, and dying, because I am fulfilling the will of
my Lord. For if I were to pray that I should not die, ye know that I am able (to do so);
but this which is seen (by us) is not death, but a release from the world. For this reason
I receive it gladly; and for this reason I am delivered, that I may go and receive Him who
is comely, Him whom I love, Him who is beloved. For much have I toiled in His service, and
I have completed (my task) because of His grace, which hath supported me and hath not
forsaken me. Let not therefore the enemy enter into you by treachery, and let him not
agitate your minds with doubt. Let not that perfidious disturber find an opportunity (of
assailing you), because He, whom ye have received, and in whom ye have believed, is
stronger than he. Look for His coming, for He will come and receive you, that is (to say),
ye shall go and see Him."

204 And when Judas had finished speaking to them, they entered into the dark house. And
Judas said: "Our Life-giver and Bearer of many things for our sake, let these doors be as
they were, and let them be sealed with their seals." And he left them and went himself too
to be imprisoned; and they were grieved and were weeping, because they knew that king
Mazdai would kill him. The Consummation of Judas Thomas. AND when he had gone in to be
imprisoned, he found the keepers quarrelling and saying: "What wrong have we done to this
sorcerer, that he hath opened the doors by the art of his charms, and hath wished to let
all these prisoners escape? But let us go and make (it) known to king Mazdai, and let us
tell him also about his wife and his son, who come to him." And whilst the chief (keeper)
of the prisoners was saying a these things, Judas was silent and listening. And they rose
early in the morning, and went to king Mazdai, and say to him: "Our lord the king, either
let this sorcerer go, or imprison him in another place, for we are unable to guard him;
because twice thy good fortune hath guarded the prisoners, otherwise they would all have
escaped; for we shut the doors and we find them open. And both thy wife and thy son, with
the rest of the people, never leave him." And when king Mazdai heard these things, he went
to look at the seals which he had placed upon the doors; and he found the seals as they
were. And he said to the keepers: "Why do ye tell lies, for lo, the seals of the houses
are as they were sealed? And how say ye (that) Tertia and Mygdonia come to him to the
prison?" The keepers say: "We have told thee the truth."

205 And king Mazdai went (and) sat in (the hall of) judgement, and sent and fetched Judas,
and stripped him and put a girdle round his loins; and they made him stand before Mazdai.
And Mazdai said to him: "Art thou a slave or a free man?" Judas saith to him: "I am a
slave, but thou hast no power whatever over me." Mazdai saith to him: "And how didst thou
run away (and) come to this country?" Judas saith to him: "I came hither that I might give
life to many by the word, and by thy hands I shall quit the world." Mazdai saith to him:
"Who is thy master? And what is his name? And of what country art thou?"Judas saith to
him: "My Master is thy Master and (the Master) of the whole world, and the Lord of Heaven
and of earth." Mazdai saith to him: "What is his name?" Judas saith to him: "Thou art not
able to hear His true name now at this time, but the name that is given to Him is Jesus
the Messiah." Mazdai saith to him: "I have not been in haste to destroy thee, but have had
patience with thee; and thou hast added to thy deeds, and thy sorceries are spoken of
through the whole country. But I will do unto thee (so) that they shall accompany thee and
go along with thee, and that our country shall be relieved of them." Judas saith to him:
"These sorceries, which thou sayest shall accompany me, shall never fail from this place."

206 And when he had said these things, Mazdai was considering, how he should give orders
concerning him, that he might die, because he was afraid of the great multitude which was
there; for many believed in our Lord, even (some) of the king's nobles. And Mazdai took
Judas and went without the city, and there came with him a few soldiers with weapons; and
people were thinking that Mazdai was wishing to learn (something) from him, and they were
standing and looking at him. And when they had gone about half a mile, he delivered him to
(some) of the soldiers who were with him and to one of the princes, and said to them: "Go
up on this mountain (and) stab him." And he turned to come (back) to the city. And people
were running after Judas to rescue him; but the soldiers were going on his right hand and
on his left and were holding spears, and that one of the princes was holding him by his
hand and supporting him. And Judas said: "O the hidden mysteries, which even to the (hour
of) departure (from this world) are fulfilled in me! O the riches of the grace of Him, who
doth not let us feel the sufferings of the body! How they surround me with weapons, and
fight with me even unto death! But to One I am given up, for lo, one chief leadeth me and
holdeth me by my hand, in order that he may deliver me to One, whom I look for that I may
receive Him; and our Lord, because He is of One, suffered (blows) at the hand of one."

207 And when he had ascended the mountain, the place where they were about to stab Judas,
he said to those who were holding him: "Harken unto me now at least, when I am on the
point of departing from the world, and let not the eyes of your hearts be blinded, nor
your ears be deafened, that ye too should not hear. Believe in this God whom I preach, and
walk not in your hardness of heart, but walk in all the virtues that beseem the freedom
and the glory of men and the life that is with God." Judas saith to Vizān: "Son of the
earthly king Mazdai, and servant of Jesus the Messiah, permit the attendants to do the
will of their king Mazdai; I will go (and) pray." And Vizān spake to the soldiers, and
they let Judas go. And Judas went and was praying and saying thus:—

208 "My Lord and my God, and my Hope and my Saviour; and my Guide and Conductor in all the
lands which I have traversed in Thy name, be Thou with all Thy servants, and do Thou guide
me too that I may come unto Thee; for unto Thee I have committed my soul, and no man shall
take it from Thy hands. Let not my sins hinder me. Lo, Lord, I fulfilled Thy will and
became a slave, for the sake of this freedom which I am receiving! today. Do Thou, Lord
Jesus, give (it) to me and fulfil it with me; for I am in no doubt whatever regarding Thy
truth and Thy love, but for the sake of these who are standing (by) that they may hear, I
speak before Thee." And when Judas had prayed thus, he said to the soldiers: "Come, fulfil
the will of him who sent you." And the soldiers came (and) struck him all together, and he
fell down and died. And the brethren were weeping all together. And they brought goodly
garments and many linen cloths, and buried Judas in the sepulchre! in which the ancient
kings were buried.

209 And Sîfûr and Vizān would not go down to the city, but were sitting there the whole
day, and they passed the night there also. And Judas appeared unto them and said to them:
"I am not here. Why are ye sitting and watching me?" I have ascended unto my Lord, and
have received what I was looking for and hoping for. But rise and go down hence, for yet a
little while and ye too shall be gathered unto me." And Mazdai and his kinsman Karīsh
brought Mygdonia and Tertia, and afflicted them much, but they would not yield to their
wish. And Judas appeared to them and said to them: "Forget not, my daughters, Jesus our
Light, the Holy and the Living (One), and He will soon prepare for you your rest and your
help." And when king Mazdai and his kinsman Karish saw that they would not be persuaded by
them, they left them alone to walk according to their own will. And all the brethren who
were there were assembling together, and praying and offering the (Eucharistic) offering
and breaking (bread), because Judas had made Sîfûr a priest and Vizān a deacon, on the
mountain, when he was going to die. And our Lord was helping them with His love and was
increasing His faith by their means.

210 And it happened after a long time that one of the sons of king Mazdai had a devil, and
no man was able to bind him, because he was very violent. And king Mazdai thought in his
mind and said: "I will go (and) open the grave of Judas, and take one of the bones of the
Apostle of God, and will hang it upon my son, and he will be healed." And Judas appeared
to him in a vision, and said to him: "Thou didst not believe in one living; wilt thou
believe in one who, lo, is dead? But fear not. My Lord the Messiah will have mercy upon
thee because of His clemency." And he did not find his bones, for one of the brethren had
taken them away secretly and conveyed them to the West. And king Mazdai took (some) of the
dust of that spot where the bones of the Apostle had lain, and hung it upon his son, and
said: I believe in Thee, my Lord Jesus; now that he hath left me, who always troubleth men
that they may not see the light." And when he had hung (it) upon his son and had believed,
he was healed; and he was united with the brethren. And king Mazdai was bowing his head
beneath the hand of the priest Sîfûr, and was entreating and begging of all the brethren
that they would pray for him, that he might find mercy with them before our Lord Jesus the
Messiah in His kingdom, which is for ever and ever. Amen.

211 Here end the Acts of Judas Thomas, the Apostle of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who
suffered martyrdom in the land of India by the hands of king Mazdai. Glory to the Father
and to the Son and to the Spirit of holiness, now and at all times and for ever and ever.
Amen. [All footnotes and biblical references have reluctantly been omitted apart from
these. Note that a complete reprint of this book with all notes, page divisions and Syriac
text can be bought online by visiting Gorgias Press, (and search on Wright)] 1. See..
Clark's Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. xvi., p.389. 2. Perhaps a reference to the
Gospel of Thomas the Israelite, ch. vi-viii of Tischendorf's Greek text; see my
Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature of the New Testament, p.8. 3. In pseudo-Abdias
(Fabricius, p. 705), Mygdonia and Charisius; Tischendorf, p.235, Mugdoni/a and Xari/sioj.


THE APOSTOLIC HISTORY OF ABDIAS AND NOTICES OF MINOR ACTS
=========================================================

THE APOSTOLIC HISTORY OF ABDIAS AND NOTICES OF MINOR ACTS Translated by M. R. James

6th–7th century AD

James’s summaries of the Latin Apostolic History of Abdias, with his notices of the minor
acts of the apostles, as a guide to the late medieval Acts of the apostles.

1 us the offering that is above, on the third day after he rose. So it was done, and the
chanter went up on a great stone and sang: Precious in the sight of the Lord.... I slept
and rose up again.... And they answered: Shall not the sleeper awake?... Now will I arise,
saith the Lord. Alleluia. They read the gospel and made the offering. 26 It was about the
sixth hour, and Plato looked out to sea seven stadia away, and lo. Matthew standing on the
sea between two men in bright apparel, and the beautiful child before them. And they said
Amen, Alleluia. And the sea was to look upon like a crystal stone, and before the Child a
cross came up out of the deep, and at the lower end of it the coffin of Matthew: and in a
moment it was set on the land where they were.

2 27 The king beheld all from a window, and came down and fell at their feet and confessed
his sin and his belief. He would give them the palace for a sanctuary, and the coffin
should be laid on his golden couch in the great hall. Plato baptized and communicated him.
28 The apostle appeared and said: Thy name shall no more be Bulphamnus but Matthew; thy
son not Bulphandrus but also Matthew; thy wife Ziphagia, Sophia; and his wife Orba,
Synesis. He ordained the king a priest, being 37, his son a deacon, being 17: his wife a
priestess (presbytis) and his son's wife a deaconess, being 17. [29 (in one recension
only): The king destroyed his idols, and issued a decree establishing the new faith.] 30
Matthew bade them offer the offering daily for forty-nine days and repeat it yearly, and
told Plato he should join him in three years, and be succeeded by the king, and he by his
son. Then with two angels he departed to heaven. 31 And a voice came, promising peace and
safety to the city.

3 His day is the 14th of Gorgiaeus (al. 16 November; Lat. 11 October). The most effective
part of these Acts is the vision after Matthew's death: the interest in liturgy is quite
prominent here. We will now take a review of the Latin Acts as contained in the of which
something has already been said. It is in ten books. Book I treats of St. Peter. Chapters
i-v are drawn from the Gospels and Acts; vi-xiv extracted from the Clementine literature;
xv, the ordination of Clement; xvi, Paul arrives, and from this to the end (xx) is the
contest with Simon and the Martyrdom from the Pseudo-Hegesippus de excidio Hierosolymae,
lib. iii. Book II, of Paul: i-vi from the canonical Acts; vii, viii from the Martyrdom.
Book III, of Andrew, is Gregory's book of miracles, and the Passion. Book IV, of James the
Great, gives us new matter, only found here, though doubtless there was a Greek original.
i. Describes James's preaching. ii. In the course of it he was opposed by Hermogenes and
Philetus. Philetus was converted by James, and told Hermogenes he should leave him.
Hermogenes in anger bound him by magical incantations and said: We will see if James can
free you. Philetus found means to send a servant to James, who sent back his kerchief, and
by it Philetus was freed and came to James.

5 iii. Hermogenes in anger sent devils to fetch both James and Philetus to him: but when
they got there they began to howl in the air and complain that an angel had bound them
with fiery chains. James sent them to bring Hermogenes bound. They tied his arms with
ropes and brought him, mocking him. You are a foolish man, said James, but they shall not
hurt you. The devils clamoured for leave to avenge themselves on him. Why do you not seize
Philetus? said James. We dare not touch so much as an ant in your chamber, they said.
James bade Philetus loose Hermogenes, and he stood confounded. Go free, said James, for we
do not render evil for evil. I fear the demons, he said. And James gave him his staff to
protect him. iv. Armed with this, he went home and filled baskets with magical books and
began to burn them. Not so, said James, lest the smoke vex the unwary; cast them into the
sea. He did so, and returned and begged for pardon. James sent him to undo his former work
on those he had deceived, and spend in charity what he had gained by his art. He obeyed,
and so grew in faith that he even performed miracles.

6 v. The Jews bribed two centurions, Lysias and Theocritus, to seize James. And while he
was being taken away, there was a dispute between him and the Pharisees. He spoke to them
first of Abraham, (vi.) and went on to cite prophecies. Isaiah: Behold a virgin...
Jeremiah: Behold, thy redeemer shall come, O Jerusalem, and this shall be the sign of him:
he shall open the eyes of the blind, restore hearing to the deaf, and raise the dead with
his voice. Ezekiel: Thy king shall come, O Zion, he shall come humbly, and restore thee.
Daniel: As the son of man, so shall he come and receive princedoms and powers. David: The
Lord said unto my Lord... Again: He shall call me, thou art my Father... I will make him
my first-born. Of the fruit of thy body... Isaiah again: Like a sheep to the slaughter.
David: They pierced my hands... They gave me gall... My flesh shall rest... I will arise
and be with thee... For the comfortless trouble's sake... He is gone up on high... God is
gone up. He rode on the cherubim... The Lord shall come, and shall not keep silence,...
vii. Isaiah: The dead shall rise. David: God spake once... They rewarded me evil for
good... He that did eat my bread... The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan. viii. The
people cried out: We have sinned. Abiathar the high priest stirred up a tumult, and a
scribe cast a rope about James's neck and dragged him before Herod, who sentenced him to
be beheaded. On the way he healed a paralytic.

7 ix. The scribe, named Josias, was convinced, and prayed for pardon. And Abiathar
procured that he should be beheaded with James. Water was brought, James baptized him,
they exchanged the kiss of peace, and were beheaded. (The tale of James forgiving his
accuser is as old as Clement of Alexandria, who quotes it.) Book V, of St. John. i. From
the Gospels and Acts. ii. The caldron of oil at Ephesus, exile to Patmos, and recall. iii.
The story of the robber (Clement of Alexandria the ultimate source). iv—xiii. Drusiana.
xiv—xviii. Atticus and Eugenius (see above). xix. Destruction of temple of Artemis. xx,
xxi. The poison (see above). Assumption of John. Book VI, of St. James the Less. i—vi.
from the Gospels and Acts and from Hegesippus as quoted by Eusebius (Rufinus). vii sqq.
SS. Simon and Jude, going to Persia, found there two magicians, Zaroës and Arfaxat, whom
Matthew had driven out of Ethiopia (see the next book). Their doctrines were that the God
of the Old Testament was the god of darkness, Moses and the Prophets deceivers, the soul
the work of the good God, the body the work of the god of darkness, so that soul and body
are contrary to each other: that the sun and moon are gods, and also water: that the
incarnation of Christ was in appearance only (in fact, Manichaean doctrine).

8 viii. On entering the country they met Varardach, the general of King Xerxes, with an
army preparing to repel an invasion of India. He had many priests and diviners with him:
their gods explained that they could give no answers because of the presence of Simon and
Jude. Varardach sent for them and they offered to expound their teaching: he said he would
hear them after the campaign. Jude urged him to hear now. He asked them to foretell his
success or failure. 9 ix. Simon said: We will allow your gods to answer your diviners. So
they prayed, and the prophets said: There will be a great battle, and many will fall on
either side. The apostles laughed, though Varardach was impressed; and they said: The
truth is that to-morrow the Indians will send and offer you peace and become tributaries
to Persia. After some dispute with the priests it was agreed (x. that both parties should
be kept in custody till the morrow; (xi. when the apostles' prediction was fulfilled. But
they interceded for the priests, whom Varardach would have killed. At least, said he, you
will receive their goods. Their pay was reckoned up: 120 talents in all, besides the chief
priest's, who had 4 pounds of gold a month: and much raiment, &c. (The apostles' refusal
to take this has dropped out, it seems. xii. On his return, Varardach reported all this to
the king; but Zaroës and Arfaxat made light of it, and proposed a test before the apostles
came. The lawyers of the land were to be summoned to dispute with them. And first they
made them unable to speak, then restored their speech but took away their power of motion,
and then made them unable to see. The lawyers retired in confusion. xiv. Varardach told
the apostles, and they asked him to send for the lawyers, and proposed a second trial. If
the lawyers would believe on their God, they would sign them with the cross and enable
them to overcome the wizards.

10 The lawyers were at first inclined to despise them for their mean appearance; but,
convinced by Simon's words, believed. xv. The apostles prayed over them: O God of Israel,
who didst do away with the magic illusions of Jannes and Mambres and give them over to
confusion and sores and cause them to perish: let thine hand be also on these magicians
Zaroës and Arfaxat, &c. The contest took place and the magicians were powerless. One of
the lawyers, Zebeus, explained to the king how they were the instruments of the evil
angel; and defied them to do as they had done the day before. xvi. They were enraged and
called in a host of snakes. The apostles were hastily summoned, and made the snakes all
turn on the magicians and bite them: they howled like wolves. Kill them outright, said the
king; but the apostles refused, and instead made the serpents suck out all their venom,
which hurt still more. xvii. And for three days, in the hospital, the wizards continued
screaming. When they were on the point of death, the apostles healed them, saying: Our God
does not ask for forced service; if you will not believe, you may go free. They wandered
about Persia, slandering the apostles and telling the people to kill them when they came.

11 xviii. The apostles stayed in Babylon, healing the sick, and ordaining clergy. A deacon
was accused of incontinence by the daughter of a satrap who had been seduced by another.
The parents clamoured against the deacon Euphrosinus. The apostles sent for the infant who
had been born that day, and on their bidding it spoke and cleared Euphrosinus: but the
apostles refused to question it about the guilty man. xix. Two fierce tigers had escaped
from their cages and were devouring everybody they met. The apostles, appealed to, made
the beasts follow them home, where they stayed three days. Then the apostles called the
people together, and announced that they were going to leave them to visit the rest of
Persia. On the urgent prayer of the people they stayed fifteen months longer, baptized
60,000 people, (xx) ordained Abdias bishop, and set out, accompanied by many disciples.
For thirteen years they travelled, and Craton their disciple recorded their acts in ten
books, which Africanus the historian translated into Latin, and from which we have here
made extracts.

12 Zaroës and Arfaxat always went before the apostles and warned people against them, but
were as regularly confuted. At Suanir there were seventy priests who received a pound of
gold II h apiece from the king at each of the feasts of the sun (at the beginning of each
of the four seasons). The magicians warned these men that two Hebrews were coming, who
would deprive them of all their gains: they should be compelled to sacrifice immediately
on their arrival. 13 xxi. After travelling through all the twelve provinces, the apostles
came to Suanir and lodged with a chief citizen, Sennes. The priests and mob flocked
thither, crying out: Bring out the enemies of our gods. So they were taken to the temple
of the sun; and as they entered the devils began to cry out that they were being burned.
In the east, in the temple, was a four-horse chariot of the sun in silver, and on the
other side a four-oxed chariot of the moon, also silver. xxii. The priests would now
compel the apostles to sacrifice. Jude said to Simon: I see the Lord calling us. Simon: I
see him also among the angels; moreover, an angel has said to me: Go out hence and the
temple shall fall, but I said: No, for some here may be converted. As they spoke (in
Hebrew) an angel came and said: Choose either the death of all here or the palm of
martyrdom. They chose the palm. As the priests pressed on them, they demanded silence.
After a few words Simon commanded the devil to leave the chariot of the sun and break it,
and Jude spoke likewise of the moon. Two hideous black men appeared and fled howling. The
priests and people attacked the apostles and slew them. xxiii. This was on the first of
July. Sennes suffered with them. Lightning struck the temple and split it into three
pieces and burnt Zaroës and Arfaxat to coal. After three months Xerxes sent and
confiscated the priests' goods and translated the bodies to his city, and built a marble
basilica, octagonal, and 8 times 80 feet in circumference and 120 feet high, plated with
gold inside, and the sarcophagus of silver in the middle. It took three years to build.

14 Book VII, of St. Matthew. i. He came to Naddaver in Ethiopia, where King Aegippus
reigned. There were two magicians, Zaroës and Arfaxat, who could make men immovable,
blind, or deaf as they pleased, and also charmed serpents, like the Marsi. ii. Matthew
counteracted all these acts, sent the snakes to sleep, and cured their bites with the
cross. A eunuch named Candacis, whom Philip had baptized, took the apostle in, and he did
many cures. iii. Candacis asked him how he, a Hebrew, could speak other tongues. Matthew
told him the story of Babel and of Pentecost. iv. One came and announced that the
magicians were coming with two crested dragons breathing fire and brimstone. Matthew
crossed himself and rose to meet them. 'Speak from the window,' said Candacis. 'You can be
at the window; I will go out.' When the dragons approached, both fell asleep at Matthew's
feet, and he challenged the magicians to rouse them. They could not. Then he adjured them
to go quietly and hurt no man, and so they did. v. The apostle then spoke, describing
Paradise at length, and (vi) the Fall (the description of Paradise is rather interesting).
vii. It was now announced that Euphranor the king's son was dead. The magicians, who could
not raise him, said he had been taken up among the gods, and an image and temple ought to
be built. Candacis said: Keep these men till Matthew comes. He came: the queen Euphenissa
fell at his feet. He consoled her and raised Euphranor. viii.

15 The people came to sacrifice to him as a god. He persuaded them to build a church:
11,000 men did it in thirty days: it was called the Resurrection. Matthew presided there
twenty-three years, ordained clergy and founded churches; baptized the king, queen,
prince, and princess Ephigenia, who vowed chastity. Zaroës and Arfaxat fled the country.
It would be long to tell of all Matthew's cures and miracles: I will proceed to his
martyrdom. ix. Aeglippus was succeeded by his brother Hyrtacus, who wished to marry
Ephigenia, now presiding over more than 200 sacred virgins. He offered Matthew half his
kingdom to persuade her. Matthew said: Assemble all the virgins tomorrow, and you shall
hear what good things I will speak of marriage. x. His address on the divine institution
and merits of matrimony. xi. Loudly applauded by Hyrtacus and his followers; he then
pointed out that it would be sacrilege to marry Ephigenia. Hyrtacus went away in a rage.
xii. But Matthew exhorted them not to fear man. xiii. Ephigenia prayed him to consecrate
her and the other virgins. And he veiled them (with a long prayer). xiv. And as he stood
at the altar praying, a soldier sent by Hyrtacus pierced him in the back and he died. The
people threatened to burn the palace, but the clergy restrained them. xv. Ephigenia gave
all her wealth to the church. Hyrtacus sent the nobles' wives to her, then tried to send
demons to carry her off, then surrounded her house with fire.

16 But an angel, and Matthew, appeared and encouraged her. And a great wind rose and drove
all the fire on the palace, and only Hyrtacus and his son escaped. The son was seized by a
devil, and rushed to Matthew's tomb and confessed his father's crimes. Hyrtacus was
attacked with elephantiasis, and stabbed himself. Beor, the brother of Ephigenia, a
Christian, succeeded and reigned twenty-five years, dying at 88, and appointing successors
in his lifetime, and he had peace with the Romans and Persians, and all Ethiopia was
filled with churches, unto this day. 17 This and the last book are linked together by the
figures of Zaroës and Arfaxat, and strictly Matthew should, we see, precede Simon and
Jude. The discourses in Matthew are much longer than in the other; and a certain
consciousness of the existence of the Abyssinian church is shown. Book VIII, of St.
Bartholomew. This, as Bonnet has shown, is the original of the Greek Passion, edited by
Tischendorf, of which there is but one manuscript, dated 1279. The Latin MSS. go back to
the eighth or ninth century.

18 India is divided into three parts: Bartholomew came thither to a temple of Astaroth,
who ceased to answer his worshippers. So they went to another city; and inquired of
Beireth (Berith), who said Bartholomew was the cause. What is he like? they asked. 'He has
black curly hair, white skin, large eyes, straight nose, his hair covers his ears, his
beard long and grizzled, middle height: he wears a white colobium with a purple stripe,
and a white cloak with four purple gems' at the corners: for twenty-six years he has worn
these and they never grow old: his shoes have lasted twenty-six years: he prays 100 times
a day and 100 times a night: his voice is like a trumpet: angels wait on him: he is always
cheerful and knows all languages.' For two days they could not find him, but then he cast
a devil out of a man. King Polymius heard of it and sent for him to heal his lunatic
daughter who bit every one. She was loosed—the apostle having reassured her keepers—and
cured. The king sent camels laden with riches, but the apostle could not be found. Next
day, however, he came to the king and expounded the Christian faith, and offered to show
him the devil who inhabited his idol. There was a dialogue, in which the demon explained
his doings. Bartholomew made the people try to pull the statue down, but they could not.
The ropes were removed and he bade the demon leave the statue, which was instantly broken.

19 After a prayer of the apostle, an angel appeared and signed the four corners of the
temple with the cross; and then showed them the devil: black, sharp-faced, with long
beard, hair to the feet, fiery eyes, breathing flame, spiky wings like a hedgehog, bound
with fiery chains; and then the angel sent him away howling. The king and the rest were
baptized. But the heathen priests went and complained to his brother Astriges (Astyages),
who had Bartholomew brought bound, and questioned him. It was told him that his idol
Vualdath had fallen and was broken to pieces, and in anger he had Bartholomew beaten with
clubs and beheaded (the Greek puts in 'flayed', in accordance with the late tradition).
And the people buried him honourably, and built a basilica over him. After twenty days
Astriges was seized by a devil, and he and all the priests died. And there was great fear,
and all believed: the king (Polymius) became bishop and presided twenty years.

20 Book IX, of Thomas. i.... I remember to have read a book in which his journey to India
and acts there are set forth; but as it is by many not received because of its wordiness,
I will omit what is superfluous and record what is plainly true, agreeable to the reader,
and can edify the church. ii-iv. The sale to Abbanes and the marriage feast. v, vi. The
palace. vii. Cure of possessed woman. The youth who killed the woman. viii, ix. Siphor's
wife and daughter. ix-xi. Mygdonia and Charisius. xii. Tertia (Treptia) and Zuzanes (who
goes with his mother to Mygdonia and is converted with her). xiii. Thomas before Misdaeus.
xiv. The iron plates. Thomas is put into the bath-furnace for a night: it cannot be
heated: he is brought to the temple of the sun, with its gold four-horsed chariot. xv.
Virgins enter, singing and playing. Thomas speaks with the demon in the image. The image
is melted. Thomas and the rest are imprisoned. (These chapters are an interpolation.)
xvi–xxv, epitomize the old Acts. The great prayer of Thomas immediately precedes his
death.

21 Book X of St. Philip, is quite short. i. He goes to Scythia twenty years after the
Ascension. ii. Before a statue of Mars: a great dragon comes out from beneath the statue
and kills the priest's son and two tribunes, and makes many ill with its venomous breath.
Philip banishes the dragon and raises and heals the dead and sick. iii. He teaches them
for a year: they break the image, and many thousands are baptized. After ordaining bishop
and clergy he returns to Asia, to Hierapolis, where he extinguishes the malignant heresy
of the Ebionites, who said that the Son of God was not born as a man, but took his
humanity from the Virgin. iv. And he had two daughters who converted many. Seven days
before his death he calls the clergy together, exhorts them, and dies, aged 87, and is
buried at Hierapolis, and his two daughters after a few years are laid at his right and
left. Where many miracles are done by his intercession.

22 This is wholly divergent from the Greek accounts. Yet some Western texts, notably those
current in Ireland, are aware of the story of his crucifixion at Hierapolis, and blend it
awkwardly with the Latin legend.

Notices of Minor Acts

23 Besides the Acts we have dealt with, there are others which demand a brief notice. The
Acts of John by Prochorus the deacon is a Greek romance of considerable length: it has
been edited in full by Zahn (Acta Joannis). By far the greater part of it is taken up with
miracles wrought by John on Patmos. It is not supposed to be earlier than the fifth
century at most. Some of the manuscripts have been found to contain large excerpts from
the Leucian Acts: the great episodes of Lycomedes, the temple of Artemis, and Drusiana—in
fact almost all that we have of the Acts, except the discourse on our Lord's life and
passion, and the death of John—have been thus preserved. Prochorus's own stories are not
very interesting. Wright has edited a Syriac history of John, attributed to Eusebius, 'who
found it in a Greek book'. The scene is mainly at Ephesus. John takes service at a bath
(as he does also in Prochorus), and there is a tale of the death and raising of a young
man, Menelaus, which has attracted the attention of a recent anonymous writer on the
resurrection—I do not quite know why. There is also a general baptism and a destruction of
idols, in consequence of which Nero banishes John, and under stress of a rising recalls
him. Finally, at the request of Peter and Paul, John writes his Gospel in one hour. He
died at the age of 120. This text exists also in Arabic.

24 There are also Greek Acts of Barnabas, edited last by Bonnet, of which the interest is
strictly local; they describe his travels and death in Cyprus—where they were doubtless
written (not earlier than the fifth century). With them must be classed the lives of other
Cypriote saints of the apostolic age, Heraclides of Tannasus and Auxibius of Soli. Acts of
James the Great in Greek (ed. Ebersolt, Paris, 1902) are without interest. Acts of Thomas
in Greek, edited by me from a British Museum MS. (in Apocr. Anecd. ii), are a version
(probably) of the Acts in the Egyptian cycle, which we have in Ethiopic. More important,
because more widely diffused, are the various late Acts and Passions of Peter and Paul.
These occupy a large space in Lipsius's edition, where the following texts are printed: 1.
The Passion of Peter, attributed to Linus, Peter's successor in the see of Rome, addressed
to the churches of East and West: in Latin. It follows the course of the original
Martyrdom, adding some details, e. g. the names of Processus and Martinian, Peter's
gaolers, and a vision, when Peter is crucified, of 'angels standing with crowns of the
flowers of roses and lilies, and upon the top of the upright cross Peter standing and
receiving a book from Christ, and reading from it the words which he was speaking'.

25 2. The Passion of Paul, by Linus, in Latin. This, again, is the original Martyrdom with
a few additions. On the way to execution Paul meets Plautilla, a noble matron, and borrows
the kerchief from her head to bind his eyes: she is to wait for him and he will give it
back. Returning, the soldiers met Plautilla rejoicing; and when they taunted her, she told
them that Paul, with a celestial company, had come to her, and returned the blood-stained
kerchief, which she showed them. There is a passage about Seneca, too: see below, p. 480.
In both, the speeches are variously altered and amplified. The remaining texts all
represent Peter and Paul as joining in the contest with Simon, and being martyred at the
same time: the older legends making a year intervene between their deaths. We have first:
3. The Passion of Peter and Paul under the name of Marcellus. The Latin text is the better
known: there is one manuscript of a Greek form of it. The opening words are Cum venisset
Paulus Romam.

26 As in all these texts, there is a good deal about Simon's magic arts. When confronted
with the apostles before Nero, he makes large dogs appear and attack the apostles: but
Peter has foreseen this, and has some barley bread, which he has blessed, concealed in his
sleeve, and, producing it, makes the dogs vanish. Pilate's letter to Claudius (see p. 146)
is produced and read before Nero. When Simon flies in the air, Peter adjures the demons
who are carrying him to let him fall; and his body is broken into four pieces. The death
of Nero is mentioned, and an attempt of some devout men from the East to carry off the
bodies of the apostles. 4. The Greek Acts of Peter and Paul. This text begins with Paul's
journey from the island of Gaudomelete to Rome. Dioscorus the shipmaster, who was bald
like Paul, was arrested in mistake for him at Puteoli and beheaded, and his head sent to
Caesar (for the Jews had induced the emperor to forbid Paul's landing in Italy). There are
other local legends in this portion of the book. But after the arrival at Rome the story
takes the same course as Pseudo-Marcellus.

27 5. A Latin Passion of Peter and Paul, largely borrowed from Pseudo-Hegesippus, has this
peculiarity, that the apostles lodge in Rome with a believer who is a relation of Pontius
Pilate. This person is called in by Nero to testify whether Simon is, as he asserts,
Christ: and denies it, and further suggests that Peter and Paul should be called in to
give their witness also. The dispute follows. The apostles are sentenced to death by
Clement, not Agrippa, prefect of the city. Hardly anything is said of the Martyrdom. The
Greek Acts of Thaddaeus centre round the Edessene legend of the mission of King Abgarus to
Christ, the miraculous portrait of him procured by Ananias, Abgarus's messenger, and the
preaching of Thaddaeus at Edessa. The Syriac doctrine of Addai tells the same story. These
are strictly local legends. Acts and Passions of disciples of the apostles are sometimes
interesting: such are those of Nereus and Achilleus which tell the story of Petronilla,
Peter's daughter; and of Xanthippe and Polyxena which borrow matter and language from the
Acts of Paul, Peter, Andrew, and Thomas. Those of Zenas and Philonilla—disciples of St.
Paul—may prove to be interesting, and those of Hermione. The Acts of Titus by Zenas have
already been shown to throw light on the Acts of Paul. The Acts of Mark, Luke, Timothy,
Longinus, Cornelius, Aquila, Ananias are not of much interest, either as history or
legend.

28 The Oriental Acts—mainly Coptic, Arabic, and Ethiopic—form a large mass of matter which
it is not practicable to analyse. They may be read conveniently in the English versions of
S. C. Malan, Conflicts of the Holy Apostles; Budge, Contendings of the Apostles; A. S.
Lewis, Mythological Acts of the Apostles. The two first are from Ethiopic, the third from
Arabic. They usually consist, in the case of each apostle, of his Preaching and his
Martyrdom, related in separate chapters. Of the Martyrdoms, some (Peter, Paul, John,
Thomas, James the Less) are the familiar stories: James ultimately from Hegesippus, the
rest versions of the old Acts. The Ethiopic has a version of the first six episodes of the
Acts of Thomas, and (in Budge) a long life of St. Paul which does not seem to have many
points of contact with the old Acts: besides some stories which are loose and fabulous
versions of the Clementine romance. The Acts of John are partly from Prochorus. The tales
of the Preachings of the apostles vary greatly in interest. Those which make some
impression are Andrew and Philemon in Scythia, where a dove is sent as a messenger by
Philemon to Andrew; Andrew and Bartholomew, where a whale transports the party in their
sleep, a ship with our Lord as captain (cf. Andrew and Matthias) conveys them, and a dog-
headed man of hideous aspect is made to become their ally; Bartholomew in the Oasis
practising vine-dressing; Matthew telling of his visit to the Land of Promise where the
Lost Tribes dwell; Thaddaeus, identical with Peter and Andrew, but shorter. Andrew and
Matthias figure here also.

29 One Arabic text is a wild story of Peter and Paul and an emperor of Rome called
Bar'amus, which does not attach itself to any other legend of those apostles. It is as
grotesque as the Slavonic Acts of Peter, of which a word has yet to be said. There is also
a Preaching of Peter in which he heals a leprous girl. Both Ethiopic and Arabic
collections may be regarded as versions made from Coptic; but the Coptic texts themselves
are for the most part very fragmentary. We have some of the older martyrdoms fairly
complete, and some representative pieces of the other stories. But we have also pieces of
stories which are not, so far, known to exist save in Coptic: for example, part of a
Martyrdom of Simon Zelotes, and two tales about Andrew which are so curious as to deserve
description.

The Acts of Andrew and Paul

30 is the name commonly given to the first. The beginning is gone. We find the captain of
a ship which has brought Andrew and Paul to some city. Andrew has gone towards the city;
Paul has plunged into the sea to visit the underworld, and leaves a message for Andrew to
bring him up again. The shipman's mother—dim of sight—comes to meet her son, and he,
having Paul's cloak to bring to Andrew, accidentally touches her eyes with it, and she
sees clearly. Andrew takes the cloak and goes to the city with the multitude: a man meets
him and begs him to visit and cure his only son, twelve years old, who is dying. But the
Jews oppose his entrance; he tells the father to return home: his boy will die, but he
must not bury him till the morrow. The father goes home and finds him dead. Andrew returns
to the ship and makes the shipman point out the place where Paul dived into the sea. He
takes a cup of fresh water, prays, and pours it into the sea, bidding the salt water
retreat and the dry land appear. The abyss cleaves, and Paul leaps up, bearing a fragment
of wood in his hand.

31 He has visited Amente and seen Judas and heard his story. Judas had repented and given
back the money, and seen Jesus and pleaded for forgiveness. Jesus sent him to the desert
to repent, bidding him fear no one but God. The prince of destruction came to him and
threatened to swallow him up, and Judas was afraid and worshipped him. Then in despair he
thought to go and ask Jesus again for pardon: but he had been taken away to the
praetorium. So he resolved to hang himself and meet Jesus in Amente. Jesus came and took
all the souls but his. The powers of Amente came and wept before Satan, who said: After
all, we are stronger than Jesus; he has had to leave a soul with us. Jesus ordered Michael
to take away Judas's soul also, that Satan's boast might be proved vain, and told Judas
how he had destroyed his own hopes by worshipping Satan and killing himself. Judas was
sent back till the day of judgement. Paul tells also how he saw the streets of Amente
desolate, and brought away a fragment of the broken gates in his hand. There were still
some souls in punishment—the murderers, sorcerers, and those who cast little children into
the water.

32 The apostles land, and with Apollonius the shipman go up to the city. The Jews refuse
to let them in. They see 'a bird which is called True' digging in a wall. This is really a
scarabaeus, in Greek, which word has been mistaken for. Andrew says, 'Thou bird, go into
the city to where the dead boy is, and tell them that we are at the gate and cannot enter;
let them open to us.' The scarab gives the message and the people threaten to stone the
Jews. At this point the governor comes out; the matter is explained to him by the people
and by the Jews, who add, 'if they are the disciples of the living God, why does he not
open the gate for them?' The governor is impressed by this and calls on the apostles to
open for themselves. They consult, and Paul, suddenly inspired, strikes the gates with the
fragment of wood from Amente, and they are swallowed up in the earth.

33 Here two leaves are lost. We gather that the Jews had practised some fraud about a
dead, or supposedly dead, man, and had tied up his face with grave clothes, 'so that he
could not breathe'. One guesses that the apostles bade the dead rise, but he was so
tightly bound that nothing happened. We find a dispute going on: the apostles say that the
only thing is to order the dead to be loosed. The Jews seek to flee, but they are held by
the soldiers till the grave clothes are loosed. The apostles pray: the dead rises and
falls at the apostles' feet, saying, 'Forgive me for my folly,' and tells 'everything that
had happened'. Andrew says to the Jews, 'Who is now the deceiver of the people? We or
you?' It appears from this that the dead man in question has been an accomplice of the
Jews in their trick, and is not the dead child whom the apostles were to raise, and
doubtless did raise when they first entered the city. This is confirmed by the next words
of the Jews (fragmentary): they fall at the apostles' feet and say... ' (we) killed him in
folly, thinking that he would not rise'. They ask for baptism. And the act concludes with
a general conversion—apparently of 27,000 Jews.

34 The other story, yet more fragmentary, tells of a woman who bore a child in the desert,
killed it, cut it in pieces, and gave it to a dog to eat, to conceal her crime. At this
moment Andrew and his companions came up. The woman fled, and the dog came to Andrew and
spoke, and called him to come and see what had been done. Andrew consulted with Philemon
(who figures as his companion in the Ethiopic Acts) and prayed. In his prayer he alludes
to a miracle wrought by Christ on Mount Gebal, 'when, a great multitude being gathered,
thou didst command that all the scattered stones and grains of sand should be gathered
together, and we marvelled'. Evidently upon this the disiecta membra of the child are
joined together, and, from words of Andrew which follow, it seems that it was made to weep
and laugh. But we have no more of the story.

35 So much for the Oriental Acts of the fabulous cycle. With them I class a text which has
only survived in Slavonic—certain Acts of Peter translated by Franko (Zeitschr. f. Ntl.
Wiss., 1902). It is imperfect at the beginning. A Child (Jesus) comes to Peter and bids
him go to the sea where a ship waits to take him to Rome. The captain of the ship
(Michael) feigns reluctance to take Peter on board, because he is a disciple of the
crucified. There is a storm which Peter stills; he then baptizes Michael, and Michael
sells him the Child. When they arrived at Rome, Peter told the Child to catch some fish.
'Make me some hooks,' he said. And in an hour he caught 12,000 fish, which followed him
about on dry land. A Roman noble, Aravistus, bought the Child from Peter for 50 pieces of
gold; and took him to a teacher, whom he speedily put to silence (a motif from the Infancy
Gospels). In the night the house was wakened by angels singing the thrice-holy hymn over
the Child. All in the house were baptized by him.

36 Nero arrested Peter, and the Child went and rebuked him; his counsellor Cato smote the
Child behind the ear, and was withered up (Infancy Gospel again). The city shook, and the
dead rose, but the Child bade them go back till Michael should raise them. Peter was
crucified, head downwards. The Child was with him, and at the last revealed himself: the
nails fell from Peter's head, breast, hands, and knees, and after praying for forgiveness
for his murderers, he gave up the ghost. Such are the main points of a rhapsody which
serves to show how little the late story-teller cared about not merely history but older
legend. Not even now have all the texts been enumerated which could be classed as
Apocryphal Acts: but the reader has before him a general view of the extent and character
of the literature which I hope may be reckoned adequate. Put very broadly, the development
is from rather dim historical reminiscences used as a framework for doctrinal teaching, to
thaumaturgy plus doctrine, to pure thaumaturgy without any doctrine of significance.

37 John embodies some traditional memories of the residence of John at Ephesus. Paul,
perhaps, in the Thecla-story uses an existing tale, true or fabulous. Peter has the
crucifixion at Rome, the memory of Simon Magus, and little else. Andrew is a succession of
miracles, and so is Thomas: but in all these the discourses of the apostles are the real
raison d'être of the books. Not so with Philip, Andrew and Matthias, and the oriental
cycle. In these the teaching is of a conventional kind, and becomes more and more
perfunctory as we go on, while the miracles grow more and more sensational, until we
perhaps reach the climax in the conversion and baptizing of an archangel. The extent to
which these Acts have been influenced by the sophistic romances of the pagan world has
been much discussed, and probably exaggerated. The Canonical Acts at first served as the
model of the genre: of that there can be no doubt. It is with Andrew that I begin to
perceive the possibility that the author writes with an eye on his pagan colleagues in the
art of fiction, just as Flamion has shown that he has also an eye on the philosophy that
was popular in his day. Xanthippe and Polyxena seem to me more nearly related to the
novels than any of the apostolic romances proper; the Clementine romance is another
example of the borrowing of motifs from secular fiction. But on the whole it seems safer
to say that these fables were intended rather to rival than to imitate the pagan novels—to
supply Christians with a substitute and an antidote.


SOURCES AND CREDITS
===================

Where each text comes from, and the licence under which it may be reused.

THE ACTS OF PAUL English translation by M. R. James, from The Apocryphal New Testament ,
being the apocryphal gospels, acts, epistles, and apocalypses, with other narratives and
fragments, newly translated by Montague Rhodes James (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924);
public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1924 edition
at the Internet Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex
has removed running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided
the text into chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes
and the editor’s introduction are left out. James’s notes and the page numbers are also
left out. The story of Paul and Thecla and the Third Epistle to the Corinthians are not
repeated here, and James’s bracketed restorations of the broken Coptic text are kept as
printed. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published
in 1924 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF PETER English translation by M. R. James, from The Apocryphal New Testament ,
being the apocryphal gospels, acts, epistles, and apocalypses, with other narratives and
fragments, newly translated by Montague Rhodes James (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924);
public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1924 edition
at the Internet Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex
has removed running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided
the text into chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes
and the editor’s introduction are left out. James’s notes at the foot of the pages and the
page numbers are also left out; the short introductions that he prints before each work
are kept. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published
in 1924 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF ANDREW English translation by M. R. James, from The Apocryphal New Testament ,
being the apocryphal gospels, acts, epistles, and apocalypses, with other narratives and
fragments, newly translated by Montague Rhodes James (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924);
public domain. The text was read by machine (Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1924 edition
at the Internet Archive and has not been proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex
has removed running heads and page numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided
the text into chapters and short sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes
and the editor’s introduction are left out. James’s notes at the foot of the pages and the
page numbers are also left out; the short introductions that he prints before each work
are kept. No modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation was published
in 1924 and is in the public domain. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF THOMAS English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers (edited by Alexander
Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896; public domain),
translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English Wikisource .
SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording is the
translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English version
has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before 1929).
The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF PHILIP English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers (edited by Alexander
Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896; public domain),
translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English Wikisource .
SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording is the
translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English version
has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before 1929).
The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers (edited by
Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896; public
domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English
Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording
is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before
1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers
(edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896;
public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English
Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording
is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before
1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF LINUS (THE MARTYRDOM OF PETER) English translation by Andrew Eastbourne,
commissioned by Roger Pearse and dedicated to the public domain (2012). It was published
in Roger Pearse’s collection Early Church Fathers – Additional Texts
(tertullian.org/fathers). SermonIndex has removed the page numbers and the footnotes and
divided the text into sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Greek words that
occur in the text are given in Latin letters. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS OF PETER AND ANDREW English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers (edited by
Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896; public
domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English
Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording
is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before
1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF XANTHIPPE, POLYXENA AND REBECCA English translation from the Ante-Nicene
Fathers (edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York,
1885–1896; public domain), as transcribed by volunteers of English Wikisource .
SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording is the
translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English version
has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before 1929).
The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY APOSTLE ANDREW English translation from the Ante-Nicene
Fathers (edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York,
1885–1896; public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of
English Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the
wording is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern
English version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published
before 1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS OF ANDREW AND MATTHIAS English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers (edited by
Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896; public
domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English
Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording
is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before
1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OF ST. MATTHEW THE APOSTLE English translation from the Ante-Nicene
Fathers (edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York,
1885–1896; public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of
English Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the
wording is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern
English version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published
before 1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS APOSTLE BARTHOLOMEW English translation from the Ante-
Nicene Fathers (edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New
York, 1885–1896; public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by
volunteers of English Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it,
and no modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public
domain (published before 1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative
Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

THE ACTS OF BARNABAS English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers (edited by Alexander
Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896; public domain),
translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English Wikisource .
SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording is the
translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English version
has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before 1929).
The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS OF THE HOLY APOSTLE THADDAEUS English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers
(edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896;
public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English
Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording
is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before
1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

ACTS OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN: HIS EXILE AND DEPARTURE English translation from the Ante-
Nicene Fathers (edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New
York, 1885–1896; public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by
volunteers of English Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it,
and no modern English version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public
domain (published before 1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative
Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

CONSUMMATION OF THOMAS THE APOSTLE English translation from the Ante-Nicene Fathers
(edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and A. Cleveland Coxe; New York, 1885–1896;
public domain), translated by Alexander Walker, as transcribed by volunteers of English
Wikisource . SermonIndex has only divided it into chapters and short sections; the wording
is the translator’s own. No Greek or Latin text is shown beside it, and no modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation is in the public domain (published before
1929). The Wikisource transcription is offered under the Creative Commons Attribution-
ShareAlike licence; we credit it here. Licence: Public domain.

APOCRYPHAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES (SYRIAC) English translation by William Wright, from The
Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, edited from Syriac manuscripts in the British Museum and
other libraries, vol. 2 (London, 1871); public domain. The text was transcribed for Roger
Pearse’s collection Early Church Fathers – Additional Texts (tertullian.org/fathers).
SermonIndex has removed the page numbers and the footnotes and divided the text into
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Licence: Public domain.

THE APOSTOLIC HISTORY OF ABDIAS AND NOTICES OF MINOR ACTS English translation by M. R.
James, from The Apocryphal New Testament , being the apocryphal gospels, acts, epistles,
and apocalypses, with other narratives and fragments, newly translated by Montague Rhodes
James (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924); public domain. The text was read by machine
(Mistral OCR) from a scan of the 1924 edition at the Internet Archive and has not been
proofread against the printed book. SermonIndex has removed running heads and page
numbers, joined words split across lines, and divided the text into chapters and short
sections; the wording is the translator’s own. Footnotes and the editor’s introduction are
left out. James’s notes at the foot of the pages and the page numbers are also left out;
the short introductions that he prints before each work are kept. No modern English
version has been made. Licence. The translation was published in 1924 and is in the public
domain. Licence: Public domain.